Vegetarian Diet Linked to Lower Cataract Risk

Hello all! I realize that it has been awhile since my last blog post. Does anyone else have a hard time keeping up with social media like I do? In any event, I wanted to share with you the results of a British study that I read about today published by Reuters Health. The study showed that eating less meat and more vegetables is tied to a lower risk of cataracts. Read on for details…

Results from this study showed a 30-40% lower cataract risk among vegetarians and vegans compared to the biggest meat eaters. These patients were watched over a 15 year period and the highest risk was seen among the heaviest meat-eaters—those who consumed 100grams (3.5 ounces) of meat daily. It is currently recommended to take in anywhere between 10-12 ounces of red meat weekly. So do the math: a person consuming roughly 3.5 ounces per day is taking in about 24 ounces per week--essentially doubling the weekly recommendation for a healthy diet (we are talking about eating a lot of red meat here)! Moderate meat eaters were only slightly less likely to develop cataracts. Fish eaters’ risk was 15% lower than that of the heavy meat eaters, vegetarians’ 30% and vegans’ 40% lower.

DON'T fret however if you enjoy a nice steak or a tasty burger like I do, the study does not prove that eating meat promotes cataracts. It does suggest that eating lots of vegetables might be protective. A vegetarian diet may also simply be a sign of other healthy behaviors that contribute to the lowered risk.

To review, a cataract is a cloudy or opaque area in the normally clear lens of the eye. Depending upon its size and location, it can interfere with normal vision. Most cataracts develop in people over age 55, but they occasionally occur in infants and young children. Usually cataracts develop in both eyes, but one may be worse that the other. I routinely tell my patients that cataracts are like wrinkles, everyone is going to develop them, it is just a matter of how fast they are going to progress and what kind they are going to be!

Remember, there are other factors that can elevate your risk of developing cataracts. Some of those include: smoking, diabetes and exposure to bright sunlight. So be pro-active: quit smoking if you do, (don’t start smoking if you are not a smoker), maintain a healthy weight through lifestyle choices like diet and exercise, and wear your sunglasses!

Questions? Just ask! Thanks for reading.

Keeping an Eye on You,

Betsy W. Fraser, O.D.

Kale...what is it?

It may seem like it is a new buzz word. Kale is becoming increasingly more popular! Ok, so let's get to it. One of my favorite sites happens to be Wikipedia. According to Wikipedia, Kale or borecole is a form of cabbage (Brassica oleracea Acephala Group), green or purple, in which the central leaves do not form a head.

Kale is considered to be highly nutritious with powerful antioxidant properties. It is also considered to be an anti-inflammatory. In the eye world, we have always educated our patients on the importance of green, leafy vegetables, including, spinach, kale and collard greens. Boy am I glad that the word is getting out! I know this because now my favorite salad bar (Whole Foods) has kale as an option. It is always mixed with a "garlicky" dressing that just tastes delicious! You can buy kale at most grocery stores near the lettuce section. At Publix, where I tend to shop the most, I buy it bagged and it can be found next to bagged collard greens.

Kale is very high in beta-carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein and zeaxanthin as well as rich in Calcium. Even if you don't know much about nutrition, you can see that this green leafy veggie is packed full of essential nutrients needed in our diet everyday! Let's go a little deeper:

-Beta carotene: It can be converted into vitamin A which serves a vital role in eye health. Beta carotene can be found in, yep you guessed it...carrots! But it can also be found in mangoes, papayas, sweet potatoes, kale (of course), spinach and collard greens.

-Vitamin K: Because of kale's high vitamin K content, patients taking anticoagulants such as warfarin are encouraged to avoid this food since it increases vitamin K's concentration in the blood, which is what the drugs are often trying to lower. Please consult your physician if you are taking any of these medications before adding kale to your diet.

-Vitamin C: We all know that vitamin C is essential to our daily diet. Ascorbic Acid (which is another name for Vitamin C) is necessary for collagen to form in bones, cartilage, muscle and blood vessels. Sources include fruits and vegetables, particularly citrus fruits such as oranges.

-Lutein and Zeaxanthin: They are both important for eye health. Studies have suggested that supplementing with both may lower one's risk for developing macular degeneration as well as cataracts. Sources include those green leafy vegetables I keep talking about; kale, spinach and collard greens.

-Calcium: We all know that calcium is important for bone health and strength. Now you can add kale to you diet knowing that it is providing you with extra calcium!

I found it to be interesting that kale freezes very well and actually has a sweeter flavor after being frozen. I love to add fresh kale to other mixed greens in all of my salads as well as use kale in all of my soup recipes.

Hopefully now you have a better understanding of what kale is and how it can be used. Happy cooking!

Keeping an eye on you,

Betsy W. Fraser, O.D.

Sources included: www.mayoclinic.com and wikipedia.org