The vitamins that support eye health
Vitamins are essential to supporting eye health, without which, individuals run the risk of developing eye conditions such as cataracts or glaucoma.
This article by Medical News Today lists out some of the main vitamins and nutrients that can help support our eye health and where you can find them.
One of the key vitamins that supports eye health is vitamin A. This vitamin is essential for maintaining good vision. Beta carotene is the primary source of vitamin A, which can be found in a variety of colourful fruit and vegetables, including pumpkin, which gives us another reason to retain the flesh from this seasonal vegetable following Halloween this year.
The impact of the Mediterranean diet of gut health
As well as having a positive effect on mental health, as referenced in this previous Nutrition News article, the Mediterranean diet could also have a positive impact on gut health, according to this latest article by NutraIngredients.
The article refers to a recent study by Dutch scientists that found, from studying four groups, that those who ate a diet rich in bread, legumes, fish and nuts saw a decrease in potentially harmful, aerobic bacteria opposed to those who ate a diet high in meat, fast foods and refined sugar. The study found that red wine, legumes, vegetables, fruit, cereals, fish and nuts, the key foods of a Mediterranean diet, were associated with a higher abundance of bacteria with anti-inflammatory functions.
While it is clear that more research is needed to establish the precise role this diet has in gut health, the findings are promising.
The relationship between dietary fats and skin health
A new study in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology has explored the relationship between fats and their effect on skin. The researchers in the study looked at how ketogenic diets, which are heavy in medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) such as coconut, affect skin inflammation in subjects with psoriaform-like skin and found that, especially when combined with omega-3 fatty acids, it can exacerbate psoriasis.
The study found that well-balanced ketogenic diets, limited to primarily to long-chain triglycerides, such as olive oil, soybean oil, fish, nuts, avocado and meats, do not exacerbate skin inflammation but high amounts of MCTs does.
The researchers made clear that the diet studied was an extremely high-fat version of the ketogenic diet and that most people following a ketogenic diet do not need to worry about developing unwanted skin inflammation as a result. However, what the study does bring to light is a potential association that those with psoriasis may want to take note of.
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Alison is Director and Founder of Metabolics who writes about Metabolics updates, events and natural healthcare. Her experience and passion for natural supplements and healthcare comes from her years of experience as a practising osteopath, having founded Metabolics in her search for high quality, natural products in her own work. Alison has been a qualified and practising Osteopath since 1981 and regularly gives seminars on a range of healthcare subjects to the wider practitioner community helping share her knowledge and experience.