Berries & Cream

Berries are a saving grace. Their main power comes from antioxidants, the miracle fighters of free radicals. Antioxidants mean life, while oxidation means death. We need these antioxidants to fight the aging (oxidation) process, and to stay alive in the face of constant threats to our health. Berries broadcast their health value with their deep purples, blues, and blacks, which come from the polyphenols known as anthocyanins (including malvidin) and anthocyanidins. They’re also rich in dimethyl resveratrol and dozens of other phytochemicals, amino acids, coenzymes, and co-compounds that have yet to be discovered by science and are more plentiful and bio-available in berries than in any other food. 

An excellent source of iron, magnesium, selenium, zinc, molybdenum, potassium, chromium, and calcium, berries also have traces of omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids. Plus, they have hidden compounds that stop excess adrenaline from causing damage to organs. This makes blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, elderberries, schisandra berries, and the like critical for life on earth. (For cranberries, see the separate feature on them.) Wild berries, especially, pack an anti-aging, disease-fighting, life-giving punch. 

And wild blueberries are in a league of their own—you’ll find information on them specifically in the “Wild Foods” section. Whenever possible, choose frozen wild blueberries instead of clamshells of fresh, cultivated blueberries. Make it part of your habit, after shopping in the produce section of the market, to swing by the frozen food aisle, where bags of wild blueberries are readily available. You’ll be providing your body with the greatest chance of recovery and healing. 

Berries are true brain food. Not only are they B12-enhancing; they have the power to reverse stains on the brain—lesions, gray areas, calcifications, heavy metal deposits, white spots, scar tissue, crystallizations, and adhesions created by damaged, expanded blood vessels. For protection against all brain disorders and dis- eases, including brain cancer, ALS, Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s, stroke, aneurysm, and migraines, turn to berries. For any illness with neurological symptoms, berries are the answer.
When you think of heart health, too, think berries. Nothing compares to the way berries protect heart valves and ventricles and remove plaque by dissolving hardened fat deposits within veins and arteries. The humble berry reigns supreme for keeping people out of the cardiologist’s office.

And we can’t ignore what berries mean for fertility. In the near future, scientific research will discover a group of compounds that specifically promote fertility. These pro-fertility compounds, which derive from a single variety of polyphenol, are responsible for a woman’s reproductive system’s ability to maintain a constant balance, so that the “low battery” behind so many cases of mystery infertility does not occur. (For more on this phenomenon, see the chapter “Fertility and Our Future.”) Berries truly are an answer for the future of humankind. 

CONDITIONS 

If you have any of the following conditions, try bringing berries into your life: 

Brain cancer, benign brain tumors, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), stroke, aneurysm, migraines, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, encephalitis, epilepsy, Huntington’s disease, narcolepsy, osteomyelitis, Tourette’s syndrome, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis (MS), atherosclerosis, heart disease, tachycardia, ovarian cancer, atrial fibrillation, prostate cancer, uterine cancer, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), mystery infertility, endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), tinnitus, insomnia, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), low reproductive system battery, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), acne, adrenal fatigue, thyroid diseases and disorders, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), weight gain, bladder infections, fibroids, hypoglycemia, diabetes, Lyme disease, viral infection, eczema, psoriasis, adenomas, edema, thyroid nodules 

SYMPTOMS 

If you have any of the following symptoms, try bringing berries into your life: 

High cholesterol; ovarian cysts; thickening uterus; inflamed uterus, ovaries, and/or fallopian tubes; irregular menstruation; hormonal imbalances; hot ashes; heart palpitations; fatigue; tingles; sensations of humming or vibration in the body; numbness; blurry eyes; swallowing issues; headaches; nerve pain; mineral deficiencies; cramping and spasming; chest pain; chest tight- ness; frozen shoulder; dizziness; panic attacks; phobias; malaise; listlessness; ringing or buzzing in the ears; brain lesions; spinal lesions; eye oaters; ear pain; jaw pain; neck pain; blood sugar imbalances; fatigue; brain fog; sluggish liver; anxiousness; myelin nerve damage; calcifications; scar tissue; Candida overgrowth; brain adhesions; back pain; knee pain; poor circulation; swelling; brain inflammation 

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT 

For those who feel distracted, unsure, unfocused, mixed up, foggy, disordered, blurred, adrift, dizzy, confused, or too often puzzled, berries hold unique powers to offer relief. These states of being are both conscious and subconscious, physical and metaphysical—conditions of the mind and soul. When you apply berries with the intention of self-treating all aspects behind your muddled feelings and perceptions, your issues can reverse, and miracles can come your way. 

SPIRITUAL LESSON 

If you seek abundance, become a student of the berry. From late spring to late fall, there’s never a gap in berry offerings—as one eld of strawberries wanes, blackberries in a nearby bramble begin to plump. It’s all about replenishment, about not panicking when one source dries up, because more jewels are to be found just around the corner.
Berries are selfless. You won’t find them high up, out of reach. Rather, they grow low to the ground, where they’re accessible to all varieties of animals, from bears, deer, humans, squirrels, and birds, to mice, voles, rabbits, and even snails. Berries are all about sharing, about providing enough to go around for everyone. When we bring berries into our lives, their kindness and generosity becomes a part of us, so that we become providers in the cycle of abundance, not just takers.

TIPS 

* Eating your favorite berries shortly after sunrise will boost your energy and vitality throughout the day.

* Grazing between meals with some handfuls of berries can raise your body’s frequency to bring you to a more positive, peaceful state.

* Picking berries from an organic farm, your own backyard, or a wild source in nature, and then eating them unwashed, will allow their elevated biotics to restore much-needed beneficial bacteria to the gut, re-enabling the body’s ability to self-produce all the coenzyme varieties of vitamin B12.

* Berry picking is also an unmatchable grounding technique. Plucking blueberries from a bush or raspberries from a thorny cane, concentrating on selecting only the ripe ones and not getting pricked, forces you to be present. It’s a sacred state of being that both connects us to our ancestors and brings us into unity with the singing birds and rustling leaves of the here and now.

* For the most powerful prebiotic possible to nurture all beneficial bacteria and other microorganisms in the gut, add raw honey to a bowlful of berries.

* Eating berries on a sunny day increases adrenal strength and helps balance blood sugar. Eating berries on a cloudy day increases cleansing of the liver and helps break it out of sluggishness.

* Invite a friend over to share a big bowl of berries. You’ll be surprised at how emotional wounds start to lift and clear for both of you as your conversation becomes pleasingly sacred, deep, healing, and, in the end, happy.

BERRIES AND CREAM 

Beautiful and enticing, these berries-and-cream bowls are perfect for brunch, entertaining, or dessert. The coconut milk whips into a cloud of light, fluffy whipped cream, and the hint of ginger and lemon zest completes the dish. Enjoy impressing those you love with these beautiful berry bowls. 

• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 cup blackberries
• 1 cup raspberries
• 1 cup strawberries
• 2 13.5-ounce cans full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated
• 1/4 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• Lemon juice (from about 1⁄4 lemon)
• 1 2-inch piece vanilla bean pod, split lengthwise
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

• 4 leaves fresh mint, minced

Rinse the berries, mix them together, and divide them evenly into 2 bowls. Open the cans of coconut milk, being careful not to shake them. Coconut milk naturally separates in the can, leaving a thick, heavy layer on top. Scoop out the solid cream from each can and place it in a small mixing bowl. (You will need 1⁄2 cup of cream.) Discard the thin liquid that remains. Using a fork, whisk together the coconut cream, ginger, maple syrup, lemon juice, and the scraped seeds from the vanilla bean pod.* Whisk until the mixture is well combined and smooth. Scoop a generous dollop of cream over the berries in each bowl. Top with the lemon zest and mint. 

*Save the exterior of the vanilla bean pod for use blended into a smoothie or dessert. (Note that a high-speed blender will be necessary to break it down thoroughly.) 

Makes 2 servings 

Learn more about the hidden healing powers of fruits & vegetables in the #1 New York Times Bestselling book Life-Changing Foods

This item posted: 22-Oct-2016

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