Researchers at the University of Texas have found that

small doses of curcumin, a common ingredient in curry, not

only can stop the growth of melanoma cells but also cause

the cells to self destruct. The research further indicated

the more curcumin that was added to melanoma cells, the

greater the number of dead cells. Increasing the amount of

curcumin also stopped the melanoma cells from reproducing.

This is exciting news to say the least.

What is Melanoma?

In the simplest terms, melanoma is the bad kind of skin

cancer. The cancer cells develop as odd shaped and colored

moles on the surface of the skin and sometimes in the eye.

Melanoma can metastasize (spread) to other organs in the

body such as the liver, lungs, and brain. Doctors

diagnose about 53,000 people each year with melanoma. Most

skin cancer deaths are caused by melanoma. If there is

some good news, it’s that if caught and treated early,

melanoma can be cured.

What is Curcumin?

Curcumin is the active ingredient in the herb turmeric.

Curcumin is a member of the ginger family and is ground

from the root of the curcuma longa plant. It has been

used for thousands of years in India and many Asian

countries as a food preservative, coloring agent, folk

remedy and a food flavoring.

Curcumin vs. Chemotherapy

According to one of the researchers associated with the UT

study, one of the most exciting aspects of curcumin is its

low toxicity. People seam to be able to handle large doses

of curcumin with no side effects. This is in contrast to

chemotherapy were most forms of the treatment cause serious

adverse reactions.

Where to buy Curcumin

If you want to get started taking curcumin you should be

able to find it in supplement form at your favorite natural

pharmacy. Make sure to get the kind that is 95% curcumin.

It is too early to have dosage levels for fighting cancer

but most practitioners are recommending a dosage of 400-600

mg 3 times daily.

Below is a great recipe if you want to start using this

powerful spice on some or your food preparations:

Uncle Mike’s Turmeric Chicken Cha Cha

This recipe will give you a big dose of turmeric.

Remember, the active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin.

When you go to the store to get your spices look for

turmeric, you will not find curcumin. I use Spice Islands

brand but there are usually others available depending on

the store. Be careful with this spice as if you get it on

your clothing it is very hard to remove.

Mix equal parts of soy sauce and light olive oil together

in a bowl

Pour Soy/Olive oil mixture over chicken breasts and let

them marinate for a few hours

Prepare a spice mixture of 3 parts turmeric and 2 parts

garlic powder

Cover the marinated chicken with the spice mixture (I just

sprinkle it on with a salt shaker)

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees

Remove and cook on grill for 4 minutes on each side over

medium heat

The last step is optional but is my favorite step during

the summer season. If you don’t use the grill then bake

for about an hour and fifteen minutes

Enjoy!