Eating Fish May Preserve Eyesight

(WebMD)  Being called "fish eyes" may actually be a compliment. A new study shows people who eat at least two servings of fish per week are less likely to develop age-related macular degeneration, aka AMD, a common cause of blindness among older people.

Researchers found that people who ate a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids —commonly found in tuna, salmon, and other oily fish — were nearly 40 percent
less likely to develop AMD than those who ate little of this heart-healthy type of fat.

Overall, eating more than one 4-ounce serving of fish per week was associated with the lowest risk for AMD.

Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of irreversible vision
loss among people over 65 in the U.S.

Fatty Acids May Foil Eye Disease

The study, published in the Archives of Ophthalmology, involved more
than 4,500 men and women who were between the ages 60 and 80 when they enrolled in 1992 through 1998. At the start of the study, the participants filled out a questionnaire detailing the foods they ate regularly and were examined for AMD.

After adjusting for factors such as total calories consumed, age, race, and
smoking history, researchers found that those who consumed the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids, primarily from fish, were 39 percent less likely to have AMD.

Compared to those who ate the least fish, those who ate the most or at least
two or more servings of baked or broiled fish also had a 39 percent lower risk of AMD.

People who ate fish less often also seemed to enjoy some of these benefits.
The study showed that those who ate more than one 4-ounce serving of baked or broiled fish per week also had a 35 percent lower risk of AMD.

Researchers from the Age-Related Disease Study Group in Rockville, Md., who
conducted the study, say omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of AMD in a
variety of ways, such as promoting healthy blood vessel function, influencing which genes turn on and off, and reducing inflammation.

Together with previous studies on omega-3 fatty acids and AMD, researchers
say the results suggest that changing diet to include more foods rich in
omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of the disease.


By Jennifer Warner
Reviewed by Louise Chang
© 2007 WebMD, Inc. All rights reserved

[basilspice]

I publish the #1 Site for Author Interviews & Book Reviews: Diet, Weight Loss, Health, Fitness, Nutrition. (www.BasilAndSpice.com)
Recently I featured and spoke with Dr. Ralph Felder, author of The Bonus Years Diet. Dr. Felder based his book on 25 years of study published in the British Medical Journal. One of the main components of living longer Dr. Felder says, is to eat more fish (regularly). His book tells what kind of fish to eat, how much, how to prepare it, and how to choose a good piece. Dr. Felder is a doctor, researcher, and a chef--a brilliant individual.
I highly recommend eating fish often, almost every author I speak to, says to do so.
Kelly Jad'on/Publisher
www.BasilAndSpice.com

[hypnotoad72]

Unless it contains lots of lead, in which case you can kiss your eyesight goodbye... :)