For massage students and practicing massage therapists, a proper self-care routine should also include maintaining a nutritious diet. Incorporating healthier foods into your diet can leader to a healthier you—and a healthy body can allow you to practice massage for many years and keep you from having to cancel client appointments.
A nutritious diet can also lead to healthier eyesight. According to the Vision Council of America, the vision care industry accumulated a revenue of $39.77 billion in 2015. Approximately 179.5 million adults need vision correction, an increasing amount annually.
Without maintaining a balanced, healthy diet, therapies such as homeopathy, acupuncture and vision therapies won't be effective. A nutritional foundation is paramount, as well as incorporating organic foods. It's important to get organic, raw, GMO-free food, as raw food has more beneficial free amino acids than cooked food.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture states organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides, fertilizers, sewage sludge, bioengineering or ionizing radiation. The lack of intrusive pesticides creates organic food that maintains a higher nutritional value, which improves your diet and your eyesight.
Five Fab Foods for Healthy Vision
Here are five essential foods to incorporate into your diet:
- Butternut squash contains vitamin A, which is needed by the retina in the form of light-absorbing retinal molecules, and keeps eyes, skin and mucous membranes moist.
- Zucchini contains lutein, used as an antioxidant and for blue light absorption.
- Brussels sprouts contain vitamin C, an antioxidant that reduces the risk of cataract and macular degeneration.
- Blueberries contains vitamin C, which protect the body from free radicals that can damage the eyes and cause disease, as well as decrease the potential for developing glaucoma.
- Kale contains protein, which can decrease the risk for eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration.
Colorful foods will give you clearer vision. It's vital to diversify your food with healthy fruits and vegetables, such as red peppers and carrots, to keep your eyesight vibrant.