About one person in ten has cataracts, a clouding of the lens of the eye that makes the world look like your eyeglasses are smeared with mayonaise. There are several lifestyle choices you can make to avoid getting cataracts. These choices should start when we are children because the damage occurs throughout our lives. If we wait until we're 60 to start treating our body properly, we'll have much less improvement.
Here are the life-long practices that may allow you to avoid cataracts when you or your children are elderly.
- First of all eat a proper diet. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is bad for your eyes and all the other parts of your body. Eat a good diet such as the Mediterranean Diet, the South Beach Diet, or at least eat fresh, colorful, organic food. Avoid processed food.
- Wear sunglasses that reduce UV radiation
- Avoid medications that damage the eyes, such as prolonged use of steroids, tranquilizers, and some psoriasis medications. Get advice from your medical doctor and ophthalmologist when taking these medications on a daily basis.
- Avoid smoking
- Avoid excess alcohol
- Eat foods high in Lutein and zeaxanthin: spinach, broccoli, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, peppers, winter squash, and eggs. Simply adding lutein-rich foods reduces the chances of cataracts by 22%, and macular degeneration by 43% according to the book, Foods that Fight Disease.
- Eat foods that are high in antioxidants: colorful fruits and vegetables
- Avoid diabetes; diabetics are more likely to have eye diseases such as cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration. If you become diabetic, monitor your blood sugar frequently and learn to manage it effectively.
Please note: The information here is not to be followed as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your physician or primary health practitioner for information regarding your own personal health and necessary treatments.
