You’re Inflamed and It Needs to Be Addressed
You live in an inflammatory environment these days. Chronic overstimulation from media, long work hours, and lack of support systems are possible social causes. The daily burden of chemicals in our food, homes and other locations is a stressor we all encounter. A third pot is internal stress from chronic pain, viruses and other infections.
Your body deals with stress by creating inflammation. This is a good thing at first. Imagine you get a splinter in your finger. Your immune system responds by sending fluids and white blood cell complexes to the area, and eventually your body will be able to push out that splinter, albeit in a flood of goopy pus! Your finger can then return to normal.
This is how the body is meant to react: stress- solution, stress- solution. But with a constant onslaught of stress, the body can remain stuck in the ‘on mode,’ with a resulting persistent amount of inflammation.
This type of inflammation is problematic. It leads to things like:
Headaches
Indigestion
Food intolerances
Skin disorders
Cloudy thinking
Poor memory
Menstrual pain
Sugar cravings
Sinus congestion
Mood swings
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms regularly, it’s time to take inflammation seriously.
Unfortunately, as I mentioned, the deck is stacked against us in what is very busy, very toxic world. You can feel like you moving against a strong tide to try to be healthy.
Remember that health is your birthright, and inflammation can be kept in check. Luckily there is an easy addition to your routine that you can use to combat inflammation.
But first I want to look at another growing problem, autoimmunity. Autoimmune conditions always involve inflammation. The gut is also inflamed in autoimmunity, and often the brain, and other systems at well. It could be joint inflammation, as in rheumatoid arthritis, for example. In Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, the thyroid gland itself can be inflamed.
Autoimmunity is “also the fourth largest cause of disability in women,” according to an article in the US Pharmacist Journal. So even if you don’t have an autoimmune condition now, you want to reverse inflammatory trends in your body so you don’t get there!
The Benefits of Turmeric Oil
You’ve likely heard of the benefits of turmeric or its active constituent, curcumin. You may tried to add some turmeric powder to hot food dishes, and you may have even bought fresh turmeric root at the grocery store (it looks like ginger) and made it into tea!
This is all great. But to really make a change in your inflammatory response, you need a therapeutic dose of curcumin. According to the blog up-nature.com, “just like the powder, the oil is also packed with antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-worm, anti-allergic, and anti-parasitic healing properties.
At times the words 'turmeric' and 'curcumin' are used interchangeably, but curcumin is only one of the many active ingredients found in the turmeric plant. In fact turmeric oil is known to contain over 300 phenolic compounds!
The major compounds, ar-turmerone, alpha-turmerone, beta-turmerone and curcumin are sesquiterpenes, molecules that have to ability to pass through the blood brain barrier promoting oxygen in the brain. Sesquiterpenes also have excellent antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties and can bring hormonal balance, promote liver health, soothe inflamed tissues and stimulate the glands.”
Let’s list of some of the potential benefits of turmeric oil:
Improve mood
Clear skin
Enhance production of glutathione and other antioxidants
Improve fat and sugar metabolism
Improve immune function
Improve nerve communication
Help address stomach ulcers
Decrease joint pain
Improve digestion and food tolerance
Decrease headache frequency
Prevent dementia
Protects the liver and improves detoxification
According to Up-nature.com, “Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor or BDNF, is the key hormone in the brain responsible for forming new neuron connections, and decreased levels of this essential hormone is linked to many brain ailments such as Alzheimer's disease, dementia and depression. This is where curcumin comes in the picture. Studies have shown that curcumin can boost levels of BDNF in the brain. This can actually delay or potentially even reverse brain ailments, help fight brain cell degeneration and positively improve brain function.”
How To Use Turmeric Essential Oil
Essential oils are (usually) distilled to extract an volatile aromatic compound from a flower, bark, sap or other plant part. In the case of turmeric, its a root.
Turmeric oil can be used three ways: topically, aromatically or internally. So it’ already more diverse than culinary turmeric or oral turmeric supplementation.
You can add it to dishes, late in the cooking, like curry or stir fry.
You can add a few drops into your chai tea (I had this today!)
You can drop a few drops on your tongue or rub into onto your feet.
Or add 2-3 drops to your moisturizing oil as the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects can tame acne, redness and signs of aging.
Adding it to a cold water, ultrasonic diffuser, turmeric is a grounding scent that can bring calm. Pair it with a fruity oil like orange or red mandarin.
Add 4-5 drops to a tablespoon of carrier oil as a muscle rub, and consider adding an additional 4-5 drops of peppermint, lavender, Deep Blue or frankincense.
Ideas:
If you’d like a couple oils to pair with turmeric oil for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, I’d also purchase lemongrass and myrrh oil and apply all three with a carrier oil over the thyroid and gut.
If your primary issue is indigestion, I would get any of the starter kits that contain Digestzen, Frankincense and Oregano and pair all four in a carrier oil to apply to the gut daily 2-3 times per day.
Disclaimer: All information copyright of Women’s Wellness Collaborative llc and cannot be reproduced or shared without prior permission. This information serves as education only and does not replace your relationship with your doctor.
Written by Bridgit Danner, LAc, FDNP
Bridgit is trained in functional health coaching and has worked with thousands of women over her career since 2004. She is the founder of Women’s Wellness Collaborative llc and HormoneDetoxShop.com.