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Foods that Fight for Sight

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December 2, 2009
	JoWehage : Head Operations Ego

Eyes are a funny thing. They may be windows to the soul, but for some of us they seem to need a cleaning more often than they used to. I’ve often heard people tell me their eyes seemed to start weakening all at once. My sister told me her vision seemed to jump off a cliff on her 40^th birthday. Fuzzy text, squinting, needing longer arms to see fine print may seem an inevitable sign of aging, but does it have to be this way? 

Women at Higher Risk
According to a Harvard study, women now account for two-thirds of all vision-impaired or blind people worldwide. While all of us suffer from a barrage of different attacks on our eyes; genetics, continued strain, poor nutrition, effects from the environment and cigarette smoke, etc., women have the added impact of hormones!

That’s right – add one more item to the perks of fluctuating hormones. According to James V. Aquavella, M.D. fluctuating estrogen and progesterone levels can have a negative impact on your site.

So while you’re waiting for the advice of a qualified ophthalmologist, let’s take a look at some powerful compounds that help keep those peepers in tip top shape.

Lutein & Zeaxanthin
These two compounds are found in large amounts in the lens and retina of our eyes. Here they function as antioxidants to potentially help protect our eyes from damage caused by free radicals, which can interact with and break down healthy tissue.

Lutein and zeaxanthin may also help to protect our eyes by filtering high-energy blue light. By filtering blue light, the pigment protects underlying cell layers from potential light damage.

Studies show that a diet that has sufficient amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin from fruits and vegetables could help protect our eyes from damage in different ways, such as potentially helping prevent common eye diseases of macular degeneration and cataracts.

Bell Peppers
Red bell peppers contain both lutein and zeaxanthin. Bell peppers also have an added protective effect against cataracts, due to their vitamin C and beta-carotene content.

Try adding them to salads and use then as a chip next time you go for a dip or hummus snack item.

Spinach
Listed near the top of the desired lutein and zeaxanthin-rich foods is the tried and true spinach. Overcooked and canned spinach can loose as much as 80% of their nutrients, so try it fresh or “quick boiled” for one minute.

Quick boiled for one minute (uncovered) is what WorldsHealthiestFoods.com suggests because it imparts a tender flavor and its cooked just long enough to soften its cellulose fibers making it easier to digest and allowing the nutrients to be more bioavailable to your cells.

Try the quick boiled spinach with tomatoes and a nice Mediterranean dressing (or make your own with 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 clove garlic and salt & pepper to taste). Another option; top with soy sauce and sesame seeds. Naturally, fresh spinach salad options are abundant, and of course the hidden gem in a smoothie works like wonders too.

Kale
I know, I know – not always a crowd favorite, but kale is the MOST concentrated food source of lutein and zeaxanthin so let’s give it a try, shall we?

Try sautéing onions for a few minutes, and then add kale with soy sauce. Try kale chips as suggested by our Head Mommy Ego, Phyllis McCarthy in the “comment section” of this post  or my tried and true tactic – hide it in a smoothie. Works behind my blueberry, banana & protein combo. Also be daring and try the simple combo of rice milk, kale & banana. Ease in, but I was pleasantly surprised how well the banana hid the kale.

The list continues
Many green vegetables are strong sources of lutein and zeaxanthin so also keep your eyes peeled for turnip greens, collard greens, romaine lettuce, broccoli, zucchini, garden peas and Brussel sprouts.

Ah, the rich juiciness of eye supporting antioxidants. I can see more clearly now just thinking about it.

Helpful Sources:
Whfoods.com
AllAboutVision.com