Remember the old song “When I’m 64” by the Beatles?  It seemed so far away, but guess what?  You’re now 64.  And, the old saying that life gets away fast could not be more relevant to the generation that thought they would never grow old. 

Every day since 2006, 8000 baby boomers have reached that dreaded age of 60. Although your attention may be on heart health and shedding some extra pounds, what about your eyes? Many people feel that nothing can be done to improve eye health, but that is far from true.

More than 15 million Americans have Age Related Macular Degeneration.  It is the leading cause of poor vision in adults over 60. There are several ways to nutritionally support your eyes to significantly improve eye health, and paying close attention to what you eat is a great place to start.  

10 Simple Solutions for Protecting Your Eyes

1. Eat green, leafy vegetables. There provide important carotenoids to protect the eyes from free radical damage.
2. Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables. Highly pigmented foods such as berries and red peppers berries are rich in healthy plant-protecting antioxidants for better eye health.
3. Wear sunglasses. Be sure that they offer UV protection.
4. Eat oily fish at least once a week. Salmon and sardines are particularly good for the eyes as they provide omega-3 fatty acids that protect the eyes.
5. Eat foods that are high in zinc such as oysters, wheat germ, seeds and dark chocolate.
6. Get enough sleep.
7. Exercise regularly. Our eyes need good blood circulation and oxygen intake, and both are stimulated by regular exercise.
8. Do not smoke.
9. Follow guidelines to avoid diabetes- a condition that definitely affects the eyes.
10. Use adequate light for reading to avoid eye strain.

Some Herbal Assistance for Eye Health

Bilberry

It was during World War II (WWII) that British Royal Air Force pilots, while preparing for late night flights, were having a good strong cup of hot tea and toast with Bilberry jam to kickstart their buzz up into the sky.  Those eating the Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) jam began to notice that their night vision seemed to be improving.  Several of the pilots began to talk about the improvement in their vision.  They realized that it must be something more than just the caffeine in the tea, and that it was probably coming from the Bilberry jam.  Who would have thought that something simply added to toast would be so healthy?

Clinical research confirms that ingesting Bilberries improves visual acuity in healthy people.  It provides nutritional support for the blood vessels of the eyes and helps maintain normal eye health.

Bilberry's "Super Powers"

What makes Bilberry so powerful? The "secret ingredients" in Bilberry are compounds called anthocyanididins, which strengthen blood vessels and improve circulation. Circulation to the vessels in the eye, and in particular, the macula, is critical as we age. Without healthy circulation to this region, the macula degenerates, and eventually leads to blindness. Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in people over 50. Bilberries aid the eyes by boosting the production of a pigment that helps the eyes to adapt to lighting changes. These anthocyanidins have amazing properties. They provide 50 times the antioxidant power of Vitamin E and 10 times the antioxidant power of Vitamin C. Due to these high antioxidant levels, capillary walls are kept strong and flexible. And Bilberry contains vitamins A and C, boosting its antioxidant power and helping to prevent free radical damage to the eyes.

There are indications that Bilberry may also have other health promoting effects, not only for vision but also for the heart.  If it improves the blood supply to the eyes, Bilberry must also improve the blood supply to all parts of the body, right?

Some people enjoy Bilberry as fresh berries, or in desserts or tea. But consuming the amount most beneficial for eye protection would require a large quantity of berries or tea. Therefore, supplements of Bilberry provide the antioxidant-rich, super punch needed to promote and maintain optimal eye health and blood supply to the whole body.

More Information

• Bilberry Vegetarian Capsules
• Bilberry fruit Extract
• Bilberry Organic whole
  

Eyebright

Eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis) has been used traditionally, since the middle Ages, for the support of eye fatigue and vision. According to old text of the "Old Doctrine of Signatures," the purple and yellow spots and stripes of eyebright resemble bloodshot eyes, which was an early indicator of the plant's intended herbal use.  

More Information

• Eyebright Vegetarian Capsules
• Eyebright Extract
• Bilberry Eyebright Extract

Other Eye Health Products You Might Like

Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) has been reported to improve ocular (eye) blood flow and to act as an antioxidant to protect the eye. Additional clinical research is needed to better determine the effectiveness of Ginkgo for macular degeneration.

• Ginkgo Organic Vegetarian Capsules
• Ginkgo Extract
• Ginkgo leaf Organic c/s
• Ginkgo leaf Organic powder

Can We Help?

Eye Shield™

Risk of Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is significantly higher in people with low concentrations of carotenoids such as Zeaxanthin and Lutein in their blood.

This formula supplies a 5:1 ratio of Lutein:Zeaxanthin (from marigold flowers) which is the ratio that is found naturally in many fruits and vegetables, and is formulated to match the Lutein and Zeaxanthin quantity that is being used in the current AREDS II study, sponsored by the National Eye Institute. This large study is a collaboration of over 80 participating research centers.