Can Blueberries Make You Steadier on Your Feet?

We’ve long known that blueberries are one of nature’s most protective foods. They contain special flavonoids that can protect your vision, prevent diabetes, and keep your memory sharp. Now, a new study shows that a powerful polyphenol found in blueberries can also help to prevent falls.

Jane Cavanaugh, an Assistant Professor of Pharmacology at Duquesne University, conducted a study on mice to help determine if resveratrol, a polyphenol found in blueberries (as well as red grapes, red wine, peanuts, cranberries, and dark chocolate), can help to prevent falls in humans. Dr. Cavanaugh chose to study mice since, like humans, mice suffer a loss of motor coordination as they age.

For eight weeks, Dr. Cavanaugh and her colleagues fed mice a diet containing resveratrol from whole blueberries. Throughout the study, researchers tested the mice’s ability to navigate a balance beam, carefully counting their missteps. At first, the older mice had a harder time on the beam. However, by about halfway through the study, the older mice were making far fewer missteps and were actually on par with the younger mice!

This study is just another reason to add more blueberries to your diet. But I wouldn’t rely on blueberries alone for resveratrol—eat plenty of dark-skinned fruits and enjoy some red wine while you’re at it. But to get the most powerful anti-aging, heart, and brain protection, you also want to take a resveratrol supplement. I suggest looking for a standardized extract of trans-resveratrol such as ResVinol-25. The recommended dose is 100-250 mg per day.

Now it’s your turn: What’s your favorite way to eat blueberries?

You May Also Be Interested In:

• Defy Aging with Resveratrol
  
• 5 Ways to Prevent Falls