Welcome to the Healthy Life Supplement

In this issue:
-- Macular Degeneration
-- Product Focus
-- Final Thoughts

Macular Degeneration

Below you will find information and testimonials about Macular Degeneration including a testimonial as well as information from doctors about what Macular Degeneration is and what can be done about it.

Subject: Macular Degeneration Improvement

My father has macular degeneration, and has been dealing with this for about two years now. I have suggested Shaklee in the past and sent him info, but he has not been interested in more than the Vita Lea and occasional B-Complex. Anyway about four to six weeks ago, out of desperation because his condition was worsening considerably, he finally was willing to give Shaklee a serious try. I sent him the vitamins (Beta Carotene, Vita Lea, Protein, Vita E, Zinc, B-Complex) and a tape on macular degeneration by Diane Petosky. He started taking his supplements faithfully.

He was scheduled to go in for surgery tomorrow, because at the last visit with the doctor (before he started taking Shaklee seriously) they discovered a hole in his macula and wanted to try some experimental surgery. He would be operated on face down, and for a week after the operation he would need to stay with in a position with his face down for the best success rate. He went to the hospital today for about several hours of testing, and at 3:30PM I received a call from my mother informing me that the doctors decided to cancel the surgery, until a later date.

I was very concerned, until my mother told me the condition in his eye had improved and they wanted to wait 4 to 6 weeks and check him again and decide at that time if surgery was necessary. Of course the doctor could not explain why this had happened, but once again my parents were told that all to familiar line, 'We don't know what caused this turn around, but don't stop whatever you are doing!!'

What tremendous news to start off the week!! Shaklee works!!

Hugs to all, Beth and Jose =======================

Macular Degeneration The Role of Antioxidant Vitamins by Kimball P. Woodward MD, PhD, FACS

Macular degeneration is a condition manifested by damage in an area of the retina called the macula -- the retinal area that has the sharpest, central vision. In the United States, macular degeneration is the most common cause of new cases of legal blindness for people over the age of 55. Ten million Americans suffer from visual loss secondary to macular degeneration. Scientific studies are now beginning to demonstrate that certain vitamins and minerals may help in the treatment of this disease.

Vitamin C, vitamin E, beta carotene, glutathione and selenium (often grouped as the antioxidant nutrients) may function to protect the body from molecular damage caused by free radicals and oxidative stress. Antioxidant vitamins have protected experimental animals from light-induced and oxidative retinal damage (1). Older Americans may have diets deficient in these nutrients, or may absorb less of them, even from adequate diets.

Jacobson, Stone, and others at the University of Iowa published the results of vitamin treatments for Sorsby's fundus dystrophy, a genetic retinal degeneration, in the journal Nature Genetics. In their study, younger family members regained lost vision when treated with vitamin A. An older affected member of the family showed no improvement with the same treatment.

The Baltimore Longitudinal Study for Aging found that higher blood levels of vitamins E and C seem to protect people from macular degeneration. The Beaver Dam Eye Study showed an increased risk for macular degeneration in patients with the lowest levels of another antioxidant found in fruits and vegetables, lycopene (2). The Eye Disease Case Control Study has found that higher serum carotenoid (beta carotene) levels seem to protect people from macular degeneration. The Macular Degeneration Risk Factor Study has found less of the most serious type of macular degeneration in patients with high antioxidant blood levels.

A study published by Dr. David Newsome in the Archives of Ophthalmology in February 1988 showed vision was less likely to deteriorate in macular degeneration patients who were treated with zinc supplementation. Zinc was studied because retinal zinc concentrations are usually high, and zinc is an important cofactor in retinal enzymes (such as retinol dehydrogenase and catalase).

Certain retinal enzyme activities (such as pigment epithelial catalase) decrease with age (3), and zinc concentrations are also often lower in the elderly (4), who are at increased risk for developing macular degeneration. An 18-month study of US veterans with macular degeneration showed that vitamin and mineral supplements stabilized their ocular condition (5).

Dietary carotenoids may prove more beneficial than vitamin and mineral supplementation. In the Journal of the American Medical Association (9 Nov 1994), consumption of foods rich in the specific carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin resulted in the most reduced risk for macular degeneration. Dark green, leafy vegetables, such as collard greens and spinach, are especially rich in these carotenoids and were specifically linked to substantially reduced risk. This study controlled for smoking and other risk factors. Smoking appears to increase macular degeneration risk (6).

At present it is impossible to predict whether nutritional supplementation can prevent the development or progression of macular degeneration.

Researchers are beginning to understand the nutritional basis of disease, and may well conclude that millions of Americans have been on the right track for years -- vitamins and other dietary supplements may make us healthier. Less fat and more complex carbohydrates, as well as at least five daily servings of fruits and vegetables, has been proposed as a healthier diet by the American Cancer Society. If we include dark green, leafy vegetables, and avoid smoking and excessive exposure to UV sunlight, we are following a prudent and now medically scrutinized prescription for a lifestyle that may limit our risk for age-related macular degeneration.

Reference: (1) Invest Oph Vis Sci 1974; 13: 499-510, 1985; 26: 1580-1588 (2) Arch Ophthalmol 1995; 113:1518-1523 (3) MR Liles et al, Arch Ophthalmol 1991 109:1285-88 (4) P Wagner, Geriatrics 1985, 40:111-125 (5) Age Related Macular Degeneration Study Group, J Am Optom Assoc 1996, 67:20-49 (6) J Seddon and in a separate article, WG Christen, October 1996 JAMA

Dr. Kimball Woodward received his medical degree from Yale University and his PhD in Pathology from Columbia University. He is presently Director of Medical and Surgical Retina at the Langerman Eye Institute, with offices in Manhattan, Orangeburg, and Middletown, New York. ---- Macular Degenaraton August 30, 1999

Question>I am a 34 year old male and have had macular degeneration for 4 years. Is there a cure?-- Noori

Answer>Macular degeneration, which is a breaking down of the visual part of the retina of the eye, is one of the major causes of blindness, and does not have a definite cure, to my knowledge. However, there are some nutritional protocols that have been used to slow down the progression, including the use of zinc, vitamin E, selenium, bilberry (an antioxidant herb that is especially useful in disorders of vision), and ginkgo biloba.

Some physicians of integrative medicine utilize an intravenous nutrient treatment for macular degeneration, and have reported some success. Others have used acupuncture treatments to improve circulation into the eye, hopefully to increase healing. Still others address the total functional biochemical balance of the body, assuming that this will impact the diseased organs favorably.

Glenn Rothfeld, MD, M.Ac.

If you are interested in knowing more about any of the vitamins or supplements mentioned above, please contact me or read about them yourself here -- Vitamins and Supplements

We are proud that Shaklee products are based on sound science and bring benefits to their consumers. It is where Shaklee distinguishes itself from competitors. When appropriate, Shaklee conducts clinical studies to ensure product safety and support efficacy. Shaklee's studies have been published in peer-reviewed scientific and medical journals, such as The Journal of the American Medical Association, The American Journal of Cardiology, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, and others. These journals are available in public and medical libraries across the nation.

Product Focus - B Vitamins

B vitamins are competitive in the body, thus the balance is important. B vitamins must be taken together in a balanced, complex form in order for your body to use them correctly. Your metabolism can be thrown off by taking an isolated component of the B’s alone.

B vitamins have many positive affects on our bodies. They are so important they are one of the few nutrients the federal government mandates to be added to certain foods.

Some of the benefits of B Vitamins are:

- Helps convert food to energy

- Helps form healthy red blood cells

- Has been found to reduce the risk of heart disease

- Has been found to reduce or even eliminate PMS symptoms

- Helps reduce or eliminate anemia

- Minimizes and even eliminates depression.

- Helps prevent birth defects

If you are still unsure of whether you should be supplementing your diet with a good b-complex vitamin, here is a list of some indicators which may suggest you are not maintaining enough of the nutrient in your system:

- Mood changes

- Irritability

- nervousness

- fatigue

- depression

- headaches

- dizziness

- trembling

- loss of appetite

- insomnia

- and sugar cravings.

To learn more about Vitamin B and how it can help,

Click Here.

Final Thoughts

Think about it