Are aronia berries a cure-all?

By Curt Swarm

All I know is my own story, and the stories of others whom I believe. I had an ugly skin cancer on my forehead called a neuroendocrine carcinoma. Yes, in all likelihood it was caused by sun. For you naysayers out there, who won’t wear a hat, or use sun block, I’m here to tell you it’s not worth the risk. As a teenager, I detassled, rogued, walked beans and all that other farm stuff, and never wore a hat. Hats were for sissies. My face would get so sunburned, my nose and cheekbones would blister, peel, and regrow new skin. It was a badge of courage. We wouldn’t wear shorts either, but took our shirts off. White legs, blistered head and shoulders, equals cool. No, fool.

Like a waterfall, the neuroendocrine carcinoma went down into the lymph nodes of my neck — stage 3 or 4 cancer. Uh, oh. But Ginnie and I started praying and drinking aronia berry juice that a farmer buddy gave us. Lo-and-behold, the neuroendocrine carcinoma on my forehead disappeared, and the swelling in my lymph nodes shrunk without any other medication.

What are aronia berries? Good question. They are a berry that is popular in Europe, especially Poland. The aronia berry is very high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory ingredients. Here on the Empty Nest Farm we have a row of aronia berry bushes growing alongside our driveway as a wind break. If you eat the berries raw, they make you pucker. They’re astringent. But the juice from these aronia berries is more tasty. It takes seven pounds of berries to make half-a-gallon of juice.

So, where can you get aronia juice or powder? Here in SE Iowa there is a group of three families who are growing aronia berries and making aronia powder and juice. Their website is linngrovearonia.com. You can purchase the powder and they will ship it to you. They also make juice, but because it’s in a glass bottle, it’s not economical to ship. They are also in the process of making their aronia products available in local supermarkets. Explore their website. If you pay them a visit, they may bequeath you a jug of their frozen, pasteurized juice.

Stories and personal testimonies abound as to the health benefits of aronia berries. (I know. Health food vs modern medicine — the old rivalry, the odd opponents.) One lady had an autoimmune disease, interstitial cystitis, and gout. Because of the illness she was denied nursing home insurance. The medication she took was as hard or harder on her than the disease. Once she started eating aronia berries her bladder spasms stopped. She hasn’t had to take medication in five years.

Another person with sciatic nerve pain cured it with aronia juice. After a nuclear accident in Japan, Poland sent aronia products to the Japanese to combat effects of radiation. Don’t take my word for it. Look up American Aronia Association and read about studies that have been done on the super food. The potential preventative and therapeutic effect for metabolic disorder, cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, kidney and liver diseases are staggering.

Why haven’t aronia berries caught on in the United States like they have in Europe? Studies need to be done where thousands and thousands of people are treated with aronia berries as compared to a placebo and/or the more accepted medications. With Iowa having the second highest cancer rate of any state in the Union, Iowa should be fertile ground for such a study.

BTW: Nationwide, men have a 50 percent chance of coming down with cancer, women 30 percent. In Iowa, it’s higher. Cancer insurance might be a well-worth investment, along with prayer and aronia berries. Just saying.

Where does that leave me, with my diagnosis of neuroendocrine carcinoma? A recent PET scan indicates that I am cancer free. That’s as a result of prayer and aronia juice, and no medication. I’m in somewhat of a quandary because the oncologists, and they are super smart doctors, want me to start a regimen of immunotherapy infusions with a new cancer drug, Keytruda, that can have rough side effects. Hmm. Do I need this treatment or not? I trust God will lead me and the doctors in the right direction. Your continued prayers for Ginnie and I are much appreciated.

Contact Curt Swarm at curtswarm@yahoo.com