Health News__
Strong Link Between Smoking And Age-related Blindness

.....People who smoke are about four times more likely to develop a leading cause of severe vision loss known as age-related macular degeneration, reports an Australian study. The study published in the journal Archives of Ophthalmology provides strong evidence of the link between cigarette smoking and a leading cause of vision loss in old age.
.....Researchers followed for 10 years 2,454 Australians who were at least age 49 at the study's outset.
.....Smokers were about four times more likely to develop the disease than people who never smoked, and developed it an average of five years earlier, according to the study.
Previous smokers were three times as likely to have an advanced form of the disease than people who never smoked, the study also found.
.....Experts call cigarette smoking the most preventable cause of macular degeneration. It is a chronic disease that affects the central part of the retina of the eye, resulting in blurred central vision or a blind spot in the center of one's visual field.
.....Macular degeneration does not affect peripheral vision, but the loss of clear central vision can rob a person of the ability to read, drive and recognize people's faces even without causing total blindness.

Is sitting giving you back pain?
..... For many people who work in an office, sitting in a chair without proper back support can create a fair amount of stress on the lower back. When a person is in the seated position, the lumbosacral discs are loaded three times more than standing, and sitting without back support can lead to poor posture. a slouched posture which raises pressure in the spinous discs, loads the tendons in the spine, and keeps the back muscles stretched. This inhibits recovery from daily back stresses, and can lead to back damage in its own right
..... Without lumbar back support, it's more difficult to maintain the correct posture—and the lumbar spine and large muscles in the lower back have to work harder to support the proper curvature and alignment. With good lumbar back support from the office chair, the muscles surrounding the spine are relieved of much of the responsibility of having to keep the spine naturally curved. This support is especially important when seated for a long period.
..... Lumbar pads are cushions that attach to the back of seats in order to provide better support to the lower back. A well-designed lumbar support can improve comfort and reduce back pain. Sometimes sciatica (pain in the legs from back damage) can be reduced by correct lumbar support. Generally you can expect to improve most forms of back problems, especially if you combine a lumbar pad with other revisions to your posture and workstation.

..... Flaxseed is just what it sounds like - the seed of the flax plant. Flaxseed is high in omega-3 oil, an essential fatty acid. Solid scientific research shows that these fatty acids may be protective against cardiovascular disease because they help to maintain healthy triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Studies have shown that 40 grams of flaxseed oil each day can reduce blood clotting by reducing platelet aggregation. Regular flaxseed consumption has also been associated with improvements in the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids in the blood - a situation which may offer protection from atherogenesis and relief from inflammatory conditions.
..... Talk to your local Peoples Pharmacist to see if Omega 3 supplementation can help with your health and wellness.