Monthly Featured Herb

Legend tells us that RAF pilots in World War II, who enjoyed BILBERRY FRUIT preserves on their bread, found that they were more successful in hitting their targets.  Well, later research discovered that Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) does, in fact, help improve vision! It also helps reduce eye irritation, nearsightedness and night-blindness, and may extend range and clarity of vision.  Pregnant women find the herb to be beneficial to fortify veins and capillaries and combat fatigue.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Bilberry is a shrubby perennial plant that is native to the northern parts of Europe, Asia and North America and may be found in damp, acidic soils throughout the temperate and subarctic regions of the world.   The fruit is usually blue-black and is similar in appearance and closely related to the American blueberry, but it contains higher quantities of the constituents useful for improved eye health and better circulation.  The easiest way to distinguish the Bilberry is that it produces single or pairs of berries on the bush instead of clusters like the blueberry.  Another way to distinguish them is that while blueberry fruit meat is light green, Bilberry is red or purple.   Bilberries are often collected from wild plants growing on public lands, notably in Scandinavian countries, Scotland, Ireland, England and Poland. 

Its English name is derived from the Danish word, bollebar, meaning "dark berry," and in Ireland, Bilberry is known as fraochán and traditionally gathered on Fraughan Sunday or the first traditional harvest festival of the year (Lughnassadh), as celebrated by all the Celtic people. The crop of Bilberries was said to indicate how well the rest of the crops would fare in their harvests later in the year. 

In Elizabethan times, English herbalists prescribed "Whortleberry" for stomach complaints and diarrhea.   American herbalists later combined whortleberries with gin to make a diuretic.  They are highly perishable and very costly. Rich in lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-carotene, bioflavonoids anthocyanins (and more), Bilberry has long been a well-known folk remedy for poor vision.  Modern European medical journals are filled with studies confirming Bilberry's positive effect on vision. Its anthocyanins contribute to most of its pharmacological activities. Anthocyanin has exceptional anti-inflammatory, vasoprotective and antioxidant effects.

Let’s see how BILBERRY can help You:

Bilberry Fruit is said to help preserve eyesight and prevent eye damage. Several human studies suggest that Bilberry anthocyanosides prevent diabetic retinopathy and improve visual acuity and retinal function.  May be particularly useful for people who suffer from eyestrain or poor night vision and helpful for nearsightedness (myopia).  It can also be beneficial for strengthening the red blood cells and capillaries around the eyes and thereby enhance circulation of blood and nutrients to the many blood vessels in the eyes.  Bilberry’s powerful anthocyanins regenerate rhodopsin and are indicated in treatment of poor night vision, macular degeneration, glaucoma and cataracts.

Because Bilberry strengthens capillaries and fortifies veins, it helps improve blood circulation to all parts of the body by increasing the ability of fluids and nourishment to pass freely throughout and, therefore, also valuable to people (particularly the elderly) who suffer from poor circulation to the hands and feet.

Bilberry has been used to regulate bowel action via astringency and antiseptic actions:   It is a mild but strong astringent that has been effective in treating dysentery and diarrhea.  It is an antiseptic that helps combat urinary tract and bladder infections and is said to curb intestinal putrefaction (which produces flatulence), helping to reduce stomach cramps.

Italian scientists have discovered that Bilberries contain significant, curative anti-ulcer activity, which they attributed to the fruit's anthocyanoside (a flavonoid) content.  It has also been used in cases of gastroenteritis, which is associated with Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium related to peptic ulcer.

Bilberry has also been used as a mild diuretic and is said to relieve bloating and rid the body of excess water retention and edema (dropsy), the accumulation of fluid in tissues or a body cavity, which can cause swelling.

Herbalists say that Bilberry tea makes a fine mouthwash or gargle and also recommend its use to relieve inflamed gums and tongue; it is held in the mouth for a while and then swallowed. The antiseptic and astringent qualities may also help in cases of periodonitis, sore throat, laryngitis, and astringency is said to be beneficial for hemorrhoids and internal bleeding.

Bilberry is considered most effective when taken over a period of time as a dietary supplement that helps to strengthen the immune system.
 
In reports released from Memorial Sloan Kettering hospital, Bilberry's anthocyanin has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.   In vitro studies suggest that Bilberry may act against malignant diseases. The fruit has demonstrated free radical scavenging and inhibition of cAMP phosphodiesterase actions, and extract of Bilberry may inhibit human leukemia cells and human colon carcinoma cell growth through the induction of apoptosis (cell death).  The studies included Bilberry extracts standardized to 25% anthocyanosides (as available below).

Myth or reality?  If the story is true about those WWII RAF pilots, who credited their ocular keenness to Bilberry, they were certainly on the right track, because science has proved that Bilberry does, in fact, help Improve Eye Health!  Let’s celebrate our own harvest festival with Bilberry in easy-to-take supplemental form from Viable Herbal Solutions.

Below, you may order BILBERRY directly, or for more detailed information about this herb, visit our BILBERRY web page, and you will find important, additional facts concerning the herb’s benefits, botanical constituents, contraindications, dosage, pricing and ordering options. 

BILBERRY FRUIT is our Herb of the Month for September, 2010! The retail prices are shown below but when you add any Bilberry Fruit products to the shopping cart, you will see the 10% Herb of the Month Discount applied.  This offer is valid only on our Bilberry Fruit single herb products for the month of September, 2010. Please note: Retail pricing is below.

Recommended Dosage:
Take one (1) capsule, one (1) time each day with water at mealtime.

Contraindications:
Currently, there are no warnings or contraindications noted with the use of Bilberry.

Capsule Information:
Our Bilberry Fruit supplements are encapsulated in 100% Gluten-free, Vegetable Cellulose, Certified Kosher, size "00" Capsules. (click here for size comparison) Each capsule contains approximately 600 mgs.