The correct way to pop a pimple.

NOTE: Please remember that it is ALWAYS a better option to not pop your pimple and to let it heal naturally. However, if it has to be done, the following methods will possibly leave more minimal scarring and a faster healing time.

Pesky, cystic acne can creep onto absolutely anyone - even those who are not prone to acne. For many women, cystic pimples often pop up according to their menstrual cycles. For many people, just one cystic pimple could ruin a good picture day or an important date. Here's the bad news: there is not a magic pimple eraser, and not one treatment can completely vanish cystic acne into thin air. The truth is, cystic pimples or acne go through a slower stage of healing than whiteheads, blackheads or mild acne that is on the surface of the skin. Why? Because cystic pimples are grounded deeply beneath the skin as a result of an accumulation of sebum and bacteria. It's easy to think of the pimple as an infected and inflamed hair follicle that first needs to purge, then eventually heal.
If you've experienced cystic acne before, you know that it can be extremely sore and painful. I know when I'm developing a cystic pimple when a specific spot on my face becomes tender, sore, and almost warmer to the touch. It normally initially presents as a large, flat pink area at the infected spot as well.  

Here is a helpful bit of information: sometimes, if you can catch a pimple soon enough, take a Q-tip drenched in hand sanitizer and apply a thick layer on the affected area of skin where the pimple seems to be forming. Don't absorb the sanitizer completely into the skin! Instead, leave a glob sitting right on top of the inflammation and it will absorb on its own. I have done this multiple times with success as the alcohol from the sanitizer seems to calm down the inflammation and, at times, even demolish the developing pimple altogether. Unfortunately, this will not work in all cases, especially if you did not catch it early enough!

So the big question is how to take care of a cystic pimple correctly in a way that will leave minimal to no scarring? Some make the mistake of picking or popping the pimple too early with their bare fingers. This is the absolutely worst way of dealing with cystic acne, and it will leave scars in the future if not right then. Treat your pimple GENTLY, as if it were a wound or a scrape on your knee. Also, keeping the pimple dry and avoiding the introduction of more bacteria will allow it to heal more quickly. In other words, quit touching your pimple! I know it's extremely tempting, but you are just irritating an already inflamed and angry pimple!

STEPS IN THE HEALING PROCESS:
1. Wash your face gently with a cleanser containing salicylic acid (2%). This particular ingredient may help decrease inflammation. *Do not use any exfoliators, clarisonic brushes (or similar brushes) or textured pads on your pimple as it will further irritate it and may pop it prematurely.
2. Apply a gentle toner on skin using a soft pad or clean hands, using extra caution while going over the pimple.
3. You may try drying agents and spot treatments on the pimple. Some options and helpful ingredients are clay or mud masks, sulfur, benzoyl peroxide, or salicylic acid (2%). Many work best as overnight treatments. TIP: If you have a benzoyl peroxide gel or cream, apply a small amount on finger, quickly touch the pimple with your finger and allow it to absorb on its own. Benzoyl peroxide has oxidative properties to kill bacteria that seems to work better when it is allowed to absorb.

MAKE UP TO COVER UP: Good news is that not everyone has to walk around town with a noticeable, giant pimple on their face. Make up is fine to use on pimples as long as you use sanitary precautions! If you're using mineral powder to cover up your acne, use a small, clean blush to apply. TIP: Mineral powder containing zinc as its main ingredient may actually help dry and calm your pimple throughout the day as zinc itself has anti-inflammatory properties. If you are using concealer or liquid foundation, make sure your hands and brushes are sanitized and clean before applying.
4. Continue to apply drying agents and spot treatments until your pimple noticeably becomes a good whitehead. It is now ripe enough to "purge" or pop.

TOOLS FOR POPPING: small alcohol wipes, a sharp tweezer or pin, plenty of clean Q-tips
5. Wash your face gently and dry. Take a small alcohol wipe and wipe over pimple specifically (not your whole face). Alcohol wipe your sharp tweezer (must be sharp) or pin and allow to air dry.
6. Gently prick the very end of the whitehead with your sharp tweezer or pin. At this point, white and yellow pus will begin to ooze (sorry for being gross!). Quickly grab a Q-tip and gently collect the pus in a rollover motion. Depending on where your pimple is at, contracting the muscles of your face can often help push more pus out of the pimple. Avoid pressing on the pimple with the Q-tip if you can.

IMPORTANT FACT: You may want to keep purging, but it is important to know when to stop. Once you see blood ooze out, that is not a good sign. It means that you may have purged too much. The goal is to get as much pus out before you see any blood. Once you see blood, stop immediately.
7. Once you have purged the pimple, it must now go through a slower healing process. It is important to continue to avoid touching the pimple. Keep it clean and do not use any exfoliators just yet. Continue to use gentle cleansers and toners.

This may not seem like a quick fix, but more importantly, this method will allow your pimple to heal without leaving large, pitted scars. Good luck!!

Sweat & Stay Pretty: Keeping Clear Skin During Exercise

We all know that part of staying healthy is keeping active and exercising. Many people believe the myth that sweating "cleans the pores" and helps acne. While sweat and exercise seems gives some people a healthy glow, it gives others clogged pores and acne. When Accutane was still fresh in my system, sports and exercise always gave me a pretty glow and I barely ever sweat. Unfortunately, I am now a plain sweaty mess after exercise, and I often develop tiny pimples in the areas where I sweat the most. It took me a few trials to figure out how to keep my skin clear during exercise:

1. Wash your face BEFORE and AFTER exercise...
Whether you exercise bright and early in the morning or after school or work in the late afternoon or evening, your skin needs to be cleansed before exercise then shortly after. This ensures that you begin exercise with a "clean plate" and prevent mixing sweat with makeup, dirt and oil that is already sitting on your face. Afraid to exercise without makeup? My routine is to wash my face with a warm towel while avoiding my already applied eye makeup. That way I wouldn't have to spend the time to reapply eye shadow, eye liner and mascara. Dry your skin and dust on light mineral makeup. This is the heaviest I would go to exercise. I would avoid any sort of liquid foundation or concealer, especially for those with oily, acne prone skin. What about blush? Honestly, exercise itself should give you a nice, rosy glow! Finally, wash your face shortly after exercise, especially if you've exercised outdoors. The longer you let the mixture of sweat, dirt and oil sit on your face, the more likely it will lead to clogged pores and acne.

2. Keep dirty hair out of your face...
I personally have side-swept bangs that could be difficult to keep out of my face. Yet I've discovered that it's important to keep hair out of your face when you exercise because it could aggravate and cause acne. So put up those ponytails and secure bangs with bobby pins!

3. Bring clean towels and avoid rubbing off sweat with your hands...
If you're the type to sweat, definitely bring along clean towels from home or rent a few from your gym. I emphasize the word 'clean' because you should always wash your towels after each exercise session. Use clean towels in place of rubbing off sweat with your hands.
Ever since following these 3 simple steps, I have been able to zumba (my favorite sport) and exercise with clear skin! I hope these will also help you stay fit and pretty!

Royal Jelly and Apple Cider Vinegar Drink Mix

A delicious warm drink with organic royal jelly, raw apple cider vinegar, and a touch of lemon for a sweet and tangy delight! It's delicious and a great way to wind down at the end of the day. Not to mention that it's packed with health benefits!

As I was cleaning out my shelves in the kitchen, I came across an old jar of organic Royal jelly w/ honey. I remembered I bought a jar of this after a trip to Singapore, where a lady in the herbal department of a mall commented that it's becoming the new trend for beautiful skin and overall health benefits. I also remembered that I stopped eating the Royal Jelly because I had forced myself to eat a spoonful straight out the jar every morning. As tolerable as it tastes, Royal jelly has a thick consistency that makes it tiring to eat raw on a daily basis. Upon finding this half-full jar of Royal jelly I decided to find a more pleasurable way of taking it for its nutritional purposes - and here is my discovery!


THE INGREDIENTS:

• Organic Royal Jelly w/ Honey
  
• Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (make sure it is raw and unfiltered. I recommend Bragg's brand - found at Whole Foods)
• Lemon Juice (preferably fresh)

MIX, MIX, MIX!
Pour warm water into a mug or cup and dissolve 1-2 tbs of Royal jelly w/ honey. *Make sure the water is just cool enough that you can take a sip without burning your mouth. Mixing royal jelly with water that is too hot will affect the nutritious values of the honey! Add 2 tsp of apple cider vinegar and add lemon juice to taste. It should taste sweet and tangy! This is especially calming after a stressful day. Enjoy!

THE HEALTH BENEFITS
Royal jelly is actually a milky white substance that is secreted by the glands of nurse bees. It contains a wide variety of health benefits and is in general an excellent source of nutrition. Here are the different components of Royal jelly:

• Vitamin A, B (B1, B2, B6, B12, biotin, folic acid), C, D, E, calcium, copper, iron, phosphorous, potassium, silicon, sulfur, proteins & amino acids

Royal jelly is said to increase energy, the immune system, and improve memory. It also decreases stress and moodiness. This substance is used by women around the world as an ailment to infertility due to its ability to act as a natural hormone!

Let's no forget about apple cider vinegar (ACV)! Raw, unfiltered ACV is said to have an amazing list of health benefits for the entire body system. The benefit I find the most important about ACV is its ability to restore pH balance within the body due to its alkalizing properties when ingested. I personally put 1 tsp of ACV in my dogs' water to help prevent excess tear stains! You can read more about the health benefits of ACV here: Earth Clinic

I hope you enjoy this drink and the amazing health benefits that come along with it! :)

Benefits of vitamin D3 and why most people are D-deficient!

Lately I have gotten my hands on the book, Power of Vitamin D by Sarfraz Zaidi, MD - for FREE on my Kindle! What a great deal for such a useful and informative book! Until now, I haven't considered Vitamin D a very important part of my diet. Unfortunately, many others seems to forget about vitamin D when it is in fact just as important as Calcium, vitamin C, and other popular vitamins on the market today. Many people are aware that vitamin D is the "sunshine vitamin" that is produced in the skin and aids in the absorption of Calcium. But with heightened fear of skin cancer, wrinkles and aging comes an increase in the use of powerful sunscreen that can actually disrupt the conversion of vitamin D3 in the skin by UVB rays. Therefore, vitamin D3 is not picked up by the bloodstream and delivered throughout the body.


The list of researched benefits from consuming Vitamin D is massive! According to Dr. Sarfraz Zaidi, Vitamin D is not actually a vitamin, but an essential hormone that affects various organs in the body.

• Muscles and bones: vitamin D can prevent aches and pain related to bone and muscles. It can also treat osteoporosis, a dangerous and somewhat common disease among older women.
• Vitamin D as an immune-booster: don't want that common cold this year? Then start popping some vitamin D pills! Vitamin D can treat immune-related disorders such as asthma, Crohn's disease and Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Even if you are sick already, increasing your Vitamin D can help treat your illness.
• Anti-cancer vitamin: believe it or not, Vitamin D can play a role in preventing and treating cancer by controlling the growth of all cells, whether they are cancerous or normal. It especially helps treat the following types of cancer: breast, colon, prostate and pancreas.
• Vitamin D and diabetes: by reducing insulin resistance and increasing the production of insulin from the pancreas, vitamin D can help decrease blood sugar and prevent and treat Type 2 diabetes. Of course, the treatment and prevention of Type 2 diabetes also relies on a good diet and exercise regimen!
• Vitamin D to lower blood pressure: If you are familiar with the Renin Angiotensin Aldosterone System (RAAS for short, whew!) - I won't go into specifics, but it is a chemical system within your body that is responsible for maintaining blood pressure. If this interactive system over-reacts, it can lead to high blood pressure, or hypertension, which can eventually lead to heart failure if left untreated. Vitamin D has the power to inhibit the RAAS and therefore decrease blood pressure.
• Vitamin D is also known to boost your mood and prevent depression, especially if you suffer from seasonal depression in the winter time when the sun is not always shining - take some extra doses of vitamin D

Are you "Hormone D Deficient (HDD)?"
Go to your doctor and get your blood work done on an annual basis. They will tell you if you are deficient in vitamin D. If you are unsure, there is no harm in taking vitamin D supplements once, twice or even three times a day. According to Dr. Zaidi, it is extremely tough to overdose on vitamin D. Please do not fall into these myths:

• I get enough vitamin D from being outside without sunscreen
• I get enough vitamin D from "vitamin D milk"
• I get enough vitamin D from Calcium supplements or multivitamins
• I can get enough Vitamin D from my diet
• The daily recommended dose of Vitamin D is 200-600 I.U

And fall into these RIGHT habits instead:

• Continue to wear sunscreen - preventing skin cancer is more important than obtaining Vitamin D from the sun because you can always take supplements.
• Continue eating a diet rich in Vitamin D such as milk, fish and yogurt (check your nutrition labels)
• You must ADD vitamin D supplementation on a daily basis. According to your current Vitamin D levels, you may need to start with more or less. It is safe to start with 1,000 I.U. of vitamin D and increase as necessary. A daily dose of 1,000 - 5,000 I.U. is optimal in most healthy individuals.

What brand of Vitamin D3 should I get?
According to Dr. Zaidi, the best absorbed form of Vitamin D is sublingual because it is directly absorbed into your bloodstream. Vitamin D3 in oral form is digested along with your food and therefore must pass through the liver before it can through your systemic circulation. However, I have heard great things from those who take oral D3. Here is the brand that I am currently taking: Vitamin D3 GOLD ($13.95) for 360 softgels (5000 I.U. each). The softgels are extremely tiny yet powerful. Take these with a meal for best absorption. Consistency is the key to get good results!
If you want more information on the benefits of Vitamin D3, I highly recommend Dr. Zaidi's book on Amazon.

References:

Zaidi, S. (2010). Power of vitamin D. Denver, Colorado: Outskirts Press.

Trial and Error: My Acne Story

It is so unbelievable how much acne can affect your mood, confidence, and personality. When I first began to develop acne in my teenaged years, I did not pay much attention to it. My acne began as a cluster of mild inflammation on my forehead. Eventually, mild acne turned into cystic acne and spread from my forehead to my cheeks. At that point, I knew I was battling against painful, severe acne that is prone to permanent scarring. Eventually, I was taken to a dermatologist who prescribed me all the usual medications: benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid wash, and Retin-A Micro cream. At this point, I don’t remember how long I tried each treatment, but I do know that all did little to improve my acne.


As a last resort, my dermatologist prescribed me 6 months of Accutane, a potent form of Vitamin A that acts to shrink your oil glands and decrease oil production. I was promised a permanent cure from acne with little side effects – how could I say no? Fortunately, Accutane did just that. Within 2 months, my skin began clearing up. Active lesions began to dry out and I did not notice new acne forming. I used gentle cleansers and slathered my face in cocoa butter every night to rid of my scarring. The most annoying side effects I experienced were nosebleeds and cracked, dry lips. I also had to provide blood work every month to monitor my liver enzymes since Accutane could be toxic to your liver. However, I was ecstatic at how fast Accutane was clearing my skin. By 6 months, I was acne free. By 1 year and just in time for my senior year in high school, my scarring had disappeared and my skin was flawless. By my freshman year in college, no one I met would have even guessed that I used to have acne at all.

Fast forward to a few years later – my senior year in college. Out of the blue, I noticed my skin was oilier than usual. I blamed it on the hot weather and having to be outside on campus. Soon, I began to develop clogged pores that led to mild inflammations. At this point, I felt frustrated and disappointed because I knew exactly what was happening: my acne was coming back! Except this time, I was going to do my best to fight against it. This is when I began my obsession on skin care and research on acne treatments. Here is a quick summary of my trial and error process:

• Oil cleansing method: this made my skin worse by clogging my pores (as if it wasn’t clogged enough already)
• Glycolic acid cleansers by Jan Marini: this proved to be too mild of a cleanser for my face. Glycolic acid is supposed to chemically exfoliate skin as well, but my skin quickly grew accustomed to these cleansers and did not work effectively anymore after 1 week of daily use.
• Sunscreen with liquid-consistency (Shisheido Ultimate Defense 50+ Sun Lotion): the high content of silicones in this sunscreen definitely led to pore clogging for me. However, if it works for you, I can say that it does provide effective sun protection!
• Proactiv Lotion: I only used the benzoyl peroxide lotion in this 3-step process. It worked for a few months, but I did notice it started to lose its effect after a while. It’s also a bit too expensive for my taste, especially since the main ingredient is benzoyl peroxide.
• Salicylic acid and Glycolic acid peels: I wish I knew that strong, home-based peels could result in hyperpigmentation in Asian skin. These chemical peels did little to help active acne and caused more hyperpigmentation spots on my face. Be wary of these strong peels on any type of skin!
• Corticosteroids: to this day, I still get angry with the dermatologist who prescribed me Prednisone (a corticosteroid). I came in with a mild case of acne and asked her opinion on the different solutions. When I asked her the side effects of Prednisone, she replied, “Well, everything has side effects! So don’t worry about it.” In the end, Prednisone made my acne worse which is no surprise when I found out that acne related to thickening of the skin is actually a very common side effect from taking Prednisone. Technically, steroids provide anti-inflammatory effects in the body and thus can lower your immune system. Since acne is essentially an inflammatory process, we are led to believe that corticosteroids will prevent acne. Yet, for some people, Prednisone makes acne worse by increasing androgen levels, which in turn will increase sebum production.
• Differin Gel: or also known as Adapalene, is a retinoid-like topical treatment, which is used by applying a pea-sized amount to the face every night. Adapalene acts to inhibit the productivity of sebaceous glands and the production of sebum. I had been on Retin-A Micro before Differin, and I found that Retin-A Micro was more potent than Differin. Both made my acne worse before it got better. Unfortunately, Differin made my skin oilier!
• Tea Tree Oil: there are tons of raves on this particular product, but for me, it just did not live up to the hype. Since I now suffer from mild acne, I do believe that tea tree oil could possibly keep cystic acne at bay and prevent new cysts from forming due to its natural antibacterial properties. However, I do not believe that tea tree oil will prevent mild acne related to clogged pores and excess oil production.
• Blue Light Therapy: It has been so long that I do not remember the particular product I used for blue light therapy, but I do remember that it did not work for me. Blue light therapy acts to destroy acne-causing bacteria. It made very little difference for my mild acne.

MY CURRENT SKIN REGIMEN
If I’ve learned anything from my trial and error process, it is this: you want to find the least amount of the products with the greatest benefits for your skin. So, I’ve pruned out unnecessary products to come up with 5 staple items:

1. Cleanser: a gentle water-based cleanser with 2% salicylic acid
2. Toner: an effective toner to remove excess traces of makeup and that contains either salicylic acid or glycolic acid for gentle exfoliation
3. Serum: you will want a serum that provides antioxidants such as Vitamin C. Applying a serum underneath your sunscreen could improve the effectiveness of your sunscreen!
4. Sunscreen: a broad-spectrum and non-comedogenic sunscreen specialized for your face. Sunscreen should always be applied after your serum and moisturizer, but underneath makeup.
5. Acne Treatment: whether it is benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, or salicylic acid – there are tons of acne treatments out there. My favorite is benzoyl peroxide from acne.org to use at bedtime because it helps dry oily skin. I never wear benzoyl peroxide during the day because its oxidative effects on the skin can interact with being out in sunlight.

I think the important lesson to remember is that all skin and acne is unique from individual to individual. As you can see from my list of past treatments, those that did not work for me may work perfect for you! Finally, finding your own unique regimen requires patience. Going from product to product quickly is a waste of time and money because you will never know what really worked or not. My advice is that if you do try a new product, try it for 2-3 weeks until you decide to discontinue it. That way you can get a more accurate feel of whether the product works for your or not.

The importance of sunscreens and how to choose the right one for your skin

WHY THE HYPE? It seems like dermatologist, beauty bloggers, and any other skin care enthusiast is crazy about one particular must-have item these days: sunscreen. However, it is for a good reason. As you may already know, sun damage from UV rays can result in some pretty detrimental effects for your skin. So, if you would like to stay away from skin cancer, hyperpigmentation, and skin that looks & feels like leather, then sunscreen is definitely the way to go, especially if you have a paler complexion. As an Asian person, I have a medium olive complexion that tans fairly easily under the sun. Those with my skin-type or darker have a lower risk of acquiring skin cancer and premature aging related to UVA and UVB rays. However, I still make it part of my morning routine to slather on sunscreen on the exposed areas of my skin: face, neck, chest and arms.


WHAT TYPE OF SUNSCREEN SHOULD I WEAR: PHYSICAL VS. CHEMICAL
Several types of sunscreens are available in the U.S. market. Chemical sunscreens, which includes ingredients such as avobenzone, homosalate, and oxybenzone. The very popular Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock is an example of an all-chemical sunscreen. Here are its active ingredients:

Active Ingredients: Avobenzone 3%, Homosalate (10%), Octisalate (5%), Octocrylene (2.8%), Oxybenzone 6%

I highly recommend this particular sunscreen for people with normal to oily skin types and a budget. As you can see, you can buy a twin pack for $11.99 on Amazon - what a steal for a great product! The only downside to this sunscreen is that it does not contain as many antioxidants as more expensive brands of sunscreen. Also, silica is near the top of its inactive ingredients which for me personally, causes clogged pores and breakouts. Remember though, finding the right sunscreen involves trial and error.

Physical sunscreens contain zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide. They work by deflecting the sun's rays, while chemical sunscreens absorb UVA and UVB rays. There is a lot of information on the difference between the two. My favorite source is at Skinacea where they talk about the stability, comedogenicity, protection, texture and safety of the two different types of sunscreens. Check it out

LOOKING FOR ALL NATURAL OR ORGANIC SUNSCREENS?

Unfortunately, many of these types of sunscreens tailor better to dry skin types because of its high content of oil. I personally love Adorable Baby Sunscreen SPF 30+ ($21.99) for my body because it contains non-nano zinc oxide (24.7%) as its main ingredient. *Whenever you look for sunscreen with zinc oxide, stay away from nano particles because they have been shown to be small enough to sink into your skin and be absorbed by your bloodstream. As you can see from the ingredient list below, this particular sunscreen contains some non-friendly ingredients (oils) for oily, acne-prone skin.

Active Ingredient: Non-Nano Zinc Oxide - 24.7% Ingredients: Grape Seed Oil, Organic Sunflower Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides (from Coconut Oil), Organic Beeswax, Stearic Acid (from Palm Oil), Purified Water

MY HG SUNSCREEN
My absolute favorite sunscreen for my face is SkinMedica Environmental Defense SPF 30 ($34.50). Yes, it is slightly on the more pricey side of sunscreens, but after a long, long period of trial and error, I have finally found my holy grail sunscreen product! Check out these amazing ingredients as quoted by the SkinMedica website:

"Z-COTE® MAX™ → The next generation in zinc oxide (FDA-approved physical sunscreen) provides maximum UVA and UVB protection in a single ingredient. Because it is transparent, Z-COTE® MAX™ is invisible on the skin and won't stain clothing. It is considered skin friendly, and provides long-lasting UV protection.

Octinoxate (Octyl Methoxycinnamate/ Parsol® MCX) → An FDA approved, water-resistant sunscreen that provides excellent UVB absorption that helps prevent sun damage to the skin." (skinmedica.com)

It also includes green tea extract as a potent antioxidant, hyaluronic acid to add locked-in moisture to the skin, and caffeine to destroy cancer-causing cells. I personally find SkinMedica's sunscreen to be fitting for my oily skin because it dries quickly with just the right amount of moisture.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN YOU ARE SHOPPING FOR SUNSCREENS
Like I said before, finding the absolute right sunscreen for you could turn into a long period of trial and error. Before you get frustrated, just remember these simple tips to make your hunt for sunscreen a bit easier:

• Look for the following text: broad spectrum UVA/UVB. You always want to find sunscreen that will block all UV rays for your ultimate protection against the sun.
• Look for at least an SPF of 30, especially if you have a paler complexion. The paler you are, the more help you're going to need from sunscreen. While SPF 15 or 20 may be sufficient for someone with a darker-complexion, buy SPF 30 or higher if you do not tan easily to ensure proper protection from skin cancer.

Good luck!

Cherries & anthocyanins: health benefits

Whenever “cherry season” comes around, I could not help running to the grocery store to splurge on these delicious and amazing fruits! Cherries are great antioxidants that provide anti-inflammatory effects and protect the body from oxidative damage. In a study by Kelley and colleagues, healthy men and women consumed Bing sweet cherries for a 28-day period. Blood work showed lower levels of circulating inflammation markers when compared to Day 0 of the study. So what gives cherries their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects? These fruits contain anthocyanins – pigments that are responsible for giving cherries their beautiful red color.

Here are some of the great health benefits of cherries!

• Heart disease prevention – anthocyanins may decrease blood pressure and cholesterol levels thus contributing to overall heart health.
• Cancer prevention – anthocyanins act as antioxidants against free radical damage thus preventing against cancer cell formation.
• Weight management – snacking on any fruit or vegetable as a substitute for unhealthier choices such as potato chips can help manage your weight and reduce or prevent obesity. Instead of eating ice cream for dessert, snack on some fresh, sweet cherries!

Other excellent sources of anthocyanins include most berries, pomegranate, plums, and red cabbage.

My advice: While anthocyanins act as a great resource for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, there has not been a study that proves that they do in fact prevent heart disease or cancer. One thing we do know is that cherries are definitely a healthy choice, and you should incorporate fruits with anthocyanins into your daily diet.