How Dates Help In Improving Eyesight
jyotsana raoBE 
Experience: 4 yearsJyotsana Rao is an engineering graduate from NIT, Nagpur, who discovered her love for writing during her undergraduate days. She is passionate about writing about everything related to beauty - makeup... more
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Our eyes are universally considered as the most precious sense organs. But do we really take care of them as we should? I think not! Instead, we strain our eyes as much as possible, be it by staring at our smartphones or tablets, or PCs, or by spending hours reading a book, or watching TV. And because of our busy schedules, we hardly think of visiting an eye doctor.
Most of us believe that our vision begins to deteriorate as we get older, but that is not the only reason. The most important cause of loss of vision is the lack of care and attention we show towards our eyes. Around 25 million people worldwide are affected by cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Experts claim that this is the leading cause of blindness among people above 50. Thus, it is very important to start taking care of your eyes early on.
Though the problem is very big, its solution is quite simple. A proper diet and a healthy lifestyle can cure all your eye-related problems.
Did you know that certain foods contain minerals and antioxidants that have been proven to improve your eyesight, thereby lowering the risk of getting cataracts and macular degeneration? The miraculous food that we are talking about is DATES.
How Do Dates Help In Improving Eyesight?
Apart from being delicious, dates are also very nutritious, and hence, great for the eyes. Dates are a wonderful source of natural sugar fiber. They are also rich in vitamins (vitamin A and vitamin K), minerals, iron, calcium, magnesium, riboflavin, thiamin, zinc, and folate. These properties make dates a great food for maintaining good vision. They are also extremely effective in protecting against night blindness.
A great way to consume dates to get all the benefits is to soak them in water or milk overnight and eat them in the morning.
Dates have been used since ages in rural areas to improve the eyesight. The date palm trees were grown especially as an alternative medicine. They used the leaves of the date palm to reduce the frequency of night blindness. Basically, they used to grind the leaves of date palm to make a smooth paste, after which they would rub it around and on the eyes. This therapy showed great results in treating night blindness.
Though the benefits of dates are extensive and impactful, there are a few other ways too in which we can improve our eyesight naturally. Here are a few of them:
1. Kidney Beans
Kidney beans have a low glycemic index and provide protein and zinc to our body. They release sugar slowly into the bloodstream, and this has been linked to better eye health as it reduces the levels of inflammation and cell damage in the body.
The dark red color of kidney beans also indicates the presence of anthocyanins that play a major role in protecting the eye cells and improving macular degeneration.
2. Brazil Nuts
Brazil nuts are one of the top sources of selenium that is essential to form the antioxidant glutathione peroxidase, which helps in protecting the eye lens and reducing the risk of cataract.
3. Kale
Kale is a great source of beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and vitamins that help in improving the eyesight. Try to include it daily in your diet either in the form of salads or in smoothies.
4. Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits, such as oranges, are rich in vitamin C that helps in promoting the health of eye tissues. The presence of vitamin C also helps in regenerating other antioxidants, including vitamin E.
Foods rich in vitamins, lutein, and beta-carotene are all good for the eyes as they help in repairing the eye tissues. Some other foods that aid in improving eyesight are cod liver oil, papaya, sweet potatoes, berries, grapes, and green leafy vegetables.
Along with a healthy and nutrient-rich diet, a healthy lifestyle is equally important to improve your eyesight. Following these few tips and tricks will definitely help you in the long run:
1. Stay Hydrated
Water is very important, not only for the eyes but for the entire body. If your eyes feel tired or dry, try to up the intake of water. This will make you feel fresh.
Whenever you wash your face, make sure you splash some water on your eyes too. This will help remove the dirt from your eyes immediately and will leave you feeling refreshed and energized.
2. Give Some Rest To Your Eyes
Sleeping allows the muscles of your eyes to relax for some time, thus preventing strain.
If you have a job where you need to work on the computer all day long, don’t stare at your system for a long period of time. Take a break of 5-10 minutes at regular intervals. This will let your eyes relax for some time.
3. Perform Eye Exercises
There are a few very basic exercises that we can perform sitting at the office desk itself. The simplest way is to rub your palms together until they become warm and place them over your eyes for a minute or two. This will relax your eyes.
Rolling is another easy exercise. Start by rolling your eyes for a few seconds. Once you’re done, look up as far as you can, and then look down. Repeat this for two minutes. Look to your right and then to your left. Finally, roll your eyes in a clockwise direction for around a minute, and then roll them in the anticlockwise direction. Close your eyes for a moment and you’re done.
Once you’re done with the exercises, massage your eyes and apply the heat again by rubbing the palms together. These small things go a long way in preserving the health of your eyes.
Things To Avoid
- Avoid eating sugary and fatty foods as they are bad for the eyes. The more sugar you eat, the worse it is for your eyesight.
- Smoking has also been linked to macular degeneration, cataract, and optical nerve damage. Thus, quit smoking.
- Don’t stare at electronic gadgets for too long. Whenever you use these gadgets, make sure you lower the brightness level as it will reduce the strain.
- If you wear glasses or contact lenses, try to take them off as often as possible. This will help in promoting natural, unassisted vision.
We hope following these simple tips will help you improve your eyesight. Share your views in the comments box below.
