It’s Not Just Carrots for Healthy Eyes

Poor food choices can put your eyesight at risk especially as you age. And it’s not just carrots that keep your eyes healthy.

So how can you reduce your risk to developing eye disease?

Learn about top foods choices that can protect your eyes from the three common age-related eye diseases.  Macular degeneration – a major cause of vision loss and even blindness. Cataracts – a clouding of the lens that distorts the vision. Glaucoma – excessive fluid in the eyeball that creates pressure damaging the optic nerve and causing vision loss.

 

Start now! Don’t wait until you are older.  Here are my 6 best foods for healthy eyes.

6 Best Foods for Healthy Eyes

1. Blueberries
2. Eggs
3. Spinach
4. Tomato Sauce
5. Walnuts
6. Zucchini

Eye Friendly Nutrients

Do you wonder if you are consuming enough nutrients from your foods like me?

Here’s a list of some key vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and suggested top foods that you can add to your next grocery shopping list!

Beta-carotene prevents ‘free radical’ damage inside the eye. In addition to the ever popular carrot, spinach, broccoli and pumpkin are other top foods with this nutrient.

DHA / Omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and prevent plaque from forming decreasing the risk for macular degeneration.  Walnuts, ground flaxseed in a morning shake or oatmeal and cold-water fish like salmon and tuna are good choices.

Lutein is one of the top nutrients for eye health. It protects the cells from damage and reduces the risk for both cataracts and macular degeneration diseases. Top choices are eggs, colorful fruits and vegetables especially tomatoes, leafy greens, spinach and zucchini.

Lycopene is found primarily in tomatoes and will release up to 3 times more lycopene when cooked as tomato sauce or juice. Other foods with lycopene include watermelon, pink grapefruit and papaya all helping to protect the eyes from sun damage.

Vitamin C is known as one of the top antioxidant helping to keep the healthy tissue strong. Blueberries, strawberries, oranges and green peppers have higher amounts of this vitamin.

Vitamin E is important for maintenance of good eye health. Nuts and seeds like walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, eggs and avocados are top choices.

Zinc found in blueberries, pumpkin seeds and turkey helps prevent blockage to the arteries that feed oxygen to the retina reducing age-related eye diseases especially macular degeneration.

What nutrients did I omit that are key to eye health? Please comment below and let me know!

Here’s a  helpful PDF guide “Eating for Your Eye Health” from North Dakota State University Department of Health, Nutrition, and Exercise Sciences.

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My blog writings focus on actionable information about anti-aging, physical activity, eating healthy, healing your body naturally from the inside out with nutrition so you can live young every day!

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I look forward to getting to know you and learning how I can provide a roadmap to bridge the gap from where you are now to your your ideal life!

Cheers to a Healthy 2014!

 

 

 

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