Category: Diabetes

Using the Eyes to Detect Diseases

eye-detect-200The eyes are not just the mirrors of our souls – they also reflect many of our diseases. Because they are the only place in the body where you can easily see blood vessels and even part of the brain via the optic nerve, they can be used to detect a number of diseases.

A large study of 120,000 people by the insurance company, VSP Vision Care, found that 34% of diabetes patients first found out about their disease from an eye exam. High blood pressure Continue reading “Using the Eyes to Detect Diseases”

Watermelon Helps Fight Heart Disease, Diabetes, and Eye Disease

watermelon
Image via USDA.gov

File this heart healthy fact away for next summer’s barbecue season: watermelon can help fight hypertension.

Florida State University gave nine prehypertensive study participants the amino acid L-citrulline/L-arginine from watermelon extract for six weeks and all of them exhibited improved arterial function and lower aortic blood pressure.

Watermelon is also a source of vitamins A, B6, C, fiber, potassium and the antioxidant lycopene.  Antioxidants are vital to eye health and help to fight the free radical oxidation damage that causes eye diseases like macular degeneration.

Study author Arturo Figueroa highlights another condition that could benefit from daily watermelon intake: diabetes.  “Individuals with increased blood pressure and arterial stiffness especially those who are older and those with chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes would benefit from L-citrulline in either the synthetic or natural (watermelon) form,” he said. “The optimal dose appears to be four to six grams a day.”

Diabetes can lead to the eye condition diabetic retinopathy.

Learn more about nutrients in food that can treat and prevent disease.

Source: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/204527.php

Turmeric May Guard Against Cancer, Lupus, Diabetes

tumericResearch on turmeric spice indicates its potential to fight depression, cancer, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disease. The bright yellow spice, which lends color and flavor to mustard, curry, and other foods, also contains highly beneficial chemicals like curcumin.

Curcumin has been studied widely in the past, but it only makes up about two to five percent of the turmeric spice. Researchers from the Cytokine Research Laboratory Continue reading “Turmeric May Guard Against Cancer, Lupus, Diabetes”

Diabetic Retinopathy Guide: When High Blood Sugar Damages the Eyes

diabetic risk to the eyesDiabetic retinopathy is an eye disease that is a complication of diabetes. In diabetes, levels of blood sugar are chronically elevated due to lack of insulin, an insulin  insensitivity, or a combination of both. Just as sugar combined with water outside the body forms a sticky substance, excessive sugar in the bloodstream does so as well. Sugar adheres to numerous different tissues in the body, causing problems depending on the tissue. Prolonged excessive sugar in the bloodstream tends to damage the blood vessels of the retina, the back part of the eye that sends light signals to the brain. As the blood vessels Continue reading “Diabetic Retinopathy Guide: When High Blood Sugar Damages the Eyes”

Google Contact Lens May Help Diabetes

google contact lensGoogle has announced plans to build a contact lens that can monitor blood sugar levels. The device that may come replete with miniature, flexible electronics, sensors and antennae. The lens would keep track of blood sugar levels via human tears. Google’s contact lens would be able to alert wearers when their blood sugar levels are too high or too low. For diabetics, this could theoretically free them from the need for frequent finger pricks to check blood sugar. It could also give them tools to better manage their blood sugar. Diabetes can lead to diabetic retinopathy, a serious eye disease (learn more).

While the device still Continue reading “Google Contact Lens May Help Diabetes”

Taurine Keeps Diabetics’ Eyes Healthy

DiabetesTaurine is something you will often see in reference to your cats – it’s essential to feline health.  You may not know that it is essential to your own eye health as well, especially if you are a person with diabetes.

Diabetes increases the retina’s requirements for taurine.  Uptake of taurine is increased in the retina and retinal pigment epithelium when the body is suffering from higher levels of insulin and glucose concentrations.

Also, Taurine also appears to protect the lens against the development of “sugar cataracts” because it has excellent antioxidant properties.

Good sources of taurine are fish and eggs.  You can also visit our Vision Store to find supplements that will help you boost your taurine levels.

See research on taurine and more information on this and other important amino acids.

Glucose, Glycemic Index and Eye Disease

test blood sugar for diabeticsMost people are aware that diabetics are at risk for This is because high blood glucose, or high blood sugar levels, puts people at risk for these problems. Yet, many of us don’t realize that we all need to be concerned about the dangers of high blood sugar levels to our overall health.

High blood sugar levels produce advanced glycation end products or AGEs. AEGs have been linked to the aging process, heart disease, and dementia, as well as serious eye diseases. And, while AGEs are more Continue reading “Glucose, Glycemic Index and Eye Disease”

Diabetes Drug Metformin Anti-inflammatory Mechanism Discovered

diabetesResearchers have found that the anti-diabetic drug metformin reduces the production of inflammatory cytokines. When inflammatory cytokines are produced in excess, they cause inflammation that increases cancer risk and the incidence of other diseases.

The University of Montreal researchers reported that metformin inhibits the expression of genes that code for several inflammatory cytokines observed during cellular senescence. These inflammatory cytokines are normally secreted by the Continue reading “Diabetes Drug Metformin Anti-inflammatory Mechanism Discovered”

Obesity’s Effects on Diabetic Retinopathy, Cataracts and Eye Disease

effect of obesity on eye healthThe obesity epidemic may have an impact on the health of the eyes. While scientific studies do not seem to have found a direct link between obesity and eye disease, maintaining a healthy weight supports your overall health and helps prevent diseases that can harm the eyes. Here’s why.

Obesity is a step up from “overweight.” The National Institute of Health (NIH) in the United States, commonly uses Body Mass Index (BMI). This is a ratio of height to weight. Overweight is a BMI of 25-29, and obesity is a BMI of 30 or more. For example, 5′ 7″ person who weighs 160 pounds would have a BMI of 25 (just barely overweight). This same person at 195 pounds would have a BMI of 30 (obese) and at serious risk of disease such as heart disease, cardio-vascular disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and lower-body joint problems.

Continue reading “Obesity’s Effects on Diabetic Retinopathy, Cataracts and Eye Disease”

Lutein – More Than Meets the Eye

marigold petals are an excellent natural source of luteinThe macular pigment of the eye is formed by a combination of lutein and zeaxanthin. Lutein is more than just a filter of blue light and an antioxidant. Consider these points about lutein:

Research is showing that certain eye conditions that are believed to be caused by, Continue reading “Lutein – More Than Meets the Eye”