Bilberry
Before you start on Bilberry, A strong antioxidant, Bilberry benefits your circulatory system, eyes, heart and brain, and helps generate overall good health, says Schechter. The fruit contains a type of flavonoid called anthocyanosides, which is responsible for increasing flexibility of capillaries and increasing blood flow. The technical name of this herb is Vaccinium myrtillus. It is a close relative of the blueberry and is known as whortleberry in some parts of the world. 
Research shows that a standardized extract of the herb can enlarge your range of vision and improve the sharpness of images. It can also enhance your ability to focus, and improve blurred vision, eyestrain and nearsightedness. The extract also helps strengthen coronary arteries and helps prevent atherosclerosis and venous insufficiency, which causes swollen ankles and feet. “Since adding bilberry to my own health program, I've noticed my muscles seem to recover slightly faster, I experience less muscular pain and my vision has improved from 20/100 to approximately 20/50,” says Schechter. Allow me to digress for a moment or two. As I was researching this topic, I came across the results of several studies of the efficacy of bilberry. Both studies concluded that it was worthless for enhancing night vision. I scratched my head over these conclusions for a bit since I knew from personal experience that it had enhanced my own night vision. I delved a little more deeply into the studies and here's what I learned. One of the studies was done on young men in their mid-twenties with good vision. The conclusion was that the herb didn't improve their night vision. Well, ok, but I doubt that it needed improving. And the second study was similar in that it had been done with older men who also had good vision. The conclusion was the same. It didn't improve their vision. Again... So just be careful when you read the conclusions of studies like this. Be sure you know what the study was actually about and don't let conclusions that don't seem right to you sway your actions without digging deeply enough to come up with the truth.
Return to Spirituality and The Many Faces of God
|
