Do you not see as well as you used to? One reason may be astigmatism, here is some information that can help you understand and manage astigmatism.

Astigmatism is a common condition causing poor vision, and is a distortion of the cornea that leaves the eye oval or football­shaped, rather than round. Round eyes are normal and are important for good eyesight. In cases of astigmatism, the eye focuses on two points instead of one; this happens because rays of light do not form a single point of focus as they enter the eye. The word astigmatism is derived from the Greek alpha, meaning ‘without’ and stigma meaning ‘point.’

The most common symptoms of astigmatism are:

• Blurred vision
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Eye pain

Straight lines may seem crooked and even distorted. People with astigmatism may complain about blurry or fuzzy lines, and develop severely distorted depth perception over time.

What Causes Astigmatism?

Since astigmatism is a distortion of the cornea, it is difficult to pinpoint its exact cause. Over time, the cornea of the eye can lose its natural roundness. In addition, poor posture, and frequent tilting of the head can lead to astigmatism and problems with perception.

Treatments for Astigmatism

Many treatment options for astigmatism are available, but some have higher risks than others. Surgical procedures developed in recent years include Lasik surgery and photo reactive keratomy (PRK). Both of these are invasive procedures that carry a risk of damage. Side effects may include:

• Feelings of ‘halos’ around lights
• Tears in the retina, and damage to the optic nerve
• Chronic dry eye, and a diminished capacity to produce tears
• Free radical damage
• Impaired visual acuity

There are natural remedies and cures available as an alternative to surgery. Ayurvedic theory indicates that vision problems are related to digestive imbalances. As a result, some options include regular eye exercises, consumption of Ayurvedic herbs such as amla, triphala, and licorice, and a diet rich in carrots, spinach, and antioxidant vegetables.

The Bates Method involves re­educating the eye to improve healthy eyesight. This works by taking frequent breaks where the mind and body are in a relaxed state. This can involve a peaceful walk or meditation, closing the eyes but improving receptive awareness, and focusing on detailed but pleasant scenery. Over a period of time, this can help train the eyes, mind, and body to work in harmony.

Eating a balanced and healthy diet also can significantly improve eye health. Diets that are good at reducing eye degeneration include food such as:

• Those high in antioxidants, such as Acai berries, Goji berries, red grapes, cherries, mangos, and citrus fruits. Unsweetened cocoa is also an excellent choice that is rich in antioxidants and natural flavonoids.
• Organic egg yolks for the high carotenoid content
• Green leafy vegetables, including leaf lettuce, chard, kale, collard greens, spinach, and parsley
• Those low in unhealthy hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils. This includes avoiding processed and fried foods, refined sugars, alcohol, and simple carbohydrates.

Other Considerations

Eye exercises throughout the day can significantly improve your eye health. Resting your eyes for five minutes every 30 minutes can help relax your gaze and improve your overall energy.

Other exercises to try include:

• Blinking your eyes regularly to reduce eyestrain
• Taking regular breathing breaks and meditative rest periods
• Rapidly switching focus from near to far for 20 to 30 minutes
• Rolling eyes up and down in a full circular motion for five minutes, five times a day

Diabetes is all too common in the United States. The American diet is high in sugars, carbohydrates, and fats that cause or contribute to high blood sugar. Excess caffeine can, indirectly by way of the thyroid, contribute to hormonal imbalances that cause diabetes. Some of the symptoms include:

• Frequent urination

• Thirst

• Blurred vision

• Weight loss accompanied by increased appetite

• Fatigue

• Erectile dysfunction

• Headaches

What Causes Diabetes?

Simply put, diabetes is caused by high blood sugar, or “too much glucose in the blood.” This is a problem with insulin, whose job is to carry blood sugar into the cells of the body. A lack of insulin or faulty insulin response by the cells results in too much glucose in the blood. Another cause of diabetes is simply too much sugar intake— especially fructose. Here is a summary of the causes of diabetes:

• Diet: Too much sugar. Too much fat. Too much caffeine.

• Obesity: Often resulting from dietary problems, obesity can cause a loop of insulin and hormonal problems that can cause or worsen diabetes.

• Thyroid imbalance: Hormonal imbalances from thyroid and adrenal problems can affect insulin response and cause or contribute to diabetes.

• Poor liver health: If the liver cannot cleanse the blood and process excess blood sugar, the result is diabetes.

• Chronic use of steroids: These drugs can change your body chemistry and cause or worsen diabetes.

Treatments

A new set of dietary habits is the first line of defense against diabetes. Here is a summary of these dietary strategies, along with some other natural treatments:

• Avoid sugars: Sugars come in the form of sucrose (cane sugar), lactose (dairy products), fructose (fruit and corn syrup), corn starch, dextrose, glucose (usually glucose is converted by the body from other sugars), sorbitol, and malt.

• Reduce carbohydrates and starches: The body converts starches from carbohydrates into glucose. Avoid simple carbs, which include fruit, fruit juice, dairy products, honey, and sugars. Also avoid peanut butter, soybean oil, cheese, and processed meat. Keep complex carbohydrate consumption under control, including breads, pasta, beans, grains and fibrous vegetables (squash and eggplant, for example). Remember that whole wheat products are better than refined products. Better yet, replace wheat with other grains, such as oats, bran, rye, and barley.

• Eat more low¬glycemic food: Healthy foods for maintaining good blood sugar levels include green leafy vegetables, potatoes, yams, whole grain breads, nuts, legumes, chicken, and fish. Raw foods have a lower glycemic level than cooked foods.

• Take herbs to help control blood sugar: Herbs that help include fenugreek, garlic, bilberry, ginseng, and olive leaves (or extract). Other helpful supplements for diabetes include chromium, vanadium, cinnamon, and bitter melon.

• Strengthen your immune system: If you have diabetes, you should definitely take a multivitamin. Concentrate especially on getting enough antioxidants, as they help prevent free radical damage that causes many common diabetes complications (blindness and the necessity of limb amputation). Spirulina provides vitamins and minerals, while helping to balance blood sugar.

• Cleanse: If you crave sweets, you may be suffering from a lack of protein or you might have parasites in your system. Cleansing your liver and colon cannot only help with these cravings, but can help reduce your blood sugar levels by providing better nutrient absorption.

Probably the most common medical complaint in the Western world, just about everyone suffers from headaches at some point in their lives. Most believe their choices for curing themselves of this painful malady are limited to aspirin and non-aspirin pain relievers. But you have many alternatives in treating and preventing headaches that do not require traditional medicine.

Migraine headaches are particularly disruptive. They are characterized by a slow-growing throb in the head that often produces nausea and localized vision loss. Often the nausea and vision loss appear before the headache actually become acute. They can last for days.

What Causes Headaches?

Headaches have a variety of causes, including food allergies, environmental toxins, stress, eye strain, and sinus congestion. Premenstrual headaches are often related to hormonal imbalances.

Headache Treatments

Keep in mind that most non-aspirin pain relievers are immunosuppressant. That is, they weaken the immune system. Taking them once in a while may be okay, but prolonged and repeated use is definitely costly to your health. For a natural alternative, try white willow bark extract, the plant from which aspirin was originally discovered and made.

Allergy expert Dr. James Braly believes that 90% of all migraines are caused by either food allergies or allergic reactions to food additives. But it’s possible that any headache can be traced back to a food or substance allergy. Allergenic substances include food preservatives and colorings, caffeine, and chocolate. Try removing foods and drinks containing these products from your diet, one by one, for three to four weeks at a time, and notice if your migraine attacks lessen or disappear completely during that time. This process can take time, but is likely to produce results. Start with the typical offenders:

• Coffee, soda and caffeinated beverages
• Wine, beer, and alcohol products
• Cheese and dairy products
• Wheat and refined wheat products with gluten
• Other fermented products, including vinegar and any pickled products
• Sugar and high fructose corn syrup
• Food additives, dyes, and preservatives (particularly those in processed and dried meat), MSG, and sulfites
• Peanut butter and peanuts
• Soy products
• Shell fish

The other 10% of headaches are probably caused by a variety of things, but you can bet that environmental toxins are among the most likely culprit. Check your home and work environment for chemical out-gassing from carpets and wall coverings. Consider sleeping with a device that oxygenates the air in your room.

If you suffer from migraine headaches, products containing the artificial sweetener aspartame may be to blame. Aspartame triggers migraines in many sufferers.

Many headaches are caused by dehydration, and dehydration is as prevalent in winter as in summer. Drinking two large glasses of pure water will relieve the pain of these headaches almost immediately, without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional pain relievers.

Other Considerations

Massage under the two ridges on either side of the back of the skull until you can feel the contracted muscles relax. The two nerves there can be pressured by tight muscles in the region, causing headaches, including migraines. Once the headache subsides with this therapy, use your thumbs to stroke gently in opposite directions across the brow with lavender essential oil. This will put you or the person you’re massaging in a relaxed state.

Lavender has been used since the time of Cleopatra for stress reduction, headache relief, lessening of scars, and faster healing of burns. Some herbalists believe that quinine bark, feverfew, butterbur and magnesium are also an effective headache remedies. Other natural herbs that help control blood pressure and relax the vascular system include pure cocoa, olive leaf extract, mint extract, chamomile, passion fruit extract, bay leaves, chamomile, coriander, skullcap, turmeric, valerian root, and wild yam.

Finally, acupuncture and different forms of bodywork can be effective cures for headaches. Acupuncture may be able to move or change the energies in the body that are accumulating to cause headaches, and bodywork such as massage may be able to release the stress that causes some headaches.

We have gotten many questions about our new immune tonic since we released it this week. So we’re going to answer the most common questions right here.

1. Is this a vegetarian/vegan product?

Yes. The glycerin used in the tonic is 100% pure kosher vegetable glycerin.

2. Does the tonic expire? How long does it last?

The shelf life of the tonic is four years so that it will last through a few flu seasons.

3. Can children take the BōKU® Immune Tonic?

Yes. The tonic is absolutely alcohol free and contains only healthful herbs in a glycerin base so it is safe for children.

4. Can pregnant women take the BōKU® Immune Tonic?

Based on the ingredients it should be alright, but we do recommend that pregnant or lactating women check with their doctors before taking the product.

5. Is the BōKU® Immune Tonic only good for when you are getting sick?

No. While the tonic does support your immune system, it can be also be used year round to combat fatigue, enhance one’s mood, and to support an overall sense of physical and mental well-being.

6. Can you get the tonic with a spray rather than a dropper?

Yes. The serving size with the spray is 3 sprays (a half dose) because it atomizes the particles and allows them to be absorbed more quickly.

Boku International is very proud to announce that the new BōKU® Immune Tonic has been launched!

Our Master Formulator, Dr. BJ Adrezin, has created a blend of powerful adaptogenic and antioxidant herbs that allow the body’s systems to adapt to various stressors that can often cause us to be susceptible to disease. The herbal formula is glycerin-based, all natural, 100%alcohol free and has a very pleasant sweet taste. Just a couple of dropperfuls under the tongue or in a glass of water 2-3 times a day will give your immune system a healthy boost just when it needs it.

A 1oz bottle is priced at $9.95 and can only be purchased at: http://shop.bokusuperfood.com

Herbal Ingredients:

Rhodiola Rosea Root

Schisandra Berry

Holy Basil Leaf

European Elderberry

Siberian Ginseng Root

Astragalus Root

Fo-Ti Root

Olive Leaf

Red Root