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Big in Japan: Acerola berries are the super-cure for the common cold
Ever wonder how Japanese people manage to work endless hours for years on end while simultaneously maintaining their good health?What if I told you that there was a simple and cheap remedy for staying healthy and energetic regardless of how hectic your life may be. What if I told you that this remedy costs less than US$1 a day, and can be started at any time no matter how busy you happen to be.
Here at Big in Japan, we love to report on the latest Japanese health and beauty secrets, which is why we're proud today to tell you about the acerola berry.
A small bright red berry that is native to the West Indies, acerola is one of the most potent sources of natural vitamin C and bioflavanoids known to scientists. So, if you've been searching for a healthy and natural way to stave off illness, perhaps you should give acerola a go.
Intrigued? If so, keep reading and allow me to explain the powers of this magical little berry!
In Tokyo, you can buy a 100 milliliter bottle containing 70% acerola extract (ニチレイアセロラビタミン, Nichirei Aserora Bitamin) in a suspension solution of vitamins, minerals and a pinch of sugar to make the medicine go down. And remarkably, you don't even have to go to a health food store to buy the product. Instead, just simple walk out of your apartment, head into the first convenience store you see, and protect your health for little more than a pocket full of change.As I've commented so many times before on this blog, I know that it's easy to be skeptical about health and beauty products, especially since the next big thing is always being touted on TV sets across North America. But, there exists a strong body of evidence to suggest that acerola really is the super-cure for the common cold.
Because the body does not store vitamin C and bioflavanoids, they must be replenished on a daily basis. And, since these two compounds work together to promote circulation, stimulate bile production and boost the immune system, they can serve as your body's first line of defense against illness. As if this wasn't a strong enough endorsement for acerola, you might also be interested in knowing that the berry is also very useful in balancing out the pH levels in your intestines, which ultimately leads to better digestion.
If you live in North America, and you're interested in trying acerola products, your best chance is to check out a health food store near you. Or, you can simply find the nearest Caribbean supermarket, and just buy a pound or so of berries to add to your morning smoothie. Anyway, if you've ever taken acerola before, or you happen to know anything about its health effects, please chime in an let all of us know!
(By the way, in case you were wondering, the Japanese girl at the top of the blog is none other than Yuri Ebihara (Ebi-chan), who is famous for saying, "If someone doesn't find me cute, I want to know why because then I'll work on it to get better at being cute." Classic.)
** Acerola berry photo sourced from the Wikipedia Commons Project **
Filed under: Asia, Japan, Big in Japan
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ronbo795 Apr 17th 2008 7:09PM
Dont know anything about berries but that girl sure was cute
Jim Kondo Feb 24th 2009 2:30PM
The benefits of Acerola can definitely be substantiated by the research done on the power of Antioxidents.
There are a number of Liquid Nutrition Beverages that contain among other superfoods Acerola such as MonaVi, JUS, etc...
These Antioxident Superfoods have long been noted to help the body be healthy and give it the power it needs to possibly help fight off attacking viruses, diseases, and ravaging cells!
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Jim Kondo is a Key Leader of Business Development w/ JUS International, “Creating Health:Physically and Financially Around the World. For more info. on JUS Intl, go to www.UrWealthyLife.com, Jim Kondo can be contacted regarding JUS Intl via email: jim@UrWealthyLife.com