Even today, natural healing is gaining ground beyond preppers and survivalists. Health-conscious individuals also try to avoid the side effects of synthetic medicine.

Medicinal plants thus play an important role in prepper’s health and healing. Turmeric, in particular, is a powerhouse herb.

With a long history of medicinal use and modern scientific health studies to boot, it is a must for preppers indeed.

Harnessing Turmeric Health Benefits

Turmeric is not native to North America but it thrives in tropical and wet weather. After SHTF, it may be difficult to get your hands on fresh turmeric so learn to how to grow turmeric now.

Amazingly, turmeric makes great houseplants, so you can grow them indoors in colder climates or when the season gets cooler. Turmeric is grown for its roots or rhizomes from which it is also planted.

It may take a while for turmeric to grow from the roots, so plant them in early spring after the last frost. Turmeric will turn yellow and the leaves will die down in fall.

You can harvest the roots to dry, sparing some to plant again in the spring. You can also leave a few in your pot since they will regrow in the spring.

The leaves of turmeric are also used for cooking and are great in meat soups. So if you’re hunting game, you can boost your dishes with the leaves of turmeric.

Turmeric roots are what’s widely used, though. You can dry and ground turmeric for use in cooking, tea, and supplements. Dried turmeric roots are long-storing making it perfect for off-grid living or after SHTF.

What Are the Benefits of Turmeric?

Turmeric is a tropical plant herb used not only for cooking but for natural healing, as well. In fact, this relatively unheard of rhizome in the West is now making waves in the field of natural medicine in these parts.

On the other hand, the East has long enjoyed turmeric benefits dating way back the Bible times and probably far back. Lately, more studies prove the healing properties of curcumin in turmeric, thus taking this herb mainstream.

Curcumin is the compound that makes turmeric bright yellow-colored. It is also said to be the chemical responsible for the medical properties in turmeric.

On that note, these are the health benefits credited to curcumin in turmeric:

1. Antioxidant

Ground turmeric in a heart shape | Turmeric Benefits: Improving Your Health And Natural Healing At Home

You can link oxidative stress to many of today’s chronic diseases, especially cancer. Natural anti-oxidants then are widely credited for their preventive role.

The anti-oxidant present in turmeric is the same as in Vitamins C & E and in beta carotene. They are effective in fighting free radicals, which are responsible for the development of cancer.

What Is Beta Carotene? It is the organic compound which makes up the color in red or orange plants like carrots. It is also a known antioxidant.

To boost your health and help prevent diseases from affecting your body early on, include turmeric in your diet. You can also add curcumin in your detox drinks and recipes.

2. Anti-Inflammatory

Old man thinking something | Turmeric Benefits: Improving Your Health And Natural Healing At Home

Most chronic diseases and conditions’ development are also connected or linked to inflammation. These diseases include:

Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
Cardiovascular disease
Metabolic syndrome
Cancer
Allergy
Respiratory diseases
Skin Diseases
Arthritis
Diabetes
Obesity
Depression
Fatigue

Curcumin in turmeric suppresses inflammation making it an effective anti-inflammatory agent.

3. Arthritis Remedy

A man olding the knee with pain | Turmeric Benefits: Improving Your Health And Natural Healing At Home

Arthritis is bad news for hard-working preppers and survivalist. For a disease linked to inflammation, turmeric’s anti-inflammatory property is good news, indeed.

For healthy preppers, think about adding turmeric in your diet. Remember to avoid putting too much strain on your joints also — you need rest, too.

If you’re bugged by arthritis now, you can make this turmeric tea:

Boil two cups of water first, with a teaspoon of turmeric powder and half a teaspoon pepper
Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes then add honey and lemon to taste.

3. Helps Fight Metabolic Syndrome

Measuring the body size | Turmeric Benefits: Improving Your Health And Natural Healing At Home

What Is Metabolic Syndrome? It is a group of five conditions occurring together that causes high blood pressure, insulin resistance, excess body fat, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol levels.

A combination of any of these conditions makes you vulnerable to diabetes and heart diseases which is, again, bad news for anyone. These conditions are also linked to inflammation.

Thus, curcumin, by its anti-inflammatory properties helps decrease the factors leading to these conditions.

The Best Way to Absorb Turmeric

While curcumin is a very effective antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, it may not work by itself for its intended purpose. That’s because curcumin in turmeric isn’t easily absorbed and even metabolizes fast.

You will need enhancing agents to make it work and the best one so far is peperine in black pepper. This is why we added black pepper in our turmeric tea recipe.

By drinking it, we also increased the medicinal benefits in turmeric many times over. Adding honey and lemon also makes it even more effective — a common cold is no match.

This video from Dr. Josh Axe will convince you more about the natural health benefits of turmeric:

These turmeric benefits warrant a space for the herb in your garden or the dried root spice in your cupboard. So, make sure to include turmeric in your medicinal plants, checklist, even now.

Also check with your doctor for any turmeric dosage and intake whether you have a condition or are healthy. A regular checkup is also one way to keep your body in tiptop shape.

If you have a turmeric home remedy you would like to share, please share with us in the comment section below.

Up Next:

Looking for some turmeric products? Check out these options:

Looking to boost your turmeric? Check out these Turmeric Curcumin Veggie Caps
If you are just trying to find the spice, go to your local market, or check out Simply Organic Turmeric Root here!