Newsletter, June 2005

June's Health Tip - Healthy Eyes

An ancient proverb tells us that "the eyes are the windows to the soul." Modern medicine tells us that as a society, we need to give more thought and attention to the care of our eyes. Before the advent of television, only about 15% of North Americans had eye problems serious enough to warrant eye glasses. Now the figure is over 60%. With computer and video game terminals becoming the norm in most homes, the need to consider and appreciate the value of good eye sight is crucial.

Most of us will spend time each day brushing and flossing our teeth. Dentist have done a great job of communicating that this small investment of time and energy will prevent serious and costly future dental problems. Our eyes need the same level of consideration. While we can replace our teeth with dentures, our eyes must last a lifetime.

Information is power. By gaining knowledge in regards to how our eyes work and visualizing their proper functioning, we are more likely to value our eyes and to enact eye care habits that will help prevent future problems.

Eyesight is amazing, complex and incredible. Eighty percent of all that we learn comes through our eyes. A third of our brain is dedicated to the vision process. Technically speaking vision actually involves both the eyes and the brain. Our eyes receive light by way of over 200 million microscopic photo receptors. These receptors then convert the light to nerve energy. Every 1/40th of a second, they send a visual impulse message to the brain. This message contains over 100 million bits of information and travels at a speed of over 400 miles per hour. The brain then takes this information, interprets its significance and transmits it to other parts of the body for appropriate action.

Positive Steps:

In the past, eye problems solicited a limited response from the medical profession. Eye glasses and/or surgery were usually the only corrective measures being offered. Little information was available on eye care and prevention of eye problems. In recent years, however, new avenues are being explored. These include nutrition, vitamin/mineral supplements, herbs, acupuncture, acupressure and eye exercises. I have listed below some positive steps that can be taken in the care of your eyes.

• Be Aware
  As mentioned above, knowledge and awareness of how our eyes function and what they need to remain healthy, can go a long way to motivating us to take the rights steps and decisions that will ensure healthy eyes. None of us can afford to take the gift of sight for granted.
  
  Be aware of how often you blink. On average we naturally blink 12 times per minute. Intense staring of any kind (computer work, reading etc.) will slow the rate of blinking to 5 times or less and lead to dry eyes. Blinking distributes tears which in turn clean, lubricate and provide nutrients for the eyes.
  
  It also helps to be aware of our beliefs around our health in general and our eyes in particular. If we believe that as we get older our eyesight will inevitably deteriorate, then we are less likely to take positive steps to prevent problems or to work on improving our vision. Our attitudes and beliefs are powerful. They can support healing or they can weaken us. It is a dangerous thing to resign ourselves to ill health because someone tells us that there is no hope. Medical science is only beginning to understand the mind-body-emotion connection. Today's "medical fact" may be tomorrow's ignorance. At minimum, we are wise to keep an open mind and are always entitled to nurture hope.
  
  
• Be Informed
  One of the best diagnostic source of information on our eyes will come from an eye exam. It is recommended that we have our eyes checked at least every two years. Some of the eye scanning technologies presently available can not only provide early detection of eye problems, but also detect the onset of other health concerns such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
  
  We are also fortunate to live in a time where there is an abundance of information readily available to anyone willing to do a bit of research. The Internet can be a great resource. As an example, the web site for The Canadian Association of Optometrists offers an incredible amount of valuable information and is well worth a visit. You can also go to Google and type in "eye care" and continue your self education process here.
  
  It's important as well not to forget our library system. Here in Kelowna, we are lucky to have access to a great public library network. All their materials are readily available through their web site, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. See "Recommended Reading" below for some eye care book suggestions. Each book can be found at the library.
  
  
• Be Protected
  On sunny days, wearing "proper" sunglasses and a wide brim hat is important. Take the necessary time to protect yourself with the use of safety glasses, protective goggles or face masks while engaging in sports or dangerous industrial activities.
  
  Nutrition also plays a role in protecting our eye health. Healthy eyes need a healthy body. Taking care of our eyes means taking care of ourselves and taking care of ourselves means taking care of our eyes. While our eyes only make up a small percent of our body mass, they use 25 percent of our nutrient intake. A healthy balanced diet with lots of fresh fruits, fresh vegetables (See A Recipe for Health-Health Tip), whole grains and proper oils with Essential Fatty Acids (See Good Fats/Bad Fats-Health Tip) can go a long way to helping our eyes stay healthy. Red, yellow and orange fruits (cherries, raspberries, oranges, lemons, etc.) and vegetables (carrots, yams, beets etc.) as well are dark green leafy vegetables (beet tops, spinach, kale, etc.) are highly recommended. Blueberries also stand out as great eye health allies.
  
  Vitamins and minerals are essential to eye health, as well as overall health. Trace minerals are especially important. Supplements are sometimes necessary due to lack of fresh produce, over processing of food and environmental degradation. I have found that vitamins and minerals in a liquid form seem to have the most positive results. I believe this is due to its high level of absorption by the body. I mix mine daily in a fruit juice and yogurt smoothy.
  
  Bilberry, eyebright, ginkgo, passion flower and yarrow are just a few herbs recommended for eye problems. In Kelowna, visit Lakelands Herbal Dispensary (#110 - 3100 Tutt St.) or Nature's Fare for herbal teas and infusions that will help support the health of your eyes.
  
  
• Be Proactive
  Every time you brush your teeth, consider your eyes and ways that you can introduce proper eye care into your daily routine. Learn to develop good eye care habits.
  
  While doing computer work, make sure to take regular breaks and to look away from the screen. Make sure your monitor is at arms length from you, and at a height that allows you to look straight ahead. Reduce glare and reflections through proper room lighting. Adjust your monitor's brightness and contrast.
  
  Ensure proper lighting for all intense eye activities such as reading, writing, computer work and watching television.
  
  In the morning, during the day and in the evening, cover your eyes with a warm face cloth for a few moments. Breath deeply, relax and gently massage your forehead and eyebrows. Give your eyes some pampering and a well deserved break.
  
  Practise good posture, especially while doing intense near eye work such as computer work, video games, watching television or reading. Good posture encourages proper blood, oxygen and energy flow to the eyes and to the rest of the body.
  
  Incorporate eye exercises into your daily routine. Eye stress is one of the major causes of eye problems. Excessive use of the eyes in one particular way, such as near eye work on the computer is another major cause of eye problems. Our eyes love to be relaxed and in movement. They find it hard to be strained and fixated. Eye exercises can help compensate our negative eye use habits. For example while spending long hours at your computer, use the 20-20-20 exercise recommended by The Canadian Association of Optometrists. It's simple, just take a 20 second break, every 20 minutes and focus on an object 20 feet away. You can find many other eye exercises in the books recommended below or visit the following sites for some free samples.
  Natural Eye Care
  MedicineNet.com
  About.com

Special Attention:

Here are a few areas of activity where we need to be especially vigilant about our eyes:

• Television
  While there is less strain on the eyes from watching television than from computer work or video games, long hours in front of the television can cause eye fatigue. For sharp and well defined viewing, watch television in a softly lit room and at a distance of five times the television's diagonal size.
• Sunglasses
  Choose quality sunglasses that block 99-100% of both UV-A and UV-B rays. Sunglasses that do not provide this level of protection may actually be doing more harm than good, as the pupil of the eye opens wider with the use of sunglasses than without.
• Tanning Salons
  While there are regulations in place to protect consumers from the dangerous side effects of artificial tanning, these are rarely checked and enforced. In spite of some claims that they are not necessary, the use of snug fitting, sterilized safety goggles is highly recommended.
• Smoking
  If you're a smoker the last thing you probably want to hear is another reason why you should quit smoking. Unfortunately smoking does pose a grave risk to our eyes. Because they require so much oxygen, our eyes are particularly susceptible to oxygen depravation caused by smoking. Scientists also speculate that the over 400 toxic chemicals found in cigarettes react negatively with the molecules in the eyes.

Recommended Reading:

The following books are available at the Kelowna Library and may be of help if you wish to learn more about your eyes and eye care:

• Natural Eye Care
  M Grossman - G Swartwout
• Beyond 3D
  M Grossman - Magic Eye Inc.
• Smart Medicine for Your Eyes
  Dr. J Anshel
• Improve Your Vision Without Glasses or Lenses
  Dr. S Beresford - Dr. D Muris - Dr. M Allen - Dr. F Young
• Seeing Without Glasses
  R Kaplan
• The Eye Care Revolution
  R Abel

A Caution:

There is some controversy over the effectiveness of using eye exercises to improve vision. According to some, taking time each day to do eye exercises is at best a waste of time and at worse a distraction from seeking "real" medical advice. Some of the eye exercise programs being offered are rather expensive. Health care, whether its mainstream or alternative has a strong element of financial profit attached to it. Ultimately, we are the ones that have to live with the decisions we make in regards to our health, not those who profit from our decisions.

In regards to eye exercises, it stands to reason that whatever helps us become more aware of our eyes and the ways in which they become strained and fatigued must be a good thing. Still, as stated above, information is power. It's always best to consider all sides of any given controversy regarding our health. With that in mind, please find below two web pages that caution us about any hope of improving our eyes with the use of eye exercises. Keep in mind that their main concern is in regards to claims that eye exercises can actually roll back vision deterioration. They are not challenging the assertion that eye exercises can help prevent future eye problems from occurring.

Eye Related Quackery

Fallacies of the Bates System

In Conclusion:

Dr. Jeffrey Anshel writes in his book (Smart Medicine for Your Eyes) that "The eyes are an integral part of the central nervous system and very much influenced by other parts of the body." Our eyes are not isolated mechanisms to be treated separate from body and mind. They are not only physically interconnected to the rest of the body but also highly susceptible to our thoughts, attitudes, beliefs and emotions.

The high level of eye problems in North America tells us that our cavalier attitude towards our eyes has to change. Some people will say that they don't have time to take care of their eyes. There's a saying that those who don't have time to care for their health will have to find time for illness.

The important first step in eye health is to nurture an attitude of care and awareness. The next is to evaluate our level of eye health by asking how our eyes appear when we look at them in the mirror, how they perform their day to day tasks and what discomforts, pains or irritations they call our attention to. Then we must develop positive eye care habits that will help prevent further problems, slow down any deterioration and possibly even improve the functioning of our eyes.

A Reminder:

Do not forget that while you can read my health tips directly on my web site, I have written a book entitled Inner Care, which is a compilation of ten of my health tips revised and expanded. Inner Care sells for $15 and makes a wonderful gift for anyone interested in optimum health. Inner Care is available by contacting me directly or by can be purchased by credit card using our PayPal shopping cart. Visit our Products' Web Site - Inner Guidance Page by clicking here.

"...He who sees the infinite in all things, sees God. He who sees the portions only, sees himself only..."

William Blake
English Poet and Mystic
Available at the Library

"...Each woman has potential access to Rìo Abajo Rìo, this river beneath the river. She arrives there through deep meditation, dance, writing, painting, prayer making, singing, drumming, active imagination, or any activity which requires an intense altered consciousness. A woman arrives in this world between worlds through yearning and by seeking something she can see just out of the corner of her eye..."

Clarissa Pinkola Estes
Author of "Women Who Run with Wolves"
Available at the Library

Bunches Bistro & Deli City Cafe

Bunches Bistro is this month's "Let Go" feature. Along with the Deli City Cafe, Bunches Bistro is located on Springfield Road between Spall and Kirschner in Kelowna.

Unfortunately, finding a location in Kelowna that offers live music, dancing and dining is still a rarity. Fortunately, Bunches Bistro is one option. As a fully licensed, non-smoking venue, Bunches Bistro boasts one of Kelowna's largest dance floor, great food and regular live entertainment.

Visit their web site to find out more about their Blues and Jazz nights as well as their Murder Mystery Dinners. Better yet, visit their Deli City Cafe, enjoy a fine lunch and have a look at their establishment.

Contact Information for Bunches Bistro & Deli City Cafe:

#111 1889 Springfield Road
Kelowna, BC
V1Y 5V5

(250) 860-8880
www.delicitybunches.com/
click here for map

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