Don't Take Chances with your Sight
Our bodies give us lots of second chances. But when it comes to our eyes, there's little room for mistakes. Once damage is done, it's hard to turn back.
Fortunately, we're learning more and more about how we can protect our vision. In recent years, we've heard a lot about how nutrients can prevent and even halt the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD, characterized by disintegration of the light sensitive cells at the back of the eye, is the leading cause of blindness in older people. Now even the most conservative doctors recommend eye-supporting supplement formulas that contain lutein, vitamins C and E, beta carotene, copper and zinc.
Now a new study suggests that another healthy habit can have a big influence on our vision. In a trial published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, researchers at the University of Wisconsin report that regular exercise can reduce your chances of developing AMD by as much as 70 percent.
In this study, the scientists assessed nearly 4,000 men and women every five years for over 15 years. At the beginning of the study, the participants ranged in age from 43 to 86. The researchers tracked exercise habits and eye health only, and controlled for other risk factors like weight, blood fat levels and age.
Even with all those controls, the data was still remarkably strong: those who exercised three or more times a week were 70 percent less likely to develop AMD than those who got little exercise. (In this study, exercise included stair climbing, city walking, and any activity that caused participants to work up a sweat, in addition to formal exercise.) That's a huge result - most interventions are deemed significant at 30 - 50 percent (and for some of the prescription drugs they push at us, even lower.)
Of course, it's likely that people who are committed to exercise throughout their lives are also committed to healthy eating habits - and we know how important nutrition is to eye health. And it's no surprise that exercise is good for us.
But we all need a reminder now and then of the power of prevention. Health care information these days can seem so contradictory and so complicated. But it's really very simple: eat a healthy diet full of natural, simple whole foods like fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains and get plenty of exercise. That's the prevention prescription for 99 percent of today's health problems. If you haven't been doing those things consistently, now's your chance.
