We are well into November, which can only mean one thing: eating
season is officially upon us. With Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and New
Year’s Eve looming closer and closer, most of us are preparing our waistlines
and loosening our belts in anticipation for all of the food we will feast on in
the coming weeks. Now, this is all well and good, because let’s be honest – who
doesn't absolutely love all of the
delicious food that finds its way to the table around this time of the year?
What you might not know is that many of the foods that you
will undoubtedly nosh on are actually good
for your eyes. (I know, right? Piling your plate with mountains of food and doing good things for your eyes at
the same time? That is definitely a win/win situation in our book at Site
for Sore Eyes Berkeley.)
Now we’ve all heard the claims that carrots as well as other orange-colored fruits
and veggies are good for your overall ocular health, and we are here to say
that those claims are true. These
orange-colored foods get their bright hue from beta-carotene, which is a certain type of
vitamin A. Beta-carotene has been proven to help the retina and other parts of
the eye function smoothly. The connection to beta-carotene and eye health,
however, isn’t as well-known as other nutrients and their relation to promoting
eye health and protecting vision.
Doctors have found that nutrients such as lutein, zinc,
omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins C and E can help stave off age-related vision
problems, such as cataracts and macular degeneration, in
addition to improving your overall eye health.
Greens:
Leafy greens such as spinach, kale, lettuce and collard greens are packed with
lutein and zeaxanthin. Lutein and zeaxanthin are antioxidants that have been
proven to lower the risk of developing macular degeneration and cataracts.
Eggs: Egg
yolks are also very high in zeaxanthin as well zinc. Zinc is known to help
reduce your risk of developing macular degeneration.
Citrus and Berries:
Citrus and berries are jam-packed with vitamin C. Not only does vitamin C help
reduce your risk of developing cataracts and macular degeneration, but it can
help you stay healthy and may ward off the flu, the common cold and other “wintertime”
illnesses.
Almonds:
Almonds are powerhouses for vitamin E. Research shows that vitamin E can help
slow macular degeneration. Almonds (as well as other tree nuts) contain omega-3
fatty acids which, when consumed daily (about 1.5 oz. per day), can help lower
your risk of heart disease by increasing the amount of healthy cholesterol in
your body.
Fish:
Tuna, salmon, mackerel, trout and anchovies (also known as the fatty fish) are filled with DHA. DHA is a
fatty acid found in your retina. Low levels of DHA are linked to dry eye
syndrome. Have dry eyes? Eat more fatty fish! These fatty fish are also high in
omega-3 fatty acids which can help lower your risk of heart disease. Did you
know that your body absorbs more omega-3 fatty acids from fish itself than from
fish oil supplements?
Bet you didn’t know that there were that many foods that
could help improve your eye health! Now you can make an entire Thanksgiving
feast with all different kinds of “eye-healthy” food.
Think you might be experiencing early signs of cataracts, macular
degeneration or other eye-related illnesses? Visit one of our eye care
specialists at Site for Sore Eyes Berkeley for
a professional diagnosis. We take eye health very seriously. (Plus we’d also
just love to see you.)
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