Whiten And Beautify Your Eyes

Every woman knows it’s important to keep her eyes as beautiful, as youthful, and as “soulful” as they can be. Eyes don’t need a lot of diet control or heavy workouts. They’re actually pretty low-maintenance, generally. Simple upkeep every now and then ensures they’ll remain healthy year after year.

How Eyes Change With Age

Eyes start undergoing major changes in mid-life. Most of these are changes in the way the eye functions — for example, color perception changes, shrinking field of vision, and the like. Some changes are outwardly visible — drooping lower eyelid, eyes ‘sinking’ into the head, and the sclera (the whites of the eyes) turning a more yellowish color.

The White Of Your Eyes – Sclera

A clear, milky-white sclera is often linked with health and beauty. It’s usually the first part of the eyes to show signs of aging. The sclera adopts a slight yellow or brown hue with age. Studies reveal that this hue actually has more to do with environment than with age. Long-term exposure to ultraviolet rays, dust and wind causes this change. One thing you can do is invest in a wide-brimmed hat that goes along with your sunglasses to block those rays from constantly entering your eyes. Diet also has a significant influence on the health of your eyes.

Food For Whiter Eyes

Nutrition is very important when it comes to eyes. The five nutrient categories that you must include in your regular diet for healthier eyes are:

Vitamin A – Remember how your mother insisted that you finish your carrots? Well she had a reason and she was right. Fruits and vegetables high in Vitamin A or beta carotene are a must food for your eyes. Fill up your fridge with carrots, peaches, papaya and mangoes.

Vitamin C – Vitamin C foods include oranges, grapefruits and strawberries.

Vitamin E – Vitamin E can be provided to the body by regular intake of sunflower seeds, wheat germ, hazelnut, peanut butter and almonds. One handful (an ounce) of almonds will provide half of your daily dose of Vitamin E.

Antioxidants – Leafy greens are good sources of lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants responsible for lowering risks of developing macular degeneration and cataracts. That means eating kale, spinach, collards and romaine lettuce can never be too much.

Zinc – There are many excellent sources of zinc for the raw vegan, including sesame seeds/tahini, hemp seeds, cashew and pine nuts, shiitake mushrooms and avocados. An easy rule to remember is if the fruit and vegetables are yellow and orange, they are excellent for your eyes.

Eye Exercises

Eyes are all muscle and it’s important to give these muscles a regular workout to keep them youthful. There are some basic exercises that will relax your eyes, prevent further eyesight deterioration and even help with tightening of age-related sags in and around the eye area. You can do these exercises whenever you want:

• Sit comfortably. Close your eyes tightly and count to 5. Now open them and count to 5 again. Repeat this process of opening and closing your eyes for 5 seconds each time 5-7 times.
• Soak a soft hand towel in hot water and another in cold. Take the hot one, squeeze out its water and press it on your closed eyes gently. Massage lightly on the eyebrows, eyelids and the area around the eyes. Repeat the same with the cold towel. Alternate between the two a couple of times, ending with the cold towel.
• Squint strongly with only your lower eyelid. Release and squint again. Repeat 5-7 times.

Homemade Eyewash For Whiter Eyes

Homemade eye washes are the best way to relax your eyes, prevent ailments and even cure them without any medical intervention. They can help you get rid of everyday eye issues such as tiredness, irritation, strain and pollution, leaving your eyes refreshed. Eye washes also sooth eyes during infections and ailments like pink eyes. To apply the eye wash, you can use an eye dropper or fill a small cup with the eye wash and place it over your eye as you blink.

Here are some simple recipes for eye washes:

Saline Eye Wash You will need: 1 cup distilled water and 1 tsp salt. This truly simple eye wash can be made by mixing together distilled water and salt. This saline eye wash can be used safely several times a day.

Green Tea Eye Wash You will need: 1 cup Brewed Green Tea and ½ cup distilled (or boiled) water. Mix and make a solution. Use as other eye washes. There are things that you must keep in mind when using eye washes. Make sure there is no contamination and always use clean utensils and boiled or distilled water. Though eye washes are safe and recommended by ophthalmologists, in case of any serious eye problems do not use them without a doctor’s consultation.

Propolis… The Natural Antibiotic

Another option to consider is Propolis, a natural resinous substance, which shows fantastic results in protecting our eyes and strengthening them against the effects of aging. The anti-bacterial properties of propolis have been known across the world for ages. Propolis remains one of nature’s best—and purest—bacteria-fighting agents. Research has shown propolis to combat conjunctivitis, infections, and similar conditions, and may help with cataracts. Recently, propolis has become the target of much medical research, showing promising results in allergy treatment, antimicrobials, and oral hygiene, to name but a few of the research directions. Propolis has promising effects on cell regeneration, with remarkable potential to benefit our body, especially our eyes.