What's in it Wednesday? | Shakeology | Bilberry

What's in it Wednesday?

Shakeology | Bilberry

For todays What's in it Wednesday, I'm going to go over superfood, Bilberry!

Bilberry aka Vaccinium Myrtillus has a long medicinal history in Europe. It has been used to treat anything from kidney stones to Typhoid fever.

During World War 2 British pilots noted that Bilberry jam before a flight dramatically improved night vision. Modern research now supports these claims.

Here are some benefits of Bilberry:
• Contain anthocyanosides which are potent antioxidants that strengthen blood vessels and capillary walls, improve red blood cells, stabilize collagen tissues (such as tendons, ligaments and cartilage) and has cholesterol lowering effects.
• Increase retinal pigments that allow the eye to tolerate light.
• Helps maintain flexibility of red blood cells, allowing them to pass through the capillaries and supply oxygen
• Acts as a vasodilator that opens blood vessels and lowers blood pressure
• Helpful in improving eyesight and night vision
• Helps slow macular degeneration
• Helps prevent cataracts and diabetic retinopathy
• Helps improve circulation, angina, stroke and atherosclerosis
• Helps to improve varicose veins and has anti-aging effects on collagen structures
• Helps prevent and treat a condition known as chronic venous insufficiency, which occurs when valves in the veins that carry blood back to the heart are weak or damaged.
• Helps relieve hemorrhoids
• Helps reduce blood sugar levels and cholesterol, which in turn helps diabetics and reduces the risk of a heart attack for those with heart conditions.

In the past, dried bilberries have been used to treat diarrhea because the tannins it contains (1.5% and as much as 10%) act as an astringent to the gastrointestinal tract. An astringent shrinks and tightens the top layers of skin or mucous membranes thereby reducing secretions, relieving irritation, and improving tissue firmness.

Tea brewed from dried bilberry fruits has also been used to soothe a sore throat or sore mouth tissue.

Recent research showed that Bilberry extract has promising anti-ulcer activity, both preventive and curative. It also has shown anti-cancer properties in animal experiments. When administered to diabetes patients, Bilberry normalized capillary collagen thickness and blood sugar levels in humans and animals.

*Watch for "What's in it Wednesday?" every Wednesday at 7:30 PM EST over at Facebook.com/RachelFaulFitness!

Stay tuned for next week! :)