If you're reading this, you're probably looking to give your eyes a little boost.
Our eyes are the most important sensory organ we have.
We perceive most of our world visually -- preserving that is very important, especially when we know our vision is getting worse.
However, for most people, it's easy to take their vision for granted.
It's not until our (or someone who we care about's) vision is challenged that we start to really think about it.
Most believe that vision is a result of genetics and not much can be done to preserve or improve it.
But fortunately we can.
By consuming a good diet, plenty of exercise and sleep, we can all take incremental steps to preserve or improve our vision.
Many people don't realize that we need to regularly consume foods that help our eyes, including carotenoids.
This is because the two major carotenoids in the eye, lutein and zeaxanthin, are not produced in the body.
Rather, the body relies on a good diet, including dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and broccoli to obtain an adequate supply of lutein and zeaxanthin.
They can also be found in corn and eggs as well.
Why are lutein and zeaxanthin important? As mentioned, these are two carotenoids mainly present in the eye.
Lutein mainly exists in the retina (the lining along the back wall of the eye) while zeaxanthin (and some lutein) exist in the macula (which looks like a dot in the central area in the eye and is responsible for our central vision).
Furthermore, lutein is used to produce meso-zeaxanthin, which is used as a first line of defense against UV light for the macula.
One of the major causes of vision loss as we age is exposure to UV light over time.
The macula uses these carotenoids in the form of a target (i.
e.
bulls-eye) to protect itself from UV exposure.
At the center of the macula is meso-zeaxanthin.
A little further away from the center (as in a bulls-eye) is zeaxanthin.
Furthest from the center is lutein.
Even though lutein is furthest away, its role in synthesizing meso-zeaxanthin, and its important role in protecting the retina make it important to have.
How much lutein and zeaxanthin should we consume? No official guidelines exist; however, studies show that noticeable improvement begins to occur when 10 mg lutein and 2 mg zeaxanthin are consumed on a daily basis.
For patients with Advanced Macular Degeneration (AMD) or Cataracts, 10 mg or even 20 mg of both can help with treatment (always ask your physician first).
However, these are only guidelines.
When it comes to these carotenoids, you can never have too much.
There are no known side effects from consuming too much lutein or zeaxanthin -- after all, they're both already present in the foods we eat.
So to help your eyes, eat as many dark green vegetables, corn, and eggs as possible, and stay away from sugary foods with little nutritional value.
And even on our best days, it can be difficult to get more than 10 mg lutein or 2 mg zeaxanthin.
Even though these quantities sound small, it's difficult to get enough of them in a typical diet on a daily basis.
That's why it's important to use a good multivitamin supplement containing high quantities of natural ingredients.
The best ones can usually be purchased directly from a manufacturer and have a certificate of analysis (COA) showing that each batch produced has been tested to make sure it has the right amounts of minerals and nutrients.
Also, having an enteric coating is very important in a multivitamin.
This protects the minerals and nutrients from being destroyed by the stomach acid, ensuring that most if not all nutrients are absorbed by the body into the bloodstream.
So in summary, make sure to get enough lutein and zeaxanthin on a daily basis through a good diet and by using a good multivitamin.
By being proactive and making a few small changes now, you'll be on the road to great visual (and overall) health for many years to come.
For more information on multivitamins and supplements, click on over to the site below.