Grapes - A Queen of All Fruits

Grapes are one of the most valuable fruit that is known to revitalize our entire system. They are delicious, highly nutritious and very easily digestible. Grapes can be eaten fresh or dried (raisins) or can be consumed as a grape juice. Although seedless grapes are highly sought after for table grapes, the absence of seeds does diminish the phytochemical content of the grape. To receive the maximum nutrients from grapes, it is recommended that the seeds are also consumed.

Many of the health benefits attributed to red/purple grapes are due to the pigments that are concentrated largely in the skin and seeds, which have about 100 times higher level than the pulp of the grape. Grapes are rich in content with water, protein, fat, minerals (calcium, phosphorus, iron) and vitamins (Vitamin C, Vitamin A and P). Due to its rich content of sugar which is formed of glucose, they are easily absorbed in the body soon after its consumption thus supplying heat and energy within a short time.

Health benefits are massive and can be illustrated as follows:

1. Cancer:

Grapes seem to be very good cancer fighting fruit. (They are an excellent source of health promoting flavonoids. Usually, the stronger the color of the grapes, the concentration of flavonoids are found higher.) Grapes are also rich in ellagic acid, a potent flavonoid that helps fight cancer. Besides there is a substance found in the skin (not flesh) of grapes, called "resveratrol". Researchers reported in a study that resveratrol is converted in the body to a known anti-cancer agent that can selectively target and destroy cancer cells.

Besides, red grape skins and seeds contain recently isolated compounds shown to reduce the size of estrogen-dependent breast cancer tumors.

Still more interesting fact is that grapes acts as a preventative agent in prostrate, lung, liver, and breast cancer.

2. Heart Disease:

Grapes are abundantly useful in the treatment of heart disease as they tone up the heart and are effective in cardiac pain and palpitation of the heart. Besides grape juice is highly valuable for a person who is suffering from a heart attack which will avert serious consequences and by reducing the pain and palpitation.

Also eating fresh grapes may prevent the accumulation of harmful oxidized cholesterol as well as the development of atherosclerotic lesions. According to the study, as reported in the Journal of Nutrition (vol. 135, pp. 722-728, 2005.), naturally occurring antioxidants in fresh grapes known as polyphenols are believed to be responsible for this beneficial impact.

The flavonoid compounds found in grapes called resveratrol appear to decrease the risk of heart disease by:

-Reducing platelet clumping and harmful blood clots

-Protecting LDL cholesterol from the free radical damage that initiates LDL's artery-damaging actions

-Boosts good type of HDL cholesterol

They are also known to keep heart flexible and healthy.

3. Blood Pressure :

The intake of grapes regularly in our diet reduces the risk of hypertension.

4. Alzheimer's disease:
Resveratrol, a beneficial polyphenol present in grapes reduces the levels of amyloidal-beta peptides in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Studies suggest that grapes can enhance brain health and stall the onset of neurodegenerative diseases.

5. Constipation:

As grapes are a laxative food, it is valuable in relieving constipation. It tones up the stomach and intestine and relieves the most chronic cases of constipation. When fresh grapes are not available, raisins soaked in water can be used.

6. Dyspepsia :

Grapes constitute a light food that eliminates indigestion and irritation of the stomach and, is valuable in dyspepsia.

7. Asthma :

According to Dr. Oldfied, grapes and their juices are beneficial in the treatment of asthma.

8. Body building fruit:

Grapes are very good for the blood and a body builder - it is also a quick source of energy.

9. Migraine:

The grape juice is very effective home remedy for severe migraine.

10. Kidney Troubles:

It is an excellent food remedy in acute and chronic nepthritis and bladder stones. Also grapes help to decrease the acidity of the uric acid greatly and, lends itself further in aiding the elimination of the acid from the system, thus benefiting the kidneys greatly.

11. Antibacterial activity:

Red grapes have strong antibacterial and antiviral properties and can protect you from infections. They have a strong antiviral property against poliovirus and herpes simplex virus.

12. Liver Disorders:
Grapes activate liver to glycogenic functions and bile secretions and is highly useful for all types of liver disorders.

13. Pyorrhoea :

The organic acid of the grapes are strongly antiseptic and has a strong effect on the gums. According to Johanna Brandt, "Every tooth may be loose in its socket and pus may be pouring from the gums, but after a few weeks on the exclusive grape diet, it will be found that teeth are firmly set in the jaws and that every trace of pyorrhea poisoning has disappeared".

14. Alcoholism :

Grapes are an effective remedy for those craving alcohols as it is the most purest form of alcohol. So grapes must form an exclusive diet in treating the alcoholics.

15. Eyesight:

Grapes can contribute to reducing the risk of loss of eyesight (a major problem among the elderly). By increasing grapes intake we can reduce the risk of macular degeneration (the main cause of vision loss) by 30-40%. Flavonoids present in grapes have antioxidants, which can reduce and fight the damage caused by free radicals such as cataract.

16. Anti-aging & Life-prolonging properties :

The resveratrol found in grapes seems to influence genes controlling the aging process. According to Harvard Medical School researchers, this substance can restrict calories intake. It activates enzymes that slow aging, thus increasing DNA stability and extending life span by 70%.

In short, for taste and for health, put either some grapes or grape juice in your daily diet that will do wonders to your overall health and immune system! (However, a word of warning, grapes have many health benefits, but have a high sugar content and should therefore be eaten in moderation or choose the less sweet ones).

By Yasmin M Elias

Blurred Vision and Glaucoma

Blurred vision is a lack of sharpness as a result the person is enable to see fine details or small objects. Blurred vision can occur when a person who wears corrective lens is without them. Blurred vision can also be a sign of various eye diseases like cataracts, glaucoma, age related macular degeneration, diabetes, retinal detachment, brain tumor, or optic nerve damage.

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases characterized by damage to the optic nerve. (optic nerve carries images from retina, which is the specialized light sensing tissue, to the brain so we can see) usually due to high intraocular pressure. If untreated, it can lead to optic nerve damage resulting in progressive, permanent vision loss. It is a leading cause of preventable blindness among people, especially in America and Africa. The risk of glaucoma increases dramatically with age. But it can strike any age group, even newborn infants and fetuses.

Glaucoma can be classified in two categories: Chronic Open angle Glaucoma and Narrow angle closure glaucoma.

Chronic Open angle Glaucoma: It is the most common form of Glaucoma. The "open "drainage angle of the eye can become blocked leading to gradual increase in eye pressure. This increase results in optic nerve damage.

Narrow angle Closure Glaucoma: It is caused when contact between the iris and trabecular meshwork, which in turn obstructs outflow of aqueous humor from the eye, as a result the drainage angle of the eye narrows and becomes completely blocked. When the drainage angle of the eye suddenly becomes completely blocked pressure builds up naturally and this is called acute angle closure glaucoma. The symptoms include severe eye pain, blurred vision, headache, nausea and vomiting.

The treatment of glaucoma depends upon the nature and severity of each case. In general glaucoma cannot be cured, but it can be controlled. Eye drops, pills, laser procedures and surgical operations are used to prevent or slow down further damage.

By Pauline Go

Top 10 Homeopathic Remedies for Eye Problems!

Eyes are the doorway to one's soul! Eyes reflect mind, eyes reflect psyche, and eyes reflect HEALTH! No wonder homeopathy that caters effectively the 'mind' of an individual has lot to offer in problems of eyes. Eye is certainly one of the most delicate organs of the body and therefore, caring for eyes has to be done by an expert homeopath. A homeopath might want to consult an ophthalmologist to rule out certain critical eye problems before proceeding for the treatment. But here one should remember that while treating homeopathically, we should not give much importance to the diagnostic name of the eye problem but its signs and symptoms that point us to the accurate remedy.

There are hoards of homeopathic remedies useful in the treatment of various eye problems. However, one must remember that for constitutional eye problems like cataract, glaucoma, recurrent blepharitis or conjunctivitis, corneal opacities, and/or recurrent styes, one must go for constitutional prescribing after carefully considering the physical, mental, and emotional characteristic of the individual; then only it is possible to impart perfect cure! But one must be acquainted with certain remedies that specifically render beautiful results in varied eye problems so that they can be used for acute prescribing as well.

Here is the list of top 10 homeopathic remedies for eye problems-

(1) Euphrasia-

- Acute catarrhal conjunctivitis

- Eyes water all the time with inclination to blink frequently

- Acrid burning eye discharge that corrodes the margins of the lids

- Corneal opacities with thick discharges that burn

- Blistery cornea

- One of the great remedies for rheumatic iritis that may be associated with partial ptosis

- Almost always associated with bland and watery coryza

- Swelling of the lids with burning, which feels better when in open air

- Worse in the evening, indoors, light, warmth

- Better open air, coffee, dark

- Must be compared with Allium cepa while dealing with allergic rhinitis associated with conjunctivitis. In Allium cepa, eye discharges are bland and coryza is acrid. 

(2) Ambrosia-

- Allergic eye problems

- Intolerable itching of lids

- Smarting and burning in eyes with watery coryza and nosebleed

- Wheezy cough almost always present with eye problems

- Compare with Sabadilla, Arundo 

(3) Ruta-

- Eye-strain headaches

- Red hot eyes with pain in eyes

- Especially associated with sewing or reading fine print

- Accommodation of vision disturbed

- Weariness in eyes with headache

- Excessive lassitude associated with eye troubles

- Bruised, pressure feeling over the eyes

- Compare with Natrum mur, Argentum nitricum

(4) Pulsatilla-

- Pulsatilla is one of the most invaluable homeopathic medicines for eye troubles.

- Bland thick greenish eye discharges call for it

- Associated with itching and burning sensation

- Recurrent styes invariably need a dose of Pulsatilla during the course

- Inflamed agglutinated eye-lids

- Sub-acute eye complaints in venous constitutions

- Sub-acute conjunctivitis associated with dyspepsia

- Veins of fundus oculi enlarged

- All complaints are worse in warm room and better when in open air

(5) Spigelia-

- Neuralgic eye pains

- Pressing pains in eyes on turning them

- Extreme photophobia

- Rheumatic ophthalmia

- Pains in and around eyes feel as if extending deep into the socket

- Eyes feel too large

- Very sensitive to touch

- Worse from touch, jar, noise

- Better by lying with head high

(6) Apis mellifica-

- Swollen, edematous lids that burn and itch

- Bright red puffy conjunctiva

- Prevents recurrence of styes

- Pain around orbits with serous exudates

- Swelling below the lower lid (upper lid- Kali carb)

- May be associated with urinary problem

- Worse heat, touch, pressure, right side

- Better cold washing, open air

(7) Merc sol-

- Syphilitic eye troubles

- Thick, red, swollen lids

- Profuse burning acrid eye discharges

- Floaters

- Eye trouble that starts after exposure to the glare of fire etc

- Iritis with thick corroding discharges

- Extremely offensive eye discharges

- Boils in and around eyes with yellow fetid pus

- Worse at night, wet damp weather, warmth

(8) Silica-

- Day-light produces sharp pains through the eyes

- Tenderness of eyes worse when closed or pressured

- Suppuration in the anterior chamber of the eye, iritis

- Confused sort of vision where letter run together while reading

- Lachrymal duct affections

- Has potential to clear corneal opacities when homeopathically indicated

- Cataract in office workers

- Worse new moon, cold

- Better warmth 

(9) Hepar sulph-

- Corneal ulcers

- Suppurative eye troubles, iritis with pus in anterior chamber

- Conjunctivitis with purulent discharges

- Red and inflamed lids and conjunctivae

- Pain in orbits

- Soreness is marked in eyeballs

- Objects appear red and enlarged

- Half-reduced field of vision

- Styes with pain and suppuration

- Worse exposure to draft of cold, touch

- Better warmth, wrapping up head 

(10) Agaricus-

- Double-vision with flickering before the eyes

- Twitching of lids and eyeballs

- Neuralgic eye pains

- Letters seem to move or swim while reading

- Agglutinated margins of lids with burning pains with red inner canthi

- Eye troubles associated with vertigo and icy cold head

- Worse open cold air 

By Shreya Deshpande

Why Eye Drops Are Bad For Your Eyes

People seeking relief from tired, red eyes don't have to look far. A lot of over-the-counter (OTC) eyewashes claim they can help. And they're not humble about it.

Visine promises to "get the red out in 60 seconds" while Eye-Mo has a daily care formula to "clean and refresh your eyes." Clear Eyes says it "soothes and cleanses red eyes of strain and everyday irritation." So popular are these products that in the United States alone, more than 15 million bottles of eye drops are sold yearly.

But soaring sales are not proof of efficacy. While some OTC eyewashes may relieve redness and soothe the eyes for a few hours, their usefulness is questionable.

The truth is your eyes don't have to be cleaned with eyewashes. Simple irritation caused by smog, strong light, sea bathing or bathing in chlorinated water is often self-limiting and natural tears do a better job of eliminating these problems.

"Normal eyes don't need cleansing, soothing or refreshing by solutions of vasoactive and antiseptic chemicals. Simple irritation disappears of its own accord in about a day. No synthetic solution can match natural tears for washing away small bits of dust, dirt or other irritating matter. And human tears contain an enzyme that has mild antibacterial properties at least as effective as those of commercial eye solutions," according to the editors of "The Medicine Show" published by Consumers Union (CU).

Decongestant eye drops containing naphazoline, tetrahydrozoline or phenylephrine relieve redness and discomfort by constricting the superficial blood vessels of the eyes. But what consumers don't know is that the more you use these products, the more sensitive and redder your eyes will be.

Dr. Charles N.S. Soparkar and his colleagues at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston said that frequent use of OTC eye drops may harm the eyes. In the journal "Archives of Ophthalmology", they reported that 70 people who had been using non-prescription eyewashes daily for three years developed acute and chronic forms of conjunctivitis marked by eye inflammation, discomfort, and discharge. In some, these symptoms persisted up to 24 weeks after the subjects stopped using the eye drops.

"There's no question that eye drops can make red eyes feel better and look brighter. Their shortcoming is that they counteract the symptoms without solving the problem. When the effect of the drops wears off after three to four hours, there may be a rebound effect: blood vessels dilate even more, and the eyes may redden and feel even itchier," revealed Candice Bushnell in "Health" magazine.

"The rebound effect shouldn't be a problem if vasoconstricting drops are used once or twice a day for a day or two and not again for a week. But apply them more often than that, and you will end up relying on eye drops every three to four hours to keep your eyes clear. The situation isn't difficult to remedy. You just have to go 'cold turkey' and live with red eyes for a day or two, and gradually the problem will resolve itself," Bushnell added.

Another bad effect of eyewashes is that they may mask symptoms of other diseases like glaucoma that is sometimes characterized by a vague discomfort - the kind of feeling you could mistake for tired eyes. In this case, eye drops won't solve the problem. You have to see an ophthalmologist for help.

Other possible causes of red eyes are bacterial or viral infection, errors of refraction like astigmatism or nearsightedness, hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid gland), diabetes, and measles. In these cases, the use of eye drops is not advised and may delay the user from seeking expert medical help.

For tired but otherwise healthy eyes, CU's medical consultants said one or two drops of cold tap water placed in the lower lid with a clean eye dropper is sufficient. Iced wet compresses applied for 15 minutes will also help. These home remedies are less expensive than commercial eye drops and are less likely to give you trouble later.

For puffy eyes, dark circles, and eye bags that can make you tired and old, use Eyevive, a revolutionary cream that revitalizes your eyes to bring back their youthful sparkle.

By Janet Martin