Nature's Pantry

Fish Oil May Help Save Your Eyes

by Pamela Hay on May 30, 2011

Not Smoking May Also Help Avoid Age-Related Macular Degeneration
By Miranda Hitti
WebMD Medical News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

July 10, 2006 -- To help save your vision as you age, you may want to give fish oil the thumbs up and cigarettes the thumbs down.

Age-related macular degenerationmacular degeneration (AMD) -- the leading cause of age-related vision loss -- is nearly twice as common in elderly smokers as nonsmokers. And seniors who eat fish at least twice weekly are almost half as likely to have AMD than those who eat fish less than once a week.

So say Johanna Seddon, MD, and colleagues in July's Archives of Ophthalmology. Seddon works at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, which is affiliated with Harvard Medical School in Boston.

Halfway around the world in Australia, other experts found that age-related macular problems are rarer in people whose diets are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish, including salmon and mackerel, as well as flax seeds and walnuts.

U.S. Study

Seddon's team studied data from 681 individual male twins in their mid-70s who were World War II veterans. The group included 222 men with intermediate- or late-stage AMD and 459 with early or no AMD.

The men completed questionnaires about their smoking history, alcohol use, physical activity, diets, and use of multivitamins and supplements.

"Current smokers had a 1.9-fold increased risk of AMD while past smokers had about a 1.7-fold increased risk" of AMD, compared with nonsmokers, the researchers write.

The study also shows that men with the highest fish consumption (at least two weekly servings) were 45% less likely to have AMD than those with the lowest fish consumption (less than one weekly serving)........

To See the full Article Click Here

SOURCES: Seddon, J. Archives of Ophthalmology, July 2006; vol 124: pp 995-1001. Chua, B. Archives of Ophthalmology, July 2006; vol 124: pp 981-986. WebMD Medical News: "Good Fat vs. Bad Fat." News release, JAMA/Archives.

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Study Compares Arnica Gel to Ibuprofen Gel

by Pamela Hay on May 30, 2011

In a randomized, double blind study Arnica Gel was found to be as effective as a 5% Ibuprofen gel in patients with radiology confirmed osteoarthiritis in their fingers. The study, to be published in the Rheumatology International,was preformed in Switzerland using Bioforce AG's Arnica Gel and studied 204 participants suffering from osteoarthritis. Arnica Gel was found to be as effective and was tolerated as well by participants Arnica Gel can offer people with osteoarthritis an alternative to standard anti-inflammatory topical drugs.

Reto Widrig¹, Andy Suter², Reinhard Saller³ and Jörg Melzer³

(1) Rheumatology Clinic, 9004 St Gallen, Switzerland

(2) Bioforce AG, 9325 Roggwil, Switzerland

(3) Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Complementary Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland

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Ancient sinus remedy helps clear congestion (NETI POTS)

by Pamela Hay on May 18, 2011

(from www.NBCi.com)

Neti Pot Treatment Uses Warm Saline Rinse

Sinus congestion sufferers will try anything to get relief, including pills, sprays and shots, but some North Texans swear by a natural remedy that is thousands of years old.

The neti pot treatment is born from yoga, and uses a mix of sea salt and warm, non-chlorinated water. Practitioners simply let the solution run up one nostril and out the other.

Allergy and asthma specialist Dr. William Lumry said the neti pot is the oldest form of saline rinse, and is urging more patients to try the remedy.

"We've learned over the last few years that simply rinsing the nose once a day with a nasal saline is a wonderful way to prevent sinus infections, to help with people's allergies, help sinus headaches and other problems with the sinuses," Lumry said.

Neti pot packaging comes in all shapes and sizes, but each works to clean bacteria, germs and pollutants from sinuses.

Congestion sufferer Erin Pack said neti pot works for her, even if it feels a bit awkward.

"It's not the most flattering position as far as sticking it up your nose," she said. "It feels like you're being held under a swimming pool the first time you do it."

Kathy Hurn, who suffers from asthma and hay fever, also said the technique works.

And for Sandy Pruitt, the treatment provides "immediate relief."

Neti Pot Nasal Rinse Recipe:
1 tsp. sea salt or kosher salt
2 cups warm non-chlorinated water

Orignial Article can be viewed at:
http://www.nbc5i.com/health/7582824/detail.html

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