Newsletter #4

LOOK TO YOUR HEART

The carotenoid lutein is found in the macula of the human retina, so it's believed to protect against both age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. Also found in foods (algae, egg yolks, leafy greens) and plants like marigold flowers and nettle, lutein is available in supplements--and in France is used for eye problems. 

Recently, the Los Angeles Atherosclerosis Study found that this carotenoid may also protect your heart. Using ultrasound to measure fatty deposits in a major artery of subjects 40 to 60 years old whose blood had also been tested for lutein levels, researchers discovered that those with the highest levels of this carotenoid had no increase in arterial plaque during the study. And over the 18-month period in which they were followed, people with the lowest blood levels of lutein showed increased plaque.

Since similar results have been shown in animal and lab studies, researchers suggest that "dietary intake of lutein is protective against the development of atherosclerosis. "So enjoy lutein-rich foods, and look for this carotenoid in your multivitamin--or add this supplement to your daily regimen at meals with a little fat. While a daily dietary intake, in the 6.9 to 11.7mg range, has been linked to a lower incidence of age-related maculary degeneration, more research is needed to establish a heart-protective dosage.

Selected Source--"Oxygenated Carotenoid Lutein and Progression of Early Atherosclerosis" by James H. Dwyer, PhD On another note:

How to Chill Out--Naturally

If you've been feeling spacey, anxious, or irritable since September 11, you're not alone. Such stress responses are normal reactions to trauma. Integrative psychiatrist Hyla Cass, MD, recommends the following natural solutions:

1. Consider St. John's Wort if you find yourself feeling anxious or depressed and are having trouble sleeping.

2. Eat a healthy diet (regular meals stabilize blood sugar levels), and take a daily multiple with B vitamins, C, magnesium, and zinc.

3. Go easy on alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and simple carbs.

4. Practice deep breathing on a regular basis, combined with meditation and/or prayer.

5. Pay attention to your own moods and to others' feelings, and give lots of hugs.

If these tips don't help, you could be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and may benefit from therapy.

Children are especially susceptible to the tension that travel anxiety and too much television news can create. They need to feel safe and loved. Talk with your kids calmly--and often. Make bedtime a happy, relaxing ritual. Give them plenty of natural foods and a daily multivitamin, recommends the Healthy Foundation, whose Vitamin Relief USA program works to ensure that children get the supplements they need--even if their families can't afford them.

Selected Sources:

Mother Nature, MD by Eric Meyer,

"10 Ways to Help Your Child Cope with Crisis," pamphlet by the Healthy Foundation,

Vitamin Relief USA, St. John's Wort, Nature's Blues Buster by Hyla Cass, MD