Eat This Berry And Keep Merry

The best way to obtain essential vitamins and minerals is through natural food and ideally supplements should not be necessary.

Unfortunately most of us do not eat freshly picked greens and fruit let alone nuts and cereals from where most of the goodness and fibre comes from.

Vitamin C is an essential ingredient that should be digested daily and this is a classic example of something that certainly is not found in most of the junk and over-processed food that people eat these days.

Occasionally a natural new source of vitamin C is found and this brings us to Camu Camu powder.

The Camu Camu is a plant that only seems to grow very close to water in the tropical atmosphere found in the Brazilian jungle and parts of neighbouring countries.

The small grape like berries are picked at a certain time of year and eaten within a day for maximum benefit. The benefit is an incredible Vitamin C content that provides all an adult needs in a day from just a couple of them.

There are many other beneficial components especially certain minerals that are not only good but essential to good health.

Because the fruit deteriorates and loses its properties quickly it is unlikely anyone living outside South America will ever see one but freeze dried and granulated it is exported in a powder form retaining all the benefits of the fresh fruit.

Our digestive system we ignore at our own peril but sadly that is exactly what most of us do!

We generally have no idea what are essential vitamins and minerals as it is certainly rarely taught at school. This should be a compulsory subject and could actually be taught to youngsters with a bit of fun involved as it might involve eating different samples of food in the classroom.

What we need and where it comes from is a mystery to many younger people today and if they only knew a bit more it might wean them off junk food and sugary drinks.

For more on Camu Camu powder log on to thefinchleyclinic

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SOME IDEAS ABOUT STAYING HEALTHY INTO OLD AGE

Camu camu powder is produced from a low branched tree that grows in the lower Amazonian rain forest region. Like most fruit with a high anti-oxidant content it is purplish red in colour, resembling a cherry.

It has been found that it is extremely high in vitamin C content. As it is sour in taste it is sold in health food outlets in Camu camu  powder form so it can be easily blended to mask the flavour.

 

One of its health benefits is that it fights inflammation and is commonly used to boost the immune system due to its anthocyanin content, which is a form of anti-oxidant.

Since vitamin C is an anti-oxidant it is a proven fact that if you increase its intake when a cold develops the duration of the cold is much shortened. Since prevention is better than a cure, it makes sense to increase your intake of this vitamin to prevent winter infections from happening.

Because vitamin C is needed for collagen production, it is a powerful tool to treat skin infections and if applied directly to the skin it can prevent skin damage due to sun exposure and the effects of ultra violet rays.

It is no wonder that this dietary product has become a buzzword in the health industry world. Anti-oxidant products such as these are even said to be a powerful tool in cancer prevention because they protect our DNA cells against damage. Although anti-oxidants do not directly attack cancers, they boost the immune system so the body is better able to prevent cancerous cells from forming.

You should be able to get all the vitamin C you need if you eat a healthy and balanced diet. However with our modern convenience foods and their overuse it is possible that you may be lacking in this vital substance.

Also, as we age, our bodies become less sufficient in absorbing vital nutrients. Vitamin C cannot be stored by the body and as we get older we will need more of these nutrients to keep us healthy.

Of course, there is much you can do to stay healthy. We all know that being overweight puts a strain on our bodies and it is important to maintain a healthy weight. This you can achieve by taking plenty of leisurely exercise and to eat fresh produce.

It also helps the body to absorb iron which will prevent anaemia and is essential in the production of red blood cells which is necessary to carry oxygen around the body. Here again, if you have always eaten a healthy diet you should not be iron deficient but as we get older you may need a dietary top up.

Coming back to anti-oxidants, too high a dose can interfere with cancer treatment drugs, so it is a prudent step to consult your physician before embarking on a regime of taking higher doses of anti-oxidants than normal.