Dry Eye Treatment: Water And An Alkaline Plant Based Diet
Dry Eye Treatment: Water And An Alkaline Plant Based Diet
Many people spend a lot of time staring at a computer screen. Blinking moistens your eyes which helps prevent dryness and irritation. Staring allows the tears that coat the eyes to evaporate. Taking preventative measures is great, but what if you have a problem producing tears?
Two simple things are major causes of dry eye. A Lack of water and a lack of nutrients.
Dehydration and Dry Eye
This study[1] showed that people who suffered from dry eye were comparatively dehydrated to people who didn’t suffer from dry eye. The ability to make tears to keep the eyes moist increases as dehydration decreases.
As a person gets more dehydrated the tears become more concentrated. Re-hydration reverses this easily and thins the tears and promotes tear production.
Drink a gallon of spring water daily to make sure you are properly hydrated. Don’t worry, drinking this amount of water throughout the day is not harmful and the body will get rid of the water doesn’t need.
It is better to have your body remove small amounts of water it doesn’t need, than to not consume enough water and become dehydrated on some level.
Water Eye Wash
Washing your eyes with a spring water and sea salt solution can give your eyes some immediate relief, especially if you stare at a computer screen for long periods of time.
Thoroughly mix one-quarter teaspoon of sea salt to one-half cup of spring water. Add solution to an eye wash cup. Wash an eye individually and discard the water after use to avoid transferring an infection from one eye to the other. The video will give you an idea of how to proceed.
Eat An Alkaline Plant Based Diet To Protect Against Dry Eye
People with dry eyes who want to maximize their tear secretion are advised to minimize their protein, fat, and cholesterol intake.[2] The means reducing your meat and dairy intake.
The study recommended increasing carbohydrate intake through increasing the consumption of a plant based diet. It recommended increasing the intake of specific nutrients from various food categories. (The foods I listed are from the Dr. Sebi Nutritional Guide.)
- Zinc from raw vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. (Kale, amaranth greens, garbanzo beans, spelt, kamut)
- Vitamin A from red, orange, yellow, and dark green vegetables. (Okra, bell peppers, plum tomatoes, tomatillos, wild arugula, lettuce)
- B-Complex and potassium from nuts, seeds, legumes, fruit. (Brazil nuts, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), bananas)
- Vitamin C from citrus fruits. (Sour orange, keylime)
Please check out the Dr. Sebi Nutritional Guide for alkaline plant foods that support health and vitality »
Sources:
[1] Author response: is whole body hydration an important consideration in dry eye?
[2] Influence of diet on tear function.
