Turmeric clears up Psoriasis

Turmeric clesrs up reader's Psoriasis


Q. I want to thank you for writing about turmeric. I had psoriasis on my feet and my hands so bad that I lost all my nails on my fingers. I went to doctor after doctor to heal my psoriasis, but nothing worked.

When I saw the article, I thought I'd try it. I started to put turmeric on my food and in my coffee. Within two weeks, my psoriasis had started to heal. Within three weeks, it had cleared up.

I have been free of psoriasis for six months now. My foot is no longer scaling, and the nails on my hands have grown back. I told the doctor about turmeric. I guess he didn't believe me, but I know better.

A. Turmeric is a yellow spice that is an important ingredient in curry powder. A component of turmeric, curcumin, has anti-inflammatory as well as antioxidant activity and shows promise against psoriasis and other conditions (Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, December 2004).

We have heard from many others that turmeric can help ease psoriasis. Some people are allergic to the spice, however, and those who take the anticoagulant warfarin should avoid it.

Q. I started getting muscle movements in my legs in the mornings while lying in bed. It wasn't "restless leg syndrome" because I did not feel like I had to move my legs. I just had an unusual feeling of muscles moving under the skin.

I heard a discussion on the radio about this that suggested using magnesium. I've started taking 1,000 mg before bed, and although it doesn't stop the muscle movement completely, it does minimize the discomfort somewhat. Is 1,000 mg of magnesium a day too much?

A. Your body will let you know if you are taking too much magnesium. In excess, this mineral causes diarrhea. For most people, 300 mg a day or so is tolerable, but 1,000 mg would not be. People with kidney problems should avoid any supplemental magnesium, as it could put too much strain on the kidneys.

We are sending you our Guide to Leg Pain, which contains many other suggestions for coping with leg cramps or restless legs.

Q. I have been interested in your articles about cinnamon used by type 2 diabetics to lower blood sugar. I was concerned that the cinnamon I buy might be contaminated with coumarin, so I called the distributor. The woman I spoke to told me all cinnamon has coumarin in it naturally, just as a lot of fruit does, but that the amounts are too low to be harmful if it is used only occasionally.

I am interested in taking 1/4 teaspoon in the morning. I am on a low dose of a medicine for type 2 diabetes. Is this reasonable?

A. We always recommend that a person with diabetes work with the health-care team (doctor, nurse and/or diabetes educator) when adding natural supplements to the regimen. You can avoid any worry about coumarin by creating your own water-soluble cinnamon extract. Just put the cinnamon in a coffee filter and pour a cup of boiling water over it.

The resulting cinnamon-flavored water provides the active compound but not the coumarin, so you get the benefit without the worry.

Q. I want to thank you for writing about turmeric. I had psoriasis on my feet and my hands so bad that I lost all my nails on my fingers. I went to doctor after doctor to heal my psoriasis, but nothing worked.

When I saw the article, I thought I'd try it. I started to put turmeric on my food and in my coffee. Within two weeks, my psoriasis had started to heal. Within three weeks, it had cleared up.

I have been free of psoriasis for six months now. My foot is no longer scaling, and the nails on my hands have grown back. I told the doctor about turmeric. I guess he didn't believe me, but I know better.

A. Turmeric is a yellow spice that is an important ingredient in curry powder. A component of turmeric, curcumin, has anti-inflammatory as well as antioxidant activity and shows promise against psoriasis and other conditions (Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, December 2004).

We have heard from many others that turmeric can help ease psoriasis. Some people are allergic to the spice, however, and those who take the anticoagulant warfarin should avoid it.

Q. I started getting muscle movements in my legs in the mornings while lying in bed. It wasn't "restless leg syndrome" because I did not feel like I had to move my legs. I just had an unusual feeling of muscles moving under the skin.

I heard a discussion on the radio about this that suggested using magnesium. I've started taking 1,000 mg before bed, and although it doesn't stop the muscle movement completely, it does minimize the discomfort somewhat. Is 1,000 mg of magnesium a day too much?

A. Your body will let you know if you are taking too much magnesium. In excess, this mineral causes diarrhea. For most people, 300 mg a day or so is tolerable, but 1,000 mg would not be. People with kidney problems should avoid any supplemental magnesium, as it could put too much strain on the kidneys.

We are sending you our Guide to Leg Pain, which contains many other suggestions for coping with leg cramps or restless legs.

Q. I have been interested in your articles about cinnamon used by type 2 diabetics to lower blood sugar. I was concerned that the cinnamon I buy might be contaminated with coumarin, so I called the distributor. The woman I spoke to told me all cinnamon has coumarin in it naturally, just as a lot of fruit does, but that the amounts are too low to be harmful if it is used only occasionally.

I am interested in taking 1/4 teaspoon in the morning. I am on a low dose of a medicine for type 2 diabetes. Is this reasonable?

A. We always recommend that a person with diabetes work with the health-care team (doctor, nurse and/or diabetes educator) when adding natural supplements to the regimen. You can avoid any worry about coumarin by creating your own water-soluble cinnamon extract. Just put the cinnamon in a coffee filter and pour a cup of boiling water over it.

The resulting cinnamon-flavored water provides the active compound but not the coumarin, so you get the benefit without the worry.