Spices and Health...A Lifelong Waltz

On Wednesday, March 20th at 6:30pm at Bazaar Spices in Union Market, Deepa Patke of Aromatic Spice Blends discussed current scientific research on the effects of spices on our immune system. Deepa touched upon environmental stress factors that lead to internal conditions such as oxidation and inflammation and other conditions; its causes..both, internal and external; the effects on our immune system; how spices have been used in Ayurveda to combat these conditions and diseases; different spices and their specific roles; references of current research articles; and how to incorporate spices into our daily lives to support a healthy immune system.

Deepa is an Immunologist by training and her knowledge in the area of spices and its effects on the body is impressive. Deepa started off her discussion by talking about the title of her talk…"Spices and Health…A Lifelong Waltz." She asked the question, "Why a waltz?" It's important, in a dance, to have a partner from start to finish. Deepa emphasized the importance of incorporating spices into our general food habits from start to finish, throughout our lives.

In today's world, we face tremendous stress and poor nutrition, Deepa mentioned. Many of us don't have time to sit down and think about how to prepare a meal. Poor nutrition is a major factor linked to disease. Pollution and processed foods are also some of the factors linked to diseases affecting the human body.  If we look at our human body, it is created in such a way as to repair itself. It's intuitive for the human body to align to its normal state. When we are exposed to too many artificial factors, our bodies are not able to repair themselves to their original state.

However, there are steps that we can take to help get our bodies back to their natural states. Deepa spoke extensively about Turmeric, "the Indian Gold," used extensively over thousands of years and incorporated in your daily food in india. Turmeric has a plethora of health benefits. It has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial, antibacterial properties. It's often used to put on wounds to stop the bleeding. Many studies have shown turmeric offers proven results against type 2 diabetes. Turmeric is a "wonder" spice.

Deepa provided a great deal of scientific research and insight into how spices can be used to heal our bodies and fight inflammation. Click here to learn more about Deepa's amazing work.