Bilberry has been used medicinally for hundreds of years and for very good reason. Bilberry is known as a powerful anti-inflammatory with antioxidant qualities. Used in previous years as a way to treat diarrhea, mucous membrane inflammation atherosclerosis and varicose veins it is now being used as a way to treat other ailments as well. The reason bilberry is so powerful is because it contains flavonoids which are found in most dark skinned fruits such as blueberries and cranberries and bilberry is part of that family of fruits. These flavonoids are one of the reasons that bilberry is effective in treating eye disorders as well such as cataracts and macular degeneration. Overall it is beneficial for the health of the eyes and is found to help night vision because it helps your eyes adjust more quickly to different light. Bilberry is very popular in Europe and is used to treat a host of ailments such as chronic venous insufficiency which is a condition that includes varicose veins, pain and itching of the legs. It also is used to treat Reynaud’s Disease which causes numbness as well as pain in the fingers, toes, and nose. Bilberry helps because it reduces the stress on capillaries and also aids in the relaxation of small blood vessels which helps the blood flow to all parts of the body. Over time Bilberry even strengthens the capillaries. Overall bilberry works well as an anti-inflammatory by reducing overall inflammation including the veins and gums. In addition to these properties bilberry can easy gastrointestinal discomfort and is currently being studied for treatment of diabetes and fibrocystic breast disease. Because bilberry is all natural it rarely causes side effects and is safe and effective to take up to 160 mg three times per day.