Did You Know: Exercise

Did you know regular exercise helps to decrease the risk of macular degeneration? 

•       Macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in the western world.
•    Adults should participate in moderate to intense physical activity for 30 minutes everyday and kids for 1 hour everyday.

Physical activity is essential for a healthy lifestyle.  We are all well aware of the long term health benefits of exercise and physical activity, but making physical activity a regular part of your life will help you feel younger, stronger, and more energetic right now.

We recommend regular exercise as part of an eye friendly lifestyle. Exercising at least 3 times per week can slow the progression of macular degeneration.

Increased physical activity can also decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Other health benefits of physical exercise include weight control, stronger muscles and bones, reduced stress, and increased energy and vitality.

The Public Health Agency of Canada recommends:

• Adults: 2.5 hours of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity per week.
• Children and youth: 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity per day.
• If you have any health concerns, consult your physician before starting any new exercise program.

Eyefoods Tips: Sunglasses

Protect your eyes 365. Wear your sunglasses everyday!

Over exposure to UV light may cause cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, skin cancer, sunburns and premature aging of the skin.

Sunglasses are important to wear all year round, not just in the summer! There is year round direct glare from the dun above and its reflection below. There is also reflected from surfaces like car windshields or puddles on the road.

The difference between a high quality pair of sunglasses and a low quality pair is measured by the UV protection they give and by the way they filter blue light. The gold standard in sunglasses for UV protection has been UV 400 which will protect against UV categories A, B and C.

A high quality pair of sunglasses will filter both UV and blue light, while still absorbing the damaging energy of blue light, they will still allow you to see colours normally.

Another available feature is a polarized filter. This will eliminate reflected glare from the road, water, windshields, and other flat shiny surfaces. It will also allow you to see below the water’s surface, so are great for fishing.

Did You Know: Leafy Greens

Did you know leafy green vegetables are the perfect Eyefood?

• They contain high amounts of most eye nutrients. Lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-carotene, vitamin E, vitamin C, zinc and fiber.

Leafy green vegetables are the gold medalists of Eyefoods as they contain most of the essential nutrients necessary for healthy eyes.

When you eat cooked leafy green vegetables your body absorbs more lutein and zeaxanthin and when you eat raw leafy green vegetables your body absorbs more vitamin C.

Diets rich in leafy green vegetables preserve eye health and also may decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and many types of cancer.

Eyefoods Tip: Lutein and Zeaxanthin are fat soluble antioxidants and need fat to be transported in the body. Add health fats such as olive oil or avocado to your leafy greens for better absorption of lutein.

Eyefoods Tips: Omega 3's

To get the same amount of Omega 3 that you would get form 1 fillet of salmon you would need to eat a dozen eggs.

•         Omega 3 eggs are a great Eyefood however, they don’t replace fish in the diet.

Eating 2 servings of wild salmon (Alaska) per week and 2 servings of other cold-water fis will provide your body with an omega-3 intake equivalent to 850 mg of DHA and EPA per day.

In comparison one omega-3 egg contains approximately 125mg of DHA (omega-3 fatty acids).  Although they are not a replacement for DHA and EPA in fish, eggs are a great source of other eye nutrients such as lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin E and zinc.

Omega 3 fatty acids are important for eye health as they can decrease the risk of age-related macular degeneration and are also therapeutic for patients with dry eye syndrome.

Take note however, that you should not take more than three grams of omega-3 fatty acids per day unless under the care of a physician. High levels may cause excessive bleeding in rare cases.

Did You Know: Eggs

Did you know eating eggs helps prevent macular degeneration without raising lipid and cholesterol levels in your body?

•            Eggs are a great source of the macular pigment lutein.
•       A diet rich in lutein has been shown to aid in the prevention of AMD and cataracts.

AMD (Age-related macular degeneration) is a chronic disease and is the leading cause of blindness in the Western world.  A diet rich in nutrients for your eyes can help to prevent or reduce the risk of progression of AMD.

  

Key Nutrients in the Prevention of AMD through diet:

• Lutein and zeaxanthin
• Vitamin C and Vitamin E
•  Beta-Carotene
• Zinc
• Omega-3 fatty acids

Eggs are a staple ingredient in most refrigerators and provide our bodies with a bio-available source of lutein.  In addition to lutein eggs also contain significant amounts of vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids.

Recent studies have shown that consumption of eggs increased serum lutein and zeaxanthin levels without negatively affecting serum lipid levels.  Other studies have also confirmed that healthy individuals can eat an egg day without increasing their risk for heart disease or stroke.