Like any other part of your body, your eyes need nutrients to function. Whether or not you need glasses or contact lenses, there are steps you can take to maintain healthy eyes and prevent eye diseases. This article will give you examples of foods that are good for the eyes, and also of things that it is wise to avoid. Vegetables and fruits are generally good for your eyes, while excessive fat, sugar or salt can be harmful.

Vitamin A
Mothers often tell their children to finish their carrots, as carrots are supposed to be good for the eyes. There is some truth to this, as carrots contain Vitamin A which is essential for eyesight. Vitamin A is found in other vegetables as well as in orange and yellow fruit, liver, eggs, dairy products. A form of Vitamin A is attached to a protein in the retina that acts as a light absorber. If Vitamin A is lacking, there is increased risk of developing eye disorders like Glaucoma.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C improves eye conditions like edema of the retina and cataracts. It is found in citrus fruits, juice and berries.

Antioxidants
Antioxidants reduce oxidative stress, and are found in vegetables and fruits. Oxidative stress can cause age-related macular degeneration, AMD. AMD affects people in the forties and fifties, symptoms include blind spots, blurry night vision and blindness.

Omega-3
Omega-3 fatty acids are found in salmon, fish oil, liver oil, walnuts and cabbage. It has been proven to reduce the intraocular pressure by up to 13%. Pressure inside the eye can damage the optic nerve and cause Glaucoma.

Foods to avoid
• Fast food often contains an excessive amount of fat, sugar and salt that can have a negative impact on your vision in the long run.
• Monosodium Glutamate, MSG, is a salt often used to enhance flavor in processed Asian foods. Research from Hirosaki University in Japan has shown that excessive MSG can damage your eyes and cause blindness. The substance binds to cells in the retina and destroys them. Surrounding cells lose much of their ability to transmit electric signals.
• Margarine often contains trans-fats that are unhealthy to the eyes.
• Deep-fried food increases the amount of free radicals in the body. Deep-frying potato reduces Vitamin C content and increases the amount of trans-fats.
• Food with much sugar and starch increase the risk of developing AMD.
• Foods that make your blood sugar rise, for example chocolate, make your retina more vulnerable.
To sum up, a varied diet with a lot of fruits of vegetables is necessary for preserving good eyesight. Avoid excessive junk food. Visit your eyes doctors regularly to get your eyes examined, and to get further advice on your diet with regards to eye health.

Guest post by: LensShopper.com, a contact lenses price comparison tool to help you get the best prices when searching for contact lenses. Proud partner of the World Sight Day, people behind LensShopper.com take your eyesight at heart.

Some foods are especially powerful to support your body to detox naturally.  Even if you’re not following a detox program, you can get great health benefits by adding more detox superfoods to your diet.  There are several superfoods with potent detox properties, but here are my favorite ones.

7 superfoods to detox naturally

Avocados

Rich in good fats, avocados can lower cholesterol levels and help the cardiovascular system. Avocados contain glutathione, a substance that greatly supports liver detoxification.

Berries

Dark colored berries like blueberries, cherries and blackberries contain polyphenols, a class of antioxidants that fights premature ageing and associated diseases.  Berries also show important anti-inflammatory and detoxification properties.

Dark leafy greens

Dark leafy greens such as Kale, Swiss chard, Collard greens and Dandelion are among the healthiest food on Earth. They contain powerful anti-cancer and antioxidant compounds that help cleanse the body of harmful substances. Dark leafy greens also contain a lot of fiber, which helps to detox the digestive tract and supports liver function. They also help to build strong bones and to alkalize the body.

Lemon

Lemon is one of the best foods for a liver detox diet. It contains more than 30 detoxification assisting nutrients including limonene and vitamin C. Lemons can help to lower cancer risks, fight against pollution exposure and prevent cell damage. Lemons also help the body to achieve a balanced pH level. 

Garlic

Garlic has important antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties. It also helps the cardiovascular system and help to lower blood pressure.  Garlic contains powerful antioxidants that support the body’s natural detox process.

Grapefruit

Grapefruit is rich in lycopene, glutathione, folate and naringenin. Glutathione supports natural liver detoxification. Naringenin, also protects the liver against damage. Grapefruit significantly increases the production of liver detoxification enzymes, helping to detox from chemicals and carcinogens.

Buckwheat

Buckwheat, also called kasha contains magnesium, rutin, chiro-inositol and 35 other phyto-nutrients that support natural detoxification.  Buckwheat is in the same family as dark leafy greens, but taste and is used like a grain. Buckwheat promotes the body’s ideal pH levels, and being gluten-free makes it a great alternative for people with celiac disease.

Choosing home cooked over packaged foods is one of the best things you can do for supporting both your own health and the environment.  By reducing the amount of packaged foods you buy means less packaging in to recycle, or worst, to go to the landfill.  But eating less packaged foods is also a wise thing to do for your health.  Packaged foods are made by big corporations that aren’t always using the healthiest ingredients.

5 packaged foods to never buy again

Soup

Most ready-made soups pose health problems. The often comes in a can that contains BPA, and most of them contains nasty ingredients like animal fat, additives, GMO, or a heaping amount of salt.  Homemade soup is always bursting with flavor. And besides, it’s really easy and dirt cheap to make!   Google is a wonderful resource to find delicious soup recipe with any vegetable that is sitting in your fridge.

Stock

So now that you’re making your own soup, you’ll need to have stock. Canned stock poses the same health problems as canned soup, and stock cubes, besides than being high in salt, they also often contain hidden forms of MSG. Making stock can be a good way to reuse your vegetable trimmings before putting them in the compost bin. Save potato peels, apple cores, onion skins, leek tops and other vegetable parts you would be otherwise discarding to make delicious homemade vegetable stock. Once you have enough, place them into a big pot half filled with water, add seasoning, turn on the heat and let simmer for a few hours. Filter and freeze in ice cube trays. Voilà!

Cake mix/ pancake and muffin mixes

Don’t be fooled by the organic cake and muffin mixes.  It’s not because it’s organic that it’s not high in sugar or fat.  And honestly, why spending more for a simple mixture of flour, sugar and leavening powder?  Making your own is easy, and you get to control how much sugar (and the type of it) you add in. Same thing goes for pancakes and muffin mixes.

Flavored oatmeal

One of the main marketing arguments of oatmeal is that it’s rich in fiber, which contributes to a healthy lifestyle. However, flavored oatmeal mixes are laden with sugar and artificial flavors and uses instant cooking oats that increase blood sugar levels.  It’s best to buy old fashion, steel cut oat and flavoring it with fresh fruit. If you can’t go without the convenience of oatmeal packages, at least make you own by mixing quick cooking oats with dried fruits, spices and maybe a hint of maple sugar.

Breakfast cereal

Packaged cereal is commonly high in sugar, and many are sweetened with HFCS or contain GM corn or soy.  Plus, “healthy” cereals like granola are greatly overpriced. Preparing a batch of muesli, which consists of uncooked granola, only takes a few minutes, and even cooked granola is a no-brainer. To make granola, mix oats, chopped nuts and dried fruits with a bit of oil, salt, maple syrup and spices, spread on a baking sheet and cook at 325°F for 10 – 12 minutes, mix well, and return to the oven for another 10-12 minutes. Done!

Having a natural lifestyle is one of the best ways to live a healthy, sustainable life.  Having a clean, whole food based diet rich in antioxidants, and avoiding harmful toxic substances is the key to be truly healthy and living in harmony with the world that surrounds us.  Unfortunately, in the world we live in today, it’s simply not possible to always avoid some toxins to enter our body. To minimize the health impact of those substances, it’s important to learn how to support our body’s natural detoxification process. For that, the body needs to have a good supply of nutrients that helps the natural detoxification process. Eating whole foods is the best way to insure that we have enough of the natural body detox nutrients. While most people associate detox diet with starvation, eating nutrient dense foods and cutting back on common dietary toxins will help your body detox naturally.  Try the following nutritious and delicious recipes using common detox foods.

Dandelion and Bitter Greens with Spicy Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette

Makes 4 to 6 servings

• 
1 pound dandelion greens, stems removed and discarded
• 
1 small head chicory, outer ribs discarded and remainder torn into 1-inch pieces
• 1 small head radicchio, leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
• 
1 medium Belgian endive, sliced crosswise
• 1/4 inch thick
• 2 cups packed baby spinach
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 
2 medium carrots, grated
• 2 medium stalks celery, thinly sliced on the diagonal

Dressing:

• 
1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil leaves
• 
1 or 2 small garlic cloves, pressed
• Dash cayenne pepper

1.    In a medium bowl, combine dandelion greens, chicory, radicchio, endive, spinach, parsley, carrots and celery. Toss to mix.

2.   In a small jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine olive oil, lemon juice, basil, garlic and cayenne. Shake vigorously to blend well. Season with sea salt and white pepper.

3.   Just before serving, toss greens with just enough dressing to lightly coat leaves. Serve immediately.

Kale, Blueberry, Goji and Avocado Salad

Serves 4

• 
2 small bunches of Tuscan kale
• 
1 tablespoon olive oil
• 
1/4 cup dried goji berries (soak them if they’re very hard or dry)
• 
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, soaked overnight, drained
• 
1 cup blueberries
• 
1 medium avocado, cubed

1.    Remove stems and center ribs from kale. Stack leaves and thinly slice crosswise into ribbons. Drizzle with oil, and sprinkle lightly with sea salt and white pepper. Using hands, massage oil and salt into kale leaves. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Add goji berries, pumpkin seeds and blueberries to salad, and toss to mix. Divide between individual plates, top with avocado, and serve.

Grilled Baby Artichokes with Grapefruit and Rosemary


Serves 4

• 16 baby artichokes
• 1 medium lemon
• 
2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Juice and zest of one red grapefruit
• 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh rosemary leaves
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 large red grapefruit, cut into 12 thin wedges

1.    Fill a medium glass bowl with cold water and squeeze lemon into the water. Cut off stems of artichokes near the base. Remove tough outer leaves, leaving softer, yellowish-green inner leaves, then cut the top 1/3 off. As you trim each artichoke, immediately place into lemon water to prevent browning. Steam artichokes for 7 minutes, or until bottoms are just tender.

2.    While artichokes are steaming, combine olive oil, vinegar, grapefruit juice and zest, minced rosemary, garlic and white pepper in a bowl. Add steamed artichokes to the marinade, and toss to coat. Add grapefruit slices. Let stand for 15 minutes.

3.    While artichokes and grapefruits are marinating, preheat grill. Grill artichokes and grapefruit for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until artichokes are tender, basting with marinade several times. Remove to a serving platter, drizzle with additional marinade, garnish with sprigs of fresh rosemary, and serve.

Recipe credits: Lisa Turner. For more deliciously healthy recipes, visit InspiredEating.com

One of the best way to detox naturally is to lower your toxic exposure. The following ingredients are usually found in products we use daily, even if scientists advise to avoid them.

5 toxic ingredients to ban from your bathroom

Parabens

A synthetic substance used as a preservative and an antimicrobial agent widely found in water-based care products like shampoos, lotions, cleansers and even in solid products like deodorant.

Why: Parabens are has estrogenic effect that can disrupt hormonal system, and could play a role in cancers linked to hormones.

Phthalates

Phthalates are plasticizers used to stabilize perfume and color as well as to prevent chipping in nail polish. Phthalates are a common ingredient in the generic term “fragrance” or “perfume”, making almost any scented product at risk.

Why: Several studies have shown that phthalates can slow down thyroid function, disrupt the reproductive system and lead to birth defects.

SLS

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or Sodium Laureth Sulfate is a chemical ingredient that creates foam in shampoos, cleaners and body wash.

Why: SLS is a known skin and eye irritant. As it’s a very harsh ingredient, some manufacturers convert sodium lauryl sulfate, harsher, in the milder form sodium laureth sulfate. However this process creates 1-4 dioxane, a byproduct that is suspected to be carcinogenic.

Oxybezone

Oxybenzone is an active ingredient found in most sunscreen.

Why: Oxybenzone has the ability to penetrate deep into the skin and trigger allergic reactions and cause hormonal disruption.

DAE and TAE

Diethanolamine and triethanolamine are chemicals used to emulsify and create foam in shampoo and body wash.

Why: They can trigger allergic reactions as well as creating hair and skin dryness! They could also create nitrosamines, a by-product that studies have

We often link cellulite with being overweight, but cellulite is more a problem of uneven fat distribution rather than simply too much fat. This means that cellulite can even affect people with a healthy weight.  But this doesn’t mean that there’s nothing to do to fight cellulite. The following detox tips can support your body to naturally get rid of the underlying causes of cellulite.

Check what you eat

• Eat enough protein
• Avoid all forms of sugars
• Fuel up on essential fatty acids
• Avoid caffeinated beverages
• Put detox smoothies to good use
• Stay hydrated
• Check your sodium intake

Try detox baths

Detox baths uses hot water to open pores and flush out toxins through sweat.  It’s best to start slowly and with comfortably warm water instead of very hot water as you could experience dizziness or weakness, especially if your toxic load is great.  Fill the tub with warm water, but hot enough to trigger sweat. Begin with a 5 minutes soak. Gradually increase the time up to 30 minutes if you don’t experience dizziness. After soaking, shower and wash with soap to remove toxins that have accumulated on your skin. Remember to drink 2 to 3 glasses of water before and afterward to make sure to stay hydrated.

Try to add one of the following to your detox bath to enhance the detox process

• Epsom salt: 1 to 4 cups per tub
• Apple cider vinegar: 1 to 2 cups per tub
• Baking soda: 1 cup per tub
• Green clay: 1/2 to 1 cup per tub

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a chemical used in the production of various plastic products. BPA is therefore found in almost every manufactured products that comes in plastic, like milk and water bottles, plastic food containers, plastic toys, plastic baby bottles, etc.  BPA is also found in the epoxy resin that coats the interior of food and beverage cans.

BPA is not a newly discovered substance; it has been around since the 1950’s. In fact, the United States consumed 856 000 tons of BPA containing products in 2003 alone.  Even though the plastic industry uses this argument to assess BPA safety, recent research shows that “he evidence for harmful health effects on humans from BPA exposure is incomplete, but is sufficient to suggest that limiting exposure is warranted.”

In fact, BPA could play a role in cancer development and affect the reproductive and developmental system.  According to Health Canada, there is sufficient evidence to describe BPA as an endocrine disrupter.

While the estrogen-imitator effect of BPA is known since the 1930’s, so well before it’s wide commercial use, it’s only recently that we are more aware of the extent of the damage it can have on human health.  By mimicking estrogen, BPA could create imbalanced hormone levels, could contribute to male feminization and be linked to some forms of cancer.  Some studies even suggest that BPA could be linked to obesity, diabetes, neurological issues, thyroid receptor disruption, heart problems, fertility problems and DNA alteration.

In a 2004 study conducted by the CDC, 93% of US citizens have detectable amounts of BPA in their bodies. Statistic Canada data released in 2010 found similar results in Canadians, with 91% of them having detectable levels of BPA, and the same goes for a German study that found 93% of the German population had detectable levels of BPA.

Health Canada had long held that the chemical was not a risk to human health, but in October 2008, Canada became the first country in the world to ban baby bottles containing BPA.  Meanwhile, the FDA had said that they don’t consider normal exposure to BPA as hazardous. However, they somewhat revised their position in 2008, releasing a report that concludes that children exposed to BPA may be at risk of early-onset puberty and prostate and breast cancer.

How to minimize your BPA exposure

• Select BPA-free products
• Avoid plastic identified as #1, #6 and #7
• Do not microwave plastic containers
• Avoid canned foods and beverages
• Choose glass, ceramic or stainless steel containers
• Use BPA-free baby and water bottles
• Thoroughly wash your hands after handling money and cash receipts
• Make conscious choices when it comes to plastic use around the house
• Avoid washing plastic containers in the dishwasher or with harsh detergent

The liver is at the core of your body’s chemical laboratory. It’s the organ regulating metabolism, blood filtration and bile production, three essential functions for detoxification.

Metabolism and the liver

The liver plays an important role in your metabolism. One of the main metabolic functions of the liver is detoxification. The liver inactivates and excretes toxic chemicals, drugs and excess hormones. Once inactivated, the toxins are directed to the bowels, skin lungs and kidneys to be safely eliminated. Another function of the liver is to metabolize fat, carbs and protein and serves as vitamin storage.

The liver and hormones

Your liver has the ability to get rid of excess hormones along with other toxins.  Excess estrogens promote weight gain and low thyroid function. The liver plays an important role into hormonal balance; excess hormones are broken down in the liver and excreted into the bile. The bile is then secreted into the small intestine by the liver. In a healthy body, the excess hormones are excreted through the bowels. But if a person suffers from mild constipation, which means more than 24 hours between bowel movements, some of the toxins can be reabsorbed into the body.

How to support your liver 

• Start your day with a glass of water with a bit of lemon juice to help digestion and support liver function
• Load –up on fresh green vegetables including broccoli, cabbage and greens
• Consider taking wheatgrass juice or micro-greens supplement
• Support your liver with antioxidants. Vitamin E, zinc and selenium are essential to proper liver function
• Exercise regularly and vigorously.

Smoothies are an excellent way to help the body to get rid of excess weight and increase your energy through detoxification. Drinking smoothies can help you improve your health in many ways. The additional nutrients stimulate your system and help it to eliminate toxins. Smoothies are an excellent way to provide you with the essential vitamins and minerals your body needs for optimal health.

The detoxification process is fairly complex. Everyday, your body works on eliminating waste. When there are more toxins your body can handle, this can cause severe symptoms and affect your health. Smoothies are a great way to detox naturally. As opposed to juices, which can create spikes in your blood sugar levels, smoothies keep the fiber, helping your colon to flush out the toxins.

When you select foods for your smoothies, try to choose the most nutrient dense ones to boost the detox effect. Some natural detox foods include ginger, lemons, apples, papaya, melon, pineapple, leafy greens and superfoods. Choosing some of those ingredients for your smoothies will help your body to detox naturally.

Our energy comes from the foods that we eat. Unfortunately, too many people settle for poor forms of energy. They reach for candy bars, coffee and energy drinks. These will boost your energy, but also bring you some negative effects. Chances are you’ll feel even more sluggish when the stimulants in these products wear off. Smoothies can be an excellent way to get sustainable energy.

Everyone knows that they should eat more fruits and vegetables, but for most people, this can be a challenge. Smoothies are a quick and easy way to boost your nutrition.

In need for smoothies inspiration? Check out Lifewithnature’s detox smoothie recipes.

Genetic modification (GM) is recombinant DNA technology, also called genetic engineering or GE. With genetic engineering scientists can change plants or animals at the molecular level by inserting genes or DNA segments from other organisms. Unlike conventional breeding and hybridization, the process of genetic engineering enables the direct transfer of genes between different species or kingdoms that would not breed in nature.

GM foods are on the market

Corn, soy, canola and white sugar beet (for sugar processing) are commonly grown in Canada and in the US. These are widely used as ingredients in processed foods such as corn flakes, corn chips, cornstarch, corn syrup and other corn ingredients, in sweeteners like glucose/fructose (HFCS), as well as in eggs, milk and meat. There is also now some GM sweet corn grown in Ontario and more could be grown in the future.

• GM papaya, cotton and some types of squash are grown in the U.S. and can be imported, mostly as processed food ingredients such as vegetable oil used in potato chips, zucchini, milk solids and powder found in frozen desserts and other dairy foods made in the US.
• GM Potatoes: Monsanto took GM potatoes off the market because of consumer rejection.
• GM Wheat: In 2004, Monsanto withdrew its request for approval of GM wheat in Canada and the US because of consumer and farmer protest. Monsanto has relaunched its GM wheat research.
• Most of the GM corn is hard corn used for animal feed or processed food ingredients. However, there are a few varieties of GM sweetcorn now being sold in the North American market.

GMO risks for health and environment

We don’t know what impacts GM foods could have on our health. There are many unanswered safety questions. 

Many scientists warn that:

• The process of genetic engineering could create new allergens.

• Foreign DNA may be able to survive in the human gut, which could increase cancer risks.

• Animal feeding studies show liver and kidney problems.

GM foods are approved for human consumption based on company-produced science. The data is secret and is not peer-reviewed by independent scientists. Health Canada nor the FDA do their own testing. There is no mandatory labeling, and no tracking or monitoring of possible health impacts.

Once GM plants are released into the environment they cannot be controlled or recalled. Genetic pollution is irreversible living pollution that self-replicates. Contamination of other plants is a major problem because the genes from any crop can move, via seed and pollen flow. GM crops are resulting in increased pesticide use, herbicide tolerant weeds, and the expansion of industrial farming.

The Monsanto empire

GM technology facilitates corporate control because patents on genetic sequences mean that corporations can own seeds. Monsanto is the largest seed company in the world and owns about 86% of GM seeds sown globally.

Article source: Canadian Biotechnology  Action Network