Turmeric
Besides flavoring food, to purify the blood and remedy skin conditions is probably the most common use of
Turmeric in Ayurveda. The principle organs that it treats are the skin, heart, liver and lungs. Sushruta recommended
it for epilepsy and bleeding disorders. Charaka recommends it for skin diseases, to purify the bodymind, and to help
the lungs expel Kapha. Activities of Turmeric include: alterative, analgesic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antitumor,
anti-allergic, antioxidant, antiseptic, antispasmodic, appetizer, astringent, cardiovascular, carminative,
cholagogue, digestive, diuretic, stimulant, and vulnerary. Therapeutic uses include: AIDS/HIV, anemia, cancer,
diabetes, digestion, food poisoning, gallstones, indigestion, IBS, parasites, poor circulation, staph infections, and
wounds. Turmeric helps regulate the female reproductive system and purifies the uterus and breastmilk, and in men
it purifies and builds semen, which is counterintuitive for a pungent bitter. It reduces fevers, diarrhea, urinary
disorders, insanity, poisoning, cough, and lactation problems in general. It is used to treat external ulcers that
respond to nothing else. Turmeric decreases Kapha and so is used to remove mucus in the throat, watery
discharges like leucorrhea, and any pus in the eyes, ears, or in wounds, etc.
Rishi Ayurveda Hospital & Research Centre