Developing Those Elusive Bright Eyes… With
Vitamins And Minerals
by Charlene J. Nuble
Vision is one of our most
precious senses. Without it the world as we know it would be
blank. One of the things that we can do daily to protect our
eyes from harm is to be sure that each day we consume the
recommended daily intake levels of vitamins, minerals and other
nutrients that we need in order to keep our eyes
healthy. As with everything about our bodies proper
nutrition plays an invaluable role in keeping our eyes
functioning as well as possible. There are certain nutrients that are known to be
especially associated with ocular health.
Among these are the antioxidant vitamins. The eye, especially
the lens and the retina is particularly vulnerable to the
effects of unchecked free radicals which are a byproduct of
oxygen, cellular processes and environmental contaminants.
Antioxidant vitamins help to combat free radicals. The primary
antioxidant vitamins include Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin
E. in addition to their important action against free radicals
they promote healthy cells and tissues in the eye. Lutein and
Zeaxanthin are two more valuable antioxidants that recent
research has found to be especially effective in maintaining
the good health of the eyes.
In addition to the vitamins that promote ocular health there
are several minerals that have been determined to play a
significant role in the good health of the eye. Among these are
zinc, selenium, manganese and copper. Zinc is an important
mineral that serves to regulate sight, smell and taste and the
concentration of zinc in the eye is actually higher than any
other part of the body. One important function of zinc in
relation to the eyes is its role in the regulation of the
amount of Vitamin A which is essential to good eye health from
the liver. People who have a deficiency in selenium have been
clinically shown to be more likely to suffer from
cataracts.
Recent research into the influence of vitamins, minerals and
other nutrients upon the health of the eye has turned up a good
deal of new information. This has led to the development of
specialized dietary supplements designed specifically to
promote ocular health. The early results of clinical trials
concerning the disturbance and even reversal of macular
degeneration and other age-related eye diseases via specialized
nutritional treatments look very promising and research
continues to prove it in a rapid pace..
Those seeking to benefit from dietary supplements designed to
promote ocular health and healing should familiarize themselves
with the most common vitamins and minerals in these supplements
doing the research to find out what both would be the best and
the safest levels of these nutrients are. Consulting an eye
care professional and a licensed nutritionist can be very
helpful in planning the best dietary supplement regimen suited
to your individual dietary needs and health goals.
Making sure that you are achieving the recommended daily intake
levels of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients is one of the
best things that you can do for your overall health and well
being. In terms of eye health, paying very close attention to
your daily nutrition intake can actually make a real difference
in the quality of your vision and help to keep your eyes
healthy and functioning well for a very long time. When
properly taken dietary supplements can be a valuable part of
any ocular health focused program.
About the Author
Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For up to date links and information
about Vitamins, please go to: http://vitamins.besthealthlink.net/
or for updated links and information on all health related
topics, go to: http://www.besthealthlink.net/
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