Joy Julian, caregiver to her mother (right) has seen positive results after giving her mum Turmeric.

I think many of us have heard that Turmeric has been said to improve memory and moods.

But,  a few questions come to mind — does it really work? And, how do you take Turmeric?

Curcumin which is a substance found in Turmeric, is often used in Indian cuisine, where there seems to be a lower prevalence of dementia.

While there is no conclusive evidence that proves Curcumin has a direct effect on dementia.

I believe it’s worth a try.

I came across a post by Joy Julian in the Alzheimers’ & Dementia Caregivers support Facebook group. 

Joy who is from Florida, shared about how she has been giving her mum Turmeric root. She has since seen positive results in her mother who has Alzheimer’s disease.

I was quite intrigued by this because I’ve read that Turmeric is great for the mind.

In Singapore, Indians supposedly are less likely to get dementia because they take loads of Turmeric in their food.

I asked Joy if she was okay with sharing her experience and she very kindly agreed. 

1. Tell us about yourself and your experience as a caregiver?

I moved in with my mom six months after my father passed away. I didn’t think that she should be living on her own for the first time in her life at 86.

I didn’t know she had dementia – she was recovering from surgery on her brain. She has a Meningioma – which is a benign tumor on the lining of the brain. It’s been removed twice (it grew back after it was removed the first time).

She managed to bounced back after the first time it got removed.

But, the second surgery seriously impacted her. She currently lives with Alzheimers’ Diease.

We’re not too sure if the tumor was the cause of it.

2.When did you start giving your mum Turmeric root? What made you start your mum on this?

I had read about it, and saw the fresh root at my Farmer’s Market, so I bought some and started giving it to her.

3.You mentioned that she seemed to be clearer, what are your observations of her after taking Turmeric?

Recently, she has been able to dress herself independently. The only help that she gets from me is laying out her clothes.

Before taking turmeric, she was not able to get the sequence of dressing herself right. She sometimes, skips underwear, or ignores the clothes that I laid out.

When left on her own, she usually would wear something like three tops and no pants.

In general, she seems sharper. However, there are still some off days.

Photo by Taylor Kiser on Unsplash

4.How do you prepare turmeric root and how often do you give it to her?

I simmer it in a pan with a little coconut oil and Basalmic vinegar. It doesn’t taste great, but she doesn’t mind.

Sometimes, I give her a piece to chew on, sometimes I mince it and put in her food. She doesn’t object.

I usually give her a few pieces of turmeric in the day.

 

5. Are there other ways to prepare Turmeric?

When eaten with fat (virgin olive or coconut oil or meat drippings) as is done in India, curcumin can be directly absorbed into the bloodstream through the lymphatic system thereby partially bypassing the liver.

A recipe for this is the Tumeric Golden Paste which can be consumed as it is or mixed into rice, dishes or drinks.

Extracted from the article:

What is needed for making Turmeric Golden Paste?

• 1/2 cup turmeric powder (125 mls) – Use organic powder.
• 1 cup water (250 mls) or a bit more to get desired paste consistency
• 1 teaspoons ground black pepper (7.5 mls) (or even 1/2 tsp. if pepper is too irritating)
• 1/4 cup (70 ml) cold pressed Olive or un-refined Coconut oil – enhances the bio-availability of curcumin another seven to eight-fold

Add turmeric to water in a pan. Heat gently along with stirring. Do this till you get a thick paste, approximately 6 to 10 min. Adjust thickness by adding some water or adding a bit more turmeric.

Finally, add the pepper and oil. Keep stirring to ensure that all ingredients are mixed properly. Allow it to cool.

Bottle in clean jar with tight-fitting lid and refrigerate it for 4-5 weeks or more. (Antimicrobial Un-refined, virgin Coconut oil will help keep it from spoiling sooner). This will ensure you can make it once and use for days.

6. Are there any other natural remedies you recommend for seniors?  

YES – although we haven’t tried, MCT oil is next on my list. I bought it for my son and he LOVES it. 

MCT oil are medium-chain triglycerides, a form of saturated fatty acid with health benefits like improved cognitive function to better weight management.

I also shared about early intervention and how my grandma benefited from taking Coconut Oil here.