[15.0] Diet and Light
Posted on April 16th, 2009 in No Comments »
[15.1] What nutrients are essential?
Vitamin A is the most important vitamin in vision, and lack can also be a cause of generally poor sight and poor night vision. Symptoms of lack of Vitamin A include poor rapid dark-adaptation, pink or inflamed eyelids and dryness of the cornea. RDA is 4000-5000 IU or 800-1000 RE. High sources are fish-liver oil, calf liver. Fat soluble and therefore stored up in the body, you should be careful not to overdose on Vitamin A. Beta Carotine is an alternative (precursor) which does not accumulate in the body. The mineral Zinc is a strong co-factor with Vitamin A.
An effective dose (under supervision of a doctor) for night blindness is 15000 IU per day Beta Carotine for one month with 20 mg zinc per day.
B group Vitamins, should be taken as a complex.
Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is the most important of the B group vitamins. Symptoms of lack of B1 include burning or bloodshot eyes, unclear or double vision, conjunctivitis, eye fatigue, sensitivity ot light and dark spots in visual field. RDA is 1.0- 1.5mg.
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin). Symptoms of lack of B2 are burning or bloodshot eyes, conjunctivitis, eye fatigue, sensitivity to light, pupil dilation, twilight blindness and dark spots in the visual field. RDA is 1.2-1.7 mg.
Vitamin B6 may be involved in regulating eye pressure and may help prevent glaucoma. RDA is 1.6-2.0mg.
Vitamin B12. Symptoms of lack of B12 may include a general dimming of vision. RDA is 2mcg.
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Super vitamin. The sclera of the eye depends on Vitamin C, and cataracts may begin when Vitamin C becomes deficient. Glaucoma may also be treated by Vitamin C, 2gm daily for six days. RDA is 60mg. There is no know toxic dose. Vitamin C should be taken with bioflavonoids.
Vitamin D and Calcium. Another important combination. There is evidence linking childhood deficiency to myopia. Vitamin D is needed for the assimilation of calcium, and the prevention of waterlogged sclera. if the fibrous tunic around the eye has excess water, the interocular pressure may build up leading to elongation and myopia. Vitamin D and calcium has been shown to dehydrate the water from the sclera and reduce elongation. optometrist Ben Lane showed myopic children tended to have a diet higher in refined carbohydrates and animal protein than clear seeing children. Resulting in a deficiency of minerals, vitamins, calcium and chromium, and an overabundance of phosphorus. High phosphorus reduces calcium levels. RDA for Vitamin D is 200-400IU. Vitamin D is easy to overdose on, producing elevated levels of calcium in the blood and possibly hypercalcemia. RDA for calcium is 800-1200mg.
Vitamin E. Has been shown to have a positive effect on vision problems. More then 600 IU per day will however interfere with Vitamin A absorption. RDA is 9-10IU.
Zinc. Dark adaption may be impaired by zinc deficiency. Taken in conjuction with Vitamin A has been shown to alleviate macular degeneration, and poor night vision. RDA is 12-15mg. Make sure that supplemental zinc is mixed with copper and selenium.
Chromium. Vital for bodily regulation of energy. Deficiencies are caused by excess sugar in diet. dose is 200 to 500mg/day.
Accommodation has been shown to depend to be sensitive to fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Sensitivities to certain foods are reflected in the state of the eyes. Leafy green vegetables are excellent for the eyes, having a detoxifying effect on the liver. Fatty foods, sugary foods, stimulants and antibiotics have a negative effect on the eyes.
[15.2] Should I be using full-spectrum lighting?
Yes. In Russia full spectrum lighting is mandated in many workplaces and schools. In West Germany the government restricts the use of low spectrum light in public buildings. Look for Neodymium bulbs (ones from Finland are highly recommended) which make ideal reading lamps.
Dr John Ott has shown that extended exposure to cool-white lighting such as fluorescent lights leads in high body levels of metabolic hormones related to stress. Dr Ott has also shown a link between full=spectrum lighting and recovery from various illnesses, and that negative health factors can result from habitual wearing of sunglasses.
[15.3] Should I avoid tints in glasses and lenses?
Yes. Unless there is a good reason for having them. Tinted lenses and glasses contribute towards light sensitivity.
[15.4] What is the relationship between light and mood?
The optic nerve has two major pathways, one transmitting photoelectric impulses to the brains cortex (visual perception), and the other is a non visual or energetic pathway that leads to the hypothalmus, pineal and pituitary glands. These regulate endocrine and autonomic function and are responsible for physical and emotiional changes.
[15.5] What is syntonics?
Syntonics is a branch of optometry dealing in the relationship between various frequencies of light and neurophysiological responses. Syntonics is used in the treatment of vision problems by shining pencil thin beams of colored lights onto the retina to activate healing responses from the autonomic nervous system. Good results are obtainable for the treatment of myopia, astigmatism and hypermotropia. Consult a syntonic optometrist for more details.
Blue-green light has been shown to be beneficial as therapy for myopes. You can do this at home using colored lighting gels and a flashlight. You can experiment with different colours to elicit an emotional response. Often colour therapy will trigger the release of bottled up emotions and memories.
[15.6] Is there a homeopathic remedy?
Yes. Each individual would be treated according to his or her overall unique set of symptoms and there isn’t a generic remedy. Consult a homeopathic practitioner for more details.
[15.7] What is eyebright?
Euphrasia Officinalis. A native herb of Europe with a long history of use in vision. Recomended for eye inflamations, stinging or weeping eyes, and hypersensitivity to light. Can also be applied topically.
[15.8] What is bilberry?
Vaccinium myrtillus. Bilberry is know to improve night vision and visual accuity. Also used in relief from eye fatigue such as from prolonged reading, day blindness (hemeralopoia), and some disturbances of the retina.
>From Robert Bidleman’s “Wildcrafter’s Barrow” — for original document as well as references to scientific studies on bilberry (and a chance to order some!) go to…
http://www.c2.org/~robbee/herbal.html
———- ——————BILBERRY.TXT—————————–
Bilberry, Huckleberry, Whortleberry, etc.
(NOTE- Some of the species called blueberry are actually myrtillus and not corymbosum)
Found in cooler areas of North America and Eurasia, usually acid soils in wooded areas, heaths and barren places. Usually found in moist soils. Can be found under the canopies of larger tress, especially old growth.
Used by the Kashaya Pomo in Northern California for diabetes and eye dis- orders. Mentioned in many older texts in Buryatia, Europe, China as an herb valuable for it’s powerful ability to correct many diseases of the digestive system, circulatory system and eyes.
It is unclear whether significant amounts of the active constituents of V.Myrtillus are also present in V.Corymbosum but it appears that people of the North East USA have used the leaves for diabetes successfully for many years. Most of the research has been done on Vaccinium Myrtillus.
—
For centuries Bilberry/Huckleberry has been used as a circulatory enhancer and diabetic aid. The following has been found in Bilberry: Ericolin, arbutin, beta-amyrin, nonacosane, anthocyanosides, notably myrtocyan. Anthocyanosides are a type of bioflavonoid which causes the deep blue-red color of many berries. These anthocyanosides protect the vascular system by strengthening the capillary walls. This produces many of the secondary benefits such as lowering of blood pressure, reduction of clots, reducing varicosities and bruising, reversing poor blood supply and improving blood supply specifically to the nervous system. Bilberry is used in Europe before surgery to prevent excessive bleeding and hemorrhaging. A recent German medical journal reports Bilberry effective in reducing excessive bleeding by 71%. Bilberry also thins the blood by inhibiting the platelets from adhesion to themselves. This combination of actions;
1 Improving capillary strength
2 Reduction of capillary leakage
3 Blood thinning
results in improved blood flow and dramatically reduces clotting related health risks.
During World War II RAF pilots were forced to fly at night in order to accomplish any deep assault on Germany. Many pilots and their crew members complained of the poor visibility and its effects on their performance. It was just simply very difficult to work in the dark. One of the families of a flight leader had an older woman who suggested using Bilberry jam as an aid to night vision. Researchers found fifty years later what the RAF already knew, Bilberry’s powerful effects increased retinal purple by dramatic amounts in just twenty minutes . Further research showed that the RAF pilots who survived and continued consuming the jam or other Bilberry products had several remarkable aspects to their health. The most noticeable was perfect vision both near and far as well as a complete absence of eye disorders throughout their lives. The group was absent of any circulatory or digestive disorders in their medical histories. Another study showed Bilberry to improve eyesight and increase ocular blood supply in 75% of patients. It improved nearsightedness after 5 months of regular use while an 83% improvement in visual acuity was recorded after only 15 days. One of the more encouraging statistics regarding Bilberry’s visual enhancing properties is that over 80% of the people taking Bilberry for the first time improved on their visual acuity exam and passed a night vision test within 3 minutes of ingestion. Long term improvements took an average of 6 weeks with regular doses.
The anthocyanosides of Bilberry which may vary in amounts from one variety to another have been proven to be one of the more powerful antioxidants. Ranked higher in activity than vitamins E and C by Dr. Pierre Braquet, a well known phyto researcheranthocyanosides prevent free radical damage to collagen and collagenous tissue, making it one of the most important agents to treat diseases such as osteoarthritis, gout, and periodontal diseases. Vaccinium Myrtillus’ anthocyanosides proved consistently to increase the acetylcholine-induced relaxation of isolated coronary arteries. This is a promising update to the already impressive list of benefits of Bilberry.
Another quality of Bilberry is the effect it has on the digestive system most notably, the stomach. Bilberry increases the secretion of the mucous layer that protects the stomach from damage. A recent study showed Bilberry to inhibit ulcers in 63% of patients at risk .
One of the most beneficial aspects to Bilberry’s circulatory effects is the fact that the most affected are the areas which are usually the last to be improved, scalp, eyes, dental and peripheral areas such as extremities. This is one of the dual actions that diabetes patients value in Bilberry; it’s proven action on the circulatory system which complicates diabetes and the modification of blood sugar levels in type I and type II diabetes.
The fresh or dried berries are useful for a feverish liver and are useful as an adjunct in stomach conditions. In Russia the berries are called affectionately by the name “Chernika” and are used with the leaves in tinctures for gastric colitis and other digestive problems. It has a legendary reputation as aid to an diabetics.
by Robert Bidleman
courtesy of Karen deWeeger (kyd@EBay.Sun.COM)
——————————– BILBERRY ANTHOCYANOSIDES
The chemical composition of bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) has been studied by many authors who have found glucosides of cyanidine, malvidine, delphynidine, petunidine and peonidine. The interest in Bilberry anthocyanisides was first aroused in view of the fact that bilberry extracts administered to healthy subjects were apt to improve night-time visual aquity, and accomplish a quick adjustment to darkness and fast restoration of visual acuity after glaring. It was later found that these anthocyanosides exert a dual action on blood capillaries by increasing their resistance and reducing their permeability.
PHARMACOLOGY
Tests conducted by Alfieri and Sole (1964) on rabbits showed Bilberry anthocyanosides to speed up the regeneration of retinal purple and adaptation to darkness when administered intravenously. Their activities on capillary permeability was studied by Demure (1964) on rabbits through the Blue Trypan Test according to the Ambrose and De Eds technique. After injecting the dyeing agent into the vein and rubbing the depilated skin with chloroform, a local irritation sets on facilitating the spreading of the dyeing agent outside the capillaries. The subsequent appearance of a blue stain on the skin can be considerably delayed in rabbits pre- treated with intravenously injected Bilberry anthocyanosides which have greater intensity and duration of action than other P-Vitamin factors. The activity of Bilberry anthocyanosides on capillary resistance was tested on guinea pigs, rats, and mice as reported by Bastide (1968), by measuring the vacuum rate required to cause the failure of surface vessels. The test was conducted before and after administration of anthocyanosides and confirmed their protective action on vasal walls. Pourrat et al. (1967) made acute toxicity tests on mice and rats by administrating anthocyanosides intraperitoneally, intravenously, and orally. LD 50 in the first two cases was 2.35 – 4.11 g/kg, and 0.24 – 0.848 g/kg, respectively. Anthocyanosides showed no toxicity in the third case. These results are particularly satisfactory in that oral administration is the preferred way in current therapeutical applications. Chronic toxicity tests have also confirmed the high degree of harmlessness of bilberry anthocyanosides. At the same time, the Authors tested the general effects, the P-Vitamin activity, and the action on retinal purple, and confirmed previous results.
CLINICAL STUDIES
The first clinical experiment in ophtamology was conducted by Jayle and Aubert (1964) on 37 healthy subjects. The results, which were also studied statistically, showed a marked improvement in the retinal adaptation curve and some improvement in vision acuity in dimlight. The most conspicuous changes appeared four hours after the oral administration of the substances and disappeared in 24 hours. Overlapping results were obtained by Volpi and Bertoni (1964) who used existing information to study the effect of Bilberry anthocyanosides on the retinal sensitivity to light in healthy subjects. Florini et al. (1965) used Bilberry anthocyanosides to treat diseased cases – most of them affected by pigmentary retinis – as well as healthy subjects. Their findings showed an enlargement of the vision range in addition to a higher adaptation curve, this being a remarkable result in diseased patients. Through the favorable action of Bilberry anthocyanosides on vision appeared to be finally established, some Authors intended to provide a further contribution in this field. In particular, studies were conducted by Mercier (1965), Scialdone (1966), Alfieri and sole (1966), Magnasco (1966), Gloria and Perla (1966), and Urso (1967) who restricted their investigations to the effects following a short-duration per os treatment.
Zavarise (1968) thought it useful to study a number of hemeralopia patients and subjected them to a similar treatment during a longer period of time. This approach would permit to observe the constancy of the effect during the treatment, its duration after discontinuance, and any side-effects.
On the second day of treatment, the patients already showed an improvement in the retinal luminous sensitivity that remained virtually constant during three months’ treatment, although it gradually decreased when the drug was discontinued as shown by the return of the adaptation curve to its original condition.
The same patients, when subjected to a new treating cycle, again showed values overlapping those previously found and never evidenced side-effects. Juneman (1968) was successfull in a similar case of hemeralopia which at first seemed unsolvable.
Around the same time as the early experiments in ophtalmology, the effectiveness of orally administered Bilberry anthocyanosides was more generally tested on all those tissues which are particularly sensitive to disturbances in the capillary blood systems.
Terrasse and Moinade (1964) obtained satisfactory results in patients affected by blood purpuras and various encephalic circulation disturbances. They also treated cases subjected to anti-coagulating measures and varicose vein patients.
In the same year, Demure reported on 124 cases affected by arterious and venous troubles from various origins, and 10 capillary fragility subjects. All were treated with anthocyanosides. The results obtained were very satisfactory, even from the standpoint of tolerance to the product used. Cuvellier et al. (1966) made a deep study into capillary permeability and determined its pathological increase by an appropriate technique.
The patients selected for the purpose had a common complaint in an unbalanced water and plasmatic protein distribution on both sides of the capillary wall. The anthocyanoside-based treatment produced a marked improvement and reduced hyperpermeability in most cases.
Romeuf (1967) studied the effect of Bilberry anthocyanosides exclusively on microscopic hematuriae caused by diffuse and kidney glomerule capillary fragility.
Sixty per cent of a variety of kidney patients showed appreciable reduction in hematuria. Failures in the remaining cases were explained by taking into consideration more serious conditions and advanced stages in specific diseases.
Satisfactory results were obtained by Baudon et al (1968) in obstetrics. They experimented with an association based on Bilberry anthocyanosides and vitamin E. The clinical pattern improved in 35 pregnant women, most of them affected by varices and various blood troubles. The drug was well tolerated and no side effects were found in either the mother and the infant.
Canivet and Passa (1971) were also successful in associating Bilberry anthocyanosides with such other active principles as nicotinic acid, papaverine, and phenobarbital.
The product was administered as a vasodilator, hypotensor and capillary wall protector to diabetes patients and subjects affected by artery hypertension and arteritis.
A number of Authors followed the course of Vitamin P factors – particularly Bilberry anthocyanosides – in the body.
In the light of earlier investigations, Bastide (1968) stated that these are largely found in the form of metabolites in urine and originated by the activity of liver and kidney enzymes.
The pharmacological and clinical surveys reported here clearly evidence the effectiveness of Bilberry anthocyanosides in all arterial and venous troubles which are accompanied by capillary fragility or hyperpermeability.
[15.9] What other herbs are of benefit?
Succus Cineraria Maritima. Has been shown to increase the circulation between the tissues of the eye. Has also been shown to reduce of the opacity in cataracts.
Spirulina. A rich source of protein, beta carotine, B-complex vitamins, iron, magnesium, selenium, enzymes, DNA, RNA, and potasium.
For more details on Native American herbs consult.
Los Remedios. Traditional Herbal Remedies of the Southwest. by Micheal Moore.
Earth Medicine Earth food: Plant remedies, Drugs, and Natural Foods of the North American Indians. by Micheal A. Weiner.
