Women and the nutritional supplements you need for bright eyes

Is it the hormones again?

Could women be suffering more from eyesight degeneration because they tend to live longer than men? Or is it more because of a hormonal influence. Recent research suggests that Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) can reduce these risks. However, it is better to concentrate on vitamins and nutritional supplements, as these can be self-administered and hormones cannot.

Anti-oxidants

In various studies and clinical trials antioxidant vitamins and nutritional supplements found in certain foods have been linked with eye health. They help to maintain healthy cells and tissues in the eye.

The best fruit and vegs

The main focus has been on the anti-oxidant vitamins A, C and E. These vitamins can be found in many different sources of fruit and vegetables such as oranges, kiwis, grapefruit, dried apricots, tomatoes, peppers, raw carrots, green leafy vegetables including kale and spinach, green peas, green beans and brussel sprouts. They can also be found in nuts, seeds, dairy products and eggs. These are only a few of the food types in which antioxidant vitamins can be found.

Carotenoids and your eyes

Another key to good eye health has been nutritional supplements that include two types of antioxidants, known as 'carotenoids', called lutein and zeaxanthin that may also help. Some studies have found that people who have a good diet rich in carotenoids, particularly lutein and zeaxanthin, have a lower risk of developing age related eye degeneration. Nutritional supplements including lutein and zeaxanthin can be used or they can be found naturally in vegetables and fruit. For example, lutein can be found in yellow peppers, mango, bilberries, and green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, chard and broccoli. Zeaxanthin can be found in orange sweet peppers, broccoli, corn, lettuce (not iceberg), spinach, tangerines, oranges and eggs. Many of these overlap with food types in which vitamins A, E and C are present. Bear in mind however that it is also possible to get a healthy dose of cartenoids through nutritional supplementation.