Dry eyes may occur when the tear ducts are not
producing enough fluid called tears to keep the eyes wet and moist and
this results in both burning and irritation. This problem is more
common in women than in men, and women's vulnerability increases after
menopause. People who wear contact lens
are especially likely to have dry eye problems. Dry eyes normally
involves a lack or deficiency of vitamin A, and is more likely to
affect persons over 65 years old, however younger people may get it
probably mainly due to poor eating habits. Some drugs are known to
inhibit tear production or change the composition of tears, including
antihistamines, decongestants, and the drugs used to control both Parkinson's
disease and for high blood pressure.
|
Nutrient /
Supplement |
Importance
( 1 - 10 ) |
Helpful notes |
| vitamin
A |
10 |
vitamin that is
helpful for dry eyes, note tears contain vitamin A in them,
and this vitamin is also very important for general Eye
health |
| Carotenoids |
10 |
work with vitamin A
and are needed for all eye problems |
| Essential
fatty acids |
10 |
Protects and aids in
the repair of new cells and body tissues. Fatty acids
are found in omega natural sources
like fish oil, flax seed oil, and
borage seed oil. |
| Inositol |
9 |
Important for both the eyes and the brain.
|
| Calcium |
9 |
may need more if your tear ducts
are swollen
|
| Magnesium |
9 |
mineral that works with calcium
|
| Bioflavinoids |
9 |
bioflavonoids are agents that promote the
production of natural healing elements in the body.
|
| Multi-vitamin
& Mineral supplement |
10 |
contains vitamin
A, vitamin E,
vitamin C, selenium, zinc,
which all are helpful for eye health. It will also provide raw
materials needed for good health and well being. |
| Zinc |
9 |
This mineral is essential in activating
vitamin A from the liver. |
Note if you have dry eyes. It can be an indication of a more
serious health condition, such as rheumatoid
arthritis or lupus. And, constant
irritation to the eye as a result of dryness can result in
injury and damage to your overall eye health. There is also a
disease called Sjogren's syndrome
which is a disorder that can cause dryness in the eyes. If
your tear ducts are swollen, add more calcium to your diet and
also avoid processed and refined foods as well as
"fast" foods. Hair dryers can also be a problem, it
would be better to let your hair to dry naturally. If you need
to use a hair dryer the protect your eyes from direct heat
blasts from the hair dryer.
You may want to avoid products that claim they
can "get the red out." Some over the counter eye
drops which are used to relieve red and sore eyes contain
chemicals called vasoconstrictors that can cause dry eyes even
more, especially if you use them for a long time.
Other Changes To Make
-
drink 6-8 glasses of steam distilled or
filtered water a day
-
eat 50% raw fruits and vegetables (organic is best)
-
nuts, seeds, and whole grains are good
-
juice is good (make your
own with a juice machine)
-
do not worry as much about calories as eating the right foods
-
carrot and celery sticks are good to use as a snack
-
a colon cleansing can be very helpful - (do several times each year)
-
do not drink coffee, alcohol, soda pop, other junk food drinks
-
do not eat processed foods white sugar, white flour, etc...
-
use stress relief like going for walks in the park
(or the 10/90 rule - see
Stress)
-
brown rice is good to eat
-
avoid red meat and animal fats
-
reduce dairy products cheese, milk, and others
-
fast a few days a month
-
get at least 8 hours of sleep
-
exercise light to moderate amounts
-
avoid artificial sweeteners like Aspartame and NutraSweet
-
do not smoke and avoid second hand smoke
-
do not skip meals - just eat better and not as much at each meal
-
do not chew gum - it can cause you to feel hungry
-
do not watch too much TV try reading a book or something else
|
