Plants as Medicine

👀EYE CLUES PART III: KEEPING YOUR PEEPERS HEALTHY👀

“I can’t wait to lose my eyesight.”…… said no one ever. 

We tend to take our eyesight for granted, yet neglecting eye care /health is arguably an epidemic. Statistically, one in six American adults over the age of 45 will suffer from one or more eye conditions that increase the risk of vision loss or impairment with aging. 

Genetically, I know that I am predisposed to Age related Macular Degeneration (AMD). I watched my grandmother (an avid 📚 reader) slowly go blind from AMD. Two of her children have also been diagnosed with the same. Yet, I also know that epigenetics (the role our environment plays on the expression of genes) is about 90% of the equation. While I cannot control my genes, I have a tremendous amount of control on my environment and am doing “all the things” as well as working to avoid “all the other things ☠️” that may wake those darn AMD genes up. 

*Eye health is often a direct reflection of what we have eaten over the years. Foods rich in vitamins C, A, and E, Zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, and omega-3’s are crucial to protecting eyes against future age related vision loss. What would an eye supportive diet like this look like?

Well, it would include lots of leafy green veggies, carrots, red peppers, yellow squash, tomatoes🍅, fatty fish🐟 such as salmon, tuna and sardines, eggs,  lemons, grapefruits, oranges, apricots,  kiwi’s, mangoes, eggs, nuts, and beans. I eat nearly all of these foods regularly, but certainly not on a strict schedule daily. Knowing that, I choose to supplement DAILY to ensure proper nutritional support of my eyes.

NingXia Red  and NingXia Wolfberries provide excellent natural support throughout the body, and are especially beneficial for eye health. Zeaxanthin, carotenoids, Vitamin C, zinc, magnesium and taurine are all beneficial nutrients within NingXia Red.
NingXia Wolfberries are rich in zeaxanthin and lutein which are eye protecting carotenoids, defending the eyes from free radical damage. 100grams (roughly a handful of wolfberries) contains 27,800 mcg of zeaxanthin. By comparison, egg yolks are a common food with one of the highest levels of zeaxanthin and have only 1,253 mcg per 100grams. Additionally, the type of zeaxanthin in the NingXia Wolfberry is unusual. For the science guys and gals, it’s an esterified version (zeaxanthin dipalmitate) making it 2-5x more bioavailable than what is normally found in most supplements.

Diets that are deplete of zeaxanthin and lutein trigger the same damage leading to AMD and/or cataracts.
We’ve already spoken a bit about Young Living’s eye supplement, IlluminEyes, and it warrants saying again….. Go check out the ingredient list on the bottle!  YL did their research and have given us an excellent tool for supporting eye health.

*Other supplements to consider include OmegaGize or MindWise for a clean source of Omega3’s, and Super C Chewables. 

Do you drink Young Living’s yummy (and beneficial) Slique Tea? Don’t throw those bags away after first use. I can usually get two cups of tea out of each bag, and then I throw them in the fridge. When I have two bags (usually in 2 days), I use them over my eyes during a 20 minute prayer/ downtime during the day to help mitigate computer eye fatigue. The caffeine remaining in the bags  causes blood vessels to constrict, and tea itself has antioxidant properties, and also contains astringent-like compounds  which may help tighten skin around the eyes. I’m sure it doesn’t hurt to have that added exposure to the frankincense in the tea bag too!😉

Other ways to support optimal eye health include:
👀Wear sunglasses that block UV rays
👀Avoid excessive exposure to computer (and phone) screens and/or use blue light blocking glasses during extended screen time exposure.
👀Don’t smoke. Just don’t.
👀Get regular eye exams and be vigilant about recognizing any changes in eye performance or visible changes in the eye.
👀Make sure you are getting plenty of fresh air and oxygen.  
👀Use quality skin care products and makeup. #ThanksYL ! Our toxin load matters, even in eye health! 
👀Stay well hydrated (the eye is about 95% water, so you may imagine how chronic  dehydration could affect eyesight and eye health).

I Often  hear the argument that eating well and supplementing is just too expensive. My response will always be this: We can pay for our health proactively or reactively by paying the farmer👩‍🔧 up front, or the pharmacist👩‍⚕️ later… but either way, we will pay. If the choice is to “wait and see”, it will likely become more than only financial burden. I plan to enjoy my golden years doing all the things I love to do instead of spending time in doctor and therapy appointments, taking medications that may inhibit living a fully vibrant life, and consenting to someone else managing my personal health. The choice is ultimately ours to make.
xoxo~ liz

#sharingiscaring
#supportyourlocalpeepers
#YouAreTheCEOofYou
#goodmedicine
#goodmedicineisproactiveinsteadofreactive
#thanksYL
#Godgaveusallweneedinthegarden