It’s one of the only carotenoids that accumulates in the retina. When taken with the other (lutein), it works to protect your eyes from the harmful free radicals behind macular degeneration.

But there may be a lot more to zeaxanthin than that. In fact, research indicates this plant-derived compound could help protect against one of our most dreaded diseases…

Could zeaxanthin help against cancer?

Building on years of work by the lab of Dr. Jing Chen of the University of Chicago, researchers led by Chen sought to better understand how nutrients influence the immune system.

Zeaxanthin has already demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects. When screening an extensive blood nutrient library, the team identified zeaxanthin as a compound that directly enhances the activity of a certain type of immune cell (CD8+ T cells) that kills tumor cells. CD8+ T cells rely on a structure known as the T cell receptor (TCR) to recognize and destroy abnormal cells.

Upon interacting with cancer cells, the researchers discovered zeaxanthin stabilizes and strengthens the formation of the TCR complex on CD8+ T cells. This, in turn, triggers more robust intracellular signaling that boosts T cell activation, cytokine production and, importantly, tumor-killing ability.

Then, the researchers tested zeaxanthin in mouse models of cancer. Dietary supplementation with zeaxanthin in these mouse models slowed tumor growth. Plus, when combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors — a type of immunotherapy that has transformed cancer treatment in recent years — zeaxanthin significantly enhanced anti-tumor effects compared to immunotherapy alone.

The researchers extended the findings by testing human T cells engineered to recognize specific tumor antigens. They found that treatment with zeaxanthin improved the ability of these cells to kill melanoma, multiple myeloma, and glioblastoma cells in laboratory experiments.

“Our data show that zeaxanthin improves both natural and engineered T-cell responses, which suggests high translational potential for patients undergoing immunotherapies,” Chen says.

To sum up, the researchers discovered in laboratory and mouse studies that zeaxanthin may strengthen the cancer-fighting activity of immune cells as well as boost the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy.

Chen says the researchers “were surprised” to uncover zeaxanthin’s new function as an immune booster. “Our study shows that a simple dietary nutrient could complement and strengthen advanced cancer treatments like immunotherapy,” he says.

Zeaxanthin’s many benefits and more to come

Clearly, these results are promising. However, the researchers stress that the work is still at an early stage, with most of the findings coming from laboratory and animal studies.

“Our findings open a new field of nutritional immunology that looks at how specific dietary components interact with the immune system at the molecular level,” Chen says. “With more research, we may discover natural compounds that make today’s cancer therapies more effective and accessible.”

Zeaxanthin is naturally found in vegetables like orange peppers, sweet potatoes, spinach and kale. It’s also available in over-the-counter supplements for eye health, with benefits that go far beyond.

It’s inexpensive, widely available and well-tolerated. It also has a known safety profile, which means it can be safely tested as an adjunct (or addition) to cancer therapies.

Although this research is in its early stages, there really are no downsides to adding zeaxanthin-rich foods or a supplement containing zeaxanthin to your diet today. You’ll be protecting your eye health — and potentially giving yourself a boost against cancer as well.

Sources:

Plant-based nutrient can boost immune cells’ ability to fight cancer — Medical Xpress

Zeaxanthin augments CD8⁺ effector T cell function and immunotherapy efficacy — Cell Reports Medicine

The post The eye vitamin joining the fight against cancer appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

They say that one of the most impressive of these superfoods is a common fruit that’s not only readily available at your local grocery store, but also one that most people enjoy.

And if you need an excuse to enjoy it more often, consider the 1,600 health-boosting compounds that can improve your health status — starting with these six benefits…

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Your body on grapes

A study review by a leading cancer researcher at the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Western New England University scoured over sixty peer-reviewed studies on the health benefits of grapes.

According to those scientists, there are over 1,600 compounds fueling the health-boosting power of grapes. A significant advantage is that the compounds fall into the categories of antioxidants and polyphenols — both of which are considered bioactive compounds.

Bioactive compounds possess diverse biological activities and can interact with biological membranes, receptors and enzymes to influence cellular processes. According to the National Institutes of Health, bioactive compounds are strong enough to exert “changes in health status,” and help prevent myriad diseases.

Those 1,600 reasons make eating grapes a simple and effective way to support head-to-toe health, starting with these six health issues…

#1 – Improved heart health

The research revealed that the benefits grapes bring to cardiovascular health are well established. Grapes are known for promoting relaxation of blood vessels and healthy circulation (which supports blood pressure in the normal range), as well as modulating cholesterol levels.

#2 – Cognitive support

Beyond the heart, clinical trials have shown that grapes deliver powerful support for better brain health, promoting brain metabolism (energy production) and improving cognition. One study found that taking a small dose of resveratrol (found in the skin of grapes) regularly not only improves cognitive function but can also improve blood flow and brain health.

#3 – Beautiful skin

Compounds found in the skin of grapes enhance skin health by increasing resistance to UV radiation and DNA damage at the cellular level. Researchers believe polyphenols, natural antioxidant components found in grapes, are responsible for these beneficial effects.

#4 – Balanced gut microbiome

Grape compounds boost and support overall gut health. Eating grapes has been shown to increase the levels of a type of probiotic bacteria, an enzyme that promotes metabolic detoxification, and enhance the overall diversity of the gut microbiome.

#5 – Eye health

If that weren’t already enough, grapes also contain potent support for your eyes. Beneficial compounds promote retinal health by increasing the optical density of macular pigment (MPOD), a crucial factor in protecting the eyes from harmful blue light and oxidative stress.

#6 – Youthful muscles

Do you worry that family genes can set you up for sickness or early death? Grape consumption has been shown to alter gene expression in relevant body systems. According to leading resveratrol and cancer researcher John M. Pezzuto, Ph.D., D.Sc., Dean of the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Western New England University, it’s this ability to affect activities at the genetic level that is likely the driving force behind the health-boosting power of grapes.

For example, studies have shown that eating grapes can positively alter gene expression in muscle health. By promoting genes linked to lean muscle mass and reducing those associated with muscle degeneration, adding grapes to your diet could help counteract age-related muscle loss. This effect is especially pronounced in women.

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Great compounds in grapes

So what specific compounds fuel the incredible benefits attributed to grapes? Here are just a few of the special compounds you can fill your body with by eating grapes regularly — and how they promote health…

• Flavonoids – Responsible for the rainbow of colors found in fruits and veggies, these compounds boost the brain’s blood supply and slow its aging and offer blood pressure benefits to boot. Just be sure to diversify your flavonoids to ditch disease and live longer.
• Anthocyanidins – These pigments are known for their antioxidant properties and health benefits, like reducing inflammation, lowering blood pressure, and decreasing the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
• Catechins – Another type of antioxidant, catechins are also famously found in green tea. They’re known for their role in reducing inflammation, improving heart health and enhancing brain function. They may also aid in weight management.
• Phenolic acids – These acids are best known for their antioxidant properties and potent support for reducing inflammation, improving gut health and guarding against chronic diseases, including heart disease and diabetes.
• Resveratrol – A potent antioxidant from the skin of red grapes, resveratrol is a health-promoting powerhouse. It reduces brain aging and protects the brain’s barrier, fights muscle loss, promotes heart health and even combats the effects of a high-fat diet and Alzheimer’s.

Enjoy grapes daily to support your best health!

Sources:

This common fruit has over 1,600 compounds that boost brain, heart, and gut health — ScienceDaily

Scientists Discover Surprising New Benefits of Eating Grapes — SciTechDaily

WNE Research Finds Grape Consumption Enhances Muscle Health — WNE

The secret to lower blood pressure with flavonoid – Easy Health Options

Foods that slow brain aging by boosting its blood supply – Easy Health Options

Health benefits of anthocyanins against age-related diseases — Frontiers

Beneficial Properties of Green Tea Catechins — NIH

Phenolic Acids: Sources, Definition, and Health Benefits — Biology Insights

How resveratrol helps fight muscle loss and fatigue — Easy Health Options

Resveratrol fights effects of a high-fat diet and Alzheimer’s — Easy Health Options

The post 1,600 reasons to eat this underappreciated superfruit appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Walnuts, for example, are great for the heart and contain neuroprotective compounds that support brain health and motor function. And almonds have a reputation for being the world’s most nutritious nut, with cholesterol-lowering benefits and more.

Then there’s my favorite nut, the pistachio. This tree nut doesn’t get quite as much attention, and that’s a shame because it also packs a health punch…

A serving of pistachio nut kernels has almost as much protein (5.7 grams) as an egg (6 grams). They’re high in the amino acid arginine, which improves blood flow by boosting nitric oxide. And they’ve been shown to lower cholesterol.

But one of the pistachio’s biggest benefits over other nuts is that it’s the only one that contains the two phytonutrients lutein and zeaxanthin — both of which protect eye health.

Now, research suggests that eating pistachios may be a key factor in protecting against age-related damage that can lead to vision loss…

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Pistachios and MPOD

Macular pigment optical density (MPOD) is an essential factor in eye health. Not only does it protect the retina, but it also reduces the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). And that’s all thanks to lutein.

However, even though plenty of foods contain lutein, like bell peppers, parsley, eggs, kale and spinach, most Americans only get between 1 mg and 2 mg of lutein in their diets.

Enter pistachios…

Researchers at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University selected a group of participants whose baseline intake of lutein was low.

They had them consume two ounces of pistachios per day, equivalent to about 1.6 mg of lutein — enough to double the average daily lutein intake in U.S. adults.

In just six weeks, lutein levels in the participants rapidly increased. But that’s not all…

The researchers observed that consuming two ounces of pistachios daily for 12 weeks resulted in a significant increase in MPOD levels among the participants — an effect that was sustained throughout the 12-week study period.

This suggests that regularly eating pistachios could offer a natural dietary approach to reducing the risk of AMD, a leading cause of blindness in older adults.

“Our findings enhance our understanding of the link between nutrition and eye health,” says Dr. Tammy Scott, a research and clinical neuropsychologist and lead author of the study. “This is especially important as people age and face higher risks of vision impairment.”

Scott adds that pistachios provide a source of healthy fat, potentially enabling the body to absorb the lutein from pistachios better.

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Lutein could also protect cognitive function

The lutein found in pistachios filters blue light and acts as an antioxidant in the eye. But that’s not all lutein can do. Beyond supporting eye health, the lutein found in pistachios may also benefit brain function.

“Lutein crosses the blood-brain barrier, where it may help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation,” notes Dr. Elizabeth Johnson, a co-investigator on the study.

As is the case in the eye, lutein selectively accumulates in the brain and may play a role in reducing cognitive decline. Previous studies have suggested that higher lutein levels are linked with better cognitive performance, including memory and processing speed.

Taken together, these findings indicate pistachios are a valuable addition to a diet intended to support overall healthy aging.

It’s never been easier to add pistachios to your diet. You can buy them unshelled or shelled at pretty much any grocery store. Aim for a quarter cup of shelled pistachios a day, which equals the two ounces administered in the study cited above. Eat them as a snack, mix them with your morning oats, cereal or yogurt, or add them to a salad. This way, you’ll be protecting both your brain and your vision as you get older.

Sources:

Pistachios may help improve eye health, new study finds — EurekAlert!

Pistachio consumption increases Macular Pigment Optical Density in healthy adults: a randomized controlled trial — The Journal of Nutrition

The post The nut that defends against age-related vision loss appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But the most compelling reason has to do with one special nutrient…

Unlike fish oil, krill oil also contains astaxanthin, a powerful antioxidant that’s many times more potent than vitamin C, beta-carotene and vitamin E.

Astaxanthin not only pumps up the omega-3 benefits of krill oil, it gives the body’s aging processes quite a challenge, in part because of its powerful impacts on the body’s most vital systems and organs.

So let’s dive into what this amazing antioxidant is, where it comes from and what the research says about it…

What exactly is astaxanthin?

Astaxanthin is a red-colored ketocarotenoid first identified and isolated in 1938 by scientist Richard Kuhn, who discovered it while studying lobsters to find out what gave them their color. Kuhn won the 1938 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on carotenoids and vitamins.

Astaxanthin is found mainly in the algae Haematococcus pluvialis and the yeast Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous, both of which produce it naturally. The algae are a food source for a number of sea creatures, and astaxanthin is what turns their shells and flesh pink.

Because krill feed almost exclusively on these algae, they contain higher amounts of astaxanthin than other marine animals like shrimp, salmon, trout and lobster.

How astaxanthin works in the body

As a carotenoid, astaxanthin is fat-soluble and has antioxidant properties that help protect your cells from free radicals and oxidative stress.

Astaxanthin acts by neutralizing reactive oxygen species (ROS) on the inner and outer layers of cell membranes. This keeps ROS from doing damage to the basic building blocks of the cell including DNA, protein and lipids.

Here are some specific ways astaxanthin supports your overall health….

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Astaxanthin and inflammation

Like many antioxidants, astaxanthin may help to reduce inflammation. But astaxanthin’s specific ability to neutralize ROS helps reduce proteins that can cause inflammatory diseases such as celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease and diabetes.

Not only does astaxanthin fight inflammation, it also assists our mitochondria, the energy powerhouses located in our cells. Having mitochondria functioning at their best gives our bodies optimal energy and helps it operate at peak performance.

By reducing inflammation, astaxanthin supports improved mitochondrial performance, as well as providing antioxidant support to ward off free radical damage.

Studies show astaxanthin’s anti-inflammatory capabilities can help with exercise recovery by protecting the body from overproduction of free radicals, inhibiting the production of excess lactic acid in the muscles, reducing fatigue and improving muscle strength.

Astaxanthin and immune system health

Along with fighting inflammation, astaxanthin can boost your immune system by helping to activate white blood cells known as T-cells as well as natural killer cells. T-cells attack malicious cells based on antigen markers, while natural killer cells work even faster to stop foreign invaders from harming your health.

But as important as it is for an immune system to be reactive — it’s just as important not to be overactive to avoid an autoimmune response. Astaxanthin’s anti-inflammatory properties help modulate a balanced immune response.

Astaxanthin and brain health

Carotenoids like astaxanthin help support good brain health by reducing the risks for neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and cognitive impairment.

But one advantage astaxanthin has is that its molecular structure is small enough to allow it to cross the blood-brain barrier. This gives it added ability to protect the brain and possibly even slow the onset rate of cognitive disorders.

Astaxanthin may also literally grow your brain. According to one study, astaxanthin can promote the growth of new brain cells in the hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for learning and memory. Researchers also found that those new cells had even greater learning and memory capacity.

Astaxanthin and heart health

Like omega-3s, astaxanthin has great benefits for your heart, including blood pressure. In one double-blind placebo-controlled study, postmenopausal women who took astaxanthin experienced a 7 percent reduction in systolic blood pressure (the top number) and a 4 percent reduction in diastolic pressure (the bottom number).

Astaxanthin can also help reduce LDL, the “bad” kind of cholesterol, and raise HDL, or “good” cholesterol. And since astaxanthin works in tandem with omega-3s in krill oil, you get a greater cholesterol-lowering benefit than with regular fish oil.

Results of one study showed patients who took 1 to 1.5 grams of krill oil a day showed a significantly higher decrease in bad cholesterol than patients who took three times that dose in fish oil.

Astaxanthin and blood sugar problems

Astaxanthin could be useful in preventing diabetic nephropathy, a disorder of the kidneys. According to one study in mice, the antioxidant activity of astaxanthin helped lower blood sugar, reduce stress on the kidneys and prevent renal cell damage.

Another study showed astaxanthin protected cells against the oxidative damage caused by high blood sugar levels. This damage can cause several complications in diabetics, including kidney disease, nerve damage (neuropathy) and vision problems (retinopathy).

Astaxanthin and eye health

While chemically astaxanthin shares some similarities with other carotenoids (like beta-carotene), it’s more closely related to oxygenated xanthophylls like lutein and zeaxanthin, both known for improving eye health. And like these two nutrients, astaxanthin can also help protect your vision.

But here astaxanthin has an extra edge, like it does in the brain…

Not only can the antioxidant cross the blood-brain barrier, but the same process holds for the retinal barrier.

In studies of patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), supplementing astaxanthin and other carotenoids were found to significantly improve retinal electrical outputs, which helps slow AMD damage.

Glaucoma involves an increase in the pressure of fluid inside the eyeball that causes oxidant damage and loss of blood flow and eventually results in retinal cell death. In eyes with experimentally induced glaucoma, astaxanthin restored these retinal parameters to normal.

Another study showed that astaxanthin supplementation resulted in a 46 percent reduction of eye strain caused by visual display terminals.

Astaxanthin and skin health

Astaxanthin appears to act as a sort of natural internal sunscreen by helping to protect your skin from damage by the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. The nutrient builds up in the top two layers of skin, helping to block UV penetration and reduce existing sun damage like wrinkles and lack of elasticity.

Astaxanthin and longevity

Researchers have found that astaxanthin can significantly increase the activation of the so-called “longevity gene” located in our heart tissue. In fact, animals in one study that were fed large amounts of astaxanthin had a 90 percent increase in the activation of this gene.

Healthy aging is a hot topic in discussions surrounding lifespan. This is the intersection referred to as healthspan. Numerous studies have shown that supplementing astaxanthin appears most beneficial for many of the aging processes and organs most challenged by aging including the brain, eyes and skin, not to mention energy levels.

To supplement or not to supplement

There’s no doubt that seafood is a rich source of astaxanthin — but it has to be the right kind. Wild salmon contains between 26 and 38 mg of astaxanthin per kilogram, while farmed salmon only contains 6 to 8 mg per kilogram.

Some experts recommend getting about 3.8 mg of astaxanthin a day, the amount found in roughly 5.8 ounces of salmon. However, others say a therapeutic dose of astaxanthin is anywhere from 4 to 12 milligrams a day, which makes it difficult to get through diet alone.

That’s why supplementing with astaxanthin-rich krill oil is a great alternative. Just remember, because it’s a fat-soluble carotenoid, take it after a meal for best absorption in the body.

Sources:

Health Benefits of Astaxanthin — Nourish by WebMD

Health effects of astaxanthin have been long studied — Natural Products Insider

Beneficial and Detrimental Effects of Reactive Oxygen Species on Lifespan: A Comprehensive Review of Comparative and Experimental Studies — Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology

Biological and neurological activities of astaxanthin (Review) — Molecular Medicine Report

Astaxanthin: Sources, Extraction, Stability, Biological Activities and Its Commercial Applications—A Review — Marine Drugs

Clinical Applications of Astaxanthin in the Treatment of Ocular Diseases: Emerging Insights — Marine Drugs

The Microalgae-Sourced  Carotenoid That Delivers Broad Spectrum Antiaging Benefits — Clinical Education

The post Astaxanthin: The antioxidant that challenges aging appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

She immediately followed the doctor’s instructions for diet and supplements, but she had one question to which the doctor couldn’t give a satisfying answer:

“Is there anything I could have done to prevent this?”

Right now, the short answer to that is no. AMD has no known cause, and while there are treatments to slow progression, there is no cure.

But scientists are looking to change that. They’re digging deeper into the mechanisms of the disease — and what they’re discovering is fascinating…

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The key could be a molecule that maintains healthy cholesterol

An international team of researchers led by the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis (WashU Medicine) used human plasma samples and mouse models of AMD to explore a specific link with cardiovascular disease, both of which worsen with age.

The reason they chose to focus on that connection is that in AMD, doctors can see cholesterol-rich deposits under the retina during an eye exam, according to senior author Dr. Rajendra S. Apte, a professor at WashU Medicine.

While vision might still be normal in the early stages, the deposits increase inflammation and other damaging processes that lead to a gradual loss of central vision.

In recent years, investigators have discovered that a molecule called apolipoprotein M (ApoM) exhibits anti-inflammatory effects and plays a role in maintaining healthy cholesterol metabolism. Levels of ApoM tend to fall with age.

Dr. Apte and co-senior author Dr. Ali Javaheri, also a professor at WashU Medicine, aimed to investigate whether reduced levels of ApoM contribute to the dysfunctional cholesterol metabolism underlying multiple diseases of aging, including AMD and heart disease.

They demonstrated that patients with AMD have lower levels of ApoM in their blood compared to healthy patients. And past research by Javaheri showed patients with various forms of heart failure also had lower levels of ApoM.

This study revealed that ApoM is a key component in the “good cholesterol” pathways that clean up excess “bad” cholesterol — the kind that tends to drive inflammation — and clear it from the body through the liver.

This suggests that when ApoM levels are low, cells in the retina and heart muscle are unable to metabolize cholesterol deposits correctly and have difficulty clearing the accumulating lipids. When they build up, it leads to inflammation and cellular damage.

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Effects of low ApoM could be reversible

To see if they could reverse the harmful effects of low ApoM, the researchers increased ApoM levels in mouse models of macular degeneration. The mice showed evidence of improved retinal health, improved function of light-sensing cells in the retina and reduced accumulation of cholesterol deposits.

In short, the results suggest increasing ApoM in the blood could fix problems in cholesterol processing that lead to cellular damage in the eyes and other organs.

“Our study points to a possible way to address a major unmet clinical need,” Apte says. “Current therapies that reduce the chance of further vision loss are limited to only the most advanced stages of macular degeneration and do not reverse the disease. Our findings suggest that developing treatments that increase ApoM levels could treat or even prevent the disease and therefore preserve people’s vision as they age.”

The findings also could have implications for raising ApoM in patients with heart failure.

You may be wondering if there’s any way we can support our own ApoM levels. There is some evidence that berberine, a naturally occurring compound found in certain plants, may increase ApoM levels to protect the gut-vascular barrier. Sources of berberine include European barberry, goldenseal, goldthread, Oregon grape, phellodendron and tree turmeric.

Berberine is available in supplement form, but be aware that it interacts with several medications. It’s important to check with your doctor first before using it.

Another study in mice showed that niacin increased ApoM gene and protein expression levels. This vitamin is present in foods such as yeast, milk, meat and cereals. Although you can take niacin supplements, you’re likely getting enough of the vitamin from your diet.

If you do take a niacin supplement, don’t take more than what is recommended, or you could end up causing another problem for your eyes — a rare toxic reaction called niacin-induced maculopathy.

Sources:

The molecule that might save your sight—and your heart — ScienceDaily

Apolipoprotein M attenuates age-related macular degeneration phenotypes via sphingosine-1-phosphate signaling and lysosomal lipid catabolism — Nature Communications

Berberine reduces gut-vascular barrier permeability via modulation of ApoM/S1P pathway in a model of polymicrobial sepsis — Life Sciences

Berberine – Uses, Side Effects, and More — WebMD

Niacin regulates apolipoprotein M expression via liver X receptor‑α — Molecular Medicine Report

Niacin — Mayo Clinic

The post A cholesterol cure to save your heart and your vision appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

That’s because the sun increases risks for skin cancer and is responsible for about 90 percent of skin aging by damaging key proteins responsible for keeping it firm and smooth.

But if you’re not protecting your eyes from the ravages of the sun as well, you could be in trouble…

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Why your eyes need protection from the sun

When I was in high school, all the cool kids wore Ray-Ban® sunglasses. But now that we’re older, there are more important reasons to break out the sunglasses.

Sunglasses protect the light-sensing photoreceptors in the eye by blocking harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.

That makes them a must for preserving your eye health and preventing problems like the following…

Solar retinopathy

Solar retinopathy is a permanent sunburn on your retina that can cause vision loss and blindness. Image-sensing photoreceptors are destroyed by looking directly at the sun, watching a solar eclipse or even with prolonged exposure to intense sunlight.

Pterygium (surfer’s eye)

Pterygium, or surfer’s eye, happens when a cloudy, wedge-shaped bump forms on the cornea from the corner toward the pupil. These growths usually remain small, but if they expand, they can affect your vision and cause discomfort.

Photokeratitis

In photokeratitis, sun exposure literally burns the cornea and conjunctiva, causing eye sensitivity and pain, redness, watery eyes, blurry vision and swelling. Photokeratitis can also occur when UV light reflects off snow, ice or water (also known as snow blindness), or when it’s emitted by a source like a tanning bed.

Cataracts

When a cataract develops, it clouds your eye’s lens. While they may not affect your vision at first, they can make it harder for you to read, drive and perform other everyday tasks. Cataracts typically happen with age, but exposure to UV light can accelerate cataract development.

Age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) causes the progressive decay of the macula, the part of the eye responsible for your central vision. The macula begins to thin with time, which causes you to lose the vision in the center of your eye. Aging commonly increases your risk of developing AMD, but extensive UV exposure can raise your risk as well.

Migraine and headaches

About 60 percent of headaches and as many as two-thirds of migraines are caused by bright lights, including the glare of the sun. In fact, it can take as little as five to 10 minutes out in the sun to trigger a migraine.

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Other protective qualities

Sunglasses with polarized lenses can reduce the glare that occurs when sunlight bounces off water, snow or glass by filtering out horizontal light waves. This makes it easier for our eyes to focus and reduces eye strain and fatigue.

Tinted lenses can also keep us from squinting in bright sunlight, making it easier for us to distinguish between objects and colors and reducing the strain on our eyes.

Even on cloudy days, it’s a good idea to wear sunglasses if you’re going to spend prolonged time outdoors since some UV rays will still be present.

Choosing the right sunglasses

Note that not all sunglasses prevent UV rays from reaching your eyes. You need to choose a pair that has 95 to 100 percent UV protection or one with a “UV 400” sticker. Lens color also matters, with brown, green, and gray lenses being the best options. Yellow lenses provide less sun protection.

In addition, you probably want a pair of sunglasses with polarized lenses, since they will help reduce glare and reflections. However, they can be inconvenient if you need to use a device with a screen, as they will make the screen hard to read.

If you already have a pair of sunglasses but don’t know how much UV protection they offer, you can verify this with a photometer. This device is likely available at your eye doctor’s office and at some sunglasses retailers.

Once you’ve chosen your sunglasses, ensure they fit properly. If you have space between the frames and eyes, or your sunglasses slip down your nose, you’ll expose your eyes to UV radiation. It’s probably best to buy your sunglasses at an eyewear store so that they can be precisely fitted to your face.

Sources:

How Sunglasses Help Protect Your Eyes’ Health — Johns Hopkins Medicine

5 Reasons You Should Wear Sunglasses More Often — River Heights Eye Care

Sunglasses and Your Eyes — Columbia University Irving Medical Center

What Role Do Sunglasses Play in Preventing Eye Strain and Fatigue? — Optical Masters

Why Does the Sun Give Me a Headache? — TheraSpecs

How Sunglasses Can Help Prevent Migraines Triggered by the Sun—And More! — Optometrists’ Clinic Inc.

The post 7 reasons to wear sunglasses this summer and beyond appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

This could be because the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force advises healthcare professionals to prescribe statins in patients ages 40 to 75 who have at least one risk factor for heart disease, such as diabetes or dyslipidemia, and an estimated 10-year cardiovascular risk of 10 percent or more.

However, there is a dark side to statins. Their side effects can include severe muscle pain and kidney damage. And evidence suggests they can double your risk of dementia and triple your risk of diabetes.

Plus, statins have been linked in recent studies to cataracts. In fact, one study suggests they can as much as quadruple your risk!

And that’s not the only vision issue that’s been connected to statin use….

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Statins and glaucoma

Researchers conducted a cross-sectional, population-based study of over 79,000 patients ages 40 and older in the All of Us (AoU) Research Program to see whether there was an association between statin use and glaucoma. This eye disease can damage the optic nerve and lead to blindness if left untreated.

According to Dr. Victoria Tseng, of the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles, high cholesterol can impact circulation quality throughout the body, with poor blood circulation to the optic nerve worsening glaucoma.

“Statins work to lower cholesterol levels so the question is whether they can also alter the risk of glaucoma,” Tseng says.

A large study published in 2012 tied use of statins for two years to a decreased risk of progressing from glaucoma to open-angle glaucoma compared to those who received no statin therapy.

The results of the newer study weren’t as rosy…

Tseng and her colleagues separated the results of their study based on whether participants had optimal, near-optimal, borderline high, high or very high levels of LDL.

But not only did they find a link between statin use and a higher likelihood of glaucoma in adults with high cholesterol — but even in those whose LDL cholesterol (the “bad” kind) was in the optimal range.

Tseng observes that those with healthier LDL levels may have reached them by using statins. Statin use was significantly associated with glaucoma among participants with optimal and high levels of LDL. There was no association in the other LDL level groups, Tseng notes.

There was also a positive connection between statin use and the prevalence of glaucoma in participants aged 60 to 69 years.

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A complicated picture

“Most previous studies have suggested no association or a protective association between statins and glaucoma,” Tseng tells MedPage Today. “Our finding of increased glaucoma in statin users suggests that things may be more complicated than previously discussed.”

“It could be that statin users had worse hyperlipidemia, which is why they needed statins,” she adds. “So, the statins could be a proxy for worse circulation to the optic nerve.”

Tseng says more research is needed to understand whether the statins themselves might be responsible for the higher glaucoma rates. This would include exploration of associations between different types of lipid measurements, vascular circulation in the optic nerve and any changes that result with statin use.

For now, Tseng recommends ophthalmologists check the cardiovascular status of patients and their use of related medications. “These may all be factors contributing to glaucoma risk either positively or negatively and may make the glaucoma disease not behave as typically as expected,” she says.

In the meantime, if you’re using statins, it’s probably a good idea to check your glaucoma risk. Some factors putting you at higher risk include:

• Being over age 60
• Being of African, Asian, or Hispanic descent
• Having relatives with glaucoma
• Being very nearsighted (myopic) or far-sighted (hyperopic)
• Using steroid medications
• Having high eye pressure
• Having a thin central cornea
• Having had an eye injury

Suppose you have any of these risk factors and are on a statin. In that case, you may want to talk to your doctor about switching to a different medication. But medication may not be your only choice. You may be able to adjust your cardiovascular risk with lifestyle changes such as following a healthy diet, exercising regularly, losing weight and not smoking or drinking alcohol.

Sources:

 Statin Use Linked to Higher Risk of Glaucoma — MedPage Today

Associations between Statin Use and Glaucoma in the All of Us Research Program — Ophthalmology Glaucoma

Glaucoma Risks — Glaucoma Research Foundation

Lipophilic statin use linked to increased risk of dementia — EurekAlert!

Association of Common and Rare Genetic Variation in the 3‐Hydroxy‐3‐Methylglutaryl Coenzyme A Reductase Gene and Cataract Risk — Journal of the Amerian Heart Association

The post Glaucoma joins growing list of statin side effects appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

More of us than not have likely gone to the doctor’s office for a checkup, only to be told we need to lower our ‘bad’ cholesterol or raise our ‘good’ cholesterol.

But what if there’s more to the plot of this cholesterol story? What if the so-called “good” guy — HDL cholesterol — isn’t always so good?

That’s the finding of a study published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology that has shown a dangerous link between high-density lipoprotein, or HDL cholesterol, and the second leading cause of blindness in the United States.

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Cholesterol’s glaucoma risk

The research delved into an average of 14 years of medical data of over 400,000 people between the ages of 40 and 69 who participated in the U.K. Biobank Study.

Specifically, the scientists set out to compare results from cholesterol testing to the likelihood of developing glaucoma. It’s an eye condition that results in damage to the optic nerve, vision loss and even blindness that is currently irreversible and incurable.

And the researchers found something quite surprising…

People with higher levels of HDL or ‘good’ cholesterol in their blood (which is linked to a lower heart disease risk) were significantly more likely to suffer from glaucoma. In fact, the numbers showed that those with the highest HDL levels faced a 10% elevated glaucoma risk compared to those with the lowest levels.

Conversely, the results showed that participants with higher LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol, total cholesterol and triglycerides (all considered risk factors for heart disease) were less likely to develop glaucoma.

According to the researchers, people with the highest LDL levels experienced an 8% reduction in their glaucoma risk. And those with the highest triglycerides were 14% less likely to end up with glaucoma.

These findings suggest that the traditional view of cholesterol, where high levels of HDL are considered beneficial, may need to be re-evaluated in the context of eye health.

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Balancing your cholesterol levels

So, if you have high levels of that ‘good’ cholesterol, should you ask your doctor for cholesterol-lowering statins in order to reduce your glaucoma risk?

That’s a complicated matter. While statins may be effective in lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart disease, previous research has linked these medications to glaucoma development, too. It’s important to discuss the potential risks and benefits with your doctor before considering statin therapy.

However, there are natural steps to support balanced cholesterol levels that could help bring down excess HDL levels. They include:

• Reducing alcohol intake
• Eating a balanced diet
• Getting regular exercise
• Maintaining a healthy weight

Also, manage other health conditions that can cause your HDL to skyrocket, like thyroid issues and inflammatory diseases.

Some medications, including bile acid sequestrants (which decrease fat absorption from foods), cholesterol absorption inhibitors, niacin and fibrates (such as fenofibrate), can raise your HDL levels. So, you might need to talk to your doctor about other options for treatment if you take these.

Don’t forget to have your cholesterol tested regularly to keep track of where you are. Normal HDL is 40 to 80 mg/dL for males and 50 to 80 mg/dL for females. Levels that fall at 80+ mg/dL are considered to be high for all.

Sources:

Can too much ‘good’ cholesterol increase glaucoma risk? — MedicalNewsToday

Can my HDL be too high? — MedicalNewsToday

HDL cholesterol: How to boost your ‘good’ cholesterol — Mayo Clinic

Can HDL Cholesterol Levels Be Too High? — Healthline

HDL Cholesterol — Cleveland Clinic

When HDL is high (and too high) — Whole Heart Cardiology

The post When good cholesterol is bad news for your eyes appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But the active ingredient in both, semaglutide, hasn’t been without concerns, the least of which may be acid reflux, nausea and vomiting but includes acute pancreatitis and gallbladder disease — tied to the way the drug works by slowing the passage of food through the digestive tract.

There’s also the black box warning for thyroid cancer.

We expect drugs to have drawbacks, even trade-offs. But proponents of semaglutide say the health benefits of weight loss, especially when comorbidities like diabetes and high blood pressure exist, outweigh the risks.

But for semaglutide the risks keep piling up…

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Ozempic’s potential for vision loss

A paper published in JAMA Ophthalmology by scientists from Harvard Medical School has uncovered a huge potential trade-off…

Their findings suggested an association between semaglutide and non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), an irreversible and uncommon condition causing damage to the optic nerve and, ultimately, permanent loss of vision.

“We were motivated to do this study purely because of our experience,” Joseph F. Rizzo III, MD, principal investigator, said. “I had seen a patient who had NAION, and she was on Ozempic. I was meeting with my trainees the same day, and I was telling them about this when a resident walked in and said that she had just seen a case like that in the emergency room. Later that week, I saw a third case. Three cases within 7 or 8 days were very odd, I thought. That’s when I began to develop the strategy to do a clinical study.”

The study consisted of 16,827 patients referred to and evaluated at Mass Eye and Ear, one of the country’s largest neuro-ophthalmology clinics, from December 1, 2017, through November 30, 2023.  

• Of 710 patients with type 2 diabetes, 194 had been prescribed semaglutide while 516 had been taking non–GLP–1 RA antidiabetic medications.
• Of 979 overweight/obese patients, 361 had been taking semaglutide, while 618 had been taking non–GLP–1 RA weight-loss medications.
• Among the two groups, the hazard ratios for NAION were 4.28 and 7.64 respectively.

Dr. Rizzo concluded that patients should be informed of this potential risk, but because their study was observational, more research was needed before broad changes could be made.

Now, two Danish studies have confirmed his team’s findings, and in a much larger study population…

Danish studies confirm NAION association

The first Danish study was conducted by Dr. Jakob Grauslund, Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Southern Denmark (USD).

Dr. Grauslund and colleagues examined data from all 424,152 Danes with type 2 diabetes. They found that Ozempic more than doubles the risk of developing NAION.

They’ve also seen an increase in cases of NAION in Denmark since Ozempic came on the market there in 2018, rising from 60-70 a year to up to 150.

In the second study, Dr. Anton Pottegard and colleagues from USD looked at the number of patients in Denmark and Norway who developed NAION after starting treatment with Ozempic compared with people who used another medication to treat diabetes.

They found that Ozempic carried a 2.81 times greater relative risk of developing NAION. This means that a patient with type 2 diabetes who takes Ozempic, has almost three times the risk of developing NAION as those who don’t use the drug.

The Danish researchers emphasized the importance of treating diabetes, and that NAION is a serious, but rare side effect. They hope their results can be used by doctors and patients to discuss the pros and cons of treatment with Ozempic.

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Things to consider

It’s always best to talk to a doctor before changing the way you take any medication that has been prescribed. And that’s part of the advice offered by The American Academy of Ophthalmology and the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society following the results of the Harvard study.

They do not recommend that people stop taking semaglutide unless they experience sudden vision loss — in which case they say to stop taking the drug and see a doctor immediately.

NAION symptoms include:

• Blurred vision
• Color distortion
• Loss of peripheral vision
• A dark or gray spot in the vision that doesn’t move
• Loss of contrast or light sensitivity

They also acknowledged that the medical community has been aware of other vision changes with semaglutide for some time, including that semaglutide can cause blurred vision, worsening of diabetic retinopathy and macular complications. However, they go on to say these appear to be temporary side effects.

They also suggest anyone taking semaglutide should talk to their doctor to be sure the medication is right for them.

We will stay on top of this news and if they issue a new statement based on the results of the Danish studies, we will share it.

Sources:

Danish diabetes medicine increases the risk of severely debilitating eye condition — EurekAlert

Risk of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy in patients prescribed semaglutide — JAMA Ophthalmology

Specialists discuss concerns over impact of semaglutide on the eye — Healio News

Use of semaglutide and risk of non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy: a Danish-Norwegian cohort study — medRxiv

American Academy of Ophthalmology and North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society Issue Advice on Weight Loss Drug and Eye Health — American Academy of Ophthalmology Newsroom

The post Ozempic and Wegovy associated with vision loss risk appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

And while the condition currently affects up to 11 million Americans, that number is expected to double over the next three decades.

You might think that a condition that leaves so many suffering and steals their independence would have reliable and safe treatment options, but you’d be wrong.

The current treatments for age-related vision loss can vary from having a needle stuck into your eye to high-energy lasers and hit-or-miss drugs — all of which come with undeniable risks.

Luckily, researchers may have finally unlocked the secret to not only warding off — but possibly walking back — the damage that results in vision loss…

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Calcium buildup in the blood vessels of the eye

That secret involves what the researchers believe is an underlying cause of macular degeneration – a protein found in our blood, known as vitronectin.

While there are hundreds of proteins circulating in our bloodstream at any given time, researchers focused on vitronectin because it’s one of the most abundant and an important component of cholesterol.

Vitronectin is also a key player in many age-related diseases, which led the team to believe it may also provide a promising target in the treatment of vision loss associated with aging.

“This protein is an important target for macular degeneration because it accumulates in the back of the eye, causing vision loss. Similar deposits appear in the brain in Alzheimer’s disease and in the arteries in atherosclerosis,” said lead researcher Francesca Marassi, PhD. “We want to understand why this happens and leverage this knowledge to develop new treatments.”

The researchers set out to discover how the protein changes its structure at different temperatures and under varying levels of pressure, illustrating what happens in the human eye over time.

The scientists found that when vitronectin is subjected to pressure, it subtly changes shape — a change that enables it to bind more easily to calcium ions in the blood.

According to the researchers, this is what leads to the buildup of calcified plaque deposits that are hallmarks of macular degeneration and other age-related diseases.

It’s a discovery that researchers say will help them develop treatments for vision loss that block the protein’s calcium binding.

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Balancing calcium in your body

Calcified plaque deposits, whether in the vessels of your eyes or those in your heart, can obviously lead to systemic problems.

But calcium is a beneficial nutrient when the body has the right balance of other nutrients to help it do the jobs it’s meant for.

Fortunately, there are a few ways to help those processes and avoid the circulation problems excess calcium can cause…

For starters, unless your doctor has prescribed calcium supplements for a specific health condition, it’s best to get calcium from foods in your diet. That could help cut down on excess in the first place. Dairy foods are your best source, but salmon, squash, and almonds are also good choices.

Everyone knows the symbiotic relationship between vitamin D and calcium. To absorb calcium efficiently, an adequate amount of vitamin D must be present in the body. We know many Americans, especially seniors have either insufficient or outright deficient vitamin D levels.

Another vital vitamin equally important to balance calcium is vitamin K2.

This important nutrient helps direct calcium from the bloodstream to our bones, where it belongs. Once there, vitamin D’s job begins.

The form of vitamin K2 that’s been studied for its circulatory benefits is known as “MK-7,” and the most plentiful food source of K2 is a fermented Japanese food called natto. It can also be supplemented.

Lastly, natural chelators also help to flush excess calcium.

One such chelator is ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid or EDTA. EDTA chelation has been used for decades to bind with lead to remove it from the bloodstream. During these processes, it was discovered that it also binds to rogue calcium and removes it from circulation via body waste.

So, if your vision — and circulatory health — are working the way they should, kudos to you. But remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Sources:

How a single protein could unlock age-related vision loss — ScienceDaily

Age-Related Macular Degeneration Treatment — WebMD

LUCENTIS SIDE EFFECTS CENTER — RX List

The post The weird connection between macular degeneration and calcified plaque appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

She doesn’t even have diabetes or heart disease or a family history of very high cholesterol, which are the categories of patients Dr. Elizabeth Klodas places on statins.

Still, she listened to her doctor and went on the medication. And she promptly began experiencing one of the side effects: severe muscle pain. She stopped using it and decided to go the diet and exercise route instead, with great results.

The muscle pain would have been reason enough to be anti-statins. But these medications can have other, even more dangerous side effects, such as kidney damage and cataracts. And they can double your risk of dementia and triple your risk of diabetes.

The fact that statins raise your risk of diabetes is somewhat of a merry-go-round, considering that you’re taking statins to protect your heart health while diabetes can destroy it. This is one ride no one wants to take….

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The distressing difference in rosuvastatin

Researchers conducted a secondary analysis of the LODESTAR trial conducted in South Korea between 2016 and 2019. They were looking to compare the long-term efficacy and safety of two statin drugs, rosuvastatin (Crestor) and atorvastatin (Lipitor), in adults with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Regardless of which drug they were randomized to, people with existing CAD showed no statistically significant difference in incidence of 3-year combined all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke and coronary revascularization. In other words, both drugs were equally effective.

However, they did discover something alarming about one of the drugs…

The group taking rosuvastatin had a higher incidence of new-onset diabetes requiring them to start diabetes medication than the group taking atorvastatin (7.2% versus 5.3%). The rosuvastatin group also had a higher rate of cataract surgery than the atorvastatin group (2.5% versus 1.5%).

The researchers weren’t clear on how a particular statin could be tied to new-onset diabetes. However, they did say the excess cataracts could be related to rosuvastatin’s more potent LDL cholesterol-lowering power. This can prevent epithelial cell development within the crystalline lens, where cholesterol biosynthesis is critical to maintain transparency and structure of the lens.

What that means is this: the body appears to need some cholesterol to keep the lenses of the eyes clear and healthy — just as it does to maintain a healthy brain and support production of vitamin D and some hormones — and rosuvastatin may not be leaving the body enough to work with.

Inflammation could be bigger contributor

The researchers emphasize that rosuvastatin’s greater LDL lowering strength didn’t translate to fewer clinical events. Recent evidence suggests that in people already taking statins, inflammation is a bigger contributor to cardiovascular risk than cholesterol. And statins do lower that inflammation along with cholesterol.

“Therefore, when using rosuvastatin over atorvastatin as a statin regimen in people with coronary artery disease, a greater reduction in LDL cholesterol levels can be expected; however, meticulous monitoring and appropriate lifestyle interventions should be considered to mitigate the risk of new-onset diabetes mellitus or cataracts,” the researchers wrote.

Further investigation is still needed to determine whether there’s a direct relationship between new-onset diabetes and cataract surgery and rosuvastatin. If there is, investigators also would need to explore the underlying mechanism for those connections and the possible mechanism for a drug effect.

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Eating less cholesterol only half the battle

If you’re already taking a statin, don’t stop. You should always talk with your doctor before making any changes to medication.

However, if you want to lower your LDL cholesterol without having to take a statin, there are three things you need to do: follow a healthy diet, get regular exercise, and maintain a healthy weight. The third usually follows the first two, so focus on diet and exercise and you’ll be in good shape (literally and figuratively). Plus, you’ll be controlling inflammation at the same time.

You may think that to control LDL, you must stay away from foods high in fat and cholesterol. While it does help to lower dietary cholesterol and reduce saturated fat, especially trans fat, it’s more important to decrease the amount of simple/processed carbohydrates and super-starchy foods you eat. These simple and processed carbs end up spiking insulin levels, which signals your body to hold on to LDL cholesterol. They can also cause inflammation.

Does this mean going on a low-carb diet? Dr. Klodas cautions against that. Instead, she recommends a balanced diet with plenty of fiber and plant sterols to help control LDL. Plant sterols are found in fresh fruits and vegetables as well as nuts and seeds. And fiber is found in most fruits, vegetables and nuts as well as psyllium husks, bran and beans and legumes.

Some fruits and vegetables are also rich in lutein and zeaxanthin.

“There is an overwhelming amount of evidence to show that lutein and zeaxanthin play a protective role in helping to protect the eye against cataracts and macular degeneration,” said Steven G. Pratt, MD, an assistant clinical professor of ophthalmology at the University of California.

Follow these seven tips to avoid cataracts.

Sources:

Highly Potent Statin Stands Out for Diabetes, Cataract Risks — MedPage Today

Rosuvastatin versus atorvastatin treatment in adults with coronary artery disease: secondary analysis of the randomised LODESTAR trial — The BMJ

Statin Users Show LDL Doesn’t Come Close to Telling Whole Story of ASCVD — MedPage Today

The post The statin that raises your risk of diabetes and cataracts appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

The brain naturally produces melatonin in response to darkness. It has been strongly associated with the sleep cycle, which is why most people use it to improve their sleep.

That’s not all that melatonin can do, however…

Melatonin is a powerful immune system booster that protects your lungs and guards against inflammation. It also has shown anticancer properties and the ability to protect against cognitive decline. And if you’re a migraine sufferer, melatonin may help prevent these debilitating headaches.

Now there’s another ailment to add to the list of conditions melatonin could help prevent….

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Melatonin could stave off AMD

An estimated 11 million people in the U.S. alone have vision loss due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a condition that causes degeneration of the macula, a central part of the eye’s retina.

For years, scientists have been searching for ways to prevent or stop the progression of AMD, and while there still is no drug cure, progress has been made involving supplements…

For example, the Age-Related Eye Disease Studies (AREDS and AREDS2) found that a formulation of nutrients, including vitamins C, E, copper, zinc, lutein and zeaxanthin or beta-carotene had the power to slow AMD progression from moderate to late disease significantly.

However, the AREDS formulations don’t prevent the onset of AMD. That’s where melatonin may help…

• Previous research found that people taking melatonin supplements may be less likely to develop AMD.
• One team of researchers found that higher melatonin levels can prevent AMD-related retinal damage.
• Another group discovered patients with AMD tend to have lower-than-average amounts of melatonin in their blood and tears.

In the most recent study, researchers looked at the medical records of 200,000 older people from 2008 to 2023 to see if a strong association between melatonin and AMD prevention was apparent.

Results showed that out of 121,523 patients aged 50 or older who had no evidence of AMD — a good many were regular users of melatonin supplements.

The researchers also discovered many patients who began taking melatonin after developing AMD experienced slower degradation than patients who didn’t take the supplements.

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How much melatonin could help?

This study adds to the evidence that regular consumption of melatonin could prevent the development and progression of AMD. So if you want to protect your eyesight, you may want to add a melatonin supplement to your daily regimen.

Unfortunately, the study didn’t determine what the right dose of melatonin is for potential AMD prevention. But for sleep, the usual dose is anywhere from one to five milligrams, with the maximum recommended dose being 10 milligrams. The best time to take melatonin is in the evening, when it’s least likely to mess up your body’s internal clock.

There are other steps you can take to protect your vision from AMD:

• Eat plenty of fruit. One study found that consuming five ounces of fruit per day or more slashed AMD risk by 15 percent.
• Drink coffee or tea. Another study determined people who consumed about 75 mg of caffeine a day (about one shot of espresso) were less likely to develop AMD.
• Get your AREDS-approved eye vitamins. Powerful antioxidants — lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin C and vitamin E — plus minerals zinc and copper, support eye health.

Sources:

More evidence suggests regular consumption of melatonin can reduce chances of age-related macular degeneration — Medical Xpress

Melatonin and Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration — JAMA Ophthalmology

The post The supplement that could prevent age-related macular degeneration appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Statins have serious side effects, like muscle damage, liver damage, memory loss and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, to name a few.

If you are searching for statin alternatives, you may have heard a thing or two about a pretty popular one — niacin (also known as B3).

Doctors usually use niacin as the next line of defense against high cholesterol in people who don’t respond to statins or who develop some of the side effects I mentioned above. And it seems like a good alternative at first. After all, who wouldn’t want to replace dangerous statins with a simple vitamin?

But before you embrace this B vitamin as the cholesterol solution you’ve been searching for, there’s something you need to know…

Niacin has side effects, too… some of them pretty serious.

High doses of niacin (like those you might use to treat high cholesterol) could cause a rare but serious toxic reaction in your eyes.

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Too much B3 can make you go blind

Retina specialists at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai (NYEE) came across an unusual case recently…

A 61-year-old man came to the hospital with blurry vision that was gradually getting worse. It started roughly a month prior. At the time they examined him, he was almost legally blind.

He shared his medical history, which included a history of high blood pressure and high cholesterol. And eventually, he disclosed another interesting fact — he was taking high doses of niacin to lower his cholesterol.

Doctors used high-tech scans to take a closer look at his retinas. And it turned out, there was damage to his retinal cells caused by a rare toxic reaction called niacin-induced maculopathy.

This reaction is triggered when high doses of niacin cause fluid to build up in the macula (a small area in the center of the retina that allows you to see details on objects). The fluid retention leads to swelling and cellular damage. But here’s the good news…

Doctors figured out the cause of the man’s vision loss early enough. He stopped taking niacin, and he got his vision back again.

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Seeing the side effects of niacin clearly

I didn’t tell you about this side effect to scare you from using niacin for your high cholesterol (or to avoid Alzheimer’s for that matter). It’s still a very good treatment option. I just want you to know about this risk, so you can be careful with your dosage.

It’s easy to think something that’s typically good for you (like a vitamin that balances cholesterol) is even better for you if you take more. But more isn’t always better.

The man I mentioned above took three to six grams of niacin daily for several months. That’s far more than what’s recommended. The daily upper limit for adults over 19 is 35 mg according to the National Institutes of Health.

Also, remember this was a rare occurrence. In fact, as you age, you can become prone to niacin deficiency, as we don’t process nutrients very efficiently as we get older.

If you decide to use niacin instead of statins, make sure to tell your doctor what you’re up to. That way, you can let him or her know immediately if you develop any odd symptoms that might be related to the supplement.

Sources:

1. Eye damage linked to popular over-the-counter vitamin that lowers cholesterol can be reversed — MedicalXpress
2. Optical Coherence Tomography, Fluorescein Angiography, and Electroretinography Features of Niacin Maculopathy: New Insight Into Pathogenesis — Journal of VitreoRetinal Diseases
3. Niacin to boost your HDL, ‘good,’ cholesterol — Mayo Clinic
4. Cholesterol Control: Statins vs. Niacin — Healthline
5. Statin side effects: Weigh the benefits and risks — Mayo Clinic
6. Help for your cholesterol when the statins won’t do — Harvard Health Publishing

The post This cholesterol-lowering vitamin could cause eye damage appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

In fact, the older we get, the more likely we are to suffer from vision loss due to diseases of the retina, such as age-related macular degeneration or AMD.

But what if it was possible to age-proof our eyes with the help of a protein that keeps them young in the same way the protein collagen can help age-proof our joints?

Well, thanks to the findings of researchers from the National Eye Institute, that may be possible…

The protein that protects your retina

AMD and other causes of vision loss are driven by age-related changes in the retina — the light-sensitive tissue at the back of your eye.

This tissue is composed of layers of cells, including light-sensing photoreceptors that detect and process light signals, so that your brain can generate vision.

But that’s where aging can cause problems…

The photoreceptors in your retina that are vital for vision sit above a layer of support cells called the retinal pigment epithelium — or RPE. These cells nourish your photoreceptors and recycle pieces of them that they shed each time light is detected.

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If the RPE can’t do its job, the photoreceptors eventually become unable to sense light and die, resulting in vision loss, which is what occurs in AMD and other types of retinal diseases.

But there is a superhero that can stop that photoreceptor damage and protect those retinal cells…

It’s called protein pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) and it keeps that “replenish and recycle” process going to keep eyes youthful and working.

But there’s a catch…

“People have called PEDF the ‘youth’ protein because it is abundant in young retinas, but it declines during aging,” said Patricia Becerra, Ph.D., chief of the National Eye Institute’s Section of Protein Structure and Function.

Driving age-related changes to our vision

While researchers have long known that PEDF levels drop in the retina during the aging process, they didn’t know whether this loss of PEDF was causing — or caused by — age-related changes in the retina.

Using a mouse model that lacked the PEDF gene, they found that without that “youth protein,” aging of the retina and cell death had already begun.

Additionally, the study showed that unprocessed lipids and other pieces of photoreceptors had accumulated in the RPE layer of the retinas of the mice, which is similar to what occurs in our own retinas as we age.

“We always wondered if loss of PEDF was driven by aging, or was driving aging,” said Becerra. “This study, especially with the clear link to altered lipid metabolism and gene expression, indicates the loss of PEDF is a driver of aging-related changes in the retina.”

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Supporting youthful vision

While the results of the study might seem worrisome at first, since PEDF levels do go down as you age, this opens the door to therapies that may one day stop AMD and other conditions related to aging of the retina.

Until then, we’ve already been given a couple of clues about two eye-supporting nutrients that can make a difference right now…

Research has already shown that daily zeaxanthin supplementation actually prevents atrophy of the RPE — those cells responsible for nourishing your photoreceptors and managing the recycling process they depend on.

And there’s more good news…

Studies have shown that combining zeaxanthin with lutein can reduce the risk of AMD progression by approximately 26 percent.

Zeaxanthin and lutein are both carotenoids found in green leafy vegetables like broccoli, spinach and kale as well as summer squash, pumpkin and carrots. And guess what?  They seem to protect plants from high-intensity light, particularly ultraviolet waves, and perform a similar function in our eyes.

Sources:

Loss of ‘youth’ protein may drive aging in the eye – ScienceDaily

Daily zeaxanthin supplementation prevents atrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in a mouse model of mitochondrial oxidative stress – NIH

The post The ‘youth protein’ that age-proofs your vision appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

You can’t even hop onto Facebook or Instagram without a lash-loving influencer sharing how-to videos or pushing lash extension brands. It’s enough to make you wonder if you shouldn’t give them a try.

Long lashes are coveted by women of every age, but before you head off to the salon, it’s important to understand the “price” you might pay — and if it’s worth it…

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The function and purpose of eyelashes

Eyelashes aren’t just beautiful. They’re functional too.

Your eye is exposed to numerous elements every single day, including viruses and dangerous bacteria, looking for any opening they can find.

However, an important function of your eyelashes is keeping these airborne particles away from the eye’s surface.

Additionally, they help the eye stay lubricated when you blink, preventing dry eyes and reducing risk of infection.

When women near menopause they can experience some hair loss and this can also affect changes to their eyelashes (they are actually short hairs). They may appear less full, become brittle and seem to lose their upward curve.

It’s easy to see then why eyelash extensions, made up of individual fibers usually attached to each natural lash or lash line, could make anyone feel better about their lashes.

But they’re certainly not problem-free…

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Health dangers of eyelash extensions

Lash extensions can be made of different types of material, including everything from silk to hair from mink or horses. They can even be formed from things like nylon or plastic.

Extensions are most often attached to the base of the lash line using glue. This means that either the fibers themselves or the glue can create health concerns.

The most common risks associated with extensions include:

1. Lash breakage – If eyelash extensions are not applied properly, your own lashes can break off.
2. Permanent loss of your own lashes – The glue used can cause damage to hair follicles, causing you to permanently lose your real eyelashes.
3. Allergic reaction – Although most technicians will do a pre-appointment patch test, usually on the wrist or behind the ear, allergic reactions to the glue used in applying eyelash extensions can still occur. In fact, one study found that over 40 percent of women who received extensions had an allergic reaction to the adhesive.
4. Infection – Eyelash extensions are much harder than normal lashes. They can swing down like a door, scratching your cornea and causing an infection.
5. Misapplication – Because the glue used for extensions should never come into contact with the eye’s surface, proper application is critical. Sadly, there have been numerous cases of people gluing their eyelids together when trying to apply extensions.
6. Keratoconjunctivitis – Research into eyelash extensions found that over 60 percent of women reported suffering from keratoconjunctivitis after getting the glue into their eyes. In this condition both your cornea and conjunctiva are inflamed, causing itchy, irritated eyes, blurry vision and sensitivity to light.
7. Toxic conjunctivitis – When eyelash glue comes into contact with the eye’s surface it can lead to toxic conjunctivitis and conjunctival erosion. When this happens, the layer of cells on the surface of the cornea, known as the epithelium, loosens from the layer underneath. Not only is this condition quite painful, it can also cause problems with your vision.
8.  Blepharitis – Blepharitis or inflammation or irritation of the eyelids is the most commonly reported condition caused by eyelash extensions. Blepharitis occurs when the glands within the eyelash follicles at the edge of your eyelids become blocked. The result is a build-up of dangerous bacteria, blocking follicle secretion and leading to inflammation.
9.  Mite infestation – Poor lash tool hygiene can allow mites to move from one person to the next and leave you with a nasty lash mite infestation.
10.  Cancer – If all that weren’t enough, research has shown that approximately 75 percent of professional glues used in eyelash extensions released formaldehyde, a recognized cancer-causing chemical. It’s the same chemical used to embalm cadavers.

Clearly, eyelash extensions may not be all their cracked up to be.

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Longer lashes naturally

There are a few ways you can encourage long, thick lashes naturally.

Consider applying a green tea compress to the eyelids. Experts say that its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, plus its panthenol and caffeine content, may work to hydrate lashes and stimulate hair growth.

Also, consider taking supplements like biotin and omega-3s. While biotin is best known for strengthening and protecting hair growth, omega-3s help fight inflammation and nourish lashes to encourage healthy growth.

You may also want to break out a lash curler. These inexpensive tools were made popular decades ago and, when used carefully and hygienically, can give your lashes a curvy lift. Then if you carefully apply mascara mostly at the base of your lashes, you’ll be batting thicker-looking lashes in no time.

What about eyelash serums? The American Academy of Ophthalmology has some warnings you’ll want to read to make a well-informed decision.

Finally, if you still opt for extensions, look for a reputable salon that practices good hygiene and avoids formaldehyde extension glues.

Sources:

10 Ways Grow Longer Eyelashes, According to a Dermatologist — Byrdie

Eyelash Extensions Can Be Seriously Dangerous, Expert Warns — Science Alert

The post 10 serious reasons to rethink lash extensions appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Fortunately, scientists have been hard at work looking for ways to slow the condition as it progresses through three stages.

After two separate human trials, they hit on a winner… a formulation of supplements that put the brakes on progression from the intermediate stage of the condition to late AMD — considered the vision-threatening stage.

That’s great news, but it left people already in that late stage with little hope for holding onto any of their vision.

Until now, that is…

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Dry versus wet AMD

First, I need to clarify the two types of AMD, dry and wet. It’s a classification determined by the late stages of the disease.

In early and intermediate AMD, the light-sensing retina at the back of the eye develops small yellow deposits of fatty proteins called drusen.

As the disease progresses to the late stage, people can develop leaky blood vessels, an indicator of wet AMD. Or they may instead lose regions of light-sensitive cells in the retina, indicative of dry AMD.

Unfortunately, those who develop Wet AMD in the late stage won’t see the benefits the researchers saw for those with dry AMD.

In dry AMD, this loss of cells slowly expands over time spreading toward the middle of the eye, causing people with dry AMD to progressively lose their central vision.

There’s one more phenomenon that sets dry AMD apart — and that’s whether it is considered “foveal sparing.”

While all regions of the retina are sensitive to light, the region that gives us the highest acuity central vision is called the fovea.

Many people with dry AMD first develop geographic atrophy outside this foveal region, and they only lose their central vision when the geographic atrophy regions expand into the foveal area.

So if progression toward the fovea can be brought to a halt, central vision could be maintained.

And that’s where the new research comes in…

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Grinding geographic atrophy to a halt in late AMD

In the AREDS and AREDS2 trials, researchers proved that taking a supplement formula containing antioxidants (vitamin C, E, lutein and zeaxanthin), along with zinc and copper, could slow progression from intermediate to late-stage AMD.

However, the trials never accounted for foveal sparing, assuming there was no benefit to taking those supplements in the late stages of the condition.

Thankfully, NIH and National Eye Institute researchers set out to correct the oversight…

While their work showed the supplements had little benefit in people who developed geographic atrophy in their central vision, the same was not true for the majority of people who developed geographic atrophy far from the fovea.

In fact, they found that in foveal-sparing AMD, the supplements slowed the rate of expansion towards the fovea by approximately 55% over an average of three years.

This means that even if you’re in the late stages of dry AMD, these natural supplements could help significantly!

Hold onto your vision

“Our high acuity central vision is essential for tasks like reading and driving. Given that there are few therapeutic options for people with late-stage dry AMD to retain or restore their vision, antioxidant supplementation is a simple step that may slow central vision loss, even for those with late disease,” said Tiarnan Keenan, M.D., Ph.D., of NIH’s National Eye Institute (NEI) and lead author of the study.

Also, consider melatonin. Based on data from 121,523 participants aged 50 or older, people who took melatonin after developing AMD experienced slower degradation than patients who didn’t take it.

That same study found melatonin to be a powerful preventative of AMD — something that even the ARED supplements have not been able to step up to. So, if your peepers are still healthy, melatonin may be the ounce of prevention you’re looking for to hold onto your sight for years to come.

Sources:

Supplements slow disease progression during late stage of “dry” age-related macular degeneration – EurekAlert!

Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Facts & Figures – Bright Focus Foundation

The post 6 supplements that put the brakes on late-stage AMD appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

In fact, while there are three forms of tears, based on what gets them flowing, tear film itself is actually an essential protective coating that keeps your eye function going strong.

When your tear film is healthy, your eyes feel great.

But when that film is compromised, you suffer from dry, irritated eyes.

Eyes that burn, itch, sting and leave you blinking again and again in desperation.

And while drug companies would love you to rely on them to handle the problem, the truth is one of the most popular prescriptions for dry eyes was considered so ineffective it actually failed its FDA review its first time out.

Luckily, according to University of Waterloo researchers, dry eye sufferers might just be able to skip the prescriptions and even the over-the-counter drops and, instead, simply exercise a little to find relief.

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The importance of tear film

Before we go further though, let’s dig a little more into what exactly tear film is and how problems with it can lead to dry eyes.

As we said, tear film acts as a coating for the surface of your eyes. Made up of three layers – oil, water and mucin – it works to hydrate your eyes, guarding them against infection-causing irritants like dust and dirt.

However, since tear film isn’t static, it can become unstable. When this happens the surface of your eyes can develop dry spots and experience symptoms like itchiness, stinging and burning that can drive you crazy.

Sadly, it’s an issue that’s only accelerating…

“With so much of our activity tied to screen usage, dry eye symptoms are becoming increasingly common,” said Heinz Otchere, a Ph.D. candidate in vision science at Waterloo. “Instead of having to use eye drops or other alternative treatments, our study aimed to determine if remaining physically active can be an effective preventative measure against dryness.”

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Exercise versus dry eyes

The researchers divided 52 participants into two groups — the athletes and those who would rather skip the gym. And they asked both to participate in aerobic exercise but at different levels.

While the non-athletes exercised no more than once a week, the athletes kicked it up a few notches going for at least five times a week.

Before and after each session, the researchers monitored their eyes for tear secretion and break-up time.

And as you might imagine, the athletes grabbed big wins with the largest increase in the health of their tear film.

But don’t count out the non-athletes…

Even the group that only exercised once a week saw a meaningful boost in tear quantity and tear film stability after the exercise session!

“It can be challenging for people to regularly exercise when the demand is there to work increasingly longer hours in front of screens,” Otchere said. “However, our findings show physical activity can be really important for not just our overall well-being, but for our ocular health too.”

A few other ways to improve your tear production include omega-3s (from fatty fish or supplements), vitamin D (74% of women deficient in vitamin D have dry eyes), drinking tea or coffee and cutting back on sugar, artificial sweeteners and complex carbs.

Sources:

Exercise can provide relief for dry, itchy eyes — Waterloo News

Why Do We Cry? The Truth Behind Your Tears — Cleveland Clinic

The post The free solution to ‘dry eye’ you can do at home appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

That’s why your mom told you to eat your carrots. They’re full of antioxidants that support healthy vision. So are leafy green veggies, citrus fruits, cruciferous vegetables and plenty of other plant-based foods.

But what if you’re in the mood for something a bit more decadent and delicious than a serving of broccoli? Is there another antioxidant-rich food you can turn to for healthy eyesight?

Well, the latest research shows a dose of dark chocolate could be the eye-saving sweet snack you’ve been searching for…

Dark chocolate boosts eyesight in two hours

It sounds too good to be true… especially if you’re a chocoholic… but the antioxidants in dark chocolate may be able to help your vision.

A recent study from researchers at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas found that eating dark chocolate can give you a small boost in vision in just two hours.

It was a small study. It only included 30 adults whose average age was 26. But the results were fascinating…

Researchers gave half of the study participants dark chocolate and the other half milk chocolate and then tested their eyes two hours later.

When study participants took the eye test, those who ate dark chocolate had better visual acuity (the ability to identify the letters on the eye chart) and better large-letter contrast (the ability to distinguish an object as the lighting changes intensity).

Why did dark chocolate have such a quick impact on vision?

Well, going into the study, researchers knew that the antioxidants in dark chocolate could increase blood flow to the nervous system, improve heart function and slow brain aging. All of this has been demonstrated in other studies.

Since those antioxidants boost blood flow to the brain, researchers suspect that they increase blood flow to areas important to vision like the retina, the brain’s visual pathways or the cerebral cortex.

Supporting healthy eyesight with dark chocolate

So, next time you head to the eye doctor or DMV for an eye test, snack on a few squares of dark chocolate. It’s too soon to say whether dark chocolate can save you from eye diseases like macular degeneration and cataracts, but it may be able to give your vision a little boost just when you need it.

Plus, it’s delicious and improves your health in other ways. It can help balance your blood pressure, support heart health and improve your athletic performance, among other things. So, there are more than enough reasons to include dark chocolate in your diet.

In the study, researchers gave people a 1.5-ounce Trader Joe’s 72 percent Cacao Dark Chocolate bar, but any dark chocolate bar with more than 70 percent cacao content should do the trick. Just make sure it doesn’t contain artificial sweeteners or ingredients. As always, the simpler the ingredient list, the better.

Editor’s note: One of the biggest modern problems with deterioration of eyesight is overexposure to blue light, and it’s almost inescapable…unless you give up your computer, smartphone or flat-screen television or live your life in the dark. But you shouldn’t have to… Peak Vision Support contains the only brand of lutein that’s been patented for its outstanding blue light protection. Click here to try it today!  

Sources:

1. A bit of dark chocolate might sweeten your vision — MedicalXpress. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
2. C. Rabin, et al. “Effects of Milk vs Dark Chocolate Consumption on Visual Acuity and Contrast Sensitivity Within 2 Hours.” — JAMA Ophthalmology, 2018.
3. Antioxidants & Age-Related Eye Disease — American Optometric Association. Retrieved May 2, 2018.

The post What dark chocolate does to your eyesight in just 2 hours appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

And then there’s the food — hearty, comforting and warmly scented with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. The fall and winter months are the best times to enjoy a wide variety of squashes, including the one for which the holiday season is best known: pumpkin.

We’ve talked a lot about the many benefits of pumpkin seeds. But the flesh of the pumpkin packs its own health punch. Here are some ways consuming pumpkin can help maintain your well-being….

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A healthy dose of beta carotene

Orange vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes and pumpkins are loaded with beta carotene, an antioxidant your body converts into vitamin A. A one-cup serving of pumpkin can provide 200 percent of your recommended daily vitamin A intake.

Vitamin A is key to protecting your vision and helping you to see more clearly, especially in low-light conditions. The nutrient plays a role in maintaining the health of the heart, lungs, kidneys and reproductive system. And it stimulates production and activity of white blood cells, helps with bone remodeling and supports the health of the endothelial cells lining the body’s interior surfaces.

Carotenes are also believed to have the potential to check atherosclerosis. In fact, studies found the greater the concentration of carotenes in the blood, the lesser the atherosclerotic burden, particularly in women

Beta carotene also helps to fight the impact of aging on your skin. It also can alleviate inflammation, which benefits both the skin and the body.

In addition to beta carotene, pumpkins contain vitamin C, vitamin E, iron and folate. All of these nutrients can boost the ability of your immune system to fend off germs and speed up wound healing.

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Potassium for good heart health

The essential mineral potassium is sometimes referred to as an electrolyte because it carries a small electrical charge that activates many cell and nerve functions. Potassium helps to maintain normal cell fluid levels as well as muscle function and blood pressure.

While there isn’t enough evidence to establish a recommended dietary allowance for potassium, the National Academy of Medicine has established an adequate intake for the mineral. For adults, the adequate intake is 3,400 mg for men and 2,600 mg for women.

Pumpkin can help keep those potassium levels up. One cup of pumpkin contains about 394 mg of potassium, just shy of the 420 mg found in one banana. Eating pumpkin regularly can help maintain healthy blood pressure levels as well as lower your risk of stroke, kidney stones and type 2 diabetes. The potassium in pumpkin can also help increase bone mineral density.

Plenty of fiber to help manage weight

One cup of pumpkin only contains 30 calories, making it a great food to include in a healthy diet (as long as it’s not in pumpkin pie form). Plus, pumpkins contain a lot of fiber, which can help you feel full and keep you from overeating. In addition to helping curb appetite, fiber also promotes good digestive health, balances blood sugar and lowers your odds of contracting heart disease.

At 7 grams a cup, a daily dose of pumpkin can help boost your fiber intake. It’s recommended that men get 30 to 38 grams of fiber daily, while women should try to eat a least 21 to 25 grams of fiber a day.

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Healthy ways to eat pumpkin

Say the word “pumpkin” and most of us think of that old holiday standby, pumpkin pie. But there are much healthier ways to consume this tasty squash.

For instance, try adding cubes of pumpkin to a mix of roasted vegetables or a vegetable casserole. Or whip up a tasty (and healthy!) pumpkin soup. You can even combine pumpkin with chickpeas to make delicious hummus. Surprisingly, pumpkin puree is a tasty addition to rich, thick and nutritious smoothies.

And when you carve your pumpkin, for Halloween or for a special recipe, be sure to keep and roast the seeds. They are rich in antioxidants, iron, zinc, magnesium and many other nutrients.

Native Americans used pumpkin seeds as an age-old remedy for bladder, kidney and digestive problems. Research has also shown pumpkin seeds to be effective in reducing prostate symptoms without side effects. 

Sources:

Health Benefits of Pumpkin — Nourish by WebMD

Vitamin A — Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Pumpkin — Eat This Much

Potassium — Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Where to find potassium, other than bananas — Sharp Health News

Fiber — Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

9 reasons to add pumpkin to your diet — OSF Healthcare

The post 3+ ways pumpkin can boost your wellness appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

As we age, several conditions can degrade our eyesight.

Glaucoma is one of these conditions.

Right now, there are more than three million Americans, aged 40 and older, affected by glaucoma. It subjects your optic nerve to damage that, if left untreated, can blind you.

And new research has found you could be suffering that damage right now — without any obvious telltale signs until it’s too late…

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Study confirms that glaucoma is sneaky

In a Swedish study, about 1,200 70-year-olds answered written questions about their eye health and the presence of glaucoma in their family. Eye specialists at Sahlgrenska University Hospital also examined 560 of the participants.

Of those 560, 4.8 percent were diagnosed with glaucoma. But here’s the scary part…

Fifteen of those people (2.7 percent) were unaware that they had the disease before being examined for this study.

That means that about half the people who turned out to have glaucoma were only diagnosed because they took part in the study.

Fortunately, they could start treatment with daily eye drops that lower the pressure in the eye and slow down the damage to the optic nerve.

This research confirmed several important things about glaucoma:

• Glaucoma is affected by heredity. Those diagnosed with glaucoma in the study were more likely to have a close relative who also was diagnosed with the disease.
• While glaucoma involves abnormal eye pressure, this often does not show itself until later stages of the disease (67% of those newly diagnosed in the study still had normal eye pressure).

Perhaps most importantly, the study confirmed that glaucoma in its early stages often does not involve loss of visual acuity and that could leave lots of people in the dark about the future of their eyesight.

Glaucoma risk factors and basics

As glaucoma progresses, it can lead to permanent vision loss.

Many, but not all, forms of glaucoma raise your intraocular pressure (IOP). 

Risk factors for glaucoma include:

• Age
• Hypertension and diabetes
• Extreme nearsightedness (myopia) or far-sightedness (hyperopia)
• Family history of the disease
• Genetics
• Long-term use of corticosteroids
• Previous eye injury or surgery

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There are five types of glaucoma, but the most common are:

Primary Open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is the most common form. It affects almost three million Americans.

In open-angle glaucoma, your IOP rises because the fluid in your eye cannot drain properly.

The entrances to your drainage canals are clear and open, but problems occur further inside the drainage system. Think of this problem as a clogged pipe that causes gradual fluid buildup. Over time, this can lead to irreversible vision loss.

Studies have shown evidence supporting a theory that reactive oxygen species (ROS) is involved in the pathogenesis of POAG — as well as a significant correlation between oxidative DNA damage and IOP in glaucoma patients.

A study published in the International Journal of Opthalmology in 2022 suggests that drinking green tea or its extracts in moderate doses might have beneficial effects, especially for people with high IOP, or for those who have risk factors for glaucoma development.

Long-term hypertension and glaucoma often go hand in hand, and green tea has also shown helpful for lowering both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

However, low blood pressure can also pose a problem, decreasing blood flow to the optic nerve.

Angle-closure glaucoma is less common. It occurs when the drainage canals are completely or partially blocked, similar to a covered drain.

A completely blocked-off drainage angle is called acute angle-closure glaucoma. This form of the disease is a medical emergency and can cause rapid vision loss if left untreated. 

Regular eye exams could be sight-saving

In case you haven’t picked up on this fact already, glaucoma is sneaky.

That’s why, especially if you have any of the risk factors mentioned above, you need to have regular eye exams with an optometrist — or preferably an ophthalmologist if you are at high risk.

These should be at least annual visits or more as recommended by your eye doctor.

Sources:

Older people may have glaucoma without realizing it — Eureka Alert

The prevalence of glaucoma in a 70-year-old Swedish population in the city area of Gothenburg —Acta Ophthalmologica

5 Early Signs of Glaucoma — Family Focus Eyecare

The post Why glaucoma may be the sneakiest sight stealer appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

I figure it’s to be expected. I’m getting older, and some things just don’t work quite as well as they used to, including my eyes. It’s why I make sure to eat plenty of leafy greens and carrots and why I’ve been trying to take more breaks from my screens.

But lately, I’ve had an extra layer of anxiety when it comes to my poor eyesight. You see, it turns out that a growing pile of studies is linking vision issues with a feared disorder that strikes many older folks….

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Bad vision could lead to dementia

A team of researchers at the University of Michigan recently examined a sample of nearly 3,000 adults over the age of 71, with an average age of 77.

Using a digital tablet, the researchers tested the participants’ up-close and distance vision, as well as their ability to see letters that didn’t contrast strongly with their background.

Memory and thinking ability was tested and the researchers gathered health information, including any existing diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia in participants.

Just over 12 percent of the entire group of participants had dementia. However, when breaking out those who had impaired vision for seeing up close, that figure rose to 22 percent.

One-third of those with moderate or severe distance vision impairment, including those who were blind, had signs of dementia — as did 26 percent of those who had trouble seeing letters that didn’t contrast strongly against the background they were viewed on. Even among those with only mild distance vision problems, 19 percent had dementia.

When adjusting for other differences in health status and personal characteristics, people with moderate to severe distance vision issues were 72 percent more likely than those with no vision problems to have dementia.

When looking at those with more than one kind of vision impairment, the researchers found they were 35 percent more likely to have dementia than those with normal vision.

These results included those who weren’t able to see well even when they were wearing their usual eyeglasses or contact lenses.

This isn’t the first study to link sight and dementia. A previous study found those who underwent cataract surgery were almost 30 percent less likely to develop dementia in general.

The researchers observed that prioritizing vision health could be key to optimizing both sight and overall health and well-being.

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Protecting your vision

If you already have vision problems, don’t despair. There are several steps you can take to slow progression:

• Make sure your corrective lenses prescription is up to date. You’ll want to make it as easy for you to see as possible to avoid eyestrain.
• Take breaks from devices like computers, tablets and smartphones. Computer vision syndrome is a direct result of spending too much time with digital screens. Every 20 to 30 minutes, look up from your device and focus on something roughly 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
• Use good lighting. Make sure you have enough light for whatever task you’re working on.
• Protect your eyes from the sun. You’ll want to wear sunglasses that specifically block ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
• Manage health conditions that can affect vision. These include high blood pressure and diabetes.
• Eat right and exercise. A healthy diet and regular exercise will help keep you healthy and stave off any ailments that might affect your vision.
• Get plenty of antioxidants. Specifically, the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which are found in green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, broccoli and peas, can help support your vision health. Higher levels of these nutrients have also been linked to lower dementia risk.
• Don’t smoke. In addition to its many other health impacts, smoking can negatively affect your vision.

Even if your vision is normal, you should still consider following the above steps to keep it from deteriorating with age. After all, maintaining sharp vision may help keep your brain sharp as well.

Sources:

Minds & eyes: Study shows dementia more common in older adults with vision issues — EurekAlert!

Objectively Measured Visual Impairment and Dementia Prevalence in Older Adults in the US — JAMA Ophthalmology

Nearsightedness — Mayo Clinic

Farsightedness — Mayo Clinic

The post The mind-eye connection to dementia appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Her deep wrinkles and dark spots are to blame, even though she thought she was protecting her skin.

Fortunately, there are natural ways to add layers of additional protection, but first, you’ll need to know exactly what you’re up against…

And it isn’t only the UV rays from the sun that aren’t doing your skin any favors, as most of us have been led to believe…

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Photoaging: What laptops, smartphones and sunlight have in common

You’ve probably heard warnings about spending too much time in front of your computer or looking at your smartphone screen because of the damaging effects of the blue light they emit.

Numerous studies confirm that a lifetime of cumulative exposure to blue light causes the photo-oxidation of retinal cells known to contribute to age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

The cornea and the lens of the eye help keep UV rays from reaching the retina. But they can’t keep the blue light out.

But what about your skin? While you might be able to slather on enough sunscreen to keep out most of the UV rays from the sun, those products have no effect on blue light — which is only slightly less powerful than UV rays.

A study by German skincare manufacturer Beiersdorf found that an entire week’s worth of exposure to blue light from a screen at a distance of 30cm is equivalent to just one minute of midday summer sun in Hamburg, Germany.

It’s also been established that blue light causes hyperpigmentation — or age spots.

Despite these warnings, we’re still spending more time than ever in front of a screen. But, something that may surprise you, research shows that the sun is a much more significant source of blue light.

So when it comes to premature aging, we’ve got to protect not only against UV rays but blue light too…

How blue light accelerates aging

Blue light exposure causes a significant increase in highly reactive chemicals formed from oxygen, known as reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Too much ROS can damage your DNA, as well as key enzymes responsible for DNA repair. Studies have also shown that blue light can activate genes associated with inflammation and photo-aging (skin damage and premature aging).

Photo-aging is the same process that occurs as a result of UV exposure. Research has confirmed that both UV irradiation (UV A and B) and blue light are known to induce the formation of free radicals and ROS.

So what’s a person to do when sunscreen isn’t the answer to all the rays that can harm your skin?

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An added layer of natural protection for skin and eyes

In the late 1980s, researchers at the University of California’s Irvine and San Francisco campuses and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) made a series of molecular breakthroughs…

They uncovered specific sets of genes in laboratory animals that kept cells from wearing out, from being overwhelmed by free radical damage, and from self-destructing.

One of the genes, subsequently named SIRT1, induces ROS-detoxifying enzymes that help reduce the effects of oxidation on cells.

And, eventually, it was discovered that resveratrol, found in large amounts in the skin of red grapes, kick-starts the SIRT1 gene into action.

Of all the natural ways to give your skin an added layer of protection, resveratrol is still king.

Resveratrol is also readily available in foods like red wine, blueberries, peanuts, pistachios and dark chocolate — and of course supplements.

But to protect your eyes from free radical damage from blue light, look to lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidant nutrients from foods like spinach, lettuce, kale, and broccoli, as well as avocados, mangoes, honeydew and egg yolks, and supplements as well.

These two nutrients are part of the AREDs formulation recommended by The American Academy of Ophthalmology for adults at high risk of AMD progression.

I feel a nice egg salad sandwich with veggies coming on… a glass of wine … and some chocolate for dessert! Sounds like a perfect summer afternoon treat to me!  

Sources:

Blue light: what we do and don’t know about the damage it causes our skin — The Conversation

Fidalgo, J., Novo Barros, A., & Casas, A. (2022). Resveratrol: A promising Antiaging Agent for Cosmetic Skin Treatments. IntechOpen. doi: 10.5772/intechopen.107860

Pigmentation effects of blue light irradiation on skin and how to protect against them — International Journal of Cosmetic Science

All of the Ways Resveratrol Can Benefit Your Skin — Good Housekeeping

Reactive Oxygen Species and Antioxidant System in Selected Skin Disorders —Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences

The post The light aging your skin that sunscreen can’t block appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

What if someone 70 years old could do this and see as well as they did when they were 40?

This is not science fiction, but the next possible step in preserving our vision as we get older.

Red light improves vision

Last year, researchers from University College London showed that a daily dose of long-wave red light could improve the vision of older adults.

Twenty-four subjects ages 28 to 72 were given a small LED flashlight to bring home with them. Researchers asked them to look into this light for three minutes a day over two weeks. The flashlight had a deep red light beam with a frequency of 670nm (nanometers per meter).

After two weeks, subjects over 40 years old saw improvements of as much as 20 percent in the function of the rods and cones in their eyes.

Rods are a part of the retina involved in peripheral vision and in helping our eyes adapt to dim light. Cones are a part of the retina that allows us to see color.

Just last month, some of the same scientists who conducted this study found that, instead of daily treatments, a once-a-week treatment with red light may be all it takes to improve your vision

But to understand their findings, you first need to understand the role of mitochondria in producing vision.

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Mitochondria are “morning people”

Long-wave red light improves vision because it re-charges the mitochondria in our retinal cells.

Cells in the human retina start to age once we reach the age of 40 or so, and that aging is caused in part by the slowing down of the mitochondria power supplies. As the retina’s photoreceptors require more energy, they tend to age faster as well.

Photoreceptors in the retina are where mitochondria are collected most densely. Photoreceptors are the cells that receive light from objects and “translate” that light into vision, allowing us to see objects, people, faces.

Dr. Glen Jeffery of University College London led this study. He explains the importance of mitochondria:

“Using a simple LED device once a week recharges the energy system that has declined in the retina cells, rather like recharging a battery.

“These are highly conserved energy sources in cells — they are the cells’ batteries. The light increases the charge of the mitochondria and allows them to increase their energy output that has declined with age or disease.”

But it seems that mitochondria are like “morning people” – they function much better in the morning, and not so well at all later in the day.

In fact, when Prof. Jeffery and his team had subjects use the LED flashlight to expose their eyes to red light later in the day, between 12 and 1 pm, it resulted in no vision change at all.

” … morning exposure is absolutely key to achieving improvements in declining vision: as we have previously seen in flies, mitochondria have shifting work patterns and do not respond in the same way to light in the afternoon — this study confirms this.”

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The future of red light therapy to save our vision

Professor Jeffery has been working with Planet Lighting UK, a small company in Wales, with the aim of producing 670nm infra-red eyewear at an affordable cost.

“The technology is simple and very safe,” Professor Jeffery said.

“Given its simplicity, I am confident an easy-to-use device can be made available at an affordable cost to the general public.

“In the near future, a once a week three-minute exposure to deep red light could be done while making coffee, or on the commute listening to a podcast, and such a simple addition could transform eye care and vision around the world.”

It looks like that has already begun to happen. A U.K.-based company, Red Light Man, is already producing such devices.

Until these devices are readily available, you can also support your mitochondria with supplements. Two nutrients that have been researched for their ability to protect and support mitochondria are CoQ10 and pyrroloquinoline quinone — or PQQ for short.

Previous studies have demonstrated that PQQ improved mitochondrial efficiency.

Sources:

Declining Eyesight Could Be Given a Boost by Short Morning Doses of Seeing Red Science Alert

The post Red light could turn back the clock on your eyesight appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Acute inflammation fights off foreign invaders (bacteria) and helps heal an injury.

But in the long run, inflammation is harmful, especially when it attacks the nervous system. Then, you end up with things like Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease.

Or, you become a target for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), especially if you already have a genetic predisposition to the disease.

And if you’re obese, it’s like fuel on an AMD fire…

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Why do some people get AMD and others don’t?

A research team at Maisonneuve-Rosement Hospital in Montreal has shown how the systemic stress of obesity can reprogram immune system cells and make them more destructive to the eye as it ages.

They already knew that the immune system in the eye of a person with AMD becomes aggressive and begins to destroy healthy cells.

They also knew that exposure to the chronic stress of carrying excess fat also causes immune cells to become overactive.

But there was more they didn’t know…

“We wanted to know why some people with a genetic predisposition develop AMD while others are spared,” said Université de Montréal ophthalmology professor Przemyslaw Sapieha, who led the study.

The team found that being obese leads to permanent changes in the DNA of immune cells, making them more likely to produce inflammatory molecules.

They also found that “diet-induced obesity earlier in life triggers persistent reprogramming of the innate immune system, lasting long after normalization of metabolic abnormalities.”

In other words, being obese prior to your 50s, when AMD tends to show up, can predispose you to the disease — even after the obesity has been resolved.

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Weight loss + eye health protection

The researchers hope that their findings will encourage other scientists to take a look at diseases like Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis, which are characterized by increased neuroinflammation, to see what role obesity might play.

In the meantime, there’s no harm in working to get your weight to a healthy level and keeping it there. You may be protecting your future eyesight, but you’ll definitely be cutting your risks for diabetes, heart disease, stroke and early death.

The Green Mediterranean diet has been proven to be effective in the fight against visceral fat, better known as “belly fat,” which can be difficult to shed.

It’s a diet that is also rich in the precise nutrition that the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends to help slow progression of dry AMD, including the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, found in green leafy vegetables, along with vitamins C and E, zinc and copper.

And here’s a big plus: Lutein may also help with weight loss…

That’s because it’s considered “a major biologically active carotenoid, with potential benefits for obesity and cardiometabolic health.”

According to research in the British Journal of Nutrition, lutein supplementation in combination with a low-calorie diet could improve body composition and lipid profile in obese middle-aged individuals.

Get started today towards healthy weight and eyesight that lasts.

Sources:

Obesity linked to macular degeneration — Science Daily

Past history of obesity triggers persistent epigenetic changes in innate immunity and exacerbates neuroinflammation — Science

The Obese Brain: Mechanisms of Systemic and Local Inflammation, and Interventions to Reverse the Cognitive Deficit — Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience

Lutein supplementation combined with a low-calorie diet in middle-aged obese individuals: effects on anthropometric indices, body composition and metabolic parameters — British Journal of Nutrition

Nutrition for Age-Related Macular Degeneration — Macular Disease Foundation Australia

The post The obesity-AMD connection and the nutrient that helps both appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Scientists continue to work to trace exactly how AMD develops in an effort to come up with new, innovative therapies. Despite the continued growth in AMD cases, the treatment options for the disease remain cumbersome and ineffective.

One study found a link between AMD and a blood protein known as vitronectin. Researchers found that when vitronectin is put under pressure, it changes into a shape that causes it to bind more easily to calcium ions in the blood. This leads to a build-up of calcified plaque deposits in the blood vessels of the eye.

Turns out these deposits aren’t the only condition that can impede blood flow to the eye and lead to AMD….

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The difference between drusen and SDDs

A study by the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai analyzed the eyes of 200 AMD patients with retinal imaging to try to determine which patients had a specific form of the disease that involves subretinal drusenoid deposits (SDDs).

One major form of early AMD involves small yellow cholesterol deposits called drusen. These form under a part of the retina called the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and can restrict blood and oxygen flow to the retina, leading to vision loss. The formation of drusen can be slowed by supplementing with certain nutrients, including vitamins C and E, lutein, zeaxanthin, zinc and copper.

SDDs are present in the other major form of early AMD. They are less well-known and can only be detected using high-tech retinal imaging. SDDs contain a different form of cholesterol than drusen and form above the RPE and just beneath the light-sensitive retinal cells. This is where the damage occurs, and vision is lost. Unlike with drusen, there is no known treatment for SDDs.

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How cardiovascular disease fits in

When the Mount Sinai researchers analyzed the eyes of the AMD patients, they also had them answer a questionnaire about their history of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Conditions like heart damage from heart failure or heart attack, serious valve disease and stroke involving the carotid artery were classified as severe CVD.

Of those patients who said they had severe CVD, 86 percent also had SDDs, compared with 43 percent of patients who did not have severe CVD. The researchers concluded that AMD patients with severe CVD were nine times more likely to have SDDs than those without severe CVD.

Researchers hope these findings could prompt increased screening to save vision, diagnose undetected heart disease and prevent adverse cardiovascular events.

“This study is the first strong link between the leading cause of blindness, AMD, and heart disease, the leading cause of death worldwide,” says lead author Dr. R. Theodore Smith, professor of ophthalmology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

“Furthermore, we also have strong evidence for what actually happens: the blood supply to the eye is directly diminished by these diseases, either by heart damage that diminishes blood supply throughout the body, or from a blocked carotid artery that directly impedes blood flow to the eye,” Smith adds. “A poor blood supply can cause damage to any part of the body, and with these specific diseases, the destroyed retina and leftover SDDs are that damage. Retinal damage means vision loss and can lead to blindness.”

Co-investigator Richard B. Rosen, chief of the retina service for the Mount Sinai Health System, says the study also shows that ophthalmologists may be the first physicians to detect systemic cardiac disease, especially in patients with no other symptoms.

“Detecting SDDs in the retina should trigger a referral to the individual’s primary care provider, especially if no previous cardiologist has been involved,” Rosen says. “It could prevent a life-threatening cardiac event.”

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Reducing your risk of AMD-related vision loss

Even though there’s no treatment for SDDs, if you do end up with AMD, there are certain things you can do to reduce your risk of early vision loss.

If you’re a smoker, you should quit right away. People who smoke have a two-to-three times higher risk for developing AMD than people who have never smoked.

It’s also a good idea to eat a heart-healthy diet low in saturated fat, like the Mediterranean diet, to prevent AMD progression.

A Mediterranean-style diet can help with weight loss and reduce blood pressure, cholesterol levels and heart disease risk, all of which can lower your AMD risk and promote a healthier heart.

It’s also great for supplying you with plenty of eye-healthy foods such as dark leafy greens, carotene-rich vegetables like carrots, squash, bell peppers and antioxidant-rich berries.

Sources:

Blinding Eye Disease Strongly Associated With Serious Forms of Cardiovascular Disease — Mount Sinai

Subretinal drusenoid deposits are strongly associated with coexistent high-risk vascular diseases — BMJ Open Ophthalmology

Macular Degeneration Guide — American Foundation for the Blind

The post The condition that can skyrocket your risk for AMD appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But, if you’re like me, going to sleep screen-free just isn’t going to happen.

For me, reading my Kindle in bed is a nighttime ritual I refuse to give up. It helps me distress from the day and begin to wind down. For you, maybe it’s watching your favorite show on Netflix or listening to music on your smartphone.

Well, I’ve got good news for you…

You can throw out the advice that tells you all screen time is bad for your sleep — and start feeling good about catching up on your favorite book or show, enjoying YouTube or even browsing the internet.

That’s because scientists have now found that not all screen time before bed is bad. In fact, if you swear watching TV before bed helps you sleep better — your assumption has now been validated…

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Screentime before bed is ok, but duration matters

The study, performed by a team at the University of Delaware, involved 58 adults, all of whom kept a sleep diary to track how much time they spent using various forms of media before bed, the location of the usage and how much multitasking was involved.

The researchers then monitored each person’s brain activity to determine what time they fell asleep, how much total sleep they got and the quality of that sleep.

And the results were surprising…

While the study did show that people who spent long periods of time on screens before bed got less sleep no matter the chosen activity, brief sessions were a different story altogether.

In fact, according to Dr. Morgan Ellithorpe, the study’s lead author, watching TV, listening to music and other screen-based activities for brief periods actually helped participants get to bed earlier — and sleep longer.

Dr. Ellithorpe’s advice?

“If you are going to use media, like watching TV or listening to music, before bed, keep it a short, focused session and you are unlikely to experience any negative outcomes in your sleep that night.”

The only factor that was unaffected by media use before bed was sleep quality.

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Screen time without the blue light worries

Nighttime screen junkies rejoice!

If you’re not ready to close your eyes once you hit the sheets, you can enjoy your nightly ritual without worrying about any negative impact on your rest — as long as you keep it to a minimum.

And there’s more good news…

While blue light truly is something to limit since it’s been linked to everything from weight gain and accelerated aging to cancer, you can still spend time with your favorite screens and reduce your exposure.

Wearing glasses that filter blue light has been shown to create a form of physiological darkness. This can help you boost your sleep quality and quantity, without cutting back on your screen time.

Eye nutrients can help too. Antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin act as a sort of “natural sunscreen,” protecting the eyes from blue light and UV light that increases the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or cataracts. You’ll find these gems in those veggies your mom was always after you to eat… like carrots, spinach, pumpkin, asparagus and broccoli.

Sources:

The complicated impact of media use before bed on sleep: Results from a combination of objective EEG sleep measurement and media diaries — Wiley Online Library

Is bedtime media use detrimental for sleep? — Wiley

The post Busting the myths about screentime, blue light and sleep appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

And though the evidence for using statins to lower ‘bad’ cholesterol to prevent heart attack and stroke, may not be as strong as previously thought, more than 40 million Americans take these drugs to lower their LDL.

But, if you’re a statin-taker, you know they do far more than just that.

They cause often severe muscle pain by killing off your muscle cells.

They can lead to kidney damage.

Statins can also double your risk of dementia and triple your risk of diabetes.

And there’s one more statin danger you should be aware of — cataracts.

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Mimicking statin activity

Past research had already begun to link statins with the risk of cataracts.

So a team of scientists from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark decided to take it a step further and explore whether certain genes that mimic the activity of statins work to independently increase the risk of developing cataracts.

One specific gene region, known as HMGCR, can influence the way you metabolize cholesterol by inhibiting an enzyme called HMG-CoA-reductase — the exact mechanism of action of those LDL-lowering meds.

The team used the UK Biobank, a large database of UK residents that tracks serious health and medical conditions of nearly half a million adults, to analyze the genetic data of over 402,000 people to determine the risk of cataracts based on that action.

“When we carry a loss-of-function mutation, the gene is less likely to work,” said lead study author, Jonas Ghouse, MD, PhD. “If that gene doesn’t work, the body can’t produce that protein. Simply put, the loss-of-function mutation in the HMGCR gene equals taking a statin medication.”

So what did they discover happens if your HMGCR gene doesn’t work (or you’re taking statins)?

The researchers discovered that:

• For every 38.7 mg/dL reduction in LDL cholesterol by the genetic score (of common gene variants), your risk of cataracts goes up by 14 percent, while your risk of requiring cataract surgery rises by 25 percent.
• People with more rare HMGCR loss-of-function mutations were more than four-and-a-half times as likely to develop cataracts and over five times as likely to have cataract surgery.

Even the researchers were shocked by that second number, which more than quadrupled the risk of cataracts.

“The main difference between the two analyses is that loss-of-function mutations are really more detrimental than common variants, meaning they mimic change that is often induced by medications,” Ghouse said. “We believe that the true effect lies closer to the loss-of-function mutation association than the common variant association. When taking statins, you have an almost-complete inhibition of that protein, and when you have a loss-of-function mutation you also have a significantly reduced ability to produce that protein.”

In other words, they believe statins may more than quadruple cataract risk too.

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Balancing cholesterol risk with cataract dangers

Common statins to watch out for include:

• Lipitor
• Crestor
• Lescol XL
• Altoprev
• Livalo
• Pravachol
• Ezallor
• Zocor
• Zypitamag

Remember, statins are not a miracle drug.

So if you’re taking any of these medications, be sure to talk to your doctor about whether you’re at risk for cataracts, as well as other options you can use to control your cholesterol.

Cardiologist, Dr. Elizabeth Klodas, offers great advice on lowering LDL besides just using drugs.

I’ve compiled 6 ways to help manage cholesterol without drugs as well.

And you may also want to see what the latest is on cholesterol-lowering omega-3s.

Sources:

Genetic Study Shows Cholesterol-Lowering Statins May Increase the Risk of Cataracts – SciTechDaily

Association of Common and Rare Genetic Variation in the 3‐Hydroxy‐3‐Methylglutaryl Coenzyme A Reductase Gene and Cataract Risk — Journal of the Amerian Heart Association

The post The cholesterol drugs giving you cataracts appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

We owe much of what we know about the eye health benefits of these two phytochemicals to American scientist George Wald.

In 1967, Wald shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology with two other scientists for his discoveries concerning the physiological and chemical visual processes in the eye, and in particular, the macula, a portion of the retina that’s crucial to our functional vision.

Because of George Wald’s work, we know that lutein and zeaxanthin are the only dietary carotenoids that accumulate in the retina of the eye, and particularly in the macula, at the back of the eye.

Why is the macula so important? It’s the part of the retina that gives us the sharp, fine-detailed vision we need to do things like read, drive, recognize faces and see the world in color.

Lutein and zeaxanthin protect the macula

This ‘dynamic duo’ works to protect your macula in a few ways.

Lutein and zeaxanthin work as important antioxidants that protect your eyes from harmful free radicals that can end up stealing your vision.

Free radicals are unstable molecules that are constantly forming in the body. They’re a natural byproduct of aging, but also come from exposure to things like pesticides, cigarette smoke, car exhaust and chemical food additives.

The macula is especially susceptible to free radical damage because it consumes high levels of oxygen, which lead to the production of high levels of free radicals.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are the “clean-up team” that neutralizes free radicals before they can harm the macula (and other parts of the body). They also act as a sort of “natural sunscreen” protecting the eyes from blue light and UV light that increase risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or a cataract.

But that’s not all…

in 1996, the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) was launched. It was hailed as an amazing success after finding that a formulation of nutrients including lutein and zeaxanthin, vitamins C and E, copper and zinc, had the power to significantly slow dry AMD progression from moderate to late disease if taken daily. The AREDs formulation is recommended by ophthalmologists for adults at high risk of AMD.

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Other ways lutein and zeaxanthin promote healthy eyes

The same antioxidant action that lets this pair of phytochemicals protect the macula from free radicals may also make it a preventive for other eye diseases, including:

• Cataracts. Research has shown that eating foods rich in lutein and zeaxanthin (more about those in a bit) could help slow the formation of cataracts, those cloudy patches in the front of the eye that become more common with age.
• Diabetic retinopathy. In animal studies, supplementing with lutein and zeaxanthin has been shown to reduce oxidative stress that damage the eyes when diabetes is present.
• Retinal detachment. Rats with retinal detachment who were given lutein injections had 54 percent less cell death than those injected with corn oil.
• Uveitis. Lutein and zeaxanthin may help reduce the inflammation of uveitis, an inflammatory condition in the middle layer of the eye.

Lutein and zeaxanthin’s benefits far beyond your eyes

Skin health. The antioxidant effects of lutein and zeaxanthin protect the skin against the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays. Animal studies show that these two antioxidants may protect skin cells from premature aging and tumors caused by ultraviolet rays.

Artery and heart health. Lutein is an important part of the reason that a diet rich in dark leafy green vegetables may slow or prevent heart problems that occur when arteries get stiff from buildup. In the Los Angeles Atherosclerosis Study, people with higher blood levels of lutein averaged only a 0.004 mm increase in artery thickness over 18 months. In those with the lowest levels of lutein, artery wall thickness increased an average of 0.021 mm. They also found lutein lowered the inflammatory effects of LDL “bad” cholesterol on artery walls.

Stress busters. In recent years, we’ve found out that lutein and zeaxanthin are also connected to your brain health and the production of the stress hormone, cortisol.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are powerful anti-inflammatory agents that can deposit themselves directly into neural tissues, as they do in the eyes. But more recent research shows that this happens in the brain as well.

And when this duo settles into your brain, they have a direct influence on cortisol levels. They reduce the stress hormone and keep your body’s nervous system running at a more moderate level, rather than at a high-stress level.

Heading off dementia. Lutein and zeaxanthin are two of three antioxidants that can support brain health and may stave off cognitive decline.

In a study published by the American Academy of Neurology, over 7000 people aged 45 and older at the beginning of the study were followed for sixteen years. Those with the highest amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin were less likely to develop dementia decades later than people with lower levels of the antioxidant duo.

Every increase of one standard deviation in lutein and zeaxanthin levels was matched by a seven percent decrease in dementia risk.

But not only do these two antioxidants help guard eye health and support cognitive function, but studies have also demonstrated that maintaining optimal levels of lutein in the brain keeps you cognitively young and decreases the risk for osteoporosis.

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Eating the right foods with lutein and zeaxanthin

The average American consumes, at most, 3mg of lutein and zeaxanthin per day. Twice that much, or 6mg per day, is related to controlling macular degeneration.

Moreover, when you consume very little of these antioxidants, your body puts them to work to reduce more urgent inflammatory and oxidative damage in the body, rather than sending them to the eyes to play a preventive role.

That’s why it’s so important to eat foods loaded with lutein and zeaxanthin.

Luckily, there are lots of those:

• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Kale
• Corn
• Egg yolks
• Turnip, collard, mustard and dandelion greens
• Avocados
• Mango
• Peas
• Pumpkin
• Brussels sprouts
• Honeydew
• Broccoli
• Asparagus
• Pistachios
• Carrots

One important note: lutein and zeaxanthin are degraded by heat. The higher the heat, the more nutrient content that’s lost.

Even pan-frying or stir-frying spinach or other greens for two minutes can deplete them of lutein and zeaxanthin.

So what’s the best way to consume these antioxidant-rich foods?

Consider adding them to a smoothie. But be sure to include a little fat to improve releasing the lutein, especially, from foods like spinach. A full-fat milk or coconut milk will release more lutein than plant-based milk or water.

And if you want to up your game, you can reach for supplements containing lutein and zeaxanthin. While there’s no upper limit set for these nutrients, the American Optometric Association says that 10mg per day of lutein and 2mg per day of zeaxanthin are about what you need to support your eye health.

Sources:

The Role of Free Radicals and Antioxidants in Macular Degeneration —Enhanced Vision

One more reason to eat lots of fruits and vegetables: Lutein — USC News

Dietary lutein/zeaxanthin partially reduces photoaging and photocarcinogenesis in chronically UVB-irradiated Skh-1 hairless mice — Skin Pharmacology and Physiology

Carotenoids: Everything You Need to Know  — Healthline

The post Lutein and zeaxanthin: Protection far beyond your eyes appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Well, according to researchers at the Shiley Eye Institute at UC San Diego Health, they might also be the windows to your heart.

In fact, they say that what your eye doctor sees during your exam could tell you whether a heart attack or stroke is in your future, so that you can take steps to save your life.

The ripple effect

What do your eyes have to do with your heart?

The answer is in your blood vessels.

You see, the only place that doctors can examine the smallest blood vessels in your body is in your eyes — specifically your retinas.

When blood flow is good, those blood vessels are healthy. And so are the cells around them.

However, if you have heart disease (or are developing it) that blood flow is compromised. Lack of oxygen and ischemia sets in and the cells those blood vessels feed start to die.

And those UC San Diego researchers say that this die-off leaves behind permanent marks in your eyes.

Called RIPLs, retinal ischemic perivascular lesions, these marks are easily seen during an exam.

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More and more dangerous

Because of this, the scientists set out to determine if the number of RIPLs in your retinas could accurately predict your risk of cardiovascular disease.

And if those RIPLs might be useful in determining if a heart attack or stroke could be about to strike.

They dug through the records of people who underwent an optical coherence tomography scan (or OCT) between July 2014 and 2019. And to make sure their conclusions eliminated any bias, they included a group of patients with heart disease, and another “healthy” group to serve as a control.

So were RIPLs an accurate predictor of current or future heart problems?

Absolutely!

The research showed that patients with heart disease had far more RIPLs in their retinas than healthy controls.

And they were also able to prove that the number or RIPLs correlated to each person’s risk of heart disease as determined by a device called the atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk score calculator.

It’s a device that is used nationally to determine the risk of heart attack or stroke within the next 10 years.

“Individuals with low and borderline ASCVD scores had a low number of RIPLs in their eyes, but as the ASCVD risk increased, so did the number of RIPLs,” said lead author Mathieu Bakhoum, MD, Ph.D., a retina surgeon at UC San Diego Health.

In other words, your eyes ARE a window to your heart health. And your next eye exam could save your life.

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Know your risks and plan for your health

So at your next eye doctor appointment, be sure to ask for an OCT scan to determine the number of RIPLs in your retinas.

Additionally, you can see your medical doctor and ask for these 15 early detection blood tests.

And finally, no matter where you are in your heart health journey, it is always a good time to make lifestyle changes that have been proven to beat back cardiovascular disease like:

• Eating fish twice a week
• Taking a vacation
• Adding supplements, like alpha-lipoic acid
• Getting more exercise – especially high-intensity interval training (HIIT)
• Consider the benefits of regular coffee consumption to reduce stroke and heart attack risk.

Your heart health might be mirrored in your eyes, but it’s also in your hands.

Sources:

Heart Disease is in the Eye of the Beholder — UC San Diego Health

The post Why your eyes are a window to your heart attack risk appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

And two of the most likely areas where secondary issues occur are your eyes and kidneys.

That’s because the small blood vessels in the eye are particularly susceptible to damage due to diabetes — damage that can lead to blurred vision or even blindness.

And while your kidneys aren’t as sensitive to high blood sugar levels as your eyes, the important small blood vessels in these organs can still be damaged, which can cause you to spill out proteins in your urine, impair your kidney function and eventually cause them to fail.

These secondary effects are why your doctor tells you that you have to keep your blood sugar under control.

And while the advice is great, it’s been missing something — the exact level your blood sugar should be at or below long-term to keep that damage away.

Luckily, that level has now been found thanks to research that spent up to 36 years following every adult and child under the age of 35 who developed type 1 diabetes in Sweden between 1983 and 1987.

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What’s your blood sugar number?

Specifically, the researchers kept track of the patients’ HbA1c values, which reflect their average blood sugar levels during a longer period. They also monitored the development of eye and kidney damage to assess risk.

And the results of their study, revealed the magic number to be 53.

While the team found that the blood sugar level in a healthy person is very closely controlled with a maximum HbA1c level of 42 mmol/mol, the target for diabetics is 53 mmol/mol or below.

“The results of our study show that people with type 1 diabetes for at least 32 years should keep their mean long-term sugar level below 53 mmol/mol (7.0%), if they are to completely avoid serious damage. The risk of eye- and kidney complications increases as the level increases,” said Hans Arnqvist, professor emeritus at Linköping University and leader of the study.

“Our conclusions relate to avoiding complications arising from blood vessel damage. But if a patient has problems with low blood sugar, hypoglycemia, it’s not possible to control the blood sugar level so strictly,” he continued.

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Controlling your blood sugar to save your eyes and kidneys

While diet is the best way to help keep your kidneys healthy when dealing with type 1 diabetes, by planning meals that balance the right amount of carbohydrates, protein and other nutrients to keep blood sugar in the healthy range, you can do more to support your eye health.

Lutein and zeaxanthin have a solid reputation for supporting the health of our eyes. That’s why they’re part of the nutritional supplement regimen for macular degeneration supported by the AREDS study. And why nutritionists encourage us to get plenty of these carotenoid pigments in foods like cantaloupe, corn, carrots, orange and yellow peppers, as well as fish, salmon and eggs.

Even though type 1 and type 2 diabetics have eye health concerns that are greater than most, these two eye-supporting nutrients still have much to offer. In fact, studies have found that higher lutein and zeaxanthin levels were associated with significantly lower odds of developing diabetic retinopathy.

So if you have problems keeping your blood sugar levels ideal, get with your endocrinologist to be sure you’re on the right track and talk to them about supporting your eyes with the right nutrition.

Sources:

Recommended blood sugar levels to avoid diabetes-related damage – ScienceDaily

Nutritional and medical food therapies for diabetic retinopathy — Biomedcentral.com

The post Are your blood sugar levels hurting your eyes and kidneys? appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide and accounts for up to 90 percent of all cases of glaucoma — an eye disease in which uncontrolled elevated ocular pressure can cause damage to the optic nerve.

Symptoms of POAG often don’t manifest until it has caused permanent vision damage. This is why scientists have been working to catch it at an earlier stage, before it’s had a chance to affect the optic nerve.

As part of this process, researchers have identified several factors that put people at higher risk of developing glaucoma, including diabetes, hypertension, migraines and obstructive sleep apnea. But recently they’ve learned which of these conditions can help them get an early jump on POAG onset…

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Time of glaucoma onset may be tied to certain diseases

To answer this question, researchers at UT Southwestern (UTSW) recently analyzed data from records of 389 POAG patients seen at the UTSW Eye Clinic between June and December 2019. The patients were divided based on age at diagnosis into four groups to assess the link between onset of POAG and migraines, obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension and type 2 diabetes.

No connection was found between migraines or obstructive sleep apnea and the age of POAG onset. However, researchers discovered the age at which patients were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and/or hypertension was significantly linked with onset of POAG.

In other words, the earlier patients presented with either high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes — or both — the earlier they tended to develop POAG.

These findings could lead to better screening protocols for POAG, which could help catch glaucoma early enough to preserve vision.

“Currently, we lack the tools to cure glaucoma, but with enough advanced notice, we can preserve patients’ vision,” says study leader Dr. Karanjit Kooner, associate professor of ophthalmology at UTSW. “Early detection of glaucoma is the key to better control of intraocular pressure and preventing blindness.”

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Kooner notes that both high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes affect the blood vessels of the retina and optic nerve. This could potentially cause changes that predispose a patient to POAG, another condition with a vascular component.

If these links hold up in future research, a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and/or hypertension could be added to a list of factors that can trigger early screening for POAG. This list presently includes a family history of POAG, elevated intraocular pressure, and being Black.

How to manage for all three conditions

Once you’ve been diagnosed with POAG, your eye care professional will likely suggest a few treatment options that can lower pressure inside the eye and help stop further damage to the optic nerve. They include medicated eye drops, laser treatment or a surgical procedure.

But ideally, we’d all like to do what we can to prevent POAG from happening in the first place. The good news is that some of the recommended lifestyle changes that help prevent type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure are also good for preventing glaucoma.

For instance, exercise can benefit all three of these conditions. Regular aerobic exercise has been shown to lower intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients, as well as help balance blood sugar and blood pressure.

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Then there’s coffee. Studies show the chlorogenic acid in coffee is a powerful antioxidant that protects the retina, which can help prevent blindness from retinal damage, glaucoma, diabetes and aging. Chlorogenic acid also has been proven to significantly lower blood pressure.

If you’re like me and prefer a cup of tea to coffee, you’re covered as well. Both green and black tea have been found to lower high blood pressure, and green tea can also help prevent cataracts and glaucoma. Studies show the antioxidants and catechins in green tea help protect against the oxidative stress that can lead to glaucoma.

Finally, some important nutrients for glaucoma prevention and good heart health include lipoic acid and essential fatty acids, particularly DHA omega-3. Great food sources of lipoic acid include red meat, organ meats like liver, brewer’s yeast and vegetables like broccoli and spinach (green leafy vegetables improve blood flow to the retina as well). And DHA omega-3 can be found in fish like salmon, mackerel and herring.

Sources:

Early onset of diabetes, hypertension can predict early glaucoma, UTSW ophthalmologists report — UT Southwestern Medical Center

Predictors of Early Onset Glaucoma — Clinical Ophthalmology

Blindness Biggest Fear for Many Americans — HealthDay

Learn about Glaucoma — Glaucoma Research Foundation

Can Exercise Lower Eye Pressure? — Glaucoma Research Foundation

The post Avoid the eye disease that follows diabetes and high blood pressure appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

That’s the type of light emitted from LEDs, including computers, smartphones and even televisions whenever those devices are on.

And if you don’t think you’re being over-exposed to blue light, you’re kidding yourself. Think about how often you talk, text, check Facebook, send an email or order groceries on your smartphone.

That’s concerning because this type of artificial light has been linked to everything from weight gain and accelerated aging to cancer.

And now, the news about blue light has gotten even worse…

That’s because according to research by a team at Oregon State University, the damaging effects of daily, lifelong exposure to light in the blue fraction of the spectrum become more dangerous as you age…

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Blue light and your body’s energy-producing powerhouses

In previous studies, those Oregon State researchers had already discovered a scary fact — that blue light caused brain damage, eye damage and rapid aging in fruit flies.

While that may not sound like a big deal, since fruit flies aren’t really something we worry about in our day-to-day lives, the truth is that what happened to those fruit flies demonstrates what will also happen to us.

The only difference is that since the lives of fruit flies are significantly compressed, scientists can observe the damage in a short period of time versus the human lifespan which is much longer.

For their current study, the researchers set out to examine the survival rate of flies kept in darkness and then moved to an environment of constant blue light at progressively older ages, specifically looking at the effect of blue light on the mitochondria of the flies’ cells.

Why the mitochondria?

Well, that one’s easy.

You see, your mitochondria are one of the most precious resources in your entire body, serving as power plants for every cell in your body.

Because of this, when something goes wrong in your mitochondria, a host of diseases could be in your future, including Alzheimer’s, fibromyalgia, diabetes and cancer.

And that’s why what the scientists discovered in fruit flies has such a frightening implication for our own health.

“We determined that specific reactions in mitochondria were dramatically reduced by blue light, while other reactions were decreased by age independent of blue light. You can think of it as blue light exposure adding insult to injury in aging flies,” says Jaga Giebultowicz, a researcher in the OSU College of Science who studies biological clocks.

“Our previous work demonstrated that daily lifelong exposure to blue light, but not other visible wavelengths, has damaging effects on the brain, motor abilities and lifespan of the model organism,” Giebultowicz continues.

“Now we’re reporting that the damaging effects of blue light on the flies are strongly age dependent — the same length of exposure to the same intensity of light decreases lifespan and increases neurodegeneration more significantly in old flies than in young ones.”

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Blue light protection without returning to the dark ages

Luckily, there are things you can do to protect yourself from these dangers that don’t involve sitting for hours in the darkness with all of your screens turned off, skipping out on checking your emails or watching your favorite show on Netflix.

One of the easiest ways is to use eyeglasses with amber lenses that filter out the blue light and protect your retinas.

Eye nutrition can increase the amount of macular pigment in your eyes. Of course, the best-known nutrients for your eyes are lutein and zeaxanthin.

You can also set your phones, laptops and other devices to block blue light emissions.

And of course, if you get the chance to unplug more often, you’ll not only reduce your blue light exposure, but you could also help say goodbye to some of the daily stressors that come with being constantly connected.

Sources:

Harm from blue light exposure increases with age, research in flies suggests – ScienceDaily

The post Why seniors are especially vulnerable to blue light appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

There’s a reason some people would ask.

For years, drug companies and even doctors have pushed the idea that taking vitamins and other supplements is a waste of time and money. Your own doctor may have scoffed at the notion that supplements can have an impact on your health.

One doctor memorably told me that all supplements do is create expensive urine.

But I knew better…

Time and again, research has proven supplement skeptics wrong. I’ve seen it, read it, dug through it — at first because of my family history of heart problems.  

But I kept at it because I saw proof that prevention is the best medicine — and that it is the expensive drugs and treatments forced on us after we’re sick that are a waste of money.

And now there’s vindication of all of that…

A report released by the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) reveals that not only could many medical events related to chronic conditions be avoided in the first place — but billions of dollars in U.S. healthcare costs could be slashed… including what comes out of your wallet, thanks to supplements.

The role of supplements in preventive care: A “no-brainer”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that more than 75 percent of healthcare spending in the U.S. is for people with chronic conditions. These diseases also cost the country more than $260 billion a year in lost workforce productivity.

Meanwhile, the U.S. currently invests less than three percent of total healthcare expenditures on preventive care.

But according to Dr. Andrea Wong, senior VP of scientific and regulatory affairs at CRN, “A steadily growing body of clinical research shows investing in preventive care through supplementation helps Americans avoid chronic conditions.”

Wong adds, “This strategy is what we call a no-brainer.”

According to the Supplements to Savings report, supplement use already captures $59 billion in healthcare cost savings. However, if specific dietary supplement ingredients were more widely used, it could potentially save hundreds of billions more.

“This report is a wake-up call to American healthcare policymakers,” says Michael Meirovitz, CRN’s director of government relations. “We must shift our public policy and healthcare spending priorities so American taxpayers can have better health — and pay less for it.”

Better health for less: Here’s the proof

The report reviewed the evidence on a handful of dietary supplements among people at high risk for certain conditions — and concluded: Supplementing can reduce direct and indirect medical costs from several chronic conditions.

In other words, supplementing has enough of a health impact that it cuts down on visits to physicians’ offices, hospitals, ERs, procedures, treatments and prescription medications, as well.

Here’s what they found, specifically…

Vitamin D and Calcium: A preventive regimen of calcium and vitamin D in populations at high risk of osteoporosis could prevent 361,507 avoidable medical events. This amounts to yearly net savings of $179.32 billion, with an additional $155.41 billion in savings estimated to occur among high-risk Americans already taking these supplements.

Probiotics: If the high-risk population for irritable bowel syndrome took preventive levels of probiotics, over 397 million hours of missed work would be prevented. That’s yearly savings of $110.22 billion on top of the $94.83 billion taking place among those already taking probiotics.

Vitamins B6, B9 and B12: If those at high risk of cognitive decline supplement these B vitamins at preventive levels, 270,642 avoidable medical events would be prevented. This would result in net savings of $109.93 billion annually. Those at high risk of cognitive decline already supplementing with vitamins B6, B9 and B12 are already generating estimated net savings of $97.64 billion per year.

Vitamin K2, omega-3s, magnesium and dietary fiber: If the high-risk population for coronary artery disease takes these four supplements at a preventive level, it could prevent between 81,236 and 301,539 avoidable medical events. This amounts to yearly net savings of between $13.3 billion and $85.3 billion. Savings of between $12.66 billion and $83.84 billion are estimated to occur in the target population already taking these supplements.

Choline: If the target population for childhood cognitive development disorders were to receive a preventive dose of choline, it would prevent an estimated 57,128 avoidable medical events and result in $1.08 billion in net savings per year. The high-risk population already taking choline is projected to generate annual savings of $1.07 billion.

Lutein and zeaxanthin: If populations at high risk for age-related macular degeneration were to take these two supplements at preventive intake levels, 21,718 avoidable medical events would be prevented, amounting to annual savings of $959.2 million. That’s in addition to the $942.7 million in savings already taking place among those taking lutein and zeaxanthin at recommended dosages.

Healthwise and pennywise: Supplements are effective

Just so you know, the creators of the report did their homework — and not just the math…

To determine the healthcare cost savings, they first had to determine the risk reduction metric for each of the supplements assessed. That meant collecting a comprehensive set of studies representing the “totality of evidence of efficacy” for a given dietary supplement’s effects on the relative risk of specific disease events.

That included:

• A review of the scientific literature related to the given chronic disease and the dietary supplement of interest.
• Identification of a representative set of qualified studies that investigated a causal relationship between supplement intake and the incidence of specific health conditions of interest.
• Weighting and aggregation of the qualified study findings to determine an overall expected impact of dietary supplement intervention on disease event occurrence.

It wouldn’t be a reach to say that this may have been the most comprehensive study to date on the effectiveness of supplements — healthwise and pennywise.

Does this mean we’ll start hearing less from the supplement naysayers? I doubt it…

There’s more money to be made in treating sick people than in keeping them well. And that’s exactly why they’ll keep warning you off supplements.

Sources:

1. CRN Foundation’s New Economic Report Details Billions of Potential Savings in U.S. Health Care Costs — CRN

2. Health Care Cost Savings from the Targeted Use of Dietary Supplements 2022–2030 — CRN

The post Supplements could save billions in health costs report shows appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

This is particularly true for women, who tend to live longer than men, yet are at higher risk for conditions that can make their golden years much less enjoyable.

What if I told you about a simple way women can lower those risks of ending up with conditions that lead to age-related decline and enjoy more of those golden years in good health?

Even better — it comes down to just two powerful nutrients…

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Women live longer, but with more disease

A recent review of research from the University of Georgia has pulled together years of proof that women experience certain degenerative conditions, from autoimmune diseases to dementia, at much higher rates than men.

Dr. Billy Hammond, a professor in the Behavioral and Brain Sciences Program at the University of Georgia, sums up his findings.

“The idea is that men get a lot of the diseases that tend to kill you, but women get those diseases less often or later, so they persevere, but with illnesses that are debilitating.

“For example, of all the existing cases of macular degeneration and dementia in the world, two-thirds are women. These diseases that women suffer for years are the very ones most amenable to prevention through lifestyle.”

The nutrients more women need to live better

Carotenoids are pigments found in brightly colored fruits and vegetables such as bell peppers and tomatoes. They act as antioxidants for humans.

And women seem to get the short end of the stick when it comes to carotenoids…

“Women are not all that different with respect to their intake,” explains Dr. Hammond, “but there are differences in their biology that create higher need.”

Because of their child-bearing ability, women generally have more adipose (fatty) tissue than men. The female body makes sure that any developing fetus gets “first dibs” at any carotenoids consumed by storing them away in this fatty tissue.

This means less is available for a woman’s retina and brain, putting her at more risk for degenerative problems. This is exactly why women’s dietary requirements for carotenoids are higher.

Based on this review, Dr. Hammond states that “… recommendations need to be changed so that women are aware that they have these vulnerabilities that they have to proactively address, so they don’t have these problems later in life.”

In other words, standard dietary requirements for carotenoids need to be bumped up for women to make up for biological differences.

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How to get more carotenoids

Dr. Hammond notes that two carotenoid antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin, that are normally associated with eye health are especially important.  

Not only does supplementing these two antioxidants help guard against age-related macular degeneration and help support cognitive function, but studies have also demonstrated that maintaining optimal levels of lutein in the brain keeps you cognitively young and decreases risk for osteoporosis.

It’s a pretty simple matter to increase your level of carotenoid intake, particularly during the summer months, when fresh produce is easily available.

Brightly colored fruits and vegetables are rich in carotenoids. Eat more of these, and you’ll increase your intake dramatically…

• Yams
• Kale
• Spinach
• Watermelon
• Cantaloupe
• Bell peppers
• Tomatoes
• Carrots
• Mangoes
• Oranges
• Tangerines
• Pumpkin
• Papaya
• Persimmons
• Asparagus

I especially enjoy these fruits and veggies fresh while they are in season — but many can be found year-round. Supplementing is also a good option to be sure you’re on top of your nutrition levels.

Sources:

Women already live longer. They can live better with an improved diet — Science Daily

The influence of the macular carotenoids on women’s eye and brain health — Nutritional Neuroscience

How a Diet High in Carotenoids Can Help Women Live Longer, Better — Healthline

Effects of Lutein/Zeaxanthin Supplementation on the Cognitive Function of Community Dwelling Older Adults: A Randomized, Double-Masked, Placebo-Controlled Trial — Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience

The post Women live longer: Two antioxidants help them live better appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Out of the crowd shines the vibrant red, yellow and orange tones. And have you ever wondered how they manage to achieve these vibrant shades?

It’s all due to carotenoids…

Carotenoids are the pigments responsible for the bright colors of fruits and vegetables. But more than giving them their beautiful hues, carotenoids are powerful antioxidants with a serious capacity to scavenge free radicals and protect your body’s cells and tissues from oxidative damage.

There are six major carotenoids — beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin and lycopene. And you’ll be amazed to discover that these carotenoids provide some seriously important health benefits…

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Protect your eyesight

Carotenoids can help protect your eyes against one of the leading causes of blindness, a condition called Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD).

In a large study following a collective of 102,046 participants for 24-26 years, higher consumption of two carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin) was shown to lower the risk of developing advanced AMD by 41 percent.

Lutein and zeaxanthin have the ability to stand guard and absorb a substantial amount of the blue light that causes macular damage. And the antioxidant properties of these carotenoids also shield the eyes from the oxidative effects after blue light exposure has already occurred.

Researchers suggest you need to consume at least 6 mg of carotenoids each day to gain these benefits. And you can easily do this by eating one sweet corn cob and one cup of summer or winter squash.

Prevent osteoporosis

Due to hormonal changes that occur during menopause, women over 50 are at greater risk of bone loss and osteoporosis. Thankfully, beta-cryptoxanthin is a carotenoid that can help prevent both these outcomes from occurring…

Beta-cryptoxanthin (found in peppers, pumpkin, spinach, papaya and tangerine) works to inhibit osteoclast cells from breaking down bone tissue in your body.

In fact, when researchers examined 457 postmenopausal women, those with the highest levels of the carotenoid beta-cryptoxanthin in their blood had a 93 percent lower risk of osteoporosis.

Another study found that out of 946 participants, those who consumed a higher amount of carotenoids (23.7 mg per day) had a 51 percent lower risk of hip fractures than those who consumed the lowest amount of carotenoids (7.3 mg or less per day).

To put these numbers into perspective, let’s note that consuming just one cup of spinach (13.8 mg) and drinking one cup of carrot juice (22 mg) would put you well over the 23.7 mg daily goal for carotenoids that you just saw above.

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Combat cardiovascular disease

Carotenoids have the unique ability to become soluble in both fat and water, which means they can circulate in lipids, cholesterol and fats in your body. This means carotenoids have the unique ability to directly influence arteries, decreasing thickness and stiffening that may lead to the development of atherosclerosis, one of the most common types of heart disease.

And according to researchers, the ability of carotenoids to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation has the potential to cut your risk of coronary heart disease by 12 percent, and your risk of stroke by 18 percent!

All you have to do to gain all the benefits that carotenoids have to offer is shop smart — head to the fresh produce section and fill your cart with brightly colored vegetables.

Top 10 carotenoid-rich foods

1. Carrots
2. Tomato
3. Pumpkin
4. Kale
5. Vegetable juice
6. Collards
7. Spinach
8. Sweet potato
9. Turnip greens
10. Apricots

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I’ve been wearing prescription glasses since I was a child to correct near-sightedness and astigmatism. As I get older, my vision has changed, and not for the better.

But most people I know don’t see an optometrist for an annual visit. A yearly physical, yes, but an annual eye exam? “Why bother?” “I can see just fine!”

Unless, or until they develop vision-related problems, usually with age, an annual eye exam just isn’t on their radar. Even then the American Academy of Ophthalmologists reports most won’t see an eye doctor.

This is a huge mistake.

Your optometrist can detect medical conditions that may otherwise go undetected until they make themselves known as serious health concerns.

Starting with the one known as “the silent killer.”

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Why an annual eye exam could head off stroke

According to the World Health Organization, about 1.28 billion adults aged 30-79 years worldwide have hypertension.

What’s especially striking is that about 46 percent of those people don’t know they have hypertension.

High blood pressure has few warning signs or symptoms, which is why it’s called “the silent killer.”

If left untreated, high blood pressure can cause a cascade of other life-threatening conditions, including heart attacks and heart failure, stroke, and kidney disease.

That’s why catching this stealth killer early is so important.

Your optometrist may be able to spot signs of high blood pressure, possibly even before your doctor does.

How hypertension shows up in the eye

As part of a routine annual eye exam, your optometrist uses a specialized microscope called a slit-lamp which can detect damage in the small, sensitive blood vessels of the eye that is a hallmark of hypertension.

A retinal photograph will reveal red areas in the eye that come from hemorrhaging of these tiny blood vessels due to changes in pressure.

Our eyes are often referred to as “the window to the brain.” Their circulation is very similar to the brain’s circulation, and changes in the eye’s blood vessels can be used as an early warning sign for what’s likely to happen in the brain.

In order to determine whether someone has high blood pressure, an optometrist will look for fluid build-up in the eye, as well as inflammation and blood vessels that are dysfunctional.

They may also measure the diameter of blood vessels in the eye as a way to predict a higher risk of developing hypertension in the future.

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The moral of the story

A regular eye exam doesn’t replace a regular check-up with your doctor. But the eyes truly are the windows to the brain — and other parts of the body.

So it’s smart to take advantage of that by seeing an optometrist regularly. Not only will you preserve your vision as you get older, but quite possibly you’ll head off a life-threatening condition.

Besides high blood pressure, optometrists can easily detect signs of other diseases that do damage to the eyes, especially diabetes and many autoimmune diseases.

So, next time you schedule your annual physical, go ahead and make another phone call — to your optometrist.

Sources:

Getting Your Eyes Checked Could Help Prevent This ‘Silent Killer’ From Striking — Science Alert

The eye is our window to the brain – and there’s a lot we can tell from it — The Conversation

Types of Medical Conditions That Affect Eye Health — Broberg Eye Care

The post What the optometrist can ‘see’ about your stroke risk appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But in recent years, studies have increasingly shown just how interconnected the various processes in the body are.

For instance, there’s concrete proof of a connection between gut health and conditions like dementia, headache, depression and autoimmune disease. This is all due to the gut-brain axis, a sensitive biochemical signaling pathway between the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system that can be disrupted by any disturbances in the brain or gut.

Then there’s your vision. Eye health has been linked to many seemingly unrelated health issues like migraine, dementia, and heart attack. And now, new research appears to indicate a connection between eye health and another important health marker…

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Eye health, diet and lifespan

Researchers from the Buck Institute have been studying the impact of dietary restriction on the circadian processes of fruit flies. In 2016, they published a study showing that fruit flies on a restricted diet showed significant changes in their circadian rhythms (the sleep/wake cycle) and an extended lifespan.

The Buck researchers wanted to figure out two things. One was which circadian function-enhancing processes were altered by the change in diet. And the other was whether circadian processes were needed for the longer lifespan observed with dietary restriction.

Their most recent study began when flies on an unrestricted diet were compared with those fed just 10 percent of the protein of the unrestricted diet. Both groups of flies were kept in an environment that was in light for 12 hours and dark for 12 hours while they were fed.

Lead author Dr. Brian Hodge noticed many genes that were responsive to diet and also exhibited ups and downs at different time points. The “rhythmic” genes that were activated the most with dietary restriction all seemed to be coming from the photoreceptors in the fly’s eye. These specialized neurons in the retina of the eye respond to light.

This finding led the researchers to experiment further to understand what role eye function plays in the story of how dietary restriction can increase longevity. In one study, they found that keeping flies in constant darkness extended their lifespan.

“That seemed very strange to us,” Hodge says. “We had thought flies needed the lighting cues to be rhythmic, or circadian.”

In addition to demonstrating a link between diet, circadian rhythms, eye health and lifespan in fruit flies, the researchers unexpectedly found that processes inside the fly eye are pushing the aging process.

How this impacts humans

The association between eye disorders and poor health in humans has been uncovered in previous studies.

“Our study argues that it is more than correlation: dysfunction of the eye can actually drive problems in other tissues,” says senior author and Buck Institute Professor Dr. Pankaj Kapahi. “We are now showing that not only does fasting improve eyesight, but the eye actually plays a role in influencing lifespan.

For example, exposure to light can cause photoreceptor degeneration, which can lead to inflammation and circadian disruption.

“Staring at computer and phone screens and being exposed to light pollution well into the night are conditions very disturbing for circadian clocks,” Kapahi says. “It messes up protection for the eye and that could have consequences beyond just the vision, damaging the rest of the body and the brain.”

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The study raises the question of whether photoreceptors affect longevity in mammals. Since the majority of a fruit fly’s energy is devoted to its eyes, and it’s not the same for mammals, the effect on mammal longevity probably isn’t as intense, Hodge says.

“The stronger link I would argue is the role that circadian function plays in neurons in general, especially with dietary restrictions, and how these can be harnessed to maintain neuronal function throughout aging,” he says.

Once the researchers understand how these processes are working, they can begin to target the molecular clock to slow aging. Hodge observes that it could be possible for humans to help maintain vision by activating the “clocks” within their eyes.

“It might be through diet, drugs, lifestyle changes… a lot of really interesting research lies ahead,” he says.

Even though these studies have only been done in fruit flies, it certainly can’t hurt our longevity to do what we can to preserve our vision and protect our eye health. For instance, carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin help protect the eyes from oxidation and light-induced damage. These nutrients are also suggested for people with age-related macular degeneration.

Both lutein and zeaxanthin can be found in green vegetables like broccoli, spinach and kale. Other rich sources of lutein include grapes, egg yolks, oranges and zucchini. You can also take these nutrients in supplement form if you want to ensure you’re getting enough of them every day.

Sources:

Buck researchers uncover intriguing connection between diet, eye health and lifespan — Buck Institute

Dietary restriction and the transcription factor clock delay eye aging to extend lifespan in Drosophila Melanogaster— Nature Communications

The post How your eyes can influence your longevity appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

There’s no cure for AMD, but research over the last 25 years has focused on ways to slow the progression to try to avoid severe vision loss.

That’s why, in 1996, the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) was launched. It was hailed as an amazing success after finding that a formulation of nutrients, including vitamins C, E, copper, zinc and beta-carotene had the power to significantly slow AMD progression from moderate to late disease.

But there was soon found to be a fly in the ointment…

Recent research showed that people who smoked and took beta-carotene faced a much higher risk of lung cancer.

Definitely, not a good trade-off.

Well, believe it or not, in looking at how to alleviate that problem, AREDS researchers were able to come up with a new formula that works even better at reducing the risk of AMD progression!

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AREDS2: the next generation

The researchers decided on a new tactic. In 2006 they began AREDS2. They added the antioxidant combo of lutein and zeaxanthin, two vision-supporting nutrients in their own right, to the mix and ditched the beta carotene. Then they put it to the test…

“Because beta-carotene increased the risk of lung cancer for current smokers in two NIH-supported studies, our goal with AREDS2 was to create an equally effective supplement formula that could be used by anyone, whether or not they smoke,” said Emily Chew, M.D., director of the Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Application at the National Eye Institute (NEI), and lead author of the study.

While participants who never smoked were kept on the original AREDS nutrients, past smokers were given 10 mg lutein and 2 mg zeaxanthin (and the other nutrients) instead of beta carotene and followed for five years.

And at the end of the study, the results confirmed they made the right choice…

The news about the new formula gets better

Not only did the addition of lutein/zeaxanthin reduce the risk of AMD progression by approximately 26 percent, it did so without increasing the risk of lung cancer.

So, after the completion of that five-year study period, the study participants were all offered the final AREDS2 formation that included lutein and zeaxanthin instead of beta-carotene.

Then the researchers continued collecting information on the original AREDS2 participants to see whether their AMD had progressed to late disease, and whether they had been diagnosed with lung cancer.

Even though all the participants had switched to the formula containing lutein and zeaxanthin after the end of the study period, the follow-up study continued to show that beta-carotene increased risk of lung cancer for people who had ever smoked by nearly double.

There was no increased risk for lung cancer in those receiving lutein/zeaxanthin. In addition, after 10 years, the group originally assigned to receive lutein/zeaxanthin had an additional 20% reduced risk of progression to late AMD compared to those originally assigned to receive beta-carotene.

Said Chew, “This 10-year data confirms that not only is the new formula safer, it’s actually better at slowing AMD progression.”

Lutein and zeaxanthin are commonly found in green leafy vegetables (e.g., kale, spinach, broccoli, peas and lettuce), summer squash, pumpkin, carrots, pistachios and egg yolks. These are all foods that belong in a well-rounded diet.

But don’t leave your eyesight to chance. Follow the advice of the researchers and supplement these eye-saving nutrients if possible. And don’t forget the other nutrients in their formula: vitamin C, vitamin E, copper and zinc. You’ll find this very same advice on the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s website.

To know the signs of AMD and other eye disorders, click here.

Sources:

Benefit of supplements for slowing age-related macular degeneration – ScienceDaily

The post The ‘new and improved’ treatment that slows AMD appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

There are a lot of health issues that can raise your dementia risks, such as obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol and smoking. But recently, researchers have been uncovering previously unknown and somewhat surprising risk factors.

For instance, one study found individuals with hearing loss had a 30 to 40 percent greater rate of cognitive decline over a six-year period than those who had normal hearing. And further research showed patients given cochlear implants to correct their profound hearing loss had marked improvements in speech perception and cognitive performance.

But there is one risk factor that is relatively simple to address. And doing so can have profound benefits when it comes to preventing dementia…

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Could it be as simple as a vision check?

In a recent cross-sectional analysis, researchers examined data from 16,690 participants ages 50 and older in the 2018 round of the Health and Retirement Study. About 52 percent of the participants were 65 or older.

Using this representative sample and a model that included 12 dementia risk factors, the researchers weighed the population-attributable percentage of dementia cases that would potentially be prevented if each of those risk factors was eliminated. The results were as follows:

• Hypertension — 12.4 percent of cases prevented
• Obesity — 9.2 percent
• Depression — 9.1 percent
• Hearing loss — 7.0 percent
• Traumatic brain injury — 6.1 percent
• Diabetes — 5.1 percent
• Smoking — 3.2 percent
• Physical inactivity — 3.1 percent
• Less education — 3.1 percent
• Social isolation — 1.9 percent
• Vision loss — 1.8 percent
• Excessive alcohol consumption — 0.3 percent

Even though it’s farther down on the list, the researchers chose to focus on vision loss because it’s a factor that’s relatively easy to manage. Based on the results of their analysis, they estimate that simply offering better eye care could prevent nearly 100,000 dementia cases in the U.S.

One of the study’s authors, Dr. Joshua Ehrlich of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, notes that potentially more than 80 percent of vision impairment cases are avoidable or have yet to be addressed.

“We found it surprising that vision impairment had been ignored in key models of modifiable dementia risk factors that are used to shape health policy and resource allocation,” Ehrlich says.

Loss of vision has already begun to emerge as an important dementia risk factor. In fact, an earlier study showed that cataract surgery in older adults was connected to a nearly 30 percent lower risk of dementia.

However, when the Lancet Commission updated its list of 12 key risk factors that, if modified, could help reduce the global dementia burden, vision loss was excluded.

An editorial that accompanied this most recent analysis notes that many of the pathways by which hearing loss can lead to dementia may also be true for vision. They include increased cognitive load, changes to brain structure and function and increased social isolation and loneliness.

Or it could come down to nutrition. Another recent study found that people with higher levels of the two most important nutrients for eye health — lutein and zeaxanthin — were less likely to develop dementia decades later, than persons in the study that had lower levels.

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Taking good care of your eyesight

The first step to maintaining good eye health is to visit your eye doctor at least once a year. Unfortunately, many of us aren’t even doing that much. A recent survey found almost 40 percent of Americans have not had an eye exam in the last year, and an estimated 1 in 10 Americans hasn’t been to the eye doctor in five years or more.

Don’t forget to feed your eyes. Leafy green vegetables are rich in both lutein and zeaxanthin. Carrots and sweet potatoes are known for eye-supporting beta carotene. A steady supply of nuts, seeds and fish can also provide your eyes with the nutrition they need to stay healthy.

If like many of us you spend a large part of your day staring at screens, it’s important to take regular breaks. The American Optometric Association has what they call the 20-20-20 rule: spend 20 seconds staring at an object 20 feet away for every 20 minutes of screen time. But most of us are ignoring this recommendation; in fact, 30 percent of us only take screen breaks every 2 hours.

Sources:

Dementia Prevalence May Be Reduced by Improving Vision — MedPage Today

Addition of Vision Impairment to a Life-Course Model of Potentially Modifiable Dementia Risk Factors in the US — JAMA Neurology

Cervical spondylosis — Mayo Clinic

Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures — Alzheimer’s Association

Study: 1 in 10 Americans Have Not Had An Eye Exam In Five Years Or More — Eyewire

The post Vision loss as a dementia risk factor stacks up appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

That means that in less than the time it took you to read that sentence, another person became a dementia victim.

Luckily, while the number of people with dementia is increasing rapidly (doubling every 20 years), science is also offering us ways to guard against the disease that steals our memories.

In fact, research published by the American Academy of Neurology a triple antioxidant combo that could protect your brain from damage to keep it sharp and dementia at bay.

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Eat your fruits and veggies

The antioxidants are lutein and zeaxanthin, which are found in green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, broccoli and peas. And the combo is rounded out by beta-cryptoxanthin that you can get in fruits such as oranges, papaya, tangerines and persimmons.

Now you should recognize these nutrients for supporting vision and the health of your eyes. So, just what can they do for your brain?

Well, let’s take a look at the research…

The study involved 7,283 people who were at least 45 years old at the beginning of the study. Each participant had their blood drawn at the beginning of the study to analyze their levels of three key antioxidants. Then, the researchers followed them for an average of 16 years to see who developed dementia and who appointed cognitive issues.

And the people with the highest antioxidant levels were the clear winners!

The results showed that:

• People with the highest amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin were less likely to develop dementia decades later than people with lower levels of the antioxidants. (Every standard deviation increase in lutein and zeaxanthin levels, approximately 15.4 micromols/liter, was associated with a 7 percent decrease in risk of dementia).
• For beta-cryptoxanthin, every standard deviation increase in levels, approximately 8.6 micromols/liter, was associated with a 14 percent reduced risk of dementia.

When asked about these impressive results, study author May A. Beydoun, PhD, MPH, of the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Aging, had this to say:

“Extending people’s cognitive functioning is an important public health challenge. Antioxidants may help protect the brain from oxidative stress, which can cause cell damage.”

Your mother was on the right track when she told you to always eat your fruits and vegetables.

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Research-backed dementia protection

Of course, there are a few things you should know about getting the most from these antioxidants before you get started.

The most important thing is to eat your fruits and veggies fresh and raw as often as possible.

That’s because researchers at Linköping University in Sweden have found that levels of antioxidants, lutein, take a sharp dive when they’re heated.

Additionally, you’ll want to keep track of how many fruits and vegetables you get in your everyday diet. The nutrition experts at Harvard say you should squeeze in five servings of fruits and vegetables daily.

If you don’t regularly enjoy antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies, it’s often best to take a supplement that delivers the levels you need to keep your brain at its healthiest.

Finally, beyond lutein, zeaxanthin and beta-cryptoxanthin there are other natural ways to guard your brain and repel dementia.

These include:

• Getting enough exercise – Research out of Sweden found that women with a high fitness level were a whopping 88 percent less likely to get dementia. And the highly fit women who did get dementia got it much later in life (at an average of 90 years old compared to 79 for women who are moderately fit).
• Adding vitamin D – Another study discovered that 1,658 older adults, found that people with very low vitamin D levels had a 122 percent higher risk of developing dementia than those with higher levels. You can up your D levels by taking a vitamin D3 supplement (see why D3 is better than D2, here).
• Avoid dementia-causing food combos – Researchers have found that people who pair processed meats with starchy foods like potatoes, alcohol, cookies and cakes are significantly more likely to end up with dementia. Instead eat a diverse diet including a variety of healthy foods like fruits, veggies, seafood and poultry.

Sources:

Higher antioxidant levels linked to lower dementia risk – ScienceDaily

Dementia Statistics – Alzheimer’s Disease International

The post Repel dementia with this triple antioxidant combo appeared first on Easy Health Options®.