Adding Turmeric to my diet
Twice a year, we get the Mind, Body and Spirit festival here in Melbourne. Every so often, I like to go along because you never know what you might find.
I went this year in June (2018) and came across a product called Turmerix FAST. The FAST stands for Fast Acting Soluble Turmeric.
I’ve never come across this before as a health supplement, but I was sold by the enthusiasm of the young girl at the stall, so I bought a 350g tub for AUD80.00.
As someone who is always looking for cures and ways to improve my health, I’ve tried many different products. Few have actually delivered what they promised.
Turmeric also promises a range of health benefits such helping arthritis, helping cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. This may or may not be true. I suggest doing your own research on that. I do plan to start using it on my mother for her back pain, so I’ll see how that goes.
I’m only on my second week of taking this supplement but there was just one thing that has blown me away that I just had to write about.
I suffer from sugar cravings. It’s very hard for me to go a week without craving chocolate or junk food. If I stop eating it, the cravings might go, but, like an alcoholic, just a taste will get me hooked again.
For someone who watching his diet to lose weight, you can imagine this makes life challenging. What’s worse, chocolate will make me itchy which drives me crazy while I try and sleep. I know it’s bad for me, but all that is forgotten when I’m taking that sweet, sweet bite of that Cadbury bar that they make so well here in Australia.
Coffee
So the morning after I bought Turmerix FAST, I put a spoonful of it into my morning coffee and drank it. It was surprisingly palatable.
What was even more surprising was that I noticed, instantly, after drinking it, my sugar cravings went away. It wasn’t as though they were suppressed, I found that I no longer desired it. In fact, the very thought of having chocolate or sweets made me literally feel ill.
I also found that I wasn’t hungry. It was as though my appetite was normal. As long as I ate a sensible diet, I wouldn’t become hungry and binge on junk food.
I continued to add a heaped teaspoon in my coffee twice a day. By the third day, I found that my coffee was now tasting too sweet. Over time, I had increased my sugar from two teaspoons per cup to three and a half or more. Now there was too much sugar for me so I reduced it to one but it was still sweet. At the start of the second week, I just cut it out altogether. As Turmerix FAST is naturally sweetened, I found I didn’t need sugar at all.
Other brands
As mentioned, I’m using Turmerix FAST, but I’m sure there are many other alternatives out there. One thing I don’t like about it is that it’s not organic. (Or if it is, it doesn’t mention it anywhere). But as it’s working for me, I will stick with it for now.
Also, if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, you are advised not to use it. Otherwise, it is said to be generally safe.
I’m nearing the end of week two and so far, so good. No cravings for sugar, junk food, chocolate or snacking late at night that will make me consider a quick 7/11 run.
Will I lose weight? So far I’ve lost 3 kilos (6.6 pounds).
Can I keep this up and will it last?
Keep watching this space.
