Post by Hachelen on Feb 1, 2007 13:06:43 GMT -5
Originally posted by Adona Mara
The following information is from the book The Folk Remedy Encyclopedia: Olive Oil, Vinegar, Honey and 1,001 Other Home Remedies from FC&A Medical Publishing, copyrighted 2001, 2004 by Frank W. Cawood and Associates, Inc.
EYESTRAIN
What is it?
Eyestrain is a temporary soreness or fatigue of your eye muscles, usually due to over-use. You're likely to develop this condition if you spend a lot of time doing close work without breaks. Poor lighting, glare, and constant refocusing can contribute to eyestrain. Most experts agree eyestrain won't weaken your eyesight or cause permanent eye problems.
Symptoms:
--- Tired eyes
--- Headache
--- Irritated eyes
Sharper eyesight without glasses
To transform a weak body into a muscular one, you must exercise faithfully. If you find that you keep replacing your old glasses with sronger ones, perhaps you should give your eyes a workout as well.
"Just as you can develop your physical fitness," says Dr. Robert-Michael Kaplan, author of Seeing Without Glasses, "you can also improve the fitness of your eyes -- the way they work together, their stamina, and their interaction with your brain."
Vision tends to weaken with age, but Kaplan believes you can take action to slow the decline. "Your eye muscles can be exercised," he says. "The nerve connection from the brain to your eyes can be stimulated. Blood flow to your eyes can be increased."
You don't need a gym for these vision-training exercises. You can do them wherever you are.
Think to blink. The simple act of blinking moistens your eyes, stretches your eye muscles, massages your eyeballs, and forces your pupils to dilate and contract. But if you are like most people, you probably don't blink nearly as often as you should -- especially when reading, driving, watching television, or working at the computer. Kaplan recommends blinking every three seconds.
Practice eye aerobics. Six muscles connect to each of your eyeballs and help them move up and down, side to side, and inward and outward. Here's an exercise that can strengthen them and improve the coordination of your eyes.
Sit with your feet firmly on the floor, hands in your lap or supported on the arms of your chair. With your eyes open or closed, face forward, take a few deep breaths, and relax your neck and shoulders.
Stretch your eyes upward as high as they will comfortably go while you breath in. Hold your breath for a few moments, and then stretch your eyes downward as low as you can without straining as you breath out. Do this three times. Next, stretch your eyes sideways to the right, then up to the right. Then stretch down to the left, up to the left, and down to the right. Remember to stay relaxed as you repeat these exercises.
Rest under the palms. After doing the stretching exercises, make sure you "cool down" just as you would after any workout.
First, warm your palms by rubbing them vigorously together. Lace your fingers together over your forehead with your palms cupped over your eyes, shutting out the light. Rest your eyes in the warm darkness for a few minutes while taking 20 to 50 breaths.
"When you remove your palms," says Kaplan, "you'll observe that colors are much brighter, you'll see more contrast, and you'll enjoy a wonderful relaxed feeling in your eyes and brow muscles."
This technique, called palming, is also a good way to take a break from watching television or using the computer.
Soak in sunlight. Kaplan says natural light is good for your eyes. He recommends going outside early in the day, before 10:00 a.m., and late in the afternoon, after 4:00 p.m.
To relax your eyes, close them and face the sun, letting it warm your eyelids. Turn your head gently from side to side for about five minutes.
Avoid the brightest time of day and never look directly into the sun. When you can't use natural sunlight, you can substitute the light from an incandescent bulb.
See with both sides of your brain. Your eyes alone can't provide you with sight. In fact, as much as 90 percent of what makes it possible to see may take place in your brain.
The right side of your brain controls the left side of your body -- including your left eye -- and the left side of your brain controls the right. You need to use both sides to keep your eyes working together.
This exercise, called thumb zapping, is a good way to tell if you are using both sides of your brain. Begin by sitting comfortably in a chair that supports your back. Look steadily at an object five to 20 feet away. Slowly bring your thumb into your line of vision, about 8 inches in front of your face. If you are using your eyes together, you will see two thumbs.
If you only see one thumb, or one is clearer than the other, it means you aren't using your eyes equally. Deep breathing, blinking, and palming your eyes can help you strengthen your whole-brain seeing.
Fine-tune your focus. Your ancient ancestors probably had keen eyesight. As hunters and gatherers, they spent most of their time outside, their eyes darting here and there, always on the alert for food or danger. By constantly refocusing close up, a stone's throw away, and into the far distance, they gave their vision a good workout.
Today, however, you are more likely to spend your days indoors staring at a flat surface, like the television or computer screen. To avoid couch-potato eyes and improve your focus, try these exercises.
--- Frenquently glance away from the screen and quickly bring a distant object into focus.
--- Hold your thumb as in the thumb-zapping exercise. Switch your focus from your thumb to a distant object and back to your thumb again.
--- With neck and shoulders relaxed, practice crossing your eyes. (Don't worry, they won't get stuck.) Focus on your thumb, holding it a few inches in front of your face. Follow it as you bring it close enough to touch your nose. You should feel the muscles pull a little as your eyes turn in.
--- When driving, frequently shift your focus -- from on-coming traffic to the dashboard, to the side mirror, to the rear-view mirror. Look to one side of the road and then the other. Read the license plate of the car in front of you as well as signs at a distance.
In addition to these exercises, Kaplan also has recommendations about nutrition, attitude, and full-body exercise. You can learn more at his Web site www.beyond2020vision.com
TURN ON YOUR PC AND PERK UP YOUR VISION
If you spend time at the computer -- e-mailing . . ., tracking down old friends on the Internet, or tracing your family history, sooner or later you may notice problems with your eyes.
Like staring at the road too long when driving, staring at a computer screen can strain your eyes. There's less danger, of course. You won't crash into another computer. But eyestrain can irritate your eyes, blur your vision, and even give you a headache.
Eye doctors call this condition computer vision syndrome, or CVS. Fortunately, it won't do any permanent damage, but here are some tips to avoid the discomfort it causes.
Bat your lashes. The tendency to stare at the computer screen without blinking causes your eyes to dry out. Stick a reminder on your monitor to blink more often. This will lubricate your eyes with naturally soothing tears.
If necessary, you can use lubricating eye drops or a tear substitute for dry or itchy eyes. But talk to your doctor if you need them longer than 72 hours. Dry eyes can be a symptom of Sjogren's syndrome, an immune system disease that needs special care.
Take a break. About every hour, look at something 20 feet or so into the distance. This will give your eyes a helpful rest.
Adjust your screen. Hopefully you have a monitor that tilts, swivels, and has brightness and contrast controls. With these, you can experiment until you find a comfortable position. An adjustable chair also helps you get everything at just the right height. The screen should be 4 to 9 inches below eye level and 20 to 26 inches from your face. Dark letters on a light screen are easiest to read.
Let glasses ease your eyes. If you wear glasses or contacts -- especially if you have bifocal or progressive lenses -- you may hold your head at an odd angle or lean toward the screen. Talk to your eye doctor about how to adjust your screen for healthier vision. Special computer glasses, too, may help you see better and avoid eyestrain.
Reduce refocusing. If, for example, you are retyping recipes to send to a friend, don't place the original flat on your desk. You have to turn your head and shift and refocus your eyes between the paper and screen. Instead, use a standing document holder, and place it as close to your computer monitor as possible. To avoid eyestrain, the two should be the same distance from your eyes.
Get rid of glare. Move lamps, close window blinds, or use a filter on your screen to reduce glare. Wipe your screen regularly with water and a clean cloth.
Check your meds. Talk to your doctor about any medication you are taking. One research study found medicines were responsible for about two out of three cases of dry eyes and dry mouth in people between 65 and 84 years old.
Folk Remedy
What should you want your pilot to eat before take-off -- bilberries. This European variety of the blueberry can sharpen your vision and help your eyes adjust from light to darkness. Members of the British Royal Air Force made bilberry jam a regular part of their diet during World War II. Mission accomplished.
[/b]
_________________
Don't worry about what other people think; they don't do it that often.
"Sometimes a shadow, dark and cold, lays like a mist across the road.
But be encouraged by the sight. Where there's a shadow, there's a light."
The following information is from the book The Folk Remedy Encyclopedia: Olive Oil, Vinegar, Honey and 1,001 Other Home Remedies from FC&A Medical Publishing, copyrighted 2001, 2004 by Frank W. Cawood and Associates, Inc.
EYESTRAIN
What is it?
Eyestrain is a temporary soreness or fatigue of your eye muscles, usually due to over-use. You're likely to develop this condition if you spend a lot of time doing close work without breaks. Poor lighting, glare, and constant refocusing can contribute to eyestrain. Most experts agree eyestrain won't weaken your eyesight or cause permanent eye problems.
Symptoms:
--- Tired eyes
--- Headache
--- Irritated eyes
Sharper eyesight without glasses
To transform a weak body into a muscular one, you must exercise faithfully. If you find that you keep replacing your old glasses with sronger ones, perhaps you should give your eyes a workout as well.
"Just as you can develop your physical fitness," says Dr. Robert-Michael Kaplan, author of Seeing Without Glasses, "you can also improve the fitness of your eyes -- the way they work together, their stamina, and their interaction with your brain."
Vision tends to weaken with age, but Kaplan believes you can take action to slow the decline. "Your eye muscles can be exercised," he says. "The nerve connection from the brain to your eyes can be stimulated. Blood flow to your eyes can be increased."
You don't need a gym for these vision-training exercises. You can do them wherever you are.
Think to blink. The simple act of blinking moistens your eyes, stretches your eye muscles, massages your eyeballs, and forces your pupils to dilate and contract. But if you are like most people, you probably don't blink nearly as often as you should -- especially when reading, driving, watching television, or working at the computer. Kaplan recommends blinking every three seconds.
Practice eye aerobics. Six muscles connect to each of your eyeballs and help them move up and down, side to side, and inward and outward. Here's an exercise that can strengthen them and improve the coordination of your eyes.
Sit with your feet firmly on the floor, hands in your lap or supported on the arms of your chair. With your eyes open or closed, face forward, take a few deep breaths, and relax your neck and shoulders.
Stretch your eyes upward as high as they will comfortably go while you breath in. Hold your breath for a few moments, and then stretch your eyes downward as low as you can without straining as you breath out. Do this three times. Next, stretch your eyes sideways to the right, then up to the right. Then stretch down to the left, up to the left, and down to the right. Remember to stay relaxed as you repeat these exercises.
Rest under the palms. After doing the stretching exercises, make sure you "cool down" just as you would after any workout.
First, warm your palms by rubbing them vigorously together. Lace your fingers together over your forehead with your palms cupped over your eyes, shutting out the light. Rest your eyes in the warm darkness for a few minutes while taking 20 to 50 breaths.
"When you remove your palms," says Kaplan, "you'll observe that colors are much brighter, you'll see more contrast, and you'll enjoy a wonderful relaxed feeling in your eyes and brow muscles."
This technique, called palming, is also a good way to take a break from watching television or using the computer.
Soak in sunlight. Kaplan says natural light is good for your eyes. He recommends going outside early in the day, before 10:00 a.m., and late in the afternoon, after 4:00 p.m.
To relax your eyes, close them and face the sun, letting it warm your eyelids. Turn your head gently from side to side for about five minutes.
Avoid the brightest time of day and never look directly into the sun. When you can't use natural sunlight, you can substitute the light from an incandescent bulb.
See with both sides of your brain. Your eyes alone can't provide you with sight. In fact, as much as 90 percent of what makes it possible to see may take place in your brain.
The right side of your brain controls the left side of your body -- including your left eye -- and the left side of your brain controls the right. You need to use both sides to keep your eyes working together.
This exercise, called thumb zapping, is a good way to tell if you are using both sides of your brain. Begin by sitting comfortably in a chair that supports your back. Look steadily at an object five to 20 feet away. Slowly bring your thumb into your line of vision, about 8 inches in front of your face. If you are using your eyes together, you will see two thumbs.
If you only see one thumb, or one is clearer than the other, it means you aren't using your eyes equally. Deep breathing, blinking, and palming your eyes can help you strengthen your whole-brain seeing.
Fine-tune your focus. Your ancient ancestors probably had keen eyesight. As hunters and gatherers, they spent most of their time outside, their eyes darting here and there, always on the alert for food or danger. By constantly refocusing close up, a stone's throw away, and into the far distance, they gave their vision a good workout.
Today, however, you are more likely to spend your days indoors staring at a flat surface, like the television or computer screen. To avoid couch-potato eyes and improve your focus, try these exercises.
--- Frenquently glance away from the screen and quickly bring a distant object into focus.
--- Hold your thumb as in the thumb-zapping exercise. Switch your focus from your thumb to a distant object and back to your thumb again.
--- With neck and shoulders relaxed, practice crossing your eyes. (Don't worry, they won't get stuck.) Focus on your thumb, holding it a few inches in front of your face. Follow it as you bring it close enough to touch your nose. You should feel the muscles pull a little as your eyes turn in.
--- When driving, frequently shift your focus -- from on-coming traffic to the dashboard, to the side mirror, to the rear-view mirror. Look to one side of the road and then the other. Read the license plate of the car in front of you as well as signs at a distance.
In addition to these exercises, Kaplan also has recommendations about nutrition, attitude, and full-body exercise. You can learn more at his Web site www.beyond2020vision.com
TURN ON YOUR PC AND PERK UP YOUR VISION
If you spend time at the computer -- e-mailing . . ., tracking down old friends on the Internet, or tracing your family history, sooner or later you may notice problems with your eyes.
Like staring at the road too long when driving, staring at a computer screen can strain your eyes. There's less danger, of course. You won't crash into another computer. But eyestrain can irritate your eyes, blur your vision, and even give you a headache.
Eye doctors call this condition computer vision syndrome, or CVS. Fortunately, it won't do any permanent damage, but here are some tips to avoid the discomfort it causes.
Bat your lashes. The tendency to stare at the computer screen without blinking causes your eyes to dry out. Stick a reminder on your monitor to blink more often. This will lubricate your eyes with naturally soothing tears.
If necessary, you can use lubricating eye drops or a tear substitute for dry or itchy eyes. But talk to your doctor if you need them longer than 72 hours. Dry eyes can be a symptom of Sjogren's syndrome, an immune system disease that needs special care.
Take a break. About every hour, look at something 20 feet or so into the distance. This will give your eyes a helpful rest.
Adjust your screen. Hopefully you have a monitor that tilts, swivels, and has brightness and contrast controls. With these, you can experiment until you find a comfortable position. An adjustable chair also helps you get everything at just the right height. The screen should be 4 to 9 inches below eye level and 20 to 26 inches from your face. Dark letters on a light screen are easiest to read.
Let glasses ease your eyes. If you wear glasses or contacts -- especially if you have bifocal or progressive lenses -- you may hold your head at an odd angle or lean toward the screen. Talk to your eye doctor about how to adjust your screen for healthier vision. Special computer glasses, too, may help you see better and avoid eyestrain.
Reduce refocusing. If, for example, you are retyping recipes to send to a friend, don't place the original flat on your desk. You have to turn your head and shift and refocus your eyes between the paper and screen. Instead, use a standing document holder, and place it as close to your computer monitor as possible. To avoid eyestrain, the two should be the same distance from your eyes.
Get rid of glare. Move lamps, close window blinds, or use a filter on your screen to reduce glare. Wipe your screen regularly with water and a clean cloth.
Check your meds. Talk to your doctor about any medication you are taking. One research study found medicines were responsible for about two out of three cases of dry eyes and dry mouth in people between 65 and 84 years old.
Folk Remedy
What should you want your pilot to eat before take-off -- bilberries. This European variety of the blueberry can sharpen your vision and help your eyes adjust from light to darkness. Members of the British Royal Air Force made bilberry jam a regular part of their diet during World War II. Mission accomplished.
[/b]
_________________
Don't worry about what other people think; they don't do it that often.
"Sometimes a shadow, dark and cold, lays like a mist across the road.
But be encouraged by the sight. Where there's a shadow, there's a light."