It’s cherry season!
It’s cherry season!
My kids and I love snacking on cherries. Why is this delicious little fruit so beneficial for your health and your immunity? Find out below – plus, participate in the #CherryChallenge to win a bottle of Organic Apothecherry! (See more below.)
How To Pick the Best Cherries At the Grocery Store
As much as we love cherries in our house, we don’t buy just any ones we see. Cherries and berries are some of the most highly and strongly sprayed crops. If possible, always choose organic because the chemical load will be much lower. I would also recommend buying the darkest red cherries, as they have the highest nutritional value and healing properties. Organic frozen cherries are often available in the frozen fruit section and are easy to add to smoothies or other drinks.
How Cherries Boost Your Immunity… Plus All These Other Benefits
Cherries are packed with vitamins A, C, E, and minerals such as iron, copper, zinc, potassium, and manganese. These nutrients support all of the body’s systems and contribute to overall general vitality and strong immune health. Not only this, but cherries have been found to act as a natural painkiller and to reduce chronic diseases such as arthritis and gout. Many of the following support how well your immune system can function. Be sure to check out the #CherryChallenge below!
CHERRIES ARE ANTI-AGING.
Cherries are rich with antioxidants, which are the compounds that fight the oxidation of cells in the body (also known as aging). Oxidative damage to cells are caused by free radicals, which are highly reactive molecules that have an unpaired electron. Oxidative damage can look different for every body, and can range from skin wrinkles to cancer. Antioxidants help prevent and repair the damage done. If you’re looking for a way to repair, renew, and rejuvenate the skin, cherries are a great pick for brightening your skin and smoothing out wrinkles.
CHERRIES ARE ANTI-INFLAMMATORY.
Inflammation has been linked to almost all bodily ailments. If you are able to manage the inflammation in your body and keep it low, then your body is able to function without constantly overcoming obstructions. Because your body isn’t working so hard just to do the things it needs, you’ll have a lot more energy! Cherries have long been known to overcome inflammation, and have even been explored as a part of a treatment plan for arthritis and gout.
Got muscle soreness? This 2006 study showed tart cherry juice to reduce muscle damage for athletes and people who exercise. Marathon runners who drank tart cherry juice after their run showed faster muscle recovery.
Cherries even help with the inflammation and other factors that are connected to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose, and insulin levels were all significantly improved in the group that consistently ate a certain amount of cherries in this study. These researchers also measured antioxidant levels, and found them to be higher and the oxidative damage to be lower in the group consuming cherries. Measurements relating to “fatty liver” were also taken, as these measurements are also leading factors in heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. And you guessed it – the group eating cherries had significantly lower levels of “fatty liver.” A study also showed that melatonin found in such foods as cherries can help support treatment of obesity, a risk factor for both cardiovascular disease and Type 2 Diabetes. Studies also show that drinking tart cherry juice will also reduce the risk of stroke and lower blood pressure comparable to blood pressure medication. If you wish to work on these factors, the #CherryChallenge might be just the thing for you! (See below.)
CHERRIES HELP COMBAT CANCER.
The antioxidant power of cherries alone is an amazing addition to a regimen for those wishing to prevent or combat cancer. In this 5 year study, researchers found that apigenin, a compound found in vegetables and fruit (including a high concentration in cherries), activated a protein in the cell nucleus that kills cancer cells and helps the responsiveness to chemotherapy. Dark cherries have also been found to prevent breast cancer and even stop the growth and spread of aggressive breast cancers, without any toxicity to normal breast cells. Other research points to dark cherries as becoming an important part of breast cancer treatment.
Cherries also have a protective effect against radiation. We are constantly bombarded with electromagnetic fields and radiation from different sources and different intensities. Some occupations (such as computer office work, those in healthcare facilities, etc.) have greater exposure to radiation daily. Dark red cherries help mitigate the effects of these wavelengths on your cellular structure and function.
If you or someone you love is wanting to prevent breast cancer, fight it naturally, or use conventional treatment methods, cherries could be a wonderful support to that journey. (Please consult with a health practitioner you trust before adding cherries into your cancer treatment regimen.) I would also recommend checking out my online course The Cancer Warrior: Building Resiliency the Natural Way.
CHERRIES PROMOTE BRAIN HEALTH.
Where would you be without your amazing brain? Cherries are a fabulous brain food, supporting cognitive function and the nervous system. They soothe overworked neurons and repair the myelin sheath on the nerves. I have seen them work wonders in assisting to clear up brain fog and fatigue, and improve focus and concentration. Research also shows them to be beneficial for preventing and treating mild to moderate dementia in older adults. Bringing in cherries can help support the clarity and productivity in your life.
CHERRIES CAN HELP GIVE YOU A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP.
There’s so much research to support the wonders that cherries can do for a balanced sleep/wake cycle, and I’ve certainly witnessed it myself with my family and clients. The high concentration of melatonin in cherries supports your body’s natural rhythms for getting the amount of sleep and wakefulness that your body needs. So can the food you eat affect your sleep? Absolutely. See also the video below by Dr. Gregor, M.D. on using tart cherry juice for insomnia.
The #CherryChallenge: How To Get More Cherries Into Your Life
Given all these amazing benefits of cherries, why not get some more in your life? What we focus on, grows in our lives. Let’s focus on cherries and their amazing benefits!
This #CherryChallenge has 3 days of winners this week (5/26-28 of 2021), but I encourage you to continue to intentionally put cherries in your life consistently for a longer period of time and see what a difference they can make!
What you can win:
Each day between Wednesday and Friday this week, I will pick a winner from the entries (see how to enter below) to win a bottle of Organic Apothecherry – for a total of 3 winners! I absolutely adore this tart cherry drink and have seen it work absolute wonders for the health of my family and clients. Apothecherry is a tart cherry concentrate that has 1 ingredient only: tart cherries! You simply add a little bit to some water, drink it down, and the body is well prepared for a restful night of golden slumbers. If I feel my body agitated and unable to sleep well, Apothecherry is my go-to before bed or in the middle of the night. I have my kids use it, and they love it right before bedtime. Cheers to some Organic Apothecherry!
Here’s how it works:
- Follow me @amberbodilyhealth on Instagram & Facebook.
- Tag me in your stories (this is a story challenge) of you consuming cherries from Wednesday 5/26/21 through Friday 5/28/21, and I’ll be picking 1 lucky winner each day to win a bottle of Organic Apothecherry (see above)!
- NOTE: Your account must be public and tagged with @amberbodilyhealth so I can see your entry! If your account is private, consider making it public just for the length of the giveaway.
- You can enter as many times a day as you eat or drink cherries, but only 1 entry per meal.
I’m so excited to have a little cherry cheer with you all!
Ideas for getting in more cherries:
- If you have Apothecherry, go ahead and let me know you’re drinking it down!
- Snack on fresh cherries!
- Cherry Banana Smoothie by Anthony William
- Wild Blueberry & Cherry Smoothie by Anthony William
- If you love baking, this vegan and gluten free cherry pie looks amazing! (I would recommend using the substitute suggested instead of corn, or even chia seeds to thicken it to your liking.)
- If you love a warm breakfast, here’s a delectable Quinoa Cherry Berry Breakfast Bowl by Veganosity
What’s your favorite cherry recipe? Let me know on social media!
Ignite the healer within,
Amber Bodily
P.S. To learn more ways to combat aging in your skin, check out one of my most popular courses: Goddess Glow!
