Month: December 2006

Categories
Ailmemts & Remedies

Cataracts

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Although half the people over age 50 and three-quarters of those over age 75 develop cataracts, the condition isn’t an inevitable part of aging. Recent studies show that certain lifestyle strategies can lessen your chance of developing this serious but treatable vision disorder.

Symptoms
Gradual and painless blurring or dimming of vision.
Increased sensitivity to sun glare or car headlights at night
Seeing halos around lights
Changes in color perception.

When to Call Your Doctor
If you begin to develop cataract symptoms.
Reminder: If you have a medical condition, talk to your doctor before taking supplements.

What It Is
The eye’s lens is normally transparent; it refracts and focuses light on the retina, which allows a clear image to form. When the proteins in the lens break down, they clump together and form opaque spots called cataracts. These spots hinder light from being transmitted properly to the retina, and vision becomes cloudy or blurry. The degree of impaired vision depends on the cataract’s size, density, and location on the lens.

What Causes It
Cataracts may develop as a result of age-related body changes; but some experts now think that the majority of cases can be attributed to smoking or to lifetime exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun. A low level of antioxidants (vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, and selenium) may also be a factor. These compounds can squelch free radicals — unstable oxygen molecules — that can damage the lens. (Normally, the lens has a high concentration of glutathione, an antioxidant produced by the body.) In addition, having diabetes or being overweight increases the risk of cataracts, probably because high levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood contribute to the destruction of lens proteins. Injury to the eye can cause cataracts too.

How Supplements Can Help
Taking supplements before a cataract appears may postpone its development or prevent it altogether. In the early stages of a cataract, supplements may slow its growth. Only surgery will remove a cataract, however.

What Else You Can Do
Quit smoking.
Protect your eyes from UV rays by wearing sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat when outdoors
Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables; they’re good sources of antioxidants.

Supplement Recommendations

Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Selenium
Bilberry
Ginkgo Biloba
Alpha-lipoic Acid
Grape Seed Extract
Flaxseed Oil

Vitamin C
Dosage: 1,000 mg twice a day.
Comments: Reduce dose if diarrhea develops.

Vitamin E
Dosage: 400 IU a day.
Comments: Check with your doctor if taking anticoagulant drugs.

Selenium
Dosage: 400 mcg a day.
Comments: Don’t exceed 600 mcg daily; higher doses may be toxic.

Bilberry
Dosage: 80 mg 3 times a day.
Comments: Standardized to contain 25% anthocyanosides. May be included in nutritional supplement eye formulas.

Ginkgo Biloba
Dosage: 40 mg 3 times a day.
Comments: Standardized to have at least 24% flavone glycosides.

Alpha-lipoic Acid
Dosage: 150 mg a day.
Comments: Take in the morning with or without food.

Grape Seed Extract
Dosage: 100 mg twice a day.
Comments: Standardized to contain 92%-95% proanthocyanidins.

Flaxseed Oil
Dosage: 1 tbsp. (14 grams) a day.
Comments: Can be mixed with food; take in the morning.

Click to learn more about Cataracts

Source:Your Guide to Vitamins,Minerals,and Herbs

Categories
Health Alert

Reduce Sodium Intake, Reduce Heart Disease

Almost everything we eat contains at least a little sodium, although many foods, especially  the processed variety, contain way too much. Our bodies only need about 500 milligrams (mg)of sodium a day; although current dietary recommendations allow for 2,000 to 4,000 mg (1-2 teaspoons of salt), statistics show that the average adult consumes almost double that amount on a daily basis.

Limiting your sodium intake can reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, especially if you are overweight, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.Researchers estimated dietary sodium intake in 2,688 overweight subjects and 6,797 nonoverweight subjects, then assessed the incidence of and/or death from cardiovascular disease over 19 years of follow-up.

Results: Among overweight participants, a relatively small increase in sodium intake was
associated with substantial increases in disease risk: a 32% higher risk of stroke; a 44%
higher risk of heart disease; a 61% higher risk of death from heart disease; and a 39%
higher risk of death from all causes. Dietary sodium intake was not significantly associated
with cardiovascular disease risk in nonoverweight participants.

If you already have high blood pressure or a developing heart condition, restricting your
sodium intake is even more imperative. Your doctor can give you more information on sodium and provide nutritional guidelines suitable to your specific needs.

Source:ChiroFind.com

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Categories
Suppliments our body needs

Iodine

What is iodine?

Iodine is a trace mineral and essential nutrient. In its natural state, it is grayish-black in color and lustrous in appearance. It is commonly found in sea water; many soils located near coastal areas are also rich in iodine.

Why do you need it?

Iodine plays a crucial role in the normal function of the thyroid gland. It is also essential for the production of thyroid hormones, which in turn are necessary for maintaining normal cell metabolism.

How much iodine should you take?

According to the National Academy of Sciences, the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for iodine is as follows:

* Adult men: 150 micrograms/day
* Adult women: 150 micrograms/day
* Children aged 7-10: 120 micrograms/day
* Infants: between 40-50 micrograms/day
* Pregnant/lactating women: between 175-200 micrograms/day

What are some good sources of iodine?

Iodized salt is the primary food source of iodine. Iodine can also be found in seafood; kelp, cod, sea bass, haddock and perch are particularly good sources. Dairy products and vegetables grown in iodine-rich soil also contain large amounts of the mineral.

What can happen if you do not get enough iodine?

Iodine deficiency is uncommon in Western society; in fact, the typical Western diet contains about four times the recommended daily allowance of iodine. However, people who avoid dairy products, seafood, processed foods and iodized salt can become deficient.

Iodine deficiency can lead to decreased thyroid function, goiter, and cretinism, a condition marked by dry skin, swelling around the lips and nose, and impaired mental function.

What can happen if I take too much?

In addition to being linked to iodine deficiency, some studies suggest that goiter may also be caused by excessive iodine intake. Other studies have linked high amounts of iodine to an increased risk of thyroid cancer.

Source:ChiroFind.com

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News on Health & Science

Alternative Therapies Might Aid Fertility

Sandee Deppiesse and her husband, Scott, tried for three frustrating years to get pregnant. For their final desperate attempt, the couple tried acupuncture.

“My doctor gave me a 5 percent chance [of getting pregnant], given my age,” said Sandee, who is now 40. “And so I started looking, because I figured there had to be a way.”

“The longer things go, the more things you’re willing to try,” said Scott.

Sandee sought out San Francisco acupuncturist Angela Wu, who treated her with the ancient Chinese therapy.

“[Wu] just said, ‘I will get you pregnant. Don’t listen to those doctors,’ ” Sandee said.

More Western doctors are recommending acupuncture to couples with fertility problems. Dr. Vick Sahakian of UCLA believes it can reduce stress for women trying to get pregnant.

“It can improve pregnancy rates by improving blood flow to the uterus where the embryos are basically implanted,” he said.

A study by German researches found that women who used acupuncture while undergoing in-vitro fertilization increased their success rates by almost 50 percent. Sahakian said his own patients have expressed confidence in the procedure.

Tiffany Hecht is one of them. She was skeptical at first, but no longer.

“I can tell the difference from the last three in-vitros that I produced more eggs,” she said. “And to me, that is a huge sign that it is working.”

Mind-Body Program

Acupuncture is not the only alternative therapy available. A Harvard University mind-body fertility program is gaining popularity throughout the country.

The program encourages couples to share the feelings of frustration and shame associated with infertility.

“There is a lot of sadness that comes with it and a lot of pain and it’s really a lonely place to be,” said one woman in a support group.

The program also uses meditation and yoga techniques that help elicit a relaxation response to release hormones that aid reproduction.

“I think we try to control things and force them,” said psychologist Laurel Kline. “And you can’t force an egg and a sperm to get together and implant. I tell people that all the time. Part of it is you have to let go.”

The result, according to a Harvard study, is a 55 percent pregnancy rate for those who took the mind-body course.

Alternative therapies may still raise some eyebrows in the scientific community, but many of these couples say they have all the proof they need. The Depiesses say it worked for them — twice.

“I think I have two beautiful kids,” said Scott. “So yes, I believe.”

Sources: ABC News’ Judy Muller filed this report for World News

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News on Health & Science

SHOULD YOUNG WOMEN GET MAMMOGRAMS?

Research from The Lancet questions the benefit of women starting annual mammograms at age 40. New data from a large United Kingdom study of more than 160,000 women finds that mammogram screening in younger women may provide little benefit in terms of reducing breast cancer risk, while at the same time exposing women to more radiation and the possibility of false alarms. Overall, women in the 40s who received mammograms saw a small drop in breast cancer deaths, around 17 percent, a figure that was not statistically different from chance. Also, 23 percent of the women had at least one false alarm   higher than the rate of 12 percent seen in women in their 50s. A related editorial says that it’s not clear that women in the 40s get a net benefit from mammogram screening because the potential harms may offset any benefit, and that women should decide individually whether they want the peace of mind from screening or the possibility of unnecessary radiation exposure from additional mammograms.

Source:   ABC News

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