A Partridge in a Pear Tree

Theme 3 weeks time! Yes, even though we are more than 12 days out from 12/25, I only write "content blog posts" 4 days of the week, so I need to start three weeks out. And, I promise, all of these will be related to training, nutrition, gear, or something random... just like our "regular" Monday - Thursday posts.

Ok, so pears... turns out, they're in season! Pears are a good source of vitamins A, C, K, B2, B3, B6, B9 (folate), boron, copper, and dietary fiber. Both Vitamin C and copper are powerful antioxidants. Vitamin C also boosts immunity, while copper protects the body from free radical damage (it is a component of superoxide dismutase, which helps eliminate superoxide radicals). Pears also contain a healthy dose of fiber, which helps lower high cholesterol levels and binds to cancer-causing chemicals in the colon to help prevent cellular damage. Coincidentally, copper also mitigates some of the risk factors associated with colon cancer.  Boron helps with calcium absorption, keeping bones healthy and helping to prevent osteoporosis.

Pears are also considered to be a hypoallergenic fruit and are less likely to "produce adverse responses" than other fruits (aka not a lot of people are allergic to them). And, to top it all off, people who eat pears (or any fruit really) are less likely to suffer from breast cancer or macular degeneration. Quercetin, which is found in the skin of some fruits, also helps prevent artery damage and may protect against Alzheimer's.