Medscape reports, “Several nutrients, including zinc, vitamins C and E, lutein, zeaxanthin, and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, help promote eye health in aging individuals.
Category Archives: Nutrition & Supplements
Sodium-Potassium Ratio May Be More Important Than Total Sodium Intake
The New York Times (12/26, D7, Brody, Subscription Publication) reported in “Personal Health” that research published in the Archives of Internal Medicine “found that while a diet high in sodium — salt is the main source — increases your risk” of heart disease, “even more important is the ratio of sodium (harmful) to potassium (protective) in one’s diet.” One of the study’s authors, Dr. Elena V. Kuklina, a nutritional epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said, “We controlled for all the major cardiovascular risk factors and still found an association between the sodium-potassium ratio and deaths from heart disease.” The Times points out that “according to an Institute of Medicine report on sodium released last year, ‘No one is immune to the adverse health effects of excessive sodium intake.'”
Diet Poor In Vitamin C Associated With Increased Risk For Cataracts.
Diabetic Retinopathy Potentially Related To Vitamin D Insufficiency
MedPage Today (10/20, Gever) reported that, according to research presented at an ophthalmology meeting, “diabetic retinopathy may be added to the list of conditions potentially related to vitamin D insufficiency.”
The synopsis of the study can be found at the above link.
Eating Berries May Combat Age-Related Cognitive Decline
The UK’s Press Association (8/23) reported, “Eating berries may combat age-related mental decline by ‘cleaning up’ the brain” “Scientists have found the first evidence that polyphenol compounds in the fruits activate the brain’s natural ‘housekeeping’ mechanism.” The polyphenolic compounds found in berries appear to help “special immune system cells in the brain called microglia which engulf, remove and recycle harmful biochemical debris.”
Eyes may absorb catechins from green tea
WebMD (2/18, Warner) reported that, according to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, catechins, “the compounds responsible for many of the health benefits of green tea, are capable of penetrating the tissues of the eyes and have antioxidant activity there” for “up to 20 hours.”
Diet & Nutrition
Adding powerful antioxidants to your diet
can improve your eye health.
There’s no substitute for the quality of life good vision offers. Adding certain nutrients to your diet every day – either through foods or supplements – can help save your vision. Researchers have linked eye-friendly nutrients such as lutein/zeaxanthin, vitamin C, vitamin E, and zinc to reducing the risk of certain eye diseases, including macular degeneration and cataract formation.
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Lutein & Zeaxanthin
Lutein and zeaxanthin are important nutrients found in green leafy vegetables, as well as other foods, such as eggs. Many studies have shown that lutein and zeaxanthin reduce the risk of chronic eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.
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Vitamin C
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is an antioxidant found in fruits and vegetables. Scientific evidence suggests vitamin C lowers the risk of developing cataracts, and when taken in combination with other essential nutrients, can slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration and visual acuity loss.
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Vitamin E
Vitamin E in its most biologically active form is a powerful antioxidant found in nuts, fortified cereals and sweet potatoes. It is thought to protect cells of the eyes from damage caused by unstable molecules called free radicals which break down healthy tissue.
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Essential Fatty Acids
Fats are a necessary part of the human diet. They maintain the integrity of the nervous system, fuel cells and boost the immune system. Two omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to be important for proper visual development and retinal function.
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Zinc
Zinc is an essential trace mineral or ‘helper molecule.’ It plays a vital role in bringing vitamin A from the liver to the retina in order to produce melanin, a protective pigment in the eyes. Zinc is highly concentrated in the eye, mostly in the retina and choroid, the vascular tissue layer lying under the retina.
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Emerging Research
In the last 20 years, eye health research has linked diet and nutrition with a decreased risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Fine Eyewear offers a full line of high quality pharmaceutical grade supplements
Foods containing omega 3 fatty acids, fish oils may help prevent AMD
The UK’s Daily Mail (7/24, Hope) reports that, according to a study “to appear in the American Journal of Pathology next month,” foods “containing omega 3 and fish oils may help prevent” age-related macular degeneration (AMD), “the most common cause of blindness in old age.”