The Link Between Eye Health and Diet

I don't know about you, but as I get older I find I need to put my reading glasses on more often than not. I have finally gotten smart about it and have bought several at the local discount store just to keep a pair in every room readily available to me. Having good eyesight is something I have always boasted about.I usually have been told that I have 20/20 vision which is pretty good. Even now, I really only need glasses when reading up close. Eyesight is such an important topic as we age. My own sweet mother lost her vision completely by the time she was 80 years old due to glaucoma. This indirectly lead to her death a few years later when, unable to see clearly, she fell and broke a hip. Her mother lost her vision while in her 60's! But back in those days with money being scarce folks didn't visit the doctor often and health was a very low priority to them. This was very unfortunate and probably a lot of her vision loss could have been prevented. This is why at my age now I routinely have my vision checked especially for that dreaded disease of glaucoma. My understanding is that it is a highly hereditary illness but one that can be kept very much in check with modern medicine. My oldest sister who is in her early 60's has already had cataract surgery. This is scary and makes me hyper-vigilant when it comes to my eyesight. Eye disease is one of the most common reasons people become permanently disabled in the United States. My husband's cousin, who is in his mid 50's, recently became totally disabled due to losing his vision because of untreated diabetes. Millions of people over the age of 40 have cataracts and millions of folks over 60 years of age have macular degeneration. These eye diseases occur as we age and proper nutrition has a lot to do with both of them.
Cataracts develop on the lens of the eye when proteins we all have in the lens are damaged. These proteins help to keep our lens clear, but when they are damaged the lens becomes cloudy and opaque, causing blurry vision. Cataracts also cause poor night vision and may cause you to have double vision. Surgery is usually necessary to remove them and replace the damaged lens with an artificial one. Macular degeneration happens when the cells in the macula of the eye die. The macula is located in the center of the retina in the back of the eye and is responsible for keeping your vision sharp for reading and such. The problem is once the macula is damaged your vision is no longer clear and you are unable to make out the fine details in objects. There is no cure for this disease, but proper nutrition may help to prevent it from getting worse.

The nutrients that benefit eye health are vitamins C and E, carotenoids, beta carotene, lutein, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, and vitamins B6, B9 (folic acid) and B12.
Here's a list of foods containing eye-healthy nutrients:

• Fruits and vegetables (good sources of vitamins C and E)
• Dark green vegetables such as kale and spinach (lutein, vitamin E)
• Yellow and orange fruits and vegetables (beta carotene and zeaxanthin)
• Anchovies, herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines, trout, tuna, and white fish (omega-3 fatty acids)
• Beef, eggs, lamb, milk, peanuts, pork, and whole grains (zinc)
• Bananas, chicken, dried beans, fish, liver, pork, and potatoes (vitamin B6)
• Citrus fruits, fortified cereals, dried beans, green leafy vegetables, liver, mushrooms, nuts, and peas (folic acid)
• Dairy products, eggs, meat, poultry, and shellfish (vitamin B12)

In researching this I found that a diet high in refined carbs, such as white rice, white bread, and pasta, may actually increase your risk of developing macular degeneration. These foods have a high glycemic index, which means they are broken down rapidly into blood glucose or sugar, so it is best for you to choose breads and pasta made from whole grains and brown rice for your complex carbohydrates.
Let's all take care of our vision! Life is too beautiful to miss even one minute of it. Have a happy, healthy day everyone!

Don't Skip Breakfast to Cut Calories!

Hi everyone! Ever since I started being much more vigilant about my nutrition I have started noticing calories and how fast they add up! Everything I read gives pointers on how to cut back on needless calorie intake. One thing I have learned though, is that you should never cut out eating breakfast just to cut calories. In fact doing this could be counter-productive. Research consistently shows that people who are the most successful at losing weight are the ones who start their day with a well balanced, nutritious breakfast. In addition, people who eat breakfast routinely have better vitamin and mineral stats and those same people tend to eat fewer calories from fat. It seems that breakfast really is the most important meal of the day.  Many studies, in both kids and adults alike, have shown that breakfast eaters seem to weigh less than breakfast skippers.  The theory is that eating a healthy balanced breakfast can reduce your hunger thoughout the day which in turn reduces your chances of making bad meal choices. Typically, hunger gets the best of breakfast skippers, and they end up eating more thoughout the day. The key is that your breakfast must be nutritious, not just delicious! In other words, your meal must contain a balance of protein and/or whole grains and not be loaded with fat and calories, like a doughnut for example. Eating breakfast also gives you energy to do more physical activity and generally be more productive all around which is so vital to weight control. Eggs are a great breakfast choice because they are loaded with protein. They tend to be more satisfying than cereal and white bread because of this. In the past, eggs have had a bad reputation due to their cholesterol content. All that has changed now, due to chickens being given healthier feeds which make cholesterol counts lower. But if cholesterol is still a concern, feel free to use just egg whites which are free of cholesterol, yet still high in protein. Eggs are also very high in essential nutrients such as vitamin B-12, selenium, phosphorus and riboflavin.  If you aren't too excited about eggs, try low fat greek yogurt, whole-grain breads or cereals and fresh fruit. There are many choices to select from. The main goal is to select wisely. Ultimately, calories are what pack the pounds on, so you want to get the most nutritious bang for your buck. Happy eating!