Pumpkin Seed, Macular Degeneration & BPH

Macular Degeneration:

Pumpkin seed oil is rich in zeaxanthin, which protects the retina and slow the progress of macular degeneration. In 2003, the Medical Research Council Environmental Epidemiology Unit at the University of Southampton in England announced that zeaxanthin “may be far more important in preventing or stabilizing macular degeneration than previously realized.”  Learn more about zeaxanthin.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia:

When pumpkin seed is taken along with saw palmetto symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia can be reduced (BPH).   Scientists have noted that the benefit may arise from some of the contents of pumpkin seed, such as plant sterols, zinc, and  fatty acids. Learn more about benign prostate hyperplasia.

 

About Pediatric Cataracts

The most common causes of pediatric cataracts include: intrauterine infections, metabolic disorders, and genetically transmitted syndromes. Infectious diseases such as rubella, measles, chicken pox, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex, herpes zoster, poliomyelitis, influenza, Epstein-Barr virus, syphilis, and toxoplasmosis can also be culprits.  Pediatric cataracts affects children worldwide, but it is 10 times more common in developing countries than in developed nations.

The American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus indicates that small cataracts that do not affect vision do not need to be removed, though those that cause vision loss should be removed as early in life as possible.  Early treatment is vital because the part of the brain that processes visual stimuli will not develop properly if a cataract causes the images to blur.

 

Sources:

http://www.pediatriccataract.org

http://www.aapos.org

Common Food Additive Bromide Endangers Thyroid Function

Bromide is a common food additive and pesticide that is known to be an endocrine disruptor (exogenous substances that act like hormones in the endocrine system and disrupt the physiologic function of endogenous hormones).  It is also a halide, meaning that it competes for the same receptors that the thyroid gland uses to capture the iodine that is essential for the production of vital thyroid hormones and thus contribute to hypothyroidism. Bromide is most commonly found in the form of methyl bromide, a common pesticide used on strawberries; as brominated vegetable oil which is often added to citrus drinks and asthma inhalers; as a fire retardant in fabrics and mattresses; and as potassium bromate, a dough conditioner found in commercial bakery products and some flours.

Source: NaturalTthyroid Choices

USDA: Vitamin D And Mental Agility in Elders

New study shows seniors with higher levels of Vitamin D had better cognitive performance on the tests than those in the deficient and insufficient categories.

In a recent study of seniors ages 65-99, only 35 percent had sufficient vitamin D blood levels. Those with higher levels of Vitamin D had better cognitive performance on the tests than those in the deficient and insufficient categories, particularly on measures of “executive performance,” such as cognitive flexibility, perceptual complexity, and reasoning.

Metabolic pathways for vitamin D have been found in the hippocampus and cerebellum areas of the brain involved in planning, processing, and forming new memories. This suggests that vitamin D may be implicated in cognitive processes

The 2009 study appears in the Journals of Gerontology, Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences.

Ninety Percent of Americans Eat Too Much Salt

Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently published findings on Americans’ salt consumption: only 1 in 10 people are staying within the recommended guidelines.

Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently published findings on Americans’ salt consumption: only 1 in 10 people are staying within the recommended guidelines.   One teaspoon of salt per day is the recommended limit for those who are young and healthy.   Most of this salt is not coming from what we sprinkle directly on our food.  Instead, it comes from sources we might not expect: grain mixtures, frozen meals and soups; ham, bacon, sausages and lunchmeats; breads; meat, poultry and fish mixtures; and cakes, cookies and crackers.

Source: NPR.

Omega-3s Support Eye Health

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) already supports the assertion that omega-3 in the form of ALA aids cognitive and eye function and may soon be extending this designation to DHA.  Products will be able to make this claim on their packaging.
Source: nutraingredients

DHA has been documented to help those who suffer from retinitis pigmentosa.

Omega-3 Delivery

Spanish researchers have developed a new way to deliver omega-3 nutrients in more stable capsule form. The new process uses “electrosprayed zein encapsulation.”  It promises to keep omega-3 fatty acid DHA from oxidizing too quickly, a process that leads to foul odors, tastes, and a break down of the beneficial properties.  The traditional animal derived gelatin capsules could be replaced with zein, a type of protein found in maize.

Source: Journal of Food Science

Visit our website to learn about how essential fatty acids are vital to vision health.

Stem Cells Help Cornea Burns | BioSynthetic Corneas

Italian researchers reported in 2010 that patients who had become blind or had other very severe damage to their corneas due to being splashed with chemicals received a reprieve.  They received transplants of their stem cells and regained their vision.  It was considered a huge success in the field of stem-cell therapy.

The researchers accomplished their results by removing a tiny amount of stem cell tissue from a patient’s eye that was not damaged, and used them to grow new corneal tissue.  This tissue was then replace surgically.  A further benefit was that because the stem cells had come from the patient’s own eyes, they did not need to take drugs to block the bodies natural tendency to reject foreign materials.

Published: New England Journal of Medicine, 6/24/2010

BioSynthetic Corneas

Researchers have implanted corneas made of genetically engineered collagen in patients for the first time.  Potentially, the millions of people on the waiting list for corneas from human donors could experience restored sight with these implants made from human genes and specialized yeast cells.

Ten patients in Sweden had the genetically engineered corneas inserted two years ago; the vision of six of the ten has improved. None of the patients experienced graft rejection or required long-term immune suppression, both of which can be factors for patients who receive corneas from human donors.

Study authors are optimistic about the development of biosynthetic corneas, but say that the technology is not fully mature.  Right now, the lab-made material is very fragile making it appropriate for patients with surface corneal damage but not those with damage to the innermost layers of the cornea.

Source: This study was published in Science Translational Medicine, Aug. 25, 2010; vol 2. 

 

 

Coffee & tea lower heart disease risk

Scientists in Holland report that moderate intake of tea and coffee lowers heart disease risk.

They reported that tea was more effective than coffee in this regard. People who drank  three to six cups of tea every day were 45% lower risk of heart disease compared to people who drank one cup or less and those who consumed more than six cups — had a 36% lower risk.  The size of the sample was more than 37,000 people over 11 years.

Coffee drinkers, consuming 2-4 cups of coffee daily had a 20% lower risk.  One factor as to why this risk level was not as good for coffee drinks may be that coffee drinkers are more likely to smoke than are tea drinkers.

Published: Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology: Journal of the American Heart Association, 2010

Editor’s Note: We do not recommend drinking large amounts of coffee for a number of reasons including: 1) coffee is a diuretic which results in excess urination and therefore loss of nutrients, 2) coffee generates heat in the body so can contribute to heat related health conditions (glaucoma, palpitations, migraines, etc.), 2) coffee and dark tea is acidic. Excess acidity in the body can lead to excess inflammation, so is bad for people with inflammatory diseases.

Learn more about information on nutrition and heart disease.

Tea Drinkers Less Likely to Develop Osteoporosis

Caffeine has been proven to increase one’s risk of developing osteoporosis, but some studies have shown that those who drink tea regularly are less likely to develop the disease. Scientists believe that the flavonoids in tea may have a protective effect. Other foods that tend to increase one’s risk of osteoporosis include soft drinks, salt, alcohol, and sugar. Food that can reduce your chances of developing the disease: soy, leafy green vegetables, sardines, and salmon.

Believe it or not, the answer when it comes to whether you should or should not rely on dairy products to help reduce your risk is “it depends.” Choose low-fat milk rather than American cheese or cottage cheese.

See more on diet and osteoporosis and an overview of the disease.

Acupuncture Can Cure Lazy Eye in Children

Researchers have discovered that acupuncture can help children suffering from “lazy eye” or amblyopia.

Researchers at Chinese University of Hong Kong and the International Eye Center of Shantou University have discovered that acupuncture can help children suffering from “lazy eye” or amblyopia.  The children received acupuncture on five points five days a week for 25 weeks.  The treatment provides a 40-60% chance of curing the condition that occurs when a healthy eye does not receive the correct signals from the brain.

Learn more on lazy eye and other binocular conditions.