7 Tips for Taking Care of Your Eyes

We rely more heavily on our eyes than any other sensory organ, and yet far too often we neglect to take care of them. When our eyes are red or irritated, we simply squeeze in a few drops from the pharmacy and hope that will do the trick. However, eyes are very sensitive, and need far more than eye drops to keep them healthy.
Tips for Healthy Eyes
Beyond the occasional eye drop, it's important to follow these tips for maintain healthy eyes and preventing future damage:
• Eat Well. Whether you realize it or not, what you eat has an effect on your eyes and their overall health. To fight off age-related vision problems, studies show you need nutrients like omega-3, lutein, zinc, fatty acids, and vitamins C and E. Specifically, try eating leafy, green veggies like spinach, collards, or kale, fish that are high in omega-3, non-meat protein sources like eggs, beans, and nuts, and citrus fruits or juices.
• Wear Sunglasses. One of the no-brainer tips is wearing sunglasses. However, did you know not all sunglasses are created equal? You need sunglasses that will protect your eyes from UVA and UVB rays. When shopping, aim for sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of these rays. If possible, look for wraparound and polarized lenses.
• Quit Smoking. It's no surprise that smoking has a negative impact on your heart and lungs, but did you know it is also detrimental to your eyes? Smoking has been shown to increase the likelihood of cataracts, macular degeneration, and optic nerve damage.
• Stop Straining. Chronic eye strain can lead to a variety of problems. This can be avoided by taking a break from straining activities, lubricating the eyes more often, and blinking more frequently.
• Contact Care. Just wearing contacts doesn't mean your eyes are healthy. You must take responsible care of your contacts and avoid wearing them when your eyes are irritated, as this can exacerbate existing issues.
• Stay Active. Regular exercise has been shown to improve eye health by increasing circulation and diminishing pressure within the eyes. This helps those with glaucoma and can prevent future issues.
• Regular Checkups. One of the most important things you can do for your eyes is scheduling regular checkups and exams. Even when there doesn't seem to be an issue, an experienced optometrist should be consulted to verify that everything is okay.
About Eye Exams and Checkups
Eye exams and checkups are important for a variety of reasons and usually include a review of personal and family health history, evaluations of distance and near vision, and evaluations for presbyopia, astigmatism, farsightedness, nearsightedness, eye pressure tests, and interior problems.By Matt Erney

6 Tips for Smoothening Hand Wrinkles

As women approach 40, the effects of the sun, a diminishing supply of estrogen, diet, and nutrition cause skin to dry and wrinkle. Crow's feet, smile lines, and forehead furrows slowly begin to appear on their faces. Unfortunately, the wrinkling doesn't stop at the face. Their hands begin to dry and wrinkle too. While chemical peels, Dermabrasion, Botox or plastic surgery may be the answer to turning back the clock on facial lines, how do mature women smoothen the wrinkles on their hands? Here are 6 tips for smoother, younger hands.

1. Moisturize and replenish your hands after washing The typical woman washes her hands several times a day. When we are not washing our hands, we may use hand sanitizers. Both soap and sanitizers can have drying effects on the hands that can lead to wrinkles. Next time you clean your hands, think of it as a two-step process: wash, then moisturize.

2. Keep pocket-size hand lotions in your purse Pocket-size hand lotions and cremes come in handy when you are away from home and need dry hand relief. You can purchase trial or travel-size lotions at the drugstore or collect them from your hotel room during your next vacation.

3. Use facial scrubs Next time you break out your favorite facial scrub use it on your hands, rather than your face. Facial scrubs used to exfoliate dead skin cells from your face, are also excellent remedies for smoothening hands. They can be purchased inexpensively at the drugstore or made at home using kitchen ingredients like baking soda, rolled oats, or sugar.

4. Eat some carrots Foods rich in beta-carotene, like carrots, are full of antioxidants. Antioxidants help protect the skin from the harmful drying effects of the sun and help minimize wrinkles.

5. Drink water Water is a magical beauty elixir! It is nature's moisturizer and truly the fountain of youth. Staying hydrated improves the overall condition of the skin all over your body.

6. Wear gloves Before you wash your next sink of dishes, scrub your bathroom, or tend to your gardening duties, put on a pair of gloves. Chemicals used in dishwashing liquids and household cleaners can damage the skin on your hands. Similarly, exposing your hands to the elements of sun, wind, and water while performing outdoor activities like gardening, can result in dry skin. Wearing gloves while performing these activities not only protects the hands, it can help them lock in their natural moisture.By Leslie C Smith

Computer Vision Syndrome - 7 Tips to Avoid Computer Vision Syndrome

Computer Vision Syndrome has affected most of computer users. In this era, it is impossible for us not to use the computer since we use it at work for minimum 6 hours daily. Even children nowadays are using computers at school for learning and most of them are also addicted to computer games. Below are the symptoms:
1. Eye strain.
2. Hard to focus on the screen
3. Dry eyes.
4. Headache.
5. Difficult to shifting vision from monitor to close work.
6. Blurry vision
7. More sensitive to light
Computer Vision Syndrome happens due to our eyes focus to monitor screen too long without resting. When we work on computer we tend to blink less than if we are not. Normally we blink 15-20 times per minute, but when we work on a computer we blink only 6-8 time per minute. This will lead us to eye strain and eye irritation.
Below are 5 tips to avoid the ailment:
1. Blink more often to prevent dry eyes.
2. When working on the computer, try to look other object 10 meter distant for 10 seconds every 10 minutes. This will relax our eyes' muscles.
3. Keep the proper lighting in our room.
4. Make sure that our monitor is LCD, not CRT one as LCD monitor is less likely to cause Computer Vision Syndrome . LCD has equipped by anti-reflective surfaces and a higher refresh rate which will not cause any flicker.
5. Wear eye mask and regular massage to relieve eye strain, eye fatigue, headache, and muscle tension.
6. Try to sit down properly. Adjust or more the keyboard or monitor as needed. Make yourself comfortable when working.
7. Take vitamins daily which will improve your eye vision such as; Vitamin A, C, E, and zinc.
By doing those simple tips, we will be able to avoid the ailment and at the same time improve our vision gradually.By Angela Lim

Avoid Foods That Create Inflammation and End Joint Pain

If you have swollen, inflamed joints you may have realized certain foods create inflammation. If you avoid them, you may be able to reduce your pain without harsh medications.

Now, there can be a lot of reasons for aching joints.

In the case of osteoarthritis, the degeneration of cartilage at the joints is the main culprit. Bursitis is another condition that causes joint pain, in which the fluid-filled sacs (bursae) that cushion the bones at the joints become inflamed. There are also autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, that can cause pain, stiffness, and swelling in the joint areas.

In autoimmune disorders, the body's immune system fails to tell the difference between healthy tissues and harmful substances in the body. This results to a hypersensitivity reaction that destroys even healthy body tissues.

One of the body's first responses to irritations of this sort is inflammation. This accounts for the swelling, redness, and pain in the joints felt by persons who suffer from autoimmune diseases. However, research has recently shown that swelling can be aggravated by foods that create inflammation.

Foods high in linoleic acid, a kind of omega-6 essential fatty acid, are known to increase have inflammatory effects. Examples of these are corn, peanut, and soy.

On the other hand, foods that are rich in omega-3 such as tuna and other coldwater fish, have a soothing effect on joint pains. Roughly 100 years ago, most Westerners had a well-balanced diet rich in both omega-6 and omega-3 food sources. However, now nutritionists agree that omega-6-rich foods that cause inflammation far outweigh omega-3 foods in the high-carbohydrates and low-protein diet that most Americans eat today.

Here is a list of some of the foods that can create inflammation and joint pains:

• Dairy products such as cow's milk and cheese contain lactose, a substance that can cause allergic reactions, which may trigger swelling of the bone junctions in the body.

• Refined sugars like white sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, and confectioner's sugar are also best avoided if you suffer from joint pains. Opt for natural sweeteners like honey instead.

• Grains with gluten like wheat, oats and rye can quickly trigger an inflammatory reaction.

• Polyunsaturated oils like sunflower, corn, soy, safflower and peanut oils are high in linoleic acid, which can have an inflammatory effect on the body.

• Caffeine, which is present in coffee, soda, or tea, is known to increase inflammation in cases of people who suffer from joint pains.

• Red meat such as beef, lamb and pork too can increase aches and pains in your joints. If you eat more chicken and fish you may notice less pain.

There are surely many foods that can create inflammation and result to joint pains. However, this doesn't mean that you have to eliminate these foods entirely from your diet.

You can experiment by avoiding them all at once, then slowly reintroducing each one back into your diet, just to see which foods would really trigger the inflammation and joint pain reactions in your body. Or, you can cut back gradually. Doctors say adding omega-3 fish oil supplements to your diet can help balance your fatty acids and relieve inflammation too.-By Jennifer P. April