Helaas in het Engels. Zodra ik tijd heb zal ik 'm vertalen. Voor nu de belangrijkste punten vertaald.
If you cook, you may already be familiar with turmeric, but for first timers, here’s a quick culinary lesson to get us started. The turmeric herb, a member of the ginger family, is most commonly known for its deep orange color and is used for cooking, herbal medicine and dyes. Native to Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian countries, it has been a staple in cooking for thousands of years. Today it is a key ingredient in most curry dishes as well as yummy Thai, Indian, and Persian plates.
Ayurvedic and Chinese medicines have long known the benefits of turmeric for the body, inside and out.
“Ay….ur…vedic medicine?”
Quick explanation. An ancient Ayurvedic proverb reads: “When diet is wrong medicine is of no use. When diet is correct medicine is of no need.” Ayurvedic medicine is the traditional medicine of India, originating over 5000 years ago. How is this relevant today? Because it doesn’t just look at the aspect of treatment, it looks at prevention and using elements like nutrition, exercise and lifestyle factors to re-establish balance in the body.
What we eat is a key component of this holistic healing approach.
Spice of Life
OK, back to turmeric. So we know that it’s a spice. It’s orange. We cook Eastern and Asian food with it. But why is it so good for our pets? The bio-active compound (active ingredient or healing properties) of turmeric is “curcumin” (not to be confused with a different spice called cumin). Curcumin is responsible for its bright orange color as well as a host of health benefits. This prime ingredient acts as a spice, but also as a pain reliever. For this reason, it’s a great food additive for pets that suffer from ailments and illnesses which cause pain.
Snelle vertaling Lizzy: Kurkuma Longa of geelwortel werkt pijnstillend. Om deze reden is het een zeer goede aanvulling voor honden die kwalen en ziektes hebben die pijn veroorzaken.
But it’s also beneficial in many other ways! Let’s look a little closer at Eastern medicine to understand how it is used to maintain good health.
Traditional Asian medicine used turmeric for its ability to detoxify the body, purify the blood, stimulate bile production in the liver, disinfect wounds, and as a stomach tonic. In addition, Thais used it to treat diarrhea and other stomach ailments, as well as to eradicate ringworm. (Yes, people get gross parasites, too.) In Afghanistan and Pakistan, turmeric is applied to wounds to cleanse and stimulate recovery, keeping harmful bacteria away.
Anti-Everything
Snelle vertaling Lizzy: Volgens Traditionele Oosterse geneeswijzen, Kurkuma ontgift het lichaam, werkt bloedzuiverend, stimuleert gal productie in de lever, desinfecteert wonden, maag tonicum. In Thailand gebruiken ze het tegen diarree, maagkwalen en ringworm. In Afghanistan en Pakistan gebruiken ze kurkuma om wonden te reinigen en genezing te stimuleren en schadelijke bacterieen weg te houden. Anti alles.
Western medicine is finally catching up with Eastern practice. Turmeric is now being researched extensively for pharmacological use in treating and/or reducing symptoms related to a wide range of health conditions. The National Institute of Health is conducting 19 clinical trials on turmeric and curcumin. A paper written for the American Academy of Pain Management discusses the health benefits of turmeric. “Turmeric is one of the most potent natural anti-inflammatories available,” says Dr. Randy J. Horwitz, the medical director of the Arizona Centre for Integrative Medicine and assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine.
Snelle vertaling Lizzy: Kurkuma is de meest natuurlijke potente anti-onsteking dat bestaat.
Dr. Horwitz also cites a 2006 University of Arizona study that found this potent anti-inflammatory to reduce the symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical studies have shown that curcumin in turmeric is a powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals which cause the painful inflammation and damage to joints affected by arthritis.
Snelle vertaling Lizzy: Reduceert symptomen van reuma en artritis.
This is pretty significant for our senior K9 friends that may be suffering from the aches and pains associated with arthritis and aging in general.
Snelle vertaling Lizzy: Behoorlijk belangrijk voor onze oudere honden die last hebben van pijn bij artritis en ouderdom in het algemeen.
The anti-inflammatory properties, combined with the fact that turmeric is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, suggests that it’s also useful for disinfecting and treating skin injuries. Research suggests that when using it topically, mix it with honey. This creates a paste that you can easily apply to wounds. We talked about raw honey before, so you probably already know that honey also has high antibacterial properties. Of course, you will have to keep an eye on your furry friend as the combination of turmeric and honey may also be a tasty treat.
Heart Health
Snelle vertaling Lizzy: Door de ontstekingsremmende werking en de anti-bacteriele eigenschappen is het een goed middel om wonden te reinigen en behandelen. Om een makkelijk smeerbare pasta te maken, mengen we kurkuma met rauwe honing, dat ook anti bacteriele eigenschappen heeft. Houd je hond wel even in de gaten want honing met kurkuma smaakt lekker.
Another concern with our senior pets is ensuring heart health. Like us, our pets are susceptible to blood clots and excess cholesterol. You may have heard of LDL (bad cholesterol) and HDL (good cholesterol). Well turmeric has been found to lower LDL levels which support both heart and liver health.
In addition, turmeric helps to thin the blood, reducing the risk of deadly clots that can lead to strokes and heart attacks. It’s important not to thin your dog’s blood too much, but the right amount can be helpful. If your pet is on medication, especially those that thin the blood, check with your vet for the appropriate dosage.
Snelle vertaling Lizzy: Kurkuma werkt ook bloedverdunnend dus het is belangrijk dat je het bloed van je hond niet te dun maakt. Ik zou zeggen : niet geven voor of na een operatie. En, geef je juiste hoeveelheid. Als je hond medicijnen krijgt, speciaal die medicijnen die het bloed verdunnen, overleg dan met je dierenarts hoeveel/of je kurkuma moet geven.
The Great Detoxifier
What about the liver? Yes, turmeric is good for that too.
Our environment is becoming more and more toxic and that not only affects us, it impacts Fido as well. Our pets are susceptible to toxins in the environment and in their food, especially commercially produced kibble and treats.
The liver plays a significant role in removing toxins from the body. Think of the liver as the main industrial centre for the body. It’s involved in nearly every biochemical process required to run the body. The body’s abilities to clot blood, to breakdown harmful toxins, and to remove waste and store energy, are all affected by the liver. It is a major player in your pet’s digestion, storing vitamins and producing bile which is necessary to break down fat. It’s a pretty important piece of machinery for your pet’s overall health.
Curcumin is believed to stimulate bile production necessary for the digestion of fat in the liver. Active dogs need at least 20% fat in their diet; therefore, bile production is critical for good health.
Snelle vertaling Lizzy: Het is een geweldig middel om te ontgiften en goed voor de lever. Kurkuma stimuleert de productie van gal. Actieve honden hebben 20% vet in hun dieet nodig en daarom is de productie van gal zeer belangrijk voor een goede gezondheid. Verder breekt het giftige stoffen af en reinigt het de lever. Het stimuleert en helpt de lever bij de vertering van vetten en het helpt bij het verwijderen van afval uit het lichaam.
In short, turmeric boosts the liver’s ability to metabolize fat and remove waste from the body.
As with any pre-existing condition, if your pet already suffers from liver disease, you should consult your vet before treating with turmeric as some studies indicate that turmeric may aggravate existing problems.
Snelle vertaling Lizzy: Indien je hond al problemen heeft met leverziekte, moet je eerst contact opnemen met je dierenarts voordat je kurkuma gaat geven omdat sommige studies aanwijzing geven dat kurkuma bestaande problemen kan verergeren. Noot Lizzy: ik zou contact opnemen met een holistisch dierenarts omdat de gemiddelde dierenarts zal zeggen "kurkuma-wat-voor-je-hond?".
Anti-Cancer Properties!!!
One of the most interesting discoveries I made while investigating the benefits of turmeric is that there are now reports coming out claiming that turmeric may help in the fight against cancer! This powerful antioxidant plays a significant role in preventative medicine.
But wait, there’s more!
Snelle vertaling Lizzy: Kurkuma zou anti-kanker eigenschappen hebben.
In a study at UCLA, doctors found that curcumin seemed to block the cancer promoting enzyme that stimulates the growth of head and neck cancer. The Department of Small Animal Clinical Scientists has conducted studies that show that curcumin can inhibit tumor growth and may even shrink existing tumors. This has to do with the spice’s amazing ability to shut down blood vessels that feed tumors.
Snelle vertaling Lizzy: Studies wijzen uit dat het de groei van tumoren kan stoppen of zelfs kan verkleinen, omdat het kruid de bloedvaten die de tumor doet voeden stil legt. Het helpt ook bij het verminderen van de negatieve bijwerkingen van chemotherapie.
Antioxidant properties are also helpful in reducing the negative side effects of chemotherapy.
Now, we are not saying turmeric is the only thing you should do to prevent, control and/or treat cancer; however, it certainly has us excited about its anti-cancer properties.
Other Uses
If we haven’t already convinced you about the health benefits of turmeric, here are a few more uses:
Aids in the treatment of epilepsy
Helps relieve allergies
Helps in preventing the formation of cataracts
Used in treating depression (Yes, dogs can get depressed too)
Kills parasites
Heals stomach ailments, aids in digestive disorders, and reduces gas and bloating
Acts as a binding agent and therefore great for treating diarrhea (Make sure you have lots of water available for your pet to drink!)
Aids in fat metabolism and weight management
High in fiber and rich in vitamins and mineral
Snelle vertaling Lizzy: Waar kun je het nog meer voor gebruiken:
Behandeling van epilepsie
Verminderd allergieen
Helpt bij het voorkomen van cataract
Behandelen van depressies
Doodt parasieten
Maag en spijsverteringsstoornissen, verminderd gasophoping/bloat
Helpt bij vetverbranding en gewichtmanagement.
Is rijk aan vezels, vitaminen en mineralen
Werkt bindend en werkt geweldig bij diarree
So How Do I Feed It?
The suggested dosage is approximately 15 to 20 mg per pound of body weight in dogs, 150-200mg for cats. A simpler way of looking at it is an 1/8 to a 1/4 teaspoon per day, for every 10lbs of dog weight. Make sure your pet has lots of water to ensure that they don’t get constipated.
Snelle vertaling Lizzy: Hoe geef ik het: de dosering is 15 tot 20 mg per pound lichaamsgewicht dat simpel neer komt op 1/8 a 1/4 theelepel per dag per 5 kg lichaamsgewicht. Zorg ervoor dat je hond genoeg drinkt zodat ze geen constipatie krijgen.
You can feed the powder, which is most commonly available, or crushed or fresh root. Sprinkle it right on top of your pet’s food and mix or, if you home cook, you can add it to the recipe. Quality varies and if you are buying turmeric in a local supermarket, it may be grown using nasty pesticides and herbicides. This lowers the potency. If possible, try to get high quality, organic turmeric. Be sure to store it in a tightly sealed container, kept in a cool, dark and dry place.
Snelle vertaling Lizzy: Je kunt het poeder geven of verse wortel. Mix het met het hondenvoer. De kwaliteit van kurkuma varieert en als je het in de supermarkt koopt, kunnen er vervelende pesticiden op zitten en dat maakt het poeder minder krachtig. Koop een hoge kwaliteit biologische kurkuma, bewaar het in een luchtdicht bakje en bewaar het op een donkere koele plaats.
According to Dr. Demian Dressler, DVM known as the “Dog Cancer Vet” and author of Dog Cancer Survival Guide: Full Spectrum Treatments to Optimize Your Dog’s Life Quality and Longevity: “[…] curcumin has some bioavailability problems. This means that the stuff doesn’t, to a large extent, get absorbed into the blood after it is taken by mouth. However, there are ways around this.
Curcumin does not dissolve well in water. This is one of the things that limit its absorption. You can overcome this by mixing it with lecithin and water and making a slurry. Lecithin is available online. It is very, very gooey, so you must add some water to the curcumin-lecithin (about 4 parts water to 1 part lecithin). You can put some low sodium boullion, or similar agents, in it for flavor. Many of the commercial preparations have bromelain with it to enhance blood levels. No problem. Doses are approximate, and taken from human literature. For a large dog, use about 2 grams twice a day.”
Is There Anything Else I Should Know?
Remember how turmeric is a bright orange color? Well, the ancient monks used turmeric as a dye to stain their robes. Moral of the story: be careful and mix it in well with your pets’ food, because your pets might end up with turmeric mustaches!
Turmeric is a binding agent, so ensure that your pet has lots of water to reduce the likelihood of constipation.
Our research didn’t find many contradictions to taking turmeric medicinally. However, if your pet does have a pre-existing condition, is currently on medication, has a planned surgery, or is pregnant, it’s advisable to talk to your vet before feeding.
Spice up yours and your pet’s life with a little turmeric!
Bron: http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/turmeric-dogs/
Noot Lizzy: Om de werking van kurkuma te versterken, mix je het poeder met een klein beetje vers gemalen zwarte peper en olijfolie of kokosolie.
