Chiropractic Wellness

T’is the Season…for Cranberries!

Cranberries not only taste great alongside turkey, stuffing and other holiday favourites – they are also great for packing a health punch during this festive time of year. While a lot of us consume jellied cranberry sauce every holiday season, many don’t realise that they are receiving health benefits at the same time by eating this powerful little berry. Not only during the hectic holiday season, but year-round as well, this powerful little berry is the perfect solution for contributing to good health.

I recently made a beautiful jellied cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving that I found on YouTube. I celebrate Thanksgiving here in Australia with my American friends that live here too. During the year, I keep frozen cranberries in the freezer, for a treat or if I just want to make the cranberry sauce before the typical holiday season. Other ways to get health benefits from cranberries are cranberry juice and/or dried cranberries.  Dried cranberries are a great snack for in between meals or mixed through a salad for a little tang packed with health benefits.

Cranberries contain significant amounts of antioxidants and other phytonutrients that may help protect against heart disease, cancer and other diseases. Considered a superfood because of the various health benefits, they can help prevent bacteria causing infections, particularly in the bladder and urinary tract. They are a great natural preventative for recurring bladder infections. If you don’t consume cranberries in some form or another regularly, cranberry tablet supplements are available from your local health food shop.  What is your favourite way to get your health benefits from cranberries?

These are one of my personal favourites – fresh or frozen (when not in season) as a healthy, nutritious snack. They can be eaten raw, cooked, juiced, baked in muffins, pies, cakes etc. I even found chocolate covered blueberries! To be honest, I prefer them fresh – recommended at least half cup per day.

There are so many health benefits…

Did You Know?

Blueberries:

• Are packed with antioxidants which help to fight cancer and other diseases.
• Help you maintain good vision and work to prevent macular degeneration in the eye.
• Promote urinary health – help prevent and even cure urinary tract infections.
• Can help with Alzheimer’s prevention.
• Are a huge source of Vitamin C.
• Can help lower blood cholesterol.
• Slow the aging process and are good for the complexion.
• Are anti-diabetic – both in prevention and control of the disease.
• Are anti-inflammatory – beneficial for arthritis sufferers.
• Help to promote and maintain digestive health.
• Aid with weight control and contribute to a healthy diet.

So, make sure you add blueberries to your grocery list so that you and your family can receive the many health benefits of blueberries!

Superfoods by definition are foods with high phytonutrient content.  Phytonutrients are plant derived essential nutrients important to human health.

One of the “superfoods” that I incorporate into my daily nutrition is, garlic.  Garlic contains protein, Vitamins A, B, C and E, as well as the minerals Iron, Selenium and Calcium.  There are numerous health benefits, one being increasing the strength of the immune system.  It has antibiotic, antifungal, antioxidant and antiviral properties.  By having daily doses (minimum half clove per day), it helps to naturally fight off the common colds and flus.  Garlic dates back to over 4,000 years ago, even back to the tombs of the Egyptian pharoahs!

Garlic also helps to support the circulatory system which may in turn help in lowering the risk of heart disease.

Garlic has the ability to lower total LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and triglycerides, and increase HDL (“good”) cholesterol in your blood.

Garlic also comes in capsule form as a supplement in case the dishes you prepare are not suitable for garlic.  However, natural and fresh is the preferred method.

Let me encourage you to get creative and add garlic to meals for that extra flavour as well as extra nutrients and health benefits!