Tuesday Tip – Eye Health

This Tuesday it’s something new, but which I hope you’ll find helpful. I recently went to the eye doctor and decided to have the test for macular degeneration. Imagine my surprise when the doctor told me that my macular pigment was low and that I needed to boost it!

So what does one do to promote macular health? One thing is to take vitamins which are high in lutein and zeaxanthin. You can find such vitamins at your eye doctor or health food store. But while such supplements are helpful, nothing is better than getting those vitamins from natural sources.

So hubby and I have been busy chomping down on an assortment of vegetables which will help replace that declining macular pigment. That’s the good news – it is possible to reverse certain kinds of degeneration.

What foods will help you rebuild that macular pigment?

Foods high in lutein and zeaxanthin are dark leafy vegetables, such as kale, turnip greens, collard greens, swiss chard, and Brussels sprouts. Other good sources are romaine lettuce, broccoli, zucchini, kiwifruit, corn, peas, eggs, spinach and goji berries. Paprika, olives, rhubarb, citrus, berries, corn and peppers are also high in zeaxanthin.

What’s scary is that my hubby and I regularly eat a lot of the above foods, but I guess we just have to eat more of them.

One other hint: It’s also better to eat your vegetables raw or lightly steamed. Prolonged cooking will lower lutein levels.

I hope you’ve found this helpful! If you haven’t had a test yet, ask your eye doctor if it’s time to get your macular pigment checked.