Success Tips: Nutrition for Your Eyes

Staying healthy goes beyond having a steady workout regimen, the kitchen is an important step to maintaining a healthy body. When you're cooking and preparing a meal, do you ever think about the nutritional value you're not only giving your body, but to your eyes as well?

How many of you think about getting routine eye exams at least every two years? I'm guessing not many. Working for an eye doctor as my regular day job, I'm learning more about eyes that I've ever wanted to know or thought I would know. One of my friends posted a blog today about foods that are healthy for your eyes and I thought the information was interesting and I did a little research and digging myself. Here are some healthy foods to help keep your eyes healthy:

1. Spinach - it's filled with carotenoids (red, yellow, and orange fat soluble pigments found in many plants that are powerful antioxidants and related to Vitamin A) which help boost your vision, who knew!

2. Fish - By eating just 1 serving a week, helps reduce the inflammation of blood vessels in your eyes.

3. Eggs - Yolk contains lutein that is also a carotenoid.

4. Sardines (Yuck!...it's because they have 3 different types of omega fats).

5. Nuts - By eating 1 to 2 servings of nuts per week this helps reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) which is the leading cause of blindness by people over the age of 60 by up to 35%.

Pretty cool right? So now after reading these tips how many of your are going to step up your game and eat these foods a little more often to keep your eyes healthy?

"The eyes are the mirror to the soul." – Unknown

www.twitter.com/s_laursen

Facts provided by www.womensday.com

Success Tips: Everyday Exercise

I've been asked in the past how I make time to hit the gym six days a week. My answer is that I put exercise into my everyday routine, I make it a part of my schedule. However, I realize not everyone has all the time in the world to hit the gym. So, how you can you incorporate exercise into your schedule?

Here's some quick tips:

If you take the bus to work or school, why not ride your bike if it's not extremely far from your home.

Walk to the grocery store. If you know you don't have a ton of groceries to pick up you'll get in a great cardio workout. Not to mention when you leave the store you'll have a little extra weight to carry.

If you live in an apartment complex (such as myself), take the stairs vs. the elevator. The same goes for work.

Even if you're in the middle of cooking dinner grab some soup cans and do some weight lifting. It may sound silly at first, but trust me all of these things can help get you to a healthier you.

Heck, I've even used my cat for extra weight to do some weight lifting. Yes my cat looked at me like I was nuts and didn't understand what I was doing, but she didn't mind it after awhile.

Look for alternative methods and everyday objects to get into shape and remember to eat in moderation, I guarantee your body will thank you.

Make No Apologies

The last couple of weeks I've been slacking and not being very productive, especially in the gym. I dealt with the loss of my grandmother last week and took some time for myself. I shut everyone out which may not be the healthiest of ways to handle my loss, but sometimes it's important to let yourself regroup on your own terms.

My grandmother was a big part of my life from day one. She taught me a lot about being strong and independent. She watched me graduate from high school. She sat with me when I was sick or recovering from surgery. She took part in some of my physical therapy lessons. She always kept encouraging me, telling me I could pull through any difficult situation I was given and that I was a "tough cookie."

My grandmother was born in 1911 and went through many historical events that my generation and younger only have heard about in text books. She was supporting two children on her own during The Great Depression, she watched WWI and WWII unfold and remembered when JFK was shot, just to name a few. She didn't complain about anything she had to do to get by in this world. She worked hard and found enjoyment by working with horses and bowling. She made no apologies for who she was or how she lived her life. People loved her for her.

She taught me many, many life lessons throughout my growing up. So make no apologies for being you. Have your beliefs, live your life the way you want and don't listen when people tell you you can't do something.

I'll carry the memories in my heart and continue to remember life lessons that she taught me when situations come up during my life. I'll never forget the time 3 years ago when she told me I drove like an old lady driving her to my parents house for dinner and was actually going the speed limit. :)

Forever and always in my heart....

www.twitter.com/s_laursen