The Missing Link To Eye Nutrition

Modern nutritional habits sometimes cheat us of the very nutrients we need to stay healthy. A mixture of the right natural nutrients can help to prevent AMD far more effectively than isolated beta-carotene.

Most multivitamins often include only Vitamin A and beta-carotene. But what you really need in a good vision formula is mixed carotenoids. And you need them at the right dosages. Here are few definitely “must have” carotenoids:

Lutein and Zeaxanthin: These carotenoids go hand in hand to prevent and treat AMD. They are the most potent combination of carotenoids we know of. Lutein and Zeaxanthin are naturally present in the retina, and highly concentrated in the macula.

People with higher concentrations of these two carotenoids in the retina tend not to develop AMD. They increase the density of macular pigment. The higher the density, the more protection your eyes have.

The Journal of Nutrition published a study that compared levels of lutein and zeaxanthin in the eye and the macular pigment density. A lutein/zeaxanthin supplement successfully increased macular pigment density. Take 20mg of lutein and 10mg of zeaxanthin daily to increase pigment density.

Additionally, it is believed that Lutein and Zeaxanthin help protect the eyes against damage from free radicals. Free radicals come from the sun’s rays, smoke, air pollution and even oxygen. They relentlessly attack the blood vessels, lens, and the nerve cells of the eyes.
A study performed by the Department of Psychology at the University of Georgia confirms that these carotenoids may help fight age-related visual loss by reducing the cumulative effects of oxidative damage to the retina and lens.

Bilberry: This natural herb extract has proven quite effective at maintaining eye health. Science has discovered that bilberry triggers the production of rhodospin. This is an eye protein that assists you at night.

According to the Alternative Medical Review, “Administration of bilberry extract resulted in improved nighttime visual acuity, faster adjustment to darkness, and faster restoration of visual acuity after exposure to glare.”

Lycopene: A powerful antioxidant that also protects the cells and tissues of the eye from oxidative stress brought on by free radicals.

Eyesight: One of Our Most Precious Assets - We may take our eyesight for granted until we start to lose it. Loss of eyesight is one of the most devastating events that a person can go through as they age. Taking some key steps towards maintaining our eye health can go a long way towards mitigating some of the problems.

Carrots Aren’t Only For Rabbits!

How many of you remember when your mother told you that eating carrots for your eye health was important? Well, she wasn’t too far from the truth. And if you knew that your eyesight would diminish quickly after the age of 44 years old…I’m sure you would have requested more carrots in your lunchbox.

According to the Beaver Dam Eye Study, over 25 percent of Americans over 65 have macular degeneration. Age Related Macular Degeneration, (AMD) affects more Americans than glaucoma and cataracts combined. As you grow older, your risk of developing this disease increases dramatically. In people over 50, it is the number one cause of loss of vision.

Some doctors have been telling you to load up on Vitamin A and beta-carotene for good eye health. These two nutrients are found in high quantities in carrots. But carrots alone are not enough to stave off AMD. By focusing on these nutrients alone, you’ll miss out on the natural protectors your eyes really need.There are now exceptional yet little-known nutrients available that not only can sharpen your vision but also protect you from the leading cause of blindness.

AMD Is Increasing At An Alarming Rate

AMD is a deterioration of a portion of the retina called the macula. The retina is the backside of the eye. It records images and sends them to the brain. The central portion of the retina is the macula. When it comes to vision the macula plays an important role in these features:

• Focusing vision
• Recognizing colors
• Recognizing faces
• Reading
• Driving a car
• Seeing fine details

As I said earlier, vision loss from AMD increases dramatically with age. It may start as mildly blurred vision. From there, the disease escalates. Straight lines or sentences appear wavy. It becomes difficult to see objects from far away. Fine detail is lost. The ability to distinguish color is gone. Eventually, whole areas of vision disappear.

Next week we'll tell you about some things you can do to alleviate the symptoms of AMD.

Liver Damage...Without The Glass Of Chianti

In the past, most people who have been concerned about liver damage worry about the effects of alcohol on their livers. However, recent studies indicate that sugary non-alcoholic drinks can also have a detrimental effect on the liver. Some mice were given sugar-sweetened water and others were given water sweetened artificially. Fatty liver disease was more prevalent among the mice who consumed the sugared water.

These studies are just further proof that we should limit our consumption of sweets and high fructose corn syrup. Besides contributing to the quickly rising obesity levels in the US, these foods are also detrimental to the function of our organs.

Stacey Albert
Nutritional Writer
VitalMax Vitamins

Source: Gale, Karla. Sugar Intake May Hurt Liver. Nov 1, 2006. Scientific American.

The SUV of Human Consumption!

The other day I came across this article from the Associated Press. When I first read it I laughed. Then I realized that someone has too much money to spend on something too little for me to care about. So before I give you “My Take”…here’s part of what the article said:

CHICAGO — Want to spend less at the pump? Lose some weight. That's the implication of a new study that says Americans are burning nearly 1 billion more gallons of gasoline each year than they did in 1960 because of their expanding waistlines. Simply put, more weight in the car means lower gas mileage.

The lost mileage is pretty small for any single driver. Jacobson said the typical driver — someone who records less than 12,000 miles annually — would use roughly 18 fewer gallons of gas over the course of a year by losing 100 pounds. At $2.20 per gallon, that would be a savings of almost $40.

If you put more weight into your car, you're going to get fewer miles per gallon," Emory University health care analyst Kenneth Thorpe said Wednesday.

The same effect has been seen in airplanes. Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that heavy fliers have contributed to higher fuel costs for airlines. They estimated that more than 39 million gallons of fuel are used each year for every additional pound of passenger weight.

The amount of extra fuel consumption blamed on weight gain since 1960 — 938 million gallons — would fill almost 2 million cars with gas for an entire year. However, that is only 0.7% of the total amount of fuel consumed by U.S. passenger vehicles each year, Jacobson said.

The estimates "are probably pretty reliable," said Larry Chavis, an economist at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. "I don't know if it's going to encourage anybody to go out and lose weight to save gasoline, but even for individual families, it could have an effect on their budget."

My Take:

Do you realize how much funding and time was spent on this issue? We have health care analysts, economists, disease centers, and universities all taking the effort to study a subject matter that probably wouldn’t move the gas gauge one centimeter.

If you want to change the gas consumption in our country you might want to take heed of what the Europeans have been doing for years…walking not driving! That’s right…they walk, they bike, they run, they EXERCISE!

And here’s another thing Americans don’t know about…Moderation! We’re not happy with restaurants that offer simple high quality foods. We want huge portions on our plates. And we want it to taste like anything but what it’s supposed to. And finally…how about spending less time driving and more time home with our families? Now that I’ve only spent 15 minutes fixing our fuel consumption problem...I think I’ll go for a walk!

Al Serin,
President
VitalMax Vitamins

Source: Tanner, Lindsey. Weight Gain Could Mean Lower Gas Mileage. Associated Press.