Dry Eye If you suffer from dry eye (you know—that annoying gritty feeling when you blink), relief may be found in a simple cup of joe, according to researchers from the University of Tokyo’s School of Medicine. Study participants were either given a caffeine supplement or a placebo, and then had their eyes tested 45 minutes later. The results? Not a dry eye in the house for those who’d had caffeine: They produced more tears than their non-caffeinated counterparts. This could be especially good news for women, as dry eye tends to affect post-menopausal women more than any other group. 21 Healthiest Packaged Foods Gum Disease It’s no secret that brushing and flossing is crucial to preventing gum disease, but it turns out that what you put on your plate matters, too—and we’re not talking about staying away from lollipops and caramels (though not a bad idea.) Researchers from Harvard Medical School discovered that omega-3 fatty acids, found in foods like fish oil and walnuts, can cut help down on inflammation, which is one of the culprits behind periodontal disease. Erectile Dysfunction The little blue pill has some competition in the bedroom: A recent study in The Journal of Sexual Medicine suggests that pistachios could be an answer to erectile issues. Male study participants ate about a cup of the green nuts at lunch every day for three weeks—and all 17 of them reported significant improvements in sexual satisfaction. The wonder ingredient might be the amino acid arginine, which helps relax blood vessels and improves blood flow to, well, key body parts. Macular Degeneration Apologies to your mom, but eating carrots isn’t the vision-saving solution she always said it was, at least not when compared tokale. Dark leafy green veggies are rich in the nutrients lutein and zeaxanthin, and research shows that consuming these nutrients lowers the risk of chronic eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. Also see: The Most Magical Meal Of The Day, When To Buy Organic, Are You A Viagra Wife?
