meditation https://www.fiteyes.com/taxonomy/term/149/all en Informal Survey: Risk Factors for Glaucoma https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/terry/informal-survey-risk-factors-for-glaucoma <div class="sharethis-buttons"><div class="sharethis-wrapper"><span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/terry/informal-survey-risk-factors-for-glaucoma" st_title="Informal%20Survey%3A%20Risk%20Factors%20for%20Glaucoma" class="st_facebook_large" displayText="facebook"></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/terry/informal-survey-risk-factors-for-glaucoma" st_title="Informal%20Survey%3A%20Risk%20Factors%20for%20Glaucoma" class="st_twitter_large" displayText="twitter" st_via="" st_username=""></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/terry/informal-survey-risk-factors-for-glaucoma" st_title="Informal%20Survey%3A%20Risk%20Factors%20for%20Glaucoma" class="st_sharethis_large" displayText="sharethis" st_via="" st_username=""></span> </div></div> <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><strong>Dave posted Oct 25 2019:</strong></p> <p>I would like us to have a discussion about the most important risk factor for glaucoma. To kick off that discussion I thought it would be fun to start with a quiz. There's only one question. Here it is:<br /><strong>What is the risk factor that has the strongest association with the development of glaucoma?</strong><br />I'm asking the question in the most general way. It isn't limited to a certain race or geography or group, etc. Just think of it in the broadest terms possible.<br />All responses are welcome. You can even ask a related question instead of giving an answer if you prefer. This is all just for fun and for our own self-improvement.</p> <p><strong>Here are the responses from our email discussion group:</strong></p> <p>Stress 12<br />Heredity 14<br />Circulation 6<br />Myopia 4<br />Caffeine 2<br />Environmental Toxins 2<br />Age/aging 4<br />Digenstive Disorders 1<br />Diabetes 1<br />High relative IOP 2<br />Steroids 4<br />Strong Emotions 2<br />Shingles 1<br />Diet 1</p> <p><strong>Dave's Response to the survey:</strong></p> <p>I am very impressed with all the replies. This is shaping up to be an interesting discussion. All the responses have been good. I see lots of good ideas and input. We can explore all of these.</p> <p>One of the most interesting responses to me is: <strong>aging</strong>.</p> <p>Aging is interesting because it is indeed one of the most important risk factors for glaucoma, yet possibly one of the most misunderstood. In fact, age is not even mentioned on the Wikipedia page for glaucoma. Here's a study on risk factors that also does not mention age.</p> <p>Risk Factors for Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG) Progression <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4899511/">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4899511/</a></p> <p>However, here are the well-established (mainstream) risk factors and <strong>age is at the top of the list</strong>:</p> <ul style="margin-left: 40px;"><li>Age</li> <li>Being of African American or Hispanic descent</li> <li>Eye injury</li> <li>Thin corneas</li> <li>Elevated eye pressure</li> <li>Family history of glaucoma</li> </ul><p>This (mainstream) list is not as complete as the one FitEyes members have generated in this discussion, but it does underscore the fact that age cannot be neglected in the discussion of risk factors for glaucoma.</p> <p>When I think about age as a risk factor, I'm personally thinking of biological age (and the <strong>process of aging</strong>, which is variable) more than chronological age, which marches on ceaselessly. However, when age is mentioned as a glaucoma risk factor it is described only in terms of chronological age. Chronological age as a glaucoma risk factor is useful for screening and for large scale management of health care, but it is not very useful for me as an individual who has been diagnosed with glaucoma.</p> <p>However, biological age as a risk factor is very interesting because <strong>we can influence our biological age through lifestyle</strong>. We can even reverse our aging process. With this in mind, I think a discussion around age as a risk factor becomes very interesting. It leads us into discussions of nutrition, exercise, stress and many of the other things mentioned in this thread, as well as throughout all of FitEyes. This perspective on aging ties a lot of these different factors together into a unified perspective.</p> <p>If our goal is to slow or reverse our aging process, and the aging process is one of the most important risk factors for glaucoma, it gives us a focus for our stress management, our nutrition, our exercise, our meditation practice, etc.</p> <p>Here's a concrete example. We could utilize the sitting-rising test (SRT) that is often used to assess aging. The SRT can  provide us with insights on the connection between mobility and health and can encourage us to get back in shape. If we score less than 10, we can work on improving our strength, flexibility and balance. We can measure our progress.</p> <p>In a Brazilian study that used the SRT we learned how this simple test relates to aging:</p> <ul style="margin-left: 40px;"><li>Those who scored 0-3 were 6.5 times more likely to die during the study than those who scored 8-10</li> <li>Those who scored 3.5 to 5.5 were 3.8 times more likely to die</li> <li>Those who scored 6 to 7.5 were 1.8 times more likely to die</li> </ul><p>Knowing that age is an important risk factor in glaucoma, we can also understand how something like the SRT might also be useful in determining our risk for glaucoma progression. That statement is based on connecting a number of dots rather than on a direct study of the SRT and glaucoma, but it is not a stretch. It's this simple:</p> <ul style="margin-left: 40px;"><li>age is one of the most important risk factors in glaucoma</li> <li>there are simple lifestyle changes we can make that dramatically influence how we age</li> <li>we can measure the impact of the changes we make through assessments ranging from blood lab tests to simple at-home tests like the SRT</li> </ul><p>I like the fact that this perspective is empowering. It completely shifts age as a risk factor from being something we can't do anything about, to something we can do something about.</p> <p>There are a growing number of doctors who now say <strong>aging is a treatable disease</strong>. That's a novel perspective, and one that takes a moment to wrap your head around. I'm not a big fan of calling aging a disease, but I actually do like the perspective of some of those doctors who are saying that aging is a treatable disease. I translate that statement as saying that <strong>lifestyle (including nutrition and dietary supplements) is a powerful treatment for the diseases of aging</strong>; if we optimize our lifestyle, we can avoid or reverse many of the chronic diseases of aging.</p> <p>Because all the chronic diseases of aging have so much in common, when we reverse our aging process through lifestyle, we are addressing all of these diseases, <strong>including glaucoma</strong>. This becomes a powerful perspective.</p> <p>I know an 80+ year old woman with Type 2 diabetes who completely <strong>reversed her diabetes</strong> this year and no longer requires insulin. She looks more than 10 years younger and everyone remarks how much younger and healthier she looks now! She also has glaucoma. The steps she took to reverse her diabetes, and which reversed her aging process by at least 10 years, also had a very beneficial effect on her glaucoma. (She no longer requires glaucoma eye drops, but there are several factors responsible for that, not just her lifestyle changes.)</p> <p>This person relied extensively on home blood glucose monitoring to track her progress. Likewise, in the FitEyes community, I a continued focus on IOP is important (even for those with NTG). Many people mentioned IOP in this thread. It remains the #1 most important medically treatable risk factor. Unlike blood lab tests, for example, IOP can easily and painlessly be measured at home (even multiple times per day).</p> <p>But the day may come when aging becomes the #1 treatable risk factor for glaucoma. Or, if it doesn't displace IOP as the most important treatable risk factor, maybe it becomes equally important. I'm speculating. But what is beyond speculation is the importance of learning about and practicing lifestyle habits that help us avoid all the diseases of aging as we get older chronologically.</p> <p>Some of the most important factors include:</p> <ul style="margin-left: 40px;"><li> <p>nutrition: dietary supplements</p> </li> <li> <p>exercise: flexibility - yoga and stretching exercises, balance, strength</p> </li> <li> <p>meditation (or regular daily periods of a quiet mind, free of thoughts)</p> </li> <li> <p>screen time</p> </li> <li> <p>outdoor time</p> </li> <li> <p>amount of time we spend seated</p> </li> <li> <p>relationships &amp; community (including FitEyes)</p> </li> <li> <p>joy and purpose</p> </li> </ul><p> </p> <p><strong>Dave added this 10-26-2019:</strong></p> <p>When I was younger I had great vision and I had probably never heard of glaucoma. I had also never visited an ophthalmologist, although I had seen an optometrist once or twice.</p> <p>One day, out of curiosity, I made an appointment with an astrologer who was visiting the USA from India. He warned me that I would experience problems with my eyes, and he said, "particularly your right eye." At the time I thought the problems might be something related to eye injuries so I began being more diligent about wearing safety glasses when I should, etc. However, the danger turned out to be glaucoma (many years later). And, exactly as the astrologer predicted, it affected my right eye much more than my left eye. This story was my first ever blog post on FitEyes: <a href="http://www.fiteyes.com/PanditOjhaConsultation1992">http://www.fiteyes.com/PanditOjhaConsultation1992</a></p> <p>Sleeping position and genes are not the only things that can affect one eye more than the other. Injury (even subtle injury) could be a factor. But even stress does not affect both eyes equally. If you do careful enough research with your own tonometer, many of you will see that stress affects IOP in one eye more than the other. If you become good enough at unbiased self-observation, you may notice that you contract the muscles in response to stress much more in one eye than in the other. You may blink differently with one eye. We tend to have a dominant eye (like we have a dominant hand), and we therefore use that eye differently.</p> <p>When it comes to genes, I like to remind people that DNA is not destiny. Our diet, stress and lifestyle affect genetic expression. It is possible that a disease-related gene is never expressed. Furthermore, think about the fact that even in those who have a strong genetic predisposition toward glaucoma, in most (but not all) cases aging causes the actual manifestation of the condition. And if not aging, then something like stress, injury, drugs, etc.</p> <p>Here's another thought: there is a difference between a specific cause of glaucoma for any individual and the risk factors for glaucoma in general.</p> <p>There's a lot of interest here in "what specifically caused my own glaucoma." For some of us, it is often impossible to know for sure. For others, there is a much more clear cause.</p> <p>For all of us, aging might be one of the most important risk factors. Heredity is a known risk factor. IOP remains the most important medically treatable risk factor, even for those with NTG. And while those statements remain generally true for all of us, any one of us could be impacted by a specific, unique causal event such as a steroid drug or a particularly stressful period.</p> <p>But here's another thought -- when our biological age is younger, we have a better chance of rebounding from damaging or stressful events. (And, by definition, our DNA is healthier too.) When our biological age is older, those same factors can lead to serious problems. The take-away, for me, is that I can practice the things I listed in my last message (good eating, exercise, meditation, stretching, etc.) and slow or reverse my biological aging, which will give me greater resilience to anything that happens (or has happened).</p> <p>We are not in control of many things that happen to us. Many of the specific causes for glaucoma that people have listed here were out of their control. But a healthy lifestyle is something we can do something about. If we make that choice and maintain regular healthy habits, we can slow and even reverse all of the chronic diseases of aging, including glaucoma.</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline inline clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Filed Under (tags): </h3><ul class="links inline"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/tags/glaucoma-risk-factors">Glaucoma Risk Factors</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/tags/stress">stress</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/tags/age">age</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-3"><a href="/tags/aging">aging</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-4"><a href="/tags/Nutrition">Nutrition</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-5"><a href="/tags/exercise">exercise</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-6"><a href="/tags/meditation">meditation</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-7"><a href="/tags/joy">joy</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-8"><a href="/tags/purpose">purpose</a></li></ul></div> Fri, 25 Oct 2019 22:44:57 +0000 terry 1713 at https://www.fiteyes.com The cost of losing one's vision is far greater than the cost of buying a tonometer or of learning a proven meditation technique https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/the-cost-of-losing-ones-vision-is-far-greater-than-the-cost-of-buying-a-tonometer <div class="sharethis-buttons"><div class="sharethis-wrapper"><span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/the-cost-of-losing-ones-vision-is-far-greater-than-the-cost-of-buying-a-tonometer" st_title="The%20cost%20of%20losing%20one%27s%20vision%20is%20far%20greater%20than%20the%20cost%20of%20buying%20a%20tonometer%20or%20of%20learning%20a%20proven%20meditation%20technique" class="st_facebook_large" displayText="facebook"></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/the-cost-of-losing-ones-vision-is-far-greater-than-the-cost-of-buying-a-tonometer" st_title="The%20cost%20of%20losing%20one%27s%20vision%20is%20far%20greater%20than%20the%20cost%20of%20buying%20a%20tonometer%20or%20of%20learning%20a%20proven%20meditation%20technique" class="st_twitter_large" displayText="twitter" st_via="" st_username=""></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/the-cost-of-losing-ones-vision-is-far-greater-than-the-cost-of-buying-a-tonometer" st_title="The%20cost%20of%20losing%20one%27s%20vision%20is%20far%20greater%20than%20the%20cost%20of%20buying%20a%20tonometer%20or%20of%20learning%20a%20proven%20meditation%20technique" class="st_sharethis_large" displayText="sharethis" st_via="" st_username=""></span> </div></div> <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Most FitEyes discussion happens on our very active mailing list. If you want the latest news, subscribe to our mailing list.</p> <p>I took part in a mailing list discussion today. A number of people asked me to post the following message on my blog for easy reference. For context I will include the comments I was responding to first, followed by my response. (I'm editing parts of this for privacy and clarity.)</p> <blockquote><div>Dear David</div> <div> </div> <div>I think you propose a worthy if perhaps somewhat idealistic perspective on meditation training. In the so-called  'real' world, most people have families and financial constraints and simply cannot afford the kind of ongoing fees required for accessing your recommended meditation.</div> <div><br />I'm guessing there are many cultural differences between the USA and the UK and certainly here in the UK, there is much more of a sense that lack of funds should not be a barrier to anyone's pursuit of health - particularly with regard to preserving sight. That's why we have the NHS I guess! </div> <div> </div> <div>[The things you recommend] may be fine for those who can pay large sums of money, however I'm sure there will be other paths for those less affluent. </div> </blockquote> <div> </div> <div>Thanks for your message. You have inspired a passionate response from me because this is something I feel strongly about. It is an issue that gets right to the heart of why I founded FitEyes more than ten years ago. The issue has always been front and center. While I haven't written much about it recently, not a day goes by where I am not confronted with this issue.<br /> </div> <p>I'd like to argue that in contrast to your statement, my perspective isn't idealistic at all. It is <b>hard-core</b> realistic. I believe it's similar to the perspective a seasoned business executive might bring to a tough business decision, for example. It is based on a thoughtful and very rational cost-benefit analysis.<br /><br />FitEyes has always been focused on the difficult decisions we glaucoma patients face at the current point in history where we don't have an easy option for preventing glaucoma progression. That difficult situation has shaped my perpective. I would say it is born of fire and forged by the hammer of real life challenges. For many people, losing eyesight is more fearful than death. We are absolutely dealing with situations that require a real-world approach, not an idealistic approach. Measuring our own eye pressure, for example, is as hard-core and real-world as it gets in this context. I put proper meditation instruction in the same category.<br /> </p> <div>My advice is most relevant for those who have lost some visual field or show some progression of glaucoma by other metrics. If one shows no progression over a long period of time, then one probably doesn't need need any of my advice. But most of us in FitEyes are more concerned about our vision for one reason or another. In my case, because I have a more aggressive form of glaucoma and I wasn't diagnosed early, I had already lost significant vision when I was first diagnosed.</div> <div><br />I think many people in this category (having lost some vision to glaucoma or at risk of glaucoma progression) are not thinking realistically about their finances vs glaucoma. <b>The cost of losing one's vision is far greater than the cost of buying a tonometer or of learning a proven meditation technique like Serene Impulse.</b> In fact, for those of us in this category, investing more in our vision is the wisest decision we can make. (And waiting for a possible future less expensive option is a very bad decision in my opinion.)<br /> </div> <div>If one properly adds up the increase in expenses and the reduction in earning potential resulting from vision loss, then the decision to invest in the things we most frequently discuss on FitEyes (including not only meditation but also other things such as a Rife Machine, a microcurrent device, etc.) is easy to justify. In fact, I don't see how a middle class glaucoma patient in a developed country can <i>not</i> justify owning a tonometer and learning meditation, at a minimum.</div> <div> </div> <p>I often hear people with sufficient means say they can't afford a tonometer (or meditation or supplements or whatever else it is that we are discussing at a given moment). I have a very hard time accepting that argument from anyone in a developed country. At a point in my life when I was in a <i>very</i> difficult financial position and facing an even more difficult future due to not working, I took every dollar I could scrape together and I bought a Reichert tonometer. I believe that if I was able to do it, almost anyone in a developed country can do it.<br /> </p> <div>In fact, I know of some FitEyes members who, while in a financial position as difficult as my own was, have also bought tonometers. So I am far from the only one. However, the more common situation is that people with plenty of money make excuses that they cannot afford a tonometer. And the same is true for meditation, supplements and almost everything else that isn't covered by insurance or NHS or equivalent.</div> <div> </div> <div>I made the conscious decision that I would rather live the rest of my life in poverty and maintain my eyesight than live in a normal situation without my eyesight. I stand by that decision today even after living a number of years with income below the official poverty level. (As a side note, I believe poverty is largely a state of mind, and I never feel poor even when I don't have money.) No amount of money and no material possessions are worth more than my health (physical, emotional and spiritual) and my eyesight. If I am healthy and I have vision, I can find a way to survive and be happy. Without those things (and especially without what I have learned from meditation training) all the comfort and money in the world will not mean much.<br /><br />Yet I see a lot of people unconsciously decide the opposite -- to maintain their financial status quo rather than seriously invest in their health and eyesight.<br /><br />Rather than upset the status quo when it comes to investing in things not covered (a tonometer, a proven meditation program, special dietary supplements, etc.) people will stay within their established bondaries. They will keep saving for retirement, keep buying everyday things, only avail themselves of treatments covered by insurance, etc. Sticking with the status quo of one's life in the face of glaucoma progression is akin to having one's head in the sand.<br /><br />To have a different outcome, we must act, we must get a new perspective, we must change our fundamental habits of living and our habitual state of mind. Instead, what many people do, is stay in their familiar rut in life and<b> worry, worry, worry</b>.  That's mostly what the thread that trigger this response was about (see "the stress of controlling stress").<br /> </div> <div>As adults, we can almost never make a fundamental self-change on own. We need a mentor or a coach to help us change at such a deep level. Otherwise, we'll select the book, the video, the whatever, that reinforces our existing state. Or, when things get tough, we'll stop. We need a dedicated teacher to get us through these challenges. And you won't get a dedicated teacher and a strong bond if it is nothing more than a casual relationship.</div> <div><br />My strong recommendation of meditation is also based on the fact that this training is the most essential training one can understake in life to ensure that one does not suffer regardless of financial position, health, vision or any other external circumstances.<br /><br />After I was diagnosed with glaucoma (and lost further vision in the first two years after that diagnosis while following all my doctor's advice), I made myself sit down and take a hard look at my life. At that point I made my health and eyesight my #1 priority in my life.<br /><br />Then I found a way to do everything i could to improve my chances of maintaining my vision and I did not let lack of income or anything else stop me. Sure, I faced obstacles, but I found a way to reach my goals. And I am still carrying forward with that attitude today. It isn't a path without challenges. I fall back into old habits at times but my support system corrects me. And I have to remind myself where my true priorities are and I have to stick to my disciplines. But I walk the talk every day -- and this is anything but idealistic. It is as pragmatic as any activity in life can be. I generally don't recommend anything I haven't done myself, and this includes making financial sacrifices to get proper training in meditation.<br /> </div> <p>I don't think this perspective has much to do with US vs UK either because these decisions are the same in every country in the world. I do not know of a single country that will pay for a tonometer or pay for the meditation instruction of a glaucoma patient's choice. To go this extra distance, we have to make the investments ourselves. Certainly, we will always have to do the most difficult things ourselves. We have to take the time each day to exercise, meditate, eat well, manage our stress, take our supplements, practice our Bates techniques, etc. For people in the category I mentioned above, there is absolutely no sane alternative to making a number of diffcult investments in our health. We have to look at the costs of not acting or delaying taking appropriate action, recognize how extremely great those consequences can be, and then find a way to make the required investment to minimize or avoid the costs of vision loss, even if making that investment requires that we move out of our current comfort zone.<br /> </p> <div>Laurel, you make it sound like Serene Impulse costs a fortune. It doesn't. It's very reasonable in my opinion. It is less expensive than the very well-known prior meditation technique I learned (and it is far more effective). In fact, there is never a charge for the Serene Impulse knowledge or instruction. (Those are considered priceless.) The only expense a student incurs is for the teacher's time. I think that's a very fair system.<br /><br />My central argument is that learning meditation without supporting one's teacher (or especially without having a living teacher where there is a strong personal bond) is usually a bad investment (of one's time and life energy). Students have to support their meditation teacher in one way or another. It can be via volunteer work or donations or direct payment. (In my experience, direct payment is the least expensive of those options for the average student.) If your meditation teacher isn't supported by his or her students, and that teacher is a dedicated full-time professional, how is such a person paying their living expenses in today's world? If the person doesn't face the same financial needs as the rest of us, they may not be the best person to teach one about stress management in the real world.<br /> </div> <div>(Alternatively, if one's teacher is supported by donations, but you aren't donating, that's simply not fair. In short, there is no free meditation instruction that can produce the kind of change I'm referring to. Any good meditation program has costs. Teachers, or the organization supporting them, have costs.)<br /> </div> <div>The kind of bond that is required to effect real change is the kind of bond that doesn't come with a casual relationship such as you might expect when you are taking something from a teacher and not giving back. Even if you find a teacher who can teach you for free, if you don't make a serious commitment of some type, that relationship will not help you achieve fundamental change. And without fundamental change inside, the course of our glaucoma will not change. That's another central argument of mine. We have to change inside or our stress will never be managed.<br /><br />The comments in these recent posts about the "stress of controlling stress" are illuminating. One fundamental decision I see being made over and over is that people will keep their fists tightly clutched around their dollars to their death. When I decided to buy a tonometer even though I couldn't afford it, this was the mindset I had recognized in myself and was consciously letting go of.<br /><br />The need to make that kind of decision is why we have the parable about how to catch a monkey:<br /><br /><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"> <p align="left"><i>Native tribes used to catch monkeys by hollowing out a coconut and filling it with rice or other delicacies, then leaving it tethered to a tree for a monkey to find. A monkey would reach in and grab the desired delicacy and be trapped because the hole had been deliberately made just big enough for a flexible hand to enter but not for a closed fist to leave. In short order, the monkey went from getting his dinner to being someone else’s dinner.</i></p> <p align="left"><i>Clearly it was not the coconut that was the trapping the monkey. Rather the true trap was in the monkey’s own mind, the monkey’s greed, the monkey’s attachment to his physical possessions, the monkey’s unwillingness to “Let Go.”</i></p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"><i>From that perspective, how are we trapping ourselves? Where are we creating our own boxes? Our own predicaments? Where would an outside perspective, one free of our emotional attachments, one unencumbered by our cultural norms, see a way out that we do not let ourselves see?</i></p> </blockquote> <p>We will hold on to our dollars tightly while we let our health, our vision and our happiness slip away. With that fist closed tightly, what do we risk? Glaucoma progression? A heart attack? Other health problems? To make the decision against investing in a proven program and to leave the door open to those avoidable consequences is very sad.<br /><br />I remind myself of this trap every day. Every day I dedicate myself anew to letting go of any attachments to money or material possessions that might get in the way of my health and inner peace. Two of my most discussed decisions in that regard were purchasing my first good tonometer (yes, I learned the hard way that the cheap tonometers are a bad investment) and investing seriously in good meditation training. Working with a good Bates vision teacher was also another similar investment I have written about here on FitEyes. But there are thousands of other examples, including things like my membership for regular therapeutic massages. (Regular therapeutic massages are yet another thing many people say they can't afford. Almost everything I do for my health falls into this category. When I mention that I eat only organic food, the most common response I hear is, "I can't afford that." But I hear it from people who wear nicer clothes than me and drive fancier, newer cars, and take vacations, etc.)<br /> </p></div> <div>As a side note I will mention that I started eating healthy organic foods when I was a college student. I was living entirely on student loans. Unlike many of the students around me, I had little or no financial help from my family. In this situation I stuck to my healthy eating because I gave myself no other option. I simply made healthy food a priority in my budget and I cut back on other things to make the budget work. Yet other students with more financial resource claimed they couldn't afford to eat healthy, organic food. Obviously, this was simply an excuse.</div> <div><br />However, even though I had some early insight into the importance of making healthy choices a priority, I still fell into the trap of subordinating my health to the (seeming) demands of modern life in many ways. Looking back, I clearly remember rejecting many of the same arguments I am making now. I can also remember being critical of my own meditation teacher in the early days. I remember resenting the cost of meditation instruction in the beginning. (And before that I wasted many years trying to gain meditation skills on my own.) Having those experiences is why I am able to understand now that the bond with the teacher must be real and it must strong. The change that comes about with meditation will test the bonds of that relationship more than once.<br /> </div> <div>For glaucoma patients in the category I mentioned above, the result we want is to maintain our vision for our entire lives. Mainstream modern medicine has limited answers for us. We need to make some effort ourselves. But in making that effort, we need to be wise. We need to select a good tonometer, not the cheapest tonometer. We need to select a good meditation technique and an execellent teacher, not the cheapest meditation course or what we find for free on Youtube.<br /><br />We need to be willing to make difficult choices. We might have to do without other things in our lives in order to make health and eyesight our #1 priority. But in that difficult choice are great rewards.<br /> </div> <div>However, the surprise is that making the choice to put health and inner peace <b>first</b>, is often <i>more</i> difficult for those who are affluent.</div> <div> </div> <div> <div data-smartmail="gmail_signature"> <div dir="ltr"> <div>Regards,<br />David</div> </div> </div> </div> <p> </p> <p> </p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline inline clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Filed Under (tags): </h3><ul class="links inline"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/tags/meditation">meditation</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/tags/tonometers">tonometers</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/tags/glaucoma">glaucoma</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-3"><a href="/tags/stress">stress</a></li></ul></div> Wed, 28 Sep 2016 06:16:17 +0000 dave 1688 at https://www.fiteyes.com Best Dietary Supplements For Lowering Eye Pressure https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/terry/best-dietary-supplements-for-lowering-eye-pressure <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="premium-message"><div class="premium_teaser_login"> <p><strong>Only registered users have access to the most valuable content of the FitEyes community: Blogs, Comments, FitEyes Discussion Group Archives, unique information on self-tonometry and other user-generated research.</strong></p> <p><strong>You must register</strong> because we have content that cannot be viewed unless you agree to our terms and conditions. </p> <h4>New users please <a href="http://www.fiteyes.com/user/register" target="_self" title="New user registration">click here to create new account</a> to read more...</h4> </div> </div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline inline clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Filed Under (tags): </h3><ul class="links inline"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/tags/supplement">supplement</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/tags/meditation">meditation</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/tags/pressure">pressure</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-3"><a href="/tags/walks">walks</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-4"><a href="/tags/exercise">exercise</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-5"><a href="/tags/Serene-Impulse">Serene Impulse</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-6"><a href="/tags/bates">Bates</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-7"><a href="/tags/monitoring">Monitoring</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-8"><a href="/tags/water">water</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-9"><a href="/tags/face-down-postures">face-down postures</a></li></ul></div><div class="sharethis-buttons"><div class="sharethis-wrapper"><span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/terry/best-dietary-supplements-for-lowering-eye-pressure" st_title="Best%20Dietary%20Supplements%20For%20Lowering%20Eye%20Pressure" class="st_facebook_large" displayText="facebook"></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/terry/best-dietary-supplements-for-lowering-eye-pressure" st_title="Best%20Dietary%20Supplements%20For%20Lowering%20Eye%20Pressure" class="st_twitter_large" displayText="twitter" st_via="" st_username=""></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/terry/best-dietary-supplements-for-lowering-eye-pressure" st_title="Best%20Dietary%20Supplements%20For%20Lowering%20Eye%20Pressure" class="st_sharethis_large" displayText="sharethis" st_via="" st_username=""></span> </div></div> Thu, 05 Nov 2015 01:14:13 +0000 terry 1686 at https://www.fiteyes.com Can Grounding Lower IOP? https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/can-grounding-lower-iop <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="premium-message"><div class="premium_teaser_login"> <p><strong>Only registered users have access to the most valuable content of the FitEyes community: Blogs, Comments, FitEyes Discussion Group Archives, unique information on self-tonometry and other user-generated research.</strong></p> <p><strong>You must register</strong> because we have content that cannot be viewed unless you agree to our terms and conditions. </p> <h4>New users please <a href="http://www.fiteyes.com/user/register" target="_self" title="New user registration">click here to create new account</a> to read more...</h4> </div> </div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline inline clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Filed Under (tags): </h3><ul class="links inline"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/tags/Serene-Impulse">Serene Impulse</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/tags/dance">dance</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/tags/embodiment">embodiment</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-3"><a href="/tags/meditation">meditation</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-4"><a href="/tags/intraocular-pressure">intraocular pressure</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-5"><a href="/tags/Eye-Pressure">Eye Pressure</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-6"><a href="/tags/iop">IOP</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-7"><a href="/tags/grounding">grounding</a></li></ul></div><div class="sharethis-buttons"><div class="sharethis-wrapper"><span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/can-grounding-lower-iop" st_title="Can%20Grounding%20Lower%20IOP%3F" class="st_facebook_large" displayText="facebook"></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/can-grounding-lower-iop" st_title="Can%20Grounding%20Lower%20IOP%3F" class="st_twitter_large" displayText="twitter" st_via="" st_username=""></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/can-grounding-lower-iop" st_title="Can%20Grounding%20Lower%20IOP%3F" class="st_sharethis_large" displayText="sharethis" st_via="" st_username=""></span> </div></div> Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:49:15 +0000 dave 1405 at https://www.fiteyes.com Stress and Eye Pressure https://www.fiteyes.com/home/stress-and-eye-pressure <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- CALL: theme('field') --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--body--section.tpl.php * field--section.tpl.php * field--body.tpl.php * field--text-with-summary.tpl.php x field--fences-div.tpl.php * field.tpl.php --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'sites/all/modules/fences/templates/field--fences-div.tpl.php' --> <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"> <address>It has been the conventional wisdom of the medical profession that stress and other psychological states have no discernable influence on eye pressures or glaucoma progression. However, we invite you to read from the perspective of our FitEyes self tonometry community, our doctors own reports, and recent research.</address> <p><strong>Stress and Eye Pressure</strong><img alt="" src="/sites/www.fiteyes.com/files/_uploads_cck/field_images_inserted/stressed.jpg" style="width: 225px; height: 175px; float: right; margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 3px;" /></p> <div>The ophthalmology community is not in full agreement as to the effect of stress on intraocular pressure (IOP) because it is hard to quantify subjective experiences in a clinical setting using the standard methods of testing and research.  However, there has been research which builds a case for the involvement of stress on IOP,  for example in the article<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Intraocular%20pressure%20changes%3A%20the%20influence%20of%20psychological%20stress%20and%20the%20Valsalva%20maneuver" target="_blank"> Intraocular pressure changes: the influence of psychological stress and the Valsalva maneuver</a>, pressure increases are noted, but these don't fully test the full gamut of stress. Additionally, many professionals in this field have witnessed these effects both clinically and in anecdotal observations from patients.  The most important input, however, comes from the group of FitEyes pioneers who as glaucoma patients, have begun practicing self tonometry and documenting important, relevant data concerning the behavior of their eye pressures.</div> <div> </div> <div>Trying to define stress in light of intraocular pressure influences needs to be approached carefully, as there is no universal definition of stress without relating appropriate experiences in context. Stress which elevates eye pressure may not always meet the definition of a 'negative emotion.' For example, many who practice home based self tonometry, report that excessive stimulation (being in crowds, at parties, movies, sporting events etc) can raise pressures. Additionally, overthinking, scheming, and excessive mental activity can raise IOP. However, it is not just the activities alone which can raise IOP, but more likely, unconscious psychological factors. Therefore, to get a true picture of the often subtle effects of stress, requires considerable practice in home monitoring of eye pressures - while employing as scientific an approach as possible. Much insight and many beneficial lifestyle changes can be realized! For more on this, see "<a href="/node/1197" target="_blank">Evolution of a Self Tonometrist</a>.'</div> <div> </div> <div>For some, the effects of  transitory stress on IOP  are evident, but for others the effects are quite subtle and can even have a latent effect following a particularly stressful period. <em>Here are a few examples and related commentary by one glaucoma doctor;</em></div> <div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 40px;">Some patients have asked whether a stressful incident (argument with a child earlier in the day over homework or something, for example) would affect their IOPs. I've been inclined to tell them I didn't think that experiencing transient stress on a particular day had much effect, and anyway, it is part of life. There are patients whose IOP has been well controlled for quite some time, and one day they come in with an IOP 15-20 mm Hg higher than usual.  If you ask, many (I dare say most) will tell you of a major chronic stress - - a very recent death of a spouse, in the midst of bitter divorce proceedings, and in one instance seen by Paul Palmberg, a woman whose son had the day before been found guilty of first degree murder.</div> <div style="margin-left: 40px;"> </div> <div style="margin-left: 40px;"> I remember one time a resident came to my clinic while I was in the midst of examining a patient to say he had a patient with a pressure in the 30s, when before it had always been in the teens.  He wanted to know how to proceed to identify a cause, as he could not find one.  I told him to go ask the patient whether his brother died recently, or some other major emotional event.  The resident returned in 5 minutes, amazed, and reported that indeed the patient's twin brother died the day before and they were in the midst of making funeral arrangements.</div> <div style="margin-left: 40px;"> </div> <div style="margin-left: 40px;">My experience with relatively chronic stress (a prolonged divorce proceeding, prolonged grief over death in the family, etc.) can keep the IOP high and pretty much uncontrollable for months, but (n=10 or so) progression of disc damage and fields has not happened.  I have tried various tranquilizers, but none seem to affect the IOP, but I may not be good at choosing the right drug for the person's emotional state.  Eventually the IOP comes back down, except in one case of a woman with marital troubles who said they were resolved, but IOP didn't come down much.  It could be that it was still weighing on her mind that she had been betrayed.</div> <div style="margin-left: 40px;"> </div> <div style="margin-left: 40px;">Anyway, I am convinced that everyday stress, even in stressful jobs, doesn't seem to impact IOP, and neither does a transient event that causes anger.  However, I am equally certain that a deep-seated emotion that is prolonged can have a big effect on IOP, but will gradually go away, and generally before it causes much harm.  So I tended to treat with maximum medicine and wait, watching for progression (in which case I might contemplate surgery), but never did have to resort to pressure lowering with surgery even though the pressure was clearly above the goal I would have in mind or the IOP I thought should be dangerous for that person.</div> <div style="margin-left: 40px;"> </div> <p>From the perspective of what is reported in the self tonometry community, most can agree with this doctor's comments. However, the part relating to things like stressful jobs not having an impact, is probably not correct. Here is another excellent example as reported by renowned glaucoma specialist Dr Robert Ritch of the New York Eye &amp; Ear Infirmary, which illustrates effects of both transitory and life change stresses;</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">Over the years I have had a number of patients who were well controlled for long periods whose IOP rose 10 mmHg for several weeks after the death of a spouse. I also had a lawyer whose IOP was 20 mmHg consistently except when after she got out of arguing in front of a jury, it was 40 mmHg.</p> <div>It was further reported that the lawyer was not able to bring down her pressures in spite of medications. Therefore, in susceptible individuals, certain stressors can even overwhelm glaucoma medications!</div> <div> <div> </div> <div>Adding to the above, Bailey of FitEyes says that his own glaucoma specialist reports seeing an often high spike of eye pressure in patients who have gone through a divorce, lost a job, or have had other major life changes and stressors.</div> <div> <!--break--></div> <h2><strong>Examples of IOP and Stress from the FitEyes Self-Tonometry Community</strong></h2> <div>An excerpt from Dave's Blog on FitEyes  <a href="/node/178">Medication Less Effective Under Stress</a>?</div> <blockquote><div style="margin-left: 40px;">In recent weeks my eye pressure have been higher, on average. I presume that situation coincides with the meetings and discussions about my new business venture. We had casual conversations for a while, but the beginning of serious meetings and the financial negotiations, correlates closely with the increased average eye pressure values. (Of course, there could be something else that changed around this time that I'm overlooking, so I'll try to keep an open mind.)</div> <div style="margin-left: 40px;">The Timoptic, which had been working so well when I used only 1 drop in my right eye every 3-5 days, seemed to become ineffective during this recent period (beginning the last week of October through yesterday). I even switched to a brand new bottle of Timoptic just to rule out the question of whether there was a problem with the medication itself. The switch made no difference.</div> </blockquote> <div>From Sally,</div> <div> <blockquote>My IOP can fluctuate rapidly (within seconds) depending upon the situation, my thoughts, and feelings. During one period of IOP measurements several years ago, the first 2 measurements were in the mid-high teens. Then just as I was taking a third measurement, my husband called to me, saying that an ambulance was at his niece's house next door. That measurement was in the low 30s. After we checked and found that everything was OK, I took my IOP again and it was back down to low 20s.</blockquote> </div> <div>Similarly, another individual reported that his elderly father was visiting him from out of town and had to have an emergency heart procedure. His pressures had been measuring in the teens, but he decided to check his pressure shortly before taking his dad in for the procedure and found his eye pressures to be 30. In addition to being fearful regarding the outcome of the procedure, he was also stressed that his dad might be with him for a long rehab. When the situation was resolved, his pressures returned to normal.</div> <div> </div> <div>Here is a report from Marvin, <a href="/node/825">Things That Lower My IOP ( other than eye drops )</a>. These illustrate the flip side of stress, namely, enjoyable activities;</div> <ul><li>Laughing ( light-heartedness )</li> <li>Enjoying company of friends and family ( probably laughing involved )</li> <li>1 or 1/2 drink of alcoholic beverage ( perhaps increasing the chance of feeling light-hearted )</li> <li>A light schedule at work ( perhaps these are all different ways of saying the same thing? )</li> </ul></div> <p>There are many such examples, and they illustrate that there can be an immediate reaction to stress (which can correspondingly resolve appropriately), and there can also be a prolonged elevation of IOP resulting from a chronically unresolved stress state. In the latter case, it may take a concerted effort and lifestyle changes to bring pressures down. </p> <div><strong>White Coat Syndrome and Eye Pressure</strong></div> <div> </div> <div>White coat hypertension as seen in blood pressure elevation during doctor visits, also effects the eye pressures of many (especially those with ocular hypertension and/or glaucoma). This is another argument for the role stress plays in eye pressure and is demonstrated by the following examples:</div> <div> <div> <ul><li> <div>Tonometry measurements on doctor visits will in many cases result in lower pressures on successive measurements as the patient relaxes (or when taken by a technician versus the doctor).</div> </li> <li> <div>Eye pressures following a visual field test have been demonstrated as being higher as shown by this study; <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21673592" target="_blank">Elevation of intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients after automated visual field testing</a></div> </li> <li> <div>Measurements taken at home are usually lower on immediate successive measurements. As in the first point, this demonstrates anticipation anxiety on initial measurements and therefore, demonstrates an effect of stress.</div> </li> <li>Doctor office visits have been reported to be higher than 'at home' before-and-after measurements by those who self monitor. This might be due to discrepancies in the type of tonometers being used, but some have reported taking their tonometers into the doctors office to do side-by-side comparisons in order to rule this out. Additionally, there have been other comparisons such as in <a href="http://www.optometricmanagement.com/mtotw/tip_new.asp?tip=132" target="_blank">Non-contact tonometers... they get no respect.</a> Note this quote:<a href="http://hrcak.srce.hr/14387?lang=en" target="_blank">Comparative Analysis of Intraocular Pressure Measurements with Different Ophthalmologic Devices</a> <ul><li><em>Myth: The NCT is not accurate. I've actually found them to be quite accurate, especially the newer models. I've had 4 NCTs over the years. Two that I'd call "first generation" and my two present identical machines, used in our two pre-test rooms. I've compared IOP measurements from these NCTs with Goldmann readings on thousands of patients, and they are consistently within 1-2 mms.</em></li> </ul></li> </ul></div> <div><em>An excellent example of 'White Coat' effecting IOP as reported by Dave of FitEyes:</em></div> </div> <blockquote><div style="margin-left: 40px;">I usually measure my eye pressure many times per day at home with my Reichert AT555 tonometer. Today I measured my eye pressure throughout the day, as usual, and it averaged about 12 mmHg. Just before my eye doctor appointment I measured my eye pressure again. It was 13.0 in my right eye and 12.0 in my left eye.</div> <div style="margin-left: 40px;">Then I left for my appointment and I took my tonometer from my house to my doctor’s office. At the doctor’s office, we measured my IOP six times using both a Goldman applanation tonometer and my AT555 side by side. The Goldman tonometry was done by the doctor. I did the AT555 measurements exactly like I do at home. My doctor observed all my AT555 measurements. In short, my eye pressure (right eye) went from 13 at home (immediately before leaving) to 20 in the doctor’s office and then back to 12 when I returned home.</div> </blockquote> <div style="margin-left: 40px;"> </div> <div>Read the full article with experiment results: <a href="/node/64">White Coat Syndrome for Eye Pressure.</a></div> <div> </div> <p><strong>Effects of Meditation on Eye Pressure</strong></p> <div>While it might seem intuitive that if stressful states raise eye pressure, meditation and relaxation training would have the opposite effect of lowering them. Unfortunately, for many, it doesn't seem to work that way, and in fact, many report that certain meditation practices can noticeably raise intraocular pressures. This is not the same as a having a quiet time or 'kicking back' which is very beneficial, but it pertains more to the active practice of different meditation forms. There are certain types of meditation like Serene Impulse which are reported to have beneficial lowering effects on IOP.  Because there are many with glaucoma and/or ocular hypertension with type “A” personality, it is conceivable that meditation practices can raise eye pressures by increasing mental energy involved in concentration etc.</div> <div> </div> <p><strong>Mechanisms by which stress might elevate eye pressure</strong></p> <div>While there may not yet be sufficient scientific studies to pinpoint all the possible causes, the mechanisms by which stress and mental states affect intraocular pressure can be:</div> <ul><li>The body under stress releases higher amounts of cortisol (a natural steroid), and it is known that steroids can have a dramatic effect on IOP in susceptible individuals. There are many other hormones and chemicals released by the body during stress which could have an effect on raising IOP – including an increase in aqueous fluid production.</li> <li>Stress can dilate the pupils and this can have an effect on eye pressure in some individuals - especially those with narrow angles.</li> <li>The production of aqueous fluid in the eye can be heightened under stress.</li> <li>Stress affecting the facial muscles, and among them, the extraocular or orbital eye muscles (those outside the eye) have been shown to cause increases of IOP. Here is an excerpt from an article alluding to this, <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3837669" target="_blank">intraocular pressure responses among ocular-hypertensive subjects.</a></li> <li>Several animal and human investigations have indicated that intraocular pressure (IOP) levels may be associated with extreme drug-induced changes in the extraocular muscles. Further, recent data suggest that, among individuals with normal IOP level, moderate increases in facial muscle (EMG) activity around the eye while the eye is open are associated with increases in IOP.</li> </ul><div>All of the above points can probably be summarized by the fact that stress contracts the entire body, and we feel that this is bound to have an effect on the trabecular and uveoscleral outflows (the 'drains' by which the eye relieves built-up aqueous fluid).</div> <div> </div> <p><strong>Effects of stress on glaucoma as a whole</strong></p> <div>New research is shedding light on the fact that eye pressure is only one factor in glaucoma damage. Recent findings reveal that an underlying mechanism of inflammation and oxidative damage of the nervous system is involved. It is equally important in considering the impacts of the effects of stress on these as well.</div> <div> </div> <div>Vascular dysregulation via vasospasm and autonomic dysfunction have been demonstrated to be a primary suspect in normal tension glaucoma (glaucoma with normal pressures). See <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=E5MCaaOn4MoC&amp;pg=PA43&amp;lpg=PA43&amp;dq=flammer+glaucoma+vascular+dysregulation&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=gEe6Px7Aut&amp;sig=jPQ-dqND3SOOccy6IGbMxIK26Z0&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=IcpoT_v_NcT5sQLWtIiQCQ&amp;ved=0CDwQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&amp;q=flammer%20glaucoma%20vascular%20dysregulation&amp;f=false" target="_blank">Ocular blood flow and optic neuropathy</a>. Psychological stress is a contributing factor in these conditions as evidenced by the other effects on related symptoms like migraine, blood pressure, body temperature irregularities etc which are influenced by stress levels.</div> <div> </div> <div>Most glaucoma is now believed to be part of an overall body and/or nervous system disorder. As stress has been shown to be involved in most disease processes and be harmful to many functions of the brain, nervous system, and cardiovascular system (of which the eyes are intricately involved), reducing stress should be of primary concern for those with glaucoma.</div> <div> </div> <div>Glaucoma damage ultimately involves oxidation and inflammatory stresses to the optic nerve and retinal nerve cell layers (and even the unseen brain side of the visual nervous pathway). Stress increases the release of adrenalin, cortisol, and inflammatory substances like TNF alpha - which is involved in the end stages of optic nerve cell death. Stress is also known to negatively affect the body's response to insulin, and this can also have an effect on glaucoma.</div> <div> </div> <div>Medical science is just now beginning to fully recognize the systemic effects of stress on inflammation (a key factor in glaucoma). Here is an excellent example:  <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120329171601.htm" target="_blank">Greater Traumatic Stress Linked With Elevated Inflammation in Heart Patients.</a> Stress also interferes with uniform blood circulation, which results in diminished and inconsistent blood supply to the optic nerve. Finally, stress also affects the ability to receive restful, restorative sleep, and sleep disturbances have been implicated in glaucoma risk factors. There is no disease which is not worsened by stress, and glaucoma is no exception!</div> <div> </div> <h4><strong>Jacqueline wrote 6-22-2019:</strong></h4> <div>My experience is that glaucoma, for me, is stress-based. Since I got a Reichart 7CR back in February I  have been able to track my IOPs many times a day. An average day had me in the mid-20s during the day with an occasional dip down to the high teens later in the day and evenings. <p>I worried about nutrition a lot, despite the fact that I own an organic / biodynamic farm and eat incredibly healthy. I added many supplements, worried every day about my situation, slept in a tilted bed, got blue blocking screen on my computers, and then I worried more.</p> <p>Since getting the 7CR, I am able to make immediate and longer term assessments about what affects IOP. Given the high quality of my diet, I see that food was not an issue. I eat organic, farm-raised, nothing refined. I eat meat maybe twice a week (ours), eggs, whole grains, raw dairy and a lush amount of veggies and fruits daily, raw nuts, honey, olive oil and coconut oil. That’s my diet in a nutshell. </p><p>But stress surely was a biggie. I have realized that charting stress was not simple at first. It takes a lot of self-perception to catch myself in stressful thoughts, which I chart-note aside the IOP for that hour. In the past five months I have learned a lot about myself.</p> <p>When I am stressing about a real-or-imagined thing, I have an internal heckler that has a good deal to say about every thought. If I choose to continue on with that worrisome thought, my IOPs will rise. When I have the presence of mind to opt out of that one-sided conversation, my IOP readings drop. When working in the garden, I can listen to reworking of an argument I had five years ago or I can choose to see the beauty of the flowers around me. Between February and April I made steady progress. </p><p>I was about to check-in in early May because I had gotten my IOPs down to a more healthy place, but that same week we got rear-ended while stopped in traffic and I pulled some muscles where the seat belt yanked. My IOPs were strangely calm the rest of that day but the very next day they went right back up to my February normals, mid-20s day and high teens at night with a few spikes even higher.</p> <p>For the next month I had Feldenkrais sessions with my physical therapist and cranio-sacral sessions with my osteopath. The first few weeks they made some difference but I was physically hurting still so I couldn’t maintain the results. By the fourth week I saw 8-10 pt drops in IOP during the afternoon following the sessions, from 25 down to 15-16. And I got a lot better. </p><p>The past few weeks I have stabilized more. Average now is mid-teens when I wake up. If I have a meeting or am rushed, I may hit the low 20s briefly, but I can immediately (no kidding!) decrease my IOP 3-4 points in 15 minutes by doing calm and slow deep breathing, clearing my mind of extraneous thoughts, letting go of any imaginable transgression (forgiveness is very powerful), and relaxing my body. Within the hour I am able to get back into mid-teens and even lower.</p> <p>Last week I discussed my IOP charts with my doctor and we agreed that I could decrease the brimonidine that I had been taking 3x day for the past few years. My new schedule is to take them when I wake up. I don’t take the afternoon drops if my readings are mid-teens which is becoming my new normal. I rarely take them in the evening because IOPs are usually 12-15 and have been as low as 10. After all that time in the mid-20s months ago, I now have entire days in mid-teens. </p><p>Access to my IOPs has been a game-changer for me. I have been able to develop a communication with my own body and psyche that are very useful.</p> <p> </p> </div> <div> </div> <div><strong>Some relevant links for your review:</strong></div> <div> </div> <div><a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301051199000125" target="_blank">Intraocular pressure changes: the influence of psychological stress and the Valsalva maneuver</a></div> <div> </div> <div><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23059484" target="_blank">Type A Behavior Pattern: is it a risk factor for open-angle chronic glaucoma? </a></div> <div> </div> <div><a href="http://www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/content/12/4/215.full.pdf" target="_blank">Life situations, emotions, and glaucoma</a></div> <div> </div> <div><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18239349" target="_blank">The relationship between IMPS-measured stress score and intraocular pressure among public school workers</a></div> <div> </div> <div><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11015038" target="_blank">Immobilization stress induces elevation of intraocular pressure in rabbits</a></div> <div> </div> <div><a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08870449208402022" target="_blank">Stress and intraocular pressure in myopes </a></div> <div> </div> <div><a href="http://www.eyesite.ca/CJO/4303/i08-035.pdf" target="_blank">Healthy lifestyle choices and glaucoma</a></div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'sites/all/modules/fences/templates/field--fences-div.tpl.php' --> <div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline inline clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Related Tags: </h3><ul class="links inline"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/tags/stress">stress</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/tags/valsalva-maneuver">Valsalva maneuver</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/tags/overthinking">overthinking</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-3"><a href="/tags/scheming">scheming</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-4"><a href="/tags/excessive-mental-activity">excessive mental activity</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-5"><a href="/tags/chronic-stress">chronic stress</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-6"><a href="/tags/white-coat">White Coat</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-7"><a href="/tags/meditation">meditation</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-8"><a href="/tags/vascular-dysregulation">Vascular dysregulation</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-9"><a href="/tags/vasospasm">vasospasm</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-10"><a href="/tags/autonomic-dysfunction">autonomic dysfunction</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-11"><a href="/tags/traumatic-stress">Traumatic Stress</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-12"><a href="/tags/type-a">type A</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-13"><a href="/tags/imps">IMPS</a></li></ul></div> Tue, 21 Aug 2012 16:20:44 +0000 dave 1145 at https://www.fiteyes.com Permanently lowering eye pressure to 10 mm Hg in six months https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/permanently-lowering-eye-pressure-to-10-mm-hg-in-six-months <div class="sharethis-buttons"><div class="sharethis-wrapper"><span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/permanently-lowering-eye-pressure-to-10-mm-hg-in-six-months" st_title="Permanently%20lowering%20eye%20pressure%20to%2010%20mm%20Hg%20in%20six%20months" class="st_facebook_large" displayText="facebook"></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/permanently-lowering-eye-pressure-to-10-mm-hg-in-six-months" st_title="Permanently%20lowering%20eye%20pressure%20to%2010%20mm%20Hg%20in%20six%20months" class="st_twitter_large" displayText="twitter" st_via="" st_username=""></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/permanently-lowering-eye-pressure-to-10-mm-hg-in-six-months" st_title="Permanently%20lowering%20eye%20pressure%20to%2010%20mm%20Hg%20in%20six%20months" class="st_sharethis_large" displayText="sharethis" st_via="" st_username=""></span> </div></div> <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p> </p> <p>I received the following response from a FitEyes reader on another topic. But his last comment prompted something I want to share with everyone. So please read on, starting with an edited excerpt from his comment that inspired me.</p> <blockquote><p>[I am on] on a six month trial doing alternate day fasting, twenty minute mindful meditative walks in nature twice a day, 30 minutes of aerobic exercise every other day, while detoxing with hexagonal water.</p> <p>[I am] 10% persuaded that [I] will permanently lower [my] intraocular pressure to 10 mm Hg  in six months.</p> </blockquote> <p>That last line really caught my attention. Here is my response:</p> <p><img width="400" height="275" src="/sites/fiteyes.com/files/birch walk.jpg" alt="meditative walk in nature" /></p> <!--break--><p>Dear reader, as you can probably guess, I love your approach! </p> <p>I think the optimistic result you describe is in the realm of possibility. I have enjoyed a similar result, but it took me more than 6 months, and there are some limitations in my case. But I do believe I have permanently improved my innate capacity to manage my own IOP and I think my IOP data strongly supports this. (One example, <em>if you read carefully</em>, is published on FitEyes <a href="http://fiteyes.com/forum/water-drinking-test-for-glaucoma-and-self-tonometry-research-792#comment-1966">here</a>.) However, I believe other people learning from me and the FitEyes community will be able to do better than I have done -- at at least achieve the same thing in less time.</p> <p>I'll add one thing: I am 99.99% persuaded that this accomplishment, should it happen, will only happen on the basis of self-tonometry. </p> <p>Your approach is similar to mine. I had been doing 2x's a day/60 minute formal meditation practice (I had a 12 year streak going without missing a single day). But my healing progress in this area (and a surprising number of other areas of my life) only started for real when I started self-tonometry.</p> <p>I'm 99% convinced that no individual will permanently lower his IOP significantly by non-medical/non-surgical means without self-tonometry. The "1% exceptions" might be yogi's with special powers - such as those who can stop their heart from beating normally by using their mind. But even those individuals do not know exactly what is happening in their physiology without feedback from scientific instruments. For example, the yogi who demonstrated that he could "stop his heart from beating" was not actually stopping his heart from beating. He was wrong. </p> <p>But he was also right in a sense. He did stop his heart from pumping blood! But the physiology was not doing what he claimed it was doing. Different things were happening even though he did in fact demonstrate profound "super normal" powers to a group of observing scientists (and the results were recorded on their instruments).</p> <p>In that same regard, and in my own experience, I found that all the traditional meditation practices I tried could dramatically increase my IOP. The effect has subsequently been reported to me by a large number of glaucoma patients who have verified it repeatedly with reliable tonometers. Whether IOP increases or not is dependent upon a number of very subtle factors. The same is true in regard to aerobic exercise. There are people reading this email list right now who have good tonometers and who see an IOP increase from moderate aerobic exercise (even though others of us see a decrease in IOP). One will not know if the activities one is doing are raising or lowering IOP unless one actually measures IOP with a good instrument.</p> <p>A six month investment in significant lifestyle changes is a huge and important investment. One doesn't often have the ability to make a six month commitment in life of this type. Even when we intend to do so, things happen! So a six month trial like this is a critically important investment and an opportunity that doesn't come along often. You will never be able to repeat this particular trial (subsequent experiments will be different). I hope you are able to supplement that six month investment with a tonometer. Recording your results from this first trial will inform everything else you do. It will elevate your knowledge an order of magnitude. And if you could contribute that IOP data to the FitEyes research project we would be highly, highly appreciative. We need more data and more participants in our research! Please send me a another private email (dave at this domain) if you want to follow up, or know the latest news about tonometer prices.</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline inline clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Filed Under (tags): </h3><ul class="links inline"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/tags/glaucoma">glaucoma</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/tags/tonometer">tonometer</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/tags/Eye-Pressure">Eye Pressure</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-3"><a href="/tags/self-tonometry">self-tonometry</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-4"><a href="/tags/intraocular-pressure-research">intraocular pressure research</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-5"><a href="/tags/meditation">meditation</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-6"><a href="/tags/aerobics">aerobics</a></li></ul></div> Sat, 18 Sep 2010 17:23:11 +0000 dave 909 at https://www.fiteyes.com Intraocular Pressure in a Spiritual Context https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/intraocular-pressure-in-a-spiritual-context <div class="sharethis-buttons"><div class="sharethis-wrapper"><span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/intraocular-pressure-in-a-spiritual-context" st_title="Intraocular%20Pressure%20in%20a%20Spiritual%20Context" class="st_facebook_large" displayText="facebook"></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/intraocular-pressure-in-a-spiritual-context" st_title="Intraocular%20Pressure%20in%20a%20Spiritual%20Context" class="st_twitter_large" displayText="twitter" st_via="" st_username=""></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/intraocular-pressure-in-a-spiritual-context" st_title="Intraocular%20Pressure%20in%20a%20Spiritual%20Context" class="st_sharethis_large" displayText="sharethis" st_via="" st_username=""></span> </div></div> <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Recently here on <a href="/">FitEyes</a>, readers have asked about the relationship between <a href="/forum/Intraocular-Pressure-and-Transcendental-Meditation">intraocular pressure about meditation</a>. That prompted me to write this post about some of the broader spiritual aspects of what I do as well as how I view intraocular pressure in my own life and in my work as a Serene Impulse teacher.</p> <p>Meditation and spirituality are often perceived as soft, delicate, wishy-washy, "New Agie", etc. My own approach is hard-core and scientific. It is also great fun. The path is filled with bliss and love -- and lots of IOP data!</p> <p>There are some challenges (and many benefits!) associated with teaching spiritual techniques to people who have glaucoma, as I often do. I myself am a glaucoma patient, and I have enjoyed great personal benefit from focusing on the spiritual aspects of this condition.</p> <p>I have done a lot of research via self-tonometry and I have specific knowledge related to my own IOP. However, I don't take a medical perspective. Intraocular pressure and quality of vision can be viewed in different contexts -- as can weight or any other aspect of our body. One context is medical. For example, weight can be treated as a medical condition when it is a risk factor for a specific disease. Another context is non-medical. Weight can be a topic of discussion in the context of appearance, fitness, etc.</p> <p><img align="left" width="230" vspace="10" hspace="10" height="335" alt="intraocular pressure, glaucoma and spirituality" src="/sites/fiteyes.com/files/hands-sun-spirituality.jpg" />For me, intraocular pressure is of most interest in the context of enjoyment of life, general health, general stress, spiritual growth, consciousness and enlightenment. I operate in this spiritual context. My IOP gives me direct and profound feedback about my spiritual practice. Here are a couple related things I have written on this topic that may add color to that statement:</p> <ul><li><a href="/IAmLovingGlaucoma">http://fiteyes.com/IAmLovingGlaucoma</a></li> <li><a href="/Embrace-Evolve-Exceed">http://fiteyes.com/Embrace-Evolve-Exceed</a></li> </ul><p>I rarely, if ever, think about what IOP means in terms of my own glaucoma -- that's the job for my doctor. And that may be the main challenge I see others encounter when they monitor their own IOP and correlate that with a spiritual practice or other lifestyle factors. I have found that it is extremely important to focus on health and happiness and leave the medical concerns to one's health care professionals. I have had to work diligently to maintain my non-medical focus in my own life.</p> <p>If I monitor my own IOP and simultaneously read a large number of medical articles on glaucoma, I risk the curse of many medical students --  hypochondria (or, in milder form, excessive concern about the disease aspects of my condition). I have found that the right perspective is critical. I believe that increasing the health of my eyes requires that I stay focused on health, not disease. It is a matter of perspective.</p> <p>It is said that for each state of consciousness, there is a corresponding physiological state. My own experience is that for each state of consciousness, there is a corresponding IOP pattern (that is part of that physiological state).</p> <p>In my experience, IOP reveals something <em>objective</em> about <em>subjective</em> states of consciousness. That's incredibly interesting to me. And it has nothing to do with treating a medical condition. When I work with students, I always emphasize that I'm not a doctor, and that I don't treat glaucoma. I am involved in technologies of consciousness, and that's the only context in which I discuss IOP. But that's not just a disclaimer, it's my reality, and I think this should be a key insight for anyone reading this post.</p> <p>If you wonder why self-tonometry is a fun, fascinating, wonderful journey for me (and many of my students), this is why. Self-tonometry should be a wonderful experience for anyone who takes it up. On the one hand, it will <a href="/blog/dave/leading-medical-specialists-from-around-the-world-coalesce-around-self-tonometry">benefit your doctor</a>. And when you are participating in making medical decisions with your doctor, having extensive IOP data can be invaluable to you. However, that's the medical context. In daily life, thinking constantly about the disease aspects of having glaucoma will be detrimental. Learn to think of IOP in a different context. Hopefully, my own <a href="/IAmLovingGlaucoma">stories</a> here on FitEyes will give you some insight into how I do that.</p> <p>I have found that I can change my state of consciousness and measure a corresponding change in my IOP. When I teach technologies of consciousness to my students, if they happen to have tonometers, they can also see changes in IOP that correlate to changes in state of consciousness. The spiritual (as well as emotional and physical) insights that come from this are profound. However, the meaning of the IOP changes in the <u>context of glaucoma</u> is something each person has to discuss with their own doctor. And the less you think about this in the context of disease, the better. I cannot emphasize that enough. Treating glaucoma is your doctor's job. Being blissful is your job.</p> <p>I have intimate knowledge of how Serene Impulse affects consciousness and subtle energies (prana, qi), and I have seen incredible things about how this relates to my own IOP. However, my own feeling is that this isn't something I can teach others without personal communication directly with them. And, if I were aware of it, I would not teach this to anyone who indicated they were trying to use this knowledge to treat their medical condition, for all the reasons mentioned here and more.</p> <p>As to why personal instruction is required, I'm going to <a href="../../../../../../How-To-Measure-Your-IOP-At-Home-And-Change-the-World-Too#comment-1161">quote Thomas Merton again</a>. (Some of my regular readers probably have this quote memorized by now!)</p> <p style="margin-left: 0.49in; margin-bottom: 0in;">“The only way to get rid of misconceptions about [consciousness] is to experience it. One who does not actually know, in his own life, the nature of this breakthrough and this awakening to a new level of reality cannot help being misled by most of the things that are said about it. For [higher levels of consciousness] cannot be taught. It cannot even be clearly explained. It can only be hinted at, suggested, pointed to, symbolized. The more objectively and scientifically one tries to analyze it, the more he empties it of its real content, for this experience is beyond the reach of verbalization and of rationalization.“ -</p> <p style="margin-left: 0.49in; margin-bottom: 0in;">--- <i>New Seeds of Contemplation</i></p> <p>If you are an Olympics fan, you may know the story of Bode Miller. I guess he is an example of someone who could probably master skills like those I teach without the usual formal instruction -- just maybe. But for the rest of us mortals, mastering these skills requires personal coaching. (Regular readers may notice that this is another theme I bring up often. I apologize for being repetitive!) But it is important to note that it takes people hundreds of hours of practice to acquire proficiency in these skills.</p> <p>I believe anyone can learn to change their own state of consciousness. I also believe that most glaucoma patients will see a correlation between their IOP and their state of consciousness. I have seen that in everyone I know through FitEyes. However, no formal scientific research has been done to estimate the percentage of people with glaucoma who would see the effects I describe. I have reason to believe it may be universal, but that's just my belief. It is easier to see the correlation between negative stress and elevated IOP. Unfortunately, we do not need to learn anything we haven't already learned in order to produce negative mental states! To see the correlation between positive mental states and lower IOP, people need extensive training. This is no different from the fact that a scientist needs extensive training in order to observe experimental results in the laboratory. If you want ot replicate the results I'm describing, you need to develop the skills. That takes hundreds of hours of practice and specific training.</p> <p>Too many people turn away from the work too easily when they are working on their own. That's one reason I emphasize the need for personal coaching.</p> <p>I will share some of the things I see that typically hold people back:</p> <p>    * not understanding the ego (the self)<br />     * not understanding sensory perception<br />     * not being scientific (in terms of methodology, not dogma)<br />     * not understanding cause and effect<br />     * not putting in the hard work required to do the program in a way that will actually result in a transformation<br />     * wanting to be transformed without the inconvenience of actually changing</p> <p>That's a general list. Of course, each person is different. That list won't apply to any one person. And I don't want to make it sound difficult. From my own experience, this path is easy, comfortable and very pleasant. There is nothing hard about it. But it does require discipline, like any spiritual path.</p> <p>And this path isn't like following a reciple to bake a cake. It is more like experimental research. This is especially true when self-tonometry is part of the topic. Anyone doing self-tonometry is a pioneer. Pioneers can't take shortcuts. If they do, they end up with arrows in their backs. We don't want that! So be careful and have fun!</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline inline clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Filed Under (tags): </h3><ul class="links inline"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/tags/intraocular-pressure">intraocular pressure</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/tags/Eye-Pressure">Eye Pressure</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/tags/intraocular-pressure-research">intraocular pressure research</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-3"><a href="/tags/meditation">meditation</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-4"><a href="/tags/spirituality">spirituality</a></li></ul></div> Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:59:17 +0000 dave 779 at https://www.fiteyes.com Intraocular Pressure and Transcendental Meditation https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/anonymous/intraocular-pressure-and-transcendental-meditation <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="premium-message"><div class="premium_teaser_login"> <p><strong>Only registered users have access to the most valuable content of the FitEyes community: Blogs, Comments, FitEyes Discussion Group Archives, unique information on self-tonometry and other user-generated research.</strong></p> <p><strong>You must register</strong> because we have content that cannot be viewed unless you agree to our terms and conditions. </p> <h4>New users please <a href="http://www.fiteyes.com/user/register" target="_self" title="New user registration">click here to create new account</a> to read more...</h4> </div> </div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline inline clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Filed Under (tags): </h3><ul class="links inline"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/tags/glaucoma">glaucoma</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/tags/intraocular-pressure">intraocular pressure</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/tags/Eye-Pressure">Eye Pressure</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-3"><a href="/tags/meditation">meditation</a></li></ul></div><div class="sharethis-buttons"><div class="sharethis-wrapper"><span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/anonymous/intraocular-pressure-and-transcendental-meditation" st_title="Intraocular%20Pressure%20and%20Transcendental%20Meditation" class="st_facebook_large" displayText="facebook"></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/anonymous/intraocular-pressure-and-transcendental-meditation" st_title="Intraocular%20Pressure%20and%20Transcendental%20Meditation" class="st_twitter_large" displayText="twitter" st_via="" st_username=""></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/anonymous/intraocular-pressure-and-transcendental-meditation" st_title="Intraocular%20Pressure%20and%20Transcendental%20Meditation" class="st_sharethis_large" displayText="sharethis" st_via="" st_username=""></span> </div></div> Tue, 23 Feb 2010 07:29:05 +0000 Anonymous 778 at https://www.fiteyes.com Dalai Lama Quote of the Week https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/anonymous/dalai-lama-quote-of-the-week <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="premium-message"><div class="premium_teaser_login"> <p><strong>Only registered users have access to the most valuable content of the FitEyes community: Blogs, Comments, FitEyes Discussion Group Archives, unique information on self-tonometry and other user-generated research.</strong></p> <p><strong>You must register</strong> because we have content that cannot be viewed unless you agree to our terms and conditions. </p> <h4>New users please <a href="http://www.fiteyes.com/user/register" target="_self" title="New user registration">click here to create new account</a> to read more...</h4> </div> </div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline inline clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Filed Under (tags): </h3><ul class="links inline"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/tags/psychology">psychology</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/tags/health">Health</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/tags/meditation">meditation</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-3"><a href="/tags/philosophy">philosophy</a></li></ul></div><div class="sharethis-buttons"><div class="sharethis-wrapper"><span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/anonymous/dalai-lama-quote-of-the-week" st_title="Dalai%20Lama%20Quote%20of%20the%20Week" class="st_facebook_large" displayText="facebook"></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/anonymous/dalai-lama-quote-of-the-week" st_title="Dalai%20Lama%20Quote%20of%20the%20Week" class="st_twitter_large" displayText="twitter" st_via="" st_username=""></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/anonymous/dalai-lama-quote-of-the-week" st_title="Dalai%20Lama%20Quote%20of%20the%20Week" class="st_sharethis_large" displayText="sharethis" st_via="" st_username=""></span> </div></div> Sun, 06 Sep 2009 17:07:04 +0000 Anonymous 618 at https://www.fiteyes.com Meditation May Boost Short-Term Visual Memory https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/meditation-may-boost-short-term-visual-memory <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="premium-message"><div class="premium_teaser_login"> <p><strong>Only registered users have access to the most valuable content of the FitEyes community: Blogs, Comments, FitEyes Discussion Group Archives, unique information on self-tonometry and other user-generated research.</strong></p> <p><strong>You must register</strong> because we have content that cannot be viewed unless you agree to our terms and conditions. </p> <h4>New users please <a href="http://www.fiteyes.com/user/register" target="_self" title="New user registration">click here to create new account</a> to read more...</h4> </div> </div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline inline clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Filed Under (tags): </h3><ul class="links inline"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/tags/vision">vision</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/tags/consciousness">consciousness</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/tags/meditation">meditation</a></li></ul></div><div class="sharethis-buttons"><div class="sharethis-wrapper"><span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/meditation-may-boost-short-term-visual-memory" st_title="Meditation%20May%20Boost%20Short-Term%20Visual%20Memory" class="st_facebook_large" displayText="facebook"></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/meditation-may-boost-short-term-visual-memory" st_title="Meditation%20May%20Boost%20Short-Term%20Visual%20Memory" class="st_twitter_large" displayText="twitter" st_via="" st_username=""></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/meditation-may-boost-short-term-visual-memory" st_title="Meditation%20May%20Boost%20Short-Term%20Visual%20Memory" class="st_sharethis_large" displayText="sharethis" st_via="" st_username=""></span> </div></div> Fri, 22 May 2009 03:29:52 +0000 dave 495 at https://www.fiteyes.com Pearl Jam Frontman Vedder and Paul McCartney to perform at meditation event https://www.fiteyes.com/pearl-jan-frontman-vedder-and-paul-mccartney-to-perform-at-meditation-event <div class="sharethis-buttons"><div class="sharethis-wrapper"><span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/pearl-jan-frontman-vedder-and-paul-mccartney-to-perform-at-meditation-event" st_title="Pearl%20Jam%20Frontman%20Vedder%20and%20Paul%20McCartney%20to%20perform%20at%20meditation%20event" class="st_facebook_large" displayText="facebook"></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/pearl-jan-frontman-vedder-and-paul-mccartney-to-perform-at-meditation-event" st_title="Pearl%20Jam%20Frontman%20Vedder%20and%20Paul%20McCartney%20to%20perform%20at%20meditation%20event" class="st_twitter_large" displayText="twitter" st_via="" st_username=""></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/pearl-jan-frontman-vedder-and-paul-mccartney-to-perform-at-meditation-event" st_title="Pearl%20Jam%20Frontman%20Vedder%20and%20Paul%20McCartney%20to%20perform%20at%20meditation%20event" class="st_sharethis_large" displayText="sharethis" st_via="" st_username=""></span> </div></div> <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>News Release:</p> <p> </p> <p><b>A host of musicians will perform at a gig promoting transcendental meditation.</b></p> <p><img height="300" width="300" alt="" style="float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; " src="http://www.tourdates.co.uk/resources/GetImage-DN-13178-1.jpg" />Music stars Eddie Vedder and Sir Paul McCartney are to appear at a transcendental meditation event hosted by movie director David Lynch.</p> <p>Pearl Jam frontman Vedder and the former Beatle will play a benefit concert at Radio City Hall in New York for the David Lynch Foundation.</p> <p>Lynch is a prominent member of the Transcendental Meditation Movement, which believes enlightenment and world peace can be gained through 'yogic flying' or levitation through the power of the mind.</p> <p>On his website, the Blue Velvet director writes: <b>"I have been 'diving within' through the transcendental meditation technique for over 30 years. It has changed my life, my world. I am not alone."</b></p> <p>He also claims that every child should be allowed time to meditate and is calling for schools to introduce the practice as part of their curriculum.</p> <p>The musicians will perform at the fundraising event on April 4th, as will country singer Sheryl Crow, dance star Moby and Scottish songwriter Donovan.</p> <p>News brought to you by <a style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(51, 102, 204); " href="http://www.tourdates.co.uk/news/13178-Vedder-and-McCartney-to-play-meditation-event">Tourdates.co.uk</a> bringing the latest in Free Music Downloads</p> <p> </p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline inline clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Filed Under (tags): </h3><ul class="links inline"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/tags/stress">stress</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/tags/health">Health</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/tags/meditation">meditation</a></li></ul></div> Tue, 27 Jan 2009 21:03:00 +0000 dave 124 at https://www.fiteyes.com Meditation may lower blood pressure more than medication https://www.fiteyes.com/meditation-may-lower-blood-pressure-more-than-medication <div class="sharethis-buttons"><div class="sharethis-wrapper"><span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/meditation-may-lower-blood-pressure-more-than-medication" st_title="Meditation%20may%20lower%20blood%20pressure%20more%20than%20medication" class="st_facebook_large" displayText="facebook"></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/meditation-may-lower-blood-pressure-more-than-medication" st_title="Meditation%20may%20lower%20blood%20pressure%20more%20than%20medication" class="st_twitter_large" displayText="twitter" st_via="" st_username=""></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/meditation-may-lower-blood-pressure-more-than-medication" st_title="Meditation%20may%20lower%20blood%20pressure%20more%20than%20medication" class="st_sharethis_large" displayText="sharethis" st_via="" st_username=""></span> </div></div> <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><span style="color: rgb(35, 35, 35);" class="Apple-style-span">From NBC News:<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(35, 35, 35);" class="Apple-style-span"><br /><blockquote> <p>High blood pressure and hypertension are huge problems in this country.</p> <p>Millions of people suffer from the condition which can lead to heart attack, stroke and kidney disease.</p> <p>Now, a study shows that a different type of program can help get blood pressure under control.</p> <p>56-year-old Rosemary Palmer-Powell had been taking medication for high blood pressure for years, but after getting a routine check she started down a whole new treatment path.</p> <p>"I've been doing [meditation] for a solid six months and it has really changed my life," she said.</p> <p>Palmer-Powell was selected to be a part of a Howard University Hospital study on the effect of [meditation] for high blood pressure.</p> <p>Experts believe that meditating for 20 minutes twice a day, helps to relax the brain and relieve stress, which can lower blood pressure.</p> <p>"The meditation should decrease the stress that comes in through the brain into the vessels in the heart, slow the heart rate, cause the vessels to relax, to dilate and result in the blood pressure going down," explains cardiologist Dr. Otelio Randall.</p> <p>Dr. Randall is leading the study.</p> <p>His team is comparing blood pressure rates among two groups of patients, those who are meditating and those who aren't.</p> <p>An instructor works with the meditation group once a week and then patients are required to do it on their own.</p> <p>The study is ongoing, but patients are telling Dr. Randall they think the meditation is helping.</p> <p>Rosemary Palmer-Powell has been meditating for the past six months.</p> <p>She's still on medication, but the dosage is lower now.</p> <p>"Eventually, you become calmer, you become less stressed, you can handle stressful situations more," she said.</p> </blockquote> <p>If you have glaucoma or ocular hypertension, you may be surprised to find that (some forms of) meditation may increase intraocular pressure. This statement is based on <strong>original unpublished research by FitEyes.com</strong>. The FitEyes.com team is in favor of meditation for the average glaucoma patient, and some of us have found methods that help us reduce our eye pressure, but this is not a case of "one size fits all". If you have glaucoma and you want to get the benefits of meditation, you should consult an expert. There are a <a title="eye pressure articles" href="/blog/dave/some-of-my-favorite-articles-on-fiteyescom-as-of-2009">variety of articles</a> on the subject here on <a href="/">FitEyes.com</a>. See this article for example: <a href="../../../../../../stress-and-eye-pressure-solving-the-equation">Stress and Eye Pressure - Solving The Equation</a></p> <p></p></span></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline inline clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Filed Under (tags): </h3><ul class="links inline"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/tags/stress">stress</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/tags/blood-pressure">Blood Pressure</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/tags/health">Health</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-3"><a href="/tags/meditation">meditation</a></li></ul></div> Sat, 24 Jan 2009 00:48:00 +0000 dave 122 at https://www.fiteyes.com We completely underestimate the severity of stress and its impact on our health https://www.fiteyes.com/we-completely-underestimate-the-severity-of-stress-and-its-impact-on-our-health <div class="sharethis-buttons"><div class="sharethis-wrapper"><span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/we-completely-underestimate-the-severity-of-stress-and-its-impact-on-our-health" st_title="We%20completely%20underestimate%20the%20severity%20of%20stress%20and%20its%20impact%20on%20our%20health" class="st_facebook_large" displayText="facebook"></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/we-completely-underestimate-the-severity-of-stress-and-its-impact-on-our-health" st_title="We%20completely%20underestimate%20the%20severity%20of%20stress%20and%20its%20impact%20on%20our%20health" class="st_twitter_large" displayText="twitter" st_via="" st_username=""></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/we-completely-underestimate-the-severity-of-stress-and-its-impact-on-our-health" st_title="We%20completely%20underestimate%20the%20severity%20of%20stress%20and%20its%20impact%20on%20our%20health" class="st_sharethis_large" displayText="sharethis" st_via="" st_username=""></span> </div></div> <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(35, 35, 35); "></span></span></p> <p><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/01/05/meditation.stress.reduction/index.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(51, 102, 204); ">http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/01/05/meditation.stress.reduction/index.html</a></p> <h1>For stress reduction, just say ommm</h1> <div id="cnnSCByLine">By Judy Fortin<br /> CNN Medical Correspondent</div> <p><b>ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN)</b> -- Managing the service department of an Atlanta, Georgia, car dealership is a stressful job, according to Debbie Peek.</p> <p>Handling customer demands and keeping up with paperwork would leave anyone frazzled, but Peek, 56, has found a way to cope with the stress. For the past seven months, she's been meditating daily.</p> <p>"What I have found for me is it helps me find the quiet time in the hustle-bustle of the day," Peek said. "I am able to focus."</p> <p>Researchers like <a href="http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/expert.q.a/mentalhealth/archive/index.html" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(51, 102, 204); ">Dr. Charles Raison</a>, a psychiatrist at the Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta, are convinced that meditation serves an important purpose.</p> <p>"All the studies aren't perfect, but there is more and more data suggesting that meditation is useful for reducing stress responses," said Raison, who is also CNNhealth's mental health expert doctor.</p> <p>Too much stress puts wear and tear on your body and damages your health, he said.</p> <p>Even simple meditation techniques such as saying a mantra in your head or watching your breath can make a big difference.</p> <p>"Relaxing your body will actually turn down your heart rate. It turns down your blood pressure," Raison said. "We've shown that certain types of meditation will actually lower this inflammatory response to stress, which is undoubtedly a big player in heart disease."</p> <p>Raison isn't the only fan of alternative healing as a means of stress reduction.</p> <p>Another is Dr. Brent Bauer, director of the Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. </p> <p>"We completely underestimate the severity of stress and the impact on our health," Bauer said. "When you look at what stress does to us, it reduces our immune function, it delays wound healing ... and raises the risk of heart disease."</p> <p>He said he would never recommend that a patient replace conventional medicine with alternative therapies; rather, he suggested they be used to complement each other.</p> <p>"I've got high blood pressure," he said as an example. "I'm taking medication, but I'm also doing meditation. That's probably the right approach."</p> <p>Two decades ago, he acknowledged, many American physicians were skeptical about integrating alternative medicine into their recommendations. Today, he said, it is part of our culture.</p> <p>"It's great to pull out a different arrow from the quiver and say, 'Why not try meditation or how about guided imagery?' " Bauer said.</p> <p>"We're bringing other tools to the table," he said. "It doesn't mean they work for everybody, but you'll find something to help you manage your own stress more effectively."</p> <p>In addition to meditation, he suggested tai chi and yoga as a means of relaxation.</p> <p>Massage is another way to reduce stress and anxiety.</p> <p>Aromatherapy and acupuncture are believed to have relaxing effects.</p> <p>Biofeedback is a fairly new technique mentioned in "Mayo Clinic Book of Alternative Medicine," edited by Bauer.</p> <p>During biofeedback, a patient learns to control the body's response to stress and anxiety by relaxing.</p> <p>Raison suggested some other ways to combat stress include exercising, eating a healthy diet, socializing and reducing conflict.</p> <p>He admitted none of the solutions is easy, including meditation.</p> <p>"I think it's not completely without risk," Raison said. "I've certainly known people who sit down to meditate and they're shocked at the thoughts or noise that come into their mind or they realize things about themselves that aren't cool."</p> <p>Keeping your mind from wandering during meditation is one of the most difficult tricks, he conceded.</p> <p>"Most people don't make it to a breath or two, and if you can make it to 10 breaths you're doing well."</p> <p>For that reason, he recommended taking a class or a lesson on how to meditate. He said having a teacher guide you through a meditation session is often more helpful than trying to do it on your own.</p> <p>It worked for Peek. She started taking a meditation class in the spring and she's seen a big shift in her stress level.</p> <p class="cnninline">"You practice and over a period of time you're able to focus," Peek said. "If you find yourself in a stressful moment, rather than reacting, you take a moment to take a deep breath in and to just let yourself relax before you act or react."</p> <p> </p> <div> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="empty-cells: show; "><tbody><tr><td> </td> </tr><tr><td><img src="http://images.clickability.com/pti/spacer.gif" height="2" width="2" alt="" /></td> </tr><tr><td> </td> </tr><tr><td> </td> </tr></tbody></table></div> <p> </p> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="empty-cells: show; "><tbody><tr><td class="font-cn"> </td> </tr><tr><td class="font-cn"><span class="fonttitle">Find this article at:</span> <br /><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/01/05/meditation.stress.reduction/index.html">http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/01/05/meditation.stress.reduction/index.html</a><br />  </td> </tr></tbody></table><p></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline inline clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Filed Under (tags): </h3><ul class="links inline"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/tags/stress">stress</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/tags/health">Health</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/tags/healing">Healing</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-3"><a href="/tags/meditation">meditation</a></li></ul></div> Tue, 06 Jan 2009 04:59:00 +0000 dave 121 at https://www.fiteyes.com How to Beat Stress and Angst Through Meditation https://www.fiteyes.com/how-to-beat-stress-and-angst-through-meditation <div class="sharethis-buttons"><div class="sharethis-wrapper"><span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/how-to-beat-stress-and-angst-through-meditation" st_title="How%20to%20Beat%20Stress%20and%20Angst%20Through%20Meditation" class="st_facebook_large" displayText="facebook"></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/how-to-beat-stress-and-angst-through-meditation" st_title="How%20to%20Beat%20Stress%20and%20Angst%20Through%20Meditation" class="st_twitter_large" displayText="twitter" st_via="" st_username=""></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/how-to-beat-stress-and-angst-through-meditation" st_title="How%20to%20Beat%20Stress%20and%20Angst%20Through%20Meditation" class="st_sharethis_large" displayText="sharethis" st_via="" st_username=""></span> </div></div> <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>The following article is from U.S. News &amp; World Report, hence it takes a financial angle on stress. See the original article here: <a href="http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/living-well-usn/2008/12/29/how-to-beat-stress-and-angst-through-meditation.html%20" title="meditation health research">http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/living-well-usn/2008/12/29/how-to-beat-stress-and-angst-through-meditation.html </a><br /> I have included an edited version below. Generally I think this is a fair article. However, I removed the section touting Jon Kabat-Zinn's meditation program because after watching a video of him instructing Google employees how to meditate, I concluded that I could not endorse his methods.</p> <p>Enjoy the article and please visit the original site to let them know we appreciate their coverage of this topic.</p> <div>By <a href="http://www.usnews.com/Topics/tag/Author/m/michelle_andrews/index.html"> Michelle Andrews</a></div> <div id="dateline">Posted December 29, 2008</div> <div class="body"> <p>There's nothing like economic calamity to focus the mind. But instead of obsessing over your job security or declining 401(k) balance, try diminishing your stress with a new assist from a very old tool: meditation.</p> <p><img title="(Getty Images)" alt=" " src="http://www.usnews.com/pubdbimages/image/11463/FE_DA_090201meditate_70265185x123.jpg" style="border: 0pt none ; margin: 6px 10px; float: right;" /></p> <p>Stretching back thousands of years to ancient spiritual traditions, meditation has been attracting a growing following of secular practitioners in recent years. While it's still not exactly mainstream, data released in December by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, an arm of the National Institutes of Health, show that 9.4 percent of adults surveyed in 2007 had tried meditation at least once during the previous 12 months, a significant increase from 7.6 percent in 2002. And 1 percent of children had zoned in, too.</p> <p>Your choices are extensive—mindfulness meditation, transcendental meditation, and the latest trend, compassion meditation, are three of many approaches, each with a slightly different intent. Compassion meditation aims to foster a feeling of lovingkindness toward others, for example, while mindfulness meditation focuses on awareness and acceptance of the present moment.</p> <p>Whatever the variation, certain basic elements are common to all forms of meditation. Comfortably seated, lying down, or even walking around, you focus your mind on your breath, a word, a mantra, an object—something specific—possibly for a few minutes but perhaps much longer, gently pushing away distracting thoughts. As you learn to stay focused, you experience a sense of calm. Your body relaxes. Your breathing slows. Your heart rate drops.</p> <p>Many of those who practice meditation turn to it to help them deal with emotional stumbling blocks like stress and anxiety. It can also be used to change unhealthful eating habits or to battle substance abuse. And studies continue to add to the ways in which meditation might be able to play a therapeutic role—for example, it has been shown to bolster HIV patients' immune systems, ease chronic pain, and reduce blood pressure.</p> <p><b>Gene control. </b>New research has been taking these discoveries to a deeper level, revealing how meditation and other relaxation techniques work in cells, turning on and off genes that are associated with inflammation, cell aging, and free radicals, all of which are associated with damage to cells and tissues. French philosopher René Descartes famously believed that the mind and body were separate entities, but emerging evidence is proving him wrong.</p> <p>"What this shows is that you can actually change the brain with the mind," says Herbert Benson, director emeritus of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is a coauthor of a study demonstrating such genetic changes that was published in July in the online journal <i>PLoS One</i>.</p> <p>Meditation's psychological and physical effects both are tied to the "fight or flight" response. When we are under stress, the brain sends hormones and other substances racing through our system to ready us for action. We become hyperalert, our heart rate and breathing speed up, our muscles tense, and our digestive processes shut down. While modern Americans are less likely to face physical danger than were our prehistoric, mastodon-hunting ancestors, there's no shortage of other sources of stress. High-pressure, overbusy lives, coupled with the unrelenting economic uncertainty of much of the past year, can put the body in a constant state of hypervigilance. That's not good. An ongoing state of revved-up alertness can damage tissues and organs, suppress the immune system, and cause anxiety and depression.</p> <p><b>Mental workout.</b> The calm that meditation engenders produces physical and emotional changes that represent the flip side of fight-or-flight. For those with overtaxed lives, a bonus of meditation is that a little of it apparently goes a long way. One study of individuals who were new to meditating showed measurable brain and behavior differences after just two weeks of daily 30-minute sessions, says Richard Davidson, director of the Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. But meditation is like any other workout: To reap the benefits, don't stop. "This is mental exercise," says Davidson. "If one wants [benefits] to continue, you have to continue."</p> <p>No amount of meditating can magically erase the stress of losing a job or a loved one. But it can help people cope. "It can transform the emotional brain in ways that promote higher levels of resilience [and] less vulnerability and affect the body in ways that can improve health," says Davidson. All that for just minutes a day? Even a shellshocked investor would have to admit: That sounds like a good deal.</p> </div> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline inline clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Filed Under (tags): </h3><ul class="links inline"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/tags/stress">stress</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/tags/health">Health</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/tags/meditation">meditation</a></li></ul></div> Tue, 30 Dec 2008 03:48:00 +0000 dave 329 at https://www.fiteyes.com The Hills are Alive.... https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/gruffy/the-hills-are-alive <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="premium-message"><div class="premium_teaser_login"> <p><strong>Only registered users have access to the most valuable content of the FitEyes community: Blogs, Comments, FitEyes Discussion Group Archives, unique information on self-tonometry and other user-generated research.</strong></p> <p><strong>You must register</strong> because we have content that cannot be viewed unless you agree to our terms and conditions. </p> <h4>New users please <a href="http://www.fiteyes.com/user/register" target="_self" title="New user registration">click here to create new account</a> to read more...</h4> </div> </div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline inline clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Filed Under (tags): </h3><ul class="links inline"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/tags/intraocular-pressure">intraocular pressure</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/tags/Eye-Pressure">Eye Pressure</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/tags/meditation">meditation</a></li></ul></div><div class="sharethis-buttons"><div class="sharethis-wrapper"><span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/gruffy/the-hills-are-alive" st_title="The%20Hills%20are%20Alive...." class="st_facebook_large" displayText="facebook"></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/gruffy/the-hills-are-alive" st_title="The%20Hills%20are%20Alive...." class="st_twitter_large" displayText="twitter" st_via="" st_username=""></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/gruffy/the-hills-are-alive" st_title="The%20Hills%20are%20Alive...." class="st_sharethis_large" displayText="sharethis" st_via="" st_username=""></span> </div></div> Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:05:00 +0000 Gruffy 252 at https://www.fiteyes.com