TAKE CARE OF YOUR EYES

Diet and regular upkeep are two important factors in taking care of your eyes. Eye exercises can restore your sight. Your eyes are the window to the world. It's important that you take care of them.

1. EAT ALOT OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES  

Carrots, loaded with beta carotene are especially helpful in maintaining healthy eyes. That's because beta carotene is an antioxidant that reduces the risk of macular degeneration.

Broccoli, bell peppers, and brussels sprouts are also great for your eyes, containing lots of vitamin C. Okay, they're not the greatest tasting vegetables in the world (or maybe you love them, in which case good for you!) so dip them in hummus or other yummy yogurt spreads to make them palatable.

Wild salmon and sardines are also healthy options for your eyes. That's because they contain omega-3 fats, which are the good fats for your body. These omega-3s protect tiny blood vessels in the eyes.

Sweet potatoes and spinach round out the healthy options for maintaining good eyes. Both contain beta carotene, and spinach contains lots of vitamin C, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Make the sweet spuds into home-fries with a bit of olive oil, and make spinach into a tasty side or a delectable dip.

2. AVOID WEARING CONTACT LENSES FOR MORE THAN 19 HOURS.

This can cause permanent sight damage as well as extreme discomfort to your eyes. Don't wear glasses too long either. Especially 3-D glasses!

Never sleep with your contact lenses in unless specifically instructed to do so. Your eyes need regular supplies of oxygen, and lenses block the flow of oxygen to the eyes, especially during sleep. So doctors recommend a normal period of break for your eyes during the night.

Avoid wearing your contact lenses when swimming. Your lenses could easily slip off your ideas when they come in contact with the surface area of the water. If you are wearing goggles, your contact lenses may be used while swimming.

3. USE ALLERGEN-REDUCING EYE DROPS SPARINGLY.

Using an allergen-reducing eye drop during allergy season to 'get the red out' and sooth itchiness may help on a limited basis, but chronic daily use can actually make the problem worse.

Allergen-reducing eye drops work by constricting the blood flow to the cornea, thereby depriving it of oxygen. So while your eyes don't feel inflamed and itchy anymore, they're actually not getting any oxygen from blood. That's not ideal.

Using redness-relieving eye drops chronically will cause more redness in your eyes. Your body gets so accustomed to the chemicals in the eye drops that they no longer work effectively.

Read the labels of eye drops carefully; many drops cannot be used while wearing contacts.

4. USE CUCUMBER ON YOUR EYELIDS.

Press cold cucumber slices gently against eyelids 10 minutes before going to sleep at night to prevent puffiness.

Cucumbers contain ascorbic acid and caffeic acid, which prevent water retention. These compounds help explain why cucumbers are used throughout the world to treat inflammation and dermatitis.

Green tea bag may also help prevent puffiness if applied to the eyes. Soak the tea bag in cold water for a few minutes and place over eyes for 15-20 minutes. The tannins in the tea should help reduce inflammation.

5. WEAR UV PROTECTIVE SUNGLASSES.

Get polarized lenses, NOT just darker lenses. The lenses that only make the world darker will just make your pupils dilate and don't do a thing to stop the UV rays.

Prolonged exposure to UV rays can harm your eyesight, protection in youth can help prevent loss of eyesight in later years. Exposure to UV rays has been linked to cataracts, macular degeneration, pingueculae and pterygia, harmful conditions for the eyes.

Since the damage to eyes from UV rays builds up over a lifetime, it's important to shield children from harmful rays. Make sure your children wear hats and protective glasses when they are out in the sunlight for prolonged periods.

Be sure to wear sunglasses even if you're in the shade. Even though shade lessens UV and HEV exposure significantly, you're still exposing your eyes to UV rays reflected off of buildings and other structures.

6. DON'T SPEND TO MUCH TIME LOOKING AT YOUR COMPUTER SCREEN.

As a matter of fact, now would be a good time to give your eyes a break, since you're not doing anything too important. When you use your computer, make sure you keep appropriate distance between your eyes and the computer screen.

While science hasn't yet proven that looking at computer screens causes permanent eye damage, it may cause eye strain and dry eyes.[5] The glare from computer screens causes muscle fatigue in the eyes, either from being too bright or too dark.

People blink less when they're looking at a screen, causing drier eyes. Make a conscious effort to blink every 30 seconds when you're sitting down and looking at your computer screen to combat dry eyes.

7. WEAR GOGGLES WHEN APPROPRIATE.

Be sure to wear goggles or other eye protective wear when working with chemicals or any place with harmful airborne particulates.

Minimize the transmission of harmful particulate matter into eye region.

8. EXERCISE AND RELAX YOUR EYES.

Try focusing your eyes on objects that are near to you, then objects that are far away. Repeat this process multiple times.

Sit down, place your elbows on your hips, close your eyes and bring your closed eyes down, resting them on your palms. Keep your palms covering your eyes for 10 seconds. Open your eyes and repeat as necessary.

Stretch your arm out and place your thumb in the hitchhiker position. Focus your vision on your thumb while you slowly bring your outstretched arm closer to your body, until your thumb is about five inches from your face. Slowly zoom the thumb back to its original position, focusing on it with your eyes all the while.

9. AVOID DIM LIGHTS

Do not read in dim light. Reading in dim light can cause eye strain but will not damage your eyes. If your eyes feel tired, stop for a while and take a break.

10. AVOID DIRECT LIGHT

Do not look at a bright light directly. Never focus your eyes on the sun directly, as it can damage your eyes.

As much as you through these things to help your eyes, also adhere to these warnings. 

- Never rub your eyes too much.

- Never look into the sun directly or with a telescope.

- Never put sharp objects in your eyes.

- Never put salt in your eyes.

- Wash your hands before putting contacts in.

- Try to take a sufficient amount of Vitamin A! Too much can make your eyes red as well.

- You should eat green vegetables, carrots, etc. So that you will get sufficient amount of vitamin A that prevents night blindness.

EFFECTS OF SMILING AND LAUGHING

Smiling and laughing can have a positive effect on your well-being, but as you make the transition from child to adult, you often tend to lose the habit of indulging in these behaviors. A good example of this is a children’s playground: You often see the kids running around, constantly laughing and smiling as they enjoy living in the moment, while the parents sit around the edge, full of the stresses that modern life can bring, with the occasional grin breaking their otherwise serious facial expressions. Adults can benefit from taking a lead from children and making more room in life for smiling and laughter.

Research has shown that there are number of health benefits contributed to smiling and laughing. In addition to improved health, these simple facial expressions and common human behaviors can have a distinctive positive affect on other factors all areas of your life. When you smile and laugh, a number of physiological changes occur in your body, mostly without you being consciously aware of it happening.

Below are the benefits of laughing and smiling.

1. Neurotransmitters called endorphins are released when you smile.

These are triggered by the movements of the muscles in your face, which is interpreted by your brain, which in turn releases these chemicals. Endorphins are responsible for making us feel happy, and they also help lower stress levels. Faking a smile or laugh works as well as the real thing—the brain doesn’t differentiate between real or fake as it interprets the positioning of the facial muscles in the same way. This is known as the facial feedback hypothesis. The more we stimulate our brain to release this chemical the more often we feel happier and relaxed.

2. Endorphins make us feel happier and less stressed.

They also act as the body’s natural pain killers. For sufferers of chronic pain, laughing and smiling can be very effective in pain management, as can laughing off the pain when you bump an elbow or fall over.

3. While the release of endorphins is increased, the stress hormone cortisol is reduced.

Cortisol (one of several steroid hormones produced by the adrenal cortex and resembling cortisone in its action) is more active when we feel stressed or anxious and contributes to the unpleasant feelings we experience, and by lowering it we can reduce these negative feelings.

4. Laughing expands the lungs, stretches the muscles in the body and stimulates homeostasis.

This exercises the body, replenishing the cells from a lungful of oxygen and gaining all the benefits of exercising the body.

5. A good laugh can be an effective way to release emotions.

A good laugh can help you release emotions, especially those emotions that you might bottle up inside. Everything looks that little bit better after a good laugh and life can be seen from a more positive perspective. Smiling and laughing have positive social implications as well.

6. Smiling is an attractive expression, which is more likely to draw people to you rather than push them away.

Smiling makes you appear more approachable. Interaction with others is easier and more enjoyable when smiles and laughs are shared, and these behaviours are contagious, making others feel better too, and make you a more appealing and attractive person to be around. This in turn will have a positive effect on your well-being.

7. A happy, positive expression will serve you well in life.

This is particularly true for challenging situations such as job interviews: a smiling, relaxed person indicates confidence and an ability to cope well in stressful situations. This will also be of benefit in your career, building healthy relationships with colleagues and being seen in a favourable light by your employers.

How to Smile and Laugh More Often

There are simple ways to bring more smiling and laughing into your day:

Smile and laugh regularly. As mentioned, your brain does not know the difference between a fake or real smile, and by doing so more often you will feel better, and become more likely to smile and laugh more spontaneously.

Watch funny films, TV, and theater shows. This is an excellent way to inject some instant humor into your life. By avoiding negative programs and news broadcasts, you can also balance and make your viewing more positive and lighthearted, with more opportunity for a chuckle or two.

Spend time with friends and family that make you feel happy. 

Surround yourself: Surrounding yourself with happy, fun-loving, optimistic people will bring out your happy side, and their behaviour will rub off on you as you subconsciously mimic their behavioral patterns.

Find things to smile and laugh about. Once you start consciously looking at all the things that are funny and uplifting, you will be more aware of them, in tune with them, and more ready to engage in a spontaneous smile or laugh.