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How this old sod could help protect your eyesight
25th August 2006
Well today couldn't have started better…
I was woken at seven in the morning by the sound of someone trying to break into our flat, I lost my car keys, and Lara had to pop to the doctor because of a stabbing pain in her left eye.
Other than that, everything's fine.
So, first things first, what happened to Lara?
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The fastest prescription pad in the (south) West
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It seems that Lara is suffering from a bout of conjunctivitis, which the doctor decided to treat with a course of antibiotic eye drops.
“Pah! Antibiotics…” I huffed.
Naturally, I was straight onto my laptop, sure I could find a natural remedy just as effective.
For those of you who haven't been 'lucky' enough to put up with me going on about antibiotics before, my basic view is this…
Antibiotics make our bodies lazy.
The idea of them is good, and in some cases I'm sure they are absolutely essential - life saving even.
But it seems to me that antibiotics are marched out too often as a quick and easy cure, when our health would be far more robust and long-lasting if we simply sat back and let our bodies natural defences have a good old fashioned punch-up with bacteria and viruses.
Still, this time Lara was having none of it.
After all, as she pointed out, “Who wants to go on a donkey ride with a half closed eye?” (That's straight into my Top 5 list of weirdest questions I've ever been asked).
So, Lara's at the eye drops… and this time I think she might be right in taking them.
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You see, it seems you only have two choices when it comes to conjunctivitis - take the eye drops or let your body have that punch-up and sit it out.
But as we're on holiday and want to pack in a lot with the kids, Lara naturally wants to get her eye cleared up quickly.
If anyone knows of any natural remedies for conjunctivitis, do drop me a line and let me know. In the meantime, here are some bonafide brilliant natural remedies to keep your eyes healthy:
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Excuse the language, but SOD could help…
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- Rooibos - this herb can only be found naturally on the slopes of the Cedarberg mountains in the Western Cape of South Africa.
Rooibos has powerful anti-oxidant properties, mainly due to an ingredient called supeoxide dismutase.
Or SOD for short.
SOD is an enzyme in the body that has one sole purpose - to locate and snuff out unstable oxygen molecules (free radicals).
And free radicals are determined to damage every part of your body - including your eyes.
It's like having The Terminator on your side, helping you track down and exterminate the enemy! (Sorry, guess what I watched on DVD last night?)
- Bilberry… ah yes, one of my old favourites gets another mention, but it's well deserved.
Bilberry contains a certain flavonoid compound called anthocyanosides, which run around repairing cell damage caused by free radicals. But it doesn't just patch things up after the event…
Bilberry has the power to build up the tiny blood vessels that run through the eye, which in turn helps get essential oxygen and nutrients into the area. This helps prevent diseases of the retina, eye haemorrhaging, cataracts and glaucoma - two very common eye disorders in older people.
- Cancer Bush - this was originally used by the Khoi San and Nama peoples of South Africa as a treatment for cancers. But recently it's been found to help in the fight against other ailments including diabetes, thanks to three active ingredients - canavanine, pinitol, and the amino acid GABA. Farm workers in South Africa still use cancer bush (also known as Sutherlandia) to treat eye problems, by creating an eye wash using the plant. |
And finally…
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Is this the best natural eye protector in the world?
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Well, it contains Bilberry, my all time No.1 favourite when it comes to eye care.
So that's a great start.
But this ALSO contains powerful remedies like selenium, tomato lycopen, vitamin E and grape seed extract to refresh and improve your eyes, strengthen your eyes' blood vessels, and protect you from glaucoma, cataracts and macular degeneration.
If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, find out more here:
Vision Clear
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Oh we do like to be beside the seaside - even when people try and beak in
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You're lucky you're not here with me…
I've just started singing this happy little ditty, and I swear all along the coast windows are closing and dogs are howling.
So, what are we doing by the seaside?
Well, me and the family had a last minute offer to stay at a friend's flat in Lyme Regis for a few days of sand, sea and…er…sun.
Well, this being good old Blighty, a mixture of sun and rain to be precise.
Still, at least the unpredictable weather means I keep my shirt on for most of the time, much to the relief of the population of Dorset.
We came down last night, had some fish and chips on the sea front, then dragged ourselves to bed for a good night's sleep…
Until we were rudely awakened by people trying to break into the flat at seven this morning.
Actually, it wasn't a real break-in. More of a mix up. But that didn't stop my heart beating so fast I thought it would burst out of my rib cage, jump out of the window and swim all the way to France. |
When I finally built up the nerve to open the door, I was faced with a surprised looking family weighed down with buckets, spades, suitcases, coats and towels.
“You're in our flat!” the mum announced, mentally rolling up her sleeves to sling me out. “Flat 2, Marine Parade. We've booked it!”
“Sorry, but this is a friend's flat,” I said, half-convinced I'd got it wrong, “Number 2's downstairs.”
“No. Look!”
She started reading from a piece of paper.
“Top of the stairs, flat 2. There's a big number 2 on the wall.”
She pointed. We both looked at the empty wall.
“Oh.”
Luckily, she started laughing. I joined in. The kids joined in. Even their dog seemed to be smiling.
Which is great, because I've always believed a good laugh is an excellent tonic that makes us feel better and improves our health.
And now it seems the scientists have finally caught up…
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Laughter really is the best medicine
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New research shows that a good laugh can ease pain, boost your immune system, and even help treat serious illness such as cancer, by increasing a powerful immune cell called NK, which directly attack tumours.
Best of all, you don't have to do much to enjoy this natural medicine…
Just put on a favourite comedy DVD and enjoy it.
Or if you're brave, you can always listen to me sing…
That's it for today.
Have a great weekend, enjoy the bank holiday, try and get the giggles, and I'll be back before you know it.
Yours as ever,
Ray Collins
The Good Life Letter
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