Sunday, March 27, 2016

Eat Your Fruits and Veggies!


Fruits and vegetables can help fight cataracts according to an article by Roni Rabin. Cataracts are usually associated with a break down of lens microarchitecture and mostly occurs in older people. However, a new study shows that diet might play a greater role than genetics in their progression.

Britain studied about 1,000 pairs of female twins who were the average age of 60. They asked them detailed questions about their daily nutrient intake. The twins then underwent digital imaging of the eye for progression of cataracts. The researchers found that the women who had a diet rich in vitamin C, had a 20 percent lower risk in cataracts than those who did not. A rich diet in vitamin C includes two or more servings of vegetables and two or more servings of fruits per day.

Ten years later, scientists followed up with 324 of the twin pairs and they found that those who consumed more vitamin C, had a 33 percent lower risk of cataracts progressing than those who did not. The researchers concluded that environmental factors, including diet, account for 65 percent of cataract progression, where as genetic factors only account for 35 percent. So make sure to eat your fruits and veggies that are rich in vitamin C such as, oranges, kiwi and dark leafy greens!

I am glad I came upon this article because it has instilled how important eating fruits and vegetables everyday really is. Hopefully my level of vitamin C decreases my cataract progression in the future.

5 comments:

  1. This is a very interesting article. I would like to see more research on it

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  2. While there are many nutrients and vitamins that are essential to sustain a healthy lifestyle, I did not know that vitamin C could help decrease the development of cataracts. As we learn in health class when we are in middle school maybe even younger,vitamin C is most commonly known for helping to keep a strong immune system but this article brings attention to the fact that it contributes to eye sight and aging. I am curious to know that if cataracts can be inherited throughout generations and if people with poor eye sight are more susceptible to developing cataracts no matter how much vitamin C they intake.

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  3. did not know that vitamin C could help decrease the development of cataracts, I always thought that just eating carrots could help with eye sight. Whenever I get ill I take Vitamin C to help better my immune system. It is interesting to find out that Vitamin C is not only useful to the immune system but also to eyesight as well.

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  4. I wonder what made the researchers decide to study only female twins. But their studies do suggest a significant difference between those who ate more vitamin C and those who ate less. We all already knew that fruits and veggies were good for us in a variety of different ways, but it seems that the list is growing. If only they tasted as good as McDonald's does.

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  5. I enjoy the picture you chose for your post.
    I was always aware that vitamin C can affect the onset of cataracts. However, I am happy to see that diet affects the onset more than genetics because my father suffered from cataracts. I will make sure to keep up my vitamin C intake. Very interesting.

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