Eye Wellness Tips – Because I Can't Massage Your Eyes!

by Laura

Tension from long hours in front of a computer all day can tire you or even give you headaches, but it won't affect acuity.

That was the message in a recent roundup of tips and myth-busters on eye health.

First, let us list factors that DO affect eye health.

1- Smoking. By far the number one factor affecting the eyes. Smoking can be a direct contributing factor to diseases such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, and cataracts. Smoking has been estimated to be related to 20 percent of new cases of blindness in people over 50 years of age.

2- Medications. Your doctor may or may not discuss the risks drug interaction with eye health, so you may have to buttonhole your doc or a nurse to get that information. On the other hand, a positive benefit has been found in taking supplements of vitamins A, E and C, and omega-6 fatty acids.

3- Pregnancy can have short-term effects on eyes, such as blurry vision or dry eyes. Fluid retention can affect the shape and thickness of the cornea of the eye.

4- Aging. As we get older the eyes' acuity can change for the better or for worse. Far-sighted people may gain near-normal vision. But others can suffer changes directly related to age, called presbyopia.

5- UV exposure. Women especially should wear sunglasses when going outdoors, because they are twice as likely to develop macular degeneration as men. Yet we do need some ultraviolet light on a daily basis, which can be satisfied with as little as ten minutes a day of being outdoors.

6- Lack of sleep. It isn't just that it gets harder to peel your eyes open when you burn the candle at both ends. Your eyes really do need to rest just as much as your body does, so do yourself a favor and get your beauty sleep.

NOT a factor in eye disease was watching excessive television or using a computer for many hours a day. Sorry, mom, but you cannot use that threat on your kids anymore. And anyway, they are not likely to give up their smart phones, computers, iPads, or YouTube.  

Lowering Blood Pressure with a Surprising Exercise

by Laura

Reducing high blood pressure can involve a whole complex of dietary and lifestyle changes. In addition you might want to incorporate something as simple as squeezing a ball to bring down your readings.

Studies at the University of Michigan by Dr. Robert D. Brook found that just four weeks of isometric hand exercises produced a 10 percent drop in both diastolic and systolic blood pressure readings. This would include squeezing a ball or an athletic gripper.

Lesser improvements were noted with traditional exercise such as aerobic exercise (walking, jogging, swimming, even gardening), or with strength training.

This study reviewed over 1,000 other studies to glean the best of the best. The findings were published in “Hypertension” medical journal.

I can also add that another effective gambit was to add plenty of fresh celery to the diet. Yes, the studies are out there to support this veggie as part of a good diet plan to fight hypertension.  

A Massage could help with shingles pain, but you could get a shot for that!

by Laura

I am all for natural modes of pain relief, but sometimes there is a good reason for an inoculation. One case in point is shingles. Do you know that there is a vaccine for that?

You have to be at least age 60 and have had chicken pox as a child to benefit from the shot.

Shingles strikes about one million Americans a year and can bring crippling pain and headaches. Shingles can cause permanent nerve damage.

A neighbor gets shingles attacks and is out of commission for a few days at a time because of the headaches. Some people experience attacks that last three or four weeks at a time, and no one I know of can afford to be out of commission for that long!

Now I have to admit that the shot may only work completely for about half the people who receive it. However, the others have much less severe attacks and may escape permanent nerve damage. The only real obstacle is that the vaccine may cost you a rather hefty co-payment of about $60 or $75 or so. Still, it can save you a heck of a lot of pain and lost work time. Worth thinking about!

Did you get your Vitamin N today? Back to Nature offers surprising benefits

by Laura

It may really surprise you how much you can benefit from spending just an hour in a natural setting. They are even calling it Vitamin N – n for Nature. You can take a walk in the park or spend time in a home or office designed to take advantage of views of nature.

Hospitals designed with nature in mind find that patients have less stress, can heal faster, and need less pain meds.

A 2008 study by the University of Michigan showed that hour-long “doses” of nature helped people not only deal with stress, but they had a 20 percent better attention span, and also showed improved memory. And in 2012, a University of Kansas study showed people had as much as a 50 percent improvement in creativity after being immersed in a natural setting for a few days.

It is a bit hard to apply these findings because there is little description of the Vitamin N exposure that the participants were given.

But still, we can offer some popular ways of getting back in touch with nature. Such as:

1- Plant a garden, preferably something that will attract some wildlife, birds or butterflies that you can enjoy watching.

2- Encourage your children to interact with nature in a creative way. Small children often spend hours in a sand box. Take them on a nature walk to pick up interesting leaves in the fall that they can use in art projects at home.

3- Join a group at a nature center for spring and fall hikes to note the change in seasons and migrating birds.

4- Taking up photography forces you to look for subjects out there in fields and parks, or even in your back yard.

5- Put a comfortable chair on a patio, porch or sun room to watch the change in seasons.