One of the sayings in the "Little Red Riding Hood" story was "All the better to see you with, my dear." Our eyes have a profound effect in our lives. Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD/AMD), Cataracts and Glaucoma, can affect life in many ways.

The causes for eye changes are blurry, depending on the sources. While conventional medicine determines there is no real cure, practitioners in alternative medicine focus on prevention, halting its progression, and in some cases reversing the condition.

Much study has been done on nutrition and eye health. Most acknowledge that eye diseases are multifactorial processes, but present compelling evidence that diet probably has as much, if not more to do with ARMD, cataracts and glaucoma than does aging. The causes vary between each of the three conditions, yet the causes for one, typically mimic the other: Weakness of the vascular walls, blood vessel narrowing, cellular damage, excessive cellular breakdown due to nutritional deficiencies or toxic compounds, chemical exposures, processed, chemicalized foods, artificial lighting, and many medications have all been implicated.

Harmful foods such as trans fatty acids (hydrogenated/partially hydrogenated vegetable and seed oils, margarine, fried foods), caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, black tea, and chocolate can also contribute.

And then there are the missing nutrients. Deficiencies of key nutrients such Vitamin A complex, Vitamin B complex (especially folic acid, riboflavin, thiamine pantothenic acid, choline, inositol), Vitamin C complex, Vitamin D, Vitamin E complex, and a quality form of calcium (not calcium carbonate). Minerals such as zinc, selenium, copper, various amino acids, live enzymes and numerous combinations of nutrients are needed for proper eye health. Other essentials are proper digestion and especially healthy calcium metabolism.

These results shouldn't be too surprising, as most had grandparents who emphasized certain eating habits "for your eyes," and it turned out they were quite accurate. "Eat your carrots," "eat plenty of green vegetables," "eat fish," were amongst the most common.

Not surprising also, is the fact that multivitamins and synthetic vitamins are of little value. Research has shown that the nutrient complexes, in their exquisite intricacies, cannot be duplicated in a lab, and appear to have little protective value - especially Vitamins A, B, C and E. These vitamins are complexes which include lycopene, lutein, many carotenoids (not just beta-carotene), zeaxanthin, glutathione reductase, selenium and other micro-nutrients that need to be in their natural carrier form (real food). Studies have shown that isolated or synthetic versions of these nutrients have produced conflicting or disappointing results. The answer? Get them from your foods, or whole food supplements that contain all fractions of the nutrients needed.

With these eye diseases increasing dramatically over the past decade, taking a preventive approach is wise. And if it is already presenting itself, eating wisely can help stave off progression.

Holly Carling is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Licensed Acupuncturist, Doctor of Naturopathy, Clinical Nutritionist and Master Herbologist with more than 32 years of experience. Carling is currently accepting new patients and offers natural health-care services and whole food nutritional supplements in her Coeur d'Alene clinic. Visit Carling's website at www.vitalhealthandfitness.com to learn more about Carling, view a list of upcoming health classes and read other informative articles. Carling can be reached at (208) 765-1994 and would be happy to answer any questions regarding this topic.