Dr. Grossman’s Blog

Source:nei.nih.gov

The latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control on diabetes are staggering.  The CDC now estimates that 26 million American has diabetes.

Their new report also estimates that one in three American adults is pre-diabetic (that means they have higher than normal blood sugar levels but they have not yet received a diabetes diagnosis).

According to the CDC’s press release:

In a study published last year, CDC projected that as many as 1 in 3 U.S. adults could have diabetes by 2050 if current trends continue. Type 2 diabetes, in which the body gradually loses its ability to use and produce insulin, accounts for 90 percent to 95 percent of diabetes cases. Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include older age, obesity, family history, having diabetes while pregnant (gestational diabetes), a sedentary lifestyle, and race/ethnicity. Groups at higher risk for the disease are African-Americans, Hispanics, American Indians/Alaska Natives, and some Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders. Source: CDC

The CDC’s diabetes fact sheet indicates that over 1/4 of people over 40 who have diabetes also have the potentially blinding diabetic retinopathy. Over 650,000 Americans have severely compromised vision due to diabetic retinopathy.

Learn more about how a healthy lifestyle and nutritional supplements can help you treat and control diabetes.

For more on the prevention and treatment of diabetic retinopathy, click here.

January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month.  It is vital that people understand that glaucoma is called the “silent thief” because one can have the disease without knowing it.  By the time people notice symptoms, the disease has already progressed significantly.

At Natural Eye Care we are dedicated to offering people solutions that help them to prevent glaucoma and deal with a glaucoma diagnosis.  Learn more about to treat glaucoma naturally with the help of diet, exercise, lifestyle changes, and supplements at our website.

Glaucoma can also be a congenital condition that strikes children.  The newly launched Congenital Glaucoma Network offers a forum for those affected by congenital glaucoma to share stories and offer support.

The signs of congenital glaucoma as described by the Congenital Glaucoma Network:

~Corneal edema & haze

~Nausea or headaches

~Light sensitivity (photophobia)

~Excessive blinking (blepharospasm)

~Crossed or out-turned eyes (strabismus)

~Ocular enlargement (buphthalmos)

~Excessive tearing (epiphora)

~Decreased vision (amblyopia)

The CEO of a Texas based biotech company, Craig Benson, was a father who thought that his five year old daughter needed new glasses. It turned out that she had the rare, and eventually fatal Batten’s disease. Batten’s disease is a disorder of the nervous system that leads to blindness, seizures, mental and physical impairment, and, eventually, premature death in the teens or early 20s.

Craig Benson has made it his mission to determine a way to develop DNA testing that will help potential parents determine if they are carriers of such debilitating diseases as Batten’s disease, muscular dystrophy, and other immune deficiency related conditions. For less than $400, parents can be checked to see if they are carriers of any diseases and whether the combination of their DNA and that of their partner make it likely that offspring would be born with any of the hundreds of conditions that can be picked up via this test. Source: ABC NEWS.

Batten’s disease affects an estimated 2 to 4 of every 100,000 U.S. born babies. It can be diagnosed by a neurologist with a number of tests including electrical studies of the eyes. Source: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/batten/detail_batten.htm

image via noaa.gov

Time spent in bright artificial light before bedtime has been linked to heightened blood pressure and an increased diabetes risk.

Researchers set to publish their findings in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism describe how nighttime exposure to light can disrupt melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep cycles as well as blood pressure.  The study shows that being in bright light opposed to dim light caused the body to produce less melatonin.  Participants who were exposed to bright light during typical sleep hours produced an average of 50% less melatonin.

According to a news release from the Endocrine Society: “Given that chronic light suppression of melatonin has been hypothesized to increase relative risk for some types of cancer and that melatonin receptor genes have been linked to type 2 diabetes, our findings could have important health implications for shift workers who are exposed to indoor light at night over the course of many years,” says study author Joshua Gooley.

Source: http://www.healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.aspx?docID=648869

Of course, trying to read or work on the computer in low light situations can contribute to eye disease can can harm your vision. Since sleep is important to eye health and health in general and is so key to keeping those dark circles away, maybe it is time to consider becoming a morning person!

Learn more about how to prevent and treat diabetes naturally at our website.

image via bls.gov

There is new research that suggests that long periods of sitting can be linked to heart problems and poor health, even in people who exercise regularly.  The research, published in the European Heart Journal, found that those who spend a lot of time in a chair were more likely to carry weight around their waists, have lower levels of “good cholesterol,” and experience more inflammation.

The researchers did find, however, that getting up frequently – even for very short periods of just a minute at a time – was enough to slim waistlines and lower C-reactive protein levels, which are markers of inflammation.

According to this story’s source, WebMD, “The study suggests even small changes could help, like standing up to take phone calls, walking to see a colleague rather than phoning or emailing, and centralizing trash cans and printers so you have to walk to them.”  Source: http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20110112/sitting-down-too-long-bad-health?src=RSS_PUBLIC

The added benefit of taking frequent breaks from your chair?  You give your eyes a rest as well.  Computer eye strain is effecting more and people – causing discomfort, cutting down on productivity, and potentially leading to eye disease.

Learn more about preventing and treating computer eye strain at our website.

Image via cdc.gov

Glaucoma is often referred to as the “silent thief” because most individuals with undiagnosed glaucoma do not notice any symptoms until they are aware ofa reduction in their peripheral vision. Technically, glaucoma is due to damage to the optic nerve, sometimes as a result of increased pressure of the aqueous humor -  the clear, watery fluid that circulates in the chamber of the eye between the cornea and the lens.

Stress has been determined to be a major cause of chronic glaucoma. Stress causes us to breathe shallowly, which reduces the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream, causing venous backflow in the head. This process effects the eyes’ ability to revolve ocular fluids, which in turn increases eye pressure. Although we do not know exactly how the optic nerve is damaged in glaucoma, one common factor in all cases of glaucoma is a lack of blood flow to the retina and optic nerve. This lack of blood flow results in retinal nerve cell death, enlargement of the optic cup, and an eventual loss of vision.

Here are a few suggestions for those who are trying to reduce stress in their lives:

• Exercise regularly
• Take walks in nature
• Practice yoga or tai chi
• Engage in prayer or meditation daily

For more on how to prevent glaucoma naturally, please visit our website.

New examinations of the optic nerve of mice have yielded new insight into the development of glaucoma. Scientists better understand both the cellular and molecular structure of this part of the eye, a discovery that will pave the way for a better understanding of the human eye.  This breakthrough should hasten the development of new therapies that will help to combat the potentially devastating effects of glaucoma.

Researchers discovered a unique class of cells called astrocytes that seem to play an integral role in the development of glaucoma.  They also learned more about a certain protein called gamma synuclein; abnormalities in this protein can result in eye disease.  Another exciting discovery, which may influence the way science looks at a number of neurodegenerative diseases, involves the way that neurons clear away debris from the optic nerve.  Essentially, the cells’ failure to clean up after themselves can lead to their own demise. (Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/212650.php)

Visit our website to learn more about how to prevent and treat glaucoma naturally.

image via pueblo.gsa.gov

Hormone therapy has been proscribed to some men suffering from prostate cancer.  Unfortunately, this treatment has been linked to cataracts according to a study published in the Annals of Epidemiology.

Research shows that study participants on hormone therapy were 9% more likely to develop a cataract compared to those who were not treated with hormone therapy.  In men whose testicles had been removed the risk soared to 26%.  The study involved 66,000 prostate cancer victims. Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20101227/hl_nm/us_prostate_cancer

Learn more about natural cataracts prevention and treatment at our website.

For more about drugs that can harm the eyes, have a look at this page.