How to Improve Eye Health Naturally

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Eating healthy has its benefits, not just in overall health improvement and the avoidance of common chronic disease. but in the preserving of one of our most precious gifts-eyesight, or the windows to our innermost self.  Most people think that eye diseases are an inevitable part of aging, but what can be done to help preserve the eyesight and stall these chronic ailments?

This post will discuss natural means of preserving our eyesight.

Easy things that you can  do know to save your sight

Overall health is benefited by ceasing certain health compromising habits, same with your eyes. Here is a brief list of things that you can do to protect your vision.



1. Stop smoking. Cigarette smoke produces free radicals  which damages the eyes as well as other body systems.
2. Take care of the cardiovascular system.  If you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, work to reduce it since these diseases compromise blood flow to the eyes, which is important in delivering important nutrients to the eyes thus impairing their function. Also, high blood pressure damages tiny blood vessels in the eye which can damages vision.
3. Eat plenty of fresh dark green and leafy vegetables. Especially kale.at plenty of fresh dark green leafy vegetables, especially kale. Make sure that you consume carotenoids, such as carrots and sweet potatoes.  These also support eye health.
4. Diabetics, bring your blood sugar under control. As diabetes promotes the formation of small, fragile, blood vessels, which easily rupture and damage eyesight.
5. Consume food rich in omega 3. Such as fresh salmon.  Also, supplement with fish oils.

Foods and Supplements 

Remember that antioxidants are important in fighting free radical damage.  This is important for eye health as well. So, in addition to a diet high in fresh vegetables, supplement the diet with fat soluble antioxidants, which helps the body dispose of free radicals that are formed in fat sections of the body. This includes vitamins A and E. Fat soluble vitamins are important because they help to protect vision by protecting the photoreceptor membrane disks from lipid peroxidation. 

 

Water soluble vitamins rid the body of toxins stored in water sections of the body-blood and cytoplasm. Vitamin C  and anthcyanins are important examples of  water soluble vitamins for eye health.  Remember though, that these are not stored in the body. That is why supplementation and a good diet of fresh foods and vegetables are so important.

Make sure to consume plenty of lutein, a nutrient that is eye protective and aids the eye in blue light absorption. It is naturally occurring in green leafy veggies, like spinach and kale. It is also found in carrots, squash and other orange and yellow fruits and vegetables.

 

Remember that lutein is also found in the macula,  which is important for central vision.  Macular degeneration is also the number one age related cause of central vision loss. So it can't be overemphasized the importance of eating lutein-containing foods. (When cooking such foods, slow cooking can help may the nutrients available for easily absorption by the body).

Bilberries or huckleberries enhance vision so make sure to get plenty of these in the diet.

 

Zeaxanthin is another important, recently discovered, carotenoid for retinal health. It is also the strongest carotenoid in the retina. The amount suggested is 2 mg/day.  It is suggested to take at least 10mg/day of lutein.

Source:

www.mercola.com "Eye Health"