More Than Just a Dessert

Over the centuries, blueberries have been reputed to cure everything from tonsillitis to loose teeth. More than not there is some exaggeration there, but actually blueberries really do have some remarkable healing powers – and of course nothing goes better with vanilla ice cream!

Blueberries are very high in antioxidants, vitamin C, and chemical compounds called bioflavonoids. These compounds are essential for blood vessel repair. That is what gives blueberries such high praise for curing bruising. “I advise people to eat 1/2 cup of blueberries a day”, says Sean Sapunar, ND. The nutrients in the berries will help bruises heal and make your blood vessels stronger and better able to resist future damage.

• A strategy before surgery – Eating blueberries will help you heal after you’ve had surgery. They help reduce inflammation, mend damaged tissue, and strengthen tiny blood vessels traumatized by the operation.
• Heart problems – The bioflavonoids in blueberries work to strengthen your cardiovascular system and help prevent molecular damage that makes cholesterol more likely to form thick sludge on artery walls and prevent heart-nourishing blood from getting through. Eat 1/2 to 1 full cup of blueberries a day to keep your heart strong.
• High blood pressure – The fiber in blueberries apparently works even better than the fiber in most vegetables and grains to lower systolic blood pressure, studies have shown. (And fiber is also tops when it comes to preventing constipation). Blueberries are exceptional good examples of all this. That is why I recommend topping your oatmeal, fruit salad, or whole grain cereal every morning for breakfast.
• UTI’s  – Blueberries provide the same anti-infection protection as their crimson twin cousins – cranberries – when it comes to keeping bacteria from binding to the bladder wall and causing urinary tract infections (UTI).
• Allergies – Why pollute  your body with antihistamines, which frequently  cause side effects due to the toxins within their makeup, when you can fight off allergies with blueberries? Blueberries contain compounds that inhibit the release of histamine, the body chemical that causes congestion.
• Brain fog – Eating just 1/2 cup of blueberries a day will clear the sludge from your memory banks and improve your balance, as well as coordination, according to reports in a Tufts University study. Blueberries are reported to contain the highest antioxidant content of any fruit or vegetable.  Keeping a frozen bag of these nutritious berries on hand will insure you  have adequate brain boosting capabilities.