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Thursday, September 04, 2008

Will turmeric help warm cold hands and feet?

I have for years had poor circulation in my hands and feet, and get purple fingernails and cold hands on cold days. A friend has suggested Turmeric tablets; her husband has apparently taken them with good results. Your views?
"G"
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Gary comments:
As background, "G" has a lanky frame.  He is in his 50's.  He is sedentary, lightly muscled and is not known to frequent sunseeker clubs.  He has recently suffered a bad arm fracture and has previously consulted me about knee and muscle pain.

Chronic deficiency in the fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) may be key factors in cases of joint and muscle pain, fragile bones and depressed metabolism as indicated by the poor circulation and cold limbs.  This is a growing health issue nowadays as the harm from the low-fat health messages are wreaked upon the well intentioned.  There is a good case for a course of several months of boosting these levels with some modest supplementation.

Minerals should be replenished as well.  Protein should be dribbled into the body daily by incuding a little in each meal rather than during one meal alone.  Minerals and proteins give strtength and structure to the body, including the bones.  Along with the Fat soluble vitamins they help stoke and sustain the metabolic fires.

It would help to get back to as natural a diet as possible with as much variety as one can get in home cooking - all kinds of meats, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, whole mik, cheeses and fruit.  If it is sold in plastic, if it has any kind of additive, hydrogenated fats etc, then get rid of it!  Eat what Granny used to call "food".

Exercise daily - Brisk walking and lifting modest weights above the head about 20 times from ground level will do the job.

Turmeric?
Turmeric is a favourite of ours when cooking.  Any of the the brightly coloured spices are great for you.  These have many health benefits.  Turmeric may boost metabolism and it may have anti-cancer properties.  What could be better than turmeric as a food spice, taken in conjunction with the fat soluble vitamins?  I do not think you need to take it as pills.  Cook with it.


Vitamin K
One or more generous servings per day of dark greens - brocolli, spinach, silverbeet or taro leaves.  Cook in NZ butter or cocnut oil.  The fat is essential to dissolve the fat soluble vitamin K and to transport it into the blood and to the cells.

Do you have a question?
Email Gary: gary at myotec.co.nz (Replace the "at" with @ and remove spaces). Please include any relevant background information to your question.

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