Guest guest Posted August 7, 2003 Report Share Posted August 7, 2003 The slight reference in this newsletter to wearing sunglasses as being beneficial comes with my caution. Full spectrum light needs to enter the eye for health. It regulates many hormones and other thing within the body. F. Thu, 7 Aug 2003 08:21:54 -0500 HSI - Jenny Thompson 76 Trombones 76 Trombones Health Sciences Institute e-Alert August 7, 2003 ************************************************************** Dear Reader, A friend of mine calls it " playing the trombone. " That's when you pick up something to read, and then move it away from your face, then further, then back a little, until you get a good focus on it. (Raise your hand if this sounds all too familiar.) And besides the fact that it's somewhat annoying, it's also a good reminder that our vision probably won't stay healthy through the coming years without a little help. Today I have some good news about an easy step you can take to keep your eyesight healthy. But first I'm going to share three statistics about vision and aging that are not very good news at all: * 14 percent of Americans over the age of 40 develop cataracts * Almost one half of all Americans will develop a significant cataract after reaching age 75 * Worldwide health care costs associated with cataracts are estimated to be $6 billion every year Daunting, isn't it? But a new study shows that supplementing with one specific vitamin may reduce the risk of cataracts by well over 50 percent. ----------------------------- Blue light special ----------------------------- The lens of the eye has two natural enemies: blue ultraviolet light, and oxygen free radicals. Fortunately there are defenses against both enemies: blue UV light can be filtered out with sunglasses, and free radicals can be neutralized with proper nutrition. Researchers at a Tufts University nutrition and vision research laboratory recently released a study on the effects of specific nutrients in preventing cataracts from forming on the eye lens. In the current issue of Agriculture Research Magazine, the leader of the Tufts research team - bio-organic chemist Allen Taylor - explained how the lens can become damaged. As we age, free radicals damage crystallins, a set of proteins in lens cells. Taylor compares crystallins to fiber optics, " allowing light to pass through the lens and onto the retina. " The oxidation damage creates a clouding of the lens that gradually becomes more opaque and reduces vision. This is how a cataract develops. ----------------------------- Nurses with vision ----------------------------- That antioxidants help maintain healthy vision is not news. In many e-Alerts and HSI Members Alerts we've highlighted the role that antioxidants play in the prevention of vision problems such as age-related macular degeneration. But the conclusions of the Tufts research included one very specific and helpful detail. Taylor designed the study based on food frequency statistics gathered over the course of 13 years on almost 500 women (aged 53 to 73) enrolled in the Nutrition and Vision Project - a substudy of the Nurses' Health Study. Taylor's team also conducted eye exams on all of the subjects. After analyzing the data, researchers found that women with the lowest amount of lens-clouding opacification, also had the highest intake of the antioxidant phytonutrients lutein, zeaxanthin, folate, beta carotene, and riboflavin, as well as the highest intake of the antioxidant vitamins C and E. The researchers theorize that antioxidants help promote the function of protein-digesting enzymes that are believed to remove damaged proteins, and halt the gradual formation of cataracts. But one more critical detail stood out among the study's conclusions: Women who had taken daily vitamin C supplements for more than a decade were 64 percent less likely to show signs of the opacification that leads to cataracts than the women who took no vitamin C supplements at all. There are plenty of great reasons to take a vitamin C supplement, but if this were the only one, it would be plenty enough. ----------------------------- Extra helpers ----------------------------- Two of the phytonutrients listed above are worth special mention. Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoids that are key components of a phytochemical called xanthophylls. This powerful antioxidant has the unique characteristic of being able to cross the blood brain barrier more easily than most other antioxidants. The blood brain barrier is a protective mechanism designed to prevent infectious organisms and chemicals from entering the nervous system. This prevents illness from spreading to neurologically sensitive areas, but it also stops many beneficial substances from getting through and protecting those areas. Good food sources of xanthophylls include corn, kiwi, red seedless grapes, orange-colored peppers, spinach, celery, Brussels sprouts, scallions, broccoli, and squash. So even though you may be getting effective cataract-fighting benefits from vitamin C supplements, the nutrients in these foods will very likely give a considerable boost to your overall vision health. Another supplement that's been shown effective which I've told you about before is Vision Sense, a formula that contains a number of excellent vision enhancing nutrients, including lutein, zeaxanthin, riboflavin, vitamins C, E, and A, and other components that have been shown to help increase the chances of keeping healthy vision for decades to come. Maybe you'll be the first of your friends that doesn't have to play the trombone just to see what's on TV. ************************************************************** ... and another thing It's time to give your tablets a test. An HSI member named Tressa recently posted this question on the HSI Forum: " Does anyone know the details of the test to check whether a tablet is designed properly so it is likely to dissolve when you swallow it, rather than be excreted as so many tablets are? I'm not sure water is the correct test. Perhaps it should be lemon juice? Or are you supposed to put HCl (hydrochloric acid) in the water? Stir it or not? How long is it supposed to take to dissolve? Etc. " Inasmuch as HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., has previously told us that the contents of hard pills are not easily absorbed, I asked him if he'd ever heard of a tablet test. He has, and here are his comments: " Theoretically, 'proper' testing is supposed to use vinegar, I believe. However, I don't know because I wouldn't consider such a test. If a pill doesn't disintegrate almost immediately in water I don't use it. Many people don't produce nearly enough acid, so even if they're taking digestive enzymes (but as hard pills), they may never actually absorb anything. " Hard pills are cheaper than capsules for one thing, and another thing is that more 'stuff' can be pressed into them. That does NOT mean you can get it back out. If I'm forced to use hard pills I at least break them in half, and I'd crush them if I knew I could tolerate the taste. Capsules are the way to go. Just ask a septic tank cleaner, most of whom can attest to the tons of undigested pills that settle to the bottom of tanks! " For the same reason I'd also avoid 'time release' types, which are specifically designed NOT to release! Be your own time-releaser and take the capsules more often. " Nutrient supplements are taken to enhance nutrient levels that should be in our food (but often aren't, due to the poor quality of our 'civilized' diet), so they should survive stomach acid if mixed with food. Supplements shouldn't be taken alone, anyway... a waste of money. " Vitamin B-12 may be one exception, where injections and sub- lingual types (under-the-tongue) are superior to oral, where acid may really lessen the dose. " We have some hard pills around the office. Maybe we'll give them the Spreen water test to see how they do. To Your Good Health, Jenny Thompson Health Sciences Institute ************************************************************** Sources: " Antioxidant Mix Keeps Cataracts Away " NutraIngredients, 8/4/03, nutraingredients.com " Scientists Link Nutrition & Eye Health " Agricultural Research Magazine, August 2003, Vol. 51, No. 8, ars.usda.gov Copyright ©1997-2003 by www.hsibaltimore.com, L.L.C. The e-Alert may not be posted on commercial sites without written permission. ************************************************************** Before you hit reply to send us a question or request, please click here http://www.hsibaltimore.com/ealert/questions.html ************************************************************** If you'd like to participate in the HSI Forum, search past e-Alerts and products or you're an HSI member and would like to search past articles, visit http://www.hsibaltimore.com ************************************************************** To learn more about HSI, call (203) 699-4416 or visit http://www.agora-inc.com/reports/HSI/WHSID618/home.cfm. ************************************************************** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 7, 2003 Report Share Posted August 7, 2003 Hi Alobar, I certainly wasn't proposing that anyone stare into the sun, lol. I meant that normal everyday daylight is good for the health as many hormones and processes are controlled by light entering the eye, so sun glasses when worn to excess can hamper those processes. As to the vitamin pill issue. Digestion starts in the mouth, when we chew food and it is mixed with saliva that contain enzymes. That is one of the reasons that I use a powdered multi vitamin in liguid. I then " chew " it a little or sip slowly which more closely resembles the normal process of putting food into contact with the enzymes in saliva. Remember when your parents said " chew your food " . They were right. I try to do this even with some of the vitamin C, ie mix it with saliva, but you have to be careful here as it can burn. Frank , " Alobar " <alobar@b...> wrote: > > - > " Frank " <califpacific> > <alternative_medicine_forum > > Thursday, August 07, 2003 12:19 PM > Fwd: 76 Trombones > > > > The slight reference in this newsletter to wearing sunglasses as > being beneficial comes with my caution. Full spectrum light needs to > enter the eye for health. It regulates many hormones and other thing > within the body. > > F. > > > Years ago when I lived up North I used to do a little morning > meditation a few times a year in which I would stare without blinking > for 15 minutes as the sun rose. Good stimulation of the tear ducts > and good full spectum light into the eyes. Only did this as dawn > then the sun's rays pass thru the thickest layer of atmosphere. Not > sure I would do this down South at all as the sun's rays are much > stronger here. > > > Thu, 7 Aug 2003 08:21:54 -0500 > > HSI - Jenny Thompson > > 76 Trombones > > " Does anyone know the details of the test to check whether a > > tablet is designed properly so it is likely to dissolve when > > you swallow it, rather than be excreted as so many tablets > > are? > > > > " Theoretically, 'proper' testing is supposed to use vinegar, > > I believe. However, I don't know because I wouldn't consider > > such a test. If a pill doesn't disintegrate almost > > immediately in water I don't use it. Many people don't > > produce nearly enough acid, so even if they're taking > > digestive enzymes (but as hard pills), they may never > > actually absorb anything. > > I swallow vitamin pills during a meal so they remain in the > stomach longer & therefore have a greater opportunity to dissolve. > Before the meal I drink 2-4 grams of ascorbic acid solution. My > reasoning is that I believe the ascorbic acid & the water both assist > food digestion & also the break-down of vitamin tablets. > > Alobar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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