Archive for the ‘eye health’ Category

It turns out that the powerful antioxidant, Vitamin E, has something else up its sleeve. While Vitamin E is thought to be very good for the immune system, and can enhance both skin and eye health, it may also help fight Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease:

In a population-based, prospective, cohort study involving 5,395 subjects aged 55 years of age and older, free of dementia at baseline, who were followed up with for an average of 9.6 years, during which time 465 subjects developed dementia, out of whom 365 were diagnosed with having Alzheimer’s disease, higher intake of vitamin E at baseline was associated with a lower long-term risk of dementia. Subjects in the highest tertile of vitamin E intake were found to have a 25% reduced risk of developing dementia (hazard ratio=0.75), as compared to subjects in the lowest tertile of vitamin E intake. The authors conclude, “Higher intake of foods rich in vitamin E may modestly reduce long-term risk of dementia and AD.”

It seems that now is the time to start (or continue) a healthy, easy-to-take vitamin regimen that includes a high quality, super absorbable, full spectrum vitamin E supplement to help ensure continued good health.  In this case, “e” stands for excellent immune system protection!

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Reference: http://www.vitasearch.com/get-clp-summary/39163 “Dietary antioxidants and long-term risk of dementia,” Devore EE, Grodstein F, et al, Arch Neurol, 2010 July; 67(7): 819-25. (Address: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands).

There are so many beautiful sights to see this time of year.  Leaves changing, bright, shiny holiday decorations strewn around lamp posts and in store windows.  And don’t forget the tempting Thanksgiving pies and other goodies lovingly placed on practically every table in the country.  But think if you couldn’t enjoy these cheery sights like the rest of us.  If your eyesight is going, enjoyable things like reading or going to a museum can become depressing.  But there is ongoing research that suggests better dedication to proper nutrition and antioxidant consumption can help mitigate the effects of certain eye diseases.

In a study involving 828 healthy subjects between the ages of 20 and 60 years, various risk factors for age-related maculopathy were found to be associated with low dietary intakes of various antioxidants. The authors of this study set out to determine if the risk factors for age-related maculopathy, such as increasing age and tobacco use, and the putative risk factors, such as alcohol consumption and being of the female sex, were linked to a dietary lack of antioxidants that have been previously shown to benefit retinal health. The most significant finding was the association between increasing age and a relative lack of dietary zeaxanthin. Additional associations were found as well. Tobacco use was associated with a relative lack of dietary vitamin C, alcohol consumption was associated with a relative lack of dietary alpha-linoleic acid, and being of the female sex was associated with a relative lack of zinc. The authors state, “We showed that several variables related to risk of ARM are associated with a relative dietary lack of key nutrients, which may protect against this condition. Indeed, it is biologically plausible that the risk that these variables represent for ARM may reflect, at least in part, an associated and parallel dietary lack of key nutrients (e.g., age and dietary intake of zeaxanthin).” To determine the effects of zeaxanthin supplementation in such a population, additional research is needed.

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Want to read more about eye health?  Click here for our health concerns archives.  For unsurpassed antioxidant protection, try our Omega-Gel and Rubi-QNol supplements.

http://www.vitasearch.com/get-clp-summary/37193

Oftentimes we don’t see eye problems coming.  Everything seems to be going along fine.  You can still discern individual, green leaves on the trees and easily avoid hitting a dog taking a nap on your cul-de-sac.  However, you might be speeding down the freeway one Friday evening and sail right by the exit you want, thereby missing your favorite cousin’s surprise birthday party by a vital fifteen minutes.  All of a sudden you realize you have to face the hard facts:  I can’t see as well as I used to.

Rather than living in blind denial, it’s always best to make an annual appointment with your Ophthalmologist or other eye care professional.  It could be that whatever is bothering your eyesight is less problematic than you imagine.  Your doctor may recommend taking short breaks every hour while working on the computer to alleviate eyestrain.  It’s also a good idea to have proper lighting when reading or doing something that requires consistent eye focus.  Additionally there are certain antioxidant-enriched foods and supplements that promote healthy eyesight and can even thwart some chronic eye conditions and diseases.

So take off the blinders and make a beeline for your annual vision check up.  Oh, and call your cousin.  Promise him you won’t be late next year!

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Interested to learn more about maintaining healthy vision?  Check out our eye health article.  Be sure to purchase nutritional supplements that support good eye health.  MultiSential Plus is a complete blend of essential vitamins and nutrients in an optimally absorbed form.  And Omega-Gel, a powerful antioxidant, can help to fortify your immune system for better overall health and vitality.