The thought of losing your eyesight is terrifying.
And for a good reason. Vision loss is one of the main reasons folks over 50 are robbed of their independence.
No more driving. You can’t see well enough to pay your bills. And reading the paper? Forget about it!
Worst of all, you could end up in a nursing home.
And I’m not talking cataracts or glaucoma here. I’m talking about the leading cause of blindness in seniors: age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
A whopping 30 percent of folks will lose their vision to AMD by age 75. And while 11 million Americans suffer from AMD right now, that number’s expected to DOUBLE by 2050.
And what makes it even worse is that conventional medicine has yet to crack the code of this particular disease.
That’s why this new solution comes not a minute too soon.
New research has revealed how eating a simple everyday fruit most people already love could mean holding on to your sharp vision and independence for many years to come.
Forget an apple a day… eat THIS to slash vision loss risk
The study of 2,000 folks over 50 showed how eating an orange a day could send your risk of AMD plummeting by a staggering 60 percent.
Just one orange. And it could save your vision.
The researchers didn’t just look at oranges, of course. They studied other superstar foods too, including tea, red wine, and apples. But as healthy as those other foods can be none of them were associated with protecting vision like the orange.
The researchers can’t say for sure yet what it is about the orange that makes it such an eyesight warrior. But they have a strong hunch.
They thought the vision-shielding effects might have something to do with the flavonoids in the oranges. After all, past research has already linked antioxidants like flavonoids with a reduced risk of AMD.
But something still didn’t quite add up. Because there are flavonoids in the other foods studied, too.
2 unique compounds could build a barrier against vision loss
But it turns out one thing may set oranges apart. Oranges, unlike other fruits and vegetables, contain two unique molecules called hesperetin and herperidin.
Because these molecules are ONLY in oranges, they may be the reason for these vision-saving results.
But don’t think you can guzzle a glass of orange juice and call it a day. The compounds you need for great vision are in the peel and inner white pulp. They’re not in the juice.
And you can’t cook your oranges either. This damages the active ingredients.
Your best bet to fight vision loss is to eat a fresh orange every day. Have one with your breakfast. Or add orange slices to salads or other cold dishes.
And if you REALLY want to hold on to your vision, be sure you have a handle on these other risk factors for AMD…
4 vision killers you can put the brakes on TODAY
Let’s face it, the number one risk factor for AMD is something you CAN’T do a darn thing about. And that, of course, is getting older.
And other things you can’t change are your gender (women at higher risk), race (white folks are at higher risk), or family history.
But the good news is there are vision loss risk factors you CAN fix…
1. Smoking:
Smokers have at least double the risk of non-smokers for AMD. And there are a few reasons why.
First, your eye’s retina needs a ton of oxygen, and smoking can cut back on how much oxygen is reaching your eyes. Plus it also causes oxidation, which plays a role in AMD as well.
And recent research has found cigarette smoke and tar triggers the formation of deposits and thickening in the retina that causes AMD. So if you’ve been thinking about quitting stop THINKING about it and just do it.
2. Diet:
If you eat lots of processed foods, which are high in junk fats and sugars, experts say you’re more likely to develop AMD. While folks who chow down on bunches of fruits and veggies are more likely to sidestep vision loss and hold on to their eyesight. And don’t forget to eat foods high in vision-friendly omega-3 fatty acids several times a week.
3. Obesity:
It turns out avoiding vision loss is yet another reason to lose those extra pounds. Because if you have a BMI higher than 30, you’re 2.5X more likely to end up going blind from AMD. Lose the fat for healthy peepers.
4. High blood pressure:
High blood pressure isn’t just dangerous for your heart. It also cuts back on the oxygen flow to your retina.
But don’t let your doctor whip out his prescription pad quite yet. The side effects from hypertension drugs can be a real doozy. Instead, keep working on losing that spare tire. It’s the most likely culprit of your elevated BP. Lose the weight and your blood pressure should drop back to normal too.
Don’t let AMD steal your eyesight and your independence. Fight vision loss and hold on to your eagle eyes by eating an orange a day and changing these four risk factors.
She is an advocate of self-education and is passionate about the power of group knowledge sharing, like the kind found right here on HealthierTalk.com. Alice loves to share her views on holistic and natural healing as well as her, sometimes contentious, thoughts on the profit-driven inner workings of traditional medicine.
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