|
Bilberry |
| Parts Used
The
berries |
|
| Common
uses |
 |
Improve
night vision |
|
Improve visual
adaptation to bright lights |
|
Help in the prevention
& treatment of diabetic retinopathy |
|
May provide protection
against macular degeneration, glaucoma and
cataract |
|
Help promote healthy
blood circulation |
|
Help prevent or reduce
varicose veins and hemorrhoids during pregnancy |
|
Reduce bruising in
people who bruise
easily | |
|
|
How Bilberry
works The Bilberry plant is high
in Bioflavonoids. These are potent antioxidants which help the
bodies defenses against the harmful effects of free
radicals. |
| The bioflavonoids in bilberry
are of particular benefit to the eyes and
vision. |
| Bioflavonoids also assist in
the formation of connective tissue. They help strengthen the small
blood vessels, called capillaries, and promote healthy circulation
throughout the body. |
|
| Side
Effects There are no
known side effect. |
|
| Safety
Concerns There are
no known contraindications for the use of Bilberry during pregnancy
or lactation. There are no known interactions with antibiotics or
other commonly prescribed drugs. |
|
| The History
of the Bilberry In the past
Bilberry has been recommended for the treatment of a wide variety of
ailments, including kidney stones, diabetes, urinary tract
infections and scurvy. |
| Perhaps the best known and
most sound was it's use for the treatment of diarrhea. Elizabethan
apothecaries mixed the berries with honey to form a syrup, which
they called Rob. This was then given to the patient. The berries
could also be crushed and boiled to make a tea. |
| However, it wasn't until the
Second World War, when British Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots started
to report that their night vision improved after eating Bilberry jam
that modern researchers took notice of this common
berry. |
|
