Blog Post #16: Eye Care Month

January has also been dubbed the National Eye Care month! Eye health is celebrated throughout the year in many other months, but we will talk about it during January to kick the year off right. Now look, I am not an eye doctor, so I cannot speak directly about eye health from a doctor’s perspective. But, I can give you some foods you can eat to help with eye health. The great thing is that these foods not only can help with your eyes, but with other aspects of your body and health. 

Vitamin A - the most talked about vitamin associated with eye health is Vitamin A. The most common foods with vitamin A are with red or orange colors, like carrots, sweet potatoes, and cantaloupe. Blog post #9 talks in detail about vitamins like vitamin A, so click here to read that post for more information. Basically, try to pick any fruit or vegetable with a red or orange color to get a vitamin A boost. 

Vitamin C - vitamin C is also great for eye health. As an antioxidant, vitamin C helps protect your whole body from free radicals. Foods with vitamin C include citrus foods like oranges and lemons. Other fruits like peaches, berries, and guava are great options. Vegetables like bell peppers, tomatoes, broccoli and cauliflower are awesome to use in your recipes to pack a vitamin punch. 

Vitamin E - this vitamin rounds up the vitamins that are essential for your eyes. Vitamin E is in foods like nuts, seeds, oils, and foods like avocado. Read blog post #9a here about more vitamin E information. 

Lastly, foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids can help with your eye health, as well as your heart health. Foods with great omega-3 fatty acid content include fatty fish, like salmon or tuna. Nuts and seeds also are a great way to get omega-3, as well as oils from plants like flaxseed oil.   

Some extra tips to help with eye health. Now, theses are simple and you may have heard of these tips all your life. But it does not hurt to repeat them! 

Wear sunglasses when outside, regardless of the time of day or the month of the year. My grandfather had both of his eyes operated on, so he was huge on eye health. He always told my siblings and I to wear sunglasses every time we were outside, regardless of the weather conditions or time of day. Thanks to that constant reminder, I always carry sunglasses in my purse and in my car. 

My grandfather also lectured my siblings and I to not read in the dark. I come from a family that loves to read, so this one was discussed a lot! Read books in the light to not hurt or strain your eyes. This can also lead to a conversation about tablets or computers. We have become obsessed with electronics, and the light the electronics give off can damage our eyes, among other aspects of our lives like our sleep cycles or our skin. Try to limit your time on your electronics (I need to do this too!) to help your overall health and to give your eyes a rest.

Practical Ways Towards “Peachy” Living

1) See a eye doctor regularly to make your eye health is addressed by a professional

2) Make sure to mix colorful fruits and vegetables into your daily meals

3) Protect your eyes with small changes, like wearing glasses or limiting time on electronics