October, 2010

• Restoring sight with new type of artificial cornea
• Green Tea May Ward Off Eye Disease
• Taking the dry eye test manually
• Vitamin B6 for Reducing Rheumatoid Arthritis Inflammation
• Blueberries Decrease Cardiovascular Risk Factors
• Natural Breast Cancer Treatment Options - Saving Breasts, Saving Lives
• Stem-cell treatment puts police dog back on the beat

Restoring sight with new type of artificial cornea

In a first-stage study of 10 patients in Sweden, scientists who created a new kind of artificial cornea inserted a sliver of collagen into the eye that coaxed its own natural corneal cells to regrow and restore vision.? While larger studies are needed, it's a step toward developing an alternative to standard cornea transplants that aren't available in much of the world because of a shortage of donated corneas. "We're trying to regenerate the cornea from within," said Dr. May Griffith, senior scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute in Canada and a professor of regenerative medicine at Linkoping University in Sweden. In addition to the research above, researchers are working to improve plastic-like artificial corneas and to create stem-cell treatments that could spur corneal growth.

Green Tea May Ward Off Eye Disease

Substances found in green tea work their way into the tissues of the eye and could protect against common eye diseases like glaucoma, researchers say.

The findings, published in the current issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, suggest that the substances, known as catechins, are absorbed by the lens, retina and other parts of the eye. Catechins are antioxidants thought to protect the body against damage from oxygen.

"Our results indicate that green tea consumption could benefit the eye against oxidative stress," the authors said.

SOURCE: American Chemical Society, news release, February 2010

Taking the dry eye test manually

1. Obtain a stopwatch or clock.
2. Blink 2 times, then stare straight ahead, taking care to start timing immediately after your second blink.
3. Avoid blinking for as long as possible.
4. Note the time on the clock when you begin to feel eye discomfort (burning, grittiness, dryness, etc.)
5. The SBUT is the amount of time (in seconds) that passes between your last complete blink and the moment you experience eye discomfort.

If your SBUT is 5 seconds or less, you may have dry eye, because the tear film on your eyes is breaking up too quickly, leaving the surface of your eyes unprotected. If you think you may have dry eye, consult your eye doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Vitamin B6 for Reducing Rheumatoid Arthritis Inflammation

The September, 2010 issue of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported a trial conducted by researchers in Taiwan which found an anti-inflammatory benefit for pyridoxine (vitamin B6) supplementation in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Dr Y-C Huang of Chung Shan Medical University in Taichung and colleagues randomized 35 adults with rheumatoid arthritis to receive 5 milligrams per day folic acid or 5 milligrams folic acid plus 100 milligrams vitamin B6 for 12 weeks. (Seventy-four percent of the participants were being treated with methotrexate, the standard treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, which interferes with folate metabolism.)

At the end of the twelve weeks, interleukin-6 and TNF-a were decreased among those who received supplemental vitamin B6. Higher plasma interleukin-6 levels were related to reduced levels of plasma pyridoxal 5'-phosphate. No significant effect on immune parameters was observed.

Editor's Note: Other natural anti-inflammatories include omega-3 fatty acids, MSM, tumeric, digestive enzymes and Cetyl Myristoleate.

Source: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Blueberries Decrease Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Data shows that among all the fruits, blueberries show substantial cardio-protective benefits due to their high polyphenol content.

The researchers concluded "Our study shows blueberries may improve selected features of metabolic syndrome and related cardiovascular risk factors at dietary achievable doses."

Ref: Journal of Nutrition (Blueberries decrease cardiovascular risk factors in obese men and women with metabolic syndrome. Journal of Nutrition, 2010;140(9):1582-7).

Editor's Note: Blueberries have powerful antioxidant properties, and are related to supporting healthy night vision, supporting normal blood sugar levels related to diabetes, improved memory and cognition and supporting healthy circulation.

The Advanced Eye and Vision Support (whole food) Formula contains both blueberry and well as bilberry and a wide range of great antioxidants for the eyes and overall health.

Natural Breast Cancer Treatment Options - Saving Breasts, Saving Lives

Women are taught early to do self exams, and to have breast exams along with their annual pap smears. Although the American Cancer Society recommends mammogram screening for women age 50 or earlier if there are risk factors, radiation from mammograms may actually cause breast cancer. The pressure from squeezing the breast during a mammogram can also spread cancer cells. One study in Sweden followed 60,000 women, and found that 70% of mammogram readings that found tumors were false positive, confirmed by biopsy, leading to unnecessary stress and invasive biopsies.

Breast lumps that are soft, smooth, round and movable are likely benign. A hard, oddly shaped lump that feels firmly attached is usually cancer.

Standard testing for breast cancer includes mammograms, ultrasounds, MRI and biopsy. Breast cancer is commonly treated with surgery to remove the lump or to remove the breast and surrounding lymph nodes. This surgery and radiation treatments can cause lymphedema, or a build-up of lymph fluid in fatty tissues just under the skin. Women who suffer with lymphedema may lose the mobility of their arm, experience pain, itching and thickening of the skin, insomnia, hair loss and irritability. Chemotherapy causes vomiting, hair loss, nausea and extreme fatigue. Radiation of the chest can cause heart damage and severe heart disease may follow. If the cancer growth is spurred by hormones, then hormone blocking drugs are added to the treatment program. Tamoxifin and Herceptin are two such drugs.

There are other options such as those offered by Hope4Cancer Institute in Baja, Mexico. They combine SonoPhoto Dynamic Therapy, local and whole body hyperthermia, detoxification, immunotherapy, nutrition, enzymes and IV therapy.

Sound wave hyperthermia has been used in Europe for three decades, although this type of hyperthermia has not been approved in the USA. Hyperthermia uses specific sound wave frequencies to heat cancer cells and destroy them. These frequencies do not affect normal cells, so there are no side effects. Treatments are painless and non-invasive.

Stem-cell treatment puts police dog back on the beat

A new procedure using dogs own fat cells to create stem cells enables dog crippled from arthritis to get up and run again.

The stem cell treatment was developed by Vet-Stem, a California company that was founded in 2002 and in 2005 began working with several clinics in treating dogs with osteoarthritis and soft-tissue injuries. About 700 dogs have received the treatment.

Health and Peace

Marc Grossman, O.D., L.Ac.
Michael Edson, MS, L.Ac.
(845) 255-8222