Drink Milk To Keep Eyes Healthy

Drinking milk could help women ward off eye disease according to the Daily Mail’s medical correspondent. A study has found that females with the highest levels of Vitamin D are almost two thirds less likely to develop age-related macular degeneration (click here for information about Laser Eye Surgery and macular degeneration).

This disease is the leading cause of blindness in the over 50’s affecting around 200,000 Britons each year. It eventually robs sufferers of their central vision making reading, driving or even recognising faces impossible. There is currently no treatment, although Laser Eye Surgery and drugs can limit the damage caused by the condition.

In nature, our bodies have two sources of vitamin D – sunlight on skin and food. Unfortunately, (especially given the sunny UK spring we are currently enjoying), the recent research indicates that the type of vitamin D which might protect our sight is only derived from food sources.

The group of scientists from Buffalo University in New York State found that women in the study younger than 75, who had higher levels of vitamin D (from food and supplements), were linked to a reduced risk of early AMD. They also clearly stated that more research was needed to verify the association between vitamin D and genetic and lifestyle factors, such as smoking.

The top food sources for vitamin D among the women who took part in the study were milk, fish, fortified margarine and fortified cereal. As someone who is lactose intolerant, puts olive oil on her bread (not margarine,) and doesn’t eat breakfast cereal; I was more interested in increasing omega 3 rich fish to my menu.

Delicious salmon, tasty sardines and fresh tuna will all be welcome ingredients on the barbeque over the holiday weekend. However, I will not be adding eel (another rich source of vitamin D) to my shopping list.