Eat right and get a better sight!
Eat right and get a better sight!
Modified diets and dietary supplements can be a very effective complement to medical treatment, said an eye doctor.
Most would probably find it deeply strange, if the eye doctor asked them how often they exercise, when they last ate a piece of chocolate, or if they have an exciting job. After all, what on earth do these things have to do with glaucoma? Or even just a harmless case of dry, itchy eyes, for that matter?
But for Joseph m. Ortiz, M.D., is a practicing ophthalmologist in a suburb of Philadelphia, has the answers to your questions about diet, exercise, stress levels and allergies are an important part of the detective work that lies in finding the cause of an eye problem or even better: to ensure that eye problems do not arise.
Dr. Ortiz believes that the most important prerequisite for healthy eyes is that you have a healthy body. "It goes so don't forget that the eyes are a part of the body," he says. "It's not two separate entities".
He has seen this context in things countless times-an uncontrollable contraction of the eye due to a new job and was aggravated by the fact that the patient drank too much coffee. A bad case of dry mucous membranes in the eye was caused by a diet that contained too little fats. Tired eyes resulting from too much work in front of a computer was remedied with the new glasses and a matte screen. And it's really not the whole ...
Your eyes will be also influenced by the "whole body diseases" like high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. In fact one can by looking at the eyes often find signs of these diseases. The eyes are the only place on the body where you can directly view the blood vessels. Closed, hemorrhagic or scarred blood vessels in the back of the eye (the retina) is a sign that the same problems exist elsewhere in the body, says Dr. Ortiz. "It is said that the eyes are the mirror of the soul. But they are also Windows, where you can look into the rest of the body ". On this basis, it comes as no surprise to him when some of his patients, who come to be treated for an eye problem, ends up getting reduced blood pressure or get more energy and a new belief in holistic healing with on top of the hat.
Dr. Ortiz is one of an even rare profession: Preventive eye specialists. His background is traditional with a medical degree from New York Medical College, as well as the rotation period and research at Yale and the University of Pennsylvania. He super viserer an eye clinic at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and installs many of his patients to eye surgery at Wills Eye Hospital or Sheie Eye Institute in Philadelphia.
But his conversion to preventive medicine is wholeheartedly. At the beginning of the College-time he suffered hepatitis-prompting him to think that he might not live so terribly long, and therefore he went to change his eating habits, so the main focus lay on whole grains, vegetables, fruit and dairy products. During this process, he held out for dietary change impact on body using blood tests. "These tests were really helps to put the focus on how the ' Elimination ' of red meat, sugar, coffee, white flour and alcohol had a beneficial effect on blood cholesterol content and my health at all," he says. And no one can accuse him of not even making it, as he says to others that they should do. He proposes for the same menu for his patients.
In fact, it is a specific type of patients who come in his practice in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania-where the closest neighbors are different holistic specialists. The type of patients, which any doctor should count itself lucky to have.
"These are people who actively doing anything to find a nutritional approach to solve their eye problems", he says. "They want an empathetic person, who knows what he/she is talking about, and which can provide them with the information they need. They are acutely aware that they must take care to do something good for their bodies, but they have never been given any kind of input from an ophthalmologist to, how they can get the body to do something good for the eyes. "
To change habits
All patients-regardless of whether they have an eye problem or not-are encouraged to change the diet to include more whole grain products and fresh produce, and to stop smoking and get plenty of exercise and rest. He recommends vitamin supplements for patients with special problems and also to older patients.
"If I see signs of previous damage-scar tissue or damaged blood vessels in the retina-I recommend 200-400 I.u. vitamin E and 50 mg of zinc to maintain the health of blood vessels and retinal cells," he says. "If a patient is old, has mock teeth or do not eat much meat, I suggest the B vitamins, for he or she will probably not get enough of them. I believe that most are getting enough vitamin A through the diet, so I reserve it for people who have problems with recording or storing nutrients-colitis, liver cirrhosis or past problems with alcohol abuse. I give them 20,000-25,000 I.u. per day. "
Those patients who have surgery, will be "prepared" with 2,000 mg of vitamin C, 50 mg of zinc and vitamin E 200 I.u. per day in the week leading up to the surgery-and they continue to take the same dose, until the eyes are healed. "This reduces the risk of inflammation after surgery and reduces healing period with up to 2 weeks", says Dr. Ortiz.
Against night blindness, IE. the eye's inability to adapt to the dark, giving Dr. Ortiz in the first instance at least 50,000 I.u. vitamin A and 75-100 mg zinc. After a month of treatment, he cuts down on the dose of both drugs.
Vitamin A is necessary to maintain the retinal cells-called spell and tapper-healthy. And when there is little light, the chemical impulses from these cells, which transmits Visual images to our brain, need vitamin A to the formation of the light-sensitive pigment, rhodopsin or Visual purple, is known as (Visual purple). Without this pigment will basically be completely blind when it is dark.
Zinc improves according to Dr. Ortiz's ability to utilize vitamins. It is important for the transformation of the vitamin to its active form, retinaldehyd. Vitamin E also has an important impact on how much vitamin A that is accessible to the eye. In addition, vitamin E can also help fight cataract, believes Dr. Ortiz.
Cataracts, which are increasing cloudiness in the eye's lens, is an inevitable part of getting old, recognizes Dr. Ortiz. "If you live long enough, you will inevitably get acquainted with cataracts." But his own work with some of his patients and results from laboratory studies with laboratory animals have shown that the formation of cataracts in the early stages can be delayed significantly-and in some cases can the development be reversed.
Most scientists believe that the type of cataract, which is found in an ageing eye due to the fact that the eye for years have been exposed to the Sun. "Sunlight absorbed by the lens, reacts with an amino acid called tryptophan and degrades it to particles called free radicals," explains Dr. Ortiz. These destructive, unpaired electrons bind to proteins in the lens and it makes unclear the pigment that blocks the sunlight to the eye and gives everything a yellowish brown color.
But laboratory experiments have shown that the E-and C-vitamin and trace mineral selenium can block the free radicals harmful effect. Instead of attacking the proteins linking the themselves with them and will be neutralized.
Patients who have an age at which cataracts can paste (about 55-years of age), should, according to Dr. Ortiz take 1,500 milligrams of vitamin C and 200-400 I.u. of vitamin E per day. If a patient at the same time suffer from high blood pressure, he recommends more selenium instead of vitamin E-preferably in the form of 2-3 garlic a week. (Selenium supplements should not be taken in quantities exceeding 200 micrograms, without first having consulted with her physician).
If the patient is already showing signs of cataracts, so pulled the emergency brake. In such a case, the subsidy cost includes 2,000 mg of vitamin C, 400 I.u. of vitamin E, up to 200 micrograms of selenium, if necessary, and up to 100 mg riboflavin (vitamin B2). Vitamin E may amplify the effect of glutation, a substance which seems to protect the eye's lens from damage caused by free radicals.
One of Dr. Ortiz ' cataract patients are able-bodied Dr. Ibraham Mark of 76. He lost the sight in one eye a few years ago, when the blood vessels in the retina jumped. When it dawned on him that he was about to lose the sight in the other eye also because of cataracts, he decided to find a doctor who could help him-without that he was going under the knife. After three months with Dr. Ortiz ' treatment plan was his eyesight improved remarkably. With glasses was the sight on his "good" eye improved from 20/100 to 20/60. Even the eye, where the retina was damaged, showed improvement characters-from 20/400 to 20/200.
"This man is a great example of how supplements can help to keep the retina healthy," says Dr. Ortiz. "You have to do something for the whole body, if you want to do something for your eyes. This man is in good health. He thinks about what he eats, he is active and go to great. I think that the reason that dietary supplements had so great an impact on him, is that he take good care of themselves. It may well be that he at some point will need to be operated on for cataracts, but right now both he and I satisfied with his improved eyesight. "
Diabetics among Dr. Ortiz ' patients also get extra advice and supplements, because they are especially prone to cataracts and retinal damage.
"I ask you to ensure that their blood glucose level comes down at 140-not by putting the medication dosage in the weather, but by changing the diet. I also recommend 200-400 micrograms of chromium per day. Chrome gets represented when it to work more efficiently in the body and are thus helping to affect blood glucose levels. " A too high blood sugar levels can damage the blood vessels in the retina and create a condition called diabetic retinopathy-which ultimately can lead to total blindness.
In order to further protect the eye's blood supply Dr. Ortiz recommends a supplement of EPA-a substance found in fish oil, which helps to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood and prevent the clumping of platelets. Thus prevented the fat accumulation, the blood accumulation and the bleeding, which helps to destroy the retina.
In some cases, he recommends also Bioflavonoids-nutrients, which, among other things. be found in the white of the shell on an orange. Bioflavonoids helps to keep the capillary walls are strong and thus prevent them from leaking. Some Bioflavonoids also inhibits the enzyme (aldose reductase), which helps to accelerate the development of certain types of cataracts.
Sidney Cohen, 65, has been a diabetic for 30 years. He went to see Dr. Ortiz last year. "My vision was deteriorating and it quickly went downhill," he says. "I had been with a variety of eye doctors, who all said the same thing. They could check my insulin and perform laser surgery to burn the leaking blood vessels in the eyes. They said nothing about the fact that my vision would get better from it. "
With Dr. Ortiz ' help started Cohen on diet therapy for the first time in their lives. He removed all dried fruit, grapes, concentrated fruit juice, white flour and red meat from his ordinary diabetics ' diet. At the same time, he added, whole grains, fish, vegetables and low-fat dairy products. Besides chrome, EPA and two grams of Bioflavonoids, he took 4 grams of vitamin C, 800 I.u. vitamin E, 200 micrograms of selenium, 50 mg of zinc and 25,000 I.u. vitamin A.
"And you know what? My vision has been at least 40% better. I see better both by day and by night. My cholesterol is lower, and I sleep better at night. " In fact, it was both Cohen and his wife so excited about the improvements that had taken place, that his wife also began to consult a doctor, who is in favour of diet therapy as a part of treatment. "She took a lot of medicines against high blood pressure and angina. Now she takes nothing at all. She has it better now, than she has had it for the last 20 years "
Vitamin C and glaucoma
Glaucoma is a harmful accumulation of fluid in the eye, which can cause permanent damage to the retina. It is another one of the ailments, which can be influenced positively with nutritional therapy, but more often than not requires the traditional medical treatment first.
"I never start using vitamins to treat glaucoma," says Dr. Ortiz. "The primary is to bring the eye pressure down as quickly as possible with the help of eye drops, which in some cases should be supplemented by laser surgery, where one ' drilling ' with tiny holes in the eye, so the liquid can drain out".
Then-if the pressure has been lowered a bit-would suggest Dr. Ortiz vitamin C. This treatment is only effective if the dose is high. "Vitamin C acts as an osmotic agent," he explains. "It pulls the liquid away from the eye."
One of those who use this cure, is a 79-year-old Catherine Laws, widow, who proudly tells that her eyesight now has been good enough that she can drive a car-even if it only concerns short trips within the city limits.
"I'm still using my eye drops, but I also take vitamin C every day now," she says. "I take it 4-5 times a day as powder dissolved in the water."
The eye drops were pressed in her eyes to fall by approximately 10 mmHg. Vitamin C got it to fall an additional 2-4 mmHg, whereby it came down on the normal.
"I feel that vitamin C has helped me a lot," she says. "I have suffered from glaucoma in the last 20 years, and now it has become much better. So something must have worked, and I'm sure it's C-vitamin. "
Almost the same tones sounds from another of Dr. Ortiz ' patients, Brandy Miller, who could see that her eyesight had improved since she began taking his glasses of several times a day.
"In the beginning I could barely see, but after 3-4 months I noticed that my vision had become much sharper, and that my glasses were too strong," she says. "After 4 months I used no glasses when I went home." A test showed that her vision was improved from 20/400 to 2/200 without glasses. And the improvement has remained, even though she now has its new, weaker glasses on it most of the time.
With nearsighted people can glasses get the small muscles, which focuses the eye's lens to be very strong, and thus stretches the eye's outer layer, explains Dr. Ortiz. If one removes the glasses, the muscles work less, and the stretch is reduced. This can stabilize nærsynetheden. And the trainer in addition the brain in to interpret Visual messages, even if they are not 100% sharp.
"My glasses had become thicker and thicker, and I was quite sure that the end of it was that I would become totally blind," says Brandy Miller. "It's good enough uplifting when you can put things into reverse and keep them there."
She had the time and patience to train themselves in to go around without glasses. It's not everyone who can, and it is also not all that achieves the same results, but they can still do a lot for their eyes, says Dr. Ortiz.
"Those who are most bored of it, are the ones I can't do something for-those who are totally blind," he says. "We cannot turn the clock back, but you can get the best out of the time you have. The most important thing is that people realize that it's one even beyond health. "
It does not come as a surprise to Joseph m. Ortiz, M.D., that some of his patients, who come to be treated for eye problems, ends up getting reduced blood pressure or get more energy.
You must use the whole body to do something for the eyes, says Dr. Ortiz.
Massage with the tip of the thumb stuck in the small recesses in the inner corner of the eye-where your nose hits the eyebrows. Let the other fingers resting lightly flexed against his forehead.
Place your thumbs on either side of the forehead. Bend your fingers. Use the side of your finger to rub from the nose outward-first over the eye, then under the eye. On the lower part of the eye socket, you start in the middle of the.
Place your thumbs on either side of the forehead. Bend your fingers. Use the side of your finger to rub from the nose outward-first over the eye, then under the eye. On the lower part of the eye socket, you start in the middle of the.
0 comments:
Post a Comment