Heart disease

When you are in your 30’s, your skeletal muscle mass will peak. After that, they will reduce slightly in number and size every year. By the time you are in your 50’s, 15% of muscle mass may be lost, and by your 80’s, as much as 30% of muscle mass may be lost.

Obviously, strength training is crucial to strengthen your muscles and  increase their size. Being strong and fit helps maintain good health and energy, reduces osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease, burns calories for weight management, improves sleep, cuts cancer risk, and much more!

Everyone should make exercise a priority throughout their lives. However, up to 75% of older Americans do not get enough exercise.(1)
Read More »

Lupins lining the roadsides are common sights for anyone who has visited Atlantic Canada or Maine during the summertime, but have you ever heard of eating lupine seeds?  Even better, have you ever heard about how good lupin flour can be for the heart?

A study out of the University of Western Australia describes how it is possible to lower your risk of heart disease “significantly” by replacing conventional wholemeal flour with a blend that contains 40% lupin beans.  A yearlong study of over 100 overweight men and women showed that increasing one’s intake of “lupin flour lowered blood pressure and reduced the risk of heart disease.”
Read More »

A holistic perspective on health means that we recognize the interrelated nature of the body’s systems. It also means that we understand the connection between the eyes and seemingly unrelated conditions like sleep apnea and circulatory problems.

People who have sleep apnea are 75% more likely to have glaucoma than those without sleep conditions.
Read More »

Another round of beef recalls due to potential E. coli contamination has made the news today.  Over 14,000 pounds of contaminated ground beef may sit on supermarket shelves in 10 states.

The meat is available under various brand names in Arizona, California, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Washington.

E. coli related infections can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and, in severe cases, kidney failure and most seriously affects the very young, the very old, and those with compromised immune systems.  Source: WebMD
Read More »

Free radicals might be a good thing?

At Natural Eye Care, we extol the benefits of antioxidants because they fight the free radicals that lead to oxidation, which in turn cause aging: skin changes such as the appearance wrinkles, and ocular changes, including the development of cataracts and macular degeneration.

Your eyes love antioxidants like those found in bilberry (a close relative to the blueberry) and in high quality supplements.

And yet, a new study published in The Journal of Physiology (online 28 February 2011) describes how free radicals are actually essential to the healthy functioning of the heart.
Read More »

A healthy diet is essential to maintaining your vision.  Plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are key to the health of the eyes and the body as a whole.  Generally, we do not believe that eating some meat is detrimental to health, but we support the many who people will choose to follow vegetarian and vegan diets.

A new study focuses on how people who follow vegan diets are likely to be deficient in both omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B12.  They should take supplements of both to ward off heart disease, researchers publishing in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Vegans can potentially run a higher risk of developing blood clots and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), which can lead to heart attacks and stroke.
Read More »