Turmeric may help lower heart attack risk in people post bypass surgery, thanks to curcumin, the yellow pigment present in the spice which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Bypass surgery improves blood supply to the heart muscle. However, during the surgery that is usually performed with the heart stopped, the organ can be damaged by prolonged lack of blood flow, increasing the patient’s risk of heart attack. The new findings suggest that curcumins may reduce such risks when added to traditional drug treatments.
The results need to be confirmed through further research, said Wanwarang Wongcharoen from Chiang Mai University in Thailand, who led the study, the American Journal of Cardiology reported.
Researchers at the Thai university studied 121 patients who had non-emergency bypass surgery between 2009 and 2011. Half the patients were given one-gram curcumin capsules to take four times a day, starting three days before their surgery and continuing for five days afterwards.
The other half took the same number of drug-free placebo capsules.
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Hathaway postpones wedding due to hair
Princess Diaries star Anne Hathaway has postponed her summer wedding with fiancé Adam Schulman because she wants her newly-cropped hair to grow back. The 29-year-old actress, who has had to lose weight and cut off her long locks to play dying prostitute Fantine in the film adaptation of Les Miserables, apparently wants to wait for her hair to grow back before tying the knot, reported Daily Mail online.
“Anne’s worried there won’t be time to get back in shape and grow her hair for a summer wedding. She also has to promote her movie Batman. They are thinking about postponing until later this year or maybe 2013,” a source said. — PTI