Cherries

othing embodies the fabulous flavors of summer like a bowl of fresh, dark, sweet cherries. These little deep purple gems only honor us with their presence for two or three months, so it's best to take advantage of their gifts of health and flavor right now. Cherries are loaded with antioxidants, as you might guess from their almost black color. Anthocyanins, quercetin, ellagic acid, and vitamin C all contribute to the health benefits of these tiny plums.

The antioxidant power of cherries is believed to help prevent heart disease and cancer, slow aging, promote sleep, and provide pain relief from rheumatoid arthritis. Anthocyanins act as potent antioxidants to inhibit LDL cholesterol oxidation, which in turn helps to prevent heart attacks and strokes. Anthocyanins and quercetin both have anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce inflammation in the joints of arthritis sufferers, in the mucous membranes of allergy sufferers, and inside arteries. Quercetin may also reduce the growth and proliferation of cancer cells. Sour cherries contain more anti-inflammatory nutrients than sweet, so rheumatoid arthritis sufferers might consider sour cherries to help relieve pain and inflammation. Ellagic acid seems to help lower cholesterol and protect against cancer. Cherries also contain melatonin for enhanced sleep, boron for stronger bones, vitamin C, beta-carotene, potassium, and fiber.

A 1-cup serving of pitted Bing cherries (21 of the sweet ones) has 90 calories, 3 grams of fiber, and 18% of our Daily Value for vitamin C. Sour cherries have fewer calories, since they contain less sugar, and they're packed with vitamins A and C.

Cherry season is short-just May through July or August. They're available from California in early June, and then from Washington later on this month. Gelson's will have your deep red favorite, Bing, as well as the beautiful and very sweet, Rainier, which is large and yellow with a bright red blush. Look for plump, shiny, firm cherries with green stems. Make sure the stems are attached, since the stem scar invites bacteria. Pick the darkest Bing cherries and the brightest Rainier cherries. When you get them home, don't wash them, but arrange them in single layers between sheets of paper towels and wrap them in plastic. To cook with them, first wash them under cold running water, remove the stems, and then use a cherry pitter to pop the pits out. Cherries are fantastic on their own and they also pair well with dark chocolate, poultry and pork.

Experience Exercise

s we age, we all lose muscle and gain fat, but exercise can help prevent or a least slow this undesirable change. Recently, there has been much research that supports the benefits of regular exercise to prevent chronic diseases and weight gain.

One study that reviewed the current medical literature for research on the health benefits and drawbacks of physical activity, found a linear relationship between exercise and good health; the more one exercises, the better their health (up to a point). Specifically exercise and fitness are liked with the prevention of heart disease, high blood pressure, certain cancers, diabetes, osteoporosis, depression, obesity and premature death. Another study found that middle-aged women who lifted weights twice a week for one hour had only a 7% increase in belly fat over the two-year study period. Think that still sounds like a lot? Consider that the women in the study who didn't lift weights had a 21% increase in belly fat over the same two years.

Depending on your fitness level and level of mobility, light to moderate activity for 30-60 minutes a day is enough to significantly reduce disease risk. That may mean walking to Starbucks in the morning or to a restaurant at lunch. Gardening and shopping count as light activity. If you're sedentary now, just doing anything is better than doing nothing. Sedentary people who start exercising reap the most health benefits, but active people can still increase their health status by taking their activity to the next level in terms of time or intensity.