They say your eyes are the windows to your soul. But they’re also your windows to the world. So it’s important to keep them healthy and sharp.
To help, we’ve looked around for some great ways to naturally improve your eye health. Give these a go (but chat to a medical professional if you have any problems with your eyes or vision):
Eat your vitamins
When it comes to your eye health, nature has you covered. Naturally. Vitamin A, C and E are crucial to healthy, happy eyes. You can take these as a supplement, but there are plenty of wonderful food sources. Like dark green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin and even egg yolk.
Gac fruit (available as supplements) contains more beta carotene than any other known fruit or vegetable. Beta carotene promotes good night vision and reduces the risk of blindness.
Gac also has 60 times more vitamin C than oranges. And it’s packed with another useful antioxidant – zeaxanthin – which protects the eye tissues against ultraviolet rays, and reduced oxidisation.
Omega-3 and foods rich in DHA may also help improve your eyesight and eye health. Try fatty fish or cod liver oil for a good dollop of omega-3, and an extra dose of vitamin A.
And to avoid cataracts, eat more garlic, onions and shallots. These are great sources of lecithin, cysteine and sulphur.
Do eye exercises
Yep, you can exercise your eyes – and specialists recommend it! This is especially important if you spend a lot of your time staring at a screen (and who doesn’t these days?)
These eye exercises come from holistic doctor Marc Grossman:
- Rub your hands together for a few seconds to warm up your palms
- Place them on your eyes to relax and warm them
- Roll your eyes. Look up, then circle them 10 times clockwise and 10 times counter-clockwise
- Look at a blank wall and trace the shape of an infinity sign (an ‘8’ on its side)
- Hold a pen at arm’s length and focus on it. Then bring it closer til it’s 15cm away from your nose. Then move it back again, keeping your eyes focused on the pen the whole time. Do this 10 times.
- Massage your temples, slowly in small circles.
Take a break
Lastly, be sure to give your eyes a break during the day. Even if it's just for 5 minutes at a time, close your eyes and let them rest. After all, they sure do work hard!
Originally published on Mar 27, 2017
