Vitamins Help Eyesight - Prevent Blindness?

July 15, 2009 - PRLog -- Orlando, Florida
Vitamins to Help Eyesight
by Hillary Rubin - guest writer

Did you know that taking a combination of various B vitamins can give people an extremely inexpensive way to possibly help prevent blindness in older Americans that have age-related macular degeneration? Recently, a study showed that women who took vitamins B6 and B12 in conjunction with folic acid lowered their risk of any age-related macular degeneration by 34%. They also had a 41% lower risk of the disease with significant sight loss.

So what foods contain a great amount of B6? Bell peppers and spinach are excellent sources for B6 without having to take a daily vitamin. For good doses of B12, try eating braised calf liver or baked snapper fish! While vitamins B6 and B12 can help prevent blindness to an extent, if a patient is having a hard time seeing - most doctors will prescribe prescription eyeglasses over vitamins, even though vitamins are a great additional source to keep eyes from losing sight.

Consuming vitamins A, C, and E can also help strengthen eyesight. It is recommended that these vitamins be taken together when you are eating breakfast. Whole milk, calf livers, and egg yolks - while high in fat - contain excellent amounts of vitamin A. For the lower fat option, try eating raw carrots or baked sweet potatoes as they contain excellent amounts of vitamin A and they will not raise your cholesterol. Vitamin C, while great for keeping the common cold away, has great benefits for keeping vision crisp and clear. Foods containing Vitamin C are parsley, broccoli, bell peppers, oranges, strawberries, lemon juice, papaya, cauliflower, kale, mustard greens, and Brussels sprouts.

Still in search for Vitamin E? You can find it in every day foods like mustard greens, sunflower seeds, chard, and turnip greens. Sunflower seeds yield the most amount of Vitamin E at 90.5% of your daily value. Eyeglasses can help correct your vision but consuming foods with vitamins A, C, and E are a great way to keep your vision from deteriorating.

In order to protect the myelin sheath around the nerves in the eye, introduce salmon to your diet or take a decent vitamin containing Omega-3 fatty acids. The fat won't kill your diet and it will help protect the nerves that help send signals to your eyes. You can increase vitality in your eyes by cutting out starchy whites with refined sugars. Try eating whole grains to keep your eyes sharp.

Every day foods contain essential vitamins and minerals to keep your eyes functioning at their best. However, if you are having any problems with your vision, please visit your eye doctor as you may need a prescription for eyeglasses.

# # #

Environmental Health-Wellness-Beauty, LLC. operates various environmental health initiatives offering consumer information, products and creative eco- partnerships for a greener life and world.

Please visit our Blog at http://shaneshirleysmith.blogspot.com , check out our eco-shopping at http://environmentalbooty.com and follow us on Twitter @EnviroBooty