Foods to Significantly Improve Your Vision. By Dr. Mercola. Aging is inevitable, but are age- related problems such as poor vision absolute givens? Contrary to popular belief, your vision is largely dependent on your lifestyle.
You may even be able to turn back the clock, as it were, and improve your vision. Foods Can Protect and Improve Your Eyesight. In a recent BBC article,1 Dr.
Michael Mosley discusses his own vision problems and his experiences with nutritional intervention, featured in an episode of the BBC program . Your retina, located at the back of your eye, also contains light- sensitive cells that are critical for good vision. Your macula — the part of your retina responsible for central vision — is protected by a yellow pigment, made up of lutein, zeaxanthin and meso- zeaxanthin. These compounds absorb light and protect your macula from blue light and ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun and other light sources. Lutein, zeaxanthin and meso- zeaxanthin are plant compounds with potent antioxidant capacities. Your body cannot make them, so you must get them from your diet.
As noted by the BBC: 3. Meso- zeaxanthin is generally not found in plants — it is thought to be made in our bodies from lutein (although it is also present in some fish . My detection of yellow and blue colors was extremely poor — something that . My night vision and perception of details were also poor compared with younger people — but consistent with my age. The Trust Me team then handed me a 9. Three months later, follow- up tests revealed remarkable improvement.
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Not only was his night vision and protective macular pigments improved, but his blue and yellow color perception was now within the normal range. How Much Lutein and Zeaxanthin Do You Need? Meanwhile, studies suggest American adults get, on average, only 1 to 2 mg of lutein from their diet each day.
Research evaluating the effect of lutein, zeaxanthin and meso- zeaxanthin in combination, using a dose of 1. Well, the research certainly shows that supplements work. However, some researchers believe that diet can simply be enough, if we eat the right things.?
You'll also find these nutrients in orange- and yellow- colored fruits and vegetables. According to one 1. According to a study published last year,8 adding a couple of eggs to your salad can also increase the carotenoid absorption from the whole meal as much as nine- fold! Dull, pale yellow yolks are a sure sign you're getting eggs form caged hens fed an unnatural grain diet, and hence will have low amounts of these valuable nutrients. How Much Lutein Can You Get From Your Foods? Most of these also contain zeaxanthin, albeit in lesser quantities than lutein.
Ideally, you'll want to consume these foods as close to raw as possible. Once you heat spinach or egg yolks, for example, the lutein and zeaxanthin become damaged and will not perform as well in preventing degeneration of your macula. Accessory micronutrients in the foods that enhance their action also tend to get easily damaged. Lutein Content of Foods. Food. Mg / serving. Kale (raw)Mg / serving: 2. Kale (cooked)Mg / serving: 2.
Spinach (cooked)Mg / serving: 2. Collards (cooked)Mg / serving: 1. Turnip greens (cooked)Mg / serving: 1. Green peas (cooked)Mg / serving: 4. Spinach (raw)Mg / serving: 3. Corn (cooked)Mg / serving: 1.
Broccoli (raw)Mg / serving: 1. Romaine lettuce (raw)Mg / serving: 1. Green beans (cooked)Mg / serving: 0. Broccoli (cooked)Mg / serving: 0. Papaya (raw)Mg / serving: 0. Egg. Mg / serving: 0.
Orange (raw)Mg / serving: 0. U. S Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 2. Nutrient Data Laboratory Home Page.
Vitamin C Combats Cataracts. In related news, higher intakes of vitamin C have been shown to prevent cataracts, the second leading cause of vision loss. According to the National Eye Institute, more than half of all Americans end up getting cataracts by the time they're 8. The study,1. 0 which compared vitamin C intake and the progression of cataracts in more than 3. C- rich foods lowered their risk of cataracts by one- third. Interestingly, vitamin C supplements were not associated with a reduction in risk.
Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruits are well- known for being high in vitamin C, but the fruit with the highest concentration of all is actually acerola cherries (also known as Barbados cherries.) They are not as sweet as a regular cherry but about the same size. Each cherry only has 1 calorie but 8. C and the associated micronutrients.
I have two of these trees in my front yard and for months I am able to gather 5. It is by far my favorite and healthiest fruit.
It's the most common cause of blindness in diabetics. This significant risk reduction was primarily attributed to lower inflammation levels.
Animal- based omega- 3 fats also provide structural support to cell membranes that boost eye health and protect retinal function. Earlier research. A 2. 00. 9 study also found that those with the highest consumption of omega- 3 fats were 3. C, vitamin E, zinc, lutein and zeaxanthin, had a lower risk of macular degeneration. Foods rich in animal- based omega- 3 are most naturally raised sea food, which means you need to be mindful of mercury contamination levels. Not all fish are high in omega- 3 fats, and most fish are severely contaminated to boot, so it's important to be selective.
Marine sources that are high in omega- 3 and low in environmental pollutants include: Wild Alaskan salmon (which also contains astaxanthin — one of the most potent promoters of eye health; see below)Small fatty, cold- water fish such as herring, sardines and anchovies. Fish roe. Krill oil. Astaxanthin — The Most Powerful Promoter of Eye Health. Astaxanthin is produced by the microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis when its water supply dries up, forcing it to protect itself from UV radiation. Besides the microalgae that produce it, the only other source are the sea creatures that consume the algae (such as salmon, shellfish and krill). Astaxanthin is far more powerful an antioxidant than both lutein and zeaxanthin, and many researchers believe it to be the most powerful antioxidant ever discovered for eye health.
It's been found to have protective benefits against a number of eye- related problems, including the two leading causes of blindness in seniors: ARMD and cataracts, as well as: Cystoid macular edema. Diabetic retinopathy.
Retinal arterial occlusion and venous occlusion. Glaucoma. Inflammatory eye diseases (i. Research shows it easily crosses into the tissues of your eye and exerts its effects safely and with more potency than any of the other carotenoids, without adverse reactions. Specifically, astaxanthin has been shown to ameliorate or prevent light- induced damage, photoreceptor cell damage, ganglion cell damage and damage to the neurons of the inner retinal layers. I recommend starting with 4 mg per day. Krill oil also contains high quality animal- based omega- 3 fat in combination with naturally- occurring astaxanthin, albeit at lower levels than what you'll get from an astaxanthin supplement.
How Anthocyanins in Berries Benefit Your Eyes. Dark blue or purplish, almost black- colored berries like black currants and bilberries contain high amounts of the antioxidant anthocyanins. Black currants contain some of the highest levels. They're also rich in essential fatty acids, lending added support to its anti- inflammatory properties. For medicinal purposes, many opt for using black currant seed oil, but eating the whole food is always an option, especially when they're in season. Bilberry,2. 0,2. 1 a close relative of the blueberry, also contain high amounts of anthocyanins, just like the black currant.
Research suggests the bilberry may be particularly useful for inhibiting or reversing macular degeneration. A 2. 00. 5 study. According to the authors: .
A prudent level of intake would be on the order of 9. Patients should target 8. Those seeking prevention of eye disease, or just protection of the cells, can target 4. Sunglasses that block blue light have the benefit of making objects appear sharper, but mounting research suggests blocking blue light also serves an important biological purpose by regulating your internal body clock, which controls your sleep patterns and other body functions.
Indeed, exposure to artificial light is likely one of the most often- overlooked health risks of living in the 2. One of the simplest and least expensive ways to protect your body's internal rhythm, and thereby support healthy sleep and a lowered risk of many chronic diseases, is to wear amber- colored glasses that block blue light — not just at night but anytime you are exposed to fluorescent or LED lights. This is because LEDs and fluorescents, although far more energy efficient, are not analog thermal light sources but digital ones.
They have unbalanced wavelengths that are very different from the sun. They have a predominance of blue frequencies that contributes to free radical production, and lack the red, infrared and near infrared healing frequencies that stimulate repair and regeneration that are present in thermal light sources like clear incandescent bulbs.
The now- banned- in- the- U. S. These bulbs have a similar wavelength pattern as the sun, but lack the blue and violet frequencies that can be so damaging to your circadian rhythm and melatonin at night. So a clear incandescent bulb is the best bulb to use at night for any light you may need.
Even though you will use more energy, the health benefits far exceed paying for the extra energy. Additionally, one of the best strategies to establish your circadian rhythm is to spend some time outdoors shortly after sunrise. The red and infrared frequencies will help prepare your retina for the blue light emitted a bit after sunrise, which will produce a reactive oxygen signal to produce melatonin later that night — assuming you sleep in complete darkness.
This obviously is uncomfortable, but it offers the opportunity to lose 5 to 2. The typical person trying a crash diet is someone who has to lose weight for something in a short period of time. It could be an upcoming party, date, wedding, or something similar. Do Crash Diets Work? It depends what your goal is. If you goal is to lose a specific amount of weight by a certain target date, crash diets can be very effective. They are not easy to implement, as most of them are very monotone and severely restrict the calorie intake.
Also depriving your body of so many calories and valuable nutrition puts a lot of stress on your body. If your goal is long term weight loss, crash diets are less effective. It is the dreaded yo- yo effect. Since you restrict the calorie intake so much your body will go into survival mode, and reduce the calories it burns during normal daily activity. When eventually you start eating normally, it is very easy to now add the pounds back on, since your body is now (at least for a time) burning less calories than it used to, prior to the crash diet.
But, people are successful, short term and long term with crash diets. Just keep in mind that crash diets put stress on your body, are not comfortable to implement (you can’t eat much), and you need to be careful to not gain it all back once you start eating normal.
Most Insane Crash Diet. Some people take crash diets to a whole new level of insanity, by purposefully infecting themselves with a tapeworm. Take a look, have a laugh, but don’t do it. Staying healthy and alive is the most important thing. What is the point of being thin, if it costs you your health and you die early? But just for laughs, here is a 4 minute video from Tyra Bank’s show.
List of Crash Diets – The 1. Crash Diets That Work.
Here is an overview of 1. Most of these crash diets are not intended for long- term, and may not even be effective in the long- run, but if you have a special event coming up and need to lose weight quickly, some of them may be worth a try. Make sure you are healthy, pop a daily multi- vitamin and stop immediately if you feel sick or dizzy.
Juice Fast Crash Diet – Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. This crash diet is a form of juicing diet, made famous from the movie “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead”.
During his trip, he meets and inspires Phil Staples, a morbidly obese truck driver from Iowa, to join him on his diet. Joe Cross lost over 8. Here is a 3 minute movie trailer for the movie “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead”, highlighting the incredible results on this juice diet. The 2 characters in the film consume nothing but vegetable and fruit juice for at least 6. There is no mention of them having any negative side effects in the film. Read more about the Fat Sick and Nearly Dead diet.
Click on any of the links below for details on other crash diets. Make sure to also read the risks of crash diets and tips below! Cabbage Soup Diet. The Cabbage Diet or Cabbage Soup Diet promises a 1. If you like cabbage, an unlimited amount of cabbage!, then this is the diet for you. On this diet you are allowed to eat all the cabbage soup you want, and a few select other foods. Cabbage is high in fiber, which helps to clean out the systems in your body.
Actress Jaime Pressly from the TV comedy “My Name is Earl” lost 3. Former “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” star Sarah Michelle Gellar is also reported to be a fan of the Cabbage Soup diet.
Diet. The 3- day diet is an interesting diet. It has been floating around the internet, without a source or author, but it is extremely popular and people report success (up to 1. As for weight loss, there is no magic here, as the 3- day diet restricts calories.
But it may be the perfect diet for you if you want to lose weight for that special occasion, and it is easy to implement. Beyonce said she lost 2. Master Cleanse diet. The diet was originally developed in the 1.
Peter Glickman. This CBS video is 3 minutes long, discusses the diet and the celebrities who used the Master Cleanse Diet with great success. Xtreme Fat Loss Diet.
The Xtreme Fat Loss Diet claims you can lose up to 2. It uses 5- day cycles that you are supposed to repeat 5 times. The idea is, that by strategically combining certain meals and exercises, you can lose a lot of fat.
One of the focal points of this diet program is building and maintaining your muscle and metabolism, while burning the fat. Grapefruit Diet. The Grapefruit Diet has been around since the 1. Kylie Minogue and Brooke Shields reportedly lost weight following the Grapefruit Diet. The theory behind this diet is that grapefruits have fat- burning enzymes, and coupled with a low calorie diet (8. Hollywood Diet. The Hollywood Diet promises a weight loss of 1. For 2 days you only drink a special juice that you have to purchase.
The juice, according the manufacturer, is a special blend of natural juices and botanical extracts. Reviews are available here. You won’t be hungry on this all you can eat diet, but you may find it monotonous and bland. In a nutshell, for 7 days you can eat what you want as long as the food is on an approved list. That is it, no exception. It reduces the allowed list of foods to meats, vegetables, fruit and milk, and depending on the day it restricts it ever further. But from whatever you are allowed to eat, you can eat an unlimited amount.
For example on day 5 (Friday), you can eat 4 steaks and unlimited vegetables. You won’t be hungry, but you may be dissatisfied. But that is how this diet can also work. By being monotonous and bland, you will naturally eat only so much as not to be hungry and stop there. You probably won’t be faced with the feeling of “I am full, but it tastes so good, I will have another bite”. Clean Program. The Clean Program is a popular diet and detox program among celebs like Gwyneth Paltrow, Mariska Hargitay, and Demi Moore, and a convenient diet for busy people.
It was developed by Dr. Alejandro Junger who cured his illness with this diet and detox program. In a nutshell, breakfast and dinner are replaced with a liquid meal while lunch remains solid, aided by certain supplements.
The following 3- minute video describes the background and content of the Clean Program diet. Diet. In spite of the name, the 4- day diet actually lasts 2. It was developed by Dr.
Ian Smith, and is divided into 4- day segments with different modules. The basic theory behind this diet is that by changing the modules, eating different things during each 4- day segment, you keep your body off balance, and lose weight faster. He also addresses the mental aspect of losing weight.
By changing what you can eat during the 2. Dr. Ian Smith talks about his diet on his 8- minute interview on CBN. Chicken Soup Diet. The Chicken Soup Diet is a 7 day diet, and on it you are allowed to eat breakfast and as much chicken soup as you like. Every day for breakfast, you can choose your favorite breakfast from 5 different breakfast menus.
For the rest of the day, you can eat as much chicken soup as you like, but you can eat nothing else. Like the 3- day diet, the Chicken Soup Diet does not have an underlying theory, or a clear author, but it is a popular diet floating around on the internet.
Fat Loss 4 Idiots (Idiot Proof Diet)Fat Loss 4 Idiots claims that you can lose 9 pounds in 1. The theory behind this diet is calorie shifting. For example, one day you may eat mostly protein, the next day mostly fruit and so on for 1.
On the 1. 2th day, a 3 day resting period starts, where you can eat what you want. On the 1. 5th day the whole process starts again. Joel Fuhrman’s 7- Day Crash Diet (Approved by Dr.
Oz recently introduced his approved crash diet on his show (7- day crash diet devised by Dr. People can supposedly lose up to 1. Under this crash diet, you can eat the following foods as much as you want: Dark leafy vegetables. Fresh fruits. Starchy vegetables. And must limit the following to less than 1. You pretty much have to cut out sweets and other treats.
When asked the question whether it’s safe to lose so much weight in 1 week, Dr. Joel Fuhrman replied that basically in this diet you would be getting all of your nutrient needs met. Learn more about the diet on Dr. The 3 Week Diet. The 3 Week Diet is a relatively new diet program created by Brian Flatt, that claims you can lose 1. One of the goals of the diet is for you to form a new habit of eating correctly, by following the diet for 2. Another goal of the diet is for you to see fast results. According to the program, for a diet to be ultra successful, it must produce results fast, otherwise people won’t stick to it.
In the 3 Week Diet, supposedly you will have significant weight loss of up to 1. Kellogg’s Special K Diet.
This is a diet created by the Kellogg Company, which claims you can lose up to 6 pounds in 2 weeks. Each day, you replace 2 of your regular meals each with a Kellogg Special K product and you are also allowed to have 2 additional Kellogg Special K snacks. The third meal should be healthy and you are also allowed some fruits and vegetables as snacks.
Potential Risks of Crash Diets. According to experts, crash diets may have the following risks: Slowing down of the metabolism. Loss of muscle, leading to further decline of metabolism. Weight gain after the crash diet, sometimes gaining more weight than was lost due to slower metabolism. Weakening of the bones potentially leading to osteoporosis. Deprivation of essential nutrients. Weakening of your immune system.
Cardiac stress. Heart palpitations. Tips When Going on a Crash Diet. Whatever crash diet you decide to go on, following are recommended: Make sure you are healthy. Make sure to take a multivitamin every day. If you feel dizzy or sick, stop immediately. Consume enough nutrient- rich foods, and do not consume unhealthy foods for an extended period of time. In most crash diets, your calorie intake is low, so you want to make sure you are not getting all of your calories from bad foods (such as processed foods, junk foods, and sweets).