Women's Health: Say Goodbye to Cramps and Hello to a Beautiful Complexion, Naturally!
Women are natural born givers and nurturers. We’re always trying to make sure that everyone else is good and well taken care of, whether it is our significant others, children, family members or friends. That’s great and all, but we really need to take out more time to focus on giving to and nurturing ourselves. In honor of International Women’s Day, I want to focus on women’s health. The last health post highlighted ginger, and it’s amazing benefits. Well, we can sort of call this part two, seeing as this beneficial spice on today’s menu is in the ginger family! I want to discuss Turmeric, and the benefits we, women, can receive from it.
Turmeric is a spice that has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic treatments. It grows wild and in abundance in Southeast Asia, and contains so many incredible benefits that we all, especially women, should be aware of.
Menstrual Cycle
When it comes to menstrual cramps, they are not easy like Sunday morning for a lot of us. They can range anywhere from being a minor annoyance to causing debilitating pain that forces us to assume the fetal position, and hinders us from our normal daily activities. Ain’t nobody got time for that, and we certainly can not be of any help to others or get anything done if we’re not in tip-top shape. Curcumin is a component in turmeric that contains very powerful anti-inflammatory properties that fight pain just as well as any painkillers would, minus the unhealthy side effects that come with taking those manufactured medications. In addition to easing menstrual cramps, turmeric can be used to reduce the symptoms associated with premenstrual dysphoric disorder, which include mood swings, depression, and irritability.
Complexion
Skincare and cosmetics are multi-billion dollar industries. Let’s face it, ladies. Our faces are important to us, and what better way to treat our skin than with natural products and remedies. Turmeric contains benefits for our complexions. With it being rich in antioxidants, it helps with aging skin and improves skin elasticity by assisting in the stimulation of new cell growth. It also lightens hyperpigmentation, discolorations, and removes skin tanning. It does this by helping to reduce the excess melanin production, which manifests as dark spots. There are several methods to using turmeric topically. One way to combat hyperpigmentation is to make a paste out of turmeric and lemon or lime juice, apply it as a mask for 15-30 minutes (I would highly recommend using gloves to avoid staining your nails), then rinse.
Weight Loss
Turmeric is also a natural detox. It purifies the blood helping to rid our liver and kidneys of toxins. A good detox, to me, is the first step towards weight loss. It also promotes healthy weight loss by increasing the metabolism, lowering cholesterol, and improving insulin resistance.
How much turmeric should you take to receive these benefits? No more than 2,000mg should be used per day, and/or when preparing meals with turmeric powder, you only need between 1 to 3 grams per day.
There are many more benefits that I have provided below that can help us stay healthy. Adding turmeric to our diets can give our immune systems the boosts that we need to help alleviate pre-existing conditions or just to help us continue to thrive. As women, we can continue to be everything to everyone in our lives, but we must remember that in order to continue to be “Super Women,” we must first take care of ourselves.
N7,
Candidly C