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Indulge Without Overindulging With Dark-sweet Cherries

Self-care is the most important pillar of mindfulness, but it’s often the most neglected! Humans love to take care of others, but often prioritize this over taking care of one’s self.  One easy way to care for yourself (and practice mindfulness) is to treat yourself!

Treating yourself can be as simple as taking a solo walk, setting aside chores and curling up with a good book instead, or indulging in a favorite food. One way to indulge without overindulging is with delicious dark-sweet cherries.

Cherries are one of the only seasonal items found in the grocery store, and just came back into season! They are a way to have a sweet treat without added sugar (plus they pair great with chocolate if we are truly thinking about self-care). But perhaps the best way that cherries can add to self-care and mindfulness is through the superpowers they offer in every bite.

Cherries are famous for that deep red hue, and it’s that color that makes them one of the most antioxidant-rich foods around. Anthocyanins are the type of antioxidant found in cherries. Studies have shown that anthocyanins play a role in improving cognitive function and protect the heart and its surrounding tissues. Cherries are also an anti-inflammatory food, helping with everything from workout recovery to reducing inflammation and pain associated with arthritis and gout.

But, wait! We aren’t done yet. Check this out. In one cup of cherries you get:

  • 16 percent of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C
  • 10 percent of your daily dietary fiber needs
  • Zero grams of fat, sodium and cholesterol
  • 260 milligrams of potassium (the electrolyte to help prevent you from cramping)

Another way to enhance your self-care routine is to ensure you are getting plenty of sleep at night and dark-sweet cherries can help you achieve that. If you fall into the “adult” age group (26-64 years of age), the National Sleep Foundation recommends 7-9 hours of sleep. Dark-sweet cherries naturally contain melatonin, a sleep hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles and they can help you get those much needed z’s!

We hope that you can find some time in the coming days to treat yourself, however that may be or look like. Whether it is walking, reading, getting an extra few hours of sleep or snacking on dark-sweet cherries, know that finding time for yourself is an important part of mindfulness that is never worth neglecting.

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