Blueberry

Blueberries are tiny, but they are mighty, disease-fighting warriors. Brimming with health-promoting compounds, they provide a delicious boost to the heart, immune system, brain, eyes, and musculoskeletal system.

Boosting the Immune System
Cell damage caused by unstable oxygen molecules called free radical weakens the immune system. This damage is also linked to aging and chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease and cancer. Bluberries are nature's wonders, bursting with the goodness of antioxidants to protect the body by neutralizing free radicals. They are one of the richest sources of antioxidants, making them a powerful supporter of the immune system.

Based on data from the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, blueberries are among the fruits with the highest antioxidant activity. Just 100g of fresh blueberries can deliver the antioxidant capacity of five servings of some fruits and vegetables.

Supporting Heart and Liver Health
Keep your heart happy with blueberries. Thanks to their high antioxidant activity, blueberries help reduce the buildup of LDL ("bad") cholesterol, thereby preventing cardiovascular disease and stoke. Resveratrol in blueberries has an anticoagulant effect that prevents the formation of blood clots that may block blood vessels and cause heart attacks and stroke.

Helping to Prevent Cancer
Blueberries contain more than 40 healthful compounds with high antioxidant activity that may reduce risk of certain types of cancer. Scientific research shows that pterostilbene in blueberries has immense potential in breast cancer prevention. Folate in blueberries may help guard against cervical cancer. Consuming blueberries may reduce liver cancer risk. Researchers found that phenolic acids and anthocyanins in blueberries inhibited the growth of liver cancer cells by 50%. Resveratrol and ellagic acid in blueberries have shown significant anticancer effects and may delay the aging process.

Protecting Brain Cells
A study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry reported that one group of volunteers in their 70s with early memory decline drank the equivalent of 2-2.5 cups of a commercially available blueberry juice everyday for two months. A control group drank a beverage without blueberry juice. The blueberry juice group showed significant improvement on learning and memory tests. Another study showed that people who ate a cup of blueberries a day performed 5%-6% better on motor skills tests than the control group.

Blueberries are rich in quercetin. Quercetin has been found to be particularly effective in protecting brain cells from free radical damage that can lead to dementia. One study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that quercetin protected rats' brains from damage due to exposure to hydrogen peroxide, a free radical.

Research at the University of Reading has found that phytochemical-rich foods, such as blueberries, can reverse age-related memory decline and may have implications for the treatment of diseases associated with age (such as Alzheimer's disease). Published in Free Radical Biology & Medicine, that research shows that supplementing a regular diet with blueberries results in improvements in memory.

Improving Vision
Individuals who spend long periods staring at computer screens should eat more blueberries. According to Japanese research, blueberries ease eyes fatigue and improve weak eyesight. Blueberry consumption increases circulation of the capillaries of the eyes, which reduces oxidation in these tissues. This action benefits eyesight. It is thought to be especially helpful in preventing diabetic retinopathy, a disease of the retina due to diabetes mellitus, as well as night blindness, cataracts, and macular degeneration, an age-related eye disease that is the leading cause of vision loss in the elderly.

Fortifying Bones and Muscles
Blueberries contain manganese, an essential trace mineral important for many chemical reactions in the body. Manganese also aids in keeping bones strong. Studies show that malvidin glycosides in blueberries may be beneficial in alleviating muscle damage caused by oxidative stress. Blueberries contain flavonoids, which help strengthen connective tissue.

Anti-allergy Effect
Blueberries reduce the production of histamines, which are the inflammatory substances the body produces that are responsible for allergy symptoms.

Promoting Urinary Tract Health
Research shows that phytochemicals in blueberries called proanthocyanidins prevent urinary tract infections by inhibiting E.coli bacteria from adhering to the walls of the urinary tract.

Understand Your Immune System

What is Immune System?
The immune system is an amazing, proactive defense mechanism. Its complex network of white blood cells, antibodies and other immune chemicals and organs offers us around-the-clock protection against invaders. When there is a cut on the skin, the immune system works actively to heal it and stop the entry of microbes like viruses and bacteria. As our cells continuously reproduce, a strong immune system also helps to detect and defeat cell mutations that could lead to cancer.

Most diseases are the result of a malfunctioning immune system. The immune system may malfunction in one or both of the following ways:

A Weak Immune System
You may have come across someone who constantly gets sick – be it with flu, a cough, cold or even stomach discomfort. Have you ever wondered why some people recover quickly while others take longer or just never fully recover? The answer lies in our immune system.

The air we breathe, the food we eat and the surfaces we touch are always teeming with disease-causing dust, pollutants, fungi, parasites and germs like viruses and bacteria. Once our body is weak, these toxic agents will easily overwhelm the immune system and cause illnesses.

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is one example of a disease linked with a weak immune system. Once AIDS sets in, the immune system is critically compromised and unable to effectively combat dangerous germs. Cancer is also a sign that our immune system is weak. Chemotherapy, a type of radiation treatment for cancer, further weakens the immune system – this is why cancer patients are easily afflicted with flu, coughs and colds.

A Hyperactive Immune System 
The immune system can be also malfunction by over-reacting of turning against the body’s own cells. This often leads to allergies or autoimmune diseases.

An allergic reaction, such as a respiratory allergy, skin allergy or food allergy, occurs when the immune system reacts against non-threatening agents, such as plant pollen, animal fur, dust and some types of food.

An autoimmune disease occurs when our immune system mistakenly attacks our body’s own healthy cells. Rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, diabetes mellitus and systemic lupus erythematosus are all examples of common autoimmune diseases.

Doctor treats allergies and autoimmune diseases by prescribing drugs to suppress the immune response. Such treatment usually results in a weakened immune system, thus, leaving us more susceptible to diseases. And usually, such drugs only stop the symptoms, such as swelling or pain. They do not completely cure the disease. In addition, medications result in a wide array of harmful side effects.

Immune Organs

The first line of defence – skin: When invaders are sighted, Langerhans cells sound the warning bell. Antibacterial substances within our sweat and sebum trap bacteria while tears and mucus membranes secrete enzymes to break down the invader’s cell wall.

Soldier Factory – Bone Marrow: Bone marrow creates red blood cells and white blood cells, the soldiers of the immune system. Every second, about 8 million blood cells die and the same number are regenerated here.

Training Ground – The Thymus: Just as soldiers train for war through the navy, infantry and air force, the thymus assigns T cells their duties in fighting illnesses. The thymus also secretes immune-regulating hormones.

Battlegrounds – The Lymph Nodes: Lymph nodes are little pockets of battlegrounds with billions of white blood cells. When fighting infections, lymph nodes swell with foreign invaders and immune cells to the point where you can actually feel them. Swollen lymph nodes are a good indication that you have an infection and your immune system is hard at work. As the army’s drainage system, lymph nodes filter the lymph fluid, which carries away waste products like viruses and bacteria. The body contains about four times more lymph than blood.

Blood Filter – The Spleen: The spleen is a blood reservoir. It filters the blood by removing dead blood cells as well as engulfed viruses and bacteria. It also activates B cells to produce large amounts of antibodies.

Throat Guard – The Tonsils: The tonsils maintain constant vigilance against invaders that gain access to the body through the nose and mouth. People who have had their tonsils removed show a marked increase in getting Strep throat and Hodgkin’s disease – indicating the importance og the tonsils in upper respiratory tract protection.

Immune Assistant – The Appendix: The appendix assists with B cell maturation and antibody (IgA) production. It also acts like a traffic coordinator, producing molecules that direct the movement of white blood cells to other parts of the body. The appendix also exposes white blood cells to the invaders present in the digestive tract and helps suppress potentially harmful antibody response while promoting local immunity.

Intestinal Guards – Peyer’s Patches: Like the appendix, Peyer’s patches react to invaders in the intestines. They are vital to the control of microbial invaders in our food.

Immune Cells

Specific Fighters – B Cells & Antibodies: B cells provide humeral immunity – protection via antibodies circulating in our bodily fluids like serum and the lymph. B cells are soldiers who fight invaders by producing antibodies specific to them. Antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins, are our enemy-seeking missiles. They track and lock onto assigned invaders before triggering immune responses to destroy the invaders. Some B cells become “memory” cells. So, if the same invader attacks again, they are quickly identified and antibodies are immediately produced to fight against them.

Non-Specific Fighters – T Cells: T cells give the body cellular immunity. They provide non-specific immunity by seeking and destroying enemies regardless of type. Helper T cells are the commanders of the immune system. They rouse and issue orders to other soldiers through chemical messengers. Cytotoxic T cells and NK cells are lethal snipers who shoot holes into invaders. Once the infection is controlled, suppressor T cells regulate antibody production and call an end to the war.

Enemy Eaters – Phagocytes & Granulocytes: Phagocytes, such as monocytes and macrophage, are large cell eaters that engulf and digest the enemy. Macrophages are multitasking immune cells. Apart from cleansing the body of debris and aged blood cells, they also secrete chemicals to bring other immune cells to where the invasion is taking place. Granulocytes, like neutrophils, eosinophils and basophils, destroy invaders through potent chemical granules. For example, pus from a serious infection contains dead neutrophils and other war debris.