If you have dry eye syndrome, you are not alone. According to official data, more than 16 million Americans experience this condition. Dry eye syndrome, also known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca, is a common condition that occurs when your eyes don't produce enough tears or the tears produced do not work properly. Its symptoms are manageable if you take certain precautions like taking supplements or vitamins. This article presents you with a list of essential nutrients you can take to prevent dry eyes.

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin which plays a pivotal role in maintaining eye health. You need it to produce tears and lubricate your eyes and you get dry eyes if they do not function properly. Commonly found in fruits and vegetables like carrots, squash, apricots and watermelon, a deficiency of Vitamin A can lead to dry eye. A recently conducted study testified to this. In this study, participants with dry eyes took a daily oral vitamin A supplement for 3 days, each dose being 5,000 international units (IU). After 3 days, the participants reported an improvement in their tear quality.

According to the researchers, vitamin A improves the smoothness of the tear film, the thin layer of fluid on the eye, and supports tear formation. The results of the study suggest that a daily dose of 5,000 IU may improve dry eye symptoms. More research is necessary to determine the recommended dose and whether the benefits are long-term.

How Much Vitamin A Should You Take?

While it is pivotal to take Vitamin A, avoid taking more than 10,000 IU (3,000 micrograms mcg) to prevent toxicity. Since the nutrient is fat-soluble, it can build up in your body. Toxicity of Vitamin A can lead to varied symptoms including nausea, headaches, skin irritation, and joint pain, 20 foods high in vitamin A.

Vitamin D is another fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for eye health. Supplements of this nutrient may help by reducing inflammation on the eye's surface. A 2019 study found that vitamin D supplementation may improve the effects of lubricating eye drops. A 2018 study found that oral vitamin D supplements may improve tear quality and dry eye symptoms. There isn't a recommended vitamin D dose for treating dry eyes. To prevent toxicity, avoid exceeding 4,000 IU (100 mcg) of vitamin D as this nutrient can also be accommodated in the body.

While trying to improve eye health, it is important to incorporate Vitamin B12 into your diet. A deficiency of this vitamin is associated with dry eye disease and eye pain. Research conducted on 76 people in 2020 found that combining oral vitamin B12 supplements and artificial tears improved symptoms of dry eye syndrome. According to the researchers, vitamin B12 may repair the corneal nerve layer or the nerves on the eye’s outer surface. This may help reduce the burning associated with dry eye.

There isn’t a recommended vitamin B12 dosage for dry eye symptoms. How much you should take depends on your ability to absorb the vitamin. Doses of 2.4 mcg are generally considered safe for adults, but an upper limit for vitamin B12 doesn’t exist. Talk with a doctor before taking vitamin B12 for dry eye.

Omega-3 is a polyunsaturated fatty acid that is responsible for providing structure to cell membranes and reducing inflammation in the body. A 2019 review suggested hat Omega-3 fatty acids may reduce inflammation, alleviating symptoms like irritation and pain. Conflicting evidence exists, though. A 2018 study found that omega-3 fatty acid supplements didn’t improve dry eye symptoms. More research is necessary.

You can also try these home remedies:

• Try artificial tears: Artificial tears lubricate your eyes. You can find artificial tears over the counter at drugstores. Your doctor may also prescribe artificial tears, such as cyclosporine (Restasis) and lifitegrast (Xiidra).
• Use a humidifier: Dry and warm air may worsen dry eye symptoms. A humidifier adds moisture.
• Avoid blowing air: The wind, fans, and air conditioning may dry your eyes further. Protective eyeglasses can shield your eyes.
• Avoid smoke: Try to stay away from smoke, including cigarette smoke.
• Take breaks when using digital screens: Avoid looking at electronic screens for a long time. Blink often to lubricate your eyes, or try the 20-20-20 rule.
• Stay hydrated: Drinking a lot of fluids may support tear production.
• Apply a warm compress: Placing a warm compress on your eyes might offer relief.
• Massage your eyelids: Gently massaging your eyelids might reduce symptoms and help lubricate your eyes.

Being on flights can make some people nervous. As the plane gains momentum and speeds off the ground, some people feel an unexplained pressure in their stomach. The phrase ‘butterflies in stomach’ perfectly summarizes this feeling, as it is a mixture of excitement and anxiety. However, going through the entire flight with built-up gas and the bloated feeling can be one of the most uncomfortable experiences.

Why Do Flights Cause Bloating?

Airlines often caution people about how changes in cabin pressure during takeoff and landing on long-haul flights can lead to health problems. The air pressure inside the cabin is lower than at sea level. As the cabin pressure decreases during flight, gases in the body expand, which can cause pressure and bloating in the stomach and digestive system. Bloating often occurs when food isn't properly digested, leading to gas production by bacteria in the intestines. They echoed the advice to eat light, probiotic foods before flying and avoid gas-producing foods and carbonated drinks during travel.

Tips To Avoid Bloating

The best way to find lasting relief from bloating depends on what's causing it. Sometimes, getting a professional diagnosis is necessary to understand the underlying issue. However, if you're looking for home remedies to ease bloating today or prevent it tomorrow, here are some options you can try. According to the Cleveland Clinic,

Peppermint, Chamomile, Ginger, Turmeric, and Fennel Teas: These can aid digestion and help your body process gas more effectively.

Dandelion Tea: This tea may help reduce water retention, which can contribute to bloating.

Regular Exercise with Core Strengthening: Focusing on exercises that strengthen your core muscles can help improve digestive function and reduce abdominal bloating over time.

Should You Avoid Certain Foods Before Flight?

To help avoid gas problems and have a more comfortable flight, avoid certain things. Expert explains that the day before you fly, have a meal with seasonal vegetables. These foods contain fiber and help you avoid any gas build up on the day of the flight.

On the morning of your flight, make sure you do things like drink warm lemon water, avoid caffeine or choose herbal tea and limit carbohydrates. Doing things like walking around the airport while waiting, using the bathroom before boarding and avoiding oily and salty foods during the flight also helps.

Some other things you should do is to not eat things like fruits, legumes, and vegetables, or dairy products because they can contribute to bloating. Try only consuming non-alcoholic and non-carbonated drinks.

To avoid feeling anxious and stressed during the flight, move around the cabin every two hours on long flights, keep doctor-approved pills for digestive issues and consult a doctor if you have significant discomfort before or after flying.

Being frail comes with age, your joints become weaker, your muscles lose their strength, and your skin slowly loses its elasticity. A lot of people wonder why aging people move so slowly or have difficulty doing simple tasks, but as they age, they realize that it's because there is a constant pain that accompanies moving.

There are a lot of things that can affect aging, something that many people have raised concern over. Certain foods, lifestyle activities and conditions that can age your body and organs faster than their biological age. Experts and studies have explained that to slow this rapid aging, one must incorporate many changes in their life, things like eating unprocessed food, and avoiding foods with excess saturated fats, added sugar and sodium etc., one must also live a healthy lifestyle with proper exercise and healthy choices like early mornings and appropriate sleep.

Coffee Consumption And Healthy Aging

People also suggest one should avoid things like coffee and drinks with excess caffeine. However, a new study shows that it could help you slow down aging. Published in the European Journal of Nutrition, the study suggests that regularly drinking coffee might play a role in delaying physical ageing and frailty. The research indicates that coffee drinkers could potentially experience fewer of the undesirable symptoms associated with getting older.

Specifically, the study revealed that consistently consuming four to six or more cups of coffee (each 125ml) daily is linked to a lower risk of developing frailty in older adults.

What Is Considered Frail and How Does Coffee Affect It?

This study was funded by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC) and they wanted to find the relationship between coffee consumption and how it is linked to frailty. Using Fried’s five component of frailty, which has been determined as a useful criteria for inpatient assessment by Clinical Interventions in Aging, which are,

• Unintentional weight loss
• Feelings of weakness
• Exhaustion
• Slow walking speed
• Low levels of physical activity.

What Did The Study Find?

Building on previous studies that associated coffee with benefits like improved brain function and protection against inflammation-related diseases, they looked into long term benefits of coffee.

Researchers conducted a thorough seven-year analysis of 1,161 adults aged 55 and over, using data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study Amsterdam (LASA). The study focused on the relationship between how much coffee participants drank and the presence and development of frailty.

The researchers suggested that the antioxidants present in coffee may be a key reason for its potential to reduce frailty. These antioxidants could help lessen inflammation, combat muscle loss (sarcopenia), and protect against muscle damage. Furthermore, coffee might improve how the body uses insulin and absorbs glucose in older individuals. Their findings showed that daily coffee consumption can reduce frailty in older population.

Food Safety Regulations To Keep In Mind

These findings should be considered alongside the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) guidelines on caffeine consumption. EFSA considers up to 400mg of caffeine daily (equivalent to three to five cups of coffee) to be a moderate and safe amount for most adults. However, individuals with high sensitivity to caffeine or high blood pressure should limit their coffee intake. The NHS also advises pregnant women to limit their caffeine consumption to no more than 200mg per day, roughly equivalent to two cups of coffee.

Beds are usually considered a safe place for people; it is a place that you can always count on to help you rest and recuperate no matter how tough things get. However, sometimes this safe place can become home to some unwanted guests. While our parents would often urge us to make sure our beds remained clean and no food articles remained on it, sometimes leaving things here and there does not seem like a big concern for us. However, this could also be an invitation for bed bugs to enter the equation.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) bed bugs are public health pests. While they do not transmit any diseases, they can cause our physical, mental as well as economical health to suffer. Severe health consequences to them can include allergic reactions which could be on the spectrum of small rashes to anaphylaxis, which is a full body reaction. It can also cause anxiety, insomnia and impact people’s mental health. However, how does one distinguish bed bug bites to normal insect bites?

NHS Guidance on Bed Bugs and Their Bites

The National Health Service (NHS) highlights that bed bugs can hide in various locations, including bed frames, mattresses, clothing, furniture, behind pictures, and under loose wallpaper. They identify three key signs of a bed bug infestation:

Bites: Often appearing on exposed skin areas during sleep, such as the face, neck, and arms.

Blood Spots: Small spots of blood on bedding, resulting from bites or crushed bed bugs.

Brown Spots: Tiny brown spots (bed bug excrement) found on bedding or furniture.

On fair skin, bed bug bites typically appear red, while on darker skin, they may look purplish and can be less noticeable. Reactions to bites vary; some people experience intense itching and painful swelling. Generally, bed bug bites resolve on their own within a week or two.

How Can You Treat Bed Bug Bites?

To manage bed bug bites, the NHS recommends several self-care measures. Applying a cool, damp cloth to the affected area can help alleviate itching and swelling. It's also important to keep the bite area clean to prevent any potential infections. Finally, resisting the urge to scratch the bites is crucial in minimizing the risk of further irritation or infection. Some over the counter products that you may get for relief may include mild steroid creams like Hydrocortisone cream can help ease the itching associated with bed bug bites. NHS notes that children under 10 and pregnant women should consult a doctor before using hydrocortisone cream. You may also be given Antihistamines, which provide relief if the bites are severely itchy and interfere with sleep.

How Can You Get Rid Of Them?

The NHS suggests that if you have bed bugs, it's best to get in touch with your local council or a pest control company. Getting rid of bed bugs on your own can be really tough because they can hide well and some bug sprays don't work on them. While there are a few things you can try yourself, they probably won't completely solve the problem.