A long time ago I heard the phrase "food is medicine." It took me years to finally understand what they meant by that.
What I've discovered over the years is Western medicine is made up of synthetic chemicals, which many are formulated based on naturally occurring plant chemicals (phytochemicals) and nutrients (phytonutrients).
You can literally use food as medicine.
So when we are eating foods, we are providing our bodies with chemicals and nutrients that are either supporting our health, or supporting our illness.
Just food for thought. :)
When it comes to blueberries though, these are workhorses in protecting our health.
Blueberries get their rich dark color from a phytonutrient called anthocyanins. It is this phytonutrient that gets to work protecting our brain health, reducing inflammation and protecting our hearts, livers, bones, and blood vessels.
When it comes to preventing cardiovascular disease, a recent study published in PubMed showed anthocyanins work by inhibiting platelets from sticking together and causing blockages, as well as improving blood lipid profiles and increasing the activity of necessary enzymes.
In this same study anthocyanins demonstrated anti-cancer effects by working to suppress cell proliferation, inflammation, suppress tumor formation. It's also been proven to inhibit cell migration, invasion, and suppress some types of sarcomas.
Another amazing quality of this phytonutrient is it is actually anti-microbial against the antibiotic-resistant bacteria called Enterococcus faecium. This bacteria can cause anything from UTI's to cellulitis, to wounds that won't heal.
Lastly but certainly not least is anthocyanins have been shown to suppress weight gain, fat tissue gain, and other metabolic disorders. Isn't that amazing!
All of this in the tiny but mighty blueberry!
Plus they are about to be ripe here in Alaska! That means we also get our exercise in harvesting them.
Last year we were able to freeze 15 qt bags of wild Alaskan blueberries after we shared with our friends and neighbors. It was an amazing year!
So you see, the foods we eat act on our bodies just like medicines do. When I started to realize this, I became more intentional about what we ate. What my kids ate.
I would wonder what those foods, snacks, candies were actually doing once they got inside our bodies.
And you don't have to stop there. We can now even look at our specific genomes to see if we are at a higher risk for things like cardiovascular disease.
Are our genes functioning at 100% or could they use more help from foods like blueberries to help prevent chronic disease, reduce inflammation, and help prevent cardiovascular disease?
In our own house we know how each of our genomes impact our health, our wellness, and what each of us needs to be aware of on our unique, individual health journeys.
I see it as my job as their Mama to teach them about their bodies. About their genes. And how we can feed ourselves to the best of our abilities to avoid pitfalls that are written into our DNA, our blueprints.
Are you struggling seeing your kiddos struggling and you don't know what to do? Did you know skin issues, behavioral issues, and even neurological issues have food at their root causes? Do you want to learn more about how you can use food as medicine in your own home?
My new coaching program S.E.E.D.S. of Change covers this and so much more! Gain the tools, skills, and confidence to take charge of your family's health and well being.
Set yourself up to be there for their graduations, weddings, grandkids. And set them up for a life of vibrant health, energy, and longevity.
Want to learn more? Click here for details.
As always follow me on Facebook @Megan Anderson Nutrition or on Instagram @Megan.Anderson.Nutrition for more tips and skills on using nature for your health care.
