Health Q & A: Macular Degeneration

Q:

I don’t really know much about eye supplements, but I was recommended by my eye doctor to take one with lutein for macular degeneration.  He didn’t recommend a specific one though or a certain strength, so I wanted to see what you’d recommend.

A:

First of all, it’s great that you’re interested in starting a supplement for eye health.  Supplements containing lutein and other vision nutrients can make a big difference in slowing the rate of macular degeneration, especially when started early.

There have been a number of studies about the benefits of lutein (a nutrient related to vitamin A) for macular degeneration.  Harvard published a study which found that 6mg of lutein per day reduced the risk of macular degeneration by 43 percent.  Other studies have found increased benefits for higher amounts of lutein per day (10 mg or more).  In the studies it was basically found that any concentration of lutein was helpful for macular degeneration, but the higher the concentration, the better the protective effect.  The general recommendation for the best vision protection is 20mg.

Another nutrient, zeaxanthan, has often been paired with lutein in research studies.  Zeaxanthan has been further found to enhance lutein’s benefits on eye health.  One supplement we especially recommend is Jarrow Formulas Lutein, which has 20 mg of lutein per pill plus an extra milligram of zeaxanthan.  Lutein should be taken with food to help with absorption.

There was another large scale study on macular degeneration and vitamin supplements known as the “AREDS Study”.  The researchers used 500 milligrams of vitamin C; 400 IU of vitamin E; 15 milligrams of beta-carotene; 80 milligrams of zinc as zinc oxide; and two milligrams of copper.  The study found that the participants who consumed those specific amounts of the vitamins and minerals above had had the lowest risk of developing advanced stages of age related macular degeration and its accompanying vision loss compared to the others in the study who took smaller amounts or no supplements at all.  Most of the above values would be in a quality multivitamin with the exception of the zinc (80 mg. of zinc is a pretty high dose, which would need to be added seperately). 

People who wished to follow the multivitamin and mineral values used in that study should make sure to take 2mg of copper along with the zinc, since high dosages of zinc can deplete copper stores in the body.

Protecting the eyes from sun damage by wearing sunglasses is another easy way to protect the eyes.  Make sure the sunglasses you’re using are rated for both UVA and UVB protection.  Routine eye exams are also crucial for maintaining eye health, since as they say, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.

To test yourself for macular degeneration in between eye exams, click here.  It’s a site with a diagram known as the Amsler Grid which tests defects in the center of vision (the area affected my macular degeneration).

Health Q & A: Nail Fungus

Q:

I cut my nail too far down on it’s side, and now the nail is yellowed and cloudy, which leads me to think I have nail fungus.  Is there anything I can do to get rid of it?  It looks really awful.

A:

Nail fungus is incredibly common, but thankfully it’s easy to treat.   Fungus typically enters the nail bed through trauma to the nail or nail bed.  Over time, as the fungus spreads, yellowed or white cloudy nails are the result.  If nail fungus goes unchecked it can thicken the nail and damage the surface, causing bumps in the nail.

The number one thing I would recommend is tea tree oil.  It has antibacterial and antifungal properties, and works very well when applied to clean, bare nails twice daily.  The brand Thursday Plantation has a product called The Tea Tree Antifungal Solution for Nails that I’d especially recommend.  I’ve used it personally and it works wonders. 

It may be tempting to cover the nail with nail polish, but don’t!  To regain health, it’s important for the nail to be able to “breathe”.  Tea tree oil does work very well, but you will need to be patient.  There is no miracle cure which will restore your nails overnight (sadly!), but with continued use the nail will grow in healthy.

Health Q & A: Sinus Infections

Q:

I have a terrible sinus infection and was wondering what if anything could help. 

A:

Sinus infections are terrible.  Thankfully there are a number of natural things which can really make a difference.   Boosting the immune system is the first thing that can help.   There are quite a few supplements which have both antiviral and antibacterial properties, as well as supplements like mushroom extracts which can help with enhancing the body’s natural killer T cells, our body’s first line of defense which works to seek out and destroy invaders- bacteria and viruses.

Irwin Natural’s Immune Shield is a great supplement which we all take which is a great all around supplement to help fight off illness.   It’s a mix of a number of herbs and supplements which work to boost the body’s own defenses against sickness.  Another supplement which is particularly good for sinus infections specifically is oregano oil.  Oregano oil has anti bacterial, anti viral, and anti fungal properties.  Many sinus infections also have a fungal component, which can make oregano oilparticularly effective. 

Another thing which can help is a neti pot.  A neti pot looks basically like a little teapot.  It’s used to irrigate the sinuses.  It’s used with a homemade saline solution of bottled water and salt; first it’s poured into one nostril and then that salt water goes into the sinuses and flows out the other nostril.  It sounds kind of strange, but it’s absolutely fantastic for the sinuses.  It also makes your nasal passages feel really nice when suffering from a cold or sinus infection, since it helps to clear out excess and dried nasal mucus and moisturizes the nasal passages.

Finally, if you have been on antibiotics for a sinus infection, or for any other reason, it’s very important to supplement with probiotics, or “good bacteria”.  Antibiotics are very effective, but they are indiscriminate, killing the good bacteria we need for healthy digestion and immunity along with the bad. If you've ever had diarrhea or a yeast infection after taking a course of antibiotics, it was likely due to depletion in the good bacteria our body needs to maintain health.

Supplement Spotlight: Quercetin

Quercetin is amazing.  It’s a flavanoid found in small amounts in fruits, vegetables, red wine and tea.  It’s most commonly known for its help during allergy season, but it can also be extremely useful during cold season.  Quercetin works as a natural anti-histimine and also helps with reducing inflammation. 

The runny nose and inflamed sinus passages we all experience during a cold are not the symptoms of the virus, but our body reacting to it.  New research has found that quercetin can help to reduce the inflammatory response of rhinovirus (the virus responsible for a good number of cold symptoms).  It also has been found in research to help to stop the damage that the cold virus has on the lining of the airways.  It’s been recommended as especially beneficial for persons with chronic lung problems.

Interestingly, it was found that quercetin not only just helped with symptoms, it was found in cell cultures to prevent the virus from replicating.  Another study done in Korea found that quercetin had a similar effect of stopping virus replication on the flu virus.

Another interesting benefit of quercetin is that it can help to prevent a lowered immune system after strenuous exercise, which is great news for endurance runners and other athletes on training regimens. 

Quercetin is also a fantastic antioxidant, which has added benefits to cardiovascular health as well as cancer prevention.  It’s definitely a good supplement to have in your arsenal during the winter months!

Healthy Q & A: Hair and Nails

Q:

My hair and nails are a wreck.  They’re dry, brittle and just terrible overall condition.  A friend said I should take prenatal vitamins since they’re supposed to be good for hair and nails, so I thought I’d write in to see what you had to say.

A:

Dry, brittle hair and nails are often a result of poor nutrition and possible vitamin deficiencies, which is why people often recommend a vitamin supplement to help.  Prenatal vitamins are frequently mentioned as being beneficial to hair and nails, though I would say that prenatal vitamins are not superior to a good high potency vitamin (in fact- they would be inferior since prenatal vitamins are lower in a number of vitamins like A and E).  I think the idea of prenatal vitamins helping with hair and nails comes from the fact that women usually have really nice hair and nails when pregnant due to pregnancy hormones.  If you currently aren’t taking a multivitamin I’d recommend starting, not only for the benefits to hair and nails, but for helping with energy, the immune system and for filling in the gaps in your diet.

There are also a number of hair, skin and nail supplements available- Country Life has a nice one which has biotin and MSM, two nutrients which help to support and grow healthy hair and nails.  Another supplement that I think could really help is BioSil, a supplement which helps the body to produce collagen.  It’s also been shown in clinical studies to increase hair strength and thickness of the hair shafts.  It’s also been found to dramatically strengthen nails.  It’s also great for increasing skin elasticity.

Winter is really rough on hair and nails.  Wearing gloves when outside can make a big difference, as well as moisturizing frequently with a good lotion (I really like Kiss My Face’s moisturizer).  Another product isNature’s Plus’ Nail Strengthener, an oil which is brushed on the nails once or twice a day.  I’ve used it in the past with great results- it really helps to strengthen weak nails and moisturize cuticles.

I also know of a great hair treatment recipe I can share.  To make it, combine four parts conditioner, one part aloe vera gel, one part honey and a small amount of coconut oil and in a microwave safe bowl.  Heat for thirty seconds or until warm to the touch.  Liberally coat freshly washed hair with the mixture and then wrap your hair with plastic wrap and a towel.  Let the mixture sit on your hair for a half hour before rinsing it out.  It’s a wonderful, easy moisturizing treatment.  You can also add a few drops of essential oils (lavender is nice and relaxing) to the warmed mixture if desired.

Health Q & A: Detoxing

Q:

My new year’s resolution s to be healthier.  I wanted to kick it off with a cleanse of some kind, but I’m unsure of which to do since I’ve heard stories of people doing colon cleanses and then being stuck in the bathroom all day.  I don’t want that lol.  Do you have any recommendations or ideas for me? 

A:

A goal to be healthier this year is a wonderful resolution, and a whole body cleanse is a great way to begin.  Many people are afraid to take cleansing products for the reason you mentioned, but we have a number of great ones at the store which are gentle but still very effective.  A new product we’ve gotten recently in that I really like is Nature’s Plus Complete Body Cleanse.  It’s a formula with vegetarian capsules that are taken morning and night.  It contains three different bottles- a cleansing formula with probiotics and organic herbs which helps to detoxify the liver, colon, lymphatic system, blood, kidneys and more; a fiber formula, and a gentle nighttime herbal laxative formula which also contains probiotics and probiotics.  I’d say it’s definitely the most complete whole body cleanse we have and the one I would recommend above all others.

For general health after your cleanse, there are three supplements which I think everyone should take, the first being a quality multivitamin which will help to fill in nutritional gaps in your diet.  The next woule be vitamin D, which most Americans are deficient in, especially in the winter months.  Vitamin D is crucial for the immune system, bone health, cardiovascular health and a myriad of other benefits.  The third supplement would be omega 3 fish oil.  Omega 3 fatty acids are needed for proper brain function and also help with reducing inflammation in the body as well as lowering cholesterol (specifically triglycerides) along with a long list of benefits for other health conditions.  It's important to note that the body cannot produce omega 3 fatty acids- they must be obtained through diet.  If a person is not eating fatty fish or flax/chia seeds on a regular basis, it is extremely likely that they are deficient in omega 3 fatty acids.

A quality diet is also important for vibrant health, with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains, as is being physically active.  Exercising can be difficult in the winter months since the freezing temperatures aren’t really conducive to outdoor exercise.  Groupon has been having good deals lately for exercise classes in the area, sothat’s worth looking into.  There are also some great free exercise videos available online.  Fit Sugar is a website I really like that has wonderful quick 10 minute workout videos.   Another good one is Fitness Blender.  They have a fast 8 minute workout that’s really great and still gets the heart rate up.

Health Q and A: Help for Heartburn

Q:

I’ve been having heartburn a lot lately.  I’ve been taking a lot of antacids, but don’t think that’s really great for an everyday thing.  Do you have any suggestions of natural things that could help?

A:

Heartburn is basically caused by the lower esophogal sphincter (a muscular valve at the bottom of the esophagus which keeps which keeps stomach acid in the stomach) is loosened or weakened and stomach acid splashes up into the esophagus.  Usually heartburn is caused or worsened by lifestyle factors like overeating, eating too close to bedtime, smoking, and being overweight.  Certain foods can also exacerbate the condition, spicy or fried foods for example.  There are even foods which naturally loosen the lower esophogal sphincter (tomatoes, chocolate, onions, garlic, caffeine, and alcohol to name a few), so if you commonly experience heartburn, avoiding those foods can make a real difference.

Digestive enzymes have helped many people with heartburn.  Enzyme supplements are taken with a meal to help to break down food in the stomach, making it easier to digest.  When the stomach is able to digest food easier, a reduction in heartburn symptoms is often seen.  Digestive enzymes are completely safe to take, and simply give a natural boost to the digestive enzymes produced in the body.  The amounts of digestive enzymes our stomach’s produce decreases with age, and not coincidentally, the number of digestive complaints many people experience increases with age as well.

Another supplement which I’m a big fan of is DGL licorice.  Licorice extracts can raise blood pressure, but the “DGL” stands for deglycyrrhizinated, which means that the compounds which could raise blood pressure have been removed.  DGL licorice comes in chewable tablets (the company Enzymatic Therapy has some in a German chocolate flavor which taste seriously fantastic) which are to be taken 20 minutes before a meal.  DGL licorice works by coating the esophagus so it is protected against stomach acid.  Since the esophagus is protected against stomach acid, it not only prevents the pain and burning of heartburn, when taken consistently it prevents the damage from stomach acid and helps the esophagus to heal, particularly in people with GERD (a more serious form of heartburn).

Finally, the last supplement I would mention is d-limonene, a specialized citrus extract which has shown amazing results for people suffering from both heartburn and GERD.  One clinical study found that d-limonene was able to reduce or eliminate heartburn for up to six months in most people after taking one 1,000 mg pill every other day for 20 days.  It also helps to detoxify the liver and gallbladder, and is an easy and inexpensive thing to try for lasting heartburn relief.