Herbal Health

Description and Possible Medical Problems

As you know by now, although getting older generally means you don’t have as much muscle tone as you once did, it usually is a gradual process and doesn’t tend to affect the body in any harmful way. The muscles that control the eye, like the rest of the body, also gradually lose some of their strength with age. This includes the muscles that control the movement of the eyeballs and help the lenses to focus, as well as the muscles of both the upper and lower eyelids.

When the upper lid starts to lose its muscle tone, it will gradually begin to droop, but this does not usually happen until a person is in her 70s. When the lower lid loses muscle tone, it can begin to turn outward from the eye, a condition called ectropion. It may also sag inward, which can cause the lashes to rub against and irritate the eye. This condition is called entropion. While aging is usually a factor in the development of these conditions because of the naturally diminished muscle tone, they can also be caused by lupus erythematosus, a disease of the connective tissue (see “Rash on the Face” in Chapter 9 for more information about this disease).

Treatment

Because the eye is more exposed when the lower eyelid sags, it’s more at risk for damage to the cornea. In addition, because the lower lid is slack, the tears that are normally held against the eye have nowhere to go and run out of the eye, which may make it seem as though the affected eye is watering excessively. A sagging eyelid is also more prone to infections.

Fortunately, a sagging lower eyelid is easy to treat. When ectropion or entropion is a by-product of the aging process, your doctor can perform a simple operation under local anesthesia that will return your eyelid to its normal appearance. If it is caused by lupus erythematosus, treating the disease (see “Rash on the Face” in Chapter 9) will help reverse the sagging. In either case, it’s a good idea to see your doctor as soon as you notice that your lower eyelid is beginning to droop.

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A diet which is severely deficient in essential vitamins can lead to skin disorders which can dramatically affect a person’s appearance. On the other hand, nutritionists insist that a well-balanced diet with plenty of nutrients can produce a smoother, healthier, younger-looking skin.

Both vitamin A and zinc play important roles in assuring normal, healthy skin. While vitamin A helps to replenish skin cells, keeping the skin supple and preventing dryness, zinc helps the skin repair itself. To get more zinc in your diet, you can utilize these food sources: beef, seafood, eggs, milk, whole-grain cereals and breads, and legumes.

Dark green leafy vegetables have plenty of beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. Other good food sources of vitamin A include carrots, cantaloupes, winter squash, sweet potatoes, sweet red peppers, apricots, and mangoes.

Another nutrient, vitamin C, aids in improving the blood supply to the skin. It also helps in forming collagen, the protein which gives the skin a smooth appearance. Good food sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits and juices, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, snow peas, broccoli, watermelons, honeydew melons, and tomatoes.

The nutrients obtained from the vitamin B complex help to prevent scaling and cracking of the skin. There are a number of food sources for B-complex vitamins including organ meats, peas, potatoes, fish, green leafy vegetables (the darker the leaves the more nutritional value), fruits, nuts, whole-grain products, cheese, tuna, dairy products, beef, poultry, oysters, mushrooms, and yeast.

As an antioxidant, vitamin E may help to protect skin cells against the damage of abnormal oxidation. It also helps in the process of healing the skin. Good food sources of vitamin E include dried beans, margarine, vegetable oils, and green leafy vegetables.

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Patients who suffer from severe allergies or diabetes may not have to face the needle much longer.ln a study at Johns Hopkins Asthma and Allergy Center in Baltimore, researchers discovered that a liquid form of ragweed was easily swallowed by test subjects, and that it also produced the same protective antibodies as allergy shots.

New diabetes research may also lead to less painful alternatives to a needle injection. At Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center in Israel, scientists are testing a new insulin pill. Early reports indicate that the new pill can withstand harsh stomach acid and that it also effectively boosts insulin levels.

In other research at the Diabetes Research Laboratories in Oxford, England, an insulin solution taken from a pen-size nasal sprayer tested as more effective than pre-meal injections. And, a new battery-powered device which would allow diabetics to shine infrared light through their fingers rather than pricking themselves to measure blood-sugar levels is awaiting approval by the FDA. Key: Always ask if there is an alternative to a shot

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ARE PROBABLY MISSING

The “Missing Ingredient” in most weight loss attempts is regular exercises. It has been proven conclusively that even moderate physical activity improves health, and reduces stress. Even doing things around the house can be helpful. Lawn-mowing, although not as regular an activity as cycling usually is, burns just as many calories, and routine gardening uses almost as many calories as moderate swimming. Regardless of what you do—ordinary physical labor or extensive aerobic workouts—performing some regular physical activity is important to your general health and well being.

Regular exercise benefits every part of your body, helping it to perform more efficiently. If you get regular exercise you are likely to have lower levels of cholesterol in your blood and you are less likely to develop hypertension or heart disease. But just as important, you need regular exercise to give you vitality and a sense of physical well-being, which leads to your being more relaxed and secure. Regular exercise will improve the quality of your sleep and your ability to deal with stress.

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Most nosebleeds are more-messy-than serious conditions. Knowing what to do to stop the flow of blood doesn’t take a degree in medicine. All it takes is some common sense and the ability to follow a few basic steps.

1) Sit upright and gently blow your nose to remove any clots.

2) Pinch your nostrils together and squeeze for 5 minutes or so, breathing through your mouth. Keep your head tilted down so the flow of blood won’t go down your throat.

3) If that procedure doesn’t work, insert into each nostril a small piece of sterile absorbant cotton or gauze made wet by nose drops, white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, or water. Press the nostrils firmly together for another 5 to 7 minutes. The bleeding should stop by the time you slowly and gently remove the cotton or gauze.

4) If none of the above procedures work, consult your doctor.

5) It sometimes takes a week or longer for your nose to heal completely after a nosebleed. Be very gentle with your nose during the recovery period.

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A new computerized scanning machine developed by researchers at the University of Southern California is offering hope to the millions of people who suffer from chronic dizziness. The new computerized machine measures the response of the eyes to head movements, helping doctors pinpoint the precise cause of dizziness or balance disorders.

Once doctors have discovered what part of the brain or inner ear is affected they can design an exercise program that teaches a patient to regain his or her balance. With the help of the new computerized scanner, a significant number of people have found dramatic relief from their chronic dizziness. In fact, many hospitals with physical therapy facilities are now offering the treatment.

The new physical therapy treatment is good news for those people who can’t be helped by surgery, change in diet or through the use of prescribed drugs.

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