The sparkle or lustre in the eyes tells us volumes about a person, whether they are happy or unhappy, if they sleep well or not and ether they are healthy or run down. While the condition of our eyes is closely linked to our general health and lifestyle, there is much we can do through our diet to keep our eyes healthy and help to prevent problems such as dry, inflamed eyes, swollen or puffy eyelids, blepharitis and cataracts.
Carrots
Our mothers or grandmothers may well have persuaded us to eat up our carrots so that we could see in the dark and certainly they were right to do so. Carrots are very high in beta-carotene which is converted to vitamin A in the body, an essential nutrient for healthy eye tissue and good vision. Night blindness is more often than not caused by lack of vitamin A in the diet, and remedied simply by eating about three carrots a day. Beta-carotene, like vitamin C and E, folic acid and selenium, is an antioxidant, vital for protecting the body against damage caused by free radicals and thereby for maintaining the health of the eyes. It is also found in yellow- and orange-coloured fruit and vegetables, including apricots, mangoes, peppers, squashes and green leafy vegetables such as spinach and watercress.
Avocado and walnuts
Eating plenty of avocado and walnuts boosts our vitamin E intake and Oily fish, linseed and evening primrose provide omega-3 essential fatty acids, both vital to the eyes and a deficiency of which can cause dry, gritty and red eyes, making you feel as well as look tired. Oranges, lemons, blackberries and blackcurrants, with lots of viamin C, can all help to slow down the development of cataracts. So too can tea, onions and red wine, thanks to the quercetin they provide, and yeast extract, nuts, seeds and whole wheat with their vitamin B.
Blueberries
Blueberries, cranberries, citrus fruits, green leafy vagetabies and red peppers are rich in flavonoids and vitamin C which help to maintain efficient circulation to and from the eyes and the strength of the capillaries, thereby helping to slow the deterioration of eyesight that accompanies the aging process.
Such foods will also support the immune system and inhabit the king of infection that causes problems such as styes and conjunctivitis.
