Popeye's peepers
Popeye knew what he was doing when he cranked open a can of spinach for strength. More than just his biceps received benefit, and his name holds a hint to what I'm referring to Pop-"eye".
I'll stop with the clever semantics and get right to the good stuff. Researchers have been looking for away to derail the large numbers of folks who are struck with age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). It's a nasty business that 1.2 million Americans are faced with after they reach the age of 65. It can't be reversed and it gets progressively worse.
Researchers have found two nutrients to ward off the condition—lutein and zeaxanthin. These nutrients work their magic by helping your eyes filter out harmful, short-wavelength light. They also head off other damaging effects to the center area of the retina, where ARMD makes its devastating attack.
The results were based on a query of the dietary habits of 4,519 people who enrolled in the six-year study. Participants ranged in age from 60 to 80.
Those who were in the top 20 percent of eating a diet rich in these nutrients showed a 35 percent less risk of developing ARMD than those who rarely did.
My favorite part of the study? The recommendations from the research team. They feel these nutrients are best provided through foods and supplements. I couldn't agree more. Not only can you find these nutrients in spinach, but also in eggs, broccoli, zucchini, and greens such as collards, turnip greens and kale.
Break out the cookbooks and find ways to incorporate these eyesight-savers.
Try to get your hands on omega-3 eggs, as these have a health-supporting fat that can also support eye health. I eat eggs several times per week. And please don't believe all the made-up nonsense and hype about eggs having too much cholesterol. In the famous Framingham Heart study, researchers found that folks who ate 5 to 6 eggs per week actually had fewer heart problems than those who consumed one or less.
When it comes to greens I regularly favor a simple approach. I like to steam up a batch and season them with some organic apple cider vinegar. Or, if you prefer, a small amount of organic butter will dress them up and supply the important fat- soluble vitamins A and D, as well as a special fatty acid called butyrate that will nourish the healthy bacteria in your gut.
