Protect Your Family's Vision With Key Foods
By Sandy Schroeder
Most of us do a lot to protect our health, but sometimes we forget about our eyes. Newsmax reminds us we can automatically protect the vision of everyone in the family by adding key ingredients to our daily menu.
The American Optometric Association says vision issues often begin in the mid 40s. Hereditary issues, high blood pressure or diabetes, and smoking can all trigger vision problems. Make sure everyone in your family gets annual checkups and watch for any sudden changes in vision. At the same time, choose these foods to keep your eyes healthy.
Blueberries - Help yourself to an extra antioxidant boost for your eyes. Add blueberries to your breakfast cereal or smoothies and bake them into tarts for dinner.
Eat salmon or tuna - Enlist omega-3 fatty acids with both of these fish. Try tuna melts or salads and grilled salmon.
Enjoy dark chocolate - JAMA reports adults who ate a bar of dark chocolate could see an improvement in vision within two hours. Dark chocolate supplies flavonoids to fight glaucoma and macular degeneration, two serious threats to vision.
Add some eggs - Egg yolks are a rich source of powerful antioxidants that protect the eyes from serious diseases such as macular degeneration. Enjoy egg salad sandwiches or omelets for breakfast and lunch.
Snack on sunflower seeds - Pack them into lunches and serve them at home to get all of the benefits of Vitamin E to reduce the risk of cataracts.
Add carrots to the mix - Grate them into salads and cook them in soups and stews to add beta-carotene, an antioxidant that becomes Vitamin A in the body. Lower your risk for cataracts, macular degeneration and glaucoma.
Don't forget the spinach - This leafy green supplies two strong antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin, that help filter out the blue light from your computer or phone.
Sip some tea - British researchers tell us daily cups of hot tea can reduce the risk of glaucoma by as much as 75 percent.
Pick up some oranges - Eat an orange a day and cut your risk for macular degeneration and cataracts. The Vitamin C in citrus helps keep the eyes healthy as it builds collagen in the cornea and fights eye diseases.
While you are stocking your diet with key foods, make sure you get annual eye exams and check out any new changes to vision. Protect your eyes with sunglasses when you are outside, and wear goggles when you are involved in sports or home or lab projects. Also remember to take regular breaks when you are working on your computer.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Wellington, Fla.