Promoting Breast Health
Dealing with fibrocystic breast disease reduces the risk for breast cancer. Breast cancer is a major fear for many women these days. The fear comes from the fact that many have watched someone close to them succumb to this disease and/or its treatment. Fortunately,...
Uterine Fibroids
Uterine fibroids are bundles of smooth muscle and connective tissue that can be as small as a pea or as large as a grapefruit. Although they are sometimes called “tumors,” fibroids are not cancerous. However, because they disrupt the blood vessels and glands in the...
Ginger Effective in Relieving Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
Introduction: Excessive menstrual bleeding, or menorrhagia, is a common female complaint that may be entirely prevented by a simple herbal prescription – capsules of ginger. The chief cause of functional menorrhagia (i.e., not caused by the presence of uterine...
Sweet Relief For PMS
Think PMS is a normal part of being a woman? It doesn’t have to be! You can feel better—less moody, bloated, and fatigued, for example—by trying a few select nutrients Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)—a recurrent condition that develops 7-14 days before...
Eating Strawberries and Blueberries Cut Heart Attack Risk In Women
Strawberries and blueberries are rich sources of beneficial plant pigments known as flavonoids. In particular, these berries provide specific types of flavonoids known as anthocyanins, which provide exceptional protection against damage to the lining of blood...Welcome
July is National Blueberry Month
On May 8, 1999 the United States Department of Agriculture proclaimed July as National Blueberry Month. It is fitting that July is the month of celebration given the importance of blueberries in American history and the fact that the United States produces over 90% of all of the blueberries in the world.
Blueberries are among the most important foods for good health. The diverse and wondrous health benefits of blueberries are primarily due to their high content of specialized pigments known as anthocyanins. These special flavonoids are responsible for the deep blue or purple color of blueberries.
Currently, the most popular medical use of blueberries is their use in improving vision and protecting against age-related macular degeneration. Additional research also points out that blueberries may be protective against the development of cataracts and glaucoma, and quite therapeutic in the treatment of varicose veins, hemorrhoids, and peptic ulcers.
Another very practical application of the antioxidant activity of blueberries is in the protection against Alzheimer’s disease and age related cognitive decline. In animal studies researchers have found that blueberries help protect the brain from oxidative stress and may reduce the effects of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. Specifically, when older rats were given the human equivalent of 1 cup of blueberries a day they demonstrated significant improvements in both learning capacity and motor skills, making them mentally equivalent to much younger rats. When the rats’ brains were examined, the brain cells of the rats given blueberries were found to communicate more effectively than those of the other older rats that were not given blueberries.
While blueberries are an excellent food, a blueberry concentrate with all the anthocyanin-power of fresh picked blueberries is a convenient way to gain all of the health benefits. Two 500 mg capsules of a 36:1 blueberry concentrate is equivalent to ¼ cup of fresh blueberries. For general health, take two capsules daily.
For more information, please see the completely revised and updated 3rd edition of The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine.
On the Dr Oz show
On the show I discussed the failure of conventional medicine to address the underlying issues in many health conditions offering little more than drugs as biochemical “band aids.”
