Lower your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis  The rainbow connection Did you know that the carrots and squash gracing many dinner tables today can lower your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis?  Research suggests that even modest amounts of the antioxidants found in orange and yellow fruits and vegetables can offer protection against inflammatory forms of arthritis. And all it takes to get this benefit is the equivalent of one glass of freshly squeezed orange juice a day.  Investigators asked 25,000 people ages 45 to 74 to fill out a questionnaire about their eating habits and then followed them over a nine-year period, during which time 88 participants developed inflammatory arthritis. The researchers found that the average daily intake of two antioxidants found in yellow and orange fruits and vegetables were lower in patients who developed arthritis than in those who did not. Specifically, they found the carotenoids beta-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin were 40 and 20 percent lower, respectively.  Those in the top third of beta-cryptoxanthin intake in the study were only half as likely as those in the bottom third to develop inflammatory arthritis. Researchers also found vitamin C to be a protective factor as well.  I think this news allows for a second helping of that roasted acorn squash, don't you? Happy Thanksgiving!  ****************************************************  Eyeing it up  Q: My husband was recently diagnosed with the "dry" form of macular degeneration. What can you tell me about it and is there anything that can be done to save his eyesight?  JVW: If caught early enough, your husband may be able to reverse his symptoms. Although mainstream medicine says otherwise, there are nutritional interventions that can often stop the progress of and -- in some early cases -- completely reverse the course of dry macular degeneration.  The dry form of macular degeneration is characterized by the loss of pigment in the retina and the formation of small, yellowish deposits within the retina. A supplement called Ocudyne 2005, which I formulated with Dr. Alan Gaby in 1993 and updated last year, has achieved a 70 percent success rate. It is available through natural food stores and compounding pharmacies as well as through the Tahoma Clinic Dispensary.  The product contains nutrients that we have learned over the years are essential to good visual health. Ginkgo biloba, zinc, and selenium, are just three of the nine nutrients that are in Ocudyne 2005, and that are particularly important in treating "dry" macular degeneration.  If you husband's case is more advanced, he may need an intravenous program along with other nutritional interventions. The first step in outlining an appropriate treatment plan is to work with a physician skilled in nutritional and natural medicine in conjunction with your husband's eye doctor. To locate a natural physician in your area, contact the American College for Advancement in Medicine at (800)532-3688 or www.acam.org.  ****************************************************  What is...rheumatoid arthritis?  Rheumatoid arthritis is a progressive disease that causes joint stiffness and swelling, mostly in the hands, wrists, and feet. The condition often occurs in symmetry, affecting joints on both sides of the body. This even distribution helps distinguish it from other types of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis, which is a degenerative disease brought on by age and use.  Women more than men are more frequently affected by rheumatoid arthritis, with a typical age of onset between 20 and 50 years old, although it can develop in both young children and the elderly.  Yours in good health, Amanda Ross Editorial Director Nutrition & Healing  Sources:  "Dietary B-cryptoxanthin and inflammatory polyarthritis: results from a population-based prospecitive study," American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2005; 82: 451-455

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