The TOP 10 Foods For Healthy Eyes And Vision As we get older we have a higher risk of developing an eye disease such as glaucoma, cataracts or macular degeneration. Many people also find that their eyesight and vision worsens, as they struggle to see or read print clearly You may experience dry, irritated or itchy eyes, Eyestrain from staring at phones and computers, Or a type of nerve damage called retinopathy. If you don't eat the right foods rich in vitamins and minerals, the nerves and tiny blood vessels in your eyes can become damaged Causing poor eyesight and eye diseases.
There are certain foods that you can consume to help improve the health of your eyes, to both repair them and protect them, And keep them well lubricated so that they remain bright and shiny. And that's exactly what we will walk about in today's video. Just my usual reminder, this video is for educational purposes only, so do speak to your doctor if you have any medical concerns.
1. Wild Salmon & Oily Fish Wild salmon is one of the best foods for improving vision and eye health, as it's packed full of DHA. (An essential omega 3-fatty acid).
DHA is raw material used to build the nerves and the tissues in your eyes, Helping the photoreceptors send visual signals to your brain so that you can see clearly. It's recommended to eat oily fish 3x per week such as salmon, sardines, mackerel and herring to boost your DHA intake. The omega-3s in wild fish also lower inflammation in the eyes, protecting against free radical damage as you age and also help to produce healthy tears that lubricate and protect the eyes.
2. Swiss Chard & Leafy Greens To protect your eyesight from worsening with age, it's recommended to load up on leafy green vegetables which are rich in plant pigments called lutein and zeaxanthin. Swiss chard is one of the richest sources of these carotenoids which help to protect against macular degeneration, central vision loss and cataracts.
In fact, zeaxanthin can help to build the blue light filters in the back of your eyes, protecting the eyes from UV damage and harsh sunlight. Lutein also helps your retinas to capture light and colour, sending these signals to your brain so you can see clear pictures. Start eating leafy green salads on a daily basis.
Other veggies rich in eye healthy plant chemicals include kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, and collard greens. 3. Beef Liver Beef liver is one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet, and it's the richest natural source of retinol, (Active Vitamin A) Retinol is the most important nutrient for eye health, as It's needed for your eyes to adapt to different lighting conditions.
It helps you to see well at night, and preventing night blindness and irritation from bright lights No Image: Eye Tear Ryan Retinol (active Vitamin A), also helps your eyes to make tears, to keep them lubricated and protected. Beef liver is also rich in Zinc, a mineral that helps to build visual pigments in your retina, and strengthen the blood vessels in your eyes. It also has high amounts of Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) which prevents eye strain, irritation and protects the cornea (shield), from thinning out and maintaining its normal shape.
I recommend consuming grass-fed beef liver pâté, or mixing ground liver 50/50 with ground beef to use in different recipes. If your finding this information useful, please hit the like, subscribe and turn all notifications on to stay updated with my latest health and nutrition tips. 4.
Bell Peppers To help protect the many tiny blood vessels in your eyes from damage, it's important to eat foods that are rich in the REAL Vitamin C Complex. Bell peppers are some of the richest sources of Vitamin C, and they also contain the precursor to Vitamin A, called beta carotene, along with lutein and zeaxanthin. REAL Vitamin C (not from a supplement) helps support the collagen 'jelly' like substance in your eyes, by protecting the blood vessels, allowing nutrients and oxygen to reach your eyes.
Antioxidants like Vitamin C are also important to protect your eyes by neutralising free radicals, and preventing oxidation in the tissues. Eating 1 raw bell pepper per day is enough to meet your minimum requirements for Vitamin C. I recommend slicing it thinly and eating it in a salad with your Swiss chard.
5. Eggs (Pasture Raised) Pasture raised eggs contain all the building blocks of life, especially the yolk which is rich in nutrients that support healthy eyes. Chickens that are raised in open pastures are able to eat a mixture of regular feed, grass, small insects and are exposed to more sunshine.
This makes the quality of their eggs superior to the regular batch hen eggs commonly found in supermarkets. Carotenoids are bioactive compounds that give the egg yolk it's deep yellow, orange or golden color. These are what help to improve the visual pigments in your own eyes.
Eating 2 pasture raised eggs per day not only improves your vision, but can also keep your blood sugars stable, improve brain health and provide you with lots of stable energy. 6. Walnuts (Organic) Start eating a small handful of walnuts each day to help protect both your eyes and your heart.
The Vitamin E in walnuts helps to keep your blood from becoming too thick, which reduces the risk of having an eye stroke or a blood clot. It also helps to dissolve scar tissue in your eyes, after having conjunctivitis or eye infection. (for your eyes that you may also want to add to your diet) Other healthy nuts include almonds, pistachios, pecans and macadamia nuts.
7. Shellfish (Wild Caught) Did you know that shellfish are some of the richest sources of minerals and blood building Vitamin B12 for your body? Oysters, mussels and clams for example are fantastic sources of Zinc, which acts as a very powerful antioxidant to protect your eyes from oxidative damage as you age.
Crab meat, lobster, and shrimp are also rich in astaxanthin, the carotenoid which gives them their pink/reddish color. Astaxanthin has 6000x the antioxidant power of Vitamin C, helping to prevent your eyes from degenerating. I recommend eating shellfish once per week.
Soak them in vinegar and water for 1 hour before eating. To help clean them and also make their minerals more absorbable in your digestive tract. 8.
Sunflower Seeds People who consume lots of sugar, processed foods and refined grains have a higher risk of developing eye diseases with age. Junk foods cause a spike in blood sugar, which causes oxidative damage to the nerves and blood vessels in your eyes. Fortunately there are certain nutrients such as Vitamin B1 (thiamine) which can help to prevent retinopathy and nerve damage.
Sunflower seeds are an excellent source of B1 to prevent oxidative damage, especially If you are a diabetic. Other great food sources of Vitamin B1 are organic pork, nutritional yeast, flax and acorn squash. 9.
Avocados & Healthy Fats Whenever you eat a salad, it’s important to add some healthy fats to help your body extract the fat soluble nutrients within the vegetables. Such as the lutein and zeaxanthin. Avocados are one of the healthiest sources of monounsaturated fats, which help to reduce oxidative stress that leads to poor vision.
They are also a good source of Vitamin B6, E and Lutein which can all help to prevent macular degeneration, cataracts, and eye fatigue. Other excellent fats to add to your salad would be extra virgin olive oil, cold pressed avocado oil, and macadamia nut oil. 10.
Herbs & Natural Remedies There are also many herbs that you can use to help improve the health of your eyes that you can either eat or take in a capsule form. Ginkgo Biloba is an excellent remedy to help improve blood circulation to the eyes for people suffering with glaucoma and macular degeneration. You can apply cooled rooibos or chamomile tea bags to your eyes whilst laying down for 20 minutes to help soothe irritated, red and sore eyes.
If you struggle to see at night, try taking dried milk thistle. This herb helps to boost glutathione, the master antioxidant of the body. Milk thistle also helps protect diabetics from retinopathy.
Turmeric is an amazing spice to add to your meals, which reduces oxidative damage and inflammation throughout the body. Curcumin it's active ingredient helps to relieve dry eye syndrome effectively. And finally Coleus, a plant in the mint family can prevent fluid and pressure building up inside the eye, to prevent glaucoma.
MAKE SUMMARY HERE Try eating a mixture of the foods and herbs that we've talked about in this video on regular basis to help improve the health of your eyes and to help protect against dry eyes, irritation, cataracts, glaucoma, eye tumours retinopathy, night blindness and a range of other eye disorders. Absorbing Nutrients With Age Although you may be eating the right foods and nutrients, you may struggle to absorb them properly if you have digestive problems, Such as acid reflux, GERD, bloating, indigestion, celiac disease, ibs, fatty liver disease etc. .
These are common with age, especially after 50+ To help overcome this, I recommend taking 1-2 digestive enzyme capsules before each meal. Choose a brand which contains ox bile, pancreatin and betaine hcl. .
These help to strengthen your stomach and improve assimilation of fat soluble nutrients which are essential for your eyes, like Vitamin A, E, D, lutein, zeaxanthin and other carotenoids. Other Ways To Protect Your Eyes Other ways to care for your eyes Now you are aware of the nutrients needed to nourish your eyes, let's explore a new additional lifestyle tips that you may use to take care of your eyes. 1.
Cut back on foods that contain refined sugar and refined grains, like soda drinks, fruit juices, cereals, bread, pasta, pancakes, donuts, sweets etc… These foods deplete B-vitamins and cause oxidative damage to your eyes. Replace them with the healthy foods discussed in today's video. 2.
Drnk 1 litre of mineral water each day to stay hydrated. This alone is important for producing healthy tears, that coat the surface of your eye to protect it from the harsh environment. 3.
Add a blue light filter app to your phone, pc and tablets. Screens contain LED's which emit blue light which is harmful to your retina. Blue light is a short, but high energy wave which causes photochemical damage that irritates your eyes, and can affect your sleeping patterns.
Blue light filter apps can help to avoid this (f. lux), or blue light blocking glasses. 4.
Take a walk in nature at least once per day, staring far into the distance whenever you can, such as the sky or distant objects. This relaxes the small muscles in your eyes, reducing inflammation and preventing the lenses from changing shape over time (astigmatism). 5.
Cut out vegetable oils like soy, canola, sunflower, cottonseed, margarine, grapeseed etc. . These are highly inflammatory and have been shown to cause macular degeneration.
Start taking a daily supplement of 1tsp Virgin Cod Liver Oil. This is rich in omega-3s and retinol which help to lubricate, heal and nourish the eyes. Alternatively you can use Arctic Krill Oil, which is loaded with astaxanthin, (6000x antioxidant power of Vitamin C).
The TOP 8 Vitamins To REPAIR & PROTECT Your Eyes, Tap Here If you like to learn more specifically about top 8 vitamins to heal and repair your eyes go ahead and tap on this video here.
