By WINDER, Virginia THERE'S a possible wonder drug hiding in your spice drawer. It's that warm, earthy, golden- orange powder, which tends to stain your bench and clothes and turn your fingers tobacco-yellow after you've been dipping naan bread into Indian curry. Yes, it's turmeric.

By JENNIFER DUFFY FIT IN TUCSON YOU CAN START EARLY We shrink as we age. Or sometimes our posture stoops. In some cases, our vertebrae are thinning out and we're losing bone mass and even inches in our height. We're talking osteoporosis, and the best way to treat it might be to prevent it.

By THE WASHINGTON POST WASHINGTON - Turmeric has been used for centuries to treat inflammation and is widely promoted by the dietary supplement industry as a natural treatment for arthritis.

By Sophia Maines, Journal-World, Lawrence, Kan. Oct. 30--For centuries, people have believed that turmeric, an Asian cooking spice, could fight inflammation. Scientists now are confirming it. "People have used this product for years and years," Kansas University researcher Barbara Timmermann said.

By Erin White, ARIZONA DAILY STAR Researchers are intrigued by possible medicinal uses Mothers in India mix turmeric into milk for upset tummies, sprinkle it on fresh wounds and use it to calm coughs and ease sore throats. For them, it's a wonder drug.