Eat Your Way to Healthier Eyes

One of the first things to go when you grow older is your 20/20 vision (if you had it in the first place). But this doesn't have to be. Millions of people are crossing over to healthier lifestyles, which includes eating higher nutrition and less processed foods. Studies reveal that this simple step can help prevent sight loss and deteriorating high health. Your diet can also act as a form of natural allergy treatment.

If you suffer from blurred vision, itchy watery eyes or just want to prevent the symptoms of aging eyes, then you can use the following tips.

Consume the Right Vitamins and Micronutrients

You may have heard vitamin A is what's needed to keep your eyes healthy. While this is true, this doesn't mean it's the only vitamin you should be consuming. Omega-3 essential fatty acids are also found to improve your eye health. For instance, it can reduce symptoms of dry eye and safeguard you from macular degeneration.

If you already have great eyesight, you should do everything you can to preserve it. This can be done by eating the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of eye-loving nutrients, such as the following:



Beta-carotene: When taken with zinc, vitamin E and C, it can decrease the progression of macular damage. You can get this from sweet potatoes, carrots, butternut squash, kale and spinach. The RDA is between 5,000 and 25,000 IU.

Bioflavonoids: This helps to guard your eyes from macular degeneration, as well as cataracts. You can get this nutrient from citrus fruits, tea, blueberries, legumes, bilberries, cherries and red wine. There's no RDA, so eat as much as you like.

Zeaxanthin and Lutein: These can also help safeguard your eyes from cataracts and macular damage. There's no RDA, but you can get it from food sources like turnip greens, squash, spinach, collard greens and kale.

Omega 3: This fatty acid can help against macular degeneration and dry eyes, making it a great natural allergy treatment. The RDA is around 1,000 mg daily, which can be obtained from food choices like fresh ground flaxseeds, mackerel, salmon, walnuts, fish oil supplements and herring.

Vitamin A: This can help prevent night blindness and dry eye. The RDA is 3,000 IU for males; 2,333 IU for females, 2,567 IU while pregnant and 4,333 IU while nursing. You can get vitamin A from foods like eggs, chicken liver, beef liver, milk and butter.

Selenium: When taken with vitamin C and E, and carotenoids, it can help prevent advanced macular degeneration. Teens and adults should consume 55 mcg daily and women who are pregnant should consume 60 mcg and 70 mcg while nursing. Foods rich in selenium include shrimp, halibut, salmon, brazil nuts, crab and brown rice.

Vitamin D: This too helps with lowering the risk of macular degeneration. It can be found in foods like milk, mackerel, sardines, salmon and orange juice enriched with vitamin D. The RDA is 400 IU for infants, children and teens and higher amounts are recommended for adults. Sunlight is another great source, so try to get sufficient amounts each day, but safely.

This is not an all inclusive list of vitamins and nutrients you can eat to improve and maintain good eyesight and health. If you suffer from allergies, you can obtain natural treatment from a naturopathic doctor.

Research shows middle-aged African Americans with early macular degeneration have a higher chance of dying from cancer (especially lung cancer). If you are battling AMD, you should consult with a naturopathic oncologist. You can use a combination of naturopathic oncology and conventional medicine treatments. http://www.longevitymedical.com/ medical health center is based out of Phoenix AZ and offers wide range of holistic integrative medical care to people of all ages. Our expert physicians are well respected within our industry to guide patients toward optimal health using the best of both naturopathic and conventional medicine solutions. Longevity medical is a leading prostate cancer facility in the USA.


 By Katie Spiess


Article Source: Eat Your Way to Healthier Eyes