I want to make four points about Blueberries:
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It is unbelievable the positive attributes of blueberries. To begin with, blueberries have an effect on our heart; “regular consumption of berries may play a role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease.“ ProMed.gov
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As a good source of polyphenols, especially anthocyanins, micronutrients, and fiber, berries; “have demonstrated significant improvements in LDL oxidation, lipid peroxidation, total plasma antioxidant capacity, dyslipidemia, and glucose metabolism. Benefits were seen in healthy subjects and in those with existing metabolic risk factors. Underlying mechanisms for these beneficial effects are believed to include upregulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase, decreased activities of carbohydrate digestive enzymes, decreased oxidative stress, and inhibition of inflammatory gene expression and foam cell formation.” ProMed.gov
Wow! This may seem like a lot of gibberish for us who are not educated in the health field. You will note that nitric oxide is mentioned and there are advertisements for supplements that will provide this chemical, or whatever it is. You will note the words antioxidant and inflammatory, both terms that are regularly used in health articles. I think the gist of this section is that we will have more energy.
3. But of interest to most of us, especially as we age; it has been “…demonstrated that berry fruits can prevent age-related neurodegenerative diseases and improve motor and cognitive functions. The berry fruits are also capable of modulating signaling pathways involved in inflammation, cell survival, neurotransmission and enhancing neuroplasticity” ProMed.gov My underlining! Since I am approaching old age (80), I know there are a lot of things I can’t do that I could when I was younger. I don’t expect to be able to throw a hundred pound sack of feed over my shoulder anymore, but I do want to be able to drive for a few more years and I can already feel less confident in that endeavor. I still remember the time when my father was backing the pickup toward a barn and all of a sudden he said, “I don’t know where I am at!” Who would have thought that the lowly blueberry would help us in our survival of old age.
4. There are many studies concerning the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. I think this is interesting because I have to laugh every time I see an advertisement supporting memory enhancement products for sale. Why do these people always seem to move so slow? But; “ By now, just about everybody should know that eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can support a healthier brain and a sharp memory for years to come. But the latest research has begun to pick apart exactly which natural compounds in these foods have the biggest benefits. And there’s one natural compound found in blueberries, in particular, that’s proving its worth. In addition to promoting brain health, researchers believe it can lower your risk of Alzheimer’s disease…This natural compound, called gallic acid, is found in large amounts in blueberries as well as a number of other fruits and vegetables. The latest research shows that gallic acid is a brain-boosting powerhouse. It energizes brain cells in the hippocampus (one of the brain’s most important memory centers), defends against oxidative stress in brain tissue, and shores up the blood-brain barrier in its efforts to keep toxins from entering the brain and interfering with your memory. Each of these actions is critical to stave off Alzheimer’s disease, but perhaps no action is more important these days than protecting brain cells against toxins.” Awakening From Alheimers
Although my title specificities Blueberries, other fruits, as well as many green vegetables, share health-giving attributes. Most fruits and vegetables that have color, other than green, will have antioxidant properties. Although this property has come under consideration in recent years, blueberries, as well as other berries, have other benefits. As a good source of polyphenols, especially anthocyanins, micronutrients, and fiber, look only as far as berries.
Which brings us to the dirty dozen. Every year, a list is compiled with the fruits and vegetables that have the largest amount of pesticides on them when we buy them at the grocery store. We can expect strawberries, potatoes, spinach, and many times blueberries to show amounts of pesticides, many times, 30 or 40 different kinds. For an annual review of the correlation between pesticides and cancer, Click Here
One criticism of the dirty dozen list is that the amounts on the foods we eat are not enough to cause illness or cancer. I am not disputing that, except, I may eat a helping of strawberries, a salad, and a potato along with all the other foods that almost all have pesticide residue. Of course, my neighbors spray their yard for dandelions every year. In my case, I had enough drift (some sprays vaporize and can drift for over 2 miles) to kill my fall peas, melons, and some of my Perennial Flowers and prevent turnip and beet seed from sprouting for two years). I don’t know if it was a neighbor or a golf course a mile away. I lived for 10 years near an ammunition plant, on a farm for 23 years, and sat in a polluting truck for 20 years. At what point does the accumulating effect begin to produce illness.
“According to one study, “More than 90% of the US population has detectable concentrations of pesticide biomarkers in their urine and blood.” Pesticide residues have also been found in breast milk and umbilical cords, showing that pesticide residues are passed from mother to child. So why does it matter? Chronic exposure to pesticides has been linked to a myriad of health issues, including cancer; neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s; autism and attention deficit disorder; low birth weight in babies and neurodevelopment delays in children; asthma; hormonal dysregulation, which can lead to infertility and other reproductive issues; type-2 diabetes; and gut dysbiosis, an imbalance in beneficial and pathogenic bacteria which can negatively affect the central nervous system via the gut-brain axis… The Toxic Burden We Carry
We may have had a lot of these diseases in the past, but it sure seems like they are a recent occurrence. In fact, one of the major pesticide manufacturers has had to pay out a substantial sum of money for health damages occurring from exposure to their products.
Bur, going on further down in the above article, from one of the studies; “a study published in 2019 that included racially and geographically diverse families observed significant reductions in pesticide residues of neonicotinoids, pyrethroid insecticides, and the herbicide 2,4-D after consuming an organic diet for six days. What is notable about each of these studies is that substantial reductions of pesticide residues were seen in a short amount of time.” (my underlining). The point I am making is that a lot of our toxic residue we carry comes from food, but blueberries help. Referring to a quote from above; “Each of these actions is critical to stave off Alzheimer’s disease, but perhaps no action is more important these days than protecting brain cells against toxins.”
I am a firm believer in Organic Foods. Sometimes, food labeled as organic may only mean that the food was grown without toxic chemicals. The soil itself may not have been farmed in such a way as to enhance the growth of microelements to improve soil health. Healthy soil will have billions of microorganisms that exist in a living soil. This soil will have something living on the surface year-round to feed and support the underlying structure. The living soil allows plants to access the normally occurring minerals and phytochemicals. We can actually measure the difference in food grown on regenerative agriculture farms. A study shows;
“Using crop, meat and soil samples from both conventional and regenerative environments, researchers analyzed mineral, vitamin and phytochemicals (compounds found in plants that have been shown to reduce inflammation and enhance human health).
“They found crops from regenerative agriculture farms on average had 34 percent more vitamin K, 15 percent more vitamin E, 14 percent more vitamin B1, 17 percent more vitamin B2, 11 percent more calcium, 16 percent more phosphorus and 27 percent more copper. For phytochemicals, there was a range of 15 to 22 percent more in regeneratively farmed foods, depending on the type of compound. From Modern Farmer
And for those who need a good definition of phytochemicals;
“Phytochemicals are a wide variety of nonnutritive chemical compounds found in plant foods, which may have health effects. A few examples of well-known phytochemicals are the flavonoids, phenolic acids, isoflavones, curcumin, isothiocyanates, and carotenoids. “ From Science Direct
When I shop, I look for organically produced products, but if I have a choice, I will buy pastured raised products. Pastured raised products will be crops from regenerative agriculture farms which by definition will have little or no chemical applications.
For your health