StemCell Therapy

There are a few spots in the body better designed than others. The skull is pretty good. Opposable thumbs are amazingly useful. But knees could use an overhaul, perhaps. And eyes? Theyre often in need of support before were old enough to read. But can a diet rich in plants help with eye health?

A little anecdote: When I was in the first grade, I wore glasses. Not just any old glassesbifocals, just like my grandmother. I had weird stuff going on like being near- and far-sighted at the same time, apparently. Everyone in the family wore glasses so it didnt seem like a big deal. But then, I lost them. (They were actually stolen and stepped on by Jimmy Bermans friend Steve when we were having a little fight on the playground. Six-year-old romance is complicated. But as far as my parents were concerned, I lost them, okay?) So, back to the optometrist, we went for a new prescription. Except, this time, he said I didnt need them.

Its not uncommon for sight to change, especially in a child. But to go from bifocals to eyeglass-free was unexpected. The doctor said that by high school my poor sight would return and Id need glasses again. That didnt happen. And now, some, ahem, thirty years since high school, and Im still 20/20even after sitting at a computer all day while everyone else is my family wears glasses.

The biggest difference between me and the rest of my family? I went vegan shortly after high school. And I didnt just give up animal products, I went deep into hippy food territorycarrot juice and steamed kale were daily feasts. And it turns out, they may have done my still-developing eyes a whole world of good.

Not only do eye-healthy foods like beta-carotene-rich carrots and sweet potatoes and dark leafy greens like kale help improve eyesight, but a poor diet can make eyesight worse, faster.

New findings published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology suggest the standard American diet, which is heavy in processed meat, fried foods, and sugar, can increase the risk of age-related macular degeneration.

According to the study, a standard meat-heavy diet increased the risk of macular degeneration by three-fold over healthier diets. Those who ate more fruits and vegetables (the study also included eating poultry, fish, and dairy in that subset) saw a decreased risk.

That decreased risk came with higher consumption of carrots and greens.

Foods that are part of the Western diet are less nutrient-dense, meaning they provide less of the beneficial nutrients needed for the eyes per calorie contents than such food as fruits and vegetables, study coauthor Amy Millen, Ph.D., of The State University of New York, Buffalos School of Public Health and Health Professions,said in an interview.

And she pointed to another correlation: inflammation. Foods generally considered unhealthythat Standard American Diet, once againdont just affect our weight or risk for heart disease or cancer. According to Millen, like all things, diet is connected to our eye health.

Most people understand that diet influences cardiovascular disease risk, and risk for obesity, but Im not sure how much the average person thinks about diet as connected to vision loss, said Millen. But what you eat to maintain good health is also related to what you eat to maintain good vision.

More here:
Is Eating More Plant-Based Foods the Secret to Eye Health? - The Beet

This entry was posted on February 1, 2020 at 4:43 am and is filed under Eye Sight & Vision. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |