Turmeric, a rhizome of the biological family Zingiberaceae is a native to India, Bangladesh and China. In Indian food a basic spices that one can find easily is turmeric. Apart from making taste to the foods, turmeric has great medicinal values. It is anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic in nature. In early days people used to apply turmeric for stop bleeding. It is one of the strongest antiseptics known to man. The color of turmeric is brilliant golden yellow because of the presence of Curcumin.

For different skin problems turmeric works magically. For acne, skin rashes, spots it works nicely. It is quite effective for glowing and rejuvenating skin with its lost attractiveness. With the presence of curcumin,turmeric is quite effective for treating hepatitis, gallbladder problems, loss of appetite, arthritis, asthma, alzheimer’s disease, psoriasis, different type of cancers like colon and breast cancers etc. Interesting news is also there! Now several laboratory studies are suggesting that the component Curcumin which is extracted from turmeric may have activity against HIV. But still more reliable studies are required in this area.

Drinking milk mixed with turmeric is helpful for asthmatic and bronchitic patients. A mixture of honey with turmeric is good for sore throat. Also gargling hot water mixed with turmeric and salt is quite helpful for sore throat.

Turmeric activates better bile flow thus helps digest fats and reduce the risk of gallstones. Turmeric also helps to generate the secretion of different enzymes which assist the liver in breaking down and metabolizing some toxic substances. It is also helpful in reducing the level of blood cholesterol.

Following are some skin care tips with turmeric-

1. Daily use of lemon juice mixed with cucumber juice and a pinch of turmeric is helpful for dark underarms and neck.

2. Mix pure turmeric powder in coconut oil and massage your skin with this oil before taking bath. This is a good remedy for avoiding many skin problems.

3. A mixture of milk cream with turmeric powder can be applied to the skin around the eyes. This remedy is helpful for reducing the dark circles and fine lines around eyes.