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Please live a healthy
life; medicine
is an imperfect science.
Hunter 'Patch' Adams
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Modern medicine or Nature's
Way?
For 25 years I relied on doctors for my health, because
modern medicine likes us to believe that we are born with a deficiency
of drugs and an excess of body parts. Since then I've learned that
we mostly just tend to overdose on unnatural foods & drinks, and
all we really lack is a thorough understanding of the laws of nature.
For instance, some people who have dry eyes are simply dehydrated and/or don't blink enough, and the dry eyes are really not due to an eye-drop deficiency.
I believe the ideal method of taking the necessary nutrients in the
quantities required is of course Nature's way, i.e. to eat fresh natural
foods which have not been artificially interfered with or processed.
For the best nutritional value, your diet should include lots of whole,
fresh, ripe, raw, organic foods, preferably grown in mineral rich
soils. Rather
than spending time and money on supplements, spend a little time studying
which nutrients are in which foods, or what the body requires to make
its own supply. Eating fresh organic, if possible home-grown, foods is
most beneficial to your health.
Best food for your eyes:
Most people instantly think of carrots when asked to name a food that's
good for their eyes. You may be surprised that the number one food
for the eyes is actually kale. The following is a list of foods
that promote eye-health.
Dark green leafy vegetables: kale, spinach, fresh parsley, collard greens, mustard
greens.
Yellow/orange vegetables: carrots, corn, pumpkin.
Other vegetables: broccoli, green peas, brussels sprouts.
Yellow/orange fruits as well as most berries, especially bilberries and
blueberries.
For some guidance regarding what nutrients are found
in what foods, see this Nutrition
Chart book (free download)
Supplements.
If you do wish to try supplements, Vision
Works USA sells a large range of products for most vision conditions
and they will ship worldwide. Vision supplements can be useful in helping
the body and eyes get back into balance. However, for the long term
it is best to assess how the deficiency came about, address that problem,
and implement appropriate changes in diet or lifestyle. There simply
is no better way to get all the nutrients you need than through delicious
healthy whole foods.
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Modern medicine would like
you to believe
that you were born with a deficiency of drugs
and an
excess of body parts... |
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What to avoid.
To create health, it's not only important what you eat but also what
you leave out of your diet. The following are best avoided or at least
minimized, especially if you currently have health/vision challenges:
Caffeinated beverages: Coffee, soft drinks, regular
tea and any caffeinated herb tea.
Sugar: white, brown, turbinado, cane, raw, dextrose, maltose,
glucose, maltose, aspartame and all artificial sweeteners. Instead satisfy
your sweet tooth by eating fruits which provide natural sugars that
the body can easily deal with.
Alcohol: Alcohol destroys many vital nutrients; drinkers require
a higher dosage of vitamins.
Artificial colors, flavorings or preservatives, Dairy products, Grains,
White Flour, Refined flours, MSG, Table salt, Hydrogenated oils, Fried
foods
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Food is not only
your best medicine, it is your only medicine
Edward C Kondrot, MD
(Author of 'Healing the Eye the Natural Way')
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Although I believe that good nutrition can play a big role in overcoming
eye-diseases, it is important to know that most symptoms can be relieved
with natural vision habits and relaxation, as those increase circulation
to the eyes which is key in any healing process. Without good vision
habits, it will be more challenging to overcome any eye disease when
making changes in nutrition alone.
Nutrients required for healthy vision.
Many nutrients are known to be involved
in the healthy functioning of our eyes:
Minerals
and trace nutrients:
Amino Acids (N-acetyl-cysteine and Taurine), Alpha Lipoic Acid, Beta Carotene,
Bioflavonoids, Calcium, Choline, Chromium, Copper,
CoQ10, Enzymes, Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) especially
Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, Glucosamine Sulfate, Glutathione, Inositol, Iodine,
Lutein, Lycopene, Magnesium, Manganese, Molybdenum, Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), Phosphorus, Potassium, Selenium,
Taurine, Vanadium, Zeaxanthin, Zinc.
Vitamins: (the
main ones are in bold): A, B-1, B-2, B-3, B-5, B-6,
B-7 , B-9, B-12, C,
D, E, K.
Healthy lifestyle.
Good nutrition is important, but can not stand on its own.
A truly healthy lifestyle involves a healthy diet as well as providing exercise/play,
fresh air, clean water, adequate rest and sleep, emotional poise, sunshine,
a sense of purpose, and loving relationships.

Depletion factors.
The main depletion factors of vital nutrients
from the body are: Stress, Alcohol, Antibiotics and Drugs (both medical
and recreational drugs, including cigarettes).
Other problem causers tend to be: Caffeinated beverages, soft drinks, refined
sugars, table salt, refined grains, fried foods, hydrogenated oils, dairy
products, MSG, artificial colors, flavorings and preservatives.
Avoid bad habits...
Nutrient deficiencies.
The table below gives a list of eye problems with their
possible related nutrient deficiency and/or general toxicity. General
toxicity is not a deficiency of nutrients but an excess of harmful substances,
either from a less than optimal diet, or from environmental influences
such as bad air or exposure to chemicals.
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| A feeling of 'sand' under the eyes |
B-2, EFAs |
| Amblyopia |
A, B-complex |
| Bags under the eyes |
general toxicity |
| Blepharitis (flaking and swelling of the eyelids) |
B-complex |
| Blepharospasm (involuntary twitching of eyelids) |
B-1, B-2, B-6, Magnesium |
| Bloodshot eyes |
B-2, B-complex |
| Blurred vision |
A, B-1, B-2, B-6, E, Chromium |
| Burning and/or itching of the eyes |
B-2 |
| Cataracts |
A, Beta Carotene, B-2, Folic Acid, C, D, E,
Amino Acids, Calcium, Chromium, Copper, Cysteine, Glutathione, Quercetin,
Rutin, Selenium, Zinc, general toxicity |
| Color blindness |
B-12 |
| Conjunctivitis (inflammation/redness of the whites of the
eyes) |
A, B-2 |
| Corneal ulcers |
A, B-1, B-2, C |
| Crusting of the eyelids (granulated eyelids) |
B-2 |
| Dark circles under the eyes |
B-12 |
| Diabetic Retinopathy |
B-6, C, E, Selenium, Zinc, EFAs, Magnesium, Bioflavonoids |
| Double vision |
A |
| Drooped eye lid |
C, E, Potassium |
| Dry cornea syndrome |
A, C, Amino Acids |
| Dry eyes, Xerophthalmia |
A, B-6, B-12, C, E, EFAs, Folic Acid, Potassium, CoQ10,
Water, general toxicity (or staring habit, low blinking rate) |
| Excessive tearing of the eyes |
A, B-2 |
| Eye fatigue |
A, B-2 |
| Floaters, spots in visual field |
Beta Carotene, C, E, Calcium, Copper, general toxicity |
| Glaucoma (abnormal pressure in eyes damaging the optic nerve.
Normal pressure is 15-18 mm Hg; 21 and higher is problematic) |
A, B-complex (esp B-1, B-12), C, E, Bioflavonoids, CoQ10,
Magnesium, EFAs, Quercetin, Zinc |
| Gradual (or sudden) decline in visual capacity |
general toxicity |
| Inflammation of the eye |
A |
| Loss of peripheral vision |
general toxicity |
| Macular degeneration |
Beta Carotene, A, B-2, B-3, B-6,
B-12, C, E, Cysteine, Chromium,
CoQ10, EFAs, Lutein, Selenium, Taurine, Zeaxanthin, Zinc, general toxicity |
| Myopia (nearsightedness) |
A, B-2, D, E, Calcium, Chromium |
| Night blindness |
A, B-complex, Lutein, Zeaxanthin |
| Ocular Rosacea (painful, burning, feels like foreign body
in eyes) |
B-2, B-complex, enzymes |
| Photophobia (sensitivity of the eyes to light) |
B-2, Selenium, Zinc |
| Presbyopia ('over 40 syndrome' farsighted) |
A, B-12, C, E, Magnesium, Selenium, Zinc |
| Retinal bleeding |
B-1, E, Zinc |
| Retinal detachment or retinitis |
A, B-2, Zinc, general toxicity |
Retinitis Pigmentosa
(pigment clumps at the back of the
eye) |
A, B-complex, C, E, EFAs, CoQ10, Cysteine, Taurine, Lutein,
Zeaxanthin, Zinc |
| Sties on the eyelids |
A, Zinc |
| Strabismus / Squint |
A, B-complex |
| Swelling of the eyelids
or swelling under the
eyes |
Potassium, Iodine (causing sluggish thyroid) |
| Unable to produce tears |
A, EFA |
| Uveitis |
B-6, C, E, Bioflavonoids, EFAs, CoQ10, Zinc |
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Note: This page is for educational and
information purposes only. It is not intended to be or replace a medical
diagnosis. Sources are listed below. This page is not 'FDA approved', so read at your own risk. However, no
preservatives were added and it's dolphin safe... (anyway, please read
the disclaimer)
These are the sources of the information presented on this page:
Self Test Nutrition Guide - Cass Igram, DO
Nutrition and the Eyes, Volumes I-III - Bill Sardi
Natural Eye Care, an Encyclopedia - Marc Grossman, OD, LAc & Glen
Swartwout, OD
Healing the Eye the Natural Way - Edward C Kondrot, MD
Nutrition in Eye Health and Disease - Stanley C Evans, Ophthalmic Nutritionist
& Orthoptist
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