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| Monday, April 06, 2009 |
| Nutrition & Eye Health |
As we age, it’s almost guaranteed that our eyesight will start to diminish. These days, there are so many stressors for our eyes like pollution, toxins in our food and water, smoking and sun exposure. Some of these are unavoidable, which leads to many people just accepting that their eyesight will gradually get worse over time. They know that things like cataracts and macular degeneration are possibilities, and I can’t blame people for thinking worsening eyesight is inevitable. However, there may be some things you can do to help preserve your eyesight. A healthy diet and regular exercise can actually help you maintain your eyesight. Based on information provided by the U.S. National Eye Institute, results of nutrition and eye health food studies have shown that consuming certain foods does provide ocular nutrition. I’ve listed some of these foods below.
- Carrots – Carrots have long been believed to promote good eyesight. They are loaded with vitamin A, which is associated with eye health, and the beta carotene in carrots may help prevent cataracts and macular degeneration. Overdosing on carrots is not a good idea though since the beta carotene can turn you skin orange. Don’t worry, your skin will return to normal when you stop eating them.
- Avocados – Avocados contain more lutein than any other fruit. Lutein has been found to help in preventing cataracts and macular degeneration. Avocados are also a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and vitamin E. Both carrots and avocados contain antioxidants. Antioxidants help prevent cataracts, help prevent damage to the retina, and also help prevent macular degeneration.
- Eggs – Eggs are an excellent source of vitamin A, lutein, vitamin B23, vitamin D and cysteine. Eggs have developed a bad reputation over the past 5-10 years because of their cholesterol content, but they can be eaten in moderation for a positive effect on eye health.
- Salmon - Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids which are important for maintaining overall eye health. Salmon also contains folic acid, vitamin D, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and vitamin A. Quite a few studies have indicated that people who consume more foods containing omega-3 fatty acids have less incidence of macular degeneration. Furthermore, omega-3 fatty acids help increase tear production and decrease chronic lid inflammation that causes dry eye.
- Dark green leafy vegetables – These vegetables are full of lutein which we know is helpful in preventing macular degeneration. The highest amount of lutein is found in raw spinach. Lutein is one of the main components that makes up the retina of the eye. After 40, Lutein is an important antioxidant that can have an effect of eye health.
As always, don’t smoke. Smoking can be detrimental to your eye health. Regular exercise can also help keep eyes healthy. Try these two tips along with some of the foods above and you’ll be on your way to better eye health in no time!
- Jennifer
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Labels: fruits and vegetables, Health, healthy tips, Jennifer
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posted by My Sensei @ Monday, April 06, 2009   |
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