Would you like to improve your vision and eye health? The health of the eyes reflects the internal health of various organs, the fitness of the digestive system and the state of the mind. In this article we will explore these connections to help you improve your vision and keep healthy eyes for life.
In the 1970 film The Little Big Man, the lead Indian admits to the character played by Dustin Hoffman that the cord has been cut that connects his eyes to his heart. Hoffman’s character replies, “You are blind, grandfather?”
“No, my eyes still see, but my heart no longer receives it.”
Actually whatever was implied in this situation, this phenomenon is at least symbolically true. When I was studying at Utah College of Massage Therapy, we discussed trying the touch for health method to improve vision problems. We were told it is very complicated to correct vision. “Why?” came the question from the class.
The instructor said, “I have found that there are many reasons people do not want to see.”
This inability to see is probably connected to the heart. The heart does not choose to see, sometimes. In today’s world we do much to avoid seeing what is. We escape at every turn, through food, through entertainment and through various chemicals. We do not want to feel, see or face our reality. Reality is faced by loving and serving your neighbor and creating close community, and spending quality time with people and with nature. There is no reality in most news or most novels or most movies. Most people have never been hungry. We do not eat for hunger. We “…eat… for drunkenness.” (Ecclesiastes 10:17) We eat to stimulate and sedate and at all costs avoid sitting quietly with reality.
David Wolfe stated in his tape, How to Self Publish, “All the problems of the world stem from the inability of people to sit for 24 hours in a dark room alone.” In other words, people are sick, blind, neurotic, fearful, warlike and otherwise destructive agents of chaos because they will not face who and what they really are and how things really are around them.
We could talk all day about not wanting to see, but let us take a look at some practical, physiological elements to improve your vision and eye health. The following elements are extracted from a recent course on Eye and Vision Health offered by Star Valley Herbal College.
First: Visual acuity goes down substantially whenever there is digestive stress or distress. A meal with irritating or inflammatory foods or allergens will reduce circulation to the eyes and cause them to dysfunction. They will cloud over and a little color perception is lost. The nerves everywhere get irritated, and in the eyes this means both dysfunction and poor communication. It is vital to learn to eat non-stressful meals if you want to improve your vision.
Second: The liver is intimately associated with the eyes. Energetically, a dip in liver function will result in congestion of the energy of the eyes, which results in disease and dysfunction there. The gall bladder acu-meridian virtually touches the eyes, making liver and gall bladder health essential to maintain. The liver and gall bladder must be active, must have good bile flow and must not get overheated. They also must not get congested with stones, mucus, and foods and chemicals that cannot be broken down naturally.
Third: The eyes themselves need to be fed and nourished. Dr. Christopher created a formula that often got people to throw away their glasses and got blind kids to see for the first time! This is his Herbal Eyebright Formula, which was used both internally and on the eyes as an eyewash tea. In addition to this, in my clinical practice I use a Chi Gong exercise for the eyes that strengthens and heals them. Even just general Chi Gong (also written as Qi Gong, Chi Kung or some variation of these put together) will help with the energy flow through the eyes, liver and digestion. I use the 8 Pieces of Brocade. I use the eye exercises from Stephen Chang’s The Book of Internal Exercises, as taught in the eyes and vision course mentioned above.
Fourth: The eyes, like every part of the body, need some exercise resembling what they would get in nature. For example, the eyes need to see some sunlight and natural color schemes with depth, not on a flat surface. The eyes need to look at the world around them, in all directions and be alert and alive! For most people in the modern world, compensation for lack of natural experience can be done intentionally by going outside and looking up and down, side to side and diagonally each way and carefully focusing at several intervals through the movements. This is just like exercising any part of your body. The cells become more active, the blood and fluid exchange is improved, nutrients get in and wastes get out, the cells pick up nutrition better, tissue becomes pliable and stronger and the whole area improves in health in every way.
Fifth: Some supplements really improve nutrient and waste exchange at the eyes. Others supply high doses of nutrients the eyes need to be really healthy. These can be very helpful. I have a wonderful supplement that I make up myself that I will share with you. In addition to helping the eyes, this supplement helps with various aspects of digestion and liver health, and capillary health. It is also rich in enzymes.
Ginger – 4 parts
Ginseng -1 part
Ginkgo -2 parts
Cloves -1 part
Turmeric -1 part
Peppermint-1 part
Skullcap -1 Part
Bilberry -2 parts
Camu Camu powder-1 part
Hawthorn berries-1 part
Barley Grass-1 part
Parsley -1 part
Elder Berries – 4 parts
This can be powdered and encapsulated, made as tea or powdered and put in honey or concord grape juice. It is loaded with healthy nutrients, medicines and blood purifying herbs. Many of these herbs have been used to heal capillaries, remove free radical damage, improve circulation to the brain and eyes, or supply micronutrients and trace minerals.
These are key elements of the program found at Star Valley Herbal College. They have worked many times to improve visual acuity, heal diseased eyes and improve actual permanent vision. I believe they will, in this way, benefit anyone who wants to use them.
Thanks for reading!
