In case you didn’t know, Turmeric is one of the best natural remedy for a lot of diseases. It has anti-inflammatory proprieties, alongside with antioxidant, anti-bacterial, anti-viral and cancer-fighting ones. Furthermore, it has been shown that in treating depression is even more effective than any other conventional drugs out there. Today we are going to concentrate on the ability of turmeric to help combat depression.

Turmeric as a treatment for depression

The benefits for your health of this super root are extraordinary. It lowers the risk of heart disease, keeps your brain healthy and the research conducted has also shown that it helps lift depression, as already mentioned. Curcumin (the active ingredient in turmeric) has the same effects as a prescription medicine called fluoxetine (the generic form of Prozac). Additionally, Turmeric, contrary to prescription drugs for treating depression, has no adverse effects on your health, as the clinical trial on major depressive disorder (MDD) has revealed.

Dr. Ajay Goel, Baylor Research Institute and Charles A Sammons Cancer Center, Baylor University Medical Center and study co-author, said about the active ingredient in turmeric: “It is a novel and surprising application for this natural medicine. People with depression have higher levels of inflammation in the brain. Also, people with depression have lower levels of neurogenesis in the brain, meaning they make fewer new brain cells than people with no history of depression. Curcumin is both a potent anti-inflammatory agent and a powerful stimulator for neurogenesis.”

For reducing inflammation in your body, you can always add some turmeric to your recipes.

Turmeric Lemonade (for 4 servings)

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cold filtered or sparkling water
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated or powdered turmeric
• 4 tablespoons of 100% maple syrup, honey or Stevia if you are avoiding sugar
• Juice of 1 1/2 lemons or limes
• Juice of 1 blood orange (optional)

Instructions:

Mix all the ingredients into a small pitcher, stir and serve with a slice of lemon as a garnish.