Vitamin C and Health

You may know that you need to make sure you get enough vitamin c each day, but you may not know why. This vitamin is essential to good health, and you can get very sick if you don’t get enough of it.

It is something that helps to ward of a cold, most people know that, but there are many other things that it can do. You do have to be careful that you are not getting too much though, and that might be a good reason to throw away the vitamin c supplements you might have in your home.

There are many things that this vitamin can do for you, and you can usually get what you need from the foods you eat if you have a decent diet. It boosts the immune system, which is very important. This prevents some illnesses, and helps to fight of things that do get into your system.

It is also important for the health of your joints. It does a lot of things in the body, and if you don’t have what you need, you will know it soon enough. Simply eating an orange or two a day goes a long way towards better health.

Like all vitamins, this one is dangerous if too much is taken. Though you may think something like this won’t happen unless you eat a whole bottle of pills, you would be mistaken to think an overdose can’t happen. It won’t be obvious right away, but over time, taking too much vitamin c will cause liver damage.

That is just one of the things that can happen. If you are concerned, you can talk to your doctor about what you should be getting and if a supplement is a good idea or not.

There are many people who will take a supplement of vitamin c if they suspect they are getting a cold. They do this leading up to the cold, and all through it. This is not as good an idea as it sounds. This will do more harm than it will do good. If you are careful about getting enough vitamin c in your diet each day, this won’t be something you would want to do.

Talk it over with your doctor. They may tell you the same thing. Throw them out and try to get what you need each day from the foods you eat, and you won’t have to worry about any negative effects on your body.

Stay Healthy!

Charles

Macular Degeneration

Our eyes provide us with a daily visual feast of the world around us. Ironically, it's so easy to take our eyesight for granted. However, as we age, many parts and body systems begin to lose resiliency. We develop little arthritic pains in joints and hands, or lose muscle tone and strength.

However, these are far easier to deal with than loss of eyesight. Age related macular degeneration is such a condition and the most common cause of blindness in people 50 years or older.

Age related macular degeneration attacks the central part of the retina, with the formation of additional blood cells beneath the retina. The growth of these blood cells causes leaking of fluids from the eyes, often resulting in scar tissue and eventual loss of sight. Typically, both eyes are affected, although sometimes in varying degrees.

There are two types of age related macular degeneration, referred to as ”dry” or “wet”. The dry type accounts for 90% of cases. With the dry type, visual cells cease functioning. To date, there is no effective treatment for this type.

The wet form of age related macular degeneration is treatable, but is also far more aggressive, usually resulting in blindness in a period of three months to a few years. Laser treatment may help in the shorter term.

Because this condition affects the central portion of the retina, the patient retains some peripheral vision, but that vision is often distorted and cloudy. People with this form of age related macular degeneration are often quite sensitive to light and may perceive light where there is none.

Early symptoms of age related macular degeneration include blurry vision in the central portion of the eyes, distortions of perception of shape or size of objects and light sensitivity. The condition is not particularly painful, although some degree of discomfort may occur.

Recent research suggests that genetic factors are involved in the development of age related macular degeneration. It is certain that diet plays an important role as a preventative factor.

It's been found that people who disdain foods throughout their lifetime, known to help prevent age related macular degeneration, are far more likely to develop this condition.

Here are some foods that are shown to be powerful preventatives. It's never too late to start including quantities of these food in your diet.

It's fairly easy to identify foods high in carotenoids, antioxidants valuable to the prevention of AMD. Carotenoids produce the bright yellow, orange and green colors in produce. Ample amounts of these fresh fruits and veggies can prevent AMD.

The list is long, so if you dislike some, there's plenty more from which to choose.

Carrots, collards, cantaloupe, carrots, grapes, mangoes, nectarines, oranges, peaches, yams, yellow corn, and yellow, orange and red bell peppers are all rich sources of these antioxidants. Among the dark green vegetables, asparagus, aragula, broccoli, chard, endive, dandelion leaves, lettuce, mustard greens, spinach, and parsley are among the best.

So protect yourself against age related macular degeneration. It is preventable.

See Ya Later!

Charles

Am I Suffering From Depression?

There are times in just about everyone’s when the question, “Am I suffering from depression?” surfaces. The mere fact that you are asking yourself this question isn’t necessarily a reason to run out to get a prescription for an antidepressant. There are symptoms of depression to consider before opting for meds.

One morning, I found myself asking this very question. Am I suffering from depression just because I am pondering the notion? Not necessarily. There are things that factor into our everyday moods. Clinical depression is quite different from simply feeling down or out of sorts.

After considering the symptoms of depression, I determined that I was simply going through an emotional. I had to ask am I suffering from depression because of my sloping emotional state but I also had to consider other symptoms that come into play when a person is clinically depressed as well.

Am I suffering from insomnia? Am I sleeping too much? Do things that I used to enjoy no longer bring me pleasure? Am I irritable and cantankerous? Do I have thoughts about death or suicide that are overwhelming and consuming? Am I suffering from depression really?

The problem lies in the simple fact that people feel depressed from time to time. However, clinical depression is persistent. Others may tell you to snap out of it but when you are truly in a depressive state, it is impossible. There is also no real reason for the dark emotions, either.

Am I suffering from depression or am I going through a rough patch? Life changing events and tragedies like a death in the family or a divorce can spiral you into a dark chasm of dread and gloom. There is good reason for the emotions and feelings of dread. When those emotions become all encompassing, then you may want to seek help.

Basically, you have to ask yourself if your state of mind is interfering with your ability to function normally. Am I able to complete tasks as usual in spite of my current dreary outlook? Am I unable to maintain healthy relationships with coworkers, friends and family because of my mood? Am I suffering from depression really?

These questions are never easy to answer, especially when you are in the emotional throws of a life changing event. Talking to a professional is a good idea but remember to try and stay objective rather than letting your dreary feelings get in the way of a real diagnosis.

Charles