Sick, not sleeping? Tart Cherries Can Help

As a young mother, we had a tart cherry tree in our backyard. I loved baking sour cherry pies and would take the kids outside as I picked cherries. The funny thing is my baby loved them and ate them as fast as I could pick them. I worried he’d get a tummy ache, but that didn’t stop him. What I didn’t realize at the time was the amazing health benefits those cherries had and especially when eaten raw. I should have just forgotten those yummy pies and plopped down and gobbled them up with him.

They provide over 17 vital anti-oxidants which help fight inflammation and free radicals that otherwise promote aging, and boost the immune system as well. They support heart and brain health, blood flow, and blood pressure because of the flavanois they also contain. Very few other fruits can compete with the high nutrient value of the cherry, which is why this fruit is worth adding to your daily diet.

All cherries are nutrient rich, but the darker, tart cherries contain more phenolic, called anthocyanins, which give cherries their anti-inflammatory ability. One additional benefit of the tart cherry is their low sugar content.

People with the following ailments could benefit from daily consumption of tart cherries:

*diabetes
*heart disease
*high blood pressure
*arthritis
*gout
*weight problems
*sleep disorders
*neurodegenerative diseases

For those who have difficulty sleeping, tart cherries may bring some relief, too. They contain a natural melatonin, which is the hormone responsible for helping us sleep. Several studies, including one from the Journal of Medicinal Food, showed significant improvement in Insomnia patients after drinking tart cherry juice twice daily over a period of time.

A study from OHSU indicates that athletes were able to overcome injuries and inflammation by drinking tart cherry juice quicker than with over the counter or prescription medications. In addition to lower inflammation, they also had faster muscle strength recovery.

So where do you go to get your tart cherries? We recommend staying with the purest option for the most nutrients. So those cherries right from the tree are the best, no matter how old you are. But what about when they’re out of season? Look for tart cherry juice or juice concentrate.

We’ve tried several brands and this is what we’ve found:
Some juices & concentrates are really watered down, but there are also some wonderful ones out there. Here is a link to the brand we like best and the cheapest place we could find it.
http://amzn.to/gpKFbH

What about powders or pills? We don’t recommend powders or pills as they’ve likely been processed, which can change the chemical structure, making them less effective in promoting health.

Because of the naturally occurring plant hormones they contain, it’s best not to overindulge in these natural wonders, but instead to regulate intake to a consistent dose each day of anywhere from 2-8 oz. morning and night, depending on your size and need.

How you choose to consume these cherries isn’t as important as just getting them into your daily diet. Eat up, enjoy and cheers to your good health!

SOURCES:
pubmed.gov http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16790484
OHSU study http://bit.ly/hqPdCE
Science Daily http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080407114647.htm
Journal of Medicinal Food, vol. 13, no. 2 (June 2010): 579-583

Special thanks to freedigitalphotos.net for the photo used in this article:
http://www.freedigitalphotos.net

Brought to you by Laurie Vukich of Nature’s Knockout, a mother/daughter, celebrity make-up & hair team, passionate about empowering others to go green. At age 23, Tiffany was diagnosed with a crippling autoimmune disease, which led them to intense research to find answers. Through it, they realized the power of living green. Encouraged by amazing results, and overwhelmed by the epidemic of autoimmune disease, diabetes and cancer, they had to get the word out, and thus, Nature’s Knockout was launched. A passion with a purpose. http://www.naturesknockout.com/