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Turmeric anyone?

(36 Posts)
GrannyLiv Tue 07-May-19 23:12:41

I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and have been really struggling recently with knee pain. Various people at work have been offering all sorts of advice, all of it well-meaning but some of it absolutely bonkers (for example, one girl said that if I ate only grapes for two weeks, then the RA would be totally reversed. How wonderful, an auto immune disease cured by grapes. I wonder if my consultant knows this?!)

Anyway, several people have mentioned turmeric. One person even told me that she feeds a turmeric paste to her horses to treat their joints, with good results. I've googled and there seems to be a lot of positive testimony.

Has anyone here tried turmeric for joint pain? If so, how did you get on?

Cheers!

Helennonotion Tue 07-May-19 23:28:06

Yes! My 10 year old border collie and I take golden paste daily. I make it with turmeric, coconut oil and black pepper. It improves my dogs stiffness no end and really helps me with my osteo arthritis. I had to stop taking it for 48 hours recently sure to some dental surgery, it thins the blood slightly and I really felt the difference! There is an amazing Facebook group which helped me no end in the beginning. Turmeric user group uk its called. The recipe and lots of info on there. I make a big batch about once a month and freeze some. It has many other beneficial properties too. I've only had one cold in almost 2 years! I wouldn't be without it now.

Moocow Tue 07-May-19 23:43:05

I am interested in exactly how helenonotion made up the combination etc. I too had heard great things about it's benefits for rheumatoid arthritis and started to drink it in place of coffee each morning. It is available in the tea aisle of some supermarkets. I Never noticed any difference and when I heard how much you really had to take for it to be of any real benefit I stopped as it was like drinking food and became really difficult to get down comfortably.

I do think these things can benefit some and not others for one reason or another, after all we are all individuals. I would try it again if I knew a different and less filling way to try it.

Helennonotion Tue 07-May-19 23:46:40

Im in bed on my phone right now. But will elaborate with recipe etc in the morning. Sleep is beckoning.

BlueBelle Wed 08-May-19 06:21:35

I tried the turmeric black pepper recipe it was so vile I couldn’t take it
I would try it again if i could make it taste not like poison

Oldandverygrey Wed 08-May-19 07:10:37

Granny - before taking turmeric make sure they do not disagree with any medication you are taking, my husband became very unwell as a result.

Grannyknot Wed 08-May-19 07:11:28

I make a turmeric latte - warm milk, honey and a good pinch of turmeric. To me turmeric has a strong colour but it doesn't really have a strong taste ...

Anyway, my husband finds that my concoction relieves the arthritis in his hands and finger joints.

Esspee Wed 08-May-19 07:30:50

I know nothing about turmeric for arthritis but do know that you can buy gelatine capsules full of turmeric which are easily swallowed. Some people buy empty capsules and make their own. If you find it unpalatable this might be a solution.

Grammaretto Wed 08-May-19 07:51:50

It's supposed to reduce inflammation but you'd think that since its been used as a dye and a curry ingredient for centuries, someone would know by now.
I grate fresh turmeric on white fish before baking or frying for flavour and colour. My hands end up orange but that fades in time!
I'd love to know if you get good results with it.

Bathsheba Wed 08-May-19 08:09:18

oldandverygrey is right - I would take turmeric for my painful joints, but cannot because I take Omeprazole. Turmeric can actually increase stomach acid, the very thing that Omeprazole is trying to reduce.
I believe, but you should check, that it shouldn’t be taken if you’re on any blood thinning medication. Also drugs for diabetes (I think).
So yes, please do check before taking turmeric (or curcumin to be more precise).

SueH49 Wed 08-May-19 08:26:20

I also have taken turmeric paste for osteo arthritis. I have no doubt that it reduces my pain.
I don't mind the taste, and I just swallow a spoonful, but the texture does not please me so I gulp it down and follow with a glass of water. You do need to buy the decent turmeric though - readily available from Asian or Indian grocers or I order mine online.

Golden Paste Recipe
1/2 cup turmeric powder (125 mls) (60 grams)
1 cup water (250 mls), and 1 cup in reserve if needed
1/3 cup (70 mls) cold pressed Olive or Coconut oil
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper (one and a half teaspoons)
Place turmeric and water in pan, stirring over gentle heat until you have a thick paste. This should take about 7 - 10 minutes and you will need to add additional water along the way. Add the pepper and oil at the end of cooking. Stir well (a whisk is ideal) and allow to cool. Store in sterilised glass jar and refrigerate.
Will keep for two weeks, refrigerated. Freeze a portion if you think you have too much to use within two weeks.
Use for Golden Milk, Smoothies, stir into Yoghurt ... add to your dinner plate as a condiment. (Same recipe may also be used for animals)

Auntieflo Wed 08-May-19 08:36:49

I was so wishing that I could take this to help with painful knees. Then I read that it is not to be taken with Omeprazole and blood thinners. I take both, so cannot try this, which is a pity.

Helennonotion Wed 08-May-19 09:23:06

Brilliant someone has posted the recipe! Thank you. I was also going to add that there are many contraindications when taking this so it needs to be looked into carefully. There is a really interesting article on the Facebook group I mentioned, about Golden Paste and heartburn/reflux and some people have managed to come off their medication and just take GP. (not sure it increases acid in the stomach) However I'm not an expert just someone who uses and rates this stuff highly. I can only suggest joining the 'Turmeric user group UK' on facebook as they have a wealth of information and very very helpful admins. Yes the taste is a bit yukky at first but after 18 months of using it I can tolerate it almost neat these days! Its lovely with baked beans and also cabbage! I just dollop a big spoonful onto my plate and it just goes down with the rest! Dosage needs to be increased slowly from small amounts. You can also get ready made capsules, which I use for holidays, but they are pretty expensive. Oh one last thing, If you are using for a dog, add some cinnamon, otherwise they can often smell of cat pee! It has to be Ceylon cinnamon and not the standard stuff we use in baking as this is poisionous to dogs. There are a lot of do's and don't's regarding taking this stuff so please do your research! But I wouldn't be without it!

Culag Wed 08-May-19 09:35:10

I keep sliced turmeric root in the freezer and pop a slice into a mug of milk, heat in the microwave and add some honey. I think it’s delicious.

Beammeupscottie Wed 08-May-19 10:01:47

I fry up left over veg with turmeric, chilli and soy sauce; very nice. Also, you can stir it into baked beans if you do not want to fuss. I find the capsules good to top up. It has made a noticeable difference to aches and pains.

RedRidingHood Wed 08-May-19 10:58:30

I have rheumatoid arthritis and I'm willing to give anything a go. However I am a huge sceptic when it comes to alternative / dietary "cures". I tend to think that there is a great placebo effect which won't work unless you believe in it.

However I did try turmeric. Took it daily for about three months. It's pretty unpleasant but I used to mix it up with milk.

No Effect Whatsoever.

I have also tried gluten free as some people are evangelical about gf for auto-immune disorders. Again no effect whatsoever.

So try it by all means, it's unlikely to do any harm.

notentirelyallhere Wed 08-May-19 11:20:24

I take turmeric for an immune related disorder. I think it makes a difference but time will tell. My symptoms did worsen when I stopped it for a while. There is sound research to show that it can make a difference but as ever, it doesn't work for everybody.

I belong to that Facebook turmeric users group, it's very informative. It appears to be important to go for the highest level of curcumin which is the vital ingredient in turmeric for inflammatory conditions. It also appears to be important to take it with black pepper and possibly coconut oil, these aid absorption. It's obviously key to take the correct amount with the correct additional items. There is a lot of variation in capsules available online and in places like Holland and Barrett but I don't see why one shouldn't take capsules so avoiding the taste some complain about.

I have read that it is biologically like taking aspirin so it can upset the stomach and it does clash with other medications. It has been shown to be effective on animals.

jura2 Wed 08-May-19 11:23:13

WE both use Turmeric and Curcumin (extract) daily- for joint paint and for a much more severe condition. Results have been 'miraculous' (and neither of us believe in miracles ...) but we will never know to which extent Turmeric is responsible. We were advised to take it ba a Professor of plant pharmacology- they have had brilliant results in several countries with improvement to memory and cognitive impairment, even in cases of diagnosed and established Alzheimers and Dementia- so for this alone, it is worth it as it has a strong preventitive effect. Great results too with some forms of cancer, like prostate. The Prof (Hostettmann) said there is no funding for research by big pharma, because they can't make money out of natural products. (Curcumin and Turmeric tablets we buy from Holland and Barrett when they have the penny sale - in this case starting next Thursday).

jura2 Wed 08-May-19 11:28:26

BTW OH is a doctor and totally against this new fad of taking loads of supplements. After being advised to take it, he did a lot of research of medical journals, etc - then agreed, for the first time ever, to take the above- with amazing results.

notentirelyallhere Wed 08-May-19 11:31:14

jura2, assuming it doesn't break the rules (?) which H&B tablets do you take? I've bought some online with the black pepper addition but I've also bought some H&B capsules without the latter. I'm trying out the latter but it is all SO confusing and the prices vary enormously between different manufacturers.

jura2 Wed 08-May-19 11:33:43

Curcumin (extract of curcumin) 19.99 for 30 - but if you use penny sale, then it is better, and Nature's Garden turmeric caps - currently in the sale.

notentirelyallhere Wed 08-May-19 11:54:05

Really helpful jura, thank you.

PamelaJ1 Wed 08-May-19 14:30:18

I just mix up the powder with black pepper and full fat yogurt (it’s fat soluble) to a thick paste then have a teaspoonful Before food.
Not delicious but one gets used to it.

David1968 Thu 09-May-19 13:25:40

I'm taking the turmeric capsules from Healthspan. (Just swallow whole.) I also take glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM. And Bromelain. (Honestly I'm not a supplement junkie - it's all for my joints' well-being!) I think that they are helping: I have reduced the amount of prescribed pain killers I take.

Willow500 Thu 09-May-19 14:38:04

My husband started taking the capsules last year when he was crippled with sciatica - within a fortnight the pain had almost gone and he's been taking them ever since. He told his brother who did a lot of research and he started to take a different one - he had been on prostate medication and has been able to give that up as well as it helping his acid reflux. His wife started to take them too. Definitely seems to be a miracle treatment - I've been taking them too for high cholesterol but didn't realize you shouldn't if you're on blood thinning meds which I am so maybe I should stop.