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www.ascpskincare.com 27 expertadvice FEED YOUR FACE Vision Quest Lutein is essential to eye health—and so much more by Alex Caspero Lutein, a carotenoid vitamin, is probably best known for its role in protecting eye health, but the benefits go far beyond just boosting vision. Here's why you should be eating more of this anti- inflammatory nutrient— and where to find it. One of the eye's most important functions is to collect and focus light on the retina. When the lens becomes cloudy or damaged due to oxidation, vision is aff ected and cataracts or macular degeneration can occur. Including plenty of lutein in the diet from green, leafy vegetables (and, believe it or not, edible marigolds) can help stop these conditions from progressing, even in individuals with existing eye damage. But lutein isn't just benefi cial for those with less than 20/20 vision; including plenty of lutein in your diet can reduce the risk of oxidative damage that can cause harm down the road. Lutein is also preventive against several types of cancer—including breast and colon cancer—type 2 diabetes, and skin aging. The antioxidant abilities of lutein fi ght free radical damage caused by exposure to harsh sun rays and a nutrient-poor diet. Abundant in fruits and vegetables, antioxidants like lutein protect healthy cells while halting the growth of damaging or malignant cells. You already know that fi lling your plate with plenty of colorful fruits and veggies is good for you. Here are three ways lutein protects your health: 1. PROTECTS EYE HEALTH Lutein is considered the best natural treatment for macular degeneration, the most common cause of adult-onset blindness. Since the standard American diet is very low in lutein-containing foods, the American Optometric Association has estimated there will be 75 million people worldwide with macular degeneration or cataracts by 2025. Lutein protects the eyes by separating out some of the UV light that aff ects delicate parts of the eyes such as the retina. Harvard University researchers have shown that just 6 milligrams of lutein daily can lower the risk of macular degeneration by 43 percent. 1 2. HELPS PROTECT SKIN HEALTH Just like in the eyes, lutein helps fi lter damaging UV light and reduces the rate of oxidative stress in the skin. This benefi t can protect against signs of skin aging and, potentially, skin cancer. 3. MAINTAINS HEART HEALTH The anti-infl ammatory and antioxidant properties that give lutein its cancer- preventing benefi ts can also benefi t heart health, since infl ammation is an underlying cause of heart disease. Note 1. Johanna M. Seddon et al., "Dietary Carotenoids, Vitamin A, C, and E, and Advanced Age- Related Macular Degeneration," Journal of the American Medical Association 272, no. 18 (November 1994): 1, 413–20.