Eye Issues (General, Cataracts, Glaucoma & Macular Degeneration)
FOODS TO EAT MORE OF
FOODS TO AVOID OR MINIMIZE
ESSENTIAL OILS
NATURAL/HERBAL
SUPPLEMENTS & HOMEOPATHIC
Glaucoma:
Age-Related Vision Deterioration (try cocktail below)
Cataracts:
MIND-BODY CONNECTION
RECIPES/FOOD MEDICINE
Not all recipes are nutritionally perfect, but the options below are a great way to start incorporating beneficial foods into your diet in delicious ways. Always try to buy organic, and feel free to make substitutions to accommodate gluten-free, vegan, etc diets.
Abbreviation Definitions:
LC = Low Calorie (under 400 for breakfast, 600 for lunch/dinner, and 200 for beverages/sides/snacks)
GF = Gluten Free
KT = Keto / Low Carb
VG = Vegan
VT = Vegetarian
BEVERAGES
MEALS
SIDES/SALADS/SNACKS
- Fruits: apricots, avocados, bananas, bilberries, blackberries, blueberries, clementines, cranberries, grapefruit, grapes, lemons, limes, mangoes, melons, oranges, papyas, peaches, pumpkin, raspberries, strawberries, tangerines, tomatoes, watermelon (dried fruits are good as well)
- Vegetables: asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, collard greens, corn, fennel, green & orange & red bell peppers, kale, squash, sweet potatoes, spinach, watercress, white potatoes, mustard greens, Swiss chard
- Whole grains, eggs, seeds (especially pumpkin), nuts, beans, fish/seafood (especially salmon, tuna, halibut), poultry, yogurt, egg yolks
- Olive oil, wheat germ, garlic (raw if you can), ginger, turmeric, parsley
FOODS TO AVOID OR MINIMIZE
- Red meat & dairy products (except eggs & yogurt)
- Refined foods, fried foods
- Excessive sugar
- Glaucoma can be related to food intolerance - try an ELIMINATION DIET
ESSENTIAL OILS
- To improve vision: juniper, lemongrass, cypress, eucalyptus (diluted in carrier oil on feet, big toes, bottom of feet, ankles, pelvis, brain stem and/or eye area but NOT directly in the eyes).
- For swollen eyes: cypress,helichrysum, lavender (diluted and on eye area, NOT directly in the eyes).
- For Cataracts: lemongrass, cypress, eucalyptus (around eye area, but do NOT get in eyes).
NATURAL/HERBAL
- Calendula, Dandelion leaf, eyebright, evening primrose, fennel, German chamomile, garlic, ginger, ginkgo, goldenseal, parsley, passionflower, rosemary, turmeric
- Flaxseed Oil: 1 Tablespoon (14 grams) daily (take in the morning).
- Eye Rinses:
- Eyebright (1 tsp/pint), Chamomile (2 tsp/cup), Goldenseal (1 tsp/cup), Marigold (1 Tbsp/cup)
- Instructions: mix amounts indicated above of dried herb and hot water; cool and strain. Prepare fresh daily. Use an eye-cup to wash affected eye 3 times daily. Can also drink the tea.
- Conjunctivitis: goldenseal (a few drops of tea in warm sterilized water)
- For pink eye and styes: Marigold eye bath (see above for instructions).
- Styes: a little marigold or tea tree cream (be careful not to get IN EYE). Marigold eye bath (see above for instructions). Taking garlic or echinacea internally can also help.
- For tired eyes, cover with slices of cucumber or used teabags of green tea, fennel or chamomile.
- For improving night vision, try bilberries and/or noni.
- Recent studies suggest fresh aloe sap directly in the eye can heal multiple eye issues as well, but check with your doctor before trying this.
SUPPLEMENTS & HOMEOPATHIC
- Alpha-lipoic acid: 150 mg daily (take in the morning or without food)
- Bilberry: 80 mg 3 times daily (should contain 25% anthocyanosides; may be included in nutritional supplement eye formulas). OR Yeast-Fermented Bilberry Extract (extracted from the fruit, not the leaves)
- Carotenoids: 2 pills mixed carotenoids daily with food (should supply 25,000 IU vitamin A activity)
- Ginkgo Biloba: 40 mg 3 times daily (should contain at least 24% flavone glycosides)
- Grape Seed Extract: 100 mg twice daily (should contain 92%-95% proanthocyanidins)
- Selenium: 400 mcg daily (don't exceed 600 mcg daily; higher doses may be toxic)
- Vitamin A: 50,000 IU twice daily for 7 days, then 25,000 IU daily for 3 weeks (pregnant women should not exceed 5,000 IU daily)
- Vitamin C: 1,000 mg 3 times daily for a month (reduce if it causes diarrhea)
- Vitamin E: 400 IU daily (check with doctor if you are taking anticoagulant drugs)
- Zeaxanthin: 4mg/day for macular degeneration; 2 mg/day preventative
- Zinc/ Copper: 30 mg zinc (add 2 mg copper daily if using zinc longer than 1 month)
Glaucoma:
- Vitamin C: 5-20g daily (as much as can be tolerated w/o diarrhea)
- Rutin (a bioflavonoid): 20 mg 3 x's daily
- Melatonin: less than 1g daily (avoid if pregnant, nursing, or suffering from depression, schizophrenia, or auto immune diseases including lupus)
Age-Related Vision Deterioration (try cocktail below)
- Vitamin C: 500 mg daily
- Vitamin E: 400 IU daily
- Beta-Carotene: 15 mg daily
- Zinc: 80 mg daily
- Copper: 2 mg daily
- Bilberry:80 mg 3 times daily
Cataracts:
MIND-BODY CONNECTION
- Nearsightedness can represent a tendency to live in the moment and not plan for the future, or a fear of the future.
- Farsightedness can represent a tendency to plan for the future and focus on "what-if's" and not being able to live in the present moment or a fear of the present.
- General eye problems or Astigmatism can represent that you aren't looking at something clearly, or don't want to discover something. A symbolic gesture that may help you open up is to clean the windows in your house.
- Cataracts can represents the need for approval from others. Tied to rejection and hurt by others. Try to improve your self-esteem/self-worth.
- Nearsightedness can represent a tendency to live in the moment and not plan for the future, or a fear of the future.
- Farsightedness can represent a tendency to plan for the future and focus on "what-if's" and not being able to live in the present moment or a fear of the present.
- General eye problems or Astigmatism can represent that you aren't looking at something clearly, or don't want to discover something. A symbolic gesture that may help you open up is to clean the windows in your house.
- Cataracts can also represent an inability to see joy in your future.
- An eye sty can represent anger at someone or looking at a situation through angry eyes.
RECIPES/FOOD MEDICINE
Not all recipes are nutritionally perfect, but the options below are a great way to start incorporating beneficial foods into your diet in delicious ways. Always try to buy organic, and feel free to make substitutions to accommodate gluten-free, vegan, etc diets.
Abbreviation Definitions:
LC = Low Calorie (under 400 for breakfast, 600 for lunch/dinner, and 200 for beverages/sides/snacks)
GF = Gluten Free
KT = Keto / Low Carb
VG = Vegan
VT = Vegetarian
BEVERAGES
- Apple-Orange Smoothie GF VG VT
- Banana-Blueberry Smoothie GF VT
- Basic Fruit Smoothie LC GF VG VT
- Blueberry Peach Smoothie LC GF VG VT
- Blueberry Pineapple Smoothie GF VT
- Blueberry Smoothie LC GF VG VT
- Blueberry-Pomegranate Smoothie LC GF VT
- Brain Smoothie GF VG VT
- Cranberry-Blueberry Smoothie GF VT
- Golden Milk LC GF VG VT
- Green Smoothie LC GF VT
- Mango Lassi GF VT
- Mango Pineapple Smoothie LC GF VG VT
- Mango-Banana Smoothie GF VT
- Mango-Blueberry Smoothie GF VT
- Mega-Greens Smoothie GF VT
- Peach-Banana Smoothie LC GF VT
- Peach-Berry Smoothie LC GF VT
- Soothing Elixir LC GF VG VT
- Sunrise Smoothie LC GF VG VT
- Super Skin Smoothie GF VT
- Superfruit Smoothie GF VG VT
- Tropical Smoothie LC GF VG VT
MEALS
- 3 Bean Soup LC GF VG VT
- Adult Ramen LC GF VG VT
- Asian Broccoli & Rice Bowl LC GF VG VT
- Avocado & Egg Toast LC GF KT VT
- Balsamic-Glazed Chicken LC GF KT
- Black Bean Bowl LC GF
- Black Bean Chili LC VG VT
- Black Bean Soup LC GF VG VT
- Blueberry Mini Muffins LC GF VT
- Buddha Bowl GF VG VT
- Chicken & Potatoes with Mustard Vinaigrette LC GF
- Chicken Bone Broth LC GF
- Chicken Dumpling Soup LC
- Chickpea Salad Sandwich GF VG VT
- Cilantro Lime Shrimp LC GF KT
- Cornmeal & Pecan Crusted Fish LC
- Edamame Rice Bowl LC GF VG VT
- Garlic Soup LC GF VG VT
- Harissa Marinated Shrimp LC GF KT
- Healthy Scrambled Eggs LC GF KT VT
- Lemon Chicken LC GF KT
- MahiMahi with Cucumber-Dill Sauce LC GF
- Mujaddara LC GF VG VT
- Mung Beans and Rice LC GF VG VT
- Oven-Fried Fish LC KT
- Pasta Della California LC GF VG VT
- Pasta Fagioli LC VG VT
- Roasted Red Pepper Lasagna LC VG VT
- Salmon with Avocado Salsa LC GF
- Salmon with Red Pepper Sauce LC GF
- Sesame Salmon LC GF KT
- Shrimp Power Bowl GF
- Shrimp with Homemade Red Sauce LC GF
- Shrimp Scampi LC GF KT
- Soy Chicken LC GF KT
- Spiced Lentil Soup LC GF VG VT
- Spicy Black Bean Soup LC GF VG VT
- Tilapia with Balsamic Brown Butter LC KT
- Turkey BLT with Avocado & Sprouts LC
- Vegan Black Bean Bowl LC GF VG VT
- Vegan Bulk Spaghetti Sauce LC GF VG VT
- Vegan Jambalaya LC GF VG VT
- Vegan Mac & Cheese LC VG VT
- Vegetable Broth LC GF VG VT
- Vegetable Curry LC GF KT VG VT
- Vegetarian Chili LC GF VG VT
- Veggie Omelet LC GF KT VT
- White Bean & Spinach Soup LC GF
- White Chili LC GF VT
SIDES/SALADS/SNACKS
- Asian Cabbage Salad LC GF VG VT
- Beans & Greens Salad LC GF VG VT
- Best Baked Potatoes LC GF VG VT
- Bruschetta LC, VG, VT
- Butternut Squash Risotto GF VG VT
- Cannellini and Tomato Crostini VG VT
- Caraway Brussels Sprouts LC GF VG VT KT
- Creamy Kale LC GF KT VG VT
- Dill Vinaigrette Greens LC GF VG VT KT
- Double Mashed Potatoes LC GF VG VT
- Farro VG VT
- Favetta & Pita Triangles GF VG VT
- Fried Cabbage LC GF VG VT KT
- Glazed Carrots LC GF VG VT
- Guacamole GF KT VG VT
- Homemade Salsa LC GF VG VT
- Hummus & Pita Triangles GF VG VT
- Kale Salad with Sesame Dressing LC GF VG VT
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes LC GF VG VT
- Miso Slaw LC GF VG VT
- Molasses Beans LC GF
- Panzanella LC VG VT
- Pesto Potatoes LC GF VG VT
- Pesto Vegetables LC GF VG VT KT
- Pilau Rice LC GF VG VT
- Quinoa Salad LC GF VG VT
- Ranch Potato Wedges LC GF VG VT
- Red Beans & Rice LC GF VG VT
- Roasted Asparagus LC GF VG VT KT
- Roasted Broccoli LC GF VG VT
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts LC GF VG VT
- Roasted Butternut Squash LC GF VG VT
- Roasted Carrots LC GF VG VT
- Roasted Chipotle Sweet Potatoes LC GF VG VT
- Roasted Potatoes LC GF VG VT
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes LC GF VG VT
- Rosemary Red Potatoes LC GF VG VT
- Sauteed Spinach LC GF KT VG VT
- Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes GF VG VT
- Smoked Almonds LC GF VG VT KT
- Southwest Pasta Salad LC VG VT
- Spinach & Strawberry Salad LC GF VG VT
- Steamed Edamame LC GF VG VT
- Three Bean Salad LC GF VG VT
- Warm Red Cabbage Salad LC GF VG VT