What Does Your GI System Have to Do with Your Eyes?

It is not possible to have healthy eyes, if the rest of your body is not healthy ....and that includes your GI system.

If you've been doing any reading on my website or books on macular degeneration, you have found that this retinal condition in its early stages is responsive to nutrition - whether it's incorporating more antioxidants into your diet or taking macular degeneration supplements.

Eating right or supplementing with good eye vitamins is a good place to start, but it is also important that the food you eat and the supplements you take are being absorbed and utilized by your body.

Gary Huffnagle, PhD has written a great book called The Probiotics Revolution: The Definitive Guide to Safe, Natural Health Solutions Using Probiotic and Prebiotic Foods and Supplements.

In it he writes, that as we age the composition of our good and bad bacteria in our gut changes. Older people see a decrease in the good bacteria and an increase in the bad bacteria.

Also as we age the immune system needs more support. Dr. Huffnagle is a Professor of Immunology at the University of Michigan.

He states that, "Probiotics are vital for our immune system. They actually send signal to the immune system that reduce destructive overreactions, including inflammation."

Did you get that last part? Reduce destructive overreactions including inflammation?

Many researchers are looking at the role of inflammation in the development and progression of macular degeneration. Taking probiotics or eating probiotic foods is another way we can influence that process to benefit our health and our eyes.

To learn more about what are probiotics, a list of probiotic foods and the names of supplements recommended by Dr. Huffnagle click here:

What are Probiotics?

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Leslie Degner, RN, BSN

Better Health for Better Vision