• Take a break from what you are doing
  We use our heads to think most of the time, so remember to give your head a rest. Headaches can sometimes be your body’s sign that you’re doing too much and need to slow down, so listen to what it’s telling you.
• Breathe deeply
  When your head hurts, stop, relax and take some deep breaths. Don’t underestimate the ability of the breath to calm your body and move energy and stress through it that may be stuck and causing pain. In fact, this is a good practice for every day, whether you’re experiencing pain or not.
• Eat healthy
  Begin with a good breakfast, which some people feel is the most vital meal of the day. You should also maintain a balanced diet throughout the day, so you can maintain consistent energy and blood sugar levels.
• Cut out the caffeine
  Caffeine can boost your energy and wake you up, but using it excessively (or even at all, for some people) can also cause tension headaches and leave you feeling nervous and irritable. This is another instance when it’s beneficial to listen to what your body tells you. If you have a reaction when you drink coffee, simply eliminate it. Herbal teas are good substitutes, as are roasted grain drinks that simulate coffee taste. You can buy these from the health food store.
• Say no to additives
  Food additives, such as artificial colors and flavors, can trigger headaches. There’s even some evidence that large doses over time may cause more serious problems, such as strokes and seizures. There’s no reason to ingest these additives and they can be easily avoided if you stick to natural foods, with an emphasis on “live” substances, such as fruits and vegetables.
• Apply a cold, wet cloth
  Cool down your aching head by using a towel that has been soaked in cold water and wrung out. If you have the patience to wait, you can also place the wet towel in the freezer before applying it to your head.
• Look to your mouth
  Toothaches and other mouth-related problems can definitely cause headaches, because the nerves that cause tooth pain are obviously centered in the head. Although there’s nothing that can be done — other than go to the dentist — once tooth problems are in full swing, you can do plenty to prevent them. Having the proper dental supplies on-hand — like a good sonic-powered toothbrush, dental floss and dental picks — and using them every day can help ensure you never have a tooth-related headache.
• See an eye specialist
  Vision problems or eye strain can sometimes be the cause of headaches, so if you have consistent headaches that don’t seem to have any other cause, get your vision checked. To lessen the financial stress going to the eye doctor can generate, check out your medical coverage to see if you’re covered. Some medical health plans have eye care coverage options, so know if yours does before you go.

If you don’t know what’s causing your headaches, you can assess which of the above factors are relevant to you by keeping a diary that lists which activities you’ve done during the day and what foods you’ve eaten. Patterns will probably surface quickly as you keep the diary, which will give you a good basis for knowing how to treat your headaches.

Photo by Mike Johnson

It happens when you stare at a road for a long time, work too long in front of the computer, watch too much television, or focus on any task that requires you to look up close for any length of time.

Fortunately, there are easy eye exercises that can relax and even strengthen the eyes. No exercise can cure an eye ailment, but doing the following exercises regularly can be beneficial if a weakness or imbalance of the eye muscles causes vision problems, especially eye strain:

Eye push-ups
This exercise trains your eyes to work together to aim at the same task, which can help prevent eyestrain.

Hold a pen in front of your face, about an arm’s length away. Move it toward your nose slowly, staring at the same place on the pen. Bring the pen as close as you can to the tip of your nose before you see a double image.

Change your focus
This exercise helps you cut down on eye fatigue.

Hold a book or newspaper as close to your eyes as you can without the print becoming blurred. Stare at the words for 15 seconds. Then, look at an object approximately 10 feet away and stare at that for 15 seconds. Repeat five times.

The eye roller coaster
This exercise improves the flow of blood and oxygen to your eyes.

Close your eyes and slowly roll them in a complete circle. Then, move them from right to left. Repeat three times.

Palming and cupping

This exercise relaxes your eyes.

If you wear contact lenses, remove them. Close your eyes and put the fleshy part of your palms over them. Press gently for a few seconds. Then, cup your hands over your open eyes. Keep your eyes open and look into your palms as you breathe slowly through your nose for 30 seconds.

Although it might seem simplistic, blinking and yawning are also beneficial because they produce tears that lubricate the eyes. And you can also help your eyes by taking nutritional supplements that contain bilberry, vitamin A and lutein. You might also want to try these healthy recipes that contain vitamins that help with eye problems.

Eye image by miamiamia

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know junk food isn’t good for you. But did you know it may also cause eye problems? It’s recently been shown that fatty snack foods may lead to macular degeneration, which causes vision impairment for many seniors.

To protect your eyes, you need to find healthy alternatives to the foods you love that don’t love you back. Thankfully, many healthy foods contain vitamins that actually promote eye health. Foods rich in beta-carotene (vitamin A) have been proven to positively affect both night vision and day-to-day eyesight and helps prevent cataract and macular degeneration. Foods that contain thiamine (vitamin B1) and vitamin E prevent lens deterioration, and foods rich in vitamin C provide antioxidants help prevent glaucoma.

Other nutrients also support healthy vision. There may be evidence that lutein could reduce eye problems, according to the National Eye Institute. Their researchers have even gone out on a limb and said that zinc, found in shellfish, eggs, legumes, herring, liver and milk, reduces the risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration and vision loss. The also believe that fish, such as salmon and sardines, contains omega-3 fatty acids that promote retina health.

It just takes a little extra effort to add more eye-healthy foods to your daily routine. The following healthy recipes will help you do just that:

Coleslaw with Visionary Power
Makes 8 servings

• 2 6-oz. containers of low-fat pineapple yogurt
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 2 T. low-fat mayonnaise
• 1 head of cabbage, thinly sliced
• 4 carrots, shredded
• 1 small sweet bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped

1. Whisk yogurt, mayonnaise and salt together in a large bowl.

2. Chop the cabbage, sweet bell pepper and onion; scrub and then shred the carrots. Don’t peel them so you preserve the vitamins and minerals near the surface. Add these ingredients to the yogurt mixture bowl and mix well.

Eye-Bright Salad
Makes 8 servings

• 2 heads of Romaine lettuce
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 C. sweet bell peppers, diced
• 2 C. cucumber, diced
• 2 C. carrots, shredded
• 2 C. tomatoes, diced
• 2 avocados
• 1-1/2 T. lime juice
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste

1. Cut the ribs from the Romaine and chop the leaves into pieces and place them in a large salad bowl.

2. Wash the scallions, tomatoes, bell pepper and cucumber, and remove the seeds from the bell pepper and cucumber. Chop all the vegetables.

3. Scrub and shred the carrot.

4. Place all the above ingredients in the bowl.

5. Cut the avocados into 1/2-inch square pieces and place them into a separate bowl, covering it with a small amount of lime juice to prevent discoloration. Toss together until they’re coated and then add the pieces to the salad bowl.

6. Add a small amount of low-fat dressing and gently toss all the ingredients.

We hope you enjoy making these healthy recipes that are good for your vision.

You might also be interested in these other recipes:

• Beet Juicing Recipes
• Blueberry Recipes with Antioxidant Power
• Broccoli Recipes
• Asparagus Recipes
• Garlic Recipes with Antiviral Power
• Pasta Recipes to Boost Your Immune System
• Recipes to Control Blood Sugar
• Recipes to Keep Anemia at Bay

Please see the rest of our site for more health articles.