Creating a healthier population will require extended efforts by optometrists.
The idea of using food as medicine dates back to ancient civilizations. Jumping forward to the present day, this concept has gained renewed interest as health care professionals, scientists, and policy makers recognize the critical role that nutrition plays in maintaining health and preventing disease. With chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity on the rise, particularly in the US,1 there is a growing understanding that food can either contribute to disease or serve as a powerful tool for healing.
Food and its therapeutic role in eye health
The concept of food as medicine emphasizes the idea that what we eat directly influences our health and well-being. Certain nutrients, vitamins, and minerals found in whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish have shown therapeutic properties for eye health. Fiber-rich foods such as legumes and whole grains can lower cholesterol levels and improve gut health as findings from more studies link the microbiome with brain and eye health. This also rings true for the powerhouse antioxidant properties from the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which we know combat oxidative stress. This stress can lead to chronic diseases such as cancer, dementia, macular degeneration, and heart disease.
In addition to these nutrients, the growing field of nutrigenomics is exploring how food interacts with our genes to influence health outcomes. The food we consume can either activate or deactivate genes related to inflammation, disease resistance, and metabolism. Thus, our diet can modify the expression of genes, potentially preventing or mitigating the effects of genetic predispositions to certain diseases. With the advancements in genetic testing, results can guide a personalized nutrition plan for conditions such as macular degeneration. Although studies are limited, their findings firmly demonstrate that genetic testing could influence the macular degeneration treatment selection. The variation at the CFH and ARMS2 genes, which predispose individuals to age-related macular degeneration, determines the effectiveness of nutritional prophylaxis….
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Source: Optometry Times