Eating fish helps prevent eye disease later in life

(NaturalNews) A study that recently appeared in the journal Ophthalmology has found that people who eat fatty fish at least once a week are less likely to develop age-related macular degeneration (AMD), an eye disease that gradually causes vision impairment and blindness in senior adults. The study findings add to the growing list of health benefits gained by eating fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids. More than 2,500 senior adults took eye exams and completed questionnaires as part of the study, and researchers evaluated the relationship between fish consumption and eye health. Fifteen percent of the participants already had early-to-intermediate stage AMD, and under three percent already had advanced AMD. However, participants who indicated they ate one or more servings of healthy fish a week were determined to be 60 percent less likely to develop advanced AMD than those who ate less than this amount. The omega-3 fatty acids present in oily fish like salmon, mackerel and albacore tuna, are generally recognized to be the therapeutic nutrients responsible for helping to prevent macular degeneration. These compounds offer eye protection that, when regularly consumed, can prevent degenerative eye disease. “Fish oil contains DHA, a substance concentrated in the retina of the eye, and the consumption of fish oils has been shown to reduce the risk of macular degeneration,” explains Marshall Editions in his book 1000 Cures for 200 Ailments: Integrated Alternative and Conventional Treatments for the Most Common Illnesses . The Reuters report on the fish study also reveals that high doses of the antioxidants vitamins C and E, beta carotene and zinc, are all effective treatments for macular degeneration, and that many doctors already prescribe this mixture to their patients with the disease. According to Dr. Steve Blake, author of Vitamins and Minerals Demystified , the retina of the eye contains high levels of zinc, but as a person ages, zinc levels decrease. So supplementing with zinc, among other antioxidants, appears to be a viable treatment method for the AMD. Researchers are also evaluating the efficacy of treating AMD patients with the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, both of which are present in the retina as well. Sources for this story include: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE66I48520100719 http://www.naturalpedia.com/macula.html

Palm fruit oil is the richest source of tocotrienols, the other half of the vitamin E equation

(NaturalNews) Many people are already aware of the fact that vitamin E helps to rid the body of free radicals and protect it from cancer, cardiovascular disease, heart disease and other serious illness. However there are two forms of vitamin E that each serve a unique purpose: tocopherols and tocotrienols. While tocopherols are the most common form of vitamin E available on the market, tocotrienols are just now beginning to emerge in the Western world as a superior addition to the vitamin E family, particularly in the form of palm fruit oil where they are most richly found. Most available vitamin E supplements contain only mixed tocopherols, or alpha, beta, delta and gamma tocopherols. These four tocopherols represent only half of the vitamin E family, and research is now revealing that alpha, beta, delta and gamma tocotrienols are also necessary to provide the full range of antioxidant power contained in vitamin E. Together, these eight compounds offer complete antioxidant protection. Tocotrienols are roughly 50 times more potent than tocopherols when it comes to antioxidant power. Recent studies have shown that tocotrienols distribute themselves more evenly than tocopherols do in the fatty layers of cell membranes. They are effective at preventing and treating serious degenerative diseases like cancer, stroke-induced injuries, diabetes, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. In one study, tocotrienols increased the lifespan of laboratory rats by 20 percent. So why are tocopherols, rather than tocotrienols, the most prevalent form of vitamin E on the market? Many foods and oils are rich in tocopherols, but few contain significant levels of tocotrienols. In fact, most of the popular oils used in food preparation , olive, soybean, safflower, sunflower, corn, cotton and peanut , contain only tocopherols. The only oil that contains significant levels of all four types of tocotrienols is palm fruit oil. Although tocopherols are generally sufficient for meeting minimum vitamin E levels and maintaining an average level of good health, there is far more to be gained from getting the full range of both tocopherols and tocotrienols. Rice bran oil, wheat germ, barley, oats, coconut oil and palm kernel oil all contain one or more types of tocotrienols as well, however none besides palm fruit oil contain all four types. Palm fruit oil is composed of 30 percent tocopherols and 70 percent tocotrienols. The oil is extracted from the fleshy mesocarp of the palm fruit, and is useful in a myriad of food preparations. It is said to be the most widely used oil in the world, perhaps because it is more heat stable than other vegetable oils and provides superior taste and texture qualities. Aside from preventing and treating the serious illnesses mentioned above, palm oil improves blood circulation and prevents clotting, boosts immunity, improves general nutrient absorption, supports healthy lung and liver function, strengthens bones and teeth, reinforces eye health and supports brain function. Studies have shown that virgin red palm oil is the variety that offers the most medicinal benefit, but all varieties seem to be beneficial. To learn more about tocotrienols, please visit www.tocotrienol.org.