et's take a look at how our diet affects our vision. As we age, our risk for developing cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) increases. In fact, AMD is the number one cause of blindness among older Americans and cataract surgery is the most commonly performed surgical procedure in this country. Eating a healthy diet can't cure these debilitating conditions, but there is growing evidence that certain nutrients can reduce the risk and slow the progression of age-related eye problems. Specifically, Vitamins C and E and the carotenes lutein and zeaxanthin may reduce the risk for developing cataracts and the need for cataract surgery. These same nutrients, along with beta carotene and zinc, can also help lower the risk of developing AMD and the loss of vision associated with it.

Your diet is considered a controllable risk factor in preventing both cataracts and AMD. Other controllable risk factors for these conditions include not smoking, protecting your eyes from the sun's UVA and UVB rays with proper sunglasses and hats, and avoiding or controlling diabetes and high blood cholesterol. Unfortunately, there are some risk factors for cataracts that we can't control, like advanced age, family history of cataracts, and African-American ethnicity. With AMD, age and family history are also uncontrollable risk factors, but so are having light-colored eyes, skin, and hair. Women seem to be at slightly higher risk for both conditions, as well.

Since we're essentially all at risk, it's important to do whatever we can to help prevent these common eye diseases. Eating a healthy diet that includes adequate amounts of vitamin C and E, beta carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and zinc is a practice that could benefit your eyes and your overall well-being. Green, orange, and red fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, and lean animal proteins are sources of these eye-healthy nutrients. For specific foods that contain these nutrients, check out the charts below but keep in mind that these are not the only foods that will protect your vision. Eat a variety of foods each day, especially deeply colored produce, to ensure the nutritional adequacy of your healthy diet.

Good Sources of Vitamin C Kiwi Broccoli Red bell peppers Orange juice Oranges Chili peppers Strawberries Papaya Brussels sprouts Cantaloupe

Good Sources of Vitamin E Tofu Soybean oil Safflower oil Sweet potatoes Peanut butter Sunflower seeds Almonds Hazelnuts Wheat germ Corn oil Avocado

Good Sources of Lutein and Zeaxanthin Kale Collard greens Turnip greens Spinach Broccoli Parsley Red bell peppers Yellow corn Romaine lettuce Brussels sprouts

Good Sources of Zinc Beef Oysters Crab Wheat germ Wheat bran Sunflower seeds Turkey, dark meat Lentils Yogurt Tofu

Good Sources of Beta Carotene Kale Sweet potatoes Dried apricots Carrots Cantaloupe Apricots Pumpkin Winter squash Broccoli Spinach

Risky Weight Gain

esearchers at the American Cancer Society have found a connection between adult weight gain and breast cancer. Specifically, post-menopausal women who were not using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) had a 40% higher risk of breast cancer if they gained between 21 and 30 pounds after the age of 18, compared to women who gained five or fewer pounds, while women who gained 70 or more pounds doubled their risk. Excess fat raises estrogen levels and, therefore, increases the risk of estrogen-related cancer, like breast cancer.

The same study showed that a 6-20 pound gain in women after the age of 18 increased breast cancer risk by only 10%. However, two large Harvard studies have shown that middle-aged adults who gained 11-20 pounds were up to three times more likely to develop heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and gallstones than adults who only gained 5 pounds.

Research has not confirmed that losing the excess weight will lower breast cancer risks, but researchers think it would. There's plenty of evidence that losing even 10% of your body weight can lower your risk of heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes. Prevention is your best defense. Avoid gaining weight if you're over 18 by doing both strength training and cardiovascular exercise and eating a healthy diet.

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The nutrition recommendations found in our newsletters are general in nature and are not tailored to specific health problems. Talk to your physician or other qualified health care practitioner concerning particular health issues or before beginning any nutritional program.