Turmeric, the spice used in curry has some great medical uses as well as a spice. Turmeric is a plant similar to Ginger which grows in the USA. Turmeric (
Curcuma longa) however; is native to South Asia and requires warm wet weather to grow vigorously. Turmeric plants are gathered for their
rhizomes and can be propagated from the rhizomes the following season.
Getting your hands on Turmeric after the SHTF is going to be impossible if it doesn't grow in your area so it is best to secure some of your own so you can become familiar with growing it yourself for an endless supply. Plant turmeric in spring after the last frost or start indoors in a container. The plant will grow to as much as four feet tall if you give it adequate moisture. After a stem has flowered, cut it off to encourage new growth. The plant will turn yellow and decline starting in the fall.
To use Turmeric you will probably want to store it for long periods of time. To do so so that you have a ready supply, boil the rhizome for 30 to 45 minutes and then dry in an oven. Next grind the rhizome into a powder.
Turmeric's antiseptic and antibacterial anti-inflammatory properties make it a great choice to treat indigestion, throat infections, common colds, or liver ailments, as well as topically on wounds and infections that appear on the surface of the skin such as staph. Ingest the Turmeric for most uses but for topical use for a paste with a little bit of water and apply to the infection. I cannot guarantee that it will absolutely cure an antibiotic staph infection but it will, 100% for sure help with the symptoms and help keep the infection at bay. Often you just have to live with these infections as many are common in people that never show any symptoms. I view it as putting it into almost hibernation.
It isn't always enough to consume Turmeric. Without fat the active component in turmeric has a difficult time getting absorbed and making it into the bloodstream.
In order to make the most of turmeric, you must take it with a bit of fat. I have read that black pepper also helps. But I do not know why pepper is supposed to help. Fat helps because Turmeric is fat soluble.
