The gift of sight is a truly wonderful blessing. Your eyes being your window to the world, it is necessary to take good care of this pair of sensory organs, more so as they are very delicate and sensitive.
In this regard, several health organizations worldwide conduct awareness drives, to educate the general public about the importance of eye health. One such healthcare campaign is the World Glaucoma Week, observed every year for 7 days, starting from the second Sunday in March. It is a collaborative effort between the World Glaucoma Association (WGA) and the World Glaucoma Patient Committee (WGPC), to inculcate in people, knowledge about glaucoma, to prevent instances of blindness and assure healthy preservation of eyesight, for every single person across the globe.
Besides glaucoma, myriad other illnesses afflict the eyes, like conjunctivitis, stye, age-related macular degeneration, blepharitis and night blindness, to name a few. The best way to augment vision and keep eye diseases at bay, is by eating a nutritious and balanced diet.
An ideal diet to boost eye health must consist of sufficient carotenoid antioxidants - beta carotene, vitamin A, lutein, zeaxanthin, besides vitamin C, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids. These nourishing natural compounds conserve optic nerve activity, aside from upholding strength of visual tissues and retina - the light-sensitive layer of the eyes. Also, the essential nutrients – proteins, fibers, carbs, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals, are all required to be added in the right amounts, for enriched eyesight and overall wellbeing.
Here are two simple recipes, made using fresh, organic ingredients, seasonal fruits and vegetables, in generous proportions, that can be easily prepared at home, to assure healthy eyesight for one and all.
Zesty Carrot Salad
Ingredients:
1 spring onion
¼ cup green cabbage, chopped
¼ cup red cabbage, chopped
2 tbsp almonds, finely cut
3 tbsp pumpkin seeds
½ lemon
Salt, as required
Pepper, to taste
1 tsp cumin powder
3 tsp olive oil
Method:
In a frying pan, roast the almonds, pumpkin seeds in a bit of olive oil and set aside.
Grate the carrots using a vegetable cutter into long, thin slices and cut the spring onion into small, even cubes.
In a large bowl, mix together the carrots, spring onion, green cabbage, red cabbage and season with salt, pepper, cumin powder.
Add the roasted almonds, pumpkin seeds to the veggies in the bowl, squeeze the juice of the lemon and mix in the remaining olive oil, until all the flavours are absorbed.
Serve the zesty carrot salad as a healthy appetizer, for lunch or dinner.
Nutrition:
Carrots are bestowed with vast amounts of beta carotene and lutein - antioxidants that protect the macula in the retina and remarkably enhance vision. Intrinsically rich in vitamin C, spring onions immensely aid in preventing cataracts, thereby promoting accurate functioning of the eye lens. Both red and green cabbages contain a treasure trove of xanthophyll carotenoids, which safeguard the eye tissues from degeneration due to ageing. Olive oil possesses a wealth of anti-inflammatory components, with a high omega-3 fatty acid content, that sustains the functioning of the optic nerve. Also Read: Fat Can Be Good Too! Learn All About Omega 3
Mixed Fruit Smoothie
Ingredients:
½ mango
½ apple
¼ musk melon
½ passion fruit
Crushed ice
Method:
Slice the mango, apple, musk melon and passion fruit into small, even pieces.
Carefully remove the seeds from the cut-up fruits.
Blend the fruit chunks in a mixer, along with some crushed ice.
Pour this mixed fruit smoothie into a tall glass, garnish with an apple wedge and serve chilled.
Nutrition:
Mangoes comprise ample quantities of vitamin A, which boosts eyesight, besides averting the instance of eye-related conditions such as night blindness, uveitis and sty. Loaded with flavonoid antioxidants, apples efficiently flush out harmful free radicals from causing damage to optic cells, thus shielding the eyes. Musk melons are an excellent source of zeaxanthin, yet another carotenoid pigment that confers precise vision. Prized for their abundant reserves of vitamin C as well as vitamin A, passion fruits tremendously improve eyesight, in addition to lowering the risk of age-related macular degeneration. Also Read: Passion Fruit: Include This Nutrition Powerhouse In Your Diet
