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This episode emphasizes the importance of investing in our future health by consuming healing foods, like berries. Berries offer various benefits such as enhancing brain function, improving insulin sensitivity, and supporting the immune system. I’m also offering easy tips on how to incorporate berries into daily meals to maximize their health benefits. Get your health score now at drcherylwellness.com!

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Topics discussed in this episode:

• When we eat foods that heal today we are also investing in our future (0:35)
• Berries are Brain food - improve mental clarity, reduce brain fog, improve memory within 2-6 hours after eating them (0:50)
• Other great brain foods (1:36)
• Fun facts about berries (2:04)
• Berries and blood pressure (2:30)
• Improved insulin sensitivity (3:20)
• How to incorporate berries into daily meals (5:17)

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Transcript:

Welcome to the wellness table. I'm Dr. Cheryl Bothwell and on this show we are going to talk about nutrition, longevity and lots of other fun things. What is something that you think you could eat that could increase your memory by 40%? The truth is that when we think of managing symptoms we often reach for a pill or a processed quick fix. The problem is that that is like paying for our health on credit. We don't want to mortgage our future health by taking a shortcut to solve today's problem or symptom. We need to think about wellness in a whole new way knowing that when we eat foods that heal today, we're also investing in our future.

Today, I want to talk about a powerful prescription for memory and a host of other amazing outcomes. That's one cup of blueberries every day. Today we're going to do a deep dive into the proof of why science backs berries every time. Berries at their core are brain food. Berries have been shown in many studies to improve mental clarity, reduce brain fog, and improve memory within two to six hours after eating them. When you need to be at your peak performance physically or mentally, eat one cup of berries. When you have a big test to take, eat berries. Do you want to live younger, longer? Eat berries. Berries are so powerful. Research even shows that there's up to a 40% improvement in short term memory within four to six hours of eating berries. If you have a loved one with dementia, feed them berries every day. Research also shows improvement in short term memory even with some levels of dementia. Berries are considered one of the best foods for brain health. Other foods that make the list are foods high in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts, and soybeans. Other foods like dark leafy vegetables also contribute key vitamins and minerals that the brain needs. Foods that are rich in antioxidants, anti inflammatory, and boost nitric oxide are all great brain foods, but nothing beats the power packed punch of berries. Here's some interesting facts about berries. Berries are one of the most studied foods and brain health in randomized controlled trials, because it's easy to take a blueberry, dry it, and create a powder that can be put in a pill. Berries are high in antioxidants and nutrients such as magnesium and potassium, which our brains need to function at its best, and they beat fatigue. Berries are rich in polyphenol antioxidants, which means these are compounds which boost nitric oxide production, they relax our arterial walls within one hour of consumption. When the arterial wall is relaxed, which by the way is what blood pressure medicine does, our systolic blood pressure lowers by 6%, and our diastolic blood pressure lowers by 4%. So when we can lower diastolic blood pressure, we know we've actually really relaxed our blood pressure at rest. Boosting our nitric oxide production and relaxing arterial walls also known as nature's Viagra, it increases libido. Thank you, berries. Berries also repair DNA because they contain the antioxidants that override free radicals. What are free radicals? Free radicals harm our body but the antioxidants and berries decrease these free radicals by 18% in just one hour of eating them. Berries are a fruit that has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and improve blood sugar response to meals fueling the cells efficiently and fueling the cells effectively. So we can feel that energy. Improved insulin sensitivity also supports reaching a healthy body weight, decreasing waist circumference and abdominal fat.

Do you know what your score is yet? Head to drcherylwellness.com today to find out. People with a score of 18 plus or more, we found they had beat their fatigue, they had more energy, their blood pressure was lowering, those that had an elevated waist circumference found a one inch drop in their waist circumference in just 10 days have a score of 18 plus or more. This is the magic pill prescription for optimal health. All of the metabolic risk factors that we talked about.

Ready to increase memory? Don't run to the supplements, grab a handful of blueberries, try to eat one cup of berries every day and know that even as little as 12 berries daily has an impact on improving your health. Have you taken your score on drcherylwellness.com? You can get one point for eating blueberries every day. So not only would you earn a point on the score for eating berries, you're also going to feel the difference in your energy and brain fog in just an hour. And the benefit from proven effects on your long term health and longevity. Berries in all forms. They can be fresh, frozen, cooked or dried and have the same powerful berry pigment effect that will improve your overall health today. No more living on credit. This is the health investment that will pay off for a lifetime. There are many other incredible brain foods to highlight in future podcasts, but some of my favorites are dark leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, collards, and broccoli, along with omega-3 fatty acids and nuts. Some incredible ways to get one cup of berries in your day is a berry smoothie. Berries can be put over pancakes, blueberry jam with no added sugar on whole grain toast, and even try a blueberry and peanut butter sandwich for lunch on the go!

For full recipes and find out how you score head on over to drcherylwellness.com. Ready for personalized nutrition? Become a member today. See you on the inside. Thanks for coming to the table, where every week we're going to talk about nutrition, longevity, and what it means to be well. If you would like to have your specific questions answered, become a member today to get access to our weekly private podcast, Ask Dr. Cheryl, where we will get to talk about wellness together. I can't wait to see you on the inside.