 The consumption of berries can enhance beneficial signaling in the brain. Plant foods are our primary source of antioxidants in anti-inflammatory compounds, but some plant foods may be better than others, as I've explained before. One cup of blueberries a day can improve cognition among older adults, as shown in this randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. And the same thing in kids after just a single meal of blueberries, so two cups may work better than one. That single hit of berries may also improve mood. A double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study in which kids are asked a series of questions, are you very slightly or not at all a little, moderately, quite a bit, or extremely interested, excited, strong, etc. Before and after drinking the placebo, no significant change. But two hours after consuming about two cups of blueberries, the positive mood scores significantly improved. They felt more enthusiastic, alert, inspired, attentive, that kind of thing. That was in young adults, ages 18 through 21, same thing in 7 to 10-year-old children. Some dangerous new mood-enhancing drug or Ritalin? No, blueberries, and just after a single meal. Now blueberries can't do everything, although cup of berries certainly appears to improve brain function. No improvement in walking or balance was observed. Maybe if you tried two cups of blueberries a day, let's do it. Would six weeks of two cups of frozen blueberries a day affect the functional mobility in adults over age 60? Let's find out. How awesome is it that this study was ever done in the first place? Anyway, randomized to blueberries or carrot juice as a control of measuring things like walking a plank, seeing if you can maintain your balance along a narrow path, two bright yellow ropes on the floor outlined the narrow path, and participants were instructed to walk down within the roped path. And the blueberries beat out the carrot juice. Significant improvements suggesting blueberry supplementation may provide an effective countermeasure to age-related declines in functional mobility. And looking back, they were thinking maybe they should have used something like cucumber as a control since the carrots may have offered some benefit as well, making the blueberry results even more impressive. Overall, this study demonstrates the need for greater exploration of blueberry supplementation as a non-pharmacologic countermeasure to the public health issue of age-related declines in independence. Or to use the pun version, dietary interventions with phytonutrient-rich foods such as blueberries present a potentially fruitful strategy for combating some of the deleterious effects of age-related neurodegeneration.