Free Vegan Recipes

Taking care of your eyes and bones
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Office workers commonly face two health problems tired eyes and backache.

These problems normally arise from poor diet. Therefore to solve the problems you need to change your diet ie choosing food that can protect your eyes and provide enough calcium for your body.

To keep eyes healthy Vitamin A and beta carotene are the two essential nutrients needed. Carrots are an excellent source of both Vitamin A and beta carotene.

Research has shown that high intakes of beta carotene may help to protect against damage caused by free radicals. The body converts beta carotene into vitamin A which is needed for healthy vision as well as the maintenance of mucous membranes.

Other sources of beta carotene include tomato spinach apricot and red sweet potatoes which are further analysed below.

The level of Vitamin C in your eyes is much higher than in your bloodstreams. However this level decreases along with age. Vitamin C protects the eyes by reducing ultra violet damage. It acts to protect the lens from oxidative damage and protect enzymes within the lens by removing oxidationdamaged proteins. As a result deficiency in Vitamin C may lead to the formation of cataracts.

As your body does not store vitamin C for long it is important to replenish it by eating lots of vitamin Crich fruits and vegetables.

As a guide you should include the following foods which are essential for the healthy of your eyes:

1.Carrots contain more sugar than any other vegetables and as mentioned above abundant supply of betacarotene which is good for your eyes as well as your skin.

2.Spinach contains protein fats carbohydrates fiber calcium phosphorus iron betacarotene riboflavin etc.

3.Tomatoes are a good source of vitamins minerals carbohydrates potassium and organic acid. Because of their acidic nature they protect the vitamin C from damage or lost during high heat while cooking thereby retaining much of the important vitamin C.

4.Wolfberry has high concentration of betacarotene vitamins A B1 B2 C calcium iron etc. One very simple but nourishing drink is the wolfberrychrysanthemums tea which is good for both your vision and liver.

5.Green peppers are rated the highest source of Vitamin C among the vegetables. They are also a rich source of fiber calcium phosphorus iron and sugar.

6.Apricots are high in vitamin C A B1 & B2 sugar protein fats inorganic salt thus are considered to be nutritious fruits.

7.Chinese dates contain 14 amino acids that your body needs and the vitamins are higher than that found in apples and bananas.

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in your body. Of the bodys total calcium about 99% is in the bones and teeth where it functions to support their structure. The remaining 1% is present throughout your body in blood tissues and fluids between the cells.

You need calcium for muscle contraction blood vessel contraction and expansion blood clotting the secretion of hormones and enzymes and sending messages through the nervous system.

Your body maintains a constant level of calcium in body fluid and tissues so that your vital body processes function efficiently. If you suffer from calcium deficiency you are at risk of developing osteoporosis. This involves loss of calcium from the bones and reduced bone density which causes bones to be brittle and liable to fracture.

Bone loss occurs with age in all individuals. But the loss rate usually speeds up after 3540 years and involves the shrinking of the skeleton. Bone loss is greatest in women following the menopause. This is due to reduced levels of the hormone estrogen. Postmenopausal women are particularly at risk from osteoporosis.

Doctors advice is to start storing up calcium in your body since infancy so that you are able to delay the inevitable gradual loss of bone loss in your later years.

If you have not been doing so now its time to start the calcium buildup. The risk of osteoporosis may be altered by factors other than diet. Lack of exercise being underweight smoking and alcohol can all increase the risk.

Vitamin D is needed for absorption of dietary calcium. You can obtain Vitamin D from food and when your skin is exposed to sunlight. Thus adequate vitamin D from food intake and sun exposure is essential for bone health.

Despite the goodness of calcium excess calcium can be harmful to health. Too much in the blood can cause nausea vomiting and calcium deposition in the heart and kidneys. This usually results from excessive doses of vitamin D and can be fatal in infants.

Some super calciumrich foods are:

1.Milk is best known for its high calcium content however many people cannot digest the lactose in milk (lactose intolerance) resulting in nausea bloating gas abdominal cramping diarrhea within two hours after milk is consumed.

2.For those who are lactointolerant and therefore cannot drink milk the next best alternative is to take soybeans or its related products. Not only are soy beans high in calcium they are also rich in lysine and iron which are readily absorbed by our bodies.

Lysine is classified as one of the nine essential amino acids that the body needs for growth and tissue repair and has to get from outside source ie the body cant produce lysine on its own. A 150g of tofu contains at least 500 gm of calcium.

3.Black sesame seeds are an extremely good source of calcium; studies have shown that one gram of seeds contains approximately 85 milligrams of calcium. Black sesame seeds also have high amounts of protein phosphorous iron and magnesium.

They are also said to cure constipation by regulating bowel movements. Some Chinese sinsehs also believe black sesame seeds can nourish our hair in keeping them looking rich and dark.

4.Broccoli is chosen for its rich vitamin A calcium vitamin B vitamin C folate iron beta carotene magnesium potassium and zinc. The darker colours of the florets such as bluegreen and purplegreen contain more beta carotene and vitamin C than those with lighter greens.

5.Celery contains proteins and several other active compounds that promote health including phalides which may help to lower cholesterol and courmarins that may help to prevent cancer.

It is also a good source of calcium and phosphorus therefore it helps to stabilize and protect blood vessels walls.

6.Theres iodine calcium protein vitamin A B and minerals in seaweed. It helps to rid of the cholesterol in blood vessels thereby preventing the vessels from clotting.

Laura Ng is passionate in providing quality nutritional facts and health tips plus recommending 100% toxicfree vegan recipes to everyone who cares about his/her health. Shes willing to share with you selflessly all her secrets at http://www.iOneHealth.com . Youll gain plenty but lose nothing. Promised.