For centuries, sandalwood has been used for its beautifying and fine fragrance properties. Find out why this precious wood, native to the south of India, is so popular in the world of beauty.

What is sandalwood?

Sandalwood is the name of a group of fragrant trees that is found mostly in India, some other countries of south Asia, Indonesia and Australia. This aromatic tree was initially used mostly by perfume makers, a practice that lead to the overharvesting of this otherwise slow-growing tree. While the fragrance continues to be one of the most popular derivatives of sandalwood, the powder and oil are also heavily used for their excellent skincare enhancing qualities, especially to enhance the glow on a bride just before her wedding.

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It is possible to aid eye health through nutrition and supplements, experts at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).

Research by the National Eye Institute (NEI) has shown that high levels of antioxidants and zinc, in the form of a nutritional supplement tablet, reduced the risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

“AMD is the leading cause of blindness in older adults,” said Cynthia Owsley, Ph.D., professor and vice chair for clinical research in the Department of Ophthalmology.

“These dietary supplements are not a cure for AMD, but they do reduce one’s risk of progressing to the most serious form of the disease,” she stated.

UAB School of Optometry Professor Leo Semes, O.D., talked about the importance of diet to eye health.

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How do you view health? In order to choose a plan of health, you must first have a clear understanding of where you believe health comes from. In a world full of natural remedy “cures” and a medical system warning you to avoid them, and instead take “researched” drugs, society shows a behavior of seeking the easiest path looking to take some pill or concoction to bring “health.” In trying to help you understand the origins of health, classical naturopathic medicine provides a path that will bring you what you seek. The catch is that it requires a lifestyle and choices that go against the grains of society.

The first principle of Naturopathic Medicine is Vis Medicatrix Naturae, or the healing power of nature. My Christian beliefs define where I believe this power comes from, but when you look at biological science, the basic cell concept defines a process of homeostasis. Homeostasis shows that every cell works 24 x 7 to be as healthy as that cell can be based on the given environment of that cell. So the first step to health and question you must ask is “what is my personal cellular environment?” More importantly, “can I change that environment to promote optimal health?”

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