is a lutein and zeaxanthin supplement needed to prevent blindness?

12.30: cook/macuguard/4-star/
new formula tastes like soap, is it essential?

12.30: summary:

. this is research about a supplement

that features lutein and zeaxanthin

for the purpose of protecting the eyes

from blindness caused by macular degeneration.

. lutein comes from grean leafy vegetables,

but zeaxanthin is not so easy to get;

is it really needed? or can I rely on leaf?

11.28: 12.30:

Life Extension MacuGuard Ocular Support with Saffron

[purchased from amazon B01HFREINK(ad)]

. I chew this along with my other fat-soluble supps,

rather than swallow it whole,

and I noticed it tasted like soap in this new batch;

but I figured that's just the way marigold's can taste,

and I just never noticed it before,

or they have some new (possibly better) extraction method.

. this supp provides some eye-protecting pigments

not found in the dark green leafy veg (zeaxanthin).

. both those pigments might be preventing

macular degeneration

when combined with minimizing 

omega-6 veg oil and grain-fed animal fat,

maximizing omega-3 fish oil,

and staying away from refined sugars.

. "risk factors for AMD include

Blue light irradiation to the macula,

Hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, and diabetes."

[ Antioxidants (Basel). 2024 May 4

Antioxidants and Mechanistic Insights for Managing

Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration;

Deepak Basyal, Sooyeun Lee, Hye Jin Kim.]

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11117704/

. the dramatic rise in the rates of AMD

are due to the rise of omega-3 vegetable oil

and grain-fed animal fat.

. there has also been a rise in refined sugars,

which may contribute to eye stress.

[ ophthalmology prof Dr. Chris A Knobbe 2023

The Ancestral Diet Revolution: 

How Vegetable Oils and Processed Foods

Destroy Our Health - and How to Recover!

https://amzn.to/3BRZCj9

[book from amazon (ad)]

or see the cureAMD organization website:

https://www.cureamd.org/introduction-is-age-related-macular-degeneration-amd-preventable-and-treatable-with-diet/]

"An intake of dietary supplied nutrients

rich in the carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, 

appears to be beneficial in protecting retinal tissues, 

but this is not proven. 

Until scientifically sound knowledge is available 

we recommend" those at risk of AMD to

eat more dark green leafy vegetables, 

and protect their eyes from the sun's UV light

with protective lenses and a hat.

[ Nutr J. 2003

The role of the carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, 

in protecting against age-related macular degeneration: 

a review based on controversial evidence;

Maneli Mozaffarieh, et al.]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14670087/

. lutein may be more important than zeaxanthin

and you can get that from leafy greens:

Ophthalmology 2012

Effect of lutein and zeaxanthin on macular pigment

and visual function in patients with

early age-related macular degeneration;

Le Ma, et al, Randomized Controlled Trial 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22858124/

. Early AMD patients were assigned randomly to receive

10 mg/day lutein (n = 27), 

20 mg/day lutein (n = 27), 

10 mg/day lutein plus 10 mg/day zeaxanthin (n = 27); 

or placebo (n = 27) for 48 weeks. 

Macular pigment optical density (MPOD) 

and visual function variables were assessed

at baseline, 24 weeks, and 48 weeks.

Results: 

Macular pigment optical density 

increased significantly by a mean ± standard error of 

0.076 ± 0.022 density unit 

in the 20-mg lutein group and 

0.058 ± 0.027 density unit in the 

lutein and zeaxanthin group during 48 weeks. 

[12.30: so given the standard error,

it's not clear whether your extra 10 mg

of more lutein or instead zeaxanthin

is better for Macular pigment optical density;

but if all error was equal,

it might be better to replace zeaxanthin

with more lutein?]

There was a significant dose-response effect for

lutein supplementation, ...

At 48 weeks, a trend toward improvement was seen in 

best-corrected visual acuity, 

and there was a significant between-group difference in 

contrast sensitivity at 3 and 6 cycles/degree 

between the 

20-mg lutein group and the placebo group. [12.30: 

but less dramatic findings in the

lutein + zeaxanthin group?]

Conclusions: 

Among patients with early AMD, 

supplementation with lutein and zeaxanthin

improved macular pigment, 

which played a causative role in boosting visual function

and might prevent the progression of AMD.

[12.30:

. but the data seems to show that

given the same high dose,

having it be all lutein was more effective than 

half of it being zeaxanthin? ]

. lutein and zeaxanthin are better for eyes than beta-carotene.

[ JAMA Ophthalmol . 2014

Secondary analyses of the effects of 

lutein/zeaxanthin

on age-related macular degeneration progression: 

AREDS2 report No. 3

Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) Research Group; 

Emily Y Chew, et al]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24310343/

Randomized Controlled Trial.

. we also need to increase fish-oil/veg-oil ratio;

however certain nuts may also be helpful:

"Intake of Vegetables, Fruit, and Fish

is Beneficial for Age-Related Macular Degeneration"

[ Am J Ophthalmol . 2019

Alexandra P M, et al.]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30312575/

. "The rate of slowing AMD progression was higher in

patients who followed the Mediterranean Diet 

and received a dietary supplement, 

compared to patients who skipped either 

supps or diet (p<0.001)."

. the supp was AREDS 2 formula 

(lutein 10 mg, zeaxanthin 2 mg, 

vitamin C 500 mg, vitamin E 400 IU, 

zinc oxide 80 mg or 25 mg, 

and cupric oxide 2 mg) (8) 

. the diet is high in polyphenols from olive oil,

non-refined cereals, potatoes, fruits, 

vegetables, legumes, fish, 

and is low in 

poultry, mammal meat, full fat dairy, and alcohol.

[ In Vivo. 2023 

Effect of the Mediterranean Diet on Progression of

Dry Form of Age-related Macular Degeneration;

Danai-Magdalini Gourgouli, et al]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37369498/

. things to consider about that study:

. if they did better using the lutein supplement

it could be that their diet's "vegetables"

didn't include much dark green leaf.

. cereals are a source of omega-6 oil;

there are better sources of fiber;

especially the legumes (eg, peas and lentils)

and the vegetables.

. concerning non-refined cereals,

Dr.Gundry 2017 tells us that whole wheat lectins 

are a source of autoimmunity that clogs arteries.

https://amzn.to/4gQXNBM [The Plant Paradox (ad)]

. "Eating a lot of dark leafy vegetables

and some fruits

can help to prevent some diseases."

[ Nutrients. 2022

Lutein and Zeaxanthin and Their Roles in

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

—Neurodegenerative Disease;

Małgorzata Mrowicka, et al]

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8874683/

--

though Dr.Gundry 2017 tells us that

american fruits such as 

corn, pumpkin, tomato, and squash

can have lectins that some don't tolerate.

. "daily use of 5 grams of fish oil

(3.4 g of EPA and 1.6 g of DHA) 

significant improved vision acuity in 

patients with dry AMD."

[ PharmaNutrition 2014

Pilot study for treating dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) 

with high-dose omega-3 fatty acids

Tassos Georgiou, et al.]

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S221343441300042X

. "A high intake of dietary fish oil or fish

was associated with a reduced risk of developing of AMD;

Every 15 g/day of fish consumption

was associated with 13% lower incidence of early AMD. 

(there are 125g per tin of sardines)

. fish intake was associated with a significantly

reduced risk of AMD progression 

(RR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.53, 1.00).

The dose-response analysis showed a 6% and 22% decrease

in the risk of early and late AMD

for each additional 1 g/d fish oil intake."

[ Clin Nutr. 2021

Dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and fish intake 

and risk of age-related macular degeneration;

Hong Jiang, et al.]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34749130/

". there is evidence of protection against early AMD 

from regularly eating fish, 

greater consumption of omega-3 fatty acids, 

and having low intakes of foods rich in linoleic acid 

[omega-6 oil from grains and grain-fed meats]. 

Regular consumption of nuts may also reduce AMD risk." [12.30: 

despite being a significant source of linoleic acid.]

[ Arch Ophthalmol. 2009

Dietary fatty acids and the 10-year incidence of

age-related macular degeneration: 

the Blue Mountains Eye Study

Jennifer S L Tan, et al, Paul Mitchell.]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19433717/

. especially pistachio nuts:

"Pistachio Consumption Increases 

Macular Pigment Optical Density

in Healthy Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial"

[ J Nutr. 2024 Oct 18

Tammy M Scott, et al, Elizabeth J Johnson]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39426460/

. pistachio are best at improving blood lipids:

[ Am J Clin Nutr. 2020

Comparative effects of different types of tree nut consumption

on blood lipids: a network meta-analysis of clinical trials;

Kai Liu, et al, Linlang Liang ]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31773150/

. "Bioactive compounds from tree nuts

delay aging and age-related diseases

possibly by several mechanisms:

. the Nrf2/EpRE pathway is upregulated 

and NF-кB pathway is downregulated by tree nuts.

. Tree nuts exert cytoprotection via antioxidant and

anti-inflammatory activities."

[ Trends in Food Science & Technology 2019:

Benefits of tree nut consumption on aging

and age-related diseases: Mechanisms of actions;

Marius Emil Rusu]

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0924224418308203

trust flu vaccine? we need humane organic farming

19.6.17: tv.pol/healthcare/industrial farming
/Rob Wallace`african swine fever:
6.19: summary:
trust flu vaccine? we need humane organic farming:
. part of the reason for encouraging flu vaccine
is that globalized factory farming
is increasing the rate of flu virus evolution;
but flu vaccine is often not protective;
what we really need is to discontinue
globalized factory farming of animals
by mandating humane organic farming.
. I summarize the work of
biology Ph.D. Rob Wallace
and others concerned with the way
factory farming promotes disease.

early #AMD reversal with high-dose fish oil #med #blindness

2.12: med/amd/fisho
2.13: summary:
. AMD is a major source of blindness;
studies show that in its early stages,
it can be reversed with fish oil;
and that a key marker of healing
is there being nearly as much EPA
as the body has of AA;
fish oil supplements vary in EPA;
eg, le caps have 0.35g of EPA;
along with EPA from fish oil,
you also need to lower AA levels:
keep insulin low (avoid grains and sugars);
limit omega-6 oils and most of all
be wary of AA in fatty animal products,
especially eggs and chicken.
if you get all your fish oil from fish meat
you also get some AA along with
dioxins, PCB's and mercury].
. AMD reversal was indicated by
the ability to read more letters
on a chart with increasingly smaller letters:
8 more letters at aa/epa ratio of 2-2.7;
[from perhaps 4 le caps per day]
15 letters at aa/epa ratio of 1.1-1.6
[from perhaps 8-12 le caps].
. the study applied the oil in 2 doses.
. rancid fish oil can do more harm than good
so it's important to pick a brand
that is 3rd-party tested for low rancidity
and also has powerful antioxidants
such as rosemary or olive extract.
. when taking high-dose fish oil
you should add more antioxidants,
and also ensure you get some GLA
that is blocked by high-dose DHA
(oats are a source of GLA).

#Crohn's disease #saccharin #sucralose

1.14: web.med/crohn's disease:
summary:
. Crohn's disease, also known as regional enteritis,
is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD);
which can increase the risk of cancer.
. the cause is officially unknown; but,
lifestyle choices that raise risk include
# saccharin or sucralose
# oral contraceptives,
# smoking or 2nd-hand smoke
# diets that provoke yeast or fungal overgrowth
(high in sugar or refined carb's;
or low in fiber that feed bacteria
that compete with yeasts)
# aluminum pollution in urban areas.
# low vitamin D
# nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
# prior use of antibiotics
(often killing the good germs results in
the growth of bad germs after antibiotics are discontinued;
IBD may be the immune system's response to a certain germ;
some are cured with a fecal transplant(good germs);
some go into remission on antibiotics.
. the GAPS diet might also work as an antibiotic:
it is a high-fat low-prebiotic diet that removes bad germs
followed by a fermented diet that adds good germs).
. being left-handed, you might be more inclined
to choose a lifestyle that increases risk.

anti-fertility vaccines

2.1: web.pol/gemini/anti-fertility vaccines:
. what were some saying about
vaccines as a method of depopulation ?
how was that supposed to work?!
there have been some half-baked attempts
to finger vaccines as immune damaging,
but there is also talk of "anti-fertility vaccines"
designed to cause infertility,
as a safer, cheaper form of contraception .

ethyl esters of fish oil raise fasting #insulin

7.5: web.health/ethyl esters of fish oil raise fasting insulin:
7.5: 12.29: summary:
. the natural form of fish oil
is to bond the EPA and DHA fatty acides
within a triglyceride or phospholipid;
but a more concentrated cheaper way
is by bonding with an ethyl ester;
testing of olive ethyl ester was positive,
but ethyl esters of fish oils
resulted in significantly increased
fasting levels of insulin
(suggesting they cause insulin resistance?)
todo:
. the doses of fish oil were rather high;
so does an equivalent dose of natural fish oil
have a similar effect on insulin ?

#bigbang is a religious theory

relig/big bang theory
/steady state theory avoids a creation date:
12.13:
. notice that a steady state theory avoids a creation date
whereas the bible's genesis story taken literally,
puts the creation date just a few thousand years ago,
so then big bang may be physicists' attempts at
remaining consistent with the bible .

the history of bee decline

11.30: summary:
. bees immune systems seem compromised
by both pesticides and by dietary changes
(HFCS replaces their honey).

Dr.Sears`zone diet 1997 reviewed #hormonics

11.10..12, 16; 12.21..23:
health/hormonics/Dr.Sears`zone diet

. this is a collection of notes for the book:
Barry Sears. zone-perfect meals in minutes.
HarperCollins Publishers (1997)
isbn 0-06-039241-X
. it includes notes from other sources
in order to full explain Dr.Sears' work;
and there are some updates for obsolete material .

corn syrup without fructose

7.7: pol/healthcare/corn syrup has no reason
without the unhealthy high fructose:
. even though fructose is
more expensive and unhealthier,
if fructose weren't added,
then corn syrup would not be sweet,
and then you'd have no reason to
add the corn syrup itself
other than it being a cheaper source of calories,
which gets: "( huh, why I am eating
so many empty calories anyway?
it doesn't even taster better! )
-- still, it would be just as filling, [9.27:
and then it would make you hungrier later;
so, I'm sure your food processors
would continue to add corn syrup to everything
even if it didn't have sweetening fructose .]

ready for your sweet surprise?

5.14: co.fb#inst for respons' tech/health/
corn is not just bee killer:
What are your thoughts on this article?
GE corn & sick honey bees - what's the link?
| Pesticide Action Network

No farmer in their right mind wants to poison pollinators.
When I spoke with one Iowa corn farmer in January
and told him about the upcoming release of a Purdue study
confirming corn as a major
neonicotinoid exposure route for bees,
his face dropped with worn exasperation.

me:
I'm  sorry bees were harmed by gmo corn,
but we need hfcs (sweetsurprise.com)
to drive up glucose consumption
for more diabetes, cancer, senility, and heart disease
in order to fast-track healthcare technology .

5.14: co.fb#a4m (American-Academy-of-Anti-Aging-Medicine-A4M)/
health/cost is not just insurance pigginess:
Soda's Not-So-Sweet Side |
Anti-Aging Tip of the Day |
Worldhealth.net Anti-Aging News

More Americans now drink sugar-sweetened sodas,
sport drinks and fruit drinks daily,
and this increase in consumption
has led to greater incidences of
disease over the past decade

me:
another reason to send jobs overseas:
we can't possibly afford sugar nation's healthcare .

link between alz and sugar may be cholesterol

4.13: news.health/alz/
 link between alz and sugar may be cholesterol:
4.13, 4.17: summary:
. when alzheimers was reported to be a clumping of protein
and related to diabetes,
I had assumed it was a glycation problem,
but here is evidence that cholesterol is implicated
by way of reducing leptin levels
which apparently is what prevents the formation of amyloid-β
and the occurrence of phosphorylated tau .
. the way it all ties together is that
cholesterol is elevated by sugary diet,
and a sugary diet is a leading cause of diabetes
(see the theory and results of an epi'study).

desert diabetics at risk of fungal infection #HFCS #hormonics

4.2: web.health/diabetics at risk
of deadly, desert fungal infection:
summary:
. the Mayo clinic (in az's Phoenix suburbs)
has released a report of an invasive fungus,
Basidiobolus ranarum,
that is partial to deserts (Arizona and Saudi Arabia);
and, it grows tumor-like masses around the intestines;
but it's very rare, because it prefers diabetics,
other metabolic disorders, or the immune compromised .
. a systemic fungal infection that is partial to deserts?
that reminds of valley fever .
. I got very sore knees from valley fever in Tucson
after tilling the ground during the fungal infection's
favorite growth period: after a long-needed rain .
. Basidiobolus ranarum starts from ingesting the feces
of some animal whose intenstines usually contain it .
. the CDC had no clues as to how the very few victims
could have possibly ingested feces,
but they may not be aware of the desert's
ferocious dust storms:
they can dig deep for fresh feces,
and fling it into a breathing mouth or nose .

neo-paleolithic #diet #paleo #hormonics

2011.12.11:  web.health/hormonics/neo-paleolithic diet:
[2012.2.6: intro
. I bumped into the term Neo Paleolithic Diet
I got excited about improvements on the Zone;
but in fact, proponents of the Neo-Paleo
seem to have forgotten some valid Zone lessons .]

#cancer #prostate prevention factors #health

11.13 ... 12.31: web.health/
cancer#prostate/prevention factors:

intro:

. I was recently introduced to a fund drive
for awareness of prostate cancer .
. it wasn't clear to me how funds could cure cancer;
but the drive certainly does promote awareness;
and, awareness begets prevention ...
however, I was stumped by the question
"(what prevents prostate cancer?);
and, they weren't offering any clues,
so I directed my available resources at research .
12.1:
. my first strategy for assessing prostate risk
is to look at several cultures with low risk;
the most significant result of that has been: [12.28:
# paleo is not easy:
. even if you could afford grass-fed, chances are
your fats are contaminated with xenoestrogens .]
# soy & grain not required:
. the controversial soy & grain plan
is not required for prostate care:
soy has been the apparent source of Japanese health
but has not been needed by the Inuit .
. moreover, soy confuses 2 preventive factors:
# weakly estrogenic Isoflavones,
# legume diet's hormone-balancing benefits:
the pro-biotic, soluble fiber,
and the fiber's drip-feeding of glucose & protein
all work to reduce prostate risk
(even peanuts benefit from being legumes!).
12.23:
. other strategies include trying to integrate the teachings
of the Zone diet (an advanced paleo diet),
and cancer reports with battle strategies,
all of which have unique contributions to the war on cancer .

born-again conservative with Congressman Aaron Schock

5.10: news.pol/born-again conservative with
Congressman Aaron Schock:
Men's Health magazine/The Ripped Representative
America's Fittest Congressman:
The Aaron Schock Workout & Summer Challenge

oops I did it again ...

4.29: pol/justice/oops I did it again ...:

. I was shocked to hear on lib'radio (1330)
that a reporter was dragged and maced
just for asking a question
in a "(townhall) meeting
whose elite she apparently didn't represent .
. we know that anyone requiring dragging
must be maced to reduce officer risk,
but we can still ask,
who really needs to be dragged,
ie, who needs to be "(arrested),
vs who was willing to leave with an escort .
. we then can seek to punish (or victimize?)
those accepting a duty that is unamerican .
. so in my state of ah-fficer-assisted rage
I thought of this perfect crime:
sir-real psy'op's against the undeserving sir .