Apricots

fruit for longevity

Music Player Instruction:  play and let the fruit speak to you

Every Summer in Melbourne, I would see my father and brother pick up the baskets that were piled up in the laundry and go out to the apricot trees.  There they were, climbing up the trees whose fruit were over the garage roof and onto the neighbour’s back yard.
I was asked to help and my job was to pick those apricots that fell onto the ground and those that were on the ground.  Sure enough it was obvious that the birds knew how good the fruit were.  Half of those that I picked up were inedible.
I had time to watch my father and brother work hard but I also had time to look carefully at this orange coloured oval shaped fruit.  As I was holding the apricots in my hand I could feel their soft and yet firm texture.  I could almost feel that the apricots were trying to tell me something.  So I tuned in and what I received was a message of hope, good will and endurance. 
With that in mind I became more active and started to take my “job” more seriously. In no time we had about six or seven baskets full of apricots.  As I was about to take them into the kitchen-  out of nowhere came in some neighbours and strangers from the street.  What did they want?  They wanted some apricots.  My father yelled out “give them, give them.  We have plenty”.  So I did.  They promised to make a compote with them.  They promised to make a jam with them and they even promised to make an apricot liqueur.
Did they keep their promises?  YES!  Within a week we had the same visitors bringing us the goodies they made.  We all sat in the kitchen and enjoyed the home made products.
The next day I went to return one of the bowls and on the front porch I was greeted in Macedonian by my neighbour’s elderly mother.  She was sitting and enjoying eating more apricots.  I greeted her back and smiled to myself thinking – she’s nearly a hundred and still loving her apricots.
Loving apricots made me look into the fruit to see if it has any health value.
I found out some interesting facts

• Origin of apricots – 2000 BCE –  China and Central Asia
• Fruit connected to the Hunza people living in the Hunza valley of the Himalayas of North East Pakistan
• Hunzas descended from Alexander the Great [ Macedonian]
• Many of the Hunzas are centenarians – apricots are one of their main crops
• Apricots spread to Europe and the New World by travellers and missionaries

Health wise

• rich in fiber/ contain vitamins – A / C / K / E and niacin/minerals – potassium/ copper/ manganese/ magnesium/ phosphorous/ iron
• boost metabolism/ improve heart health/ treat anemia
• are anti- inflammatory/ relieve earaches/ reduce fever
• strengthen bones/ treat skin conditions – psoriasis/ eczema/ rashes

Miriam Broder

References       https://specialtyproduce.com/produce/Apricots/health-benefits-of-apricots/?style
https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/apricots.html

Note    If health symptoms persist, please consult a medical practitioner

Music:  Now – Master Charles Cannon
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