What does following a gluten-free diet mean? That you're embarking on an easy diet with a wide range of health-promoting effects. Instead of dwelling on what you’re giving up, consider that you’re going to enjoy a whole new world of delicious food options to meet your special dietary needs. You’ll be eating seasonally, choosing more fresh fruits and vegetables, focusing on meats, seafood, poultry, legumes, lentils, corn, and rice, and discovering fascinating ancient grains such as quinoa, amaranth, and millet. You’ll be able to eat potatoes, eggs, most cheeses, even chocolate (!)—and enjoy them without guilt because you’ll be taking good care of your body. In fact, you’ll probably end up eating—and feeling—better than ever!
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We carry a large variety of gluten free items, the brands listed below represent just some of the offerings we carry
Our eyesight is highly vulnerable to the aging process, diminishing for many of us as we proceed through our later years. More often than not, this dimming of vision is due to an age-related condition called macular degeneration.
A study, published in Optometry, found that the carotenoid (yellow pigment) zeaxanthin improved vision in older men with macular degeneration, and the effect was comparable to that seen with the better-known carotenoid, lutein. Both zeaxanthin and lutein are widely found in colorful fruits and vegetables, especially the dark greens like spinach and kale.
Studies have found that people who eat spinach, kale, collard greens, and other lutein and zeaxanthin-rich foods have a much lower risk of AMD
The study included 60 older people with mild to moderate AMD. All but three of the participants were male and their average age was 75. They were divided into three groups: one group received 8 mg of zeaxanthin per day, another group received 8 mg of zeaxanthin plus 9 mg of lutein per day, and a third group received 9 mg of lutein per day. Visual tests were performed at the beginning of the trial and after four, eight, and twelve months of treatment.
The study’s authors reported the following findings:
The study’s authors pointed out that zeaxanthin primarily enhanced the aspects of vision that are related to the function of the cone cells of the retina, cells that naturally concentrate this pigment. Lutein is naturally concentrated in the rod cells of the retina, and the men who supplemented with lutein saw the most benefit in the aspects of vision for which the rods are responsible. They concluded that, while there was considerable overlap between the effects of lutein and zeaxanthin in men with AMD, their differences make them complementary.
“We believe that patients with AMD, particularly those short of catastrophic end stage disease, might want to enhance their declining vision with carotenoids,” they said.
You can take steps to reduce your likelihood of developing vision-dimming macular degeneration as you age:
(Optometry 2011;82:667–80)