5 Superfoods That Will Keep your Eyes Healthy

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The story about carrots being good for your eyes is well-known. It's also true. Carrots and other orange foods like certain squashes or sweet potatoes contain a nutrient known as beta carotene, which protects the cornea of your eye from the onset of cataracts.

When it comes to eyes, there are more foods to consider than carrots. You can eat your carrots (or pumpkins or sweet potatoes) in good conscience, but if you are looking out for your eyes, you might enjoy adding more of the following to your diet.

Spinach

Deep greens, like spinach (or kale, if you prefer) are full of antioxidants, which are good for more than your eyes. Not only do antioxidants contain some important vitamins and minerals, but they may play a role in managing or even preventing such disorders as cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Focusing back on the eyes, spinach can also go a long way toward staving off macular degeneration, which affects the retina as we age.

Spinach also has the power to protect your eyes from damaging outside influences, including pollution, cigarette smoke, and sunlight. Thanks to the lutein and zeaxanthin contained in spinach, 10 ounces of cooked spinach a week can help your eyes better absorb damaging light and improve night vision.

Grapefruit

Don't feel like eating so many greens? Pink and red grapefruit are full of beta carotene and vitamin C. The latter is one of the better known and one of the more powerful antioxidants. It's well-known for its immunity-bolstering properties, but it can also strengthen your eyes against cataracts and macular degeneration. Just like spinach and kale, grapefruit also contains lutein, zeaxanthin, and other nutrients your eyes will thank you for, especially as you advance in years.

Salmon

This entry, like the ones before, could easily cover more than one food. The eye-enhancing goodness found in salmon can also be found in other fish, including herring and sardines. In the case of these aforementioned seafood, the goodness is called omega-3. Omega-3 fats are among the best of the “good” fats, due to the way they protect tiny blood vessels from damage — and our eyes are simply full of those tiny blood vessels.

More than just brain food, salmon helps to fight eye inflammation and promotes the healthy function of cells. It can help prevent dry eye and lowers the risk of age-related macular degeneration.

Turkey

Those Thanksgiving leftovers may turn out to be an early holiday gift for your eyes. Not only is it great on sandwiches (and a great lean substitute for beef), it is full of nutrients that are great for vision. Vitamin B helps ward off dry eye and helps promote the prevention of cataracts. Calcium and zinc bolster the eye muscles, keeping them strong. And of course, turkey is a protein, which helps keep your eyes strong and your vision sharp.

Tomatoes

The red color in tomatoes comes from the carotenoid known as lycopene. And as you might have guessed, lycopene can do some spectacular things for your eyes. Just like beta carotene, lycopene can help protect your eyes from light damage to the inner parts of your eyes, helping you absorb some of the harmful blue light. There's also vitamin E for protection of your retina, vitamin C for reducing the risk of cataracts and macular regeneration, and even beta carotene for night vision and improved sight.

If you're not a fan of raw tomatoes, tomato soup or even ketchup can give you the tomatoes you need to give your eyes the care they deserve.

Naturally, there are many more foods than five that are eye healthy, but these five are a good start. Not only will they help keep your eyes in top shape, they'll go a long way toward keeping the rest of you healthy, as well.

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Shariq Toor is Content Strategist and Outreach Expert working with the laser eye surgeons at Eyecare 20/20 in New Jersey. He loves discovering the latest trends in Technology, Social Media, and Health. In his off time, he practices landscape photography and keep up with his favorite sports. Follow him on Twitter: @Shariqtoor

Diet Plan For A College Student

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Life in college is filled with haphazard routines for classes and study sessions, club meetings and going out with friends. Most college students do not follow a set routine for having a meal or exercising which is why they gain a lot of weight. To steer clear from that crowd, you should embark on a healthy lifestyle early as possible. It is better to not gain any weight than try your level best to shed those extra pounds. In order to stay in shape you need to follow a regular diet plan, exercise routine and have a strong mind set.

Adjusting to the Pressures of College

College can bring with it a sea change in your lifestyle from high school. You will be living without parental supervision which is why you need to take care of yourself. In college, the class hours are irregular and elaborate assignments keep your nose buried in books. The nature of your peers may be different from those back in high school and you will have to think of ways to adjust with them.

Keeping yourself focused in such a scenario may be difficult. To overcome this problem, set some goals for yourself and try to achieve them. You need not emulate your peers in your attempt to develop a lifestyle in college. Many college students are diagnosed with diseases like anorexia or bulimia because of peer pressure. Once you are in tandem with a well-defined college routine, you can begin to follow a diet plan.

Following an Exercise Routine

Exercise is of utmost importance to stay in shape. Most college students find it difficult to adhere to an exercise routine due to erratic class hours. However, you can achieve this by joining a sports team in college or by finding an exercise partner. Motivation in the form of a partner will boost your morale to follow an exercise routine and hence keep you in shape.

Steering Clear of Junk Food

College goers order take-out food because they do not find the time to cook. If you are in a college without dining facilities, then you can stock your room with healthy snacks such as nuts and muesli to munch on when you feel hungry. Have baked or steamed food stuffs for dinner instead of fried ones. Replace the fried chicken wings with roasted chicken or tuna and white rice with brown rice. Stay away from items such as maple syrup and ice cream.

On the other hand, avoid going to the vending machine on your dorm’s floor unless it has the options of healthy snacks. Politely refuse free food offered by friends and dormitory mates as these add up to unhealthy snacking. Coffee drinkers should avoid adding sugar or whole fat milk to their cups because it causes unhealthy weight gain. Instead, use skimmed milk and artificial sweetener to get the same taste.

Choose a Good Diet Service

If you are not sure about healthy meal choices, you can also opt for accredited meal delivery services which devise suitable diet plans according to the personal details you give. For instance, Nutrisystem delivers pre-packaged meals to the dieters’ doorsteps. The packages are travel friendly as well as healthy. If you want to lose weight or stay fit, these meals are ideal as they are nutritionally fortified and balanced. Their menu also includes some delectable desserts and snacks. You can follow their workout guide to supplement your weight loss effort.

Finally, watch what you eat while attending parties. Frat parties can lead to a lot of unwanted snacking and drinking. Choose a drink that will take you long to finish or a low calorific beer and go for these parties with your stomach full, in order to avoid the plates of chips being passed around.

[custom_author=Jessica Robert]

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