Archive for December, 2009

Dec
22

Eye Health Food And Ocular Nutrition

Posted under Articles by baryant

Understanding ocular nutrition and eye health can be one way to support your vision. Already in 1930, our eyes and vision can begin to deteriorate. Wind, dust, vapors of chlorine, automobile fumes, smoking, cold and physical injuries, examples of threats to healthy eyes and good vision. Long hours spent on the computer screen and vibration from driving have a cumulative negative impact on eye health over time.

Healthy vision is related to the health of individual parts of the eye - the cornea, iris, blemishes, lens, optic nerve, a student, a retina and vitreous body. And making good ocular nutrition and eye health food choices are one of the ways that good vision can be supported. Information provided by the U.S. National Eye Institute, and the results of other ocular nutrition and eye health studies have shown that using nutrition to improve and support eye health would occur.

Here are products that are known to support and improve eye health:

Greens, cabbage, spinach - studies on ocular nutrition and eye health show that eating foods rich in carotenoids is associated with reduced risk of developing age-related macular degeneration. Carotenoid-rich leafy green vegetables such as spinach, kale and cabbage. Macular eye nutrition becomes increasingly important as we get older.

Green vegetables and corn - another study of ocular nutrition and eye health has shown reduces the risk of developing cataracts for persons with higher diet lutein and zeaxanthin. Foods high in carotenoids include two broccoli, greens, corn, green peas, kale, romaine lettuce, spinach, turnip greens and zucchini. Lutein is also found in egg yolk. Those diets high in lutein and zeaxanthin were also less likely to need cataract surgery. In another study of persons aged 40-59, those who diets high in lutein and zeaxanthin experienced a reduced risk of developing adult macular degeneration.

Apricots, bilberries and blueberries - apricots are rich in beta-carotene and lycopene, which contribute to good eyesight. Beta-carotene is converted by the body to vitamin A as needed, an important antioxidant that resists oxidative stress damage in cells and tissues, including the eye lenses. Continued oxidative stress may lead to the development of cataracts or damage to the blood supply to the eye and lead to macular degeneration. Eating blueberries has been associated with reduced eye fatigue.

Blueberries are related to cranberries, and they also help the body resist urinary tract infections. Blueberries are one of the forms of wild blueberries, which grow on small bushes. Blueberries have been used British pilots to improve their night vision during World War 2. Fresh bilberries and bilberry jams would be sources of this ocular nutrition and eye health food. Bilberry seems to improve eye health by increasing blood flow to the eyes.

Our eyes are considered the most important senses. By knowing ocular nutrition and eye healthy food choices support the eyes, you can include some of these products in daily meal planning.