9 Remarkable Neem and Turmeric Benefits

Sadhguru lists 9 uses and benefits of consuming neem and turmeric on an empty stomach in the morning, which is a common practice on the Yogic path and an integral part of the daily routine at Isha Yoga Center.

Table of Content

1. Keeps the Alimentary Canal Clean from Harmful Micro-organisms

2. Makes You Conscious of How Much Food To Consume

3. Transmits Energy Evenly Across the Body

4. Creates a Conducive Atmosphere for Spiritual Sadhana

5. Transforms One Dimension of Energy to Another

6. Cleanses the Body and Takes Away Cancerous Cells

7. Remedy for Cold-related Diseases and Blocked Nostrils

8. Dilates the Cellular Structure Allowing Energy to be Absorbed by the Cells

9. Health Benefits of Turmeric for Body Cleansing

Sadhguru: In the Isha Yoga Center, the day starts with a small marble-sized ball of neem and turmeric. The neem tree is one of the most complex leaves that you can find on the planet. It is supposed to have over 150 complex chemical patterns within it. It has a tremendous impact on the human system. There are health aspects, energetic aspects and spiritual aspects attached to this. 

The Health Benefits of Neem and Turmeric 

#1 Keeps the Alimentary Canal Clean from Harmful Micro-organisms

In more tangible terms, one immediate thing that consuming neem and turmeric will do is that it will keep your alimentary tract clean. The digestive system is a region where you have maximum amount of other life. I do not mean ghosts and goblins, but believe me, these microorganisms can do much more to you than ghosts and goblins. There are a whole host of micro-organisms within this alimentary tract. Many of them have turned friendly to us and we are able to digest food because of them. Many functions in the body happen because of them. But still there are many who are harmful to us. The uniqueness of neem – especially when it is taken along with turmeric – is that those things which can harm the body (such as parasitic life) get eliminated. 

A clean colon is very vital for health. If you go to consult a doctor in any of the traditional Indian systems, like ayurveda or siddha, whatever your health problem, the first thing they do is to purge you. For your physical and psychological health, they want your colon clean. If you just become a little more conscious about how you eat, what happens in your body and mind can be greatly influenced. For example, if you build any structure, there is an architectural design to it. But the quality of the material and the efficiency of execution also matter. Just because the design is great, it does not mean that the building will turn out great. The quality of material that goes into the making, and who makes it, makes a world of difference. That goes for your system also. With this, the design is perfect. The whole evolutionary process took millions and millions of years to perfect this design and it has arrived at this place, which is an extraordinary design. But execution and the material that you use to build this is very important too. 

The kind of food you eat is not just about your culture. Cultures in different parts of the world have evolved according to what was available there, the survival needs, how the economies were and the main form of livelihood. Unfortunately, people get super identified with this and think their culture is perfect. No culture in the world is perfect. What you eat because of your culture is not the point. Knowing what kind of fuel this machine that you call as your body is designed for is very important. 

#2 Makes You Conscious of How Much Food To Consume

Keeping the body in a certain level of balance and efficiency of digestive process is very important. You should know how much food you need to maintain the level of activity you wish to maintain in your life. If you do not have your own sense, every day in the morning if you eat a little bit of neem and turmeric on an empty stomach and drink some tepid water, it will bring that sense to you because the body will respond to food in a certain way. It will tell you when it is enough. Every cell in the body will speak because neem and turmeric together create a certain access to the cellular level. 

#3 Transmits Energy Evenly Across the Body

The distribution of energy in an internal combustion engine – which is called transmission in an automobile – determines how efficient a vehicle is and how much fuel it consumes to generate the same amount of power. Power in the engine is one thing, power at the wheels is a completely different thing. Today, the top racing machines in the world are just 1.6 liters. That is the cap they have set for the Formula 1, but they are the fastest machines because the loss between the power at the engine and power at the wheel is very minimum.

There are pickup trucks which generate 700 BHP at the engine, but what goes to the wheel is another matter. Similarly, what you generate in your stomach, where it goes and to what extent is a very important aspect which people are simply not conscious of today. Consuming neem and turmeric also decides how the energy that you generate is distributed. There are Yogic practices that can facilitate this, but even to assist that, neem and turmeric can be a tremendous process because it facilitates that your transmission of energy is even and once you start noticing this, then you can move your energies where you want by choice.

When I say, “You can move your energies where you want,” if I want to speak right now and if I have my energies consciously focused in my throat, my speech will have a different kind of impact. If you move your energies to your eyes and your energies are dominant there when you look at something, then your look will have a certain power. Everyone has eyes, but everyone’s vision does not have the same power, will not grasp the same things or penetrate the same way.

Similarly, if you can have your energies focused in your hands, your touch will be another level of touch altogether. If this has to happen, the first and foremost thing is that the transmission of energy in the system should be smooth. The combination of neem and turmeric consumed on an empty stomach does wonders in this direction. 

#4 Creates a Conducive Atmosphere for Spiritual Sadhana

Neem and turmeric is very important for those who are doing sadhana of some kind. Right now, if your stomach is in bad shape and I ask you, “Just be with me, close your eyes and just sit here,” you are not interested in enlightenment when your stomach is beating a drum. When everything is feeling good, “Yes Sadhguru, I am with you.” 

It is time that we create support systems where your body, mind and emotions are not an issue in your life. Then we can deal with the real obstacles. Otherwise, we are fighting with illusory obstacles. If someone else puts up an obstacle, sometimes we will have to fight. But the obstacle that I have put up within myself, there is no need to fight with this. All I have to do is bring it down. To bring it down, there are methods and possibilities. Neem and turmeric is one such support. 

#5 Transforms One Dimension of Energy to Another

One aspect of using neem and turmeric on an empty stomach is that it has the power to transform one dimension of energy within you to another. The doctors say that if you consume excessive neem, it will destroy the sperm cells, which is good proof of what we have been saying for thousands of years. 

There are various kinds of cells. Today modern science is beginning to recognize how significantly different they are – what is on your skin, what is in your bone marrow, what is in your sperm, what is in your brain, these are different kinds of things. Though there is a common thread of information in all of them, they are very different. What it takes for the body to generate an epithelial cell, a neurological cell and a sperm cell requires very different levels of energy involvement.

Neem and turmeric together has the power to break down the sperm cells and make it into another level of energy which is called “ojas.” If you are doing sadhana and your transmission is good and even across the body, when every cell in the body is encapsulated in ojas, you will be a glowing human being, in every aspect of that word, within and without. This is something everyone needs to work at. This is not enlightenment, it is just that you create a platform upon which nothing can go wrong. The body and mind are platforms. What kind of dance you do on it is up to you, but having a perfect platform which does not throw you off is important. 

If you want to move on a stage, how leveled and firm it is determines how easily you move upon it. That goes for your body too. This body is not the end game. This body is the platform. This mind is also a platform. If you make it very energetic and stable, you are free to dance whichever way you want. In this direction, neem and turmeric are very important elements. It is not that you cannot do without it, but when there is support available, why not use it? 

#6 Cleanses the Body and Takes Away Cancerous Cells

Cancer is not a disease, it is your own body working against you; certain cells have turned against you. Periodic cleansing of the body is good to prevent this from happening. Consumption of turmeric on an empty stomach is a very effective cleanser. This may not be effective after you get cancer, but otherwise, swallowing a marble-sized turmeric ball and neem ball first thing in the morning acts as a great cleanser and takes away the cancerous cells in your body. 

#7 Remedy for Cold-related Diseases and Blocked Nostrils

Those who suffer from cold-related diseases and find their nostrils blocked every morning, will benefit a lot from the consumption of neem, pepper, honey and turmeric. Crush about 10 to 12 pepper corns roughly and soak them in a couple of spoons of honey overnight. In the morning you consume this and just chew upon the pepper. Mixing some turmeric with the honey should also work. And if you avoid all dairy products, your phlegm will go down naturally. 

#8 Dilates the Cellular Structure Allowing Energy to be Absorbed by the Cells

Everything you borrow from the earth, including your body, has a certain inertia. It is important to be conscious of this and to keep the inertia levels at the minimum. When we gauge whether your sadhana is working or not by looking at how much you sleep and how alert you are, we are checking how much inertia you generate. 

The inertia levels will increase if the body does not allow a certain amount of energy to enter the cellular level. Neem and turmeric as a combination dilate the cellular structure of the body in such a way that it allows energy to enter and fill up every crevice. Neem and turmeric are a physical support towards that, but sadhana itself does it too. You can generate enormous energy by means other than sadhana, such as stimulants – like a strong cup of coffee or nicotine – but it will not dilate the cellular structure and allow the energy to enter the system to be stored and released over a long period of time.

When, instead of being stored, energy finds expression right there, it becomes destructive – not only for the body, but also for the mind, for the activity that you perform, and for the world around you. When we generate energy in the body, it is important that it does not simply burst out but that we are able to hold it and release it by choice. 

The consumption of neem and turmeric with tepid, light honey water is a wonderful way of cleansing and dilating the cellular structure in such a way that it is able to absorb energy. When you do sadhana, the dilation brings flexibility to the muscles. The flexibility helps you to slowly build the system into a more powerful possibility. You will feel it – as you do your asanas, the body will crackle with a different kind of energy.

#9 Health Benefits of Turmeric for Body Cleansing

Turmeric purifies the blood and brings translucence to your energies. Turmeric not only works on the physiology, but also has a big impact on your energy system. It purifies the blood, body, and energy system. For external purification, just take a small pinch of turmeric, put it into a bucket of water and pour it over your body – you will see that the body will be vibrant and glowing.