THE NATURAL WAY TO HEALTHY EYES

Sound nutrition is important for the proper functioning of all organs of the human body, including the organ of sight, the eye. A lack of certain vitamins can cause the eyes to work at less than their best, just as a lack of iron causes our blood to become less efficient.

The most important vitamin to the health of the eyes is Vitamin A. Its benefits are much more far reaching than enabling us to see at night. Prolonged lack of the "eye vitamin" can do irreversible damage to the entire eye. The vitamin is essential for the proper maintenance of the body's moist surfaces, such as the eye.

The first warning sign of a serious deficiency is the drying of the conjunctiva, or the white part of the eye. It loses its natural moisture, as well as its whiteness, and becomes more susceptible to infections.

Uncorrected, the condition next affects the cornea. It, too, will lose its natural moisture and will no longer be smooth. The cornea, additionally, acquires a smoky or milky appearance, giving the person afflicted with this condition the feeling of looking at the world through frosted glasses.

In the final stages of the Vitamin A deficiency, the damage goes past the cornea, exposing the interior of the eye and allowing serious infections to set in. The net result is loss of the eye and complete blindness.

As with night blindness, prevention can be relatively simple with the addition of beta-carotene and Vitamin A into the diet. In fact, raw carrot juice, an excellent source of beta-carotene, is considered a natural solvent for all ulcerous conditions, such as the cornea experiences in a serious Vitamin A deficiency.

Drinking raw carrot juice, then, is a good habit for the overall health of the eye. It is also a good habit to munch on fresh carrots as a snack. Don't peel them just scrub them well.

If for some reason, you find carrots difficult to bite, grate the vegetable instead and consume it that way. This is just as effective. As with the juice, though, prepare only the portions you plan on eating immediately, as the natural nutritional strength of the grated carrot weakens as it sits.

Beta-carotene - the product the human body uses to make Vitamin A - is also found in deep orange fruits and vegetables. Good sources include broccoli, apricots and squash.

It is best to consume fresh sources of Vitamin A, say the experts, rather than relying solely on vitamin supplements. Such supplements expose the body to possible overdoses. While pregnant women's need for vitamins is greater than the rest of the population, as noted in the following chart, medical sources caution that overdoses may produce abnormalities in unborn babies. Doses of 50,000 I.U. daily are considered dangerous.

Parents should be wary of giving their children high-potency preparations of Vitamin A. Chronic toxicity may, in these instances, occur. Signs of such vitamin poisoning include irritability, nausea, vomiting, headaches, abnormal eating patterns and a red, peeling skin.

Internally, the overdose causes the liver and spleen to enlarge, as well as increases the pressure of the fluid inside the child's head. The latter symptom mimics that of a brain tumor. An additional symptom, and the key usually in diagnosing the toxic condition, is painful swellings on the bone. With the elimination of the vitamin, the problems normally disappear in about a week.

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GENERAL HEALTH