Anti-Aging, Miracle Superfoods

I hope You have been enjoying the Summer and having the luck of good weather in Your part of the world. We've had much more rain than sunshine... or may be it just seems this way. Though, I must admit that I am one of those nut cases who prefers gloomy weather to constant sunshine and hot temperatures... so, I certainly am not complaining. I'm as pale as a tusk of an elephant but as light skin is quite fashionable at the moment, again, I am not finding fault.

I noticed from my past Health First newsletters that I have not, for quite a while, been sharing important information about plants, moreover, about anti-aging miracle plants. As anti-aging plants are one of my specialties - I love to read about and research nature's miracles - I decided to sweep the drawback by sharing with You the information that I have collected for my book Healing Plants & Healing Promises.

I am going to talk about berries. The most exciting news about those two species - in season at the moment - is their abundant anti-cancer and anti-aging benefits. Antioxidants found in those berries help to fight damage caused to cells by harmful molecules called free radicals. (Free radicals are unstable or highly reactive molecules that interfere with normal biological processes that are taking place in our bodies. When they interfere with the chemical processes, they cause damage to the body and are one of the main causes of degenerative disease.) Scientists have found that berries contain some of the highest antioxidant levels of any fruits, which ranks them among the most powerful disease-fighting foods available.

Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) - Bilberry is a short, shrubby perennial that grows in the woods and forest meadows of Europe, western Asia, and the Rocky Mountains of North America. Bilberry bears edible fruits similar to those found on the American blueberry bush.

History: For over a thousand years, European herbalists have recommended bilberry fruits and leaves to treat many ailments. Bilberry's modern reputation as a healing plant was sparked during World War II, when British Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots noticed that after eating bilberry preserves, their night vision was sharper than usual. Later research revealed that bilberries are powerful antioxidants, capable of protecting cells in the eye and other parts of the body against damage caused by free radicals (unstable oxygen molecules).

Rich in: Bilberry fruits contain sugars, organic acids, essential acids; vitamins C, B1, B2, PP, and carotene; the minerals manganese and iron; tanning agents, pectines, and fibers. They contain neither fats nor cholesterol and provide only 80 Kcal per glass. Bilberry leaves contain tanning agents, organic acids, vitamin C, glycosides, and mineral salts.

Internal use: Bilberries are a truly anti-aging super-food, improving memory, slowing aging processes in a body, and improving coordination and balance. Bilberry fruits are beneficial for sore throat, diarrhea, in treating night blindness, daytime vision impaired by glare, liver- and biliary problems, inflammation of the intestines, and gastric ulcers. Bilberries help prevent macular degeneration, a condition in which the light-sensitive area in the centre of the retina breaks down. It may also help slow the progression of cataracts, a clouding in the eye's lens, and lower the effects of diabetic retinopathy, a degenerative eye disease that affects people with diabetes. Bilberry fruits help prevent and even reverse some damage caused by Alzheimer’s disease. They are helpful for discomforts that are improved with enhanced circulation, like varicose veins, poor circulation, and hemorrhoids. Bilberries are packed with antioxidants that help prevent heart problems and tumors. Dried bilberries are beneficial in case of diarrhea and stomach and intestinal problems. Bilberry leaf tea is helpful on the occasions of urinary tract infections, kidney stones, diabetes, and diarrhea.

How to prepare: In case of diabetes, take 2 tablespoonfuls of crushed leaves, pour over with hot water, and let steep for 3-4 hours.

In case of catarrh in throat, gums or mouth, take 3 teaspoonfuls of dried bilberry fruits, pour over with ½ a liter of cold water, boil for 10 minutes, drain, and cool. Drink the tea several times a day. Do not swallow immediately; instead hold it in your mouth for a minute and then swallow.

As bilberry fruits are very salutary to our health, being a preventative remedy against many diseases, we should eat one glass of bilberries a day while they are in season. You can crush the berries and add some honey or brown sugar, or top them with a splash of organic whipped cream. This makes them delicious! Yum!

External use: Bilberry leaf tea compresses help heal eczema and psoriasis.

When to pick: The leaves should be picked while the bilberry bush is in blossom because their medicinal value is the greatest then.

Red Raspberry ( Rubus idaeus) - Red raspberry belongs to a group of small-fruit crops called brambles. Brambles have perennial roots and biennial canes. Canes produced during spring and summer will produce fruit on the same canes the following year. The canes will then die back to ground level during winter. Raspberry flowers are white or greenish white, single or in small grapelike clusters. Its leaves are pinnately compound, with three to five leaflets. The fruit, which in proper botanical language is not a berry at all but an aggregate fruit of numerous drupelets around a central core, is rounded, two centimeters long, and broad, ripening between July and September. The red raspberry is the hardiest or most cold tolerant of the bramble or cane berries. It typically grows in forest clearings or fields, particularly where fire or wood-cutting has produced open space. It is easy to grow and has a tendency to spread unless cut back.

History: Ancient Greeks and Romans used raspberry not only as food but also as medicine. Raspberry leaf tea, helping to tone the muscles of the uterus, has been used for centuries to prepare women for childbirth. In Armenian medical practice, the raspberries were used against flu, chronic rheumatism, and other diseases. The concentrate of the fruit with honey was used against rubella. Poultices, made of the decoction of the flowers, were used against snake bites. Extract of raspberry fruits and leaves was used as vitamin drink, as well as a cure against cough in Austria. The leaves were used against diarrhea and throat diseases in Germany and against stomach bleeds, diarrhea, vomiting, menstrual problems and number of respiratory diseases in Bulgaria. In the 18th century, physicians and herbalists deemed the berries useful as a remedy for heart disease.

Rich in: Red raspberry is packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber. It is a good source of vitamin A, B, C, D, and E; the minerals calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, potassium, iron, and zinc; flavonoids; alkaloids; organic acids; fragrant volatile oil; soluble fiber, mainly pectin; and mineral salts. The most promising benefit of red raspberries is their substantial quantity of ellagic acid. Ellagic acid is a phenolic compound that has become known as a potent anti-carcinogenic/anti-mutagenic compound. Clinical tests conducted at the Hollings Cancer Institute at the Medical University of South Carolina show promising results that suggest ellagic acid may help prevent cancer, inhibit the growth of cancer cells, and arrest the growth of cancer in those who have a genetic predisposition for the disease.

Internal use: Red raspberry contains antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, astringent, antiseptic, diaphoretic, diuretic, and choleretic properties. Red raspberry leaves have been used by women for centuries as a support to the reproductive system, especially during pregnancy. According to Susan Weed’s "The Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year," the following benefits can be obtained by drinking raspberry leaf tea before and throughout pregnancy (check with your healthcare provider first!): It can increase fertility in both men and women. It is an excellent fertility herb when combined with red clover; it prevents miscarriage and hemorrhage of an atonic uterus by toning the uterus; it eases morning sickness by providing gentle relief of nausea and stomach distress throughout pregnancy; it reduces pain during labor and birth by toning the muscles used during labor and delivery (though it does not counter the pain of cervical dilation); it provides a safe and speedy parturition by working to encourage the uterus to let go and function without tension (though it does not strengthen contractions but allows the contracting uterus to work more effectively); it helps bring down an undelivered placenta when combined with ground ivy or angelica; and it assists in production of plentiful breast-milk. Anne McIntyre, a well-known English herbalist, recommends a cup of raspberry tea a day after the third month of pregnancy. After the sixth month, she recommends as much as three cups per day. When used after birthing, raspberry leaf tea helps to decrease uterine swelling and minimize postpartum hemorrhaging. It is beneficial in normalizing blood flow during menstruation and reducing painful menstrual cramps. It supports the whole reproductive system (being equally effective for the male reproductive system) and also cleanses and prepares breasts for a pure milk supply for the nursing infant by cleansing and purifying the blood. Red raspberry leaf helps to stop excessive bleeding inside the body (or outside when applied externally). This herb helps shrink swollen and inflamed tissues.

Raspberry fruit is widely used against gum diseases, anemia, stomachache, digestive problems, menopause, and for sobering from drunkenness. In Tibetan medical practice, the extract and decoction of raspberry fruit and leaves are known as cures for neurasthenia, a number of neuroses, and a series of pungent and chronic infections. Raspberry leaves and fruit can benefit visual acuity when used for a period of time. It also benefits the joints and tendons. Red raspberry's bitter compounds relieve muscle spasms. The herb is also known for ridding the body of mucus. Herbalists find raspberry reliable for childhood eruptive diseases such as measles and chickenpox. The Chinese have long used raspberry to strengthen and tone the kidneys. It also has a toning effect on the urinary system, soothing irritated mucous membranes that accompany bladder infections.

How to prepare: Prepare tea by pouring 1 cup (250 ml) of boiling water over 1–2 teaspoons (5–10 grams) of the dried leaf and steep for 10-15 minutes. Up to 6 cups (1500 ml) per day may be necessary for acute problems such as diarrhea or sore throats due to a cold, while 2-3 cups is used during pregnancy. By itself, raspberry is usually not a sufficient treatment for diarrhea. Tincture, 3/4–1 teaspoon (4–8 ml) three times per day, may also be taken. In case of dysentery, an aromatic tea from raspberry and blackberry should be taken (1 tablespoonful three times a day). To prepare the tea, mix 1 teaspoonful of each plant with 1 cup of hot water.

To make tea of dried fruit, mix 2 teaspoonfuls of dried fruit with 1 cup of hot water. Let it sit for 20 minutes, then drink as tea. To reduce the high temperature, drink it every hour.

Nutritious raspberries are very easy to include in your diet. They are a great addition to recipes or as a healthy fresh snack by the handful. But raspberries don’t have to be fresh to be nutritious. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, frozen and canned produce might be more nutritious than fresh items whose nutrients have diminished through shipping and long storage. Fruits and vegetables destined for canning and freezing are picked at full ripeness and processed within hours.

Raspberries can also be dried. The fruits are dried in thin layers in the sun or in the oven at 60-80 degrees Celsius. The fruits should be turned over every once in a while. If the drying is done correctly, the dry-fruit should make 18-20% of the initial material and should not leave scents when touched.

External use: To use as a throat rinse and as lotion in case of skin diseases, make a decoction from dry leaves. Mix 1 tablespoonful of dried leaves with 1 cup of water and boil for 20 minutes. In cases of pus wounds and face pimples, make an ointment from fresh leaves. Mix one portion of leaf-liquid with 4 portions of butter. Raspberry leaf tea also acts as an astringent on irritated skin by tightening the top layers of skin or mucous membranes, effectively reducing secretions, relieving irritation, and improving tissue firmness. Raspberry can also be used as an eyewash for discharge, a douche for leucorrhoea, and as a hair rinse. For eye inflammations, use a poultice made of flours.

When to pick: The fruit is gathered when completely ripe. Place berries in a basket with layers of leaves from some wide-leaf plants in between. The leaves and the flowers can be gathered in June through July, dried in a cool place, and stored in bags.

Do not use in case of: gout or nephritis, since they contain purine alkalis in big quantities.

Important! Always prefer organic produce which contains many times more vitamins, minerals and trace elements than do plants that have been sprayed.

I with You a wonderful Summer,

Eve
Body-Mind-Spirit Health, Fitness & Beauty in Organic Way
http://www.TheSpringOfLife.net