What’s good for your heart and brain is good for your eyes – especially when it comes to nutrition. The connections aren’t too surprising – your eyes rely on tiny arteries for oxygen and nutrients just like your brain does, and your heart relies on much larger arteries. Keeping all those arteries healthy can help your vision throughout life.
Registered dietitian Elizabeth Somer agrees eye health is an important aspect of overall health and provided a list of nutrients that provide a good recipe for healthy vision:
- Lutein and Zeaxanthin – Dark leafy green vegetables (kale, spinach, collards and turnip greens), eggs, broccoli, peas and corn are super stars when it comes to providing lutein and zeaxanthin, which are important, but often forgotten, nutrients for eye health
- Try Gold Circle Farms DHA Omega-3 Cage Free Eggs or a supplement called Ocuvite
- Vitamin C – Citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruit, tangerines and lemons) provide a hefty amount of vitamin C
- Vitamin E – Oils, wheat germ and peanuts provide vitamin E – free radicals don’t stand a chance against this fat soluble antioxidant
- Omega-3s DHA and EPA – Fatty fish and algae (found in fortified foods and supplements) provide the omega-3s DHA and EPA
Try a DHA supplement like Ovega-3 with DHA and EPA or DHA-fortified foods like Francesco Rinaldi pasta sauce
Health Update 