Page 23 - 4-3-15 Friday's Edition

Health
Signs You Have An Iron Deficiency
The Best Foods To Feed Your Eyes
You may want to pay attention if you have any of these signs:
• Fatigue. Feeling tired? Ac- cording to Vanderbilt Center for Integrative Health nurse practi- tioner Blair Morriss, “the body uses iron to make hemo- globin, the substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen.” Exhaustion is a symptom of your body not producing enough healthy blood cells.
• Difficulty Focusing. Un- focused? Morriss explains that “neurotransmitter synthesis may be altered in people with an iron deficiency.” This can lead to functionality issues.
• Apathy. Feeling overly ap- athetic? If you are feeling apathy toward anything and every- thing—friends, family, and work you may need to look into your iron levels.
• Breathlessness. Short of breath? According to Kimberly Mueller, R.D., owner of Fuel Factor Nutrition Coaching, “Without enough iron in the blood, the body becomes starved of oxygen.”
• Pale. Are you looking a little dead? Kimberly also suggests that “A washed-out appearance can be caused by reduced blood flow and decreased number of red blood cells.”
• Low Stamina. Does your normal workout have you ex- hausted? According to a recent Cornell Study, low iron levels
can decrease your endurance levels.
• Sore Muscles. If you have a good workout you’re bound to have a bit of soreness for the next couple days. If your iron levels are low, this normal amount of soreness may be in- flated significantly. The lack of iron deprives your muscles of the ability to properly recover quickly.
• Brittle Nails. There is nothing worse than trying to give yourself a manicure and your nails are frail and thin. The lack of iron can also cause your nails to have concave grooves in them as well.
• Infections. Do you often find yourself sick? Respiratory illnesses are common for those with an iron deficiency, as it tends to make your immune sys- tem weak.
If you’re expiencing gas, one of these reasons might be why.
Eating Too Fast - Believe it or not, if you eat too fast which makes you swallow a lot of air, it can cause you to be gassy.
Milk - The enzymes that your system uses to digest milk diminishes with age. If you find that you are rather gassy after your favorite scoop of ice cream, you may need to eliminate dairy products from your diet.
Gluten Sensitivity - If you notice that you get gas after eat- ing certain types of foods, it may be time to talk to your doctor. This could be the onset of gluten sensitivity or celiac disease.
Hormonal Change - Tak- ing medicine? Pregnant or going through menopause? All of this has to do with your hormone levels. When the body has hor- mone changes, it could cause you to feel a bit more gassy. Some simple steps to fight this is regular exercise, using the bathroom regularly and taking probiotics.
Constipation - When stool isn’t moving, you might feel like you make more gas—and more noxious smelling gas—than nor- mal. Why? Your stool is mainly made up of bacteria, so you have more of it just sitting around in your system, fermenting and re- leasing fumes. Try adding more fiber into your diet, drink plenty of water and exercise.
Here are several nutrients that are good for your eyes:
Astaxanthin. This super nutrient protects eyes from developing cataracts, macular degeneration and blindness. Seaweed and wild, rather than farmed, salmon are excellent choices high in astaxanthin.
Omega-3. This fatty acid contained in fish protects against dry eye and age-re- lated macular degeneration, he said. Studies show that in- dividuals who ate oily fish such as tuna, sardines, herring and salmon at least once a week were 50% less likely to develop neovascular [wet] macular degeneration than those who ate fish less than once per week.
Anthocyanins. Blueber- ries, bilberries and especially black currants contain high amounts of anthocyanins and help to maintain the health of the cornea and blood vessels in every part of the eye. They also help reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degen- eration as well as decrease in- flammatory eye disease and diabetic retinopathy.
Vitamin D. Safe sun ex- posure, fish oils, fatty fish and, to a lesser extent, beef liver, cheese, egg yolks and certain mushrooms contain this mas- ter hormone, which acts on more than 4,000 genes. Vita-
min D3 supplementation has been shown to help prevent age-related macular degenera- tion, reduce retinal inflamma- tion and improve vision.
Zeaxanthin. This nutri- ent is found in dark green veg- etables such as kale, broccoli, collards, raw spinach and ro- maine lettuce. Lightly cooking these vegetables increases your body’s ability to absorb these nutrients.
Bioflavonoids. Found in tea, red wine, citrus fruits and cherries, bioflavonoids may lower the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. And beta-carotene, contained in carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale and butternut squash, protects you against night blindness and dry eyes, the eye doctor noted.
Lutein. This nutrient is also good for your eyes. The best source is from organic eggs laid by pastured organic hens. You can also take sup- plements made from marigold flowers.
FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2015 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 11-B
Got Gas?