On the bright side, the researchers found that the patients who performed vigorous exercise (such as brisk walking or jogging) at least three times a week had a 25 percent reduction in the risk that their disease would worsen.
Eating Fruit Can Help Save Your Eyesight
Fortunately, macular degeneration (or other serious eye problems for that matter) isn’t necessarily inevitable.
A recent study published in The Archives of Ophthalmology found that adults who consumed three more servings of fruit a day had a 36 percent decreased risk of developing ARMD. The research conducted at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston examined data from over 77,000 women and nearly 41,000 men who were followed for a period of 12 to 18 years as part of long–term studies tracking a variety of health issues.
“Because there are a limited number of treatment options for age–related macular degeneration, clinicians and researchers have been focused on identifying factors that reduce risk and can ultimately save a person’s eyesight,” says Eunyoung Cho, lead author of the study. These findings are significant in showing that the antioxidants found primarily in fruits and vegetables can protect against free–radical damage that can lead to ARMD. Indeed, studies have also shown that antioxidant nutrients, such as carotenoids, vitamin C and zinc, can reduce the risk of disease progression and vision loss, according to Dr. Seddon.
Unfortunately, only 25 percent of Americans are consuming the recommended five–plus servings of fruits and vegetables per day. With more and more Americans living much longer, it is important to protect our eyesight. Says Cho, “People are living longer, healthier lives and age–related illnesses, such as blindness, can significantly impact an otherwise healthy quality of life.” Adds McLaughlan of the RNIB, “To safeguard sight we recommend people maintain a healthy weight, eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, exercise to improve general health, don't smoke and most importantly have regular eye tests.”
All vision loss – great or small – can affect your independence and quality of life. But I believe God has provided us with everything we need to protect our precious vision. Based on my 30 years of medical practice and research, I’ve formulated Vision Support. Vision Support contains the 17 natural vitamins, minerals, herbs, extracts and other nutrients I recommend to help maintain healthy eyesight. So if you’re concerned about preserving and protecting your vision, take a simple step by giving your eyes the abundant nutrition found in Vision Support.
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Risk of Eye Diseases & Blindness – Rises With Weight
Saturday, 12 July 2008, 2:39 (IST)
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