Cranberries are a good source of antioxidants but might not do everything you think they can.
Thanksgiving is one of the few days a year we not only see certain aloof relatives but also a certain jelly-like side dish: cranberries. I mean, aside from using their juice as a refreshment or vodka mixer, how often do you see variants of the remote, red fruit in person?
Despite their infrequent visits, cranberries, which contains no cholesterol or fat, can have positive health benefits. Those include a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, slowing of tumor progression and improved dental health.
Yet, the one that probably comes to mind first is the fruit’s folkloric history of treating urinary tract infections.
However, according to The New York Times’ Well Blog, a study showed that cranberries had no more effectiveness in treating U.T.I.’s than a placebo. Cranberries do, although, have powerful antioxidants that help to fight against bacteria in the urinary tract, stomach lining, teeth and gums. Therefore, they work as a preventive agent more so than as a treatment itself, which gives you that much more reason to start eating more.
And because of that, cranberries might just earn their title of a “superfruit.”
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Each year, it’s estimated that influenza, more commonly “the flu,” contributes to 200,000 hospital stays and 25,000 deaths in the United States. In comparison, that’s peanuts compared to the 20 million to 40 million deaths it caused during the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918-19.
The main difference between then and now: improvements in medicine, namely the flu shot.
However, according to an NPR article, roughly 38 percent of Americans do not plan to get a flu shot with the most popular reason being that they “don’t need” one. An epidemiologist from the CDC theorized that the apathy toward influenza comes with calling it “the flu,” which can be used to describe any ailment, including the common cold.
The main difference between the two ailments is the level of severity. Although both are respiratory infections, influenza may lead to more serious maladies like pneumonia. Fortunately, there is a solution to those risks that only takes a short pinch.
So, if you’re on the fence about getting a flu shot this year, remember that it might not only protect your health but also the health of the people you surround yourself with. Just don't expect to get the mist.
@LukeFurmanOU
