An eye healthy diet is one of the best diets  to improve overall health and truly slow down the aging in the entire body states Dr. Michael Lange Optometrist and certified nutrition specialist.

I have been preaching proper nutrition to my patients for over 20 years and now I am a firm believer that if we nourish the eyes we are helping the entire body.  I have seen hundreds if not thousands of patients in my Lange Eye Care centers that have responded almost miraculously to adjustments in their diet.  The eye is the window to the body ,so whom better than the patients optometrist or ophthalmologist to discuss dietary changes with their patients.  After years and years of  experience working with patients  I have finally determined what works best for most patients.  I have adopted a combination of the Paleo diet, Mediterranean, Organic, Gluten free diet with a twist.   I have added specific foods that have proven to be effective at helping many eye conditions and also being great for the entire body.  I have also determined it is best to have a combination of cooked and raw foods. If patients will only follow these specific guide lines they will enjoy a healthier life with less ocular and systemic diseases.   I have seen patients loose dramatic amounts of weight, gain muscle, improve visual health, improve blood chemistries, improve skin health and appearance, improve mood and energy and mobillity.   I have also seen many patients get off or reduce the need for prescription medication when they follow these simple steps.

I recommend patients to eat five small meals a day and drink plenty of  good water daily.   The meals should consist of  protein, fruits , vegetables, nuts and seeds.   The protein should be  lean organically raised protein like grass-fed beef, free range chicken or turkey, organic eggs and wild fish.  The Vegetables should be organically grown and washed thoroughly and should consist of Spinach, kale, collard greens,  mustard greens,  swiss chard, Brussel sprouts, cabbage,  iceberg lettuce , romaine lettuce, celery, brocoli, mushrooms, cauliflower, onions, garlic, beets, asparagus, shallots, cucumbers, tomatoes,orange and red bell peppers, avocados  and green beans.  The fruits should consist of blueberries, gogi berries, bananas, oranges, grape fruits,  strawberries, black berries, apples, grapes, nectarines, pineapples and coconuts.  Nuts and seeds like pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews, pecans and  walnuts are  great with a meal or as a snack.  This particular diet does allow small amounts of organic brown rice and organic yogurt or Kiefer  two to three times  per week.  Beverages consist of plenty of spring water or well water but stay away from distilled or reverse osmosis water do to the acid ph and lack of minerals is this type of water.  One cup of coffee is actually beneficial and a few cups of organic loose leaf green or white tea throughout the day .  Organic milk, Organic Goats milk,  almond milk, coconut milk, hemp milk, rice milk are all suitable beverages.  A glass of organic  red wine at times  is also allowed. Coconut water is one of the best ways to hydrate during the day.  Cook the foods either by broiling, boiling, grilling or gently sauté, never over cook! .   When cooking try to cook in stainless steel or cast iron and stay away from teflon or silver stone  coated pans do to the potential toxins that may be released into the air and the food.  Cook using organic virgin coconut oil or virgin olive oil on very low heat. seasonings consist of pink sea salt, pepper, garlic, thyme, rosemary, curcumin, turmeric, cloves, cinnamon, sage, apple cider vinegar, wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, grape seed oil,  and parsley.  The dark green leafy vegetables  like spinach, kale, collards, swiss chard and mustards should be cooked and not eaten raw.  Raw greens are very difficult to digest and quite high in oxalitic acid that may block calcium absorption and increase risk of kidney stones.  When cooked the oxalates drop and the cell wall is much more easily digested allowing for absorption of the vision critical nutrient lutein.

As you can see this diet does not contain much man made overly processed foods and does not contain any wheat, barley, rye, oats, soy, corn or canola. These are foods that are predominantly genetically modified or contain gluten and I recommend staying away from.  People need to become pro active in their current and future health and start to eat properly .  It is never too late to start eating the foods that will nurture your eyes and body!  Eat to your future health.  This is a start in the  right direction.

I also recommend  some form  of cardio vascular exercise along with weight training and a good nights sleep to complement the diet. Lastly I  recommend some specific supplements to insure you are getting the necessary nutrition to help the body fight the aging process.  I recommend everyone take a good form of  re esterfied triglyceride form  omega three fish oil two times per day if you are 250 lbs or less and three to four per day if over 250 lbs.  These omega three gel caps should have an EPA of about 400-450mg and a DHA of 250-300 mg .  I also recommend taking a good multi vitamin that does not have any dyes or synthetic nutrients in them and finally 6mg daily of astaxanthin.  Fortifeye Vitamins is the company that I started eight years ago and has all of these products available at www.fortifeye.com or call 866 503 9746.  The Lange Nutrition Center in Clearwater Florida and the nutrition center inside Lange Eye Care Uptown Optical Gallery in the Ocala Square (opens 2/2014) is  a place you can shop for all of your vitamins and organic needs. You can also get an organic cup of coffee , smoothie or green tea while shopping.