Diet for bright eyes

Diet is of utmost importance for the health and beauty of the eyes. Natural, uncooked foods are the best diet. These include fresh fruit such as oranges, apples, grapes, peaches, papaya and pomegranate; green vegetables like lettuce, cabbage, spinach, turnip tops; root vegetables like potatoes, turnips, carrot, onions and beetroots; nuts, dried fruits and dairy products.

Cereals are also necessary but they should be consumed sparingly. Genuine whole meal bread is the best and most suitable. Jams, cakes, pastries, white sugar, white bread, tea and coffee, together with meat and fish, soon play havoc with the digestion and the body. Constipating or wind forming foods, alcohol and other intoxicating substances are also harmful and should be avoided.

Each of the essential nutrients needed by the body plays some part in the health and beauty of the eyes. The effect of vitamin A upon the eyes is, however, most pronounced. For normal and healthy eyes, liberal amount of vitamin A must be continuously supplied by the food. The valuable sources of this vitamin are cod liver oil, whole milk, curd, butter, egg yolk, pumpkin, carrots, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, mango, papaya, orange and melon.

If vitamin A is in short supply, the eyes may become sensitive to bright lights and a person may suffer from visual fatigue and a consequent feeling of tiredness. If a deficiency of this vitamin becomes severe, visual fatigue and sensitivity to light grow progressively more pronounced.

To keep the eyes normal, beautiful and bright, an adult should have at least 10,000 units of vitamin A daily. Persons using their eyes for long hours or working either in extremely bright light require more of this vitamin that those who use their eyes for short hours. This vitamin is also essential to the health of certain tissues, known as mucous membranes, which line such body cavities as the tear ducts and tear glands. Healthy mucous membrane, or the normal flow of tears determines the highlights, the sparkle, the charming plays of shadows in the eyes.

Another vitamin necessary for visual health is riboflavin, or vitamin B2. valuable natural sources of this vitamin are green leafy vegetables, milk, cheese, egg, citrus fruit, banana, tomato, brewer’s yeast, almonds and sunflower seeds. Dull eyes and abnormal vision due to riboflavin deficiency can thus be found in almost any person who fails to eat these foods.

A healthy diet of milk, butter, fruits, green vegetables and protein should be taken for the proper care of the eyes. Raw carrots, contain vitamins which help maintain the eyes in a healthy and bright condition. They should therefore be taken liberally.

Tears are believed to be beneficial to the eyes are they wash the eyes clean of dust and other particles. Medically, it is known that the enzyme lysozyme present in the lachrymal secretions antibacterial and destroys pathogenic germs that enter the eyes. There are certain ways recommended to increase lachrymator like squeezing the rind of the orange or lime, crushing an onion close to the eyes and instilling a few drops of oil. Those who habituate their system to these particles form a young age will beneficial greatly. To start on these practices suddenly may not be easy.

Amongst the various natural substances, the use of castor oil is highly beneficial for the eyes. A few drops of this oil should be put daily in each eye. This causes increased lachrymator of the eyes for a while but leaves the eyes clean and cool. Regular massage of the scalp with castor oil decrease eye strain.

The herb nutmeg (jaiphal) exercise beneficial effect on the eyes. It is rich in fats and volatile oils. A paste of this herb made with milk may be applied all around the eyes and over the eyelids. It will have a cooling effect.

Triphla, an ayurvedic preparation consisting of three myrobalands, namely, emblic myrobalan (amla), chebulic myrobalan (harad) and belleric myrobalan (behera), is considered beneficial for long eyelashes and sparkling eyes. A teaspoon of this preparation should be soaked overnight in a cup of water. It should be pored through a clean muslin cloth and the eyes should be washed with it. The eyes should be also be dabbed with the cloth for a minute. If a burning sensation is felt in the eyes, the water should be cooled in the refrigenerator before use.

Cold tea can be used to brighten tired eyes. A cotton wool pad soaked in cold ea can be used as eye pads for this purpose.

Bathing the eyes in warm water to which a little salt has been added, can brighten them. It also helps to relieve puffiness. A cotton wool pad dipped in a salt water solution, containing one tablespoon of salt in half a liter of water, can also be used as an eye pack for the same purpose.

Another important factor for the beauty of the eye is sleep. Without adequate sleep, the eyes can look puffy, bloodshot and even become encircled by dark shadows. At least seven hours of sleep is the average daily pattern. Whenever one misses out on sleep, it should be made good as soon as possible. As and when time permits, one should take a few minutes off to close the eyes and relax.

The eyes should also be protected form long exposure to strong sunlight. The glare created by sunlight can harm the eyes. It will be advisable to wear sunglasses outdoors. It should, however, be insured that the quality of the glasses used is good.

More about foods for natural beauty

The three basic health and beauty building foods mentioned in previous posts should be supplemented with certain special foods such as milk, vegetable oils, and honey. Milk is an excellent food. It is considered ‘nature’s nearly perfect food’. They best way to have milk is in its sourced form, which is yoghurt and cottage cheese. Sourced milk is superior to sweet milk as it is in a pre-digested form and more easily assimilated. Yoghurt helps to maintain a healthy intestinal flora and prevents intestinal putrefaction and constipation. It is known for its health-building and beauty-enhancing properties.

High quantity unrefined vegetable oils should be added to the diet. They are rich in unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins C and F and lecithin. The average daily amount should not exceeded two table spoons. Honey too, is an ideal food. It helps increase calcium retention in the system, prevents nutritional anemia, besides being beneficial in kidney and liver disorders, colds, poor circulation, and complexion problems.

A diet of the three basic food groups, supplemented with the special foods mentioned above, will ensure a complete and adequate supply of all the vital nutrients needed for health, vitality and beauty. It is not necessary to include animal protein like egg, fish or meat in this basic diet, as animal protein, especially meat, always has a detrimental effect on the healing processes.

Sugar in any form is not good for health and beauty of the body. A high sugar intake is linked with diabetes and heart disease. One should, therefore cut down on sugar in all forms and use jaggery and other natural sweeteners like honey and molasses all of which provide valuable nutrients.

Apart from the quality of food which requires careful selection, the quantity of food we eat also has an important bearing on our appearance. Over-feeding puts pressure on the liver and renders the whole system inactive. It also adversely affects the circulation of blood. When the circulation is poor, the skin suffers from many disorders. Therefore, one should also limit the quantity of food one eats. At the same time, insufficient food intake can lead to many deficiencies, which may affect out health and beauty.

Proper cooking – careful preparation and cooking of foods is also essential for health and natural beauty. Foods should be cooked in such a manner as to avoid unnecessary destruction of nutrients. It is healthier to roast or grill foods than to fry them and to cook at low temperature for the shortest possible time. They should also be served immediately after cooking.

Diet for natural beauty - Fruits

Fruits – Like vegetables, fruits are an excellent source of minerals, vitamins and enzymes. They are easily digested and exercise a cleansing effect on the blood and digestive tract. They contain high alkalizing properties, a high percentage of proteins and fats. Their organic acid and high sugar content have immediate refreshing effects. Apart from seasonal fresh fruits, dry fruits, such as raisins, prunes and figs, are also beneficial.

Fruits are at their best when eaten in the raw and ripe states. In cooking, they loose portions of the nutrient salts and carbohydrates. They are most beneficial when taken as a separate meal by themselves, preferably for breakfast in the morning. If it becomes necessary to take fruits with regular food, they should form a larger proportion of the meals. Fruits, however, make a better combination with milk than with meals. It is also advisable to take fruits in the form of juice.

Diet for natural beauty - Vegetables

Vegetables – They are an extremely rich source of minerals, enzymes and vitamins. Faulty cooking and prolonged careless storage however, destroy these valuable nutrients. Most of the vegetables are therefore, best consumes in their natural row state in the form of salads.

There are different kinds of vegetables. They may be edible roots, stems, leaves, fruits and seeds. Each group contributes to the diet in its own way. Fleshy roots have high energy value and are good sources of vitamin B. Seeds are relatively high in carbohydrate and proteins and yellow ones are rich in vitamin A. Leaves, stems and fruits are excellent sources of minerals, vitamins, water and roughage.

To prevent loss of nutrients in vegetables, it is advisable to steam or boil vegetables in their juices on a slow fire and the water or cooking liquid should not be drained off. No vegetable should be peeled unless it is so old that the peel is tough and unpalatable. In most roots vegetables, the largest amount of minerals is directly under the skin and these are lost if vegetables are peeled. Soaking of vegetables should also be avoided if taste and nutritive are to be preserved.

Seeds, Nuts and Grains

Seeds, Nuts and Grains – These are the most important and the most potent of all foods and contain all the essential nutrients needed for human growth. They contain the germ, the reproductive power which is of vital important for the lives of human beings and their health. Millet, wheat, oats, barley, brown rice, beans and peas are all highly valuable in building health and beauty. All seeds, nuts, grains and legumes can be sprouted, and should be taken in that form as much as possible as they constitute live foods. There is an amazing increase in nutrients in sprouted foods when compared to their dried embryo. So potent are the sprouts that if one lives only on a mixture of these foods, one would have everything one needs for health and long lasting beauty. Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, peanuts, and Soya beans contain complete proteins of high biological value.

Seeds, nuts and grains are excellent natural sources of essential unsaturated fatty acids necessary for health and true beauty. They are also good sources of lecithin and most of the B vitamins as well as vitamin C, which is perhaps the most important vitamin for the preservation of health and preservation of premature aging. They are also rich sources of minerals and auxins, the natural substances that play an important role in the rejuvenation of cells and prevention of premature aging.

Diet for natural beauty - Basic Food Groups

Basic food groups - The nutrient mentioned above, translated in terms of food, represents a well balanced and correct diet which contains liberal quantities of;

1. Seeds, nuts, and whole grains
2. Vegetables
3. Fruits

These foods have been aptly called basic food groups and a diet containing these is the optimum for the maintenance of good health and true beauty. The diet is describes in brief in upcoming posts.

Diet for natural beauty - Calcium and Phosphorus

Calcium and Phosphorus – These tow minerals work together for healthy teeth, hair, nails, and bones. A deficiency of calcium in the diet can lead to tooth decay and recession of gums. The main dietary sources of calcium are milk products, whole wheat, leafy vegetables, orange and lemon. Phosphorus is found in abundance in cereals, pulses, nuts, fruit juice, milk and legumes.

Diet for natural beauty - Protein and Fats

Protein – Adequate protein is necessary for healthy hair, skin, teeth and nails and for firm skin tissues. Main natural sources are dairy products, nuts, pulses, wheat germ, and brewer’s yeast.

Fats – Fats are necessary to counteract dry skin and hair for assimilation of fat soluble vitamins. Main natural sources are butter, vegetable oil and nuts.

Water

Keep your water content topped up. Water is more important to your well being tan any other liquid. Each day the body loses approximately 2 1/2 litters of water this causes ageing as much as the passing time.

Water should be taken in large quantities, from six to eight glasses, throughout the day, except during meals. It gives the skin the necessary moisture and a dewy look. It clears the system of all toxins and keeps the blood free from impurities. Water also protects the skin against pimples. In case of insufficient intake of water, the body will draw on all its water reservoirs, including those of the skin, resulting in dehydration of the skin.

Diet for natural beauty - Vitamin D and E

Vitamin D – this vitamin is essential for healthy teeth, bones and nails as well as for the assimilation of calcium and phosphorus. A deficiency can to dental decay. Valuable natural sources of vitamin D are rays of the sun, milk, butter, and sprouted seeds.


Vitamin E – This vitamin is one of the latest discoveries in the field of beauty care. It is needed to prevent wrinkles, dry skin, brown age spots and dandruff. It helps to improve circulation and healing of scars. Whole wheat bread, whole grains, wheat germ, milk and raw or spouted seeds and nuts are the main natural sources of this vitamin.

Diet for natural beauty - Vitamin C

Vitamin C – This vitamin is essential for the health of the hair, eyes and teeth, resistance to infection, healing of wounds, and firm skin tissues. It reduces pigmentation and prevents bleeding of the gums. A deficiency may cause dry skin and thread veins. This vitamin is found in green vegetables, fresh fruits, especially citrus fruits, like lemon, orange and grapefruit, the Indian gooseberry (amla) and sprouted Bengal and green grams.

Diet for natural beauty - Vitamin B Complex

Vitamin B Complex – All the vitamins of B group are directly related to the health of the skin and hair. They are vital for youthful looks and for delaying graying of hair. These vitamins also counteract stress, which has adverse effects on one’s appearance. A deficiency of B complex vitamins can lead to greasy hair, dandruff, dru skin, redness and irritation, wrinkles and poor hair growth or grey hair. Valuable natural sources of these vitamins are wheat and other whole grain cereals, pulses, nuts, green leafy vegetables, molasses, meat and brewer’s yeast.

Diet for natural beauty - Introduction

just as diet and health are closely related, so also are diet and beauty. What we eat has a profound effect on our outward appearance as well as on our physical wellbeing. An ideal diet for improved looks is one which supplies adequate quantities of all the nutrients essential to health and beauty. The nutrients which are of particular importance for beauty and their main source are mentioned in this section.