Nutrients That Protect Your Eyes

A number of chronic diseases affect the eyes. Virtually all are associated with an accumulation of free radicals within the structures of the eye, especially the retina, which contains all the nerve cells for vision. Many such diseases also are associated with chronic, low-grade inflammation, as seen with aging, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. For a detailed discussion on inflammation and its role in many diseases, see my newsletter "Inflammation: The Real Cause of Most Diseases."

A new study out of Hong Kong found that the beneficial chemical components in green tea extract were distributed throughout the eyes of rats fed the extract.

The various components of green tea were distributed in different eye structures. For example, gallocatechin concentrated in the retina, and higher amounts of epigallocatechin were found in the aqueous humor (front chamber).

They also measured the level of lipid peroxidation in the eye (a measure of free radical damage) and found that green tea significantly reduced this destructive process.

This is great news for all of us, since it shows that if we take green or white tea extract and drink white tea several times a day, especially if we start early in life, we can potentially avoid many of the eye diseases associated with aging. To learn more about the many ways green tea can improve your health, read my report "Miracle Tea."

In addition to extracts of green or white tea, there are other plant extracts that add significantly to this protection:

• Curcumin

• Quercetin

• Ellagic acid

• Luteolin

• Alpha-lipoic acid

• Natural vitamin E

• Magnesium

• Vitamin C

This is important to keep in mind: The retina contains many glutamate receptors. This means that excitotoxins in your food can dramatically increase the severity of any of these diseases and accelerate aging of the eyes.

You should avoid almost all processed foods, especially those that list MSG (monosodium glutamate) as an ingredient. Remember that MSG comes in many disguises and is often hidden in ingredients such as caseinate, natural flavoring, hydrolyzed protein, vegetable protein extract or concentrate, soy protein or soy protein isolate, autolyzed yeast, carrageenan, broth, and stock. For more information on food additives and the damage they can cause to your body, read my newsletter " Food Additives: What You Eat Can Kill You."

It is also important to avoid dietary fats (N-6 oils) such as those in this list that are known to promote inflammation and lipid peroxidation:

• Corn

• Safflower

• Sunflower

• Peanut

• Canola

• Soybean

To learn more about protecting your eyesight, read my special report "Protecting Your Eyes."