Howdy-hi, folks! As I said on Sunday, today might be a conglomerate of bloggy memes rolled into one post. I’d rather go this route then sweep everything under the rug for a week. If I may, might I suggest to you to start the playlist for some background music while you read through my post? 😉
A couple of weeks ago, I had my bi-annual eye exam. My script did change as expected but what I didn’t count on the slight concern in Dr. M’s words that my cataracts have gotten bigger. They are still small but he said the change was noticeable and he wants me back in the office in 6-months for a visual field exam. He said there’s no immediate worries, but he indicated that perhaps this could be part of my vision change and cataract surgeries are done frequently on people in my age range. This prompted me to learn of ways to slow the progression down and so I want to share with you these tips that could help slow down cataract growth.
Some basics things to incorporate into your life include wearing sunglasses and a wide brim hat outdoors to protect your eyes from harmful UV light. I’ll admit the chances are slim that I’ll put a wide brim hat on while taking walks in the mountains but I do put on a ball cap which is better than nothing. Another thing that helps is reducing glare on your eyes from your computer monitor. On my mobile devices and on my computer I enabled the NightShift feature which makes the screen light amber eliminating harsh blue light to my eyes. I should turn the brightness down a wee bit but I think that causes too much strain on my eyes at this point. Something I definitely want to work on is getting in the habit to practice the 20-20-20 method where every 20-minutes you look away at an object that’s 20-feet away for 20-seconds. I plan to set my timer on my iPad in 20-minute intervals until it becomes second nature. Exercise at least 150 minutes each week anything from moderate exercise to vigorous walking. The article I read didn’t address all the why. Its focus was primarily to maintain a healthy weight as cataracts are strongly related to diabetes. That’s definitely something I do not want any part of!
On the diet side to protecting the health of your eyes against cataract development or in my case to slow down, if you’re not eating a well balanced diet or taking supplements then consider making the necessary adjustments to include two important nutrients found eggs and green leafy veggies, lutein and zeaxanthin (at least 6mg per day). Food sources: kale, spinach collard greens, turnip greens, dandelion greens, mustard greens, beet greens, radicchio, summer and winter squash. The last two have me stumped a bit. I think we all short change ourselves where vegetables are concerned but I love spinach so this is very doable and eggs – yum!
We have always been big on supplements. Vitamin C is one that we take daily and while we get additional C in other citrus juices I was surprised when I read that to notice the benefits derived from C supplements would take 10-years blew my mind. The daily recommendation is only 90mg for men and 75mg for women. Just to give you an idea, a glass of orange juice offers 90% of your daily recommended. Other fruits and veggies plentiful in Vitamin C include: cantaloupe, cauliflower, grapes, lychees, squash, broccoli guava, red and green peppers, citrus fruits, tomatoes and tomato juice, strawberries, kiwi, brussel sprouts, and get this potatoes!
Foods that are good to combat UV damage are those rich in vitamin E like vegetable oils. Sunflower, safflower, and wheat germ were specifically mentioned in my digging. It would be interesting to know if other oils are equally helpful. Spinach, nuts especially almonds, sunflower seeds, wheat germ, peanut butter, collard greens, avocados, mango, hazelnuts, Swiss chard (a beet variety), and fish oil high in omega-3 fatty acids has proven to reduce cataract growth.
These steps are easy to follow…well, exercise probably is the single most difficult thing for most of us to get on the ball to doing. It all comes down to common sense exercise, good diet, and proper weight. I believe our over-all well-being plays an essential part of how fast or slow cataracts show up. Where ever you are age-wise, it’s not too soon or too late to work these measures in. 😉
How about some giggles and grins?
1. They say the kitchen is the heart of the home…tell us about YOUR kitchen. What is your favorite part of your kitchen? The dishwasher…yes, definitely the dishwasher is my favorite part of my kitchen. For most of the years I was raising our children, I didn’t have an automatic dishwasher. When the kids got bigger they alternated that chore but still I had to do them on occasion and in the cooler months my hands really paid for it. Not to mention it was difficult to stay on top of the constant mound of dirty dishes, glasses, and cookware. A dishwasher can’t do everything but it sure does help to free up my time and protects my hands.
2. If money were no object, what would be your “dream kitchen”? My dream kitchen wouldn’t work in our current home but if money isn’t an object then I’d certainly would not only have a dream kitchen but my dream home. That being said, what would be my dream kitchen. Perhaps something along the lines of this one below. There would be some changes even to this but I like the general layout with the huge eating island (also a great area for food prep – rolling out pizza dough, cutting cookies, building a cake, …), huge stove, built in oven, and the sink which is barely visible in the lower left corner appears to be near a window.
3. Tell us about a favorite memory from your kitchen, or from a kitchen in your past, perhaps your mother’s kitchen or your grandma’s kitchen? Some of my fondest memories of my mother’s kitchen are the scents from holiday cooking. She would bake the Thanksgiving turkey overnight periodically basting the bird with the aroma of sage lingering in the air all night long. My bedroom was just off the kitchen. The crack of light streaming through the open door and the clanging of pots and pans didn’t disturb my rest. In fact, it somehow lulled me into a peaceful slumber as I found comfort in those sounds and scents.
4. If you could invite anyone in the world (either past or present) to come visit with you in your kitchen, who would it be, and why? Honestly, I can’t think of one particular person. If I had my dream house with my dream kitchen then my kitchen would have an open invitation to my family and dear friends. The why is probably obvious to you and that is there’s nothing like sharing a cup of coffee a slice of pie or piece of cake or home-baked cookie while you enjoy the warm company of those you love.
Let’s build a playlist together! Leave your #1 ‘EYE’ song title in comments and if I use it, then I’ll give you credit for the contribution. In times past I’ve joined Stacy’s Tuesday Random Thoughts and Sandee’s Happy Tuesday. I’m trying to figure how I want to add these back into my blogging routine and while I may not participate, I plan to visit these lovely ladies today. I hope you’ll grab your coffee and follow my lead.
I apologize for the lengthy post. Don’t worry if you couldn’t read everything or that you just skipped to the segments that only interested you. That’s fine. I’ll be back tomorrow for my next edition of Wild Wednesdays, the party where just about anything goes! X💋X💋, Cathy
