Many Benefits of Berries

Many Benefits of Berries

I'm having a rather poor day today, hung over from some medications to help me recover from an injury. My thoughts are cloudy, I keep falling asleep, I feel a bit depressed, etc.  I decided to ask for topics to write about in one of my groups, and I have received a long list that continues to grow.  Some I would have to research extensively, some I'd need to read a long time, and others I'm trying to figure out what I could possibly say about them.  One of the topics is "Berries and antioxidants," and this is the one I am going to write about, but pretty much just the berries.  Berries can help in a number ways you might not have considered, and many ways you may already use.  Since I am not particularly alert or energetic, I am not going to do this as a scholarly post.  I lack the energy and motivation to do research.  A few other bloggers have tackled this topic, so perhaps you can look for "Berries and Mental Health" in a search to get more information.

This is what I am going to say antioxidants.  Berries are full of them, and other beneficial chemicals. Phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals are common nutrients, and many berries are full of fiber.  Needless to say, these are all healthy things, body and mind.

Now, to the berries.  What are some healthful benefits of berries I did not mention above?  Some you already know, and some you might not have thought about too much.  

Here in the northern hemisphere, berries are starting to set or already ripe and ready to be gathered. Perhaps this can be a motivation to get you out of the house and exercising.  Have you had fun experiences in the past, or maybe ones you can laugh at now that were not so pleasant when they happened? I would love to go for a hike in the woods, a field, along a creek, or other place to pick berries.  Being outside tends to improve my mood, as do listening to the birds, seeing flowers and fauna, and maybe talking to another person passing by or also picking berries.   By the simple task of going out to pick berries, I am using a number of coping skills already.

Now that I have my berries, what can I do to use berries to aid how I feel?   Eating some fresh is one, of course, because this is an awesome treat!  I can share some with a neighbor who is housebound.  I like to cook, so I can make something, whether it be a sauce, jelly, a pie, muffins, or something else.  Since I like to cook and I like to try new things, I can grab a cook book or use my imagination for a new recipe.  Once again, I am using quite a few coping skills.  

Now is time to get creative.  Have you ever tried to make your own dye?  I have not, but I imagine berries are a good source for pigments.  Maybe trying a new craft is just what will pull you out of the darkness, and then you can build from there.  Why not use crushed berries as they are for paint?  Get out a piece of paper, a canvas, or a tortilla, and finger paint using the paint.  For the tortilla, perhaps you will also want to use some chocolate sauce, caramel, whipped cream, or a mix of fine sugar and water for other colors.  When you are done with your masterpiece, you can enjoy it as a tasty snack!  Sure, that might sound silly.  Silliness is one of the very useful coping skills!

Since I have mentioned crafts, another idea is making your own essential oils or flavored vinegars. I do not know how to do this, but I imagine vinegars are fairly simple.  They can be made for either visual impact, or as flavorings.  I was given some blueberry balsamic vinegar for Christmas, and it is truly wonderful!  I make some interesting cole slaw using the vinegar, dried berries, and a few other things.  

How many coping skills are involved in the uses of berries I have mentioned?  I am not going to try to list them, as I am sure I will miss some.  The point is this:  simple activities or things you like can be used in a number of ways to help you cope, and perhaps help other people at the same time.