Cherries have powerful antioxidants, known as anthocyanins that are thought to help fight inflammation and risk of heart disease.

A study conducted by Dr. Steven F. Bolling at the University of Michigan, shows that eating cherries may lower body fat, weight, cholesterol and inflammation.

Our bodies use inflammation to fight off infection and injury. A chronic state of inflammation can raise your risk of heart disease.  With 2 out of 3 people overweight or obese in the United States, especially around their middle, this problem is more prevalent.

In the study rats were feed a (Western Diet) which was high in fat and moderate carbohydrates.  The study added tart cherry powder to some of the rat’s diet, which caused them to maintain lean muscle mass as well as a decrease in fat and body weight.

Listed below you will find some important facts you need to know about cherries.

  Antioxidant Levels of Cherries

• Cherry Juice Concentrate: 12,800 ORAC units
• Dried Cherries:                    6,800 ORAC units
• Frozen Cherries:                  2,033 ORAC units
• Canned Cherries:                 1,700 ORAC units

Below you will find three interesting articles on cherry nutrition, cherry reports and cherry recipes.

Nutrition Facts, Cherry Report, Cherry Recipes

Post from: Blisstree

Cherries The Super Fruit

In some cases of heart failure, it is thought to be linked to ones own immune system in that it causes damaging inflammation to its own tissue. This then weakens the heart even further and inhibits its contractility and efficiency.

The Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas has completed a study on over 1000 participants. They have attempted to reduce inflammation by “damping down” ones immune system.

The method involved taking blood from the patients, and exposing it to chemicals designed to change some of the body’s own immune signals, and boost anti-inflammatory signals. This kind of approach is called “immunomodulation”.

In certain patients with heart failure, the ones that did not have a heart attack, there was between 25% and 39% decrease in risk of death. That is certainly marginal enough to warrant more research. I suspect that we will see more of this in the near future.

via BBC.com

Post from: Blisstree

Immune Therapy For Heart Failure Patients