Natural foods can help you prevent and reverse chronic disease

~ Carolyn Guilford, Certified Nutrition Consultant ~

Berries contain a variety of phytochemicals and antioxidants – which give plants their color and flavor to the berries. These phytonutrients are powerful compounds supporting optimum human health; in fact they are far more powerful than any pharmaceutical in terms of providing healthy benefits without dangerous side effects.

Berries such as blueberries, cranberries, strawberries and raspberries are rich in disease-fighting phytochemicals that prevent and even reverse serious diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, stomach ulcers and even help lower cholesterol levels. The key is eating these berries in their raw, whole fruit form.  In order to get the healing phytonutrients, you must get the berries in the freshest form possible -- that means just raw berries, right off the bush or straight from the produce area.  

Plants are pharmaceutical factories, but unlike human-built pharmaceutical factories, when edible plants create healing phytochemicals they are precisely the compounds that your body needs to be healthy, and they are available without the negative side effects that are frequently associated with prescription drugs. Compared to other fruit sources, berries offer the highest content of antioxidants and phytochemicals for fighting disease. Berries are also rich in many vitamins and minerals, including calcium, magnesium and zinc -- minerals that are frequently lacking in the diets of most people.

Cranberries are perhaps best known for preventing urinary tract infections, but they have also been shown to prevent breast cancer and reduce stomach ulcers. Cranberries can also be used to help decrease LDL cholesterol levels, the bad cholesterol.

Strawberries are high in antioxidants and vitamin C. They are known to fight heart disease and provide a number of vitamins and minerals that support overall human health.

Raspberries are known for their ability to fight cancer thanks to the phytochemical content and abundant supply of vitamins and minerals. The bottom line is that berries can be an extremely powerful disease-fighting part of your daily diet. Simply choose a variety of berries -- blue, red, and purple -- and be sure to get them into your body on a frequent basis (at least a couple of times each week.) Remember, nature provides everything that your body needs in order to be healthy and prevent chronic disease, but you have to trust nature in order to experience a disease-free life. To do that it's important to give your body the best possible nutrition provided by the fruits and vegetables found in nature... these include not only the berries but also vegetables like broccoli, garlic, ginger, carrots, cabbage and onions.

Remember, Health is Wealth.