Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["Kathy" <Vanokat@mrtc.com>]

Interesting article here. My sister has MD and her eye Dr. told her not to 
take any vitamins that have beta-carotene b/c it speeds it up. I asked her 
if she was sure that is what he said and she said I am positive. Makes no 
sense to me. Since we were little kids we have have known carrots oranges 
etc are good for eyes.

Kathy
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tradingpost" <tradingpost@lobo.net>
To: <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Saturday, May 16, 2009 1:31 PM
Subject: [Livingontheland] Foods to fight vision loss


> Foods to fight vision loss
> http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/2414460/Foods-to-fight-vision-loss
>
>
> A new study suggests that older adults who eat diets rich in citrus 
> fruits,
> leafy greens and fish oil, but low in "glycemic index," may have a lower
> risk of age-related macular degeneration - the leading cause of vision
> loss.
>
> AMD, also known as "age-related macular degeneration" refers to gradual
> damage to the macula, a structure in the retina that allows for seeing 
> fine
> detail. The condition affects more than 1 million Americans, usually after
> the age of 65.
>
> A number of studies have suggested that individual nutrients, including 
> the
> antioxidants lutein, vitamin C and vitamin E, can help protect against 
> AMD.
>
> This latest study, published in the journal Ophthalmology, looked at the
> overall diet patterns of 4,000 older adults and the links to AMD risk.
>
> Researchers found that participants who tended to eat fish rich in
>
> omega-3 fatty acids, or foods high in vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, lutein
> and zeaxanthin, had a relatively lower risk of AMD. Lutein and zeaxanthin
> are plant pigments that act as antioxidants; the nutrients are found in
> broccoli, spinach and other leafy green vegetables, as well as egg yolks.
>
> The study also found that diets containing foods with a low glycemic 
> index,
> also appeared protective against AMD.
>
> Not surprisingly, older adults who combined all three dietary patterns
> showed a decreased AMD risk as well.
>
> Glycemic index (GI) refers to how rapidly a food causes blood sugar to
> rise. High-GI foods, like white bread and potatoes, tend to spur a quick
> elevation in blood sugar, while low-GI foods, such as lentils, soybeans,
> yogurt and many high-fiber grains, create a more gradual increase in blood
> sugar.
>
> The blood-sugar surges associated with high-GI diets may eventually damage
> the macula, explained lead researcher Dr. Chung-Jung Chiu, an assistant
> professor at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston.
>
> That's because excess blood sugar interacts with other molecules, like 
> fats
> and proteins, to form what are called glycated molecules, he told Reuters
> Health.
>
> This process, in turn, can put the body under more oxidative stress, which
> over time damages cells and may lead to various diseases, including AMD.
>
> Foods rich in nutrients that may ward off AMD -- including citrus fruits,
> leafy greens, oily fish like salmon and mackerel, and vegetable oils --  
> are
> also seen as beneficial for overall health. So it's a good idea to try to
> eat more of them, Chiu said.
>
> This is especially true for older adults, the researcher noted, since the
> body's "self-defense systems" generally decline with age.
>
> SOURCE: Ophthalmology, May 2009.
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Livingontheland mailing list
> Livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/livingontheland