Eye Strain Relief - From the Farmer"s Market
Eye strain is a very real problem for folks who sit at a computer screen all day.
It's also a problem to those who are aging and who have not maintained the healthy diet and exercise necessary for good eye health.
But it's not too late to help your eyes.
In order to see sharp lines and vivid colors, to focus on reading material, and to drive safely at night, your eyes need at least 20 mg of lutein and at least one mg of zeaxanthin every day.
These nutrients can be found in supplements at your health food store, but they can also be found in a balanced diet.
When you choose your foods, think fruits and vegetables.
And when you choose your fruits and vegetables, think color! Orange and yellow vegetables such as pumpkin, squash, yellow peppers, carrots, mango, peaches, and apricots provide Lutein & other carotenoids, and protect the eyes from sun and age damage.
Red and pink fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, red peppers, guava, watermelon, and grapefruit contain a range of carotenoids and vitamin C, and protect eyes from free radicals.
Dark Green vegetables, including Broccoli, Zucchini, green peppers, spinach, kale, and asparagus provide Potent antioxidants and prevent age-related damage of the eye.
Blue and Purple - the colors of royalty - signify the presence of Anthocyanin, which protects the eyes from cancer.
Choose Purple cabbage, eggplant, plums, cherries, blueberries, grapes - and my personal regional favorite: The wild Huckleberry.
Now add exercise...
In addition to diet, you can strengthen your eyes, relieve strain, and improve focus and vision through exercise.
The eye is surrounded by over 200 little muscles, and just like your legs need exercise if you want to continue walking, those muscles need exercise to continue functioning well.
One exercise I found very challenging at first, and which improved my vision markedly, is the "beads on a string" exercise.
Take a string about 6 feet long and tie in a colored bead every 6".
Attach one end of the string to the wall at eye level.
Then place the other end on the tip of your nose.
Now, focus on one bead at a time, forcing both eyes to work together.
Depending upon which bead you're looking at, the string will appear to separate into 2 lines coming toward you, going away, or going both directions.
But when you've focused correctly, the two lines will meet at the bead you're focused on.
Keep practicing for a few minutes a day until you can get good focus on every bead.
Next, as much as you may have been chided by parents or teachers for "rolling your eyes," go ahead and do it.
Look up, to the side, down, to the other side, and back up several times...
using your eyes in a rolling motion.
Push them as far as you can in each direction to stretch and exercise those muscles! If you feel better by taking a supplement, make sure it has least 20 mg of lutein and 1 mg of zeaxanthin.
Bilberry extract - 100 mg, and gingko biloba - 50 mg are both good choices.
It's also a problem to those who are aging and who have not maintained the healthy diet and exercise necessary for good eye health.
But it's not too late to help your eyes.
In order to see sharp lines and vivid colors, to focus on reading material, and to drive safely at night, your eyes need at least 20 mg of lutein and at least one mg of zeaxanthin every day.
These nutrients can be found in supplements at your health food store, but they can also be found in a balanced diet.
When you choose your foods, think fruits and vegetables.
And when you choose your fruits and vegetables, think color! Orange and yellow vegetables such as pumpkin, squash, yellow peppers, carrots, mango, peaches, and apricots provide Lutein & other carotenoids, and protect the eyes from sun and age damage.
Red and pink fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, red peppers, guava, watermelon, and grapefruit contain a range of carotenoids and vitamin C, and protect eyes from free radicals.
Dark Green vegetables, including Broccoli, Zucchini, green peppers, spinach, kale, and asparagus provide Potent antioxidants and prevent age-related damage of the eye.
Blue and Purple - the colors of royalty - signify the presence of Anthocyanin, which protects the eyes from cancer.
Choose Purple cabbage, eggplant, plums, cherries, blueberries, grapes - and my personal regional favorite: The wild Huckleberry.
Now add exercise...
In addition to diet, you can strengthen your eyes, relieve strain, and improve focus and vision through exercise.
The eye is surrounded by over 200 little muscles, and just like your legs need exercise if you want to continue walking, those muscles need exercise to continue functioning well.
One exercise I found very challenging at first, and which improved my vision markedly, is the "beads on a string" exercise.
Take a string about 6 feet long and tie in a colored bead every 6".
Attach one end of the string to the wall at eye level.
Then place the other end on the tip of your nose.
Now, focus on one bead at a time, forcing both eyes to work together.
Depending upon which bead you're looking at, the string will appear to separate into 2 lines coming toward you, going away, or going both directions.
But when you've focused correctly, the two lines will meet at the bead you're focused on.
Keep practicing for a few minutes a day until you can get good focus on every bead.
Next, as much as you may have been chided by parents or teachers for "rolling your eyes," go ahead and do it.
Look up, to the side, down, to the other side, and back up several times...
using your eyes in a rolling motion.
Push them as far as you can in each direction to stretch and exercise those muscles! If you feel better by taking a supplement, make sure it has least 20 mg of lutein and 1 mg of zeaxanthin.
Bilberry extract - 100 mg, and gingko biloba - 50 mg are both good choices.
Source...