How Too Much Sun Can Cause Cancer and Harm Eyes

Sunglasses can prevent eye diseaseThe sun represents a potential threat to the eyes. Overexposure to sunlight can cause an increased risk of cataracts, cancer of the lids of the eyes, and even cornea burns. It is important to prevent eye disease and injury caused by UV radiation and sunlight.

Dr. George Cioffi is the chief of ophthalmology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center. He points out that people at elevated risk of eye damage from the sun include cataract surgery patients, people with light colored eyes, patients who have disorders of the retina, and patients whose medications cause sensitivity to light.

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Age-Related Eye Disease Prevention

Older adult may face eye disease with agingAs people age, eye diseases and conditions that commonly occur include macular degeneration, cataracts, vitreous tears/retinal tears and detachments, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, dry eyes, and eye floaters.

The question arises as to whether eye disease is inevitable with age. Will all older adults eventually have a “glint” in their eyes after cataracts surgery? More than 50% of people aged 75+ have glaucoma, cataracts, or macular degeneration. Can aging adults do anything to prevent, manage or slow down eye diseases associated with aging?

A large body of research is accumulating that shows the effects of regular eye exercises, good nutrition, and targeted supplementation on preventing and/or managing eye conditions. For instance, peer-reviewed research has shown that the risk of getting macular degeneration can be significantly reduced by taking fish oil and lutein on a daily basis. Vigorous exercise may reduce the incidence of glaucoma. And the effects of antioxidants on preventing cataract and macular degeneration have been the subject of significant research.

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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.

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DHA Shown To Prevent Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Fish contain DHA an Omega 3 fatty acidA breakthrough laboratory study has found that DHA, an Omega 3 fatty acid, prevented Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD).

A Canadian research team at the University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry fed DHA to mice and measured the levels of a toxin called lipofuscin. Lipofuscin builds up in the eye with age, causing ARMD. Mice who ate the DHA for at least 6 months had significantly lower levels of the toxin.

Age-related macular degeneration affects around nine million adults aged 40+ in the USA. ARMD can cause serious loss of vision. It affects the central part of vision, not peripheral vision. Deterioration of the cells in the macula at the eye’s center makes reading, writing, and driving difficult.

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Natural Curcumin Beats Drug for Rheumatoid Arthritis in Study

Curcumin from turmeric may help rheumatoid arthritisA pilot study published in Phytotherapy Research compared curcumin – derived from natural turmeric – with the drug diclofenac for treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Natural curcumin actually reduced RA symptoms even better than the RA drug diclofenac: a 44% reduction in symptoms on the Disease Activity Score and the American College of Rheumatology criteria for reduction of swelling and tenderness of joins. Patients receiving diclofenac had a 42% reduction.

This is good news because curcumin has no known side-effects. Using anti-inflammatory medications over the long term sometimes has side effects that can result in stomach ulcers and damage to the kidneys. The extremely popular non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication Vioxx (Rofecoxib – $2.5 billion in sales in 2003) was removed from the market in 2004 due to increased risk of heart attacks and stroke.

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Age Related Macular Degeneration in Women Mitigated by Omega-Fatty Acids

Fish may prevent age related macular degeneration AMD or ARMDA research study published in Archives of Ophthalmology showed that ingesting omega-3 fatty acids and fish affects the incidence of AMD (age-related macular degeneration, or ARMD) in women. This large study (nearly 40,000 participants) over 10 years found that women who had the highest of intake of Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid) had the lowest risk of AMD versus subjects with the lowest intake. Women who ate at least one serving of fish per week had a relative risk of AMD of 0.58 compared with women who ate less than one serving per month.

This was a retrospective study that involved 39,876 female health care workers completing food frequency questionnaires. At the beginning of the study, none of them had ARMD. 265 developed age-related macular degeneration by the end of the ten-year study. Few regular fish eaters developed the disease, but the ladies who skimped on fish were significantly more likely to get AMD.

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Forty Percent of Cancers Caused by Lifestyle

Alcohol is a preventable cause of cancerA recent UK research study shows that 40% of all cancers are caused by avoidable lifestyle considerations, such as diet, excess weight, smoking, and/or alcohol consumption. Tobacco use was shown to cause the most cancers.

“Many people believe cancer is down to fate or ‘in the genes’ and that it is the luck of the draw whether they get it,” study author Professor Max Parkin, a Cancer Research UK epidemiologist based at Queen Mary, University of London. The reality is, based on the study, that many cancers can be avoided through lifestyle changes.

The research showed that in Britain:

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”

Neurodegeneration Reversed by Novel Magnesium Compound MgT

BrainIs it possible to prevent or mitigate Alzheimer’s disease through supplementation? Researchers are looking at magnesium’s role in protecting the aging brain from the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease. A new, highly absorbent foam type of magnesium-L-threonate (MgT) concentrates in the brain and restores the types of brain deterioration found in Alzheimer’s disease and other types of memory loss. Experimental models predict  improvement in both short-term memory and long-term memory.

Magnesium is an important nutrient for proper brain functioning. Recent research has showed that magnesium specifically promotes memory and learning due to its beneficial effect on synaptic plasticity and density. Calcium and magnesium work together.

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Cancer Drug May Help Alzheimer’s Disease

alzheimer's patientThere is no cure for the degenerative brain disease called Alzheimer’s, and current conventional treatments have a limited effect. However, research into a drug used to treat skin cancer may show “stunning” potential to help with Alzheimer’s disease.

The drug is called bexarotene. So far, the experiments have only been done on mice. The research was done at Case Western Reserve University.

Alzheimer’s occurs in older people, and symptoms include a pattern of forgetfulness, disorientation,  misplacing things, short attention span, difficulty in performing routine tasks, poor judgment, language problems, problems with thinking, depression, irritability, paranoia, hostility, and lack of initiative. It is also called “Elderly Dementia.”

The disease is not fully understood, and its cause — or causes — are not yet clear. Patients with Alzheimer’s disease cannot properly clear the protein amyloid beta from their brains.  The excessive amount of the protein accumulate as plaque, which blocks synapses and kills nerve cells.

Bexarotene — also known as Targretin — wipes out amyloid beta. Continue reading “Cancer Drug May Help Alzheimer’s Disease”