Turmeric has been valued as a health and beauty aid for thousands of years in India and the rest of the South East Asia region and hundreds of years in the Far East. The West is slowly coming appreciate it and no longer just looks on it as "poor mans saffron".The oil is extracted from the rhizome by steam distillation and the powder is the ground up rhizome. The curcumin contained in turmeric is what gives it such amazing health properties. The Oil has a spicy gingery orange perfume and is slightly green to a yellow color and the powder a bright yellow to a yellow/orange color.
Turmeric oil is used in aromatherapy to balance, stimulate and relax. It is an anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritis and anti-oxidant oil. It is very strong so should should be used sparingly, 3 drops to a tablespoon of a carrier oil like canola or grapeseed oil. It blends well with ginger or ylang ylang oils.
Excellent for the skin, turmeric powder is used in pastes and masks to lighten the skin, to prevent and cure pigmentation marks, relieve eczema, prevent dryness, prevent wrinkles, remove hair and heal spots. Applied to the hair will lighten blond hair and add highlights to brown hair.
For oily skin a simple face mask can be made with tomato pulp and turmeric powder and a simple toner with turmeric powder and lemon juice. For dry skin a simple mask can be made with turmeric oil or powder, mixed with almond oil, virgin olive oil or coconut oil.
In first aid the powder can be applied to cuts as an antiseptic and to stop bleeding. Mixed in water and drunk it will relieve digestive problems like bloating and gas, sore throats and coughs. A paste made with chickpea flour, vegan yogurt with turmeric oil or powder, can be applied to sprains or arthritic joints to relieve pain. Mixed with aloe vera gel it can be applied to burns.
It is an excellent natural fabric dye and requires no fixatives.
For more info on turmeric's health properties, cooking with turmeric and recipes visit my other blog The Vegan Diet.
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