Dr. Grossman’s Blog

Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoids used in the retina and lens of the eyes. These are antioxidants that color yellow and leafy dark green vegetables such as kale, spinach, and carrots. Researchers believe that this pair of antioxidants may help build and maintain the pigment layer of the retina. Another theory is that they help filter out blue light, protecting the eye from sunlight damage.

Studies have shown that these antioxidants can help us preserve healthy vision, and significantly reduce the risk of onset of macular degeneration and cataracts.

References:

Women’s Health Study. Archives of Ophthalmology (Arch. Ophthalmol. 2008;126:102-9)

Moeller SM et al. Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Lutein and Zeaxanthin in the Carotenoids in Age-Related Eye Disease Study (CAREDS). Archives of Ophthalmology 124:1151-1162, 2006.

Editor’s Note: For more related studies, go to www.naturaleyecare.com/studylist.asp

Researchers at the University of Western Australia recently examined the effects of wearing swimming goggles upon intraocular pressure (IOP).

In this study, holes were drilled into the faces of 13 different goggles to allow IOP measurement by applanation tonometry. IOP was measured before goggles wear, two minutes after goggles application, twenty minutes after goggles application, and after goggles removal. Multiple types of goggles were tested.

IOP increased while wearing goggles by a mean pressure of 4.5 mm Hg with this pressure rise being sustained for the duration of goggles wear. Swim goggles with a smaller face area were consistently associated with greater IOP elevation.

Although these measurements were not taken while swimming, study authors suggest that some swimming goggles can elevate IOP. The full article can be read in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

Learn more about natural eye care at www.naturaleyecare.com

NaturalEyeCare™ provides a practical approach to keeping your eyes healthy, emphasizing prevention rather than cure, based on the latest scientific research.

SOURCE: “Wearing swimming goggles can elevate intraocular pressure”, Morgan, et al, Br J Ophthalmol. 2008 Sep;92(9):1218-21.

Fresh-cut fruits is one of the fastest growing food categories in U.S. supermarkets, but what effect does processing and storage have on the nutritional value of the fruit?

Surprisingly, an international team of scientists has found that cutting and packaging fruit had almost no affect on the main antioxidants.

Their report, published in the Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry, shows that fresh-cut fruit retains vitamin C and other healthful antioxidants after days on the shelf.

The researchers obtained pineapples, mangoes, cantaloupes, watermelons, strawberries and kiwifruits from wholesale commercial sources in California.  The fruit was taken to a laboratory at the University of California in Davis. Half of each lot was processed as fresh-cut and half left whole.

Both lots were refrigerated under identical conditions for nine days and then tested for nutrient content. Tests showed only small losses of antioxidant compounds in the cut fruit compared to fruit left whole. Levels of some antioxidants in fresh-cut mango and watermelon actually increased due to exposure to light.

In general, researchers found that fresh-cut fruits visually spoil before any significant nutrient loss occurs. 

Learn more about antioxidants

Read other articles about the benefits of antioxidants for good eye health

SOURCE:  Quality Changes and Nutrient Retention in Fresh-Cut versus Whole Fruits during Storage, Gil et al, J. Agric. Food Chem., 2006, 54 (12), pp 4284–4296.

There are several natural (home) remedies available to keep eyes healthy and to deal with (and treat) minor eye problems such as redness and puffy eyes. A few examples of natural remedies are:

Making Use of Natural Creams

In natural eye care healing properties of flowers and plants are used to treat minor problems such as itchy eyes, redness of the eyes and infected (overly irritated) eyes. Different types of advanced eye care are sold by pharmacies and health food shops, mostly containing the following ingredients:

Cucumber or Cucumber Water

Containing Calcium, Vitamins A and C and Magnesium, Cucumber is known for its soothing properties and will help relax eyes and reduce redness of the eyes. Cucumber water or thin slices can also be applied to the skin around the eyes especially if this skin is looking dry.

Agrimony Leaves or Flowers

Dried leaves and flowers of this plant are added to boiled water, after which the infusion is strained and used to bathe the eyes, to reduce swelling and itchy eyes. People who spend a lot of time working behind a computer experiencing itchy or burning eyes, will also benefit from this remedy.

Marigold Flowers

A weak tea is made, cooled down and cotton wool pads are soaked in the tea, after which the pads are placed over the eyes  for ten minutes.

If one notices any changes in vision, please contact an eye doctor immediately. Other eye problems that last longer than two days should always be checked out by a doctor.

We consider daily juicing of primarily organic vegetables and fruits to be an essential part of any long term healing program. Juicing provides a highly effective and efficient way for the body to be able to absorb essential nutrients into the blood and cells, taking a little as a few minutes for the body to start utilizing these nutrients.

Why is juicing so important?

1. What are enzymes? The basic key to the efficacy of nourishing your body is the life present in food and of those intangible elements known as enzymes. Â See more info …
2. Why not just eat fruits and vegetables for our essential nutrients? Solid food requires many hours of digestive activity before its nourishment is finally available to the cells and tissues of the body. See more info …
3. Can juicing prevent disease? Many studies point out that a diet high in fruits and vegetables does in fact reduce the incidents of serious disease.
4. Do vegetables contain protein? Although fruits and vegetables do not contain large quantities of protein, their juice can be a convenient carrier. See more info …
5. What are phytochemicals? They are substances in plants that are linked to good health and to prevention of specific diseases. They are found only in fruits and vegetables, and juicing is a great way to get them.
6. How much juicing can be taken safely? As much as one can drink comfortably without forcing oneself. Recommended amount of juice per day is at least 1 pint per day. Some healing centers actually do 2-8 pints per day for therapeutic purposes.
7. Can I store the juice I make? Juices should generally be drunk when prepared, since certain enzymes and vitamins break down pretty quickly in sunlight.
8. What combinations of fruits and vegetables would be best to juice? There are many different recipes See more info …, but in general at least 50-75% of the juicing should consist of greens (spinach, kale, chard, parsley, dandelion, watercress, broccoli, etc.)
9. Can I still continue to eat fast food and sugar products? These should be kept to an absolute minimum as they use our precious resources to breakdown and digest, offering little in the way of healthy nutrients.
10. Should I use only organic products? In general, yes. By juicing all non-organic products, we stand the chance of taking in concentrated amounts of pesticides used on the plants, thereby negating the value of daily juicing. See more info …
11. What juicer should I use? There are a number of excellent juicers. The juicer we decided to offer on our website is the Omega 8002 juicer, which juices without generating heat that can destroy some of the essential nutrients. At 80 RPM (most juicers work at 3600 RPM and higher), it essentially masticates the fruits and vegetables slowly, preserving the most nutrients possible. The disadvantage is that the process is a little slower, and cleaning takes a couple of more minutes.

Next week I’ll talk about what juices are good for specific diseases.