Vascular health and eye health are inextricably linked. The eyeball is connected with numerous microvessels. If there is a problem with the blood vessels, serious abnormalities may occur due to insufficient supply of moisture, oxygen, and nutrients to the eye.
A representative eye disease that is closely related to blood vessels is ‘glaucoma’. Glaucoma occurs when the optic nerve is damaged by an increase in intraocular pressure or a disturbance in blood flow to the optic nerve. Blood circulation disorders are a major cause of glaucoma, and diabetes and high blood pressure have also been shown to increase the risk of developing glaucoma.
◇ Nutrient food ‘tofu’ that protects not only blood vessel health but also eye health
‘Tofu’ is a health food that protects cardiovascular health. ‘Isopolabone’ and ‘saponin’, which are contained in large amounts in tofu, play a role in maintaining the elasticity of blood vessels and reducing inflammation. In fact, one study found that taking 80 mg of tofu-rich isoflavones resulted in a 68% improvement in blood flow. Consuming 50 grams of soy protein per day also reduced the risk of heart disease by 10 percent.
Tofu is also rich in selenium, an antioxidant. Selenium not only has anti-cancer effects, but also helps to strengthen the body’s immunity. In addition, tofu’s ‘protein’ and ‘calcium’ are essential nutrients for bone tissue and muscle formation in growing children, and are effective in preventing skin aging and improving elasticity.
Tofu shows excellent efficacy in modern people’s ‘insomnia’. Tofu is rich in an amino acid called ‘tryptophan’, which is converted into ‘serotonin’, a happiness hormone, and ‘melatonin’, a sleep-inducing hormone, in the body. This hormone helps to reduce stress by stabilizing the nerves and improves the quality of sleep.
There is a saying that a good night’s sleep is the ‘cure for all ailments’. Insomnia not only harms physical health, but also causes insomnia, depression, and lethargy, which is harmful to mental health. On the other hand, good quality sleep improves immunity, normalizes organ functions, and helps blood circulation to protect eye health such as ‘dry eye syndrome’.