etCETera Issue 3 | Page 11

Figure 2 Vitamin E , a powerful antioxidant , is present in many fresh foods

Almonds

Almonds are rich in vitamin E . They also contain amygdalin ( Vitamin B17 ) which some people claim is an anti-cancer nutrient . There is no scientific evidence to support claims that amygdalin can treat cancer or any other illness . 12

Other nuts such as flax seeds , chia seeds and walnuts are high in omega-3 fatty-acids . Diets rich in omega-3 have been shown to manage dry eye symptoms 13 and may help protect against AMD .

Our verdict : You ’ re better off eating wallnuts or oily fish

References

All URLs accessed December 2016

1

World Health Organisation , Micronutrient deficiencies , http :// www . who . int / nutrition / topics / vad / en / ( accessed December 2016 )

2

AREDS Group . A randomized , placebo-controlled , clinical trial of high-dose supplementation with Vitamin C and E , beta carotene , and zinc for AMD and vision loss : AREDS report no . 8 . Arch Ophthalmol . 2001 Oct ; 119 ( 10 ): 1417-36 .

3

The Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 ( AREDS2 ) Research Group . Lutein / Zeaxanthin for the treatment of age-related cataract : AREDS2 randomized trial report No . 4 . JAMA Ophthalmol . 2013 May 5:1-7 .

4

Smigel K . Beta carotene fails to prevent cancer in two major studies : CARET intervention stopped . J Natl Cancer Inst . 1996 Feb 21 ; 88 ( 3-4 ): 145 .

5

Sommerburg O , Keunen JE , Bird AC , van Kuijk FJ . Fruits and vegetables that are sources for lutein and zeaxanthin : the macular pigment in human eyes . Br J Ophthalmol . 1998 Aug ; 82 ( 8 ): 907-10 .

6

Junghans A , Sies H , Stahl W . Macular pigments lutein and zeaxanthin as blue light filters studied in liposomes . Arch Biochem Biophys . 2001 Jul 15 ; 391 ( 2 ): 160-4 .

7

Antioxidant status and neovascular age-related macular degeneration . Eye Disease Case-Control Study Group . Arch Ophthalmol . 1993 Jan ; 111 ( 1 ): 104-9 .

8 http :// www . incredibleegg . org / eggcyclopedia / l / lutein /

9

Chung HY1 , Rasmussen HM , Johnson EJ .. Lutein bioavailability is higher from lutein-enriched eggs than from supplements and spinach in men . J Nutr . 2004 Aug ; 134 ( 8 ): 1887-93 .

10

Faulks RM , Hart DJ , Brett GM , Dainty JR , Southon S . Kinetics of gastrointestinal transit and carotenoid absorption and disposal in ileostomy volunteers fed spinach meals . Eur J Nutr . 2004 Feb ; 43 ( 1 ): 15-22 .

11

Micozzi MS , Beecher GR , Taylor PR , Khachik F . Carotenoid analyses of selected raw and cooked foods associated with a lower risk for cancer . J Natl Cancer Inst . 1990 Feb 21 ; 82 ( 4 ): 282-5 .

12

Cancer Research UK . http :// www . cancerresearchuk . org / about-cancer / cancers-in-general / treatment / complementary-alternative / therapies / laetrile

13

Bhargava R et Al . A randomized controlled trial of omega-3 fatty acids in dry eye syndrome . Int J Ophthalmol . 2013 ; 6 ( 6 ): 811 – 816 .

Events Calendar

East Yorkshire & North Lincolnshire LOC Meeting

5th January 2017 Village Hotel , Hull www . eastyorksloc . org

Eyecare Exhibition & Conference

22nd & 23rd January 2017 Hilton Hotel Glasgow , Glasgow www . eyecareglasgow . com

100 % Optical

4th – 6th February 2017 ExCel London www . 100percentoptical . com

Optometry Tomorrow 2017

19th & 20th March 2017 www . optometrytomorrow . org

Optrafair

1st - 3rd April 2017 Birmingham NEC www . optrafair . co . uk

BCLA Clinical Conference & Exhibition

9th – 11th June 2017 www . bcla . org . uk

January 2017 | etCETera 11