Aging eyes do not have to mean a loss in your vision. Careful attention to your habits and your diet can keep your eyes healthy. Maintaining a healthy blood pressure, wearing eye protection, and eating right can lower your risk of vision loss.
1) Carrots
Carrots offer a hearty dose of both beta-carotene and Vitamin A to your diet. Additionally, carrots are very portable food that can travel with you as a snack. If you’re not keen on raw carrots, try to steam them or cook them on low heat. Boiling carrots for too long will leach nutrients out of them.
2) Kale or Spinach
Both kale and spinach are high in lutein, which is crucial to protecting your retinas. Kale can have a woody, bitter taste to some, so spinach is offered as another leafy green option.
If you’re really trying to love kale but can’t get used to the fibrous quality of this green, try a chiffonade. Clean the leaves and allow them to air dry. Roll them up tight and cut them into narrow strips with a very sharp knife. Dress them in a mildly flavored oil, such as a walnut oil dressing, and drizzle the salad with the oil and some dried sweet fruit. Dried apricots offer a nice foil to the bitterness of kale.
3) Oranges
Oranges are another easily portable food that will keep your eyes healthy. If you’re working to incorporate something raw into each meal, keeping an orange peeled and sectioned in your refrigerator is a wise choice. You can just grab your orange and go.
In addition to protecting your eyes, orange peels can be very good for your skin. Wrap your orange peels in gauze and knot the package, then take them with you into the shower. Scrub your skin with this homemade, natural exfoliant.
4) Milk or Yogurt
The Vitamin A in milk and yogurt can be exceptionally good for your overall eye health. If you struggle with lactose, it may be possible to eat small servings of yogurt or drink a small amount of milk and avoid a reaction.
Many just don’t like the taste of milk. A simple way to boost your dairy intake in this case is to use yogurt as a base for your breakfast cereal. A vitamin-fortified cereal or a bran product high in fiber can boost your overall health and protect your eyes. Cereal in Greek yogurt can be an especially creamy treat.
5- Eggs
Eggs, particularly the yolks, are high in Vitamin A, lutein, and zinc. Like milk, eggs may not be a favorite. However, there are ways to easily hide eggs in food. For example, a simple meal of fried rice can serve as a home for an egg or two. Many pancake mixes call for eggs, as do muffins and quick breads.
Changing your diet to protect your eyes doesn’t have to break your budget. A diet rich in Vitamin A and lutein can be constructed around simple, basic foods that offer many other benefits.
