MSM Fights More Than Inflammation

msm eye dropsMethylsulfonylmethane, known as MSM, is commonly utilized in the form of MSM eyedrops or powder in vcaps to be taken as a supplement.  It is well known for its anti-inflammatory capacity, documented by researchers.  Scientists are documenting substantiating research and finding new uses.

Anti-Inflammation

MSM inhibits inflammasomes, which are protein formations that stimulate production of  lymphocytes (white blood cells).  It also inhibits the activity of ‘pro-cytokines’ which promote inflammation throughout the body, creating health-damaging fevers and causing tissue death and shock.1 This effect of MSM is useful in reducing the tissue swelling that damages the optic nerve, causes eye soreness of dry eyes and Sjogrens syndrome and other inflammatory-related conditions.

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Wi-Fi, Cellphones & EMF Pollution

emf phoneExposure to electromagnetic fields has been considered a potential contributor or cause to many chronic illnesses for about 20 years.  What is becoming more apparent is that EMF pollution when combined with toxins and poor diet makes chronic disease more likely.

  • Toxins are found in foods, the environment, and prescription drugs.
  • Poor diet (standard western diet) is comprised of mostly carbohydrates, too much sugar, too much fat, and foods contaminated by pesticides, herbicides and fungicides.

It has been difficult to do any properly Continue reading “Wi-Fi, Cellphones & EMF Pollution”

Association Found Between Glaucoma and Alzheimer’s Disease

elderlyPast studies looking for an association between glaucoma and Alzheimer’s disease have been inconclusive. However, a recent 2015 large study of 7770 Alzheimer’s patients found such an association, specifically with women.

The study appeared in the July 2015 issue of Eye, and it was based on a study of ethnic Chinese in Asia. Each Alzheimer’s patient was matched randomly with controls of the same age and gender. They looked at who had a previous diagnosis of open-angle glaucoma. Continue reading “Association Found Between Glaucoma and Alzheimer’s Disease”

S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) Supplements May Improve Depression Medication Results

depressionA pilot study has found that for patients who were not responding well to depression medication, adding the over-the-counter supplement S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) improved their condition. The research appeared in the April 2015 edition of Advances in Integrative Medicine, a peer-reviewed journal.

About 40% of depressed patients who take selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) have mixed results, and 30% have poor results. SSRI is a standard pharmaceutical treatment for clinical depression, and the medication can have side effects Continue reading “S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) Supplements May Improve Depression Medication Results”

Photophobia: When the Eyes Have Extreme Light Sensitivity

photosensitive sunglassesEveryone is sensitive to light to some degree, but light sensitivity, or photophobia is an abnormal intolerance for light. Discomfort can be experienced from light sources such as sunlight and fluorescent or other artificial lights. It may cause the person with light sensitivity to squint or to have to close their eyes. It can cause pain and/or tears. In some cases, this may be accompanied by a headache.

The brighter the light, the greater the discomfort. Generally people Continue reading “Photophobia: When the Eyes Have Extreme Light Sensitivity”

Exercise May Be as Effective as Medication

Group Exercise 200A study in the British Medical Journal has shown that exercise can be as effective a treatment as conventional medication for some conditions. By examining 305 different trials, researchers found that patients that used exercise regularly as treatment rivaled or surpassed patients taking pills for the same conditions when examining their life expectancies.

The study was conducted by researchers at the London School of Economics, Stanford University School of Medicine, and the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute at Harvard Medical School. Researchers scanned thousands of studies comparing exercise and medication and narrowed their analysis down to 305 of them. The cases included nearly 340,000 patients, treating conditions such as stroke rehab, heart disease and heart failure, and pre-diabetes.

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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

7 Foods to Avoid If You Have High Blood Pressure or Hypertension

pickles are high in sodiumDo you have high blood pressure or hypertension? If so, take a look at these foods you should avoid due to their high sodium content. The upper limit of sodium per day is 2300 mg (1 teaspoon). Too much sodium does direct damage to the heart and arteries and raises blood pressure significantly.

Here are common foods that quickly add up sodium in your diet:

  1. Pickles – one medium size pickle (about 5 inches long) has approximately 570 mg of sodium.
  2. Canned Chicken Noodle Soup – up to 880 mg of sodium per one-cup serving
  3. Sauerkraut – ½ cup has about 460 mg of sodium
  4. Fast food French fries – has approximately 270 mg of sodium and 19 grams of unhealthy fat.
  5. Bacon – 3 slices has about 270 mg of sodium and 4.5 grams of fat
  6. Frozen pot pies – one serving has about 1300-1400 mg of sodium.
  7. Ramen noodles – one package has about 1580 mg of sodium

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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”