This nutrient saved humans from extinction

About 150,000 years ago, the human race almost became extinct. [Click here](1770d7/ct0_0/1/ms?sid=TV2%3AKGgBFo6dg) to view this message in your browser | [Click here](1770d7/l-002e/zout?sid=TV2%3AKGgBFo6dg) to stop receiving our messages [] [] Al Sears, MD 11905 Southern Blvd. Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411 [] May 16, 2024 [] Reader, About 150,000 years ago, the human race almost became extinct. Glacial ice covered the globe. Food sources from dry land disappeared. The entire human race was reduced to a few hundred people. You and I — and everyone alive today — are descended from those few survivors. In that terrible ice age, these primal survivors found their way to the only place on earth that could support human life. In Africa, they foraged for marine animals around the coast. They survived on a diet heavy in shell- and cold-water fish. [cold fish] During the ice age, fat from cold-water fish kept the human race alive. This diet provided them with an essential fat their bodies couldn’t make — but desperately needed to survive and thrive. And to this day we all need this same fat. I’m talking about the omega-3 fatty acid DHA. This fat did more than keep the human race alive. It helped our primal ancestors develop clear vision for life. A recent study from LSU Health Center found that this fatty acid protects your retina from lethal injuries as they happen. But it does much more… The researchers found that DHA also protects your eyes from damage that may occur in the future. They said that DHA “preconditions” photoreceptor cells — special neurons in the retina — to survive future injuries. It does the same thing for your retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells. The RPE nourishes your retina. It’s also the first line of defense against age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a major cause of blindness.1 In other words, DHA provides protection against a future injury to the retina or other parts of the eye. When rats were given DHA before oxidative stress struck, the DHA protected against the damage that usually would occur in the eye. Other research confirms the benefits of omega-3s for your vision. Studies show: - Eating more fish high in omega-3s can slash the risk of dry eye syndrome by 68%.2 - Lower levels of DHA are linked to glaucoma.3 - Eating fish high in omega-3s can cut the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by 50%.4 Our primal ancestors settled along coastlines, rivers, and lakes. They had easy access to plenty of wild fish and animals. They got plenty of DHA in their diets. But our modern world has changed drastically. Instead of fat from fish and animals, we eat industrial oils from corn, soy, sunflowers, and cotton. To get more omega-3s, I advise my patients to eat like our primal ancestors: Get at least two servings of wild-caught fatty cold-water fish like salmon every week. Other good sources of DHA are oily fish like mackerel, herring, anchovies, sardines, trout, and fresh tuna. Stay away from [farmed fish](1770d7/ct1_0/1/lu?sid=TV2%3AKGgBFo6dg) which has very little DHA. Eat plenty of meat, organ meats, and eggs from grass-fed livestock, wild game, and pastured poultry. I’ve been tracking my patients’ omega-3 levels for years. So I know it’s almost impossible for most people to get enough omega-3s from food. That’s why I also recommend supplementing. Most doctors recommend fish oil. But fish oil comes from polluted waters. It’s loaded with toxins. I advise my patients to get their DHA from calamari oil. This oil comes from sources that haven’t been exposed to pollution. The calamari comes from only the deepest, cleanest waters. And it has the highest concentration of DHA available. Calamari has over 65% DHA. That’s the highest concentration of DHA I’ve found. Aim to get at least 600 mg of DHA every day. And make sure you take it with meals so that it can be digested properly. Get The Nutrients You Need For Optimal Eye Health - Combine DHA with astaxanthin. Studies show astaxanthin increases blood flow and antioxidant protection throughout the eye. It protects cells in the retina from free radical damage, while improving focus and reducing eye strain.5,6 I recommend taking at least 10 mg per day. - Start at the top. Old-fashioned eye charts always have the letter E at the top. In my book, that E stands for vitamin E — one of the most important nutrients you can “feed” your eyes. It works together with vitamins A and C to keep cells in the eyes free from the damaging effects of inflammation. As you know, inflammation is the root cause of almost every disease — including diseases of the eyes. If not treated, it can lead to vision loss and even macular degeneration. In fact, some studies have found that supplementing with vitamin E can lower your risk of developing this blinding eye condition, especially when combined with vitamin A. I recommend taking at least 400 IU a day. - Add in some bilberry extract. This super berry helps treat cataracts and retina problems. During World War II, British Royal Air Force pi¬lots ate bilberry jam prior to missions to improve their night vision. Look for an extract standardized to 25% anthocyanosides. These are bilberry’s powerful antioxidants. Get 100 mg daily. To Your Good Health, Al Sears, MD, CNS --------------------------------------------------------------- References: - Knott E, et al. “Retinal pigment epithelium and photoreceptor preconditioning protection requires docosanoid signaling.” Cell Mol Neurobiol. 2018. May;38(4):901-917. - “Dietary fat intake linked to dry eye syndrome in women.” Harvard Gazette. October 19, 2005. - Ren H, et al. “Primary open-angle glaucoma patients have reduced levels of blood docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acids.” Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2006. - SanGiovanni J, et al. “The relationship of dietary lipid intake and age-related macular degeneration in a case-control study.” Arch Ophthalmol. 2007 May;125(5):671-9. - Otsuka T, et al. “Astaxanthin protects against retinal damage: evidence from in vivo and in vitro retinal ischemia and reperfusion models.” Curr Eye Res. 2016 Nov;41(11):1465-1472. - Kidd P. “Astaxanthin, cell membrane nutrient with diverse clinical benefits and anti-aging potential.” Altern Med Rev. 2011 Dec;16(4):355-64. alsearsmd@send.alsearsmd.com [Preferences | Unsubscribe](1770d7/l-002e/zout?sid=TV2%3AKGgBFo6dg) 11905 Southern Blvd., Royal Palm Beach, Florida 33411, United States