National Health Education Week

The Society of Public Health Education (SOPHE) started the National Health & Education week in 1995. National Health & Education week is typically celebrated every third week in October, and this year, that's October 17th-21st.  SOPHE’s goal in celebrating this week is to bring awareness to health education for the public and to have a better understanding of the role of health education and health promotion.

 Did you know that your health and daily diet can play a huge role in your sight? A diagnosis such as macular degeneration or diabetes can take a toll on your retina causing loss of sight or even blindness. Eating a good, healthy diet and maintaining a good blood sugar level can benefit your eyes and may prevent future loss of vision or blindness. Great things for your diet include fish, kale, colorful fruits and vegetables, lean meat, and carrots.

Do you smoke? Smoking is also a major risk factor that can progress macular degeneration and other retinal conditions. Smoking can increase the formation of plaque in your blood vessels. There are chemicals found in cigarettes that can cause your blood to thicken and form clots inside your veins and arteries.

To maintain the overall health of your eyes and body, a good diet and refraining from smoking can serve as a benefit for you. The health of our overall body is very important. This week is a great reminder for everyone to take care of our bodies and focus on staying healthy for a better quality of  life. You can read more about multiple diseases that are affected by vascular and overall health in our learning center (Treatment & Diseases of the Retina (tnretina.com).