Maintaining Healthy Vision Naturally

The training of our eye doctors in this country is very comprehensive there have been major advances in treatment of eye disease and even laser surgery to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism is available today. But it doesn't really correct the underlying problem of why it is there to begin with. Eye care in this country is symptom oriented. In our training as eye doctors we're taught that once something goes wrong with your eyes there is not much that can be done to help reverse the condition. Vision problems are multiplying at epidemic proportions in our society. The eye care industry is a multi-billion dollar business. Glasses, contact lenses, and eye surgery are the major tools of that industry and these enter the lives of virtually all of the citizens of the Western world. Aldous Huxley wrote in his book The Art of Seeing", that if everyone who had deficient vision had broken legs, the streets would be full of cripples."

Patients come in year after year, their eyesight getting worse. Conventional eye care professionals just give them stronger and stronger glasses. Something is wrong with this picture. Cataracts are present to some degree in nearly all adults over the age of 70 years old. These patients are told, "Let's wait until the cataract "ripens"(gets worse), and then we can remove it surgically." Something is wrong with this picture. Patients with macular degeneration and glaucoma are told, " We'll watch it and try to keep it under control." The amount of children in our schools being labeled learning disabled and/or Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is increasing every year. Where is the much needed prevention, education and rehabilitation? something is wrong with this picture as well.

People think that eye problems are just a natural course of life's process, but people's vision can improve. When people are given so called "corrective" lenses they are being sold a false bill of goods. "Corrective" lenses don't really correct anything. Most of the time when people get their glasses it usually causes more dependency on them along with the eyes losing some of their natural flexibility. I'm interested in an aggressive prevention program so that many eye conditions can be prevented and corrected.

So what's is wrong with the conventional treatment for certain eye conditions. Let's look at nearsightedness and glaucoma.

For example, if you need glasses the eye doctor will prescribe them and you will thank them then pay them for the eye examination and glasses. In a couple of years or sooner the prescription may not be good enough for you to see clearly so you will come back get another examination and probably get stronger glasses and thank them and pay them again.

If you have glaucoma, a similar same thing happens. You come to the office and you may get eye drops to help stabilize the pressure and are told that you will probably be on these eye drops the rest of your life. Where is the prevention, and or rehabilitation?

We have to look at vision the same way that Chinese medicine looks at disease. We look at not if "X" causes "Y "but what is the relationship between "X" and "Y". The eye is an extension of brain tissue and it reflects what your thinking and feeling. The eyes help us adapt to the world and they give us an indication of how we are adapting to the world. It is the primary way we take in information.

For instance, nearsightedness doesn't just happen. Did you know that 90 percent of accountants are nearsighted, but less than 10 percent of farmers are? That's because accountants spend a lot of time focused on up close tasks and farmers are usually looking out across the fields. The brain says "if you make me do close work all day, you will have to give up something" and that something is the ability to see at a distance, so obviously how we use and abuse our eyes affects what happens to them. This concept is not usually taken into consideration by most eye doctors. In nearsightedness, I use the analogy of training for a marathon. If your are going to graduate school, law school, medical school, etc. and there is an extremely large amount of reading that needs to be done, so we need to keep our eye muscles flexible in order to handle the amount of close work more easily. Also proper posture, lighting, taking vision and body breaks and proper nutrition all play a part in helping our eyes.

Now in glaucoma let's say your 55 years old and you have borderline high intraocular pressure which is a possible early sign of glaucoma. The doctor will test your visual field to make sure your peripheral vision is not affected and if your visual field and optic nerve looks normal and the pressure is borderline. The doctor will usually just say come back in 3 to 6 months and we will watch it and if it gets to high we will give you medication. Again very rarely is there anything given preventively to help lower the pressure.

But many things can help, such as paying attention to the following:

1. Stress- in glaucoma as far back as 1818 researchers linked stress to glaucoma. One study showed that glaucoma patients tend to be perfectionists, nervous, anxiety ridden and/or hypersensitive. In Chinese medicine glaucoma is linked to the liver meridian. The emotion associated with the Liver anger/frustration. I may suggest to a patient with glaucoma, that instead of suppressing anger, feel it, but don't fear it. I tell them to try meditation, tai chi and psychotherapy and remember to smile.

2. Smoking- avoid smoking, it more than doubles the incidence of cataracts , glaucoma, and macular degeneration, by stressing the nerve cells in the macula and reduces the quality of blood circulation

3. Physical Exercise- research has shown that glaucoma patients who take a brisk 40 minute walk 5 days a week for three months can reduce their eye pressure by approximately 2.5 mm.

4. Diet-fruits and vegetables, drink 8-10 glasses of water per day but not with food-30 minutes before a meal or 2 hours after a meal optimally, avoid sugars, fried foods, alcohol, caffeine.

5. Nutritional supplementation-alpha lipoic acid-200mg, vitamin C-3000 mg, Coenzyme Q10-100mg, essential fatty acids-omega 3's-1500mg-black currant seed, flax see, cold water fish-salmon mackerel, magnesium- 500 mg-to help relax the smooth muscles that are what regulates the outflow of aqueous humor from the inner eye.

6. Body work-chiropractic, massage therapy, cranial-sacral etc

My philosophy is that people are more than an interesting set of symptoms that must be treated with the proper drug or glasses. We function on several levels; emotional, spiritual, and physical. It is important to take all of these levels into consideration when treating a patient, because merely treating the physical symptoms of the condition does not address how that condition impacts and emerges from all of those levels of your being. So in treating the eye all these factors must be taken into consideration.

Let's start with nutrition, because more than 25 per cent of the nutrients we absorb from our food go to nourish the visual system. The diet plan I prescribe emphasizes a variety of whole foods, because the body does not use each vitamin or mineral in isolation.

The diet I recommend includes the following: 1) whole grains including brown rice, millet, spelt and buckwheat, 2) sea vegetables such as dulse, nori and hijiki because they are high in minerals, 3) fresh fruits and vegetables such as kale, collard greens and spinach. These greens are especially good for the eyes since they have amounts of lutein, which is a carotenoid that studies have proven helps protect the macula of the eye and the lens of the eye. This is particularly important for macula degeneration.

But no matter how wholesome and pure our food might be, there are factors that affect its nutrient content. How it is grown, how it is stored, and how it is cooked. Your age, health, activity level and stress also can affect what your body needs and how well it uses the nutrients from your diet. This is where supplements come in. I routinely recommend vitamin and mineral supplements to my patients

Besides relieving pain, acupressure can rebalance qi throughout the body. I've found acupressure to be very beneficial in the treatment of eye disease and I recommend it since a patient can do it themselves.

Both eye and physical exercise are extremely important in the treatment and prevention of eye conditions because it raises oxygen levels in the cells and increases lymph and blood circulation. From a Chinese standpoint, eye problems mean there is a stagnant energy and exercise helps get rid of the stagnation. This increased circulation revitalizes the organs and glands and speeds up detoxification of the body. I recommend that you gently build up to aerobic exercise for a minimum of 20 minutes per day, four days a week.

The following are some important tips to keep our eyes vibrant and alive.

Don't keep your eyes focused in one place for a sustained period of time. Change your focus, look up and out a window if possible, just keep your eyes moving, sustained contraction of the eyes leads to contraction of the entire upper body. And don't stare that also causes tension in the visual system.

Get at least 20 minutes of natural sunlight a day minimum. The eyes are light sensing organs so its important to get sunlight so that they can work optimally.

Quit smoking!!! This is probably the number on eye irritant. Somokers have a 50 to 100 per cent increased risk for every eye disease.

Avoid sugar; it depletes the body of the nutrients the eyes need. And avoid alcohol since it causes stress to the liver, which is where Vitamin A is processed.

For more information on how to keep your eye healthy contact us at http://www.naturaleyecare.com or 1-888-735-8475

Dr. Grossman is one of the leading holistic eye doctors, has been in practice for over 27 years, and is the author of a number of 5 books on natural eye care including the following: co-author of Magic Eye - A 3D Guide (Andrews and McMeel, 1995), Natural Vision Care - An Encyclopedia (Keats Publishing) printed in April, 1999, Greater Vision (McGraw Hill) printed in September, 200, and "Natural Eye Care: A Comprehensive Manual for Practitioners of Oriental Medicine", which is a 230-page manual describing both the Western and Eastern approaches to preserving eyesight for over 20 specific eye conditions. His newest book was just released in June, 2004 and is entitled Beyond 3D : Improve Your Vision with Magic Eye by Marc Grossman (Author), Magic Eye Inc. (Author)

Dr. Grossman lectures nationally on topics such as Natural Vision Improvement, Vision and Nutrition, Psycho-Emotional Aspects of Visual Conditions, Vision & Learning, Holistic Integrative Visual Therapy, and Chinese Medicine and Vision Care.

---

Google News Updated : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 05:49:35 GMT McCain Lauds and Attacks Obama in Same Day - New York Times CBS News McCain Lauds and Attacks Obama in Same Day New York Times - 41 minutes ago Senator John McCain of Arizona and his supporters at a rally on Friday in La Crosse, Wis. By ELISABETH BUMILLER LAKEVILLE, Minn. - After a week of trying to portray Senator Barack Obama as a friend of terrorists who would drive the country into ... McCain Moves to Soften the Tone at Rallies Washington Post John McCain, speaking to supporters, tries to defuse an anti ... Los Angeles Times Reuters - DetNews.com - Austin American-Statesman - The Miami Herald all 304 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 05:08:14 GMT US Near Changing Stance on North Korea as Terrorist - Wall Street Journal BBC News US Near Changing Stance on North Korea as Terrorist Wall Street Journal - 1 hour ago By JAY SOLOMON WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration is hoping to announce as soon as Saturday that it is tentatively removing North Korea from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, in a bid to kick-start a stalled nuclear disarmament agreement, ... AP: US to remove North Korea from terror blacklist The Associated Press US May Remove North Korea From Terrorism List, AP Reports Bloomberg Los Angeles Times - Voice of America - Financial Times - The Miami Herald all 1,714 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:02:40 GMT Genomics project unites four Wisconsin research institutions - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Genomics project unites four Wisconsin research institutions Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - 19 minutes ago By KATHLEEN GALLAGHER Wisconsin’s four biggest academic research institutions will collaborate on an initiative aimed at giving the state national stature in the fast-emerging field of individualized medicine, Gov. Marshfield Clinic gets biggest donation yet Chicago Tribune Wis. governor unveils gene research triangle Forbes Bizjournals.com - GenomeWeb News (subscription) - WJFW-TV - WISN.com all 51 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 05:29:44 GMT Bush: US authority able to solve financial crisis - People's Daily Online Telegraph.co.uk Bush: US authority able to solve financial crisis People's Daily Online - 1 hour ago US President George W. Bush arrives in the Rose Garden at the White House to makes a statement on the economy in Washington, October 10, 2008. President Bush vows action on financial crisis Los Angeles Times Bush's Lullaby to the Markets Washington Post Birmingham Star - Wall Street Journal - CNN - Bloomberg all 1,302 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:12:49 GMT Democrats Are Gaining, Registration Data Shows - New York Times Los Angeles Times Democrats Are Gaining, Registration Data Shows New York Times - 2 hours ago By NICHOLAS CONFESSORE and GRIFF PALMER Some longtime Republican strongholds in New York are becoming increasingly Democratic, a striking change driven by demographic shifts, intense voter registration drives by Democrats and allied groups and sagging ... Campus registration drives in full swing KARE Ott, Hook face off for open county office St. Joseph News-Press The News-Press - Winston-Salem Journal - Tampabay.com - Beaufort Gazette all 739 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 03:20:33 GMT G-7 Commit to `All Necessary Steps' to Stem Global Meltdown - Bloomberg Voice of America G-7 Commit to `All Necessary Steps' to Stem Global Meltdown Bloomberg - 1 hour ago By Simon Kennedy Oct. 11 (Bloomberg) -- Group of Seven finance chiefs, meeting after stocks plunged and as a global recession looms, vowed to prevent the failure of vital banks while failing to unveil new initiatives for thawing credit markets. Group of 7 Nations Seek Coordination in Rescue New York Times In latest bold step, Treasury will buy bank stakes The Miami Herald CNNMoney.com - The Associated Press - Boston Globe - FN Arena News all 890 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:03:42 GMT Paulson Indicates Need to Purchase Bank Equity `Soon as We Can' - Bloomberg Telegraph.co.uk Paulson Indicates Need to Purchase Bank Equity `Soon as We Can' Bloomberg - 1 hour ago By John Brinsley and Rebecca Christie Oct. 11 (Bloomberg) -- US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson indicated that pumping government funds into banks is a priority and said financial markets will remain volatile. US planning to buy equity in financial institutions Reuters Treasury Weighs Investing In Banks Washington Post International Herald Tribune - MarketWatch - CNNMoney.com - Bizjournals.com all 1,783 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:21:05 GMT RSS2Blog Add RSS Feeds To My Web Pages

PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts, Websites, and more...

Adsense websites

Basilic : A Priceless Uplifter

"The smell of basil is good for the heart, it... Read More

Far Infrared Sauna Technology Comes of Age

What exactly is infrared, or radiant heat? No need to... Read More

Laughter and Your Health

Alternative medicine: jokes and humor for your healthWhen thinking about... Read More

Junk Food Is Not Easier To Eat

There is something to be said about fast food being... Read More

The Many Uses of Mint

There are many varieties of mint plants. If you want... Read More

Bring Peace and Serenity to Your Life Through Hypnosis!

Hypnosis: It happens to everyone, young and old, in everyday... Read More

Green Bamboo: Strength in Flexibility

Those who have watched the movie "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"... Read More

Natural Aphrodisiacs - The Right Way

Aphrodisiacs are amongst the oldest cures, being ones of the... Read More

Genital Warts Natural and Alternative Treatment Remedies

Have you been diagnosed with genital warts caused by the... Read More

About Candida, Its Symptoms & Treatment

Candida is a fungal infection affecting the moist external area... Read More

The Universal Calibration Lattice® - Your Own Personal Connection to the Universal Energy Source

Now is an incredible time to be on Earth. All... Read More

Alzheimer?s Patients And Verbal Abuse: How To Deal With It

Abuse of any kind is difficult to deal with. Types... Read More

Mental Health Maintenance Is Made Simple

Your mental health is often drastically improved when you use... Read More

Oops! One Size DOESNT Fit All

The Stop Smoking Hypnosis people.The ancient Greeks certainly had their... Read More

What is Homeopathy?

Homeopathy is a non-toxic system of medicine used to treat... Read More

Limitations You Should Know About When Using the Subconscious For Pain Relief

As powerful as the subconscious can be in relieving pain,... Read More

Super Bee Nutrition

Bee's and Bee NutritionWhat is the buzz about bee Nutrition?... Read More

Treatment Options for Hand and Foot Eczema

There are many kinds of eczema, and too few people... Read More

The Stammering/Stuttering Speech Course

The five day speech course for stuttering/stammering.The first two days... Read More

All The GREAT Benefits You?ll EXPERIENCE When You QUIT Smoking!

Within 20 minutes ???? you can expect??..... your blood pressure... Read More

Skin Cancer Cured By Curaderm, The Revolutionary New Treatment for Skin Cancer

Curaderm is the most eagerly awaited cancer treatment solution in... Read More

Maintaining Healthy Vision Naturally

The training of our eye doctors in this country is... Read More

Iridology: A Natural Health 101 Article

What It IsIridology is the art of discovering weaknesses in... Read More

Quit Smoking With Nature?s Help

Smoking is very dangerous to your health. Most smokers feel... Read More

1st Textbook on Sleep Psychiatry

An informative textbook confirming a newly established field: Sleep PsychiatryBook... Read More