I have seen several posts regarding vision as we get older. I’ve
been working for ophthalmologists for 20 years (still my day job),
and they finally did studies to support what I’ve believed all along,
that certain antioxidants and nutritional supplements are beneficial
for your eye health, specifically in slowing the progress of macular
degeneration. I am into natural health, nutrition, herbs,
homeopathy, and I have a hunch that a lot of eye problems are rooted
in some sort of nutrient deficiency, most of us are probably
deficient in alkaline minerals due to modern farming methods, our
dietary habits, processed foods, etc… but here’s a good article
from the web about the study and the vitamins they recommend, as well
as some herbs that might be useful:
Dear PMT (or who ever it is out there),
You’re absolutely right! My practice happened to to be one of the
sites in the original study on nutritional factors in macular
degeneration, sponsored by the late Peter Lahay. The relationship is
a statistical question and it took thousands of patients over a
number of years to reach a credible conclusion. That began some 16 or
18 years ago and has now been corroborated by a number of other
similar studies. There are several products on the "over-the-counter"
market containing the identified antioxidant factors, Ocu-Vite was
the original one.
The other nutritional factor which is deeply intertwined with eye
health is the group of Omega-3 essential fatty acids. As we age a
deficiency becomes very common, especially among those of us who try
to control our cholesterol balance with dietary fat restriction and
statins. The usual ocular symptoms are dry eye and unstable visual
clarity. Dietary supplementation with flax seed and/or fish oil is
the miraculously simple solution. I’ve posted several comments on
this in the past.
Good health to all,
Dr. Mac
Dietary supplementation with flax seed and/or fish oil is the miraculously simple solution.
On this (more or less) same subject-- the linked article mentioned
the benefits of bilberry to aid night vision and glare recovery. I
ran this by my (very knowledgable and much adored) alternative
practitioner, who seconded it enthusiastically. So I’m off to the
health food store to buy bilberry extract and jam! (I already make
sure I get plenty of omegae 3’s)
Noel
They contain beta-carotine and vitamin C so you could eat beetroot
or carrots instead. Unless you are vit B,C or d deficient I cannot
see how it will help prevent father time catching you up.
Nick
off topic somewhat but regarding dried herbs as a medicine:
pre–packaged,they are wholly ineffective. First you should grow and
dry them yourself,or obtain them from the grower so you have a clue
as to their strength. then once dried the essential oils ( which are
the active ingredients) evaporate readily…so their shelf life is
quite limited and efficacy decreases rapidly with each day exposed
to an over 70 degree Fahrenheit ( actually 65 but I’m being lenient).
temperature.
Then they are, enclosed in a protein or gelatine based capsule so
your body produces a bit of extra hydrochloric acid in their
digestion,which in turn renders any remaining oils,after storing for
x amount of time, useless. then the body is left with some lignins &
cellulose containing chlorophyll,sometimes tannins and x amount of
the original oil you sought for the specific conditioni
if it is in the form of a tincture you are better using the plant’s
potential for healing properties. Fresh herbs have drawbacks
too,unless you can stomach the heavy chloropyhillin ". green " taste
then more of the active principal is readily available by juicing
the herb, or making an infusion, or in rare cases boiling it in a
covered enamel or glass vessel- you don’t want to boil away the oils
in that class of shrubby plants, roots and barks that would require
boiling. if you tellme the specific herbs being considered I’ll be
happy to tell you the best way to process them.
R. E. R.
The research I’ve done all points to Bilberry extract for the most
effective nutrition for vision. Also there’s much proof that Omega
oil from Sockeye Salmon and avacado’s provides excellent overall
benefits to tissue healing and health.
BTW… Sockeye Salmon is the only salmon that is completely
vegetarian, lives in deeper cold ocean water and is highest in Omega
oils. Farm raised salmon swims in it’s own “waste” and is not the
best choice for consumption.
Margie Mersky Custom Designs, INC
www.mmwaxmodels.com
www.deepdetail.com
Hi All,
Visiting Nova Scotia and it is lovely! Almost no jewelers here.
I find that I need different magnifications for different task with
these old eyes. I use the headset with the multiple drop down lenses
mentioned in a previous post but also I pile on drug store reading
glasses till I get the magnification I need. I keep the little tags
on so I know the power. I learned the from a jewelry friend in
Philadelphia, and altho we look weird, it works.
Esta Jo Schifter
reporting from Nova Scotia where it is raining today and it is nap time.