Saturday, October 10, 2009

Bilberry and Vision

Article form: Chetday.com

Bilberry (scientific name actinium myrtillus) is a member of the blueberry family which produces sweet blue colored berries. The bilberry bush is found both in North America and Europe, growing best in damp, acidic soils. The blue to black berries are used for many medicinal purposes, while the leaves are believed to have additional healing properties.

Bilberry and eyesight
One of the most significant properties of the bilberry is its ability to allegedly enhance night vision. Possibly as far back as the sixteenth century, the bilberry was mixed with honey in order to create a syrup known as "rob." While the syrup was traditionally used to treat diarrhea, today the fruits of the bilberry bush are being used to promote good vision, particularly night vision. Here's an interesting anecdote: in World War II, pilots who ate large quantities of bilberries claimed to have more accurate night vision.

Scientific studies have shown bilberry might be able to slow the degeneration of sight, and may even improve visual acuity.

Bilberry is also used in traditional medicine for treatment of indigestion and diabetes.

Bilberry and nutrition
The bilberry contains vast numbers of phytochemicals, which are thought to help lower blood pressure, inhibit the formation of clots, and increase blood flow to the nervous system. Some studies have shown that the antioxidants found in the bilberry bush are up to fifty times as powerful as vitamin E and ten times as powerful as vitamin C.

Bilberry also seems to show promise at reducing vascular insufficiency and other related conditions. Bilberry seems to work in much the same way as ginkgo biloba and horse chestnut, and the circulatory effects it yields are thought to be quite effective at increasing circulation and helping the health of the eyes and organs.

Purchasing bilberry

Bilberry is available in a wide variety of sources, from fresh berries to a number of extract and capsule forms.

How the fruit of the bilberry tree is harvested can make a lot of difference in its effectiveness as a health booster. The bilberry offers the most benefits when it is harvested at the peak of ripeness.

The bilberry, like the blueberry and other related berries, is one of the best and highest quality fruits on the market. Whether you buy your bilberry fresh at the supermarket or health food store, or opt for the easier but lesser effective bilberry supplements, try to incorporate this valuable fruit into your routine diet.

Note from Lucy: I have heard lots of good things about bilberry and I am finally ready to give it a try... As I have gotten older, my eyes seem to get worse... I can not see without my glasses on and that is a tough for me... Next stop, health food store....

Have a great week everyone!

11 Comments:

At 10:07 AM, Blogger Putz said...

i have to share with you the nice thing that happened to me.....i went on the new new family search on MY OWN COMPUTER, went to the own ancestors file and found a dead cousin born 1944 died 1993, on a temple ordinances file i typed in his name and hit the print button and zambo his name and a bar code was in my hands which said, submitt to the temple and a blue sealing card will be given to you and after the asl{american sign langugae session we will have this cousin sealed to his parents ...THAT EASY, HONEST, THAT EASY

 
At 10:07 PM, Blogger Jim said...

Hi Lucy, I might just have to look into this further. Or ask my eye doctor about it.
I take Lutein vitamins (Eye Caps) now plus and extra Lutein capsule.
All the male ancestors of my family that I remember including Dad have gone blind of macular degeneration. Some of the females also.

About your eyes, what does your eye doctor say? You could be getting cataracts and that will make you hard of seeing.
Keep us posted.
..

 
At 7:12 AM, Blogger Lucy Stern said...

Putz - TF has been busy with Family search and we have done more lately than we have all along... Isn't it wonderful!

Jim - I haven't been to my eye doctor in about four years... I need to go in and get an exam... Thanks for the reminder...

 
At 1:38 PM, Blogger Mountain Mama said...

Thanks for sharing this info. I haven't done any research on these berries yet but plan to. I know that there are many berries, herbs etc that are used medicinally.

I recently ordered some Mangosteen powder as I have heard it is working miracles for people with skin disorders. I plan to start using it after my surgery and sure hope I can give everyone a good report on this interesting fruit.

 
At 7:28 AM, Blogger Cliff said...

I couldn't read this post.

 
At 8:38 AM, Blogger Oh great One said...

Cliff is clever!

Keep us in the loop on this one Lucy. I'm trying really hard to get more whole foods into my family these days to prevent illness so I'm interested in how this goes. I wouldn't mind tossing my glasses!

 
At 7:51 AM, Blogger Granny Annie said...

I sounds like bilberry will cure all my ills. My vision is terrible and I've got those little spider things. It might be worth a try. (Yes, I have an appointment with the eye doctor too:)

Lucy, with what herbal medication have you had the most success?

 
At 2:31 PM, Blogger Putz said...

had a dream about garth monsen up in heaven calling his live wife to be with him to accomplish an assignment god had given him to share...she died today at a young 73

 
At 3:59 PM, Blogger LZ Blogger said...

Lucy ~ At first I thought I read "Bilberry and insight"... but there are times I wish that Bilberry could deliver that! I'd send car-loads of it to DC! ~ jb///

 
At 7:49 PM, Blogger Fred said...

Funny up there, Cliff.

I have trifocals now. Pretty soon, I might need quadfocals. Do they make such a thing? Either that, or I'll have to buy night vision goggles.

 
At 10:45 PM, Blogger Lucy Stern said...

Bev - good luck with your Mangosteen powder.... I hope it works.

Cliff, where did you put your glasses.... go find them and come back and read...lol.

Misty - I always try natural products before I go for doctor's medications...

Annie - I think it is worth a try... Yes, I do like natural medications...

Putz - I am sure they both have a greater work to do.

LZ - I will help you ship it up there....lol.

Fred - It's called "progressive lenses"... I am already wearing them... Getting old is for the birds...

 

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