8 ways you don't realise you're putting your eyes at risk

A lot of us are guilty of taking our sight for granted but no one stays young forever and whether you're lucky enough to have perfect vision, or already have glasses or contacts, there are some very simple things to be aware of.

We spoke to David Ruston, an expert at Johnson and Johnson for his advice on how you may be putting your sight at risk...

1 NOT EATING ENOUGH LEAFY GREENS

'Green leafy vegetables are really good for the eyes. The best is kale, and the old stories about carrots are true, carrots are good for the eyes, and also in nutritional terms, oily fish.

2. NOT WEARING SUNNIES

People know with the skin to not be out in UV rays too long but very few people know that ultra violet light is a major cause of cataracts, and also it is believed to be a cause of retinal disease.

It actually isn’t about protecting your eyes at the middle of the day like you do your skin, but when the sun is lower, like it often is in the UK.

3. WEARING THE WRONG SUNGLASSES

If you buy sunglasses with a C mark on them they should have good UV blocking. The only problem with sunglasses is that if they aren’t wrap around, the UV gets in round the side and actually it gets focused by our own eyes, on a certain point of the eye.

4. SMOKING

The major risk [for the eyes] is something called macular degeneration, which is the biggest cause of sight loss in the UK, so it is the centre part of the vision, basically gets very poor, so people can still find their way about but can't read or watch TV. Smoking is one of causes of this.

5. NOT TAKING ENOUGH SCREEN BREAKS

It is obviously very tiring; people tend to complain about eye problems if they are doing a lot of screen things all day long. The usual advice we give to people is to make sure they are blinking regularly, otherwise it dries your eyes out and makes them uncomfortable and make sure your blinking once every 10 seconds or so. Take little breaks, look away from the screen, across the office to change your focus now and again.

6. THE WRONG ANGLE OF YOUR COMPUTER SCREEN

Make sure the screen is slightly down, you should be able to look over the top, so when looking at the screen you’re looking slightly down and that will be a more comfortable and natural for the eyes.

7. NOT TAKING OFF YOUR MAKE-UP

If you get the glands around your eyes, by the tear glands, blocked up it can lead to dry uncomfortable eyes as you get older. If you look at older people, the way their eyes look from the outside, you may notice they have missing eyelashes, they have red eyelids and the white bit has gone dull and red, they don’t look so pretty. If you were to use makeup and block those glands, there is a chance you could get that.

8. DOING SPORT WITHOUT PROTECTION

If you’re playing a sport like squash, my god your eyes are at risk, so definitely wear eye protection. Squash is about the worst possible sport for eye damage, you must wear proper eye-protecting eyewear, with properly contact-resistant lenses.

I would advice anyone that goes swimming to use well fitting goggles, so you can see properly and keeps them out of the water. I would also say to any contact lenses wearer not to wear your contact lenses as there are risks with water and contact lenses - there are risks to a very rare infection, ideally don’t expose with contact lenses.'

Source: womenshealthmag.co.uk/health/female-health/2604/8-ways-you-dont-realise-youre-putting-your-eyes-at-risk#ixzz3U0xmVHxP

How to Increase Lung Capacity After Smoking

Smoking can damage the lungs and affect lung capacity, making it difficult to breathe. The lungs contain tiny air sacs called alveoli where oxygen is transferred from inhaled air to the blood, according to the Cleveland Clinic. When these air sacs are damaged by smoking, the lungs and heart must work harder to take in oxygen, which can lead to shortness of breath, says Norman Edelman, M.D., chief medical officer for the American Lung Association. But there are ways to help heal your lungs and increase lung capacity after smoking.

Steps

Step 1

Do cardiovascular exercise. Run, speed walk, ride a bicycle or work out on fitness equipment, such as a stair climber or rowing machine, several times a week. "Aerobic exercise is the best thing you can do to heal the lungs after giving up smoking," Edelman says. Moving the large muscles of the body increases the demand for oxygen and expands the lungs ability to take in more air. This will help keep the respiratory system strong and may eventually increase lung capacity, according to Edelman.

Step 2

Add swimming to your workout mix. Swimming uses more muscles and requires greater lung capacity than any other type of cardiovascular exercise, according to Alice Burron, an exercise physiologist in Cheyenne, Wyoming and spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise. "The lung capacity of swimmers in peak condition can be three times that of the average person," Burron notes. Try to swim laps at least once a week to give your lungs a good workout, Burron recommends.

Step 3

Eat apples. In a British study of 2,500 men published in the journal "Thorax," regular consumption of apples was associated with increased lung capacity. The men who ate five or more apples per week had the greatest lung capacity. Edelmen says that other studies suggest eating apples may reduce your risk of lung cancer and improve your resistance to respiratory infections.

Step 4

Try yoga. The focused breathing required to practice yoga may help increase lung capacity. Yoga exercises the diaphragm muscles that expand the lungs during breathing and allow more air to be inhaled into the lungs. "More air in the lungs may eventually stretch the lungs and increase lung capacity," Burron says. If yoga isn't your cup of tea, Burron adds that simply doing deep breathing exercises can also improve the health of your respiratory system and may increase lung capacity.

Step 5

Take up a musical wind instrument. Playing a wind or brass instrument is a good way to exercise the lungs, which may improve lung capacity, Edelman says. The best musical instruments for increasing lung capacity? Edelman recommends a clarinet, flute, oboe, tuba, trumpet or trombone. Singing may also be helpful.

Step 6

Be patient. Increasing lung capacity after smoking takes time. Edelman says that it won't happen overnight no matter what you do. According to the American Lung Association, it takes two weeks to three months for lung function to begin to improve after giving up smoking and up to nine months for shortness of breath to decrease. But regular exercise, a healthy diet and continued smoking cessation will help improve the health of your lungs and increase lung capacity over time.

Warnings

• Consult your doctor before starting a strenuous exercise program, especially if you've been a long-term smoker. Poor lung function due to smoking transfers more of the burden of exercise to the heart, according to the Cleveland Clinic. This could lead to heart failure.
• If you have hoarseness, frequent coughing or shortness of breath, it's important to see your doctor to be checked out for lung cancer and emphysema, Edelman warns. Delayed diagnosis of either disease can negatively affect the success of treatment.

Tips

• To keep your lungs healthy, stay away from smoke-filled environments. "Breathing secondhand smoke damages the air sacs in the lungs, increasing the risk of lung illnesses and diminished lung capacity, Edelman says.
• Exercise may help you resist the urge to start smoking again, in addition to helping to increase lung capacity. Some research suggests that regular aerobic exercise reduces nicotine cravings, Edelman says. Exercise will also help stave off weight gain after giving up smoking.

Source: livestrong.com/article/217724-how-to-increase-lung-capacity-after-smoking/