Healthy cooking can help protect your eyes, brain, heart, and overall wellness. The way you choose, prepare, cook, and store food can affect nutrient levels, toxin exposure, inflammation, blood sugar balance, and long-term disease risk. Simple choices, such as using safer cookware, limiting aluminum exposure, choosing fresh or frozen foods over canned foods, and cooking with healthy oils, can make everyday meals more nourishing.
This article shares practical cooking tips for healthy eating, including how to reduce aluminum exposure, choose safer cookware, prepare vegetables and proteins, support the body’s natural detoxification pathways, and make a nutrient-rich French Peasant Stew. These healthy cooking strategies are especially helpful for people who want to support vision health, reduce oxidative stress, and build better daily habits without making food preparation complicated.
Read More »
New study finds link between microplastics and heart disease. The tiny pieces of plastic flake off water bottles, chip off cutting boards, rinse out of polyester blouses and coffee pods, and come from many other objects. These do not only build up in the environment, but also accumulate in the body.
A 2024 study found that microplastics make their way into the arterial plaques, and end up causing fatty deposits inside the blood vessels. People whose plaques contained plastic particles were more likely to suffer heart attacks or strokes or die from other causes in the following years as compared to those without plastic detected in the plaque.
In a study published in the European Heart Journal, the results found that 84% of the people who had a heart attack had plastics in their blood, compared with only 40% of people with less severe heart disease and 32% of control patients with normal arteries.
The conclusion was that these study results provided further evidence that heart disease risk may be linked to plastic exposure. 1
Read More »
Updated July 23, 2026: This is a fluid situation. Health officials are still investigating several Cyclospora outbreaks, and the source of every case has not yet been confirmed.
The microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis has recently been linked with contaminated produce in the United States. Cyclosporiasis is a gastrointestinal illness that can spread when people eat raw produce or drink water contaminated with the parasite. Fresh herbs, leafy greens, lettuce, berries, and other raw fruits and vegetables have been involved in past outbreaks. The incubation period typically ranges from 2 to 14 days, with an average of about 1 week.
One multistate outbreak has been linked to shredded iceberg lettuce served at some Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. Federal investigators traced that specific outbreak to iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico and sourced from central Mexico. Taylor Farms voluntarily removed iceberg lettuce from central Mexico from the U.S. market.
However, the situation has become more complicated. The FDA first reported that one lettuce sample had tested positive for Cyclospora. After further review, the FDA said that result should be considered a false positive. As of the FDA’s update, there were no confirmed positive product test results for Cyclospora, although traceback and outbreak data still pointed to the recalled lettuce supply chain in that specific outbreak.
Read More »
Research on the dangers of artificial sweeteners continues to roll out. A 2026 Tufts University review and meta-analysis compared studies of artificial and low-calorie sweeteners with non-caloric options. 1 The researchers found that artificial sweeteners increased fasting insulin and HbA1c numbers, and tended to reduce insulin sensitivity. Additionally, they pointed to how artificial sweeteners change the gut microbiome as a possible culprit.
Non-nutritive, artificial sweeteners are FDA-approved, low-calorie alternatives to sugar. They can be synthetic or naturally derived and are found in a range of products, from diet soda to protein bars to sugar-free gum. They are also used as coffee sweeteners.
Multiple studies have shown various side effects associated with the use of these sweeteners. These side effects include gastrointestinal symptoms, 2 neurologic (damage) 3 and taste perception changes, 4 allergic reactions, 5 insulin and metabolic effects, 6 and cardiovascular effects. 7
Read More »
Eye conditions such as macular degeneration can sometimes lead to visual hallucinations. A visual hallucination means seeing something that is not really there.
The eyes send visual signals to the brain, and the brain interprets them. When vision loss reduces the amount of information reaching the brain, the brain may fill in the missing visual details. This can cause a person to see grid patterns, people, lines, shapes, or other images that are not actually in front of them.
This is known as Charles Bonnet syndrome (CBS). It is linked to vision loss and does not mean that a person is losing touch with reality.
Which eye conditions can cause visual hallucinations? How can you identify and manage them? Is it possible to prevent these eye conditions in the first place? Can nutrition and supplements help?
Read More »
News for July 4, 2026. In this article:
Study Finds that Cannabis May Be Less Effective for Chronic Nerve Pain
Omega-3 Fish Oil Shows Promise Against Type 2 Diabetes
Can You Keep Your Telomeres Long?
Pleo Muc eyedrops for Dry Eye – BACK IN STOCK
Suggested Supplements Consider
Research linked daily moderate consumption of caffeinated coffee or tea to an 18% lower risk of dementia. 1 A major JAMA study followed more than 131,000 adults for as long as 43 years, which gives this research weight. The researchers looked at coffee, tea, dementia risk, and cognitive function. They found that people who drank more caffeinated coffee had a lower risk of dementia and were less likely to report subjective cognitive decline. Caffeinated tea showed similar favorable associations, while decaffeinated coffee did not show the same connection.
Glucosamine sulfate is one of the most popular supplements taken for joint support. More than 40 million Americans take this compound daily for stiff joints and pain associated with osteoarthritis. Eight percent of seniors report taking glucosamine, making people ages 60 and up the biggest market for this supplement. What does the research show about its effectiveness and potential side effects? In this article, we discuss these questions, and reveal a 2026 study that links accelerated dementia in glucosamine supplement users who already showed signs of dementia.
Glucosamine sulfate is primarily studied for its potential to relieve osteoarthritis (OA) symptoms, especially in the knees. Research also looks at its role as a potential cartilage-preserving agent, particularly in relation to osteoarthritis management.
Read More »
Vitamin C is best known for immune support, but its role in healthy aging is broader than that. Ascorbic acid, the chemical name for Vitamin C, helps the body make collagen, supports blood vessel integrity, assists wound healing, improves the absorption of iron from plant foods, and acts as an antioxidant. These functions matter throughout the body, including in the brain and eyes.
A recent large study of older adults adds another reason to pay attention to vitamin C status. Researchers found that lower plasma vitamin C levels were associated with lower gray matter volume and weaker connectivity in a major brain network involved in memory, attention, and self-reflection. The study does not prove that vitamin C prevents brain shrinkage or cognitive decline. However, it does suggest that healthy vitamin C levels may be one marker of better brain aging. 1
Read More »
Could NMN help the body age more successfully? NMN, or nicotinamide mononucleotide, is a naturally occurring compound that helps the body produce NAD+, a vital substance found in every living cell. NAD+ plays an important role in cellular energy, DNA repair, mitochondrial function, inflammation control, and other processes that help the body stay resilient over time. However, NAD+ does not remain steady throughout life. One observational study in humans found that NAD+ levels may drop by about 50% by age 50.
For older adults, this decline may be important. Lower NAD+ levels have been associated with metabolic dysfunction, inflammation, reduced mitochondrial performance, and other changes tied to aging and chronic disease risk. Since NMN helps the body make NAD+, researchers are studying whether NMN supplementation may help restore some of this lost cellular support. NMN has recently entered the supplement market. Early research suggests that NMN may benefit several areas of aging health, including energy metabolism, insulin function, brain and nerve health, cardiovascular support, muscle function, inflammation balance, and eye health.
Read More »
N-Acetyl-Cysteine is an amino acid that has been researched heavily for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. NAC is primarily a building block for glutathione. Key clinical studies explore its role in respiratory health, vision support, liver function, aging, and anti-inflammatory properties.
As an antioxidant, NAC helps protect healthy cells by neutralizing free radicals before they can cause harm. It supports the body’s supply of cysteine, a key building block of glutathione, one of the body’s most important internal antioxidants. By helping restore glutathione levels, NAC strengthens the cell’s antioxidant defenses and helps clear reactive oxygen species, or ROS. NAC also has anti-inflammatory effects. In the early stages of immune activation, it may help reduce the release of cytokines, which are chemical messengers involved in inflammation. 1
Read More »
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.
