Save Your Sight with This Protein Switch
Salmon patties or lean beef burgers at your next barbecue? You might help your eyes see better down the road if you grill up the salmon instead.
Early research suggests there may be a link between diets high in red meat (be it fresh or processed) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of blindness in older adults.
An Eye-Damaging Diet?
People in a study who got about a serving and a half of red meat daily were almost 50 percent more likely to develop early AMD than the folks who cut back to less than five servings a week. Although more research is needed to confirm the link, it's best for your RealAge to cut back on red meat, regardless. Read this article for some simple cooking tricks that can help you eat less red meat and not miss it.
Set Your Sights On . . .
It's possible that compounds in red meat may cause oxidative damage to the retina, setting the stage for AMD. But red meat is just one of many possible culprits in this sight-stealing condition. Here are some clearer-cut ways to keep your vision vital:
- Kick the habit. Smoking is a known risk factor for AMD. This quit-smoking plan really works.
- Exercise for your eyes. Regular workouts may protect your eyes. But it needs to be this kind.
- Take your vitamins. A few are key to your eyes. Here are the ones that keep you seeing clearly.
Check out these other peeper-protecting suggestions from Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen.
RealAge Benefit:
Eating at least 1 serving of fish per week can make your RealAge up to 2.7 years younger.
Red meat and chicken consumption and its association with age-related macular degeneration. Chong, E. W. et al., American Journal of Epidemiology 2009 Apr 1;169(7):867-876.
