Nutrition

Omega-3 fatty acids are known to help the heart and they have also been found to help defend against eye diseases like macular degeneration.

A study by researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine shows that omega-3 fatty acids could also help people struggling with alcohol addiction or psychiatric disorders.  According to scientists, the DHA in the fatty acid was responsible for “normalizing behavior” in mice.  When taking DHA, mice were less likely to become depressed or manic when placed under stress.  Unexpectedly, the mice also lost their taste for alcohol when consuming DHA supplements.
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US government scientists realize the important role that nutrition plays in the health of the eyes.

Cataracts are caused by an accumulation of free radicals that cloud the lens of the eye through a process called oxidation.  Antioxidants, these researchers agree, “are compounds in foods that help maintain healthy cells and tissues in the eye and other organs.”  Prime sources of antioxidants include: leafy greens, eggs, blueberries, and bilberries.

In a study of almost 500 middle aged and older women, it was discovered that those who consumed more riboflavin, folate, beta carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and vitamins C and E were less likely to suffer from cataract symptoms than did those who consumes the least amounts of these nutrients.
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A new study confirms earlier findings that indicate that consuming red and processed meats increases one’s risk of developing colorectal cancer.  The study also strengthens previous assertions that fiber rich foods help protect people from colorectal cancer.

This evidence underlines the preventable nature of colorectal cancer, since it is so attributable to diet.  According to Elisa Bandera, MD, PhD, who served on the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research’s Continuous Update Project (CUP) Expert Panel that authored the report “About 45 percent of colorectal cancer cases could be prevented if we all ate more fiber-rich plant foods and less meat, drank less alcohol, moved more and stayed lean.”
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Antioxidants have been found to successfully treat yet another medical condition: pre-eclampsia, a condition experienced by 5% of pregnant women that is marked by abnormally high blood pressure.

According to a study published in the British Medical Journal, taking a dietary supplement containing an amino acid and antioxidant vitamins significantly reduced pregnant women’s chances of developing pre-eclampsia.

A nutritional supplement comprised of a patented blend of bilberry and pine bark is marketed as Mitrogenol.  A study published in Clinical Opthamology describes a study of 79 people with raised eye pressure levels.  The intraocular pressure (IOP) of participants who took Mitrogenol decreased by 24%.  Those who took the pharmaceutical eye drop Latanoprost experienced a 28% drop in IOP.  A third group that took a combination of both remedies watched their levels go down by 40%

Researchers found that taking these products together helped lower IOP and resulted in better retinal blood flow.  It is noted that Latanoprost has been noted to cause dry eyes, eye color changes, and eyelid irritation.
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Women under 75 | Annual Survey | Vitamin D3 | D Sources

Vitamin D – and the fact that so many people are deficient in this vital compound – has been in the news a lot lately.  A lack of vitamin D has been linked to asthma in children, the development of cancers, cognitive impairment, and increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Vitamin D impacts the health of the eyes as well.
A number of  studies show that low vitamin D3 levels correspond to an increase in the incidence of age related macular degeneration.
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Uveitis in Children

Uveitis means “inflammation of the uvea,” an inner layer of the eye, that can result in severe and permanent vision loss. In addition, uveitis can lead to other ocular complications including glaucoma, cataracts, or retinal damage all of which can severely damage the eyes. Early detection and treatment is necessary to reduce the risk of permanent vision loss.

A study published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology examines cases of the condition in children.  The study found that the younger a child is when he develops the disease, the more likely he is to have complications.
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Glaucoma’s progress can be slowed as the result of taking the antioxidants vitamin E and N-acetyl cysteine.

A study published in Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science describes how reducing or reversing oxidation within the eyes may lead to the healing of the trabecular meshwork or outflow pathway in glaucoma patients.  As the name suggests, antioxidants (like vitamin C and N-acetyl cysteine, which is found in eggs) combat the natural process of oxidization.

According to the study, the free radicals that result from the oxidation process lead to the destruction of the trabecular meshwork, which can lead to increased ocular pressure and glaucoma.  (Issue: 49:1447-58, 2008)
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