The Positive “Estrogenic” Effects of Milk Thistle Extract
Just as the media often creates stories on natural products that lack critical thinking and are fraught with incorrect conclusions, sometimes marketers of dietary supplements make the same mistake. As it relates to milk thistle extract (silymarin), there are warnings...
Another Nail in the Acetaminophen (Tylenol) Coffin: New Study Links its Use to Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity
Introduction Another damning study indicates it is simply time to pull the plug on this outdated drug. The study just published in JAMA Pediatrics once again indicated that women who take acetaminophen during pregnancy are more likely to have a child with attention...
New Study Shows Avoiding Sun Exposure is as Dangerous as Smoking
Introduction: Conventional wisdom is that we need to avoid sun exposure in order to avoid skin cancer. However, one of the issues with conventional wisdom is that it is born out of convenience and not critical thinking. With all of the new data emerging on the...
Light Therapy is More Effective than Prozac in Major Depression
Introduction: Bright light therapy has a proven track record of success in the treatment of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), commonly referred to as the winter blues. A new study from the University of British Columbia shows that this simple and safe therapy is...
Preventing Holiday Weight Gain
We all know its tough to get through a busy, festive, holiday season without packing on the extra pounds. Many people, in fact, gain from 7-10 pounds during the holidays. However, there are ways that we can cut down on the food intake without missing out on the fun....Get The Longevity Matrix
March is National Vision Awareness Month
Five key nutrients for preventing and treating cataracts and macular degeneration
Nutritional factors play a key role in the prevention and treatment of cataracts and macular degeneration. A diet high in richly colored fruits and vegetables—as well as targeted supplements—is associated with a lowered risk for both conditions.
Lutein and Zeaxanthin
Research shows that lutein and zeaxanthin supplements not only help protect against macular degeneration, but can also improve visual function in people with macular degeneration. Specifically, in patients with macular degeneration, 10–15 mg of lutein daily led to improvements, including glare recovery, contrast sensitivity, and visual acuity, as compared to a placebo group.
Lutein is also important in preventing cataracts and improving visual function in people with existing cataracts. Like the macula, the human lens concentrates lutein and zeaxanthin. In fact, these are the only carotenes found in the human lens. Three large studies have shown that the intake of lutein was inversely associated with cataract surgery.
Flavonoid-Rich Extracts
Flavonoid-rich extracts of blueberry, bilberry, pine bark, or grape seed also offer valuable eye-health benefits. In addition to possessing excellent antioxidant activity, these extracts have been shown to improve blood flow to the retina and enhance visual processes, especially poor night vision. Take 150–300 mg daily of one of these extracts to support eye health.
Nutritional Antioxidants
Nutritional antioxidants—such as beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, zinc, copper, and selenium—are extremely important for eye health. Studies conducted by the Age-Related Eye Disease Study Research Group confirm that a combination of these nutrients produces better results than any single one alone. But even something as simple as taking vitamin C or zinc can produce dramatic effects. In one study, women who took vitamin C for more than 10 years had a 77 percent lower rate of cataract formation compared to women who did not take the vitamin.
Zinc plays an essential role in the metabolism of the retina and the visual process. A two-year trial involving 151 subjects showed that the group taking zinc had significantly less visual loss than the placebo group.
CoQ10 and Acetyl-L-Carnitine
In one double-blind study, 200 mg of acetyl-L-carnitine, omega-3 fatty acids (460 mg EPA and 320 mg DHA), and 20 mg of CoQ10 was shown to improve visual function and macular alterations in early-stage macular degeneration. This combination stopped the disease from progressing in 47 out of 48 cases.
Fish Oils
There is a strong relationship between atherosclerosis (known as hardening of the arteries) and eye health. Therefore, just as in atherosclerosis, omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils play an important role in preventing macular degeneration and other eye conditions. The recommended dosage is 1,000 mg of EPA and DHA.
Nutrition for Your Eyes
Foods rich in the carotenes lycopene, zeaxanthin, and lutein include bell peppers, carrots, collard greens, kale, papaya, spinach, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes.
For more information, please see the completely revised and updated 3rd edition of The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine.
On the Dr Oz show
On the show I discussed the failure of conventional medicine to address the underlying issues in many health conditions offering little more than drugs as biochemical “band aids.”