The Top 7 Nutrients to Improve Vision Naturally

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Improve Your Vision Naturally

Vision is one of the most sophisticated feats of creation.  The ability to transmit photo rays and create pictures of reality is such an incredible process that most talented scientists do not completely understand it.  Unfortunately, vision problems are one of the fastest growing functional health deficits in the world.  Fortunately, natural lifestyle solutions can help prevent and reverse many of today’s vision problems.

The eyes are especially susceptible to lifestyle and environmental stressors that play a very big role in functional eye deficits such as cataracts, glaucoma, and blurry vision.  The eyes have a higher level of oxidative stress and free radical activity than any other organ (1, 2, 3).

Certain lifestyle habits such as excessive time in the sun, smoking, heavy toxic exposure, poor diet, & nutritional deficiencies increase oxidative stress and accelerate the degenerative processes of the eye.

Vision

Nutritional Causes for Poor Vision:

One of the most common causes for poor vision in industrialized countries is due to heavy intake of sugar, grains, & processed foods.  All of these foods increase our blood sugar and insulin levels. Continually eating these foods depletes the body of critical trace minerals, B vitamins and antioxidants while creating an insulin resistant state on the cell membranes.

When blood sugar stays elevated for too long it interacts with enzymes and other protein molecules creating dangerous substances called Advanced Glycolytic End Products (AGE’s).  AGE’s are highly inflammatory and destructive as they damage tissue throughout the body including nerve fibers and blood vessels.  One of the most sensitive regions for AGE related damage is the optic nerve, macula lutea & retinal regions of the eye (4, 5).

diabetes vision

The Anti-Inflammatory Lifestyle:

Prevention and reversal of functional and degenerative vision/eye problems depends on our ability to reduce inflammation and enhance cellular healing processes.  This begins with a diet rich in phytonutrient rich dense vegetables, healthy fat and clean protein sources.

Non-starchy vegetables and antioxidant rich herbs are the best sources for critical eye enhancing phytonutrients.  Healthy fat sources include coconut products, avocados, olive oil, nuts, & seeds.  Healthy protein includes wild-caught fish, grass fed red meat and free range chicken, turkey and eggs.

Carotenoids are special phytonutrients that densely populate the eye tissue and function as antioxidants, neutralizing free radical damage created by lifestyle stressors and unavoidable factors such as sunlight.  Carotenoids also act as filters to protect the eye from blue light which is naturally found in sunlight (6, 7, 8).

Carotenoids in the Diet are Critical:

Carotenoids are found in leafy greens, kiwi, red, orange, and yellow fruits & vegetables.   Beta carotene is one important carotenoid that is found in carrots, apricots, cantaloupe, & sweet potatoes.  Other carotenoids such as alpha-carotene, gamma carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin all help produce vitamin A retinal.  Retinal is the critical antioxidant in the eye tissue.

Lycopene is another carotenoid that is found in red fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, red bell peppers, watermelons, grapefruit, & papayas.  Although lycopene does not have vitamin A activity, higher consumption of this great nutrient has been linked with lower risk of macular degeneration (9).

Lutein & Zeaxanthin are Important:

Lutein and zeaxanthin are very powerful carotenoid antioxidants that act to directly absorb and neutralize near ultra-violet light and protect the macula lutea (10).

The richest source of these two super-nutrients is egg yolk from a free range chicken that had a nutrient dense diet.  They are also found in many fresh, raw vegetables.  Astaxanthin is another carotenoid found in krill and wild-Alaskan salmon and red algae.  It is renowned for its ability to protect the eye from free radical damage.

The long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA & DHA are very critical for healthy vision and eye function.  The best source of EPA & DHA is through purified fish or krill oil.  The brand should be molecularly distilled and 3rd party tested for purity.  Anyone with vision problems should look to take a minimum of 1.5 g/daily of EPA/DHA.

vision

Introducing Vision Protect™:

Prevention and reversal of functional and degenerative vision/eye problems depends on our ability to protect ourselves from oxidative stress and enhance cellular healing processes.   This includes key antioxidants such as N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) and alpha lipoic acid that boost intracellular glutathione levels.

Zinc and taurine play a huge role in protecting the retina from oxidative stress.  Bilberry is rich in anthocyanins that are unique phytonutrients that protect the retina from UV radiation and other forms of oxidative stress. Quercetin is a flavanol that reduces oxidative stress in the optic lens.

Carotenoids, as explained above, are special phytonutrients that densely populate the eye tissue and function as antioxidants, neutralizing free radical damage created by lifestyle stressors and unavoidable factors such as sunlight.  Carotenoids also act as filters to protect the eye from blue light which is naturally found in sunlight.

Vision Protect™ is a groundbreaking supplement for the care and support of the eyes.  Developed in conjunction with respected Ophthalmologists, this formula allows for the increased intake of specific ocular antioxidants in order to maintain healthy retina, lens and eyesight function during the aging years. Significant research confirms the benefits of these ingredients.

Sources For This Article Include:

1. Beatty S, Koh H, Phil M, Henson D, Boulton M. The role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration. Surv Ophthalmol. 2000 Sep-Oct;45(2):115-34. PMID: 11033038
2. Liang FQ, Godley BF. Oxidative stress-induced mitochondrial DNA damage in human retinal pigment epithelial cells: a possible mechanism for RPE aging and age-related macular degeneration. Exp Eye Res. 2003 Apr;76(4):397-403. PMID: 12634104
3. Saccà SC, Izzotti A. Oxidative stress and glaucoma: injury in the anterior segment of the eye. Prog Brain Res. 2008;173:385-407. PMID: 18929123
4. Stevens A.The contribution of glycation to cataract formation in diabetes. J Am Optom Assoc. 1998 Aug;69(8):519-30. PMID: 9747048
5. Howes KA, Liu Y, Dunaief JL, Milam A, Frederick JM, Marks A, Baehr W. Receptor for advanced glycation end products and age-related macular degeneration. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2004 Oct;45(10):3713-20. PMID: 15452081
6. Science Direct: Bioactivity and Protective Effects of Natural Carotenoids Link Here
7. Youssef PN, Sheibani N, Albert DM. Retinal light toxicity. Eye. 2011;25(1):1-14
8. Chasan-Taber L, Willett WC, Seddon JM, Stampfer MJ, Rosner B, Colditz GA, Speizer FE, Hankinson SE. A prospective study of carotenoid and vitamin A intakes and risk of cataract extraction in US women. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999 Oct;70(4):509-16. PMID:
9. Cardinault N, Abalain JH, Sairafi B, Coudray C, Grolier P, Rambeau M, Carré JL, Mazur A, Rock E. Lycopene but not lutein nor zeaxanthin decreases in serum and lipoproteins in age-related macular degeneration patients. Clin Chim Acta. 2005 Jul 1;357(1):34-42. PMID: 15963792
10. Roberts RL, Green J, Lewis B. Lutein and zeaxanthin in eye and skin health. Clin Dermatol. 2009 Mar-Apr;27(2):195-201. PMID: 19168000

macular degeneration, Macular Degeneration: Causes, Symptoms & Natural Support Strategies

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  1. My mother has been interested in looking into natural eye care supplements because she wants to safely preserve her eyesight. Thanks for your comment about how processed foods can actually cause weaker vision. I didn’t know that vitamin B was so essential to have good eyesight. Thanks for the post, we will keep these tips in mind.

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