My name is Marilyn Baker, and I have horrible allergies. I’m 42 years old and have been suffering from allergies since I was a child. I have seasonal and environmental allergies. Allergies plague me year round. When I was young, my parents even moved to a dryer area in the hope of helping me. Over the past eight years, I have done extensive research both through doctors and online. I have managed to come up with some combinations that have helped me a great deal. My allergies aren’t gone, but they have become manageable. I do have to have allergy shots, but I also use some natural remedies. I am happy to be able to share my findings with you here on my blog. I hope you can find some of this of value.
Along with the eye health benefits of the beta-carotene found in orange-colored vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, squashes, and cantaloupes, including a variety of foods in your diet provides you with additional nutrients that offer protective benefits for your eyes. Because vitamin A and other antioxidant vitamins play a role in vision, it's important to give your eyes the proper nourishment they need to stay healthy.
Vitamin A and Beta-Carotene
Generally, vegetables that are red, orange, and green in color are rich in carotenoids. Vegetables high in carotenoids (pigments that give vegetables their color) are sources of vitamin A -- a nutrient that contributes to good vision. Vitamin A is an antioxidant vitamin that helps protect the cornea (clear surface at the front of the eye), reducing the risk of eye infections. In addition to carrots and sweet potatoes, other carotenoid-rich vegetables include tomatoes and dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, turnip and mustard greens, and spinach. Although the body converts the vitamin A in carotenoid-rich vegetables to retinol after you eat them, it absorbs retinol directly from animal-derived products such as:
Beef and chicken liver
Whole milk
Cheese, yogurt, and butter made from whole milk
Egg yolk
Dry Eye Syndrome
Not consuming enough vitamin A in your diet can can contribute to dry eyes. Untreated dry eye syndrome sometimes leads to complications such as eye infections, corneal abrasions, vision problems and, in some cases, damage to the retina.
Antioxidant Vitamins
Research suggests that getting enough vitamin A and other antioxidant vitamins in your diet may help lower your risk of developing cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Like vitamin A, the antioxidant vitamins E and C found in dark green leafy vegetables and fresh fruits may contribute to healthier vision.
The antioxidant effects of these and other nutrients, such as lutein found in spinach and broccoli, may help protect parts of the eye especially prone to cell damage. Lutein is a carotenoid found as a color pigment in the retina and macula of the eye. The macula is a small spot near the center of the retina that plays a key role in central vision.
Both vitamin E and lutein help protect vision. Lutein may act as a light filter, shielding the eyes from the damaging UV rays in sunlight. Vitamin E neutralizes oxidation in the body, which creates free radicals. Besides causing damage to cells that can lead to cancer, increased risk of heart disease, or Alzheimer's disease, free radicals can cause the eye lens to deteriorate, contributing to blindness.
According to the American Optometric Association, a number of studies also suggest a link between vitamin C consumption and eye health. Vitamin C -- another antioxidant vitamin found in carrots -- reduces the risk of developing cataracts and helps keep blood vessels healthy, including blood vessels in the eye.
For more information, contact Modern Eyez or a similar location.
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