News Blueberries Show Promise As Treatment For Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

[GWhizz]

Ummmm... I. Love. Blueberries. But I hated sertraline!

No harm to eat em right. They're good for everything.

 

[Queen Boudica]

they are packed with antioxidants and are anti-inflammatories, so yes very good for you. I think there is a link between anti-inflammatory diet and reducing cancer.

 

[Queen Boudica]

anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins, that's the compounds. watch out for patents on those. Wow, I knew about the antioxidant properties and cancer protection, and I also know that cranberry juice really helped with my chronic cystitis. Think me is definitely going to buy more blueberries. I was putting frozen blueberries in my kids yogurts, for lunch but then we had the hepatitis scare! Not that my eldest will touch a blueberry, think she has the blueberry fear thing. Definitely worth a go. What is there to lose? Seems they benefit all areas of health.

 

[GWhizz]

I just ate a portion of raspberries before I saw this thread.

Defo going to get some organic blue-hued berries and natural yogurt for later.

@Lizio my little one won't touch grapes or blueberries - forever trying but failing! I wonder if you peeled them would you loose all the goodness - he's going through a fussy phase...

 

[Queen Boudica]

She's 14 and has had an aversion to all sorts of fruit. If I am slicing peaches she would move her bowl away, or if any strawberry juice or I used the same knife to cut an apple she will go hysterical. Blueberries peeled or not would be poison to her. Any berry. She does have allergies and anaphylaxis to peanut and nut. Just be careful, sometimes kids have these aversions because they can be allergic and are detecting a slight tingle in the mouth which is a sign of allergy.

A lot of nutrients particularly vitamin C are just below the skin, so peeling you lose them. If I make chips I never peel potatoes, that is the most nutritious part. Just scrub, carrots, potatoes. I wouldn't peel then they expect them peeled all the time, friend of mine still peels her kids apples and they are 11 and 14! I would present it and positive praise if he tries it, but not too much pressure, plus watching other kids eat them and praising the other kids for doing so. Or dipping in yogurt or even chocolate, or maple syrup. Chocolate fountains with fruit is the best thing for a kids party - but outside so much mess! (use so much chocolate though, so maybe a chocolate fondue instead!) Grape crunching competitions are good. Or throw them up in the air and catch them in your mouth and crunch! And berry smoothies, can make with yogurt, add a bit of ice-cream on top, or even cacao that is another antioxidant and you add a bit of syrup to sweeten. I'm into agave nectar as a syrup, it isn't so sickly sweet, but honey is good, or maple syrup, mix with cacao and berries.

 

[StarChild]

anti-inflammatory diet

Hi @Lizio, I'm someone who fights chronically sinusitis since more than 20 years now. And actually, I'm right about into another suppurative sinusitis. (Started antibiotics yesterday)

- I never heard of a diet like this but would be very interested in solid information about it. Would you mind me asking you for some good books or links to look into? Your help would be very appreciated.

 

[Queen Boudica]

The anticancer diet is a good book. Dr David Servan Schreiber. That goes into a lot of detail about antioxidants and free radicals and how reducing inflammation by eating high anti-inflammatory foods is so beneficial and I think he lists all the good ones.

I think I just picked up a lot the stuff, about cacao and stuff anyway from reading up on stuff because my kids have so many allergies and eczema and psoriasis and asthma. Anti-oxidants and their anti-inflammatory effects are key. Seems to affect all areas of health. Also high fructose corn syrup I think there has been a lot of stuff about high sugar diets and that is a particular nasty put in lots of processed foods. I can't remember all the stuff about why it is so bad. I think the latest is that fat is actually good and it is the sugar that is making us all fat as in order to make low fat foods, the taste is provided by sugar and salt instead and loads of other nasties and gums and things.

Michael Pollen is another good writer. he has written a lot of books. Emphasizing eating mainly veg, some meat everything in balance and avoid processed foods. Anything with more than 5 ingredients (could be less, don' buy or anything you see on the label and you can't read or understand then don't buy. Google Michael Pollen. He is really good. Learnt a lot from him.

Is your sinusitis allergy related? Have you tried immunotherapy if it is? Or the sinus operation, is supposed to work wonders.

And I don't know but I would try probiotics if you are taking antibiotics.

 

[Go Hungry]

Now if they would just make Boo-Berry cereal year-round instead of only for Halloween!! :grumpy:

 

[Friday]

I'm trying to imagine a blueberry bigger than my head (if I were a mouse), and the sheer volume of them I'd need to eat to match mousely-proportions. Somewhere in this imagining, Willy Wonka is looking far too interested.

 

[sun seeker]

Oh, well, by all accounts I should be cured then, with the cases of blueberries I bought and froze last fall. All this time I've just been whining and making mountains out of molehills, sorry guys!

Oh wait... the blueberries in the freezer are gone. I'm about to have a relapse. Better stick around after all.

 

[Recovery4Me]

I have used blueberries to help regulate my mood swing due to the slow dissipation of sugar release & antioxidants for 14 years and was able to get off paxil + other meds at that time. It is only part of the regime needed as well as an uptake of dark greens like spinach, kale, extra. Extra therapy maybe needed to increase self regulation strategies as one backs down from the meds. Exercise is a must.

However, the blueberries should not be coupled with extra sugar and thoroughly rinsed for pesticides. I use them in a smoothie with a banana, plain yogurt, fat free milk, protein powder or cooked egg white. Some frozen have added sugar, so read the back or the label. I learned from the American Diabetes Assoc and some government groups. So just offering that blueberries may help.

 

[Queen Boudica]

Oh that's good I get a freshly made organic green juice that I drink every morning, it has kale, spinach, silverbeet and lot of other stuff. If I combine that with blueberries . I buy organic anyway, I know its more expensive, but for berries that is a n awful lot of surface area to absorb pesticides. I don't think rinsing would be enough. I don't think they add sugar to the frozen berries here. I notice there was mention of spirulina, think my green juice has that too.