Curcumin and turmeric instead of traditional ssri?

[cat-lady]

I've read that curcumin(an extract from turmeric) can treat ptsd. Has anyone tried this instead of or in addition to other medications? Would you recommend it? Thanks!

 

[Eagle3]

Turmeric can be used as a mild anti-depressant. It worked pretty well for me for a good long while. Turmeric powder has to be combined with black pepper and a healthy fat (like coconut, olive, or hemp oils), and kind of needs to be heated to a warm temperature for it to be bio-available. I got lazy when taking turmeric, and just started jamming the raw root, a splash of pepper, and a teaspoon of oil in my mouth, masticating it around for a few minutes, then swallowed. I love cooking with turmeric too! This concoction can also help with aches and pains, as it is an anti-inflammatory, but be careful. Turmeric is also a really good anti-coagulant, so do research if you are prone to bleeding or on blood thinners. I was using turmeric for all its purposes and was able to stay off clot-busters, A/D, painkillers, and it even did wonders for my cholesterol levels and blood sugars/A1C.

As with any natural food-based remedy, its better to ingest the whole food, not just the extract, due to the synergistic nature of compounds in the foods. Its ALL the parts working together in their natural ratio's that make healing happen. :-)

Something very easy has sprung into my path as a natural anti-depressant: juice of half a lemon in a big glass of water, first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. It's like drinking sunshine. Effects are cumulative, so you may not feel effects immediately, but after a week or two, you'll know if you miss a day!

 

[cat-lady]

Thanks! I have never heard of the lemon juice thing. I'll have to look into that. Did you notice the turmeric helped right away or did it take a while to build up like the lemon juice?

 

[Eagle3]

It took a couple of days, and it wasn't obvious it was working until I stopped taking it. However, for pain relief the effect is almost immediate. Maybe takes an hour to notice a difference.

Good luck! If you have any questions about the process, I'm right here :-)

 

[cat-lady]

Awesome, thanks!

 

[Fadeaway]

Dang, @Eagle3 knows his stuff!

 

[Eagle3]

I've been studying nutrition for over 20 years, mostly because we could never afford doctors, and they always called me a hypochondriac. I've had to use nutritional healing to keep myself alive, so I kind of have a deep background in it. Once I get my Master's, I'm going to include a certificate in Nutritional Psychology so I can actually build a practice on holistic healing in the mental health field. I love this stuff...

 

[Fadeaway]

Nice, You have me beat, I have only been studying for about 10 years. I was supposed to finish my certification in herbalism a couple of months ago, but got very sick near the end of the program. I am doing a collect them all alternative medicine. I am looking into acupuncture next. I love it too. I haven't ran into many people who understand the liver can flush out curcumin before it is absorbed if you don't take the way you described. So many herbs and and vitamins are dependent on other substances to work properly. So people think supplements aren't working because they are still missing something the body needs for it to utilize it properly.

 

[Eagle3]

@Fadeaway so true! That's why I've whittled down my own supplements list to the bare necessities, and they all complement each other to work synergistically. I've completely changed the way I eat now, and have seen such huge improvements in my mood and symptoms, along with Eastern practices incorporated into my therapy. The coolest thing happened when I first started the full diet change-over: I had been without sugar or dairy for a solid month, and just HAD to have some ice cream...I noticed within 3 hours that my depression and irritability had skyrocketed, to the point of definite suicidal ideation that I KNEW was related to the sugar.

Seriously, our food is engineered to fuel and heal our bodies, and our bodies are designed to utilize food to heal itself. The macro-eological sciences and chemistry behind food science is SOOOOO fascinating! Now, I know how my eating patterns affect my mood and health (although that doesn't mean I'm always following my rules ;)). Food has become a partner instead of the enemy it once was. I can't wait to share this information with others when I'm credentialed!

 

[shatter eyes]

understand the liver can flush out curcumin before it is absorbed if you don't take the way you described. So many herbs and and vitamins are dependent on other substances to work properly.

Does this mean i have been pissing away my turmeric pills?
I dont eat well and my energy is usually low so i force myself to gulp gulp gulp supplements.

The turmeric i have been mostly taking the pills with water. I did not know i needed to take them with warm oil foods.

 

[Fadeaway]

Most likely. Plus pills are more expensive than powder. Look up golden milk. It is a recipe that helps absorbtion
And taste.

 

[Abstract]

Keep in mind many of these supplements are blood thinners for when that is relevant.