Optic neuritis is swelling and inflammation of the optic nerve that can cause eye pain, visual impairment, dull colors, and/or flashing lights. Since the optic nerve carries visual information to the brain, any symptoms of optic neuritis should be checked by a doctor immediately. If a patient has just one incident, chances are good that they will fully recover. However, inflammation of the optic nerve can be the first sign of multiple sclerosis, a serious degenerative disease.
One of the dangers of this problem is that the optic nerve can lose some of its myelin. The myelin sheath is fatty tissue that protects the nerves. When the myelin sheath is compromised, the nerves can be damaged. This is one important reason to consult
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Researchers have found that the anti-diabetic drug metformin reduces the production of inflammatory cytokines. When inflammatory cytokines are produced in excess, they cause inflammation that increases cancer risk and the incidence of other diseases.
The University of Montreal researchers reported that metformin inhibits the expression of genes that code for several inflammatory cytokines observed during cellular senescence. These inflammatory cytokines are normally secreted by the
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A 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.
The 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:
Natural Eye Care, Inc.
3 Paradies Lane
New Paltz, New York 12561
Phone: 845.475.4158
NaturalEyeCare™ started in 1999 to help the public and professionals learn about complementary care in eye disease treatment.
The information and recommendations we offer are based on over 30 years of peer review research and personal clinical experience which guides us in providing a valuable resource to our readers, customers and patients regarding maintaining healthy vision naturally.
We believe that vision health is intimately connected to overall mental, physical and spiritual health. Therefore we encourage people to look at their overall lifestyle and diet as part of keeping healthy vision and reducing the risk of eye disease onset. This includes diet, regular exercise, and management of daily stress. If one has health issues such as high blood pressure, a thyroid imbalance, any autoimmune disease and/or are on medication(s), these possible contributions to eye disease should considered when working with your health care professional.
Please do not hesitate to call us at 845.475.4158 with any questions and concerns.
