MACULAR DEGENERATION

 

MYTHS:
Everyone with MD is going to continue losing vision, and there is no effective treatment to avoid this.

FACTS:
You do not have to lose your vision with MD.  There are steps you can take to stabilize and even possibly improve your vision.

OVERVIEW:
MD (ARMD-Aged Related Macular Degeneration) is the slow deterioration of the cells in the marcela, a tiny yellowish area near the center of the retina where vision is the most precise.  This deterioration therefore affects your central vision, the very vision you use
for reading, writing, driving and recognizing faces.  ARMD causes the loss of central vision. Your peripheral vision is not affected.

There are two types of macular degeneration:  Ninety percent of people with MD have the dry type, in which small, yellow spots called drusens form underneath the macular.  Drusens are believed to be waste products that accumulate because of lack of antioxidants to clear the waste from the eyes.  The drusens slowly break down the cells in the macular, causing distorted vision.  
Dry MD can progress to the second, more severe type, called wet macular degeneration.

In the wet type, new, abnormal blood vessels begin to grow toward the macular, causing rapid and severe vision loss.

SYMPTOMS:
*Straight Lines look wavy.
*Distinct shapes are blurry
*Colors look dim
*Words appear blurred or difficult to read
*Dark or blank areas block the center of your vision
*There appears to be a fog in the center of your vision

CAUSES:

*Free radicals damage from ultraviolet and blue light from sunlight passing through the crystalline lens.  Free radicals are also natural byproducts of  metabolism.  These highly reactive chemicals cause oxidation, and can destabilize healthy cells in the back of the eyes.  Free radical damage is  accelerated by smoking, chronic fatigue and compromised immune systems.
 

*Nutritional Deficiencies and Poor Digestion - Often sufferers of MD are deficient in some or many of the important nutrients including essential fatty acids, lutein, antioxidants, bioflavenoids, zinc, selenium, vitamin B-Complex.

HEREDITY:
Individuals at risk for MD include:
*Women
*Smokers - increase their risk by 200-300 percent
*Adult diabetics
*People with uncontrolled high blood pressure
*Those lacking sufficient ability to absorb nutrients through their digestive tracts
*Those with a family history of MD
*Drugs that can damage the retina:
Plaquenil (hydroxchloriquine sulfate) is a drug routinely prescribed by rheumatologists for rheumatoid arthritis.  It has caused irreversible damage.
Chloridine (brand name catapres) is used to lower blood pressure
The whole family of NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) can cause visual side effects such as cataracts, dry eyes, and retinal hemorrhages that may result from long-term use.  These include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Bayer, Aleve), flurbiprofen, ketoprofen and naproxen sodium. Tylenol (acetaminophen), though not an NSAID, can be harmful.

CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT:

At the present, there is no effective treatment.  Some causes of MD are treated with laser, but the treatment itself may no effectively seal up a leaky blood vessel without, at the same time, permanently destroying retinal nerve fibers that pass through the area. According to the National Eye Institute, laser treatment can actually worsen vision, and any ability to slow the progression of
disease does not appear until, at least, a year after surgery.

As always, prevention is the best medicine.  Using complementary medicine to try to address the underlying cause of MD, along with traditional medicine to try to prevent damage on an acute basis, is the best approach to preserving vision both short and long-term.

COMPLEMENTARY PRODUCTS FROM NATURE'S SUNSHINE PRODUCTS:

*PERFECT EYES

*LUTEIN (Lutein serves as a potent free radical scavenger for the retina)

*VITAMIN E AND ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS for circulation. (Omega 3, Super GLA, Flax Seed Oil)

*GRAPINE contains a powerful antioxidant called proanthocyanidin that is many times stronger as a free radical scavenger than even Vitamin E and  Vitamin C.  It strengthens capillaries, arteries and veins, improves circulation, reduces capillary fragility and nerve damage in the eye.

*BILBERRY (which is also in Perfect Eyes) improves circulation in the blood vessels of the eye, helps maintain the integrity of capillaries, stabilizes collagen, and stimulates the production of rhodopsin essential for night vision.

*VARI-GONE to improve the overall tone and strength of veins and capillaries, maintain healthy vein constriction and dilation, decrease vascular permeability, promote blood flow.  The ingredients in VariGone maximize vascular integrity.

*FLAX SEED OIL was suggested by Dr. Hatch of Surprise, AZ to help draw toxic accumulations out of the eye and lubricate the eye.

*VITAMIN C TIME RELEASE.  Vitamin C helps make collagen which strengthens the capillaries that nourish the retina, protects against UV light  and is a powerful antioxidant.  The eye contains the second highest concentration of Vitamin C in the body next to the adrenal glands.

*You may also want to cleanse and support the Liver  which, in Chinese medicine, is responsible for the health of the eyes.

*ULTIMATE GREEN ZONE is an excellent, natural dietary powdered formula containing organic grasses, algae, herbs and other nutrients.  The link between maintaining healthy vision and a  healthy diet, which specifically includes 3-5 servings of vegetables a day,  has been established. For those individuals who do not meet this daily requirement, this is an excellent formula for providing essential nutrients and enzymes needed by the body for proper functioning.

*ZINC may be helpful in protecting against vision loss due to MD.  It is found in high concentrations in the eye, and helps bind the protective layer of  the retina to the underlying tissue.  We recommend up to 30 mg daily.

SELF HELP:
Since we consider most eye conditions to be a reflection of the health of the whole body, lifestyle choices and diet can play a major factor in getting and maintaining good vision.  Besides supplements, below are some recommendations:

*Reduce or eliminate drinking caffeine and sodas, avoid aspartame (in diet foods) and man made fats (corn oil and safflower oil, trans fats and hydrogenated vegetable oils including canola oil, and especially margarines).

*Eliminate deep fat fried foods, mono sodium glutanate (MSG) used as a flavour enhancer which is a potential retinal toxin (Inv Oph 1996;  37:1618-24), and fat blockers like Olestra which impair the absorption of carotenoids (Argus, Aug.  1996; 19:18July 1996;19:22).  Eating greater  amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol appear to increase the risk of AMD.

*Limit your alcohol consumption to 1 glass of red wine at night.  Alcohol interferes with liver functions, reducing protective glutathione levels.

*Eliminate Smoking.  Smoking among other things produces cyanide, a retinal toxin.

*Supplement your diet with a good multivitamin like Super Supplemental Vitamins and minerals like Colloidal Minerals or Chinese Mineral Chi.

*Limit the amount of medications (both prescription and non-prescription) as much as possible.  Make sure to work closely with your health practitioner.

*Exercise daily - do at least 20 minutes of aerobic exercise daily.  Walking and swimming are two excellent forms of exercise.

*Managing your emotional health is very important in maintaining physical health.  Fear (fear of failure, responsibility, of being  alone, of death, etc.) is at the root of many of life's problems, and is a major factor in many disease.  Take up the practice of meditation, yoga, tai chi, walks in the woods or prayer on a daily basis.

Go to my personal NATURE'S SUNSHINE site for your Personal "Health Analysis".

You may also check on product information, ordering and become a member for FREE.

Contact: Karen Olerich, Herb Specialist and Natural Health Consultant

Phone: (719) 495-4930

E-mail: Karen