One of the shorter-lived actors on the stage of fruit during the yearly cycle with a skinny four-month window, cherries are chock full of incredible properties and healing benefits (not to mention great taste) that make them epitomize the perfect summer treat. With the blessings these babies tote, it's a good idea to pack 'em in before they are back out of style for the year.
These plump, luscious fruits beautifully form into heart shapes. But these delicious summer treats are more than pretty to look at – they’re super healthy, too! Cherries are pumped full of amazing qualities, including their ability to move the lymph, reduce free-radicals, break up protein & mineral deposits in the joints (aka gout), and act as a pain-reliever – especially for muscle aches.
Insomnia Support
During summer's long days and short nights, it may prove more difficult than other times of the year to get a good night's sleep. Unless, of course, the incredible cherry is called upon. Cherries contain natural melatonin, and when ingested morning and night, help one fall asleep faster. Pop some dried cherries in the suitcase for treats during vacation time and cut down on jet lag as well.
When camping out, the body naturally attunes to the circadian rhythm, a result of synching with nature. By eating cherries while camping it becomes that much easier for the body to find the rhythm and attune to the cosmic buzz of the natural world. Eating cherries while working at the office can remind the body of its natural state and help to regulate sleep cycles better than any other fruit.
Muscle Pain
For summer athletics, that hiking trip through the Tetons, or just the extra lap around the lake at dawn during the warmer summer months, cherries are a real friend, helping to reduce recovery time post-exercise.
To really amp up muscle-recovery, dip the cherries in some raw chocolate mixed into a dab of coconut oil and a lick of cinnamon and some Maca (a Peruvian/Andes mountain root) if you've got it. Raw cacao is prized for its ability to extend the muscle's ability to stretch and Maca is epic for recovery – keeping the uric acid from hanging out in the fibers -- and is an incredible hormone balancer. Plus, Maca, cacao and cherries together tastes like pure summer heaven. Kind of malty and out of this world.
Ayurvedic Body Cleanser
In the Ayurvedic tradition, cherries are prized summer foods much like the watermelon and pomegranates, which all help cleanse the body of heavy fats and deposits accumulated during the darker, cooler months. Acting as a diuretic, cherries move water through the kidneys faster and assist the colon in doing its job more efficiently. Just what is called for after all those summer barbecues!
Whether it is a long road trip with too little sleep, extra yoga classes leaving the muscles more tired than usual, a bit more sun than anticipated or just a few too many s'mores this summer, cherries are the fruit of choice to move things in the right direction. Find the juicy goodness of this season right up through the very last drop of warmth with the fruit that brings healing, whether sweet or tart. Cherries truly do epitomize the perfect summer treat.
