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6 foods that protect your eyes
22nd March 2009
• How these 5 essential antioxidants could help protect you
from pancreatitis
• 6 foods that could prevent agerelated vision loss
• Where to get free information on the ailments that worry
you most
As a child, I was confused about the word 'pancreas'.
I didn't understand how something with no discernable use
(not like a heart, an arm or a thumb, all which made sense
to me)... could also be a SAINT and a TRAIN STATION in
London.
Of course, I eventually discovered that the martyred saint
and the London train station were called Pancras.
Clever boy! (Or as my report card said, 'Easily distracted,
must Try Harder'.)
This was similar to my problem with the Wombles theme tune.
I thought the lyrics were: 'The Wombles of Wimbledon......
common are we.'
I assumed they lived beneath Centre Court, and that there
were a lot of them about.
But of course it was 'The Wombles of Wimbledon Common.' An
entirely different scenario.
Anyway, while I was blissfully oblivious to the uses of my
pancreas as a young scamp, I later realised how important
this organ is for our good health.
What happens when your pancreas stops working
In biology classes I discovered how that the pancreas
supplies the enzymes that break down food... and how it
produces insulin, the stuff that controls blood sugar.
As I coasted helplessly towards my mid30s, and began
thinking properly about my health, I became more aware of
what happens when the pancreas goes wrong.
When it gets inflamed or stops working at its optimum level,
your body can no longer absorb the nutrients it needs.
Over the long term this can lead to malnutrition and
diabetes. And if the inflammation gets too bad, it can
spread though the abdomen, leaking toxins and causing
internal bleeding.
In serious cases this becomes lifethreatening.
So how can you keep yours healthy?
If you remember Friday's letter... I was talking about a book
by T. Colin Campbell called The China Study. He argues that
adding high levels of unprocessed fruit and vegetables to
your diet can protect against, and even reverse serious
disease.
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Pancreatitis is one case that definitely backs up his view.
Studies have suggested that one of the main problems linked
to pancreatitis is 'oxidative stress'.
This is caused by free radicals. These are by-products of
your body's metabolic processes. They create all kinds of
havoc if left to run wild and free.
Free radicals are usually dispelled by antioxidants, which
march in and cart the little blighters off.
These saviour antioxidants are found in VERY high levels in
fruit, nuts and vegetables. But if you don't eat enough of
these foods, and have low levels of antioxidants in your
body, then you can't get rid of the free radicals so easily.
Continually low levels may lead to the development of
pancreatitis. So one of the key preventative measures is to
dramatically increase your intake of antioxidants.
5 antioxidants that could protect your pancreas
I've discovered that there are some key antioxidants that
you need for this. And along with each I've listed the best
natural food sources:
• Vitamin C - half a cup of broccoli provides 45 mg of
vitamin C. Kiwi fruit has about 55 mg of vitamin C. A Half
a mango gives you 95 mg of vitamin C. And even small
tomato gives you a little boost of 25 mg of vitamin C.
• Vitamin E - as a snack throughout the day, try a handful
or two of sunflower seeds or nuts. You can also try
flaxseed oil capsules or fish oil.
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• Beta-carotene - you'll get plenty of this in a serving of
spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes and red peppers, or
yellow fruits like mango, melon, apricots and peaches.
• Selenium - you can find this in brazil nuts and walnuts,
legumes like peas and - this is where I depart from T.
Colin Campbell's view - you can also get this from animal
products and seafood. The key is not to overdo the animal
products or see them as a replacement for fruit and
vegetables.
• Methionine - this is a an amino acid found in broccoli,
Mushroom, Cauliflower, avocado and potatoes,
The beta-carotene, vitamin C and Vitamin E are particularly
important nutrients as you get older. Not only will they
look after your pancreas... they are among the foods that could
help protect your vision.
Let me explain...
Tasty foods that protect your eyesight
Studies show that your diet could help prevent macular
degeneration (age-related vision loss).
To give yourself the best possible chance of good vision, you
need to up your intake of foods rich in beta carotene,
vitamin C, vitamin , zinc, lutein and zeaxanthin and omega-3
fats.
Now, the first three nutrients I've covered already in the
section above. Here's where you can get the others:
• Zinc - there's plenty of this in oysters, pumpkin seeds,
cashews,liver and chick peas.
• Lutein-Zeaxanthin - these are found in spinach, peas,
watercress, Brussels sprouts and sweetcorn. Some studies
suggest that higher intake of lutein and zeaxanthin is
linked to a reduced risk of macular degeneration AND
cataracts too.
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• Omega-3 fats - According to online medical guru, Ray
Sahelian, M.D, the oils found in fish are hugely
beneficial. He says that when his patients notice 'improved
colour perception and depth of vision, enhanced night and
distance vision, and overall enhancement in visual
awareness' after several days.
To back up this last point, in 2006, researchers at the
University of Sydney found that people who ate one weekly
serving of omega-3 fatty acid-rich fish, such as salmon and
mackerel, reduced their risk of developing age-related
macular degeneration by 40%.
Where to get more information
If you'd like to find out more about this or any other
ailment that worries you right now, go and check out my
website at The Good Life Letter
Many of my back issues are up there for you to see. There's a
search box to help you look for specific topics.
Remember, this is all free information for you to access
whenever you like. Hopefully it will give you some ideas and
inspiration. As always, if you have a serious health concern,
please talk to a medical professional.
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