Archive for the ‘Immune System Health’ Category
Avatar in 3D might cause visual problems in some people
02.20.20103D movies are making a huge comeback these days. Moviegoers flocked to the blockbuster “Avatar” and were dazzled by the 3D images. However, for a small percentage of people, 3D movies can be a real headache.
About 5 to 10 percent of people don’t have true depth perception and even more have trouble with their binocular vision. These are needed to see the 3D images in movies. Strabismus and amblyopia are both eye conditions which can cause the person to experience eyestrain which can in turn lead to a headache.
Strabismus is the professional term used when the eyes don’t align properly when focusing. Amblyopia is the loss or lack of development of clear central vision in one eye, even when using eyeglasses or contact lenses. Even people who struggle to keep their eyes lined up and moving together will have trouble processing the 3D images.
People who have experienced trouble when viewing 3D images should consult their eye care professional and have an eye exam and have their stereoscopic vision assessed.
Andrea Schumann
Staff Writer
Mediterranean Diet Helps Control Diabetes Better than Low-Fat Diet
09.10.2009
The Mediterranean diet provides the nutrients needed to help prevent type 2 diabetes.
The Mediterranean diet, which consists of eating lots of vegetables, fruits, olive oil, legumes and nuts, has long been known to be beneficial for heart health. Now, according to new findings published this month in the Annals of Internal Medicine, this diet is also being shown to help prevent type 2 diabetes.
According to the research, “Participants assigned to the Mediterranean-style diet lost more weight and experienced greater improvements in some glycemic control and coronary risk measures than did those assigned to the low-fat diet.”
For the study, 215 overweight people with hemoglobin A1C levels greater than 7% were recruited and assigned to eat either a Mediterranean-type diet or a low-fat diet. The Mediterranean diet was rich in vegetables and whole grains and low in red meat, which was replaced with fish or poultry. Overall, the diet consisted of no more than 50% of daily calories from carbohydrates and no less than 30% of calories from fat (mostly from olive oil).
The low-fat diet was based on American Heart Association guidelines and was rich in whole grains and limited in sweets with no more than 30% of calories from fat and 10% from saturated fats such as animal fats.
After four years, the researchers noted that only 44 percent of participants who followed the Mediterranean-style diet required diabetes medications compared to 70 percent in the low-fat diet group.
So what is it about the Mediterranean diet that makes it so healthy?
There are many factors at work in a diet that consists mainly of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds. Thousands of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes provide a multitude of benefits. For example, olive oil, along with nuts, seeds and fish provide beneficial omega-3 fatty acids that have anti-inflammatory effects that help to stabilize blood glucose levels.
Overall, the researchers in the study aimed to meet three American Diabetes Association goals: keep blood pressure under control, lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and limit levels of hemoglobin A1C, a measure of an out-of-control blood sugar. More people on the Mediterranean diet reached their goal than those on the low-fat diet.
Compared with a low-fat diet, the low-carbohydrate, Mediterranean-style diet led to more favorable changes in glycemic control and coronary risk factors and delayed the need for diabetic drug therapy.
Nancy Hirsch VisiVite.Com Certified Nutritionist
Phytosterols May Prevent the Development of Cancer
08.30.2009
Phytosterols, long known for their cholesterol-lowering action, are emerging as cancer-fighting powerhouses.
Phytosterols, the structural components in the cell membranes of plants, have long been known to reduce serum total and LDL cholesterol levels. Now, new research indicates that they may help to prevent cancer as well. A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition last month found that phytosterols, also known as plant sterols, inhibit cancers of the stomach, lung, ovaries and breasts.
Phytosterols are plant-derived compounds similar in structure and function to cholesterol. They are found in most plant foods in low concentrations. The foods with higher concentrations include nuts, legumes, oranges, bananas, beetroot and Brussels sprouts. The highest concentrations are found in unrefined plant oils including vegetable, nut and olive oils. Whole grains, wheat germ and flax seeds are also good dietary sources of plant sterols.
According to this latest research, not only do phytosterols prevent the production of carcinogens, promote the death of cancer cells, and help prevent metastasis, but they also seem to increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes which help to reduce oxidative stress on the cells.
The researchers in the study wrote that “mounting evidence supports a role for phytosterols in protecting against cancer development. Hence, phytosterols could be incorporated in the diet not only to lower the cardiovascular disease risk, but also to potentially prevent cancer development.”
Including phytosterols in your diet appears to be an important strategy in protecting against cancer development.
Dr. Krawitz’s addendum: Phytosterols are also critical to eye health, forming the oily outer layer of the natural tear film which then acts as a “vapor barrier” against the evaporation of tears. That’s why it’s included in my Dry Eye Relief Tear Stabilization Formula.
Nancy Hirsch VisiVite.Com Certified Nutritionist
U.S. Children Low in Vitamin D
08.14.2009
Many children in the United States have low vitamin D levels raising their risk for bone problems, heart disease, diabetes and a host of other health problems, according to a study released earlier this week. The study was done at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University in the Bronx.
Most children don't get enough vitamin D from the sun or from food.
Vitamin D deficiency was thought to be rare in the United States. Deficiency is defined as less than 15 ng/mL of blood, and insufficiency is defined as 15-29 ng/mL. The researchers found that 9 percent of children in the study (7.6 million) were vitamin D deficient and 60 percent (50.8 million)were vitamin D insufficient.
My thoughts are that the problem is even worse than this study shows, because the researchers are considering any level over 30 ng/mL to be sufficient. Optimal vitamin D levels, in my opinion, are actually more in the range of 50-60 ng/mL.
The new finding adds to the growing evidence that children, as well as many adults, have vitamin D levels that are too low. “No one had examined this issue nationwide,” said Dr. Michal L. Melamed, the lead researcher of the study.
It is believed that vitamin D levels have declined over the last 20 years because children are not spending as much time outdoors as they used to. The widespread use of sunscreens has only compounded the problem, as their application blocks beneficial UVB rays.
Just 15-20 minutes a day in the sun without sunscreen during the summer months should be enough for most children to maintain proper vitamin D levels. Sunscreen shouldn’t be applied until after they’ve been out in the sun for about 10 minutes, unless they burn very easily.
Since it is very difficult to obtain vitamin D from dietary sources alone, supplementation is advised during the winter months. The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends that infants, children, and teenagers should take at least 400 IU of vitamin D per day.
Nancy Hirsch, VisiVite.Com Certified Nutritionist
