Tips for maintaining healthy eyes
Author: Terra Lewis
Why should we think to maintain healthy eyes in summer? The eyes are indicative of several diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, infectious diseases, AMD, etc. This is one of the most important organs of your body, and are more vulnerable during the summer.
Maintaining healthy eyes
Indeed, tissues and cells of your eyes are very fragile and can be damaged by excessive sun exposure, as well as eye fatigue due to excessive periods of reading, computer work, periods of concentration extended on an object placed too near the eyes, vision, and prolonged direct sunlight.
Tips to help you maintain healthy eyes, in the summer but also throughout your life:
1) Eat fruits and vegetables
Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables for their protective antioxidants. Eat especially green leafy vegetables and fruit (or juice) dark.
2) Search lutein
Choose supplements that contain lutein, which may support healthy eyes.
Lutein is a carotenoid found naturally in the eye, which helps protect them from oxidation. However, lutein is not always provided in sufficient quantities from your food, hence the importance of lutein supplements.
Formulas such as vitamin supplement ophthalmic PreserVision (patented formula and trademark of Bausch & Lomb) with lutein and antioxidants, contain softgels (easy to swallow) dosed at 10 mg of lutein.
PreserVision capsules are taken 2 times a day (morning and evening) with meals. These capsules are designed for people who should avoid taking beta-carotene (they do not). A box of 60 capsules costs about 16 euros. Spinach also contains lutein and zeaxanthin.
3) Consider a diet low glycemic index
Eating a lighter in sugars (such as diet Glycemic Index GI) could reduce over 60% the risk of a degenerative disease of the retina: macular degeneration age-related (AMD).
In France, more than 1.3 million people suffer from macular degeneration related to age (over 25 million people are affected worldwide). AMD is the leading cause of blindness in people over 50 years. The person who suffers from AMD no longer has a central vision, can no longer drive or read or watch television.
Risk reduction (60%) of AMD has been calculated by researchers from Tufts and Harvard University (USA). These researchers found that lighter feeds are often high in carbohydrates (in return) in micro-nutrients for the eyes (antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein and zeaxanthin, etc..). Their study followed 526 women with a mean age of 62 years over 10 years. The women answered a questionnaire of frequency of consumption of 126 foods to regular time on 10 years of the study, followed a comprehensive review of their eyes.
4) Eat more omega-3 fatty acids and less trans fat
Eating a diet rich in omega-3 (found in fish, nuts, olive oil, etc..) And low in trans fat would reduce by 32% in the average risk of developing macular degeneration related to age ( AMD).
In May 2009, an Australian study (conducted on 2454 people) found that eating 1 serving of fish per week for at least 10 consecutive years of 31% would reduce the risk of early AMD.
The same month, another Australian study (conducted on 6734 people) found that minimizing the consumption of trans fat reduces the risk of developing macular degeneration age-related (AMD) by 35%.
Trans fat is the fat formed during the production of food, when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil to solidify. Trans fat is considered harmful because it increases the “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and lowers levels of “good” cholesterol (HDL). Any food that says contain “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil” on its label contains trans fats (including foods fried or baked best-selling).
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