Tips for Healthy Living

We’ve partnered with Dr. Doug Husbands of Holistic Health Bay Area to bring you a new set of Tips for Healthy Living. Dr. Husbands is a functional medicine doctor, clinical nutritionist, anti-aging health practitioner and doctor of chiropractic. I appreciate that he encourages visiting the doctor to focus on staying healthy instead of only visiting when you’re sick.– Carmelo Sigona

5 Reasons to Enjoy Strawberries

By Dr. Douglas Husbands

Strawberries, like other berries, have many nutritional benefits.

Number one, strawberries have high-water content and are low in calories. A whole cup of strawberries is only 45 calories.

Second, they contain an antioxidant flavenoid compound called fisetin. Fisetin may have health-aging benefits due to research studies pointing to it influencing how the cells genetic material (RNA and DNA) are read. Research has implicated that fisetin may be a promising substance in Alzheimer’s disease prevention. Now, I’m not saying that you should expect to eat a bunch of strawberries each day to prevent or treat Alzheimer’s, but just know that there are some beneficial compounds in this food as you enjoy their sweet, juicy flavor.

Third, one cup of strawberries has an average of about 80 mg of vitamin C. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and a key nutrient necessary for proper immune system function. To get the greatest amount of vitamin C from strawberries you buy at the store, they should be picked no more than a couple of days before being placed for sale and consumed within two days of bringing them home from the store. They should be stored in the vegetable and fruit bin of your ‘frig for correct humidity to maintain the highest nutrient levels.

Forth, strawberries contain anti-inflammatory compounds called anthocyanins, flavonols, terpenoids, and phenolic acids. In fact, some studies indicate that consuming about a cup of strawberries three times a week has beneficial lowering effects on C-reactive protein (CRP), an indicator in the blood for chronic inflammation.

Fifth, like other berries, strawberries have a low glycemic load. Glycemic load is a number given to foods that estimates how much a given amount of a food will raise your blood glucose (blood sugar). Glycemic loads of 10 or less are considered low. The glycemic load of a whole cup of strawberries is only three.

Lastly, a caution when buying strawberries: They tend to concentrate pesticides easily so you should always buy organic strawberries.

So next time you’re at the store, load up on strawberries for you and your loved ones health!

About Dr. Doug:
Dr. Douglas Husbands is a Functional Medicine Doctor, Clinical Nutritionist, Anti-Aging Health Practitioner, and Doctor of Chiropractic. As a health advocate and coach, he is dedicated to achieving optimal health through resolving the underlying disease processes through diet, nutrition and lifestyle modification. To contact Dr. Doug, call 650-394-7470 or visit http://www.HolisticHealthBayArea.com

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