Turmeric Essential Oil: 8 Health Benefits

Turmeric essential oil boasts a fascinating history, not only as medicine, but as a spice and coloring agent, as well. You have likely heard of the superb healing abilities of turmeric powder. Turmeric itself contains at least 20 molecoles that are antibiotic, 14 of which are anticancer! And indeed, the essential oil also contains excellent health benefits! Health-wise, this essential oil has powerful anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antimicrobial and antiviral properties. It's loaded with antioxidants that have the power reduce joint pain, improve liver health and even fight cancer. If you don't use turmeric essential oil, here are eight convincing reasons why you should!

Turmeric Essential Oil Uses

1. Helps Fight Colon Cancer

A 2013 study found that curcumin, the main active ingredient in turmeric, had the ability to help fight colon cancer. (1) Curcumin is arguably one of the most powerful natural anti-inflammatory compounds. The study suggests that turmeric may work as part of a treatment plan for colon cancer patients. Specifically, the combination of curcumin and turmerone was found to abolish the formation of tumors. Turmerone is another component of turmeric essential oil. Another study published in BioFactors stated that turmerone is a "novel candidate for colon cancer prevention." They also assert that using turmerone in conjunction with curcumin is a viable prevention method for inflammation-associated colon cancer.

2. Helps Prevent Neurological Diseases

Turmeric essential oil is also great for prevention of neurological diseases. As mentioned above, turmeric contains a bioactive compounds called turmerone. Studies have shown that turmerone inhibits the activation of microglia, a type of cell that is activated in patients with brain disease. By inhibiting microglia activation, turmeric essential oil can help improve and prevent neurological disease. This includes such diseases, for example, as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, spinal cord injury and stroke. (2)

3. Reduces Joint Pain

Turmeric has been used for centuries to treat arthritis and joint pain, thanks to its powerful anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, it's one of the most powerful essential oils available for the treatment of arthritic pain. It also serves to reduce inflammation and stiffness, both of which are also associated with arthritis. The research backs up this claim, as well. Studies have shown that turmeric essential oil's ability to reduce pain, inflammation and stiffness can help reduce arthritis pain. (3)

4. Improves Liver Health

Studies have shown that turmeric naturally protects the liver. This is known as being hepatoprotective. This ability is in part due to tumeric essential oil's anti-inflammatory properties. (4) The antioxidants in turmeric essential oil help improve liver health by detoxifying the liver and flushing out harmful toxins. For example, turmeric has the abliity to rid the body of MTX, which doctors commonly use in cancer treatments. It also happens to clutter up the liver with dangerous toxins. Turmeric, however, can help flush out MTX from the liver. MTX, if you didn't know, is one tough toxin. Indeed, tumermic is mighty powerful to be able to combat such a potent chemical. This evidence also lends itself to turmeric being a prime candidate for prevention of liver disease.

5. May Reduce Leukemia Cells

A study published in the International Journal of Molecular Medicine showed that the turmerone in turmeric essential oil caused selective induction of programmed cell death in human leukemia cells. The research suggests that turmeric may be a promising natural treatment for leukemia. (5) However, the turmeric did not have the same cancer-fighting abilities for stomach cancer. Still, this research suggests turmeric and turmeric essential oil may be excellent aids in the fight against leukemia.

6. Helps Combat Breast Cancer

Research from the Journal of Cellular Biochemistry showed that turmeric essential oil has the ability to inhibit enzymatic activity in human breast cancer cells. This breast-cancer fighting ability is present in the aromatic turmerone found in turmeric essential oil. Tumerone can block the invasion, migration, and colony formation of breast cancer cells. By blocking the activity and expression of breast cancer cells, turmeric is able to help combat breast cancer. (6)

7. Relieves Depression and Anxiety

Quite often, changing your diet or adding natural supplements to your daily routine can cause a dramatic change in your mood and overall well-being. This is true whether you consume a poor diet, resulting in a poor mood, or a healthy diet, resulting in, most likely, a better mood and better ability to function. If you are struggling with depression, anxiety, or other mood disorders, a good place to start is to question what you've been eating. Furthermore, adding in natural supplements and treatments, such as turmeric and turmeric essential oil, may greatly improve your condition. Conventional treatments, such as prescription pills, may help as well, but many of them come with unpleasant and sometimes dangerous side effects. You may consider a more natural route instead, or in conjunction with conventional medications. Indeed, turmeric oil's sedative properties have positive effects on depression and anxiety. The oil's strong relaxant properties have the ability to improve mood and promote positive feelings. A study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders showed that turmeric worked as an anti-anxiety agent to successfully reduce overall symptoms of depression. (7) When taken for a period of 8 weeks, turmeric is also a fantastic treatment for anxiety.

8. Improves the Common Cold

Let's face it, dealing with the common cold is awful! It's bad enough that you don't feel well. When you get a cold, you more than likely will also have a hard time breathing through your nasal passages. This is because many bugs cause inflammation in that region. As a result, you may find it difficult not only to breathe, but to even fall asleep at night. You're likely going to be forced to breath through your mouth. Doing this leads to an uncomfortable dryness in your mouth and throat. And you may end up drooling or snoring, too. What a nightmare! Find some relief by using turmeric essential oil! Turmeric's anti-inflammatory properties can help reduce nasal congestion associated with a cold or allergies. Add a few drops of turmeric oil to a diffuser or a bowl of hot water and inhale the vapors to alleviate congestion.