Natural Health talk tips: Eye Food

Eye Food SPINACH

POPEYE LOVED SPINACH

SPINACH: In addition to providing strength to muscles, it protects the retina.

POPEYE, the famous cartoon sailor, owed his great strength to eating spinach. Today, both clinical and laboratory investigations confirm that Popeye was correct in eating so much spinach for strength. Besides, new diet therapy applications have been discovered for this excellent vegetable, such as its protective properties concerning the retina and vision.

PROPERTIES AND INDICATIONS: Spinach is possibly the highest nutritious green leafy vegetables known, although it only contains 22 calories per 100 grams. Its protein content is quiet high for green (2.86%), but it contains little carbohydrates (0.8%) and fats (0.35%).

The nutritive power of spinach derives from its richness in vitamins and minerals,as 100 g of spinach provides:

Two thirds (672 ug RE) of daily need for Vitamin A (1000 ug RE),

Practically all (194 ug) of folic acid or folate needed daily (200 ug),

Half of the Vitamin C (28.1 mg) needed daily (60mg).

Almost one-fourth (79 mg) of the daily requirement for magnisium (350 mg),

More than one-fourth (2.71mg) of the daily need for iron (10 mg).

Retina Disorders: the macula is a small yellow spot about two millimeters across found in the center of the retina. It corresponds to the area of highest visual acuity. The degeneration of this particularly sensitive area of the retina is the primary cause of blindness among the elderly.
A very precise investigation carried out at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and at Harvard University (USA) shows that persons between 55 and 80 years of age who regularly eat spinach present a much lower risk of losing visual acuity due to macular degeneration.
The protective effects of spinach on the retina is greater even then that of Carrots. This fact has caught the attention of scientist, who attribute it to spinach's high levels of lutein and zeaxanthin. These substances are carotenoid-type vegetable pigments, which although are not converted to vitamin A, as beta-carotene is, do act as potent antioxidants that protect the sensitive cells of the retina.
Regular consumption of spinach is recommended to all who wish to preserve sight, particularly those over the age of 50.

SPINACH

Anemia: Spinach contains 2.71 mg of iron/100 g, a proportion greater than that found in meat. Although iron from plants sources is more difficult to absorb than that from animal sources,the presence of vitamin C from the spinach itself and from other foods, significantly improves the assimilation of this mineral.
Additionally, spinach is rich in other minerals and trace elements that fosters production of red blood cells within the bone marrow. Fresh spinach juice is an effective way consume it in cases anemia.

Elevated cholesterol level: Experiments with animals have shown that spinach protein inhibit the absorption of cholesterol and bile acids. Its regular use aids in reducing blood cholesterol level.

Eye Food Apricot

Apricot

Apricot : Gives sparkle and beauty to the eyes
THE APRICOT tree is is famous for being one of the most traveled trees known. Its origin is in the north of China,where it is still found wild.

It was taken to Greece by Alexander the Great on the return from his conquests in India. From Greece it passed to Rome,from where its cultivation spread throughout the Mediterranean region. In the 18th Century it was taken to North America,where it acclimated to California and states along journey does not end here. American astronauts took it to the moon on one of their space journeys.
Its attractive orange color, its pleasant aroma,and its delicious sweetness have made the apricot one of the favorite fruits of the summer seasons. Dried apricot and marmalade allow this pleasure to last through the winter,as well.

PROPERTIES AND INDICATIONS: The fact that the apricot has a low calorie content (about 48 k cal/100g) makes it an excellent part of weight-loss diet. It is particular in alkalizing effect because of its richness in alkaline mineral salts. It is particularly noted for its low sodium content and its high levels of potassium. It contains various trace elements of great physiological importance, such as manganese,fluorine,cobalt,and boron. It is rich in sugars (fructose and glucose).

Dried apricots are an important source of protein (up to 5%). They also are an important source of iron,one of their principal minerals.

However; the most important component of apricot,whether fresh or dried, is beta-carotene or provitamin A. This component provides most of its therapeutic value,which are the following:

Diseases of the eyes: Consumption of apricot maintains vision in good condition and gives the sparkle and beauty to the eyes that are characteristics of good health. This is not due exclusively to the action of provitamin A, but also to the combined action of other vitamins and mineral that accompany it.

Apricots are recommended in case of conjunctival dryness, chronic irritation or itching of the conjunctiva, loss of visual acuity due to retina atrophy, and night blindness.

The best results are obtained by following an apricot treatment regime.

Anemia (due to lack of iron): The iron content of fresh apricot is not significant, whereas it is in the dried fruit. For reasons that are not well understood, the result achieved through their use in the treatment of anemia are far superior to those that would be expected given their low proportion of iron. This may be because of the presence of other substances in apricots that facilitate the absorption of iron. Jean Valnet, an outstanding French physician who dedicated his life to the study of phytotherapy and diet therapy,quotes previous experiences of Leclerc stating that it has been experimentally proven that apricot treatment provides result similar to those of beef liver in cases of anemia due to loss of blood.

The amounts of provitamin A and iron found in apricots are actually quite small compared to the large does that pharmaceutical preparations may contain. In spite of this, the reults obtained from regular consumption of this fruit are superior to those to be expected from their content of iron and provitamin A.

This is one of the most surprising facts in nutrition science. It has been scientifically explained only in the last few years. The happy combination of vitamins, minerals, and other chemical substance present in natural foods enhances their action. The results obtained by the use of natural whole foods are superior to those obtained by their isolated and purified components as found in pharmaceutical preparations.

Disorders of the skin and mucosa: due to their content of provitamin A. Apricot increase resistence to infections. They are recommended for Chronic Pharyngitis,sinusitis, and eczema.

Nervous disorders: Dr Valnet points out the apricot's properties of maintaining equilibrium within the nervous system and recommends it in case of asthenia,depression,nervousness,and lack of appetite. These effects are attributed to the apricot's richness in trace elements.

Dried Apricot

Digestive disorders: Fresh,ripe apricots are slightly astringent,while dried apricots are laxative.

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Eye Food SPINACH

Eye Food Apricot