Women are more likely to have higher rates of illness. A new study from the University of Georgia suggests that a better diet with lots of fruits and vegetables can help lower the incidence of illness. Fruits and vegetables with bright colors are important for visual and cognitive health.

Billy R. Hammond is a professor in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Georgia. Two-thirds of the cases of Alzheimer's in the world are women.

The study looked at data from previous studies and found that women experience diseases at a higher rate than men, from Alzheimer's to arthritis. Women make up 80% of the population if you take all the diseases together. Extra preventive care is needed for women because of this vulnerability.

What does gender do to health?

The way in which women store vitamins and minerals is one of the reasons why they are vulnerable. Women have more body fat than men. Body fat is a good source of vitamins and minerals for pregnant women. Less is available for the brain and the retina, which puts women at higher risk for diseases like Alzheimer's.

Carotenoids act as anti-aging agents. There are two specific carotenoids found in the eye and brain that have been shown to improve the central nervous system.

The requirements for women are higher than the requirements for men.

There aren't any recommendations for men or women for vitamins that aren't linked to deficiency disease. Recommendations need to be changed so that women are aware of their vulnerabilities so that they don't have them later in life.

Carotenoids can be found in supplements and through the National Eye Institute program. Getting them through food is a better way to increase intake than taking supplements.

The components of diet influence the brain in many ways. I don't think people realize that a diet has a profound effect on who they are, their moods, and even their propensity to anger. All of these components work together to create the building blocks that compose our brain and the neurotransmitters that help us function.

There is a story

The University of Georgia provides materials. Alan Flurry wrote the original piece. The content can be edited for style and length.