Food and nutrients for our eyes

09/01/2017

Eating properly means taking care of health in general and in particular of ocular health. Let us know the foods and nutrients that benefit our eyes and our eyesight.

For millions of years the human has operated its photoreceptors (cells of the retina that absorb the light) in relatively constant conditions; The light sources were natural (the sun), the physical characteristics of the light were stable, the daylight hours were the day, the work of the eyes was relatively limited and the food was simple and based on natural, unprocessed products.

Food and sight

Over the millennia, the anatomy and physiology of the eye have evolved based on the described conditions, with differences according to the latitude of the planet. But in the last century everything has changed. Now the eye works under different types of lighting for 12 to 16 hours a day and the amount of work done since we wake up, until we fall into the restorative night dream is huge.  The daily effort we submit to our eyes is incredible and will increase with the evolution of the human race. To compensate for this, we would have to take better care of our eyes, but we do not do it because the diet has changed. The intake of carbohydrates and fats and thus the dyslipidemia has increased, while the intake of fruit and vegetable that give protective antioxidants has decreased. In addition, the alteration of the ozone layer has increased the amount of blue radiation, which generates, above all in the eye, free radicals, leading to premature aging. To all this smoke, psychophysical stress and atmospheric and environmental pollution must be added.

For these reasons, the eye needs more and more antioxidants. But even with adequate and healthy food, the daily needs of, for example, lutein, a vital protein for the retina, are greater than our food can provide.

Eat the necessary ingredients and in the right dose

Is it really necessary to increase the amount of antioxidants from the intake? The answer is positive: many studies have shown their protective effect, not only in the eyes but throughout the body; Lutein in particular seems to be the most important since it has the function of sequestering the free electrons, reducing the formation of radicals. A right nutrition is a basic rule for achieving good health and ideal body weight.

Eating right means firstly dosing the amount of food based on your calories and the energy needs of your body.

In addition it is important to ingest all the necessary ingredients, but above all do it in a balanced way and in the appropriate proportions.

Fruit and vegetables must be present in our diet

In particular, large amounts of raw or cooked fruits and vegetables rich in minerals, vitamins, fiber and antioxidants should be introduced into the diet. Finally, distribute food throughout the day, rather than concentrating daily needs on two important meals. Keeping in mind these simple rules we can give our organism everything it needs daily, without overloading it with superfluous work, creating the premises for an optimal development of its functions. Thus our eyes, these precious organs so important for our daily life, will obtain a remarkable benefit and will suffer less some diseases which produce visual alterations.