My Online Health Articles and Healthy Recipes

You’ve probably experienced it: Your eyes begin to water and twitch, and they burn when you close them. You’re suffering from a common condition — eye strain.

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

Our eyesight is one of our most precious commodities. The vitamins in this Coleslaw Recipe and our EyeBright Salad might be just what you need to protect your vision and avoid eye problems.

We all know that consuming junk foods can hurt us in the long run. But now there’s a new reason to control how much you eat of these highly processed foods: They may cause eye problems. According to a study by Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, fatty snack foods may lead to macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision impairment for seniors.

The key to eliminating these foods from your diet is to replace them with healthy alternatives. The good news is that plenty of healthy foods contain vitamins that actually promote eye health. Carrots, beef, chicken, cantaloupe, mangos and sweet potatoes all contain beta-carotene (vitamin A), which has been proven to positively affect both night vision and day-to-day eyesight. It also aids in cataract and macular degeneration prevention. Pork, liver, whole-grain cereals and breads, wheat germ, potatoes and legumes contain thiamine (vitamin B1), which prevents lens deterioration. Vegetable oils, egg yolks, milk fat, green leafy vegetables and nuts contain vitamin E, which also aids in lens deterioration prevention. And tomatoes, citrus fruit, strawberries, cabbage, green leafy vegetables and sweet bell peppers contain vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps prevent glaucoma.

There also are other nutrients that support vision health. The National Eye Institute states there may be evidence that lutein — a carotenoid antioxidant available in spinach, kale, collards, mustard greens, amaranth, spirulina and red paprika — could reduce eye problems. The Institute states definitively that zinc, found in shellfish, eggs, legumes, herring, liver and milk reduces the risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration and associated vision loss. Additionally, fish, such as salmon and sardines, contains omega-3 fatty acids that are known to promote healthy retinas.

It’s easy to incorporate more eye-healthy foods into your diet. Carrot sticks, citrus fruit, mangoes, and even sweet peppers and tomatoes make great portable snacks. Fresh carrot juice packs a concentrated dose of vitamin A in every glass and is easy to make if you have a juicer. Or you can try one of our easy recipes below, which are designed to taste good while giving your eyes a boost:

EyeBright Salad
Makes 8 servings

• 2 heads romaine lettuce
• 2 C. carrots, shredded *
• 2 C. sweet bell peppers, diced
• 2 C. tomatoes, diced
• 2 C. seedless cucumber, diced
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 ripe avocados
• 1-1/2 T. fresh lime juice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Optional: Add 2 C. chopped cooked chicken for a non-vegetarian version with enhanced vitamin A content. To up the omega-3 fatty acid content, add 2 C. fresh-cooked salmon.

1. Cut the tough ribs out of the Romaine leaves and remove the dark green tops of the larger leaves. Chop the remaining leaves into small pieces and place them in a large bowl.

2. Wash and chop the sweet bell pepper, tomatoes, cucumber and scallions, and shred the carrots. Place them in the salad bowl.

3. Remove the pits from the avocados and cut them into 1/4-inch cubes. Place the cubes into a small bowl and add lime juice to prevent discoloration. Toss well until coated with lime juice and add the avocados to the salad bowl.

4. Toss the salad well and add a dressing of your choice. Season with salt and pepper.

For another light dish that’s heavy on nutrients good for preventing eye problems, try this fast and simple coleslaw recipe:

Coleslaw with Visionary Power
Makes 8 servings

• 2 6-oz. containers of low- or non-fat pineapple yogurt
• 2 T. low-fat mayonnaise
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 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 cabbage, sweet bell pepper and onion; shred carrots. Add to the bowl with the yogurt mixture and toss well. If not serving right away, cover and refrigerate.

* It’s best to scrub carrots instead of peeling them. Some of the vitamins and minerals lie near the surface and can be whisked away with the peels.

Coleslaw can help your vision, as can a trip to the optometrist! For medical questions or to find a doctor near you, check out this Web site.

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

You might also be interested in these other 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.

This fact sheet will tell you everything you didn’t know about vitamin A!

Vitamin A is part of a group of compounds called retinoids and is essential for growth, bone development, night vision, reproduction and healthy skin. It is present in animal products (such as liver), dairy products, eggs and fish liver oil, and is also converted from carotenoids, which are found in dark red, green, and yellow vegetables. Vitamin A is best absorbed when taken with a meal that includes dietary fat.

Average DRI is 875 mcg. Supplements are rarely recommended for people with normal diets because there is risk of toxicity.

Deficiencies of vitamin A
Deficiencies of vitamin A can cause skin disorders and eye damage. In less-developed countries severe deficiencies cause blindness in 250,000 children each year. Diets low in vitamin A may also increase the risk of developing cancer. Deficiencies in the US are rare but can result from inadequate diets (usually in preschool children) or in women who are pregnant or breast-feeding; from intestinal disorders, such as cystic fibrosis, steatorrhea (excessive fat in the stool) and biliary obstruction; from hyperthyroidism; and from cirrhosis of the liver and other liver diseases.

Toxicity of vitamin A
Vitamin A can be very toxic when taken in high-dose supplements for long periods of time. Almost every part of the body can be affected, including eyes, bones, blood, skin, central nervous system, liver, and genital and urinary tracts. Symptoms include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, headache, skin damage, mental disturbances and, in women, infrequent periods. Severe toxicity can cause blindness and may even be life threatening. Liver damage can occur in children who take RDA-approved adult levels over prolonged periods of time, or in adults who take vitamin A in excess (as little as five times the RDA-approved amount). In children, chronic overdose can cause fluid on the brain in addition to other typical symptoms. Pregnant women who increase their intake of vitamin A are at risk for birth defects in their babies. High consumption may also increase a woman’s risk of gastric cancer, osteoporosis and bone fractures.

Although supplements can do us a world of good, remember that just because a product calls itself a vitamin or supplement, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good for you. Synthetic vitamins can actually be dangerous, so it’s important to be educated about them.

Click here for a free report that lists synthetic vitamins to watch out for and gives details about about their dangers.

We hope you found this vitamin A health article helpful! You might also be interested in these vitamin-related articles:

• Should You Take Vitamins and Minerals?
• B Vitamins Fact Sheet
• Vitamin C Fact Sheet
• Phytochemicals Fact Sheet
• Drugs That Deplete Vitamins and Minerals

Tags: health, vitamins, minerals, supplements, nutrition