Turmeric is a shrub found in Asia, India and Africa, where it is used as a fabric dye and as a flavor enhancer for cheeses, curries and mustards. Also called Indian saffron, dried tumeric root is commonly used for medicinal purposes. It is said to alleviate the distress of heartburn, gallstones, skin conditions such as eczema, digestive disturbances and arthritic inflammation. In addition, turmeric contains a substance called curcumin which appears be somewhat effective in eliminating bacteria and viral infections that cause respiratory illnesses. For this reason, turmeric may be used for infants suffering from nasal congestion resulting from colds or allergies. Get your pediatrician's OK before giving turmeric to your child.
Curcumin
According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine's website, "Preliminary findings from animal and laboratory studies suggest that a chemical found in turmeric — called curcumin — may have anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antioxidant properties, but these findings have not been confirmed in people." Other research data regarding curcumin benefits was published in the "Memoirs of the Institute of Oswaldo Cruz," July, 2001, stating that curcumin "exhibits anti-inflammatory, anti-human immunodeficiency virus, anti-bacteria and antioxidant effects. Curcumin also exhibits anti-parasitic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and gastrointestinal effects; and also inhibits carcinogenesis and cancer growth."
Turmeric Doses for Infants
Turmeric can be drunk as a medicinal tea, swallowed in capsules containing the root powder or taken as a tincture for adults. An adult dose consists of one to three grams each day in powdered form for various ailments or up to 30 drops given four times each day in tincture form. Infant dosage should not exceed 1/2 teaspoon each day for relief of congestion, either as a warm tea or mixed with food. While no side affects have been reported in either adult or children taking turmeric, long-term use of seven days or longer has been known to cause nausea, indigestion or diarrhea. Because infants are quick to dehydrate when suffering from diarrhea, tumeric dosage should be limited to three days in infants with stuffy noses.
Other Benefits of Turmeric
A review of the literature regarding the many benefits of turmeric was published in the "Indian Academy of Sciences" online repository in 2004. According to research on tumeric, this herb contains protein at 6.3 percent; fat at 5.1 percent; minerals at 3.5 percent; and carbohydrates at 69.4 percent. In many experiments, it exhibited anticarcinogenic, antimutagenic, anticoagulant, antifertility, antidiabetic, antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoal, antiviral, antifibrotic, hypotensive and hypocholesteremic activities. In addition, clinical reviewers state that "Turmeric's antiinflammatory, anticancer and antioxidant roles may be clinically exploited to control rheumatism, carcinogenesis and oxidative stress-related pathogenesis."
Causes of Infant Congestion
Infant congestion is frequently caused by a simple cold virus which usually runs it course in three to five days. However, if the congestion is still evident after three days, turmeric dosing should be stopped and the infant taken to a physician to determine the cause of the congestion, especially if fever, excessive sleepiness and decreased appetite is present. The cause of the congestion may be allergy-related or induced by a chemical, mold, pet dander or dust irritant in the household. Occasionally, congestion may be the result of a food allergy, which necessitates the doctor giving the infant allergy tests in order to isolate the specific food that is making the infant suffer respiratory problems.
References
- Memoirs of the Institute of Oswaldo Cruz; Biological Activities of Curcuma longa L.; CAC Araújo, LL Leon; July 2001
- Detox and Cleanse: Turmeric
- Indian Academy of Sciences; Turmeric and Curcumin: Biological Actions and Medicinal Applications; Ishita Chattopadhyay, et al; 2004
- The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM): Turmeric
- BabycareAdvice.com: Nasal Congestion
- American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology: Overview of Children's Allergies
