The Best Foods for Eye Health, with Dr. Kathi Head

The Thorne Podcast

Are carrots actually good for your eyesight? Dr. Kathi Head, ND, returns to the podcast to discuss ways to protect your eyes from stress caused by UV rays and blue light. Learn about which foods – and supplements – are best for healthy eyes at every age.

During this episode you’ll learn about:

1. This week’s guest: Dr. Kathi Head, on protecting eye health and vision [1:41]
   • Oxidative stress effects on cataract formation [4:00]
2. Red, orange, yellow, green: Colorful vegetables with eye-healthy antioxidants [5:56]
   • Marigolds and eggs yolks: More sources for lutein and zeaxanthin [9:24]
   • How do carotenoids and vitamin A benefit the eyes? [10:53]
   • Why (cooked) carrots really are good for your eyesight [13:12]
3. Best supplements for eye health: Omega-3s, zinc, and bilberry [14:42]
4. Questions from the community
   • How much of eye health is based on lifestyle vs. genetics? [21:39]
   • What is color blindness? [24:13]
   • How do cataracts form? [26:01]
   • Can eyesight improve as we get older or does it only get worse with age? [28:40]
   • What vision exercises promote eye healthy? [29:31]
   • Why do the whites of some people’s eyes look yellow? [30:29]

Resources to topics mentioned in this episode:

• Check out Dr. Kathi Head’s articles on Thorne’s Take 5 Daily online magazine
• Nutrients and Botanicals for Eye Health

• What is Blue Light and How Does It Affect Me?
• Lutein and Zeaxanthin: More Than Just Eye Health
• Lutein Supports Brain Function in Overweight Adults
• Mayo Clinic: Eat the Rainbow
• Picky Eater? How to Add Vegetables to Your Child's Diet
• DIM vs. I3C: A Broccoli-Based Lesson in Biochemistry
• Exposure to Red Light Could Improve Vision in People Over 40
• 6 Things You Can Do To Age Better
• From the podcast archives:
  • Macular Carotenoids in Eye and Brain Function
  • Thorne's 40th Birthday! Innovation Since 1984

Ingredients mentioned in this episode:

• Lutein and Vitamin A: Basic Nutrients 2/Day, Men’s Multi 50+, Women’s Multi 50+, MediClear-SGS™, MediClear Plus®
• Zeaxanthin: Memoractiv™
• Broccoli Seed Extract: Crucera-SGS®, Hormone Advantage
• Bilberry: Advanced Nutrients, Diabenil®

Products mentioned in this episode: Advanced DHA; Grape Seed Extract; Zinc Bisglycinate; Zinc Picolinate

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