Vision problems like cataracts and age-related macular degeneration affect millions of older adults. But these eye diseases can be slowed down or avoided by getting vitamins A, C and E, zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, betacarotene and omega-3 fatty acids into your system, according to the Age-Related Eye Disease (ARED) study conducted by the National Eye Institute.
It's best to get these vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in your system by eating them, rather than taking a pill, according to WebMD. A new study has found some supplements may not be as effective as originally believed (for example, betacarotene is not advised for smokers due to an increased risk for lung cancer). Eating foods rich in these vitamins, minerals and minerals is important for better vision.
Here are five foods/drinks that have been shown to improve vision:
1. Orange Juice
Vitamin C has many benefits for eye health. It promotes healthy ocular blood vessels, and can reduce the risk of nuclear cataracts (clouding in the center of your lens that can make you see multiple images), according to the American Optometric Association.
Getting 500 mg/day of vitamin C can slow the "the progression of advanced age-related macular degeneration by about 25 percent and visual acuity loss by 19 percent in individuals at high-risk for the disease," according to the Age-Related Eye Disease Study. Drinking around five cups of orange juice offers up a full day's supply of vitamin C; OJ is one of the highest sources of vitamin C, according to the USDA.
2. Oysters
Oysters are more than an aphrodisiac: They are the best source for zinc, a mineral that is essential to eye health and vision, according to WebMD. "Zinc enables vitamin A to create a pigment called melanin, which protects the eye" and has been linked to improved night vision.
The ARED study recommends 40-80 mg/day of zinc; you can knock most of that out by slurping six oysters (76.3 mg of zinc). Of course, we understand six oysters a day may not be the most practical of suggestions. Other foods that are rich in zinc include beef, beans and nuts, but the difference is huge: a 3 oz. of cooked beef only provides 5.2 mg of the mineral.
3. Kale
Cooked kale is high in lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants that are also found in your eyes, according to nutritionist Joy Bauer's website. The antioxidant tag team protects the eye from damaging free radicals and "absorbs 40 to 90 percent of blue light intensity."
The ARED2 found that supplementing the ARED formulation with lutein and zeaxanthin led to an 18 percent decrease in the chance of age-related macular degeneration for participants. And eating leafy greens like kale can increase the "pigment density in the macula (the part of the retina that is responsible for detailed viewing and helps us with reading), leading to better retina protection, and possibly a lower risk of macular degeneration," according to JoyBauer.com.
4. Peanuts
Peanuts are a great source of vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids, which are vital ingredients to eye health. Vitamin E has been shown to delay cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. And people suffering from low levels of omega-3 fats DHA and EPA have developed eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, or damage to the retinas blood vessels that can cause blindness.
5. Quinoa
A low-glycemic diet was found to reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration by 8 percent, according to RealAge.com. So dig in to whole grains such as quinoa instead of refined carbs, like bread products made out of white flour.
根據《哈芬頓郵報》的報導，要維持眼睛的健康，天然食物遠比維他命或其他健康食品要來得有效，例如吸煙的人就不建議吃β胡蘿蔔素，因為會增加罹患肺癌的風險。
1.柳橙汁：要維持眼睛的健康，就要多補充維他命C，因為它不僅可以增加眼睛微血管的韌性、修護細胞，還可以降低白內障的風險，延緩老年性黃斑部病變的發生以及視力退化。
2.生蠔：生蠔富含礦物質「鋅」，這種礦物質可以促進維生素A的運作，產生有助於眼睛健康的黑色素，並提升改善夜間視力。除生蠔外，牛肉、豆類和堅果核桃也都含有些許的鋅。
3.甘藍菜：甘藍菜富含葉黃素和玉米黃素，可有效抗氧化、維持細胞健康，此外還可保護眼睛不受紫外線的傷害，保護視網膜。
4.花生：花生富含維他命E以及Omega-3脂肪酸，同樣可降低發生白內障以及老年性黃斑病變的風險。
5.藜麥：多吃全麥等低血糖指數的食物，也能降低老年性黃斑病變的發生機率，藜麥是最近流行於歐美地區瘦身食物，不過它對視力也很有幫助，若是在台灣，可在有機商店或農場購買得到。（吳凱琳編譯）
【新聞來源】5 Foods For Better Vision
美科學家從分子層面探秘中藥常山
更新時間 2012年12月24日, 格林尼治標準時間11:06
中藥常山是花的根，因傳說是在常山被發現而得名
美國科學家發表於《自然》的一份研究報告從分子層面角度闡釋了中國草藥常山的藥理作用。
加利福尼亞研究人員稱，他們的研究結果解開了人們長期以來對常山治療瘧疾奇效的困惑。常山生長於林蔭濕潤山地，或栽培於林下，主要產於中國四川、貴州、湖南等省份。
據史書記載，常山的使用可以追溯到兩千年前的漢朝（公元前206—220年）。
2009年科學家發現常山中富含的活性成分常山鹼能夠被合成另一種叫常山酮的分子物質，常山酮能夠阻斷引起發熱的搗亂細胞Th7（rogue Th7）生成，治療發熱病症。
而刊登在《自然》的最新報告進一步顯示，常山酮通過阻斷轉移核糖核酸分子（transfer RNA）的生成，消滅人體免疫系統內的「壞」細胞，保護「好」細胞，消滅人體血液內的瘧疾寄生蟲，從而治癒瘧疾以及由其引起的發熱。
常山鹼現已被小範圍運用在治療癌症和肌肉萎縮症的人體試驗中。
專家認為，常山鹼也有可能在對如炎症性腸道疾病和風濕性關節炎等屬於自身免疫系統疾病的治療中發揮其功效。。
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