You are never too young and it's never too late to start a healthy dietary regime to help protect your eyes from risk.
There are many people who have good eyesight into their eighties and beyond. Ageing does not automatically mean that your eyesight will diminish but as ageing progresses changes can occur that may weaken the ability to see.
This can occur as early as the teen years if not earlier.
Sensible precautions to avoid eye strain by spending too long staring at a computer screen, reading small print in bad light, avoiding smoky ill ventilated atmospheres and so on are obvious.
What is less well known is the importance of diet to protect the eyes. The right food for your eyes is essential for optimum eye health.
Fish Oil may help to protect and promote healthy retinal function and has been found to assist in preventing the onset of Macular Degeneration, the leading cause of blindness.
Cod liver oil or fish oil capsules taken daily as a regular addition to your diet is probably the least likely to be overlooked.
Salmon, trout, herrings and any other tasty oily fish can make an occasional and enjoyable meal to supplement the capsules.
Fresh Vegetables and Fruit are very important in helping to maintain effective vision health. Green leafy vegetables contain carotenoides, principally Beta-carotene and Lutein.
Both are antioxidants and are found in spinach, kale,brussel sprouts, broccoli, collard greens, and similar. Egg Yolks also contain beneficial carotenoids.
Berries. Dark berries, such as blackberries blueberries, blackcurrants,cranberries,bilberries will have a beneficial effect by stregthening the capilleries that carry nutrients to the eyes.
Avoid the fats found in many processed and baked foods These will include margerines,fried foods, doughnuts, cookies, pastries, french fries, and biscuits.
These non beneficial fats, known as Trans Fat should not be confused with Omega-3 fatty acids found in Salmon, Trout, Tuna and other oily fish which can decrease the risk of eye disease.
Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a slow but progressive degeneration of central vision for which there is arguably no cure. Risk factors for AMD include genetic inheritance, smoking, high blood pressure or simply advancing age.
It is the most common cause of blindness. Many sufferers of AMD or who are at risk of the disease have no factors that can they can control to mitigate or avoid the onset of the disease with the possible exception of nutrition.
Studies have shown that individuals with the highest consumption of dark leaved green vegetables rich in carotenoids, such as raw spinach or kale had a significantly lower chance of developing AMD than those who ate these foods the least.
High levels of antioxidant vitamins and zinc can also be effective in lowering the risk of developing the disease and can also slow its progression.
There is a school of thought that the bilberry or blueberry can prevent or even reverse AMD and sufferers are advised to investigate this as a possible treatment. These studies clearly show the importance of nutrition in prevention and slowing the development of AMD.
Do obtain qualified medical advice before taking high dose nutritional supplements for the control of AMD as there may be other risk factors, not associated with eye care, to take into account. This is particularly important for smoker
What Are Healthy Foods
This generation will forever be known as the XXL generation. However, the American public wants the next generation to be different and they are prepared to do something about it. Almost every restaurant is now offering healthy options and disclosing their top secret nutritional information. Public schools are replacing soda machines and recreating the cafeteria food. Positive attitudes toward exercise with multiple health benefits are being implemented at gyms. Organic foods and local markets are also giving big chains a run for their money. It is time for America to fight obesity on person at a time.
Fast food restaurants such as Wendy's and Subway were some of the first to offer substitutions for children and adults. At Wendy's a salad can replace fries for no extra charge. For a kid's meal, parents can order their children a fruit cup and milk instead of fries and a soda. Subway also has raisins and apples in place of chips. Other chains such as Fatburger are now using soy ban oil instead of regular vegetable oil which will reduce calories and trans fat. They will also start using the leanest beef possible in all of their burgers and they are now offering a Boca patty (soy based meatless patty) substitute for all their burgers according to prleap.com.
In past years many chains such as McDonalds had the public guessing about nutritional content but after a large public out cry, fast food and sit down restaurants relented. Now the nutritional information can be found anywhere from their internet websites, pamphlets in the place, or on the actual container such as McDonald's fries carton. There is no more guess work to be done, consumers know exactly what they are eating, no more mystery meat!
The public is not stopping there, they also pushed for healthy reform in America's schools. During the 2006-2007 school year, every district in America had a goal to obtain. This goal was to implement a better nutrition and increase activity levels according to aappolicy.org, and nearly every school accomplished this. Soda machines, snack machine and pizza are gone in every American school. They have been replaced by water, granola and a salad bar. Kids can no longer sell junk food for clubs during school hours and all the cafeterias are required to serve balanced meals.
Organic is the new black. In the last ten years, local farmers have more than doubled. Organic products appeals to the new health conscious America on many levels. Consumers want to know where their food is coming form and if it has been chemically treated. When buying food from local farmers, it gives the consumer control and they can find out where the food has come from and what it has been exposed to.
Organic foods are also here to stay! In the last ten years, local farmers have more than doubled. Consumers want to know where their food is coming form and if it has been chemically treated. When buying food from local farmers, it gives the consumer control, they can find out where the food has come from and what it has been exposed to.
Flexitarianism is a new "diet" which is quickly on the rise with many Americans according to CNN.com. Dietitians are defining these dieters as those who eat mainly fruits and vegetables but also eat protein but only three days per week such as chicken, lean beef and fish. The other four days a week they eat meatless meals. It is a diet which is low in saturated fat and high in fiber. Those who follow this diet have lower risk of stroke, diabetes, and heart attack.
Over the years obesity and obesity related health complications have spurred America into action. While there are consumers out there who love their triple Whoppers with mystery meat and King sized fries, they are quickly becoming the minority. Healthy living is taking over and it is here to stay!
Both Jaks Lloyd & Sara Mendez are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Jaks Lloyd has sinced written about articles on various topics from Pregnancy Problems, Boxing and Health. Jaks Lloyd is a former photographic fashion model. She now lives in Spain and indulges her creative talents by writing and building innovative authority websites.
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