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Watch out for winter

1/11/2002

WINTER is fast creeping onto us once again and before we know it we'll find ourselves in heavy rain, fog and freezing temperatures.

The impacts on us in several ways: eczema becomes more inflamed during winter for some people, flu runs at an epidemic level and the majority of us suffer from runny eyes (need I go on?).

I am going to advise you on the best way to keep your eyes healthy this winter.

It is important to ensure your diet is rich in antioxidants A,C,D,E and minerals by eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, particularly the green leafy variety such as broccoli and cabbage. These contain nutrients, which protect the sensitive blood circulation in the retina.

Vitamin A is also known as the 'vision vitamin' because it prevents damage to the eye due to free radicals. This vitamin can be found in eggs, fish liver oils and also in dark green leafy vegetables and also fruits. At work, if you use VDU most of the time, it is important to take frequent breaks to lessen the eye strain caused by operating the VDU.

Eyes should be splashed with cold water morning and night to ensure and encourage blood flow and pads soaked in weak salt water or an infusion of tea can also be placed over the eyes. Lying flat with slices of cucumber or cold tea bags over the eyes can work wonders for dark circles.

Bad eyesight can be traced back to free radicals which bombard us every day - I like to call them silent bombs. These radicals attack healthy cells, which eventually lead to disease. The damage can be minimised and even reversed by eating a healthy diet and taking vitamin and mineral supplements especially antioxidants.

It is recommended that to improve the health of the eyes, one should eat five to nine servings of fresh fruit and vegetables per day and increase intake of the omega 3 and 6 fats found in fish oils and flax seed oils.

Nutritionists recommend avoiding the intake of sugars, solid vegetable oils and chemicals, which are known to be toxic. Should you suffer from conjunctivitis, it would help to bathe the eyes in milk. Taking vitamin C in large doses at the beginning can also be useful as can bathing with a weak solution of camomile tea which has antiseptic properties and is a natural antihistamine. This makes it an ideal solution for hay fever eyes or irritation and soreness caused by smoke.