These Contact Lenses Mistakes
Could Seriously Damage Your
Eyes
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) warns in a new report
that people who wear contact lenses and don’t care for them
properly risk developing serious infections.
About 41 million Americans wear contact lenses, and people get
so used to having them in their eyes, they either forget about
them or don’t believe they’re at risk for injury and infection
if they don’t use them as directed.
According to the CDC’s report, 1 in 5 lens-related eye
infections reported to a federal database involved a patient
who experienced eye damage.
Michael Beach, Ph.D., director of CDC’s Healthy Water Program,
said in a statement:
“Contact lenses are a safe and effective form of vision
correction when worn and cared for as recommended. However,
improper wear and care of contact lenses can cause eye
infections that sometimes lead to serious, long-term damage.”
Read: How Contact Lenses “Permanently Alter” 5,000 Strains of
Eye Bacteria
What The CDC Uncovered
For the report, researchers looked at more than 1,000 contact
lens-related infections reported to the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) between 2005 and 2015. Some of the
patients required a corneal implant to repair a scarred
cornea, while others suffered reduced vision.
Of the reports they reviewed, 10% of the incidentsinvolved a
visit to an emergency department or urgent care clinic.
As the researchers point out, it doesn’t take much to cause
excruciating eye pain that can disrupt your daily life. Many
documented cases involved patients who had to make daily
visits to an eye doctor, or apply eye drops every hour to
treat the infection.
I had a friend who narrowly avoided having a corneal
transplant after she somehow stabbed herself in the eye with a
straw that was sticking out of her drink while she was
unlocking her car door. However, a large number of the
injuries reviewed by the CDC – more than 1 in 4 – could have
been easily prevented using (I hate to say it) common sense.
These easily avoidable behaviors included wearing contact
lenses while sleeping, and wearing them for longer than
recommended.
According to the CDC, sleeping with your contact lenses in
increases your risk of infection by 6 to 8 times. [2]
Dr. Mark Fromer, an ophthalmologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in
New York City, explained:
“There is a serious health crisis with contact lens-related
eye injuries. Unfortunately, many of the 41 million contact
lens users in the United States do not think of a contact
lens as a medical device they are placing on the surface of
their eye.”
Other mistakes contact wearers made included using tap water
instead of disinfectant solution to clean their lenses, or
using old disinfectant solution – a move which Thomas
Steinemann, a clinical spokesman for the American Academy of
Ophthalmology, called “a terrible idea.” [3]
According to Steinemann, disinfectant solution loses its
potency over time, and can harbor bacteria. It’s best to dump
out the solution, clean out the case with a little extra
solution, and let it air dry.
Showering or swimming with your lenses in, or hanging onto
your storage case for too long are also no-nos.
Safety Tips For People Who Wear
Contacts
The American Optometric Association has a few safety
recommendations for people who wear contact lenses: [1]
Visit your eye doctor every year.
Buy your contact lenses from a trusted source. Poorly
fitting contact lenses can significantly damage the eyes
and could lead to irreversible vision loss.
Don’t freak out if you “lose” a lens in your eye. If
your contact has moved and is not visible, put a few eye
drops in your eye, look away from where you feel the
lens, and lift your eyelid. Once you spot the lens, use
the tip of your finger to remove it. If this keeps
happening, see your eye doctor so he can check the fit
of your lenses.
Never share contact lenses with another person. Sharing
lenses means sharing germs and bacteria that may lead to
infection. You wouldn’t chew someone else’s gum, would
you? Plus, your friend’s contacts may not be the right
size for your eyes.
Don’t use tap water to rinse your contact lenses. Tap
water doesn’t remove mucus, secretions, films, or
deposits as well as contact fluid does. Tap water also
contains bacteria and other microorganisms that can
cause serious infections.
Keep your lens case clean. Rinse your case with
solution, and store it upside down and open to dry
fully. Purchase a new case every 3 months.
Never, ever sleep with your contact lenses in.
Never over-wear your lenses.
Sources:
[1] CBS News
[2] HealthDay
[3] NPR
Originally
Posted: http://naturalsociety.com/these-contact-lens-mistakes-
could-seriously-damage-your-eyes-2984/
Author: JULIE FIDLER
The Truth About Toxic Mold
Illness
Toxic
mold
illness
(mycotoxicosis) is often times
misdiagnosed as Fibromyalgia,
Lyme’s Disease, Lupus, MS, CFS,
Colds, Flu, even Cancer.
Toxic mold illness can happen when you live in or spend time
in an environment, which is contaminated with mold. It happens
in buildings where water damage has occurred and has not dried
properly.
Drywall, once infested with mold has to be taken out and
replaced. It should be done professionally by a company that
does mold remediation so as not to spread the spores or to
breathe it in directly.
The problem is that often you may not realize you even have
this issue in your home or place of work. Black mold often
doesn’t outwardly show and often doesn’t really smell moldy
unless you are close up to the source itself.
It may lurk behind tile, under corners of rugs or carpeting,
ceiling tiles, furniture, ductwork, roofing, paneling,
wallpaper, and the areas around plumbing pipes in back walls
of closets where you often don’t look and the lighting is
shadowed. Basements are also a hot spot for mold growth as
they aren’t generally air conditioned or regulated by heat and
moisture can infiltrate boxes stored, going unnoticed for long
lengths of time.
Though it occurs mostly in humid environments it can grow in
virtually any home in any state.
How would you know if you had mold in your house?
Well of course visual inspection – looking in air vents,
popping a tile off in the shower… But your body will also
begin to tell you. You may start feeling generally badly,
getting chronically sick, having lower and lower energy
levels, having issues with sinus infections coming and going.
Molds produce irritating substances that can act as allergens.
Some kinds of mold produce toxic substances known
mycotoxins, though mold itself is not poisonous or toxic.
as
“Stages of Mycotoxicosis: For Inhalation
of Mycotoxin (produced from mold)”
Stage 1
burning sensation in the mouth, tongue, throat, palate,
esophagus, and stomach
burning within the eyes, ears and nose
tongue feels swollen and stiff
Gingivitis
vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain
Excessive salivation
headache
dizziness
weakness
fatigue
tachycardia
fever and sweating
congestion
Stage 2
headaches
mental depression
loss of short-term memory
loss of problem-solving ability
various neuropsychiatric manifestations
meningism – the triad of nuchal rigidity (neck
stiffness), photophobia (intolerance of bright light)
and headache.
severe malaise and fatigue
narcolepsy
loss of temperature control
hyperesthesia or numbness of body areas
cerebellar dysfunction including hypotonia, attitude and
gait, dysmetria, asthenia, vertigo, disturbances of
speech, and loss of balance
ADHD
visual disturbances, floating objects, light sensitive,
lack of tears, burning and itching
Ears: burning, itching, and loss of hearing
Immune and hematopoietic: progressive loss of white and
red cells including a decrease of platelets and
hemoglobin, and high susceptibility to bacterial,
mycotic and viral infections, debilitating chemical and
allergies
Gastrointestinal: metallic taste in mouth, tooth loss,
gum problems, stomatitis, sores in gums and throat,
nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation, excessive
flatulence,
abdominal
distention,
hepatitis,
pancreatitis, and diabetes mellitus
Respiratory : burning and bleeding from nasal membranes,
respiratory difficulty, asthma, extreme susceptibility
to cold, flu and pneumonia
Skin: thinning of hair on head, burning on face, rashes,
irritation, and edema
Renal: proteinuria, possible hematuria
Reproductive: irregular ovarian cycles, increased
menstrual flow, fibroid growths in uterus, cystic
development inmammary glands, and tumors of mammary and
prostate glands
Musculoskeletal : somatitis, muscle weakness, spasms,
cramps, joint pain, enlargement of joints in hand, and
clubbing of fingers.
Cardiovascular: chest pain, palpitations, ruptures of
atrial walls, myocardial infection and aneurysm of
arteries
The skin and mucous membranes may be icteric, pupils
dilated, the pulse soft and labile, and blood pressure
may decrease or increase
Visible bruises may appear on the skin
Thoughts of suicide may be prominent
Degeneration and hemorrhages of the vessels marks the
transition from the second to the third Stage of the
disease and may not be consistently observed.
The degeneration of the vital organs including serious
respiratory insufficiency or asthma and CNS degeneration
will take the patient into Stage three along with
development of necrotic angina.
Stage 3
The transition from the second to the third Stage is
sudden.
resistance is already low, and violent severe symptoms
are present, especially under the influence of stress,
or associated with physical exertion and fatigue
lung, brain or heart failure (heart attack), with or
without the appearance of petechial hemorrhage on the
skin of the trunk, the axillary and inguinal areas, the
lateral surfaces of the arms and thighs, the face and
head, and in serious Cases, the chest
Aneurysms of the brain or aorta may be observed by
angiography
Hemorrhages may also be found on the mucous membranes of
the mouth and tongue, and on the soft palate and tonsils
severe interstitial thickening or scarring of the lungs,
or respiratory failure
Nasal, gastric and intestinal hemorrhages and
hemorrhagic diathesis may occur.
Severe degeneration of the skin on the face, eyelids,
and loss of lashes is also often present
difficulty and pain on swallowing
Necrotic lesions may extend to the uvula, gums, buccal
mucosa, larynx, vocal cords, lungs, stomach, and
intestines and other internal organs such as the liver
and kidneys and are usually contaminated with a variety
of avirulent bacteria
Bacteria infection causes an unpleasant odor from the
mouth due to the enzymatic activity of bacteria on
proteins
Regional lymph nodes are frequently enlarged
Esophageal lesions may occur and involvement of the
epiglottis may cause laryngeal edema andaphonia (loss of
voice). Death may occur by strangulation
Bronchopneumonia, pulmonary hemorrhages, and lung
abscesses are frequent complications
Tumors may develop of various organs, including skin,
urinary bladder, brain, mammary gland, bone, immune,
liver, prostate, possibly resulting in death.
The most commoncause of death is brain failure due to
both direct effects of the mycotoxin on the central
nervous system and indirect effects due to respiratory
failure or lack of oxygen to the brain caused by the
severe caustic inflammation (fibrinous exudation)
reaction with the lung tissue, rendering it nonfunctional.
The course and duration of this Stage 3 depends on the
intensity of the poisoning and complete removal of the
patient from the premises or source of mycotoxin.
Therefore, the duration of the recovery period is
variable. There is considerable cellular necrosis and
scarring to all major organs of the body in which cells
will not regenerate, including the brain, spinal cord,
eyes, lung, heart, liver, pancreas, kidney, adrenal, and
blood vessels. If the disease is diagnosed during the
first Stage, hospitalization is usually unnecessary, but
allergies and asthma should be monitored closely. If the
disease is diagnosed during the second Stage and even at
the transition from the second to third Stages, early
hospitalization may preserve the patient’s life. If
however, the disease is only detected during the third
Stage, death cannot be prevented in most Cases.
*Toxic mold can make pets sick as well as humans.
*The above is a list of the symptoms described in the
paper “Stages of Mycotoxicosis: For Inhalation of
Mycotoxin” By Dr. William Croft.
Even in some non-allergic individuals, mold can irritate the
eyes, skin, and airways. It can sometimes be mistaken for
chronic seasonal allergies.
Sometimes, people may develop severe reactions to mold
exposure. Symptoms of severe reactions, which are uncommon,
include fever and difficulty breathing. People with
compromised immune systems or people with chronic lung
illnesses, such as obstructive lung disease, may develop mold
infections in their lungs.
The medical community has downplayed the issues associated
with mold for years now often making patients feel as if these
symptoms could be all in their head, even attempting to
medicate mental illness, when the fact is that the sickness is
very physical and very real. It can be debilitating and become
life threatening if not diagnosed and treated.
How can people decrease mold exposure?
Sensitive individuals should avoid areas that are likely to
have mold, such as compost piles, cut grass, and wooded areas.
Inside homes, mold growth can be slowed by controlling
humidity levels and ventilating showers and cooking areas. If
there is mold growth in your home, you should clean up the
mold and fix the water problem.
Mold growth can be removed from hard surfaces with soap and
water, Apple Cider Vinegar or Regular Vinegar, Baking Soda,
Borax, Tea Tree Oil, even Ammonia…. please do not use bleach.
It only bleaches the mold so it can’t be seen. It does nothing
to ‘kill’ or neutralize the mold/spores which then end up
being spread into the air during cleaning.
1. Open windows and doors to provide fresh air.
2. Wear non-porous gloves and protective eyewear.
3. If the area to be cleaned is more than 10 square feet,
consult the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guide
titled Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings.
You can get it by going to the EPA web site
at http://www.epa.gov/mold/mold_remediation.html
Specific Recommendations:
1. Keep humidity levels as low as you can—no higher than
50%. Use an air conditioner or a dehumidifier during humid
months.
2. Be sure the home has adequate ventilation, including
exhaust fans.
3. Add mold inhibitors to paints before application.
4. Clean bathrooms with mold killing products.
5. Do not carpet bathrooms and basements.
6. Remove or replace previously soaked carpets and upholstery.
What do you do if you already have been exposed to mold and
are sick?
1st and foremost – eradicate the source. Get rid of the mold
and if that is not possible. Move. Continual exposure will
make you sicker over time.
Medical doctors will most likely recommend antibiotics, nasal
steroid inhalers, cortisone, anti fungal drugs and even
antidepressants. There are inherent problems with each of
these.
Antibiotics work on bacteria – Not fungus.
Nasal
Steroid
&
cortisone
inhalers
–
It
may
decrease
inflammation making you feel temporarily better but they also
suppress the immune system. When your immunity is down it
actually increases the fungal growth.
Anti-Fungal Drugs – highly toxic and possibly damaging to your
liver.
Anti-Depressants – Many anti-depressants have a wide range of
side effects which can add to the problems.
A better suggestion:
Change your diet and starve the mold out.
Cut out foods that feed fungal growth—sugars and grains
They need sugar in order to survive.
Also remove Milk, Fruits, Alcohol, Rye, Peanuts, cottonseed
oil, Corn, Barley, Sorghum, hard cheeses as these may
reintroduce molds into the body unwittingly.
The closer you stick to a basic diet of fresh organic
vegetables, lean organic meats, and fresh, pure water while
recovering, the less risk you’ll have of additional mold
exposure and reactions.
Additional to do’s:
Take probiotics.
Add in fresh juice to your daily diet. Juicing helps alkalize
your body, and for the most part, fungi can’t grow in an
alkaline environment.
Garlic – is a potent antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral,
immune system stimulant, and detoxification agent..
Ginger – is also an antifungal and antibacterial. It helps
dislodge congestion in your respiratory tract, and is also a
great digestive aid.
Cayenne – is a catalyst for the other herbs.
Goldenseal,
with
its
active
ingredient
berberine,
has
antibacterial and immune-enhancing properties.
Glutathione
maximizes
the
activity
of
all
the
other
antioxidants. The best way to increase your glutathione level
is by consuming a high quality whey protein. It should be cold
pressed, undenatured, derived from grass-fed cows, and free of
hormones, chemicals and sugar.
Omega-3 fats are also very important, from a mixture of plant
and animal sources. The best source of animal-based omega-3s
comes from krill oil.
Artichoke leaf extract: is toxic to many types of fungi,
including both molds and yeasts.
Research suggests vitamin D may prevent mold allergies
Air purification: To ensure you are breathing the cleanest air
possible
Provocation neutralization: This is a little-known treatment
strategy that Dr. Doris Rapp describes as “one of the best
hidden secrets.” Provocation neutralization (PN) offers
allergy sufferers permanent relief with virtually no side
effects, whether the allergy is to mold or something else. The
success rate for this approach is about 80 to 90 percent for
allergies, and you can receive the treatment at home. It is
certainly worth a try if your sensitivity is related to mold.
Provocation refers to “provoking a change” and neutralization
refers to “neutralizing the reaction caused by provocation.”
During provocation neutralization, a small amount of allergen
is injected under your skin to produce a small bump called a
“wheal” and then monitored for a reaction. If you have a
positive reaction, such as fatigue or headache, or a growth in
the size of the wheal, then the allergen is neutralized with
diluted injections (drops that go in your mouth) of the same
allergen.
Is the damage permanent?
Once a person is no longer around toxic black mold their
symptoms should gradually lessen. Some of the health problems
caused by toxic black mold can be permanent. A person has
lived with toxic black mold their immune system won’t be as
strong as it used to be and they’ll be more sensitive to mold
and mycotoxins in the future. The longer you are exposed, the
greater the chance of more serious damage…
If you have unexplainable symptoms and suspect a mold problem
please look into it and get it taken care of right away.
A wonderful reference I came across for all kinds of
information – Please visit:
http://gsgrl2000.wordpress.com/ “Mold can make you sick!”
Sources:
http://www.medicinenet.com/mold_exposure/article.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/mold/faqs.htm
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/11/01/
recovery-from-toxic-mold-exposure.aspx
http://www.survivingmold.com/diagnosis
http://blackmold.awardspace.com/black-mold-toxic-stachybotrysmycotoxins.html
http://agoodhealthadvocate.com/health/health-departments-are-d
enying-people-get-sick-from-mold/
Source: http://sarahbarendse.com/2014/09/02/toxic-mold-illnes
s/ Author: Sarah J. Barendse
JELL-O No! Why This dessert
is anything but healthy
Jell-O
It’s colorful, wiggly and fun. It is one of the most versitile
creative foods on the market. You can make jell-o molds, jello shots, jell-o gigglers, parfaits, mix flavors, colors, it is
essentially a fruit party in a box. Jell-o has been a favorite
of kids and adults alike since the brand was founded in 1897.
Gelatin itself dates back to as early as the 1400’s. It is a
protein produced from collagen that comes out of animal bones
and connective tissues when they are boiled. It became popular
during the Victorian era especially among the upper crust of
society. In its original form it was time consuming to produce
until 1845 when a patent for powdered gelatin was issued. This
made it more readily accessible to the general public. It
wasn’t long after that that flavors were added and a dessert
treat known as Jell-O was founded.
Modern day Jell-o is primarily chemical…
Lets take a look:
Ingredients:
-Sugar – Sugar has been linked to obesity, and suspected of,
or fully implicated as a cause in the occurrence of diabetes,
cardiovascular disease, dementia, macular degeneration, and
tooth decay. It has highly addictive properties. Much of the
sugar produced is genetically modified.
-Gelatin is a complex mixture of proteins derived from partial
hydrolysis of collagen extracted from animal hides and bones.
It has little nutritional value.
-Adipic Acid (pH control agent; Flavoring agent; Preservative,
controls tartness) It increases shelf life. The FDA cautions
to not ingest more than 227 grams per 100lbs of body weight
daily.
Contains less than 2% of:
-Natural and Artificial Flavor – As “Natural” remains
undefined by the FDA this can contain pretty much anything.
-Disodum Phosphate and Sodium Citrate (Flavoring agent;
Emulsifier; Texturizer; pH control agent) It is an inorganic
salt.
-Fumaric Acid (for tartness)
-Red 40, Blue 1 (and other assorted colors) – new studies now
show synthetic preservatives and artificial coloring agents
aggravate ADD & ADHD symptoms. Several major studies show
academic performance increased and disciplinary problems
decreased in large non-ADD student populations when artificial
ingredients, including artificial colors, were eliminated from
school food programs. Many of these colors include levels
approved by the FDA of arsenic and mercury and have been
banned in the European Union.
-BHA (preservative) Though the FDA recognizes it as GRAS
(generally recognized as safe), The National institute of
Health says it’s “reasonably anticipated to be a human
carcinogen.” It has been linked to cancer and has been banned
in many countries.
And alternately – in sugar free jell-o the sweetener replacing
sugar is:
-Aspartame (Phenylketonurics contains Phenylalanine) Created
from the excretions of genetically modified bacteria.
What’s in it: Phenylalanine, aspartic acid and methanol.
Reported side effects: Headaches, fibromyalgia, anxiety,
memory loss, arthritis, abdominal pain, nausea, depression,
heart palpitations, irritable bowel syndrome, seizures,
neurological disorders, vision problems, brain tumors and
weight gain.
–
Acesulfame
Potassium
is
a
potassium
salt
methylene chloride, a known carcinogen.
Reported side effects: Long-term exposure
to
containing
methylene
chloride can cause nausea, headaches, mood problems,
impairment of the liver and kidneys, problems with eyesight
and possibly
hypoglemica.
cancer.
Acesulfame-K
may
contribute
to
-Nutritional Content
Fat Free
70 calories Regular / 10 calories sugar free
19 grams of sugar carbs / 0 net carbs sugar free
40-55 milligrams of sodium
2 grams of protein / 1 gram of protein sugar free
No nutrients or vitamins
Why on earth this is fed to people in hospitals on a regular
basis is beyond me. Not only does it have no nutritional
content and barely any energy from calories, but it also
contains numerous chemicals which – though FDA approved – are
shown to harm the body.
The conclusion? Jell-o may be fun, but it most certainly is
not healthy.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jell-O
http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eatin
g/top-number-most-dangerous-artificial-sweeteners.html
http://www.labelwatch.com/prod_results.php?pid=142505
http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/j-ello.htm
http://www.ehow.com/facts_5137568_nutritional-value-jello.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12055324
http://www.livescience.com/36424-food-additive-bha-butylated-h
ydroxyanisole.html
Author: Sarah J. Barendse
Vision – Motivational Video
The International Speaker Society voted me the most effective,
most motivational speaker of our time and I tell you this guy
here is this video is phenomenal watch this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOy0YgUDwDg&width=450&height=36
5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOy0YgUDwD
g&width=450&height=365
If video does not appear please click on the link – We
apologize, youtube’s uploader is experiencing technical
difficulties.