Eat Smart Age Well

What should I eat to stop me from getting eye diseases?

What should I eat to stop me from getting eye diseases?
We are continually reminded that eating a varied and balanced diet is the key to good general health and wellness but is it also important for the health of eyes? Few people would argue about the importance of having good vision but is there anything we can do to help ensure our eyes remain healthy throughout our life? There are a few general pieces of advice that should try to stick to and they are as follows:

• Be wary of the following visual symptoms: If you ever experience either flashing lights in your vision, a sudden increase of floaters in your vision, a reduction in vision or any blind spots in your vision then you should seek medical advice immediately. All these symptoms could indicate the beginning of an eye disease which could lead to irreversible loss of vision if not treated.
• Make sure you get your eyes tested regularly: Regardless of whether or not you think there is anything wrong with your vision or eye health, you should get your eyes checked at least every 2 years. This will ensure that any potential problems with your eyes can be picked up and dealt with easily.

In term of diet and the eyes there are certainly some nutrients which are believed to be beneficial to the health of the eyes. Cataracts and Glaucoma are both eye diseases and it is thought that their progression can be slowed down by having a diet rich in certain anti oxidants. Cataracts cause a slow loss of vision due to the clouding of the naturally transparent lens within our eye. Macular degeneration affects the very central part of our retina (the macula) and can lead to untreatable loss of central vision. Cataracts are however treatable with a surgical procedure which is generally considered to be both safe and effective.

Which nutrients can help Cataracts and macular degeneration?
Both cataracts and macular degeneration are thought to occur as a result of free radical damage within the eye. Free radicals are produced as a result of natural processes within the eye and they can be reduced by increasing the amount of antioxidants within our diet. Lutein and Zeaxanthin are anti oxidant pigments that are found in both the lens and also the macular of our eyes. Fortunately both these nutrients are also found in a variety of vegetables so they can easily be incorporated into our diet. The following lists the best source of these nutrients in foods:

• Generally any green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale and lettuce.
• Courgettes (zucchini) also have high amounts of Lutein and Zeaxanthin.
• Peas.
• Green beans.
• Broccoli.

In summary if it is green and is a vegetable it is almost certain to contain the nutrients you need for healthy eyes! Having said this, these nutrients are not considered a miracle cure nor are there are guarantees that they will prevent you from getting eye diseases. They do however give your eyes every chance to be as healthy as they can be, especially if you combine this with a healthy life style where you do not smoke or drink excessively.

BIO: Tim Harwood is an Optometrist from the UK who also writes for the website Treatmentsaver which specialises in cosmetic surgery and laser eye surgery.

Jillian Michaels Ultimate 12.5 Adjustable Speed Dumbbells Review

OK. You have lost weight. But you need to tone your muscles.

But most weights are made for men. Too bulky right?

I have the perfect product for you! Why don’t you try Jillian Michaels Ultimate 12.5 Adjustable Speed Dumbbells

The namesake is pretty famous as she is a leading health and wellness expert. Maybe you have heard of her. The Biggest Loser. A trainer and a life coach, she has helped people of all sizes and age to become better people.
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Weight training is better than toning exercises for women!

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***IMPORTANT: this is a video that is SO important to watch if you are a women***

Ladies, strength training/weight training is essential as you age.

I’ve been preaching this for a while now on my site and it’s quite a concern to me when women bypass weight training because they are afraid they’ll end up looking too masculine.

You have to lift a whole lot of weight and eat a whole lot of protein to be worried about looking masculine when you do weight training on a regular basis.

I can assure you that over a decade of regular weight training has left my body looking lean and firm and I DO NOT look masculine at all. As I like to say, things are still where they’re supposed to be and I intend on keeping it this way until I turn 150 years of age!

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Video: Lessons from fitness training summit for personal trainers

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I was lucky enough to attend a recent Twist Conditioning Sport Performance Summit and I’ve captured some of the best moments of personal trainers’ training sessions.

Peter Twist is the mastermind behind these summits. He’s the president and he’s also an athlete coach and I can tell you these were some intensive workouts designed to teach professional personal trainers some new techniques and exercises to help their clients better reach their weight loss and body goals.

I spent a bit of time filming all of these segments, but I also took the time to do one of those sessions and it took me no time whatsoever to start sweating.

I will also feature a segment reviewing a Twist Conditioning Adult Functional Fitness sessions and I will surely blog about the intensive one-hour-and-15-minute-long workout.

I know that the following videos won’t be for everyone because some have advance moves, but I do want to show that fitness is more than those exercise machines at the gym.

If you use exercise elastic bands, medicine balls or Bosu balls, you can really increase the intensity of your workout.

1) Bosu ball exercises part 1

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