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C URCUMIN AND H EART D ISEASE
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REDUCE HOMOCYSTEINE AND CRP LEVELS
Homocysteine is an amino acid naturally present in the human
body. When homocysteine starts to build up in the bloodstream, it
increases the hardening and narrowing of the arteries, may cause
blood clotting, raises your risk of heart disease and can be predic-
tive of a heart attack, stroke and possibly Alzheimer’s disease.
CRP (C-Reactive Protein) is a body signal of inflammation. It
damages the arterial walls, resulting in hardening of the arteries
and blood clotting. Curcumin helps to relax those arterial wall
cells, reduces the hardening of the arteries and allows the blood to
flow more freely, dissolving clots and preventing and even revers-
ing plaque buildup.
REVERSE HEART FAILURE
Congestive heart failure occurs when the heart can no longer
pump enough blood to the rest of the body. It is usually a slow
process that gets worse over time. As the heart muscle loses its abil-
ity to pump oxygen-rich blood throughout the body, it causes
fluid buildup in the lungs, liver, gastrointestinal tract, arms and
legs. This lack of oxygen damages vital organs, eventually causing
death.
Curcumin prevents the creation of scar tissue in the heart mus-
cle and helps failing hearts return to their normal pumping capac-
ity, according to breakthrough Canadian research published in
2008. Scientists at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research dis-
covered that curcumin acts directly on the DNA of heart cells, pre-
venting them from unraveling under physical stress. Curcumin was
shown to switch off the “unraveling switch” in the heart cell DNA
that keeps scar tissue from developing.
In the February 2008 edition of the Journal of Clinical Investi-
gation, researchers at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre of the Toron-
to General Hospital reported that curcumin may dramatically
reduce the chance of developing heart failure.