###Banishing Dry Eyes Naturally -By Dr. David Blyweiss on 08/20/2011
You’ve seen the commercials—an attractive woman plagued by dry eyes, a condition that can affect a third of those over the age of 50. Her only hope A prescription for Restasis, a drug designed to make tears for her. The problem with this scenario is that this remedy doesn’t work for everyone.
Of more concern, Restasis can cause a burning sensation, eye redness, discharge, watery eyes, eye pain, foreign body sensation, itching, stinging and blurred vision—all of the symptoms you are trying to relieve. Artificial tears aren’t any better since they are just a quick—and temporary—fix for dryness.
Tears are essential to lubricate the eye and maintain healthy vision. They are made up of a combination of water, oils, mucus, antibodies and special proteins that help the eyes resist infection. These components are secreted by special glands located around the eye. Dry eye, technically known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca, occurs when there is an imbalance in this tear system—the eyes either don’t make enough tears or the tears evaporate too quickly. Unfortunately, conventional medicine doesn’t have a cure for this irritating problem. But a new study out of Finland offers a glimmer of hope in the form of a little-known nutrient called sea buckthorn.
Sea buckthorn is a shrub that grows in China, Russia and the Netherlands. Originally grown to prevent soil erosion, it’s come to the forefront lately because of its rich nutritional profile. The plant’s golden-orange fruit provides hefty amounts of vitamin C, vitamin E, lycopene, zeaxanthin, oils rich in essential fatty acids, and other healthful components that benefit eyesight. Now, this new study suggests that sea buckthorn can reduce the symptoms of dry eye, too.
The researchers recruited 86 people between the ages of 20 and 70 to participate in the double-blind, randomized, parallel trial. Each of the participants were randomly assigned to receive either two grams of sea buckthorn oil or a placebo oil every day for three months. People with both types of dry eye syndrome were included – people who can’t make enough of their own tears, and people whose tears evaporate too quickly.
The results showed that all the participants experienced an increase in tear evaporation, but the people receiving the sea buckthorn supplement experience a significantly less evaporation. Furthermore, those who stuck with the regime and took at least 80 percent of their supplements experienced the greatest reduction. The people in the sea buckthorn group also had considerably less redness and burning.
The researchers conducting the study believe that the linolenic acid in the oil is responsible for reducing inflammation that contributes to dry eye syndrome. They also noted that sea buckthorn oil is a rich source of vitamins C and E, and that these antioxidants may protect the eye from oxidative damage.
Of course, the benefits of this nutrient-rich berry aren’t confined to the eyes. Sea buckthorn has been reported to have a number of other health applications. Used topically, emerging research suggests that it can help ease eczema and other dry skin problems. It can also help guard against sun damage that can lead to prematurely-aged skin. Taken orally, sea buckthorn can protect against mouth dryness, gastric ulcers, urinary tract inflammations, inflammation of the cervix, genital ulcers and sinus inflammation. There is also some preliminary evidence that this novel supplement can ward off liver disease.
Whether you suffer from dry eye or not, adding sea buckthorn to your daily regime is something I highly recommend. While you can find it in capsule form, I like to take one to three ounces of sea buckthorn juice with breakfast every morning. It’s a tasty and nutritious way to start the day and help ensure moist, healthy eyes
Related articles of interest:
Testosterone for Dry Eye Syndrome
Is Blindness In Your Future
How to Protect Your Health In The Computer Era
References:
Geetha S. Hepatoprotective effects of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) against carbon tetrachloride induced liver injury in rats. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 2008;88:1592-1597.
Gutzeit D. Nutritional assessment of processing effects on major and trace element content in sea buckthorn juice (Hippophaë rhamnoides L. ssp. rhamnoides). Journal of Food Science. 2008;73:H97-102.
Larmo PS. Oral Sea Buckthorn Oil Attenuates Tear Film Osmolarity and Symptoms in Individuals with Dry Eye. Journal of Nutrition. 16 June 2010. Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.3945/jn.109.118901
###씨벅슨(sea Buckthorn)오일 http://blog.naver.com/skinus/60131704447 갈매나무과 '서리동록'(비타민 나무)
비타민나무 추출물은 환절기 건강을 잃기 쉬운 현대인들에게 활력을 주고 있다. 비타민은 사람의 주 영양소가 아니면서도 사람의 생리 작용을 유지하는데 필요한 유기 화합물이며 소량이지만 체내에서 생성되지 않아 식품이나 보조제를 통해 공급받아야한다. 천연비타민 중 사과보다 비티민C 함량이 200배 이상 높은 비타민나무가 웰빙 보조식품으로 주목 받고 있다. 미국 FDA가 제공하는 의학논문 사이트인 PubMed에서 2010년 7월 29일 Sea-buckthorn(비타민나무의 영문명)으로 조회 시 "Source of vitamin C in the sea buckthorn."라는 내용을 끝으로 307개의 논문이 존재 한다. 이는 미국 FDA에서 비타민나무가 인증 받은 증거이다.
비타민 나무는 중국, 몽골 및 러시아 등에서 생식하는 임목자원으로 생명력이 강하고 단기간 내 숲을 이루어 척박한 토양에서도 생장할 수 있으며, 가뭄과 동물 피해에 강하다. 그 이유는 비타민나무 열매의 뿌리가 생장성이 강하며 독자적으로 수자원을 확보하고 수림을 이루는 특성이 있기 때문이다. 환경에 강한 적응력을 가지고 있는 비타민 나무의 특성으로 러시아 시베리아 혹한의 추위 속에서도 성장 할 수 있어 청정지역에서 채취된 비타민 나무 추출분말은 성분도와 품질이 우수하다.
비타민 나무 열매 비타민 나무 열매의 표면은 갈색이고 윤기가 있으며 중간에 도랑이 한개 패어져 있으며 껍질은 단단하고 종자알은 유백색에 기름기가 있고, 맛은 약간 시큼하고 떫은맛이 난다. 비타민 나무 열매의 수확 시기는 4, 9, 10월이며, 생육이 좋은 6년생의 경우 7㎏, 8년생의 경우 10㎏정도의 열매가 달린다. 1정보(3,000평/9,900㎡)에서 열매5-10톤을 수확하는데 1톤의 열매에서 670㎏정도의 원액을 얻을 수 있다.
비타민 나무 열매의 성분 비타민 나무 열매의 비타민 함량은 과일 중 최고로 사과의 200배 이상이다. 비타민 나무는 다양하고 풍부한 비타민 A, C, D, E, B, P, K등을 함유하고 있다. 비타민 나무에는 다양한 아미노산이 함유되어 있고 오메가3, 오메가6 등의 40여종의 불포화지방산을 함유하고 있으며 비타민나무의 잎과 열매에는 칼슘, 철분 등 수십여 종의 미네랄과 자일리톨과 같은 천연당, 플라보노이드, 사포닌, 카포테노이드, 엽산, 폴리페놀, 유기산, 카테킨 등 다양한 천연 영양소가 함유되어 있다. 비타민 나무의 핵심성분은 비타민 E인데, 비타민 나무열매 추출물에는 6~7% 정도의 불포화 지방산 기름이 포함되어 있으며 이의 주요 성분은 비타민 E입니다.
시벅턴 오일 시벅턴에는 생기를 회복시키는 비타민 E와 오염된 환경 속에서도 모발을 튼튼하게 가꾸어 주는 비타민 A가 함유되어 있다. 에센셜 오일과 점액질, 그리고 비타민 C가 풍부한 라임(린덴) 꽃은 두피에 보습효과를 주어서 자극을 줄여 줍니다. 건조하고 부스러지기 쉬운 모발에 이 샴푸를 지속적으로 사용하면, 두피에 영양을 공급해 주어 모발의 균형을 잡아 주고 건강하게 빛나면서도 한결 손질하기 쉬운 상태로 관리해 줍니다.
효능,효과 주름완화, 아토피진정, 민감성,건성피부, 보습.
*신진대사 혈행을 촉진시키는 성분으로 주목받고 있는 비타민E가 놀라울 정도로 많이 포함 되어 있다. 비타민E는 과산화지질을 분해 하는 것으로 혈액을 보송보송하게 하는 등 신진 대사를 높여준다. 혈행 장애로 인해 일어나는 어깨 결림, 두통, 냉한 체질 에 아주 좋다.
*노화예방 활성 산소에 유효한 항산화 성분의 아르코르빈산(비타민C), 페놀(비타민E) 폴리페놀류가 균형 있고 풍부하게 포함되어 있다. 활성산소가 쌓이면 신체의 산화가 진행되어 갱년기 장해나 동맥 경화 등을 일으키는 원인이 된다. 비타민 나무의 항산화 (SOD작용)으로 노화를 막고 깨끗하게 회춘을 할 수 있다.
*피부노화방지 비타민 나무에는 200종류 이상의 피부에 이로운 성분이 포함되어 있다. 비타민 A. B. C. E. F. K을 시작해 아미노산 등의 항산화물질이 피부와 미백은 물론 피부 주름과 탄력 저하를 막아 피부의 노화에도 효과적이다. 차로 만들어 세안 시 놀라운 효과가 있다.
*다이어트 효과 비타민 나무는 신진대사를 높이는 효과가 있어서 체내에서 합성되지 않는 필수 아미노산 외에도 18종류가 더 포함되어 있다. 그중에서도 특히 리진, 아르기닌, 이소로이신, 알라닌 등은 대사를 원활히 하여 지방의 연소를 돕기에 영양소가 균형 있게 포함되어 있는 비타민나무 쥬스 및 차를 마시는 것만으로도 다이어트 효과가 있다. 무리 없이 건강하게 다이어트 하고 싶은 사람에게 추천한다
###Testosterone for Dry Eye Syndrome --By Dr. Jeffrey Dach on 04/08/2010
Mrs. B was 58 years came to see me because of dry itchy, red eyes. Her lids would sometimes swell because of the irritation. She had the typical menopausal symptomsof night sweats and hot flashes as well.
Over the years, Mrs B had been to numerous eye doctors who gave her various drops to lubricate the eye, antibiotic drops and steroid drops. She has been given instructions for cleaning and irrigating the eyes. The eye drops seem to help somewhat but the irritation always returns whenever she stops them. Lately, the condition is getting worse and nothing seems to help.
@Low Testosterone Level
A routine hormone panel showed that Mrs B had low hormone levels, and her testosterone level was especially low. I explained to Mrs B that her dry eye syndrome was caused by low testosterone levels, and testosterone would help.
@Cured With Testosterone, Surely You Must Be Joking, Doctor
Six week later, after starting her testosterone as sublingual drops, Mrs B reported her eyes were much better. She also started a complete bioidentical hormone program.
Mrs B's ophthalmologist, Dr H, was an old friend of mine and we would occasionally attend the same social functions. At one of these social functions, Dr H approached to say that a patient (no name) reported that I had cured her dry eyes with testosterone, and surely you must be joking, Doctor. His gesture and facial expression with his eyes rolling back were quite distinctive.
@Testosterone for Dry Eyes in the Opthalmology Medical Literature
Apparently, Dr H is unaware of the supportive evidence in his own specialty medical journals. We will look at a few of these supportive articles that recommend testosterone for evaporative dry eye syndrome. About 5 million Americans have Dry Eye Syndrome caused by dysfunction of the lubricating glands, which are called the lacrimal and meibomian glands. The small glands at the upper outer eye are the lacrimal glands, and the meibomian glands are located in the eye lid at the upper and lower edges.
@Dr David A Sullivan and Dry Eye Research
Much of the research on testosterone and dry eyes has been done by David A. Sullivan, at Schepens Eye Research Institute at Harvard Medical School.
@Dr Sullivan Research in Mouse Model Of Sjogren's
Dr. Sullivan's early work in the 1990's involved Sjogrens syndrome, and the discovery that women with Sjögren's syndrome are androgen-deficient causing meibomian gland dysfunction, tear film instability, and the evaporative dry eye characteristic Sjogren's, which is an autoimmune disorder. Sullivan published a study in 1991 which showed that testosterone inhibited the progression of autoimmune disease in the lacrimal glands mice with Sjogren's. His mouse model of Sjogren's showed that the testosterone suppressed the magnitude of lymphocyte infiltration in the lacrimal gland 22- to 46-fold.
@Lacrimal and Meibomian Glands Regulated by Testosterone
In a 1999 report, Sullivan suggested that androgens (testosterone) regulate both lacrimal and meibomian gland function, and suggest that eye drops containing testosterone may be safe and effective treatment for dry eyes in Sjögren's syndrome.
@Men on Testosterone Blockers Get Dry Eyes
In 2000, Dr Sullivan reported that men taking testosterone blockers have dry eye syndrome. Men on testosterone blocker drug treatment for prostate cancer were found to had poor quality of tear fluid. This was demonstrated by analyzing the meibomian gland secretions. Their dry eye symptoms included light sensitivity, painful and blurry eyes. Sullivan said,"the use of anti-androgen pharmaceuticals was associated with significant changes in the relative amounts of lipids in meibomian gland secretions. Our findings indicate that chronic androgen deficiency is associated with meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eye."
In 2001, Drs Worda and Nepp from Vienna Austria reported that topically administered androgen can restore the lipid phase of the tear film, and was useful in treatment of keratoconjunctivitis sicca, medical terms for Dry Eyes.
@Complete Insensitivity to Androgen and Dry Eyes
Next, Dr Sullivan turned his attention to a genetic disorder called Complete Insensitivity to Androgen (CIAS). In this genetic disorder, the androgen receptor is nonfunctional, and subsequently, there is insensitivity to testosterone. Without a functioning receptor, the normal activity of testosterone is completely blocked.
Dr Sullivan examined the tears (ie. Meibomian gland secretions), in women with CIAS and compared them to normal controls. The patients with CIAS had alteration in the lipid fractions of tear fluid, ( ie meibomian gland secretions). This study was published in a 2002 report in Arch Ophthalmology.
@Trans-Dermal Testostorone For Dry Eye Syndrome
In 2003, Dr Connor reported transdermal testosterone is safe and effective treatment for dry eye, with the post-menopausal females having the greatest relief of symptoms.
@Molecular Biology Mouse Studies of Gene Expression
In 2005, Dr Schirra et al studied the molecular biology of testosterone, and gene expression in the meibomian gland of mice. Dr Schirra reported that testosterone regulates the expression of more than 1500 genes in the mouse meibomian gland which serves to stimulate lipid and fatty acid metabolism in the lubricating eye fluid.
@The Evidence is Overwhelming
The sum total of the above evidence is overwhelming that testosterone playes a key role in production of oil, the lipid component for lubricating the eyes, and that testosterone deficiency is a treatable cause of dry eye syndrome. The treatment is testosterone, a bioidentical hormone |