Determined to See

Are Patent Laws Making You Legally Blind?

Written By: Natalie Watkins - Jul• 08•14

Natalie Watkins has become one of my favorite people in this solving-RP quest. She’s tried virtually everything to save her eyesight — from acupuncture in Canada, to a stem cell implant in Mexico, to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in San Antonio. She’s got the kind of fight and determination we all need to beat this disease and when I told he about the nearly 20-year-old astaxanthin patent that’s blocked others from actively researching and discussing the benefits of astaxanthin for retinal diseases, she started sharing her own run-ins with what she calls “patent campers”. I asked her to share her experiences here, in hopes that we can begin to generate awareness that will drive change.

By Natalie “Nat” Watkins

My best friend asked me yesterday, “So, why do you think you are still going blind? I mean, with all of the technology and capacity of humanity…Why has this problem not been solved?” I wish I could say that it is because the disease process is just too terribly complex.

But, then again, there are some smart people working on it. Really smart. Like beamed down from the mothership. People who could be making a lot more money as retinal surgeons in private practice. I mean, nobody tacks on that Ph.D to their M.D., so they can make more coin. Then they get to spend the rest of their careers fighting over five dollars in a sandbox with a bunch of other researchers.

Fun times.

What about the patients? Do we not volunteer to be guinea pigs for most any worthwhile project? Or, not-so-worthwhile project?

I know plenty of RPers who are willing to subject themselves to all sorts of humiliation in hopes of a resulting cure or treatment.

Is it because it is a rare disease? One that is not super sexy?

Closer. There is not a huge financial incentive to study RP.

What else?

Well, there is also an egregious practice that takes place. Regularly. It makes us about as attractive to biotech investment as Jabba the Hutt in a prom dress is to the average seventeen year-old male.

This practice, for purposes of a family audience, I will call “patent camping.”

What is it?

It is taking out a patent and then sitting on it. So, someone who is interested in researching your brilliant idea (or not-so-brilliant one) will have to pay you out in order to do so. Sounds fair enough. It is YOUR idea after all. Based on your research. You should get paid, right?

Sure. If you have funding to advance it forward. If you have an interest. If you can DO SOMETHING WITH IT in a reasonable amount of time. Otherwise you should let it go. It stops all kinds of creative work that could possibly improve the quality of real people’s lives.

And isn’t that the reason you got into this gig in the first place? That and a healthy dose of curiosity, I would imagine.

So, I would like to say it is just vitamin companies who patent camp. But, it is not. Awhile back, I was following the work of a Japanese researcher in the area of nilvadipine and RP. Nilvadipine is a type of calcium channel blocker.

And, the researcher who holds the nilvadipine patent is actually working on it. Trials are advancing. He is earning his patent by potentially serving patients. Years ago, when I was looking into this drug, unavailable in the US, I learned of a patent on Diltiazem for RP. Diltiazem is also a calcium channel blocker. A few French researchers had camped on the Diltiazem patent. Back before the invention of the wheel.

Same class of drug as nilvadipine.

They had not moved any work forward. Dr. Berson (Harvard) published work disproving the use of calcium channel blockers in RP. Diltiazem, to be exact… with one dog. Before anyone understood different mutations.

Maybe someone before our Japanese nilvadipine researcher (currently in trials) would have worked on it if the French researcher and friends had not kept camping on the patent even though they went on to live off of funding from other sources.

Oh well, I thought. Just one set of campers does not an epidemic make. Then I started learning about low level laser therapy and Retinitis PIgmentosa. I was encouraged by some work done by Eelis and Whelan at Wisconsin. And, Eelis has patented it for use in retinal degeneration. I do not have a problem with that as she is actually working on it.

Not a camper.

But I ran into another doc who was camping on LLLT for eye disease. A dermatologist. With a patent for LIGHT and eye disease? He took out the patent years ago. Then made a deal with L’Oreal to use LLLT for wrinkles. Did he let the patent for eye disease go?

Nope. He made himself a little fire and got out the marshmallows. Time for weanies, folks!

I wish, Ingrid, that your experience with this company was an isolated one. But, it is a systemic issue. I am not expecting anyone to be Jonas Salk, just let patents lapse when you cannot move forward with the work. New patent laws need to be put in place to protect the best interests of patients, with stricter time limits. As you stated, a possible RP intervention is not an Allen wrench. This is especially critical for those of us dealing with rare diseases which are already financially unattractive to the majority of companies.

Now where did I put that flashlight? Sure is dark out here in the campground….Think I just tripped over a couple of researchers eating beanie weanies.

I have to laugh. To keep from crying.

Nat

Natalie “Nat” Watkins lives in Texas with her husband and two children. In addition to being an avid reader, writer and pissed off blind person, she is a graduate student and enjoys pina coladas and getting caught in the rain, and is not into yoga and has half a brain She’s currently putting the finishing touches on her memoir, Crash Test. She can be reached at: Npendleton7@satx.rr.com

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Valensa International & The Astaxanthin Patent: Why Everyone With A Retinal Disease Should Care

Written By: ingridricks - Jul• 03•14

As some of you know, I was dragged into a patent infringement case by attorneys representing Valensa International because I wrote a blog post on astaxathin and its possible benefits for eye health, and featured an image of the brand I was using.

It wasn’t until I was subpoenaed that I discovered the existence of Patent #5, 527,533 filed on October 27, 1994. This patent claims that high “therapeutic” doses of astaxanthin can retard and ameliorate central nervous system and eye damage…”such as age-related macular degeneration, photic injury, photoreceptor cell or ganglion cell damage, traumatic injury … and inflammatory diseases.”

From what I can gather, Valensa is the exclusive licensee for nutraceutical applications of the patent, which is assigned to the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. Here’s a link to the full patent: Astaxanthin 5,527,533. Here’s an excerpt from that patent:

“The above tests show that the administration of a therapeutically-effective amount of astaxanthin to an individual prevents, retards and/or ameliorates damage to the central nervous system and, especially to the eye, resulting from disease or injury. The astaxanthin is administered to the individual in dosages of 5 to about 500 mg (milligram) astaxathin per kilogram (kg) of body weight. Preferably, the astaxathin dose is about 10 to about 200 mg astaanthin per kg of body weight, and to achieve the full advantage of the present invention, the astaxathin dose is about 25 to about 150 mg astaxanthin/kg of body weight.”

The patent claims that therapeutic dosages of astaxanthin not only protected photoreceptor cells in lab rats, but also ameliorated the effects of the photic injury.

I weigh 105 pounds, which converts to 47.6 kilograms. Based on the minimum recommended dosages identified in the patent to receive full therapeutic advantage (25 mg per kg of body weight), I’d need to take 1190 milligrams –nearly 100 times the amount currently available on the market–to prevent or retard the damage to my photoreceptor cells. And I may actually need six times this amount.

The claims were based on a study with rats and this never reached the human clinical trial stage so it’s hard to know how much of the claimed benefits actually apply to humans. Yet I’ve been told that Valensa has been threatening legal action or suing any astaxathin producer that advertises astaxanthin’s benefits for eye health, even when the largest dosage I can currently find on the market is only 12 mg – which is nowhere near the dosages referred to in the patent. (Sounds like some internal industry squabbling has been going on as well: see this article from 2012 about Valensa and Cyanotech).

The idea that information about the potential benefits of large dosages of astaxanthin to help prevent or reverse damage in retinal diseases has been withheld from the public because of a patent is outrageous to me. I’m extremely grateful for research and appreciate the amount of money and time it takes to undertake research that can lead to medical breakthroughs.So I get that the researchers need to be compensated. But somewhere in all of this, people and health have to come first. We aren’t talking about a boat motor or a screwdriver here. We are talking about people’s eyesight and a naturally occurring carotenoid. Makes me wonder what else is out there that might help us save our eyesight that we aren’t hearing about because of disputes over money and IP ownership.

As it turns out, this patent will expire on October 27, 2014, only four months from now. I’m guessing that as soon as it does expire, we are going to see higher dosages of astaxanthin available in the market and will hear plenty more about the connection between astaxanthin and eye health. I hope that at that time the truth—whatever it is—will finally start to come out.

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Posted in Nutritional Supplements, The Business of Eye Health , astaxanthin and eye health, astaxanthin and retinal diseases, Cynotech and Astaxantin, ingrid ricks and astaxanthin, Valensa International and Astaxanthin | 10 Comments »

Dr. Rosenfarb Acupuncture Treatment Round 3 Results

Written By: ingridricks - Jun• 30•14

I just wrapped up my third treatment session with Dr. Andy Rosenfarb and am holding strong in terms of the bench line gains I made after my first treatment in December. I always slide a little between treatments, but rebound after my five-day stint. This time, though, there were two interesting developments:

My right side central core visual field has expanded to 19 degrees—which is remarkable because when I started in December, I had only TWO degrees. What I see is not super clear – more of a black shade verses the white square that I see in my very central core. But it’s there. My blind spot then kicks in at that point but I’m able to start seeing again (this time more clearly) at around the 45-degree mark in my right side and it carries all the way through to around 90 degrees. (My top and bottom central core are still very limited and haven’t budged much.)
My near side visual acuity has slipped a little. When I was in treatment in March, I managed to get it to 20/40 It’s now 20/63 until Dr. Rosenfarb suggested I put on my reading glasses. Then I was able to get it to 20/32. And that’s when I discovered something else: that the reading glasses (125 strength) make everything sharper and brighter —including that blind fog in my lower central vision.

Both Dr. Rosenfarb and I got a laugh out of this. “I’m thinking you need to go your eyes checked for prescription glasses,” he said. “You know, when you get to be over 40….”

Aside from the drug store reading glasses that I’ve rarely used, I’ve never worn glasses and haven’t been to an ophthalmologist to have my eyes checked for prescription needs since I was diagnosed with RP in 2004. I’ve only been to retinal specialists and at least for now, I’ve written them off. But after this treatment round, I’ve realized the importance of having regular eye care visits with an ophthalmologist who can track non-RP related issues going on with my eyes that may be easily correctable.

So this week, I’m on the hunt for a cool, forward-thinking ophthalmologist in Seattle. If you happen to know one, please send his or her info my way.

Below are the results from my third round of treatment with Dr. Rosenfarb – compared with where my eyesight was at when I started my first treatment on December 2, 2013. The improvement have been gradual but when I see them next to each other, it’ amazes me. As my dad always says: By the mile it’s a trial; by the yard it’s hard; but by the inch, it’s a cinch. I’m getting there—an inch at a time.

Visual Fields

Right Side Horizontal:

December 2, 2013: Central Core: 0-2degrees Outer Periphery: 50 – 80 degrees
June 27, 2014: Central Core: 0-19 degrees Outer Periphery: 45 – 90 degrees

Left Side Horizontal:

December 2, 2013: Central Core: 0 – 6 degrees Outer Periphery: 80 – 90 degrees
June 27, 2014: Central Core: 0 – 10 degrees Outer Periphery: 70 – 90 degrees

Right Side Vertical Top

December 2, 2013: 0-4 degrees
June 27, 2014: 0-8 degrees

Left Side Vertical Top

December 2, 2013: 0-6 degrees
June 27, 2014: 0-7 degrees

Right Side Vertical Bottom

December 2, 2013: Central Core: 0-3 degrees Outer Periphery: 80 – 90 degrees
June 27, 2-14: Central Core: 0-7 degrees Outer Periphery: 55 – 105 degrees

Left Side Vertical Bottom

Central Core: 0-3 degrees Outer Periphery: 70-90 degrees
Central Core: 0-8 degrees Outer Periphery: 60-100 degrees

Visual Acuity Far

December 2, 2013: 20/40
June 27, 2014: 20/25

Visual Acuity Near

December 2, 2013: 20/80
June 27, 2014 : 20/63 (20/32 with 125 strength reading glasses-

COLOR CONTRAST

Note: This test measures ability to differentiate colors

December 2, 2013: 6 out of 9 cards correct
June 27, 2014: 9 out of 9 cards correct

CONTRAST SENSITIVITY

Note: This test measures ability to pick up color as it fades

December 2, 2013: 7 out of 8 lines
June 27, 2014: 8 out of 8 lines

OCTOPUSS 301 VISUAL FIELD TEST

Note: This is a machine like the ones used by retinal specialists, only it stops at 30 degrees vs. 90 degrees. I did notice that my gains slipped a little this time around. After my first treatment, I could see 8 dots flash in one eye, 9 in other eye. This round I could see 7 dots flash in each eye.

Left Eye:

December 2, 2013: I saw two dots flash
June 27, 2014: I saw seven dots flash

Right Eye:

Before Treatment: I saw three dots flash
After Treatment: I saw seven dots flash

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Posted in Acupuncture, Uncategorized , acupuncture and Retinitis Pigmentosa, acupuncture and RP, Ingrid Ricks and Retinitis Pigmentosa, Ingrid Ricks and RP, treatment for retinitis pigmentosa, Treatment for RP | 2 Comments »

An Interview with RP Advocate Sandro Pretolani

Written By: ingridricks - Jun• 17•14

Sandro

Of all the people I’ve met in my search for an answer to Retinitis Pigmentosa, only a handful come close to the amount of time and energy devoted by Sandro Pretolani. He tirelessly combs the internet for anything that might hold promise for RP patients — especially as it relates to advancements in western medicine, science and technology — and then shares his findings in a research-oriented group on Facebook.

What makes his commitment so extraordinary is that Sandro doesn’t have RP. I recently asked him if he would discuss his commitment and thoughts on RP with all of us here.

IR: Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us, Sandro. Where do you live?

SP: I live in Italy, in a little town named Forlì, not far from Rimini.

IR: You are one of the most proactive people I’ve come across when it comes to finding an answer to RP. What drives you? And how much time do you spend each day researching answers?

SP: What drives me? I love my brother, Renzo, too much to see his sight worsening year by year, so I have begun to search — first here in Italy, then all around the world – for any news I can find about research and therapy. I really wish to thank all the members and the coordinator of a Facebook group, Retinitis Pigmentosa Research and Treatment. They made me understand I am not alone in the search and in the fight. With their questions, they obligate me to keep a “mental order” in my research, which is very important in my opinion. As for your second question, if I could, my search would be continuous. In reality, I am able to spend from one to four hours each evening researching.

IR: When was your brother diagnosed with RP? How old is he now?

SP: My brother was diagnosed at 18, and now he is 46.

IR: Does anyone else in your family have RP?

SP: Not to our knowledge.

Sandro’s brother, Renzo

IR: Of all the research you’ve done, what treatments or medical advances look most promising to you?

SP: This is not easy to answer – it depends on a lot of things. The more important is the stage of progress of the disease: for an initial and mild case, gene therapy can be really life-changing,with little effort. For most advanced cases, stem cells (eventually together with gene therapy, to save the remaining alive retinal cells) can be the way to restore lost vision. For people who will not be seeing in ten to twenty years (when it is hoped that gene therapy and stem cell treatments will be more advanced and readily accessible to RP patients), artificial retinas have to be preferred, keeping in mind the enormous development in this area and the advances that are expected over the next few years.

The acupuncture treatment is not easy to collocate inside this classification. We have a lot of positive testimonials about the therapy offered by Dr. Andy Rosenfarb in his clinic in New Jersey, but also a lot of not so positive experiences around the world with other acupuncture practitioners. I think it is not viable–for a lot of reasons–to consider Dr.Rosenfarb’s treatment in New Jersey something that can be accessed by all of the sick people around the world. I hope he will be able to extend his experience to other practitioners outside of the United States.

IR: I know you’ve compiled a resource database. Can you provide us a link to that?

SP: With great pleasure. It is not “really” a database – it is only a Google Drive link to a shared folder named “retina”. I’ve divided it into two sections: “Latest News”, organized chronologically, and “Archive.” divided by the kind of research and the Institute or private company involved. For example, inside the folder archive you’ll find the folder “stem cells”, inside of which there are a lot of subfolders of different Universities or companies involved. To access, Click HERE

IR: Based on your research and experiences living with a brother who has RP, any advice you would give to those of us living with RP?

SP: It’s not easy to advise someone (and it can also sound false) to say, “Try to live as if all was normal.” But I think this is the essence. Yes, you have a disease, until now not curable, but you have also a great battle to fight–a purpose in life. Never, never, never give up on the hope that something could help you. With all the research, clinical trials and doctors focusing energies on this, I think that hope is one of the most potent “engines” of our life. Never lose your dignity and always remember that, for you, the life of every day is always a challenge – fight and win your challenges with grit and determination and be proud of it. And for those of us with a loved one suffering from RP, I think we need to help him/her in their inevitable moments of discouragement. It’s my dream that a day not so far from now, we will meet together and be the “ex” patients of RP. What a wonderful day that will be.

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Posted in Uncategorized | 8 Comments »

An Open Letter to the Dueling Astaxanthin Companies

Written By: ingridricks - Jun• 14•14

Somehow, because I followed the advice of Dr. Andy Rosenfarb and decided to try astaxanthin and MSM drops to help my central vision—and then blogged about it when I noticed that the combo seemed to help my visual acuity, I’ve found myself in the middle of an ugly patent infringement case.

I can’t quite figure out how doing an Amazon search for astaxanthin and then ordering supplements based on customer reviews and dosage has caused attorneys to depose me.

But this is my plea to all of the companies involved in this case: please think about those of us who are fighting to hold onto our sight so that we can see our children grow up and can maintain our jobs and independence. Please think about what it would mean for you if you could no longer see your loved ones or yourself. Think about what it would be like if you had to miss out on seeing new cities and nature and sunsets and artwork. Think about what it mean if you could no longer do the work you love or couldn’t even walk down the street without assistance. Think about the pain of not being able to participate in your children’s activities; to have to stand on the sidelines and watch as your family fades away from you. Think about how it would feel if doctors told you there was no hope for you—that you needed to just suck it up and head to your local Center for the Blind to prepare for your inevitable reality.

If you have managed to discover that astaxanthin can help people with retinal diseases to save their eyesight, then please do the right thing and work together to build awareness and accessibility to help those of us fighting to hold onto whatever vision we have left so that we can continue to see.

Please don’t lose sight of what really matters.

Sincerely,

Ingrid Ricks

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Posted in Nutritional Supplements, The Business of Eye Health | 8 Comments »

Dr. Miller’s New Book on Healing Eyesight Free Today

Written By: ingridricks - Jun• 12•14

I first met Dr. Damon Miller six years ago, when I traveled to California to meet him and start on his Better Eye Health Program — a home treatment program which includes eye exercises, acupressure, color lamp therapy, micro-current stimulation, stress management and a variety of vitamins and minerals. Dr. Miler, who is a board-certified MD, naturopath and acupuncturist, has been treating degenerative eye diseases for the past twenty years employing a whole-body health approach. He helped me recognize the correlation between emotional trauma/stress and degenerative diseases — as well as the huge connection between diet, nutrition and Retinitis Pigmentosa.

He recently published a new book, Stem Cells to Heal Your Eyes, that is free on Amazon through the end of today. Here’s a link to the FREE eBook and below is the book description. Though I’ve not yet read it, I highly respect Dr. Miller and know that his knowledge and insight can benefit all of us. I plan to delve into it this weekend. And for those of you who are interested, here’s a link to an interview I did with Dr. Miler last year about the connection between diet and Retinitis Pigmentosa.

Stem Cells to Heal Your Eyes: Prevent and Help Macular Degeneration, Retinitis Pigmentosa, Stargardt, Retinal Distrophy and Retinopathy

A physician and pioneer in the integrative treatment of serious eye diseases such as Macular Degeneration, Retinitis Pigmentosa, Stargardt and other retinopathies reveals the best strategies used today to prevent and reverse these devastating diseases. Drawing on some of the hottest topics in modern medicine, the book discusses the surprising revelations from the research in Epigenetics and adult stem cells. Your genes are not your destiny.

From our work with thousands of people, we understand that you might be fearful that you will lose your independence or your ability to do even the simplest tasks because serious eye disease is taking your sight. This book empowers you with simple tools that combat degenerative eye disease. Tools that support a healthy lifestyle and methods to remove damaging stress from your day to day life. You will find ways to transform fear into action, so that you can move forward in your life.

Instead of fear you will begin to have control. You can have the ability to drive again, see your grandkids again. The book presents techniques drawn from over 30 years of working directly with these diseases that over and over again show something can be done to slow and reverse these challenging issues. Along with these techniques it features real life stories of success from people who were in the same place as you might be right now. You are not alone in this experience. There are thousands of others who walk the path with you.

Feel like you don’t quite understand the components and causes of eye disease, let alone how they can be reversed? By reading this book you will better understand the root sources of these challenges and how healing occurs. Knowledge is power after all and this book is here as your resource. There is in-depth discussion of key topics regarding adult stem cells, Epigenetics and other topics you need to know. Stop feeling helpless. There is a wealth of information in this book that can help you now.

These methods have helped thousands of people around the world restore vision in diseases that most physicians consider hopeless. This book provides hope and a clear plan of action.

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Posted in Diet, Emotional Health, Exercise, Eye Exercises, Lifestyle and Acupuncture, Nutritional Supplements , Dr. Damon Miller, healing RP, Ingrid Ricks and Retinitis Pigmentosa, Stem cells and Retinitis Pigmentosa, treating RP, treatment for retinitis pigmentosa | 3 Comments »

The Benefits of Astaxanthin & MSM Drops: Dr. Rosenfarb Explains

Written By: ingridricks - Jun• 05•14

A lot of you have expressed interest in learning more about the possible benefits of Astaxanthin & MSM drops for the treatment of RP. So I asked Dr. Andy Rosenfarb if he could help us out.

Can you tell us what Astaxanthin is and how it might benefit RP patients?

Dr. Rosenfarb: Scientists have studied the most common carotenoids (lutein, zeaxanthin, canthaxanthin, and astaxanthin) and compared their respective abilities to protect the retina. In terms of potency as a free radical scavenger and permeability across the blood-brain-retina barrier, astaxanthin may be superior to other carotenoids in this way.

Dr. Mark Tso of the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University has aptly demonstrated that astaxanthin seems to be the best bet when it comes to protecting your eyes. He discovered that astaxanthin easily crosses into the tissues of the eye and exerts its effects safely and without adverse reactions.

Specifically, Tso determined astaxanthin could ameliorate or prevent light induced damage, photoreceptor cell damage, ganglion cell damage, and damage to the neurons of the inner retinal layers. Other researchers (Shimidzu et al, Bagchi, Martin et al, and Beutner) have since confirmed Dr. Tso’s finding that astaxanthin is the most powerful antioxidant ever discovered for eye health, giving your eyes an additional layer of long-term protection.Tso, Mark O. M., Lam, Tim-Tak, “Method of Retarding and Ameliorating Central Nervous System and Eye Damage,” Patent No. 5,527,533. Washington, D.C., U.S. Patent

Tso, Mark O. M., Lam, Tim-Tak, “Method of Retarding and Ameliorating Central Nervous System and Eye Damage,” Patent No. 5,527,533. Washington, D.C., U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, June 18, 1996.

I recommend that patients start out with 4mg per day and build up to 12mg per day.

Can you tell us about MSM drops and how they might benefit RP Patients?

Dr. Rosenfarb: Over the last two years, I have been recommending that some of my patients consider MSM eye drops. I originally stared using MSM clinically for cases of RA (rheumatoid arthritis) and chronic systemic inflammation. Results were good and we decided to try it for ocular inflammatory conditions like optic neuritis, iritis and blepharitis. Again, results were quite good and I began to explore other uses for degenerative eye conditions.

For RP, we think that MSM eye drops may help control inflammation, detoxification of ocular metabolic waste products, break up scar tissue and help with cell regeneration. MSM Eye Drops also soften tissues, equalize pressure, repair damaged membranes, and help tissues absorb nutrients more effectively.

I recommend 1-2 drops in each eye daily.

For more information about Dr. Andy Rosenfarb and his treatment for RP and other degenerative eye disorders, please visit: www.acuvisiontherapy.com

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Posted in Ask the Expert, Nutritional Supplements | 3 Comments »

My Latest Supplement Experiment: Astaxanthin and MSM Eye Drops

Written By: ingridricks - May• 30•14

For the past month and a half, I’ve added a daily dose of Astaxanthin to my supplement mix on the advice of Dr. Andy Rosenfarb. I’ve also been dousing my eyes twice a day with the MSM eye drops he supplied me with the hopes that between the two, they will help my central core vision. Dr. Rosenfarb’s theory is that the combination of the two may help to clear out the scar tissue/pigment.

I hadn’t given it much thought until a couple of days ago, when I pulled out a paperback book and noticed that as long as I had good light, I could read it with NO reading glasses. This is amazing for me considering that when I first went to see Dr. Rosenfarb last Deceember, my near-sided vision was 20/125 in my right eye, 20/80 in my left eye.

I’d been curious about Astaxanthin even before Dr. Rosenfarb recommended it because I’ve read that it’s the strongest antioxidant around for the eyes.

Here are links to a couple of in-depth articles on its benefits. I’m particularly interested because I know from my last appointment with a retinal specialist (a year and a half ago) that I had cataracts forming — and this seems to do battle with them.

Here are some benefit highlights:

Astaxanthin is by far the most powerful carotenoid antioxidant when it comes to free radical scavenging: it is 65 times more powerful than vitamin C, 54 times more powerful than beta-carotene, and 14 times more powerful than vitamin E.
Astaxanthin is far more effective than other carotenoids at “singlet oxygen quenching,” which is a particular type of oxidation. The damaging effects of sunlight and various organic materials are caused by this less-stable form of oxygen. Astaxanthin is 550 times more powerful than vitamin E and 11 times more powerful than beta-carotene at neutralizing this singlet oxygen.
Astaxanthin crosses the blood-brain barrier AND the blood-retinal barrier (beta-carotene and lycopene do not), which has huge implications for the health of your eyes.
It is soluble in lipids, so it incorporates into cell membranes.
It is a potent UVB absorber.
It reduces DNA damage.
It is a very powerful natural anti-inflammatory.
No adverse reactions have been found for people taking astaxanthin.
It is virtually impossible to obtain the recommended daily amount of astaxanthin from diet alone because there are only two prime sources: microalgae and sea creatures that consume the algae (such as salmon, shellfish, and krill).

For those of you who are interested, here’s a list of other supplements that I’m religious about taking:

Zeaxanthin
DHA
Vitamin D
TUDCA (been out of this for a few weeks..but reordering it)

And here’s a link to the Astaxanthin I’ve been purchasing. It’s the highest dose I could find.

Happy Weekend!

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Posted in Nutritional Supplements , Astaxanthin and Retinitis Pigmentosa, Ingrid Ricks and Retinitis Pigmentosa, Ingrid Ricks Determined to See, treatments for Retinitis Pigmentosa | 12 Comments »

RP-Free Moments from All of You

Written By: ingridricks - May• 23•14

I’ve loved reading these ENJOYING LIFE posts from all of you. It’s inspiring and such a reminder to embrace the moment and Live Life. If any of you are looking for some great ideas for bringing joy to your weekend, read the lists and posts below.

Erin from Texas:

Playing outside in the water with my 2 year old son
Watching the sunset
Morning walks
Reading my book with a cup of coffee

Cindy from Ohio

I don’t have RP but macular degeneration, but here’s my list:

Tea and good conversation with my sister
Planting flowers in my garden
Napping with my cats
Writing a blog post for my city’s website
Watching fav TV show (Dancing with the Stars)
A nature walk at local preserve

Marie-Josée  from Montréal, Canada

Going to work everyday as a nurse
Taking public transportation
Drinking my morning coffee with Marilyne, the best collègue in the world
 Walking and going to the gym
Shopping with my husband and talking to him
Seeing my kids

Rubén from Chile

I like to walk with my wife and take her hand
Go to the beach with my wife and my little dog and look at the sea
After work, I like to have tea with my wife in my bed
I like watching movies, especially my fauvorites. For example “Braveheart, Gladiator, etc” and old series as Lost, Dr. House
I like cooking, any things, fish, meat, pasta mmmmm I´m hungry

Doing this list, I can see there are many things I do every day and I enjoy that

Marlene Buettner

I, too, can enjoy so much. It’s been a long process grieving over all that I “can’t do”, but there is still so much that I can do!!

I am gratefull for every bit of vision that I have. I figure for the useable vision I have that I function pretty damn good.

My biggest joy this past year has been taking a yoga class. So good for physical and has helped me deal so much better with the “mental”.

I am ready to move on and enjoy my life more. As a matter of fact I am taking a spur of the moment trip to Italy. One of my good friends has moved there for 8 months and another good friend and I are going to visit her. I plan on seeing while I still have enough vision left to see. I am confident that I will manage fine with my two good friends and jokingly tell them that I am going to teach them to be good guide dogs. It feels so good to have something to look forward to and feel like I am living again!!!!!

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Posted in Emotional Health, Uncategorized , Enjoying Life despite Retinitis Pigmentosa, Ingrid Ricks and Retinitis Pigmentosa, Living life with RP, Positive attitude and retinitis pigments | 2 Comments »

My RP-Free Week & Aha Moments

Written By: ingridricks - May• 19•14

I spent last week focusing on my daily life and all the things I can do and enjoy. And it turns out that it’s almost everything I could do when I had “normal eyesight.” It made me realize something powerful: that despite my low vision and the occasional challenges it poses, it doesn’t keep me from enjoying life. It also drove home something else for me: that I depend a great deal on my eyesight and that it’s worth continuing to do everything in my power to save what I have.

A Few Highlights from My Week:

Daily morning walk and hemp mocha with John
Shopping with my daughters
Enjoying a glass of wine with neighbors
Sitting on our deck soaking up the sunshine
Tea and conversation with a good friend
Working out at gym
Delivering a keynote address to students at a Youth Challenge Awards ceremony
Jury Duty (okay – not my favorite thing to do…but I’ve been doing it)
Irish nachos, IPA and movie night with John
Cheering on a friend as she marched in Norwegian Independence Day Parade
Hanging out at the Sunday Market with my family – listening to street musicians, sharing a bratwurst with my daughter and picking out our weekly $5 bouquet of fresh flowers

Okay – now it’s your turn to share your RP-free week and aha moments. Post them in comments with your name and where you live and I’ll do a compilation blog post on Friday. Wishing all of you an amazing week.

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Posted in Uncategorized , Ingrid Ricks and Retinitis Pigmentosa, Living with Retinitis Pigmentosa, saving eyesight from Retinitis Pigmentosa, treatments for Retinitis Pigmentosa | 12 Comments »

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