Natural Approaches to Adrenal Fatigue
Have you ever been extremely tired and then all of a sudden felt a burst of energy? More than likely, the sudden burst was due to the release of adrenaline and cortisol from your adrenal glands, a pair of glands that lie on top of each kidney. If you have...
Digestive Enzymes to Aid in Food Intolerance
A Food is supposed to nourish and heal us, but sometimes food is the problem. In particular, many people suffer from food intolerances or allergies that can produce not only digestive issues like gas, bloating and loose stools, but also set the stage for more...
What is SIBO? And, what will Help me?
Introduction Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) may seem like a new condition, but I first wrote about it over 35 years ago. At the time, in the early 1980s, there was a lot of focus on the overgrowth of Candida albicans in the intestinal tract as a factor...
Glutamine Health for the Gut
Introduction Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid (the building block units of protein) in the body and is involved in more metabolic processes than any other amino acid. Glutamine is especially important in serving as a source of fuel for cells lining...
DPA – The Missing Omega-3 for Health and Wellness
T Introduction Much of the research and attention on fish oils has focused on the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5n3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6n3), but a burgeoning body of new science is now indicating that the third most...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.”