DID TEEN REALLY GO BLIND FROM A DIET OF POTATO CHIPS AND FRIES? IF SO, WHAT CAN WE LEARN BY IT?10/25/2019 It was only one incident and there are researchers who question the case study from the Annals of Internal Medicine, but the boy from England was basically eating a diet of mostly French fries and potato chips, began to lose his vision at age 15, and by age 17 he was legally blind. The cause was optic neuropathy (damage to the optic nerve) created by lack of necessary vitamins and minerals.
Scientists at Tufts University in the U.S. want to know more about how the teen ended up with permanent vision loss from diet alone, since the condition is uncommon and usually temporary. At the same time, they agree that poor quality diets can increase the risk of vision problems as we get older, including age related macular degeneration (AMD). In studies, people who ate plenty of vegetables, beans, fruits, whole grains, and seafood have a lower risk of AMD. Those who consumed a diet high in red meat, processed meats, and refined carbohydrates (white bread, chips, crackers, and sweets) have a higher risk of AMD and also some forms of cataracts. The findings are in line with what we know about food and health in general. Most of the damage to our vision happens slowly over time, and once it occurs, it’s too late to reverse the harm. To protect your eyes as throughout your lifetime, please choose to eat healthfully now. Read the article here
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Let’s begin by talking about mercury, so it’s clear why this information is so important. Mercury is a neurotoxin. It can damage the brain and nervous system, especially in small children and pregnant moms. In a child’s developing brain, mercury can obstruct nutrient absorption, causing learning disabilities and developmental delays. (NOTE: There is an excellent table in the article that spells out recommended servings of tuna.)
In fetuses and infants, high amounts of mercury can not only lead to cognitive problems, but cerebral palsy, deafness, and blindness. In adults, mercury poisoning can affect fertility and blood pressure. It can also cause memory loss, tremors, vision loss, and numbness of the extremities. Now, what about tuna? Mercury is an industrial chemical that can get released into the environment and settle in rivers, lakes, and oceans. Bacteria in those waters absorb it, small fish consume the bacteria, bigger fish eat the smaller fish, and so on up the food chain. Large fish, like tuna, can have dangerously high mercury concentrations. However, they can still be safe to eat in certain amounts. There are two main types of canned tuna. Chunk light comes from skipjack tuna, a smaller species, and typically contains 0.12 parts per million (PPM) of mercury. Albacore is a larger species and has higher mercury levels, about 0.32 PPM. There is an excellent table in the article that spells out recommended servings. Safer fish that have good amounts of protein and omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, herring, sardines, and anchovies. They contain less mercury as they are lower in the food chain. It is best to avoid exposure to mercury as much as possible, but if you already have symptoms of mercury poisoning, there are safe ways to naturally detoxify your body. These include supplements that can support the body’s detoxification pathways and help pull heavy metals out of the body, homeopathics that support detox pathways, treating any constipation, and more. Read the article here. Inflammation is our body’s natural response to infection and injury. It means that our immune system is protecting us by sending cells to fix the problem. The process often involves warmth, swelling, and redness. Once the problem is resolved, the inflammation disappears. However, chronic inflammation is like an ongoing state of emergency and can lead to long term damage to the heart, brain, and other organs as well as conditions like arthritis.
Some of the common signs of chronic inflammation include constant fatigue and insomnia; depression, anxiety, and mood disorder; constipation, diarrhea, and acid reflux; weight gain; frequent infections. That’s why it’s important to get control of chronic inflammation. However using anti-inflammatory drugs—whether prescribed or OTC—are not safe long term, leading to potential damage to organs and blood vessels. This article describes 8 natural supplements and herbs that reduce chronic inflammation. The list includes omega-3 fatty acids, curcumin, zinc, cat’s claw and more. I do recommend consulting with a doctor prior to trying the recommended supplements. While not in the article, dietary improvements can also make a big difference. Foods that cause inflammation include sugar of all kinds, processed meats, and processed grains (pasta, pastries, white bread, breakfast cereals, snacks, sodas, etc.). Anti-inflammatory foods include green leafy vegetables, fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and sardines, nuts like almonds and walnuts, fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges. Read article here. |
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