Southwest Nutraceuticals Blog http://swnutra.com The official blog of Southwest Nutraceuticals - Health News, product updates about natural health supplements, enzymes, probiotics, hydration, pain and inflammation relief. 10 Healthy Eating Habits That Lead to Powerful Vision http://swnutra.com/blog/view/31484 Mon, 16 Jul 2012 16:55:00 CDT http://swnutra.com/blog?blogm=view&blogid=31484 When asked the question, 'which sense would you least like to lose?', most of us answer, 'our sight', but we still do things that could be jeopardizing this most precious of senses. In particular many of us ignore the importance of key dietary habits. These will help us maintain good eyesight.

A healthy diet, combined with a healthy lifestyle, can vastly reduce your risk of blindness. Read on for the top 10 tips to eat your way to good vision.

1. Balance your diet
Eating a balanced diet not only keeps you healthy, but it also helps to avoid developing type-2 diabetes. This is important because diabetes is the most common cause of blindness in adults. Diabetic retinopathy, or retinal damage related to diabetes, is present in more than 40% of diabetic adults, with sufferers having an increased chance of developing cataracts and glaucoma.

2. Eat more fish
Studies have shown that omega-3 promotes healthy eyes, and oily fish such as tuna and salmon are high in omega-3. If you don't like fish, eggs can provide an alternative source as many egg producers feed their chickens supplements to increase the omega-3 present in their eggs.

3. Take in more vitamin C
Vitamin C is well known to keep eyes in tip top shape and you can easily increase your intake by eating a few more interesting fruits or vegetables. Try green chilli peppers or guavas for something a bit different. Serve red peppers with dinner and blackberries for snacks. Combine your healthy diet with a fitness and exercise routine, using Focus Dailies All Day Comfort contact lenses when you need to rid yourself of troublesome glasses.

4. Increase your zinc intake
Zinc is commonly associated with combating macular degeneration, so it is wise to make sure you get your recommended daily allowance. You can find zinc in red meat and liver, whilst vegetarians can benefit from eating pumpkin, sunflower and poppy seeds, wheat and blackcurrants.

5. Eat food containing lutein
The retina requires and accumulates lutein to help keep your eyes healthy, so the more you take in, the happier your eyes will be. Leafy vegetables tend to be higher in lutein, so add kale and spinach to your shopping list and adapt them into your usual meal times.

6. Get more vitamin E
Studies into vitamin E are still ongoing, but it is generally used, in combination with other dietary measures, to treat macular degeneration. This means that increasing how much you consume could help to protect you against poor eyesight. Vitamin E is very prevalent in wheat germ oil but can also be found in sunflower oil, avocados and kiwi fruit, so try eating these foods during your day-to-day routine.

7. Have a glass of orange juice
Just one glass of freshly squeezed orange juice could help you maintain healthy eyes. It needn't be orange juice, however. Most citrus fruits are good for your eye health, so it's worth finding a range of juices you enjoy and keep them handy for a quick drink between meals.

8. Eat more food containing vitamin A
According to a spokesperson for 'Optical Express', vitamin A helps you to see in the dark. This is because vitamin A helps your eyes absorb energy and become more sensitive in poorly lit conditions. Vitamin A is made in your liver from carotene, which is found in cabbage and carrots. So, perhaps carrots really do help people to see in the dark!

9. Lose a bit of weight
Another way to avoid type-2 diabetes and therefore, poor eyesight is to keep trim. Diabetes is directly linked to obesity, so keeping the pounds off will help you avoid the sight issues associated with the illness.

10. Kick the habit
Smoking has been linked to macular degeneration, cataracts and optic nerve damage, so stopping can help to prevent further damage from occurring. It will also help to increase your lung capacity, making exercising easier and again helping decrease the risk of type-2 diabetes.


AUTHOR BIO:
Shannen D. writes for a number of online companies and blogs on the topic of health and leisure. Her advice pages cover a range of topics from where best to get fit to the latest in keep fit fashion. Sarah is a user of Focus Dailies All Day Comfort contact lenses and has reviewed new lens options and developments for sport and exercise.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

]]>