Eat Right for your Sight!

Start with diet: eyes require multiple nutrients, and tons of energy to function optimally.

Basic vitamins: Vitamins A, C, E, and minerals like copper and zinc are essential to eyesight. 

• Antioxidants, including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, protect the macula from degeneration from sun damage. These antioxidants are abundant in dark leafy greens, egg yolks, yellow peppers, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and carrots. Notice any color patterns here? New findings demonstrate that that consuming yellow and green vegetables can help prevent age-related macular generation, a leading cause of blindness. 
• Foods rich in sulfur, cysteine, and lecithin help protect the lens of your eye from cataract formation. Excellent foods high in these nutrients are garlic, onions, shallots, and capers. 
• Pro Anthocyanin-rich fruits such as blueberries, grapes, and goji berries have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can help improve your vision. 
• DHA is a fatty acid found in coldwater fish like wild salmon, sardines, mackerel, and cod. DHA provides structural support to cell membranes to boost eye health.

Exercise for better Eyes

Simple exercises, based on the Bates Method can help you maintain optimal vision and may also keep eye fatigue at bay. Perform these exercises first thing in the morning, before bedtime, or any time your eyes feel fatigued. Make sure that your hands are clean and that your mood is relaxed. Warm your eyes. Rub your palms together to create heat, and then place them against your eyes for five seconds. Repeat this three times.  Second: Look up and then slowly circle 10 times clockwise and 10 times counterclockwise.  Focus. Hold a pen at arm's length, focus your eyes on it, and slowly bring the pen closer until it's about 6 inches away from your nose. Then slowly move it back, keeping your eyes focused on the pen, 10 times in all.