DISCLAIMER: Dr. Heyne is a board-licensed acupuncturist and Doctor of Acupuncture and TCM. Dr. Heyne graduated in 2020 with a Doctorate from National University of Natural Medicine. The use of “doctor” or “Dr.” solely refers to that degree.
This video is for educational and informational purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, diagnosis, treatment or recommendation from your treating physician. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Heyne and you. You should not make any change in your health regimen or diet before first consulting a physician and obtaining a medical exam, diagnosis, and recommendation. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Affiliate disclaimer: Some of the above links are affiliate links which means that we receive a small commission from each purchase.
Personal note: Thanks for following along. After the medical specialists I had seen for my own health issues failed, I found a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner that changed my life. My life mission is to show the world the clinical power and healing philosophy of TCM, to change the lives of as many as possible while I live.
If one golden root has outlasted 25
centuries of war, disease, and medical
trends, it's this one. Here's why
turmeric refuses to go away. From
Ayurvedic scrolls to modern
anti-inflammatory supplements, turmeric
has been used for everything from
digestion to depression, wounds to
cancer. It's 2500 years old, but
ironically, it's more relevant than
ever. Turmeric is the ryome of the
curcuma longa plant, a member of the
ginger family. But unlike its spicy
cousin, turmeric has a bitter astringent
profile and deeply medicinal roots. In
traditional Chinese medicine, it's
called jian huang. In Ayurveda, it's
haridra. In kitchens, it's golden
powder. In medicine, it's a pharmacy.
The main active compound is called
kurcumin. It's a bright orange
polyphenol that acts like nature's
anti-inflammatory SWAT team. Now,
turmeric was first described in
Ayurvedic texts like the Turka Samita
around 500 B.CE. Back then, it was used
to cleanse the blood, treat skin
conditions, and support digestion. In
traditional Chinese medicine, it was
part of formulas that moved blood, broke
up stagnation, and reduced pain. But it
wasn't just a healer. It was actually
sacred. Hindu priests used it in their
rituals. Buddhist monks dyed their robes
with it. In India, turmeric became a
symbol of purification. It's one of the
most researched herbs in all of modern
pharmarmacology. 15,000 plus published
studies and it's growing every single
day. So, what's it actually doing inside
of your body? Let's talk about the
triple power of turmeric in terms of the
science. Number one is that it is an
anti-inflammatory. Curcumin blocks
something called NFKB, a major pathway
in chronic inflammation. It helps with
arthritis, brain fog, and even gut
conditions like IBS. The second thing is
that it's good for your brain and your
mood. And the reason is that turmeric
crosses the bloodb brain barrier. It
boosts something called BDNF, brain
derived neurotrophic factor, and it also
has a mild anti-depressant effect in
some trials. The third is that it's good
for your liver and for your gut.
Turmeric actually supports bile flow,
which helps the better digestion of
fats. It helps the detoxication in your
liver. And in traditional Chinese
medicine, we say it moves your liver,
chi, and blood, but is especially good
for pain and trauma. In traditional
Chinese medicine, we say jang hang
unblocks the channels, meaning it gets
stuck energy moving again. In
particular, it's often used for trauma,
menstrual pain, and chronic joint
issues. One thing that's important to
remember is that like a lot of herbs,
turmeric isn't just for everyone. Here's
when to skip it or actually adjust your
dose. So, number one, you should not
take turmeric if you're on blood
thinners because turmeric can actually
increase the bleeding risk. You
shouldn't take it if you're pregnant
because it's quote moving and we tend to
avoid it in high doses with pregnancy.
You shouldn't take it if you're prone to
cold digestion or diarrhea because for
some people it can actually aggravate
these kinds of symptoms. In East Asian
medicine, we say if your spleen chi is
weak, a problem with pancreatic enzymes,
low stomach acid, that kind of thing,
and you're cold, damp, and depleted,
turmeric might be too harsh. It's not
necessarily a more warming tonic herb
like ginsing or like ginger. It's
actually a mover. So, let's break down
how to actually use turmeric day-to-day
because how you take it changes how it
works. So, number one, you can take
turmeric as the raw root or powder,
which is pretty low in potency. This is
good for cooking, good for golden milk,
and it's good for teas. Scientifically,
something that's really interesting is
that it needs fat and black pepper to
absorb it. This is safe to take daily or
to take long term. The second is you can
use the standardized extract, which has
high potency. Usually at this point,
we're talking about 95% of the
curcumoids, these active compounds in
there that are medicinal. If you add
black pepper extract, you can get up to
a 2,000% better absorption. And for
this, you can take about 500 to 1,000
milligs per day. A third way to take it
is in traditional decoctions or formulas
like the way we do in traditional
Chinese medicine or Ayurveda. If it's
combined with warming herbs like
cinnamon or ginger, it can improve the
stimulating metabolism regulating
effect. We use it for blood stagnation,
menstrual pain, or physical trauma and
physical injuries. Now, if you're using
it for inflammation, use a high quality
extract. If you're using it for
digestion or just daily balance and
daily health, the whole herb with fat
and heat typically will work
beautifully. For 2500 years, turmeric
hasn't gone away because it works. It
adapts. It travels between traditions
from temples to blabs to teacups because
the body still recognizes its power.
Turmeric is a mover. It moves
inflammation. It moves pain. It moves
stuck energy. And sometimes that's
exactly what healing needs. If you're
dealing with inflammation, brain fog, or
chronic tension, turmeric might be one
of the simplest things you can start
with today. If you're intrigued by the
power of turmeric and you want to
discover other herbs that can fight
inflammation and support your body, I've
put together a free download with my
favorite anti-inflammatory herbs from
traditional Chinese medicine. Now, these
natural remedies have been used for
centuries and are still effective today.
You can download the guide right below
this video to learn more about that. And
if you've made it this far into the
video, it probably means that herbal
medicine and traditional Chinese
medicine resonates with you on a deep
level. And maybe you've already tried
supplements or stress tactics and hacks
or lifestyle changes and something's
still missing. That's usually where
personalized care comes in. In my
private clinic, I work with onetoone
people in Los Angeles or virtually via
tele medicine who are done guessing.
People who want to get to the root cause
of anxiety or GI problems or burnout or
chronic fatigue. something that is not a
generic protocol. Custom classical East
Asian medicine designed for your body.
If you guys want to work with me
one-on-one, I work with a limited number
of new people and you can just go to
drlexheind.com/cl
clinic or read the information in the
bio below this video. And don't forget,
if you love herbal medicine, I have
another video right here related for
you.
