Focusing On Eye Health

It took me FOREVER and a day to FINALLY wear contacts.  I had a very hard time putting them in.  What helped me was tinted or colored contact lenses and I LOVED them.  I ended up wearing them for about a year and somehow after a year developed an allergy to the dye in them or at least that is what I was told.  After healing my eyes from that ordeal I switched to regular disposable.  I have been wearing them TOO MUCH over the past 18+ years.  Last week I took them out to give my eyes a rest and also did this prior to a massive cleaning spree in my house.  Eventho I took out my contacts prior to cleaning I started to have major sensitivity issues.  I wore my glasses for a full week.  Sunday I put my contacts back in and after a few hours I noticed issues with 2 blood vessels in my one eye.  NOT COOL.  I have to admit I have worn my contact too long and I have slept with them in.

This is bad.  I know.  I believe it has caught up with me.  I have a feeling I have given myself allergies to contacts all over again.  It's probably a warning sign to give up contacts completely.  As much as I don't want to do this I keep thinking it's the way to go.  Long term contact wear isn't good and it's not like when I am 80 I will be wearing contacts.  It's not me being vain, here, but I'm not looking forward to this full time glasses adventure.  My eyes have been bad since I was in 2nd grade but I will say the last 4 or more years my eye sight hasn't gotten worse (altho I do have a very strong prescription to begin with).  I know of people online who have reversed their eye site and no longer have to wear glasses or contacts.  I know that I am not one of those people.  My eyes are too far gone. Now I'm not saying that I'm going to give up but I don't have reversal expectations, either.  I would like to try and heal my eyes naturally from the damage I have done over the next few weeks prior to going in for a check up.  Right now I have Cayla & Co Roxie Eyeglasses but I'm open to a change.

While doing research for things I should be eating for eye health of course carrots pop up first.  Leafy Greens follow.  Well, I eat both and often.  Another suggestion is eggs.  That isn't going to happen.  When I dropped dairy and eggs it was for digestion issues.  I haven't felt this good in my entire life (including when I was a toddler!) so I will not go back to that!  Citrus & Berries is another suggestion!  I LOVE both and SHOULD consume more.  They aren't very tasty here unless they are in season and the season is very short and they are ALWAYS expensive so when I do eat them they are usually frozen.  Almonds is another food that is suggested for better eye health.  I can honestly said since dropping dairy nuts of all sorts has been my filler so I will continue to do that!  Fatty Fish was another suggestion.  And that's a NO.  I haven't eaten fish in 22 years and I'm keeping it that way.  Now...having said that...they suggest eggs because of the Lutein and Zinc and the fish because of the DHA/Omega 3.  Taking that one step farther INSTEAD of fish I will be consuming the following for the DHA and/or Omega 3's...Flax Seeds, Chia Seeds, Hemp Seeds, Mustard Oil, Seaweed, Beans, Winter Squash, Cabbage, Wild Rice, Spices & Herbs, Mangoes, and Honeydew Melon.  MOST of these I get PLENTY of but I have to admit that I will be looking into Mustard Oil. (*I have since read that Mustard Oil is BANNED in the EU, US, and India READ MORE HERE.)  It's suggested that instead of Olive Oil to use Mustard Oil.  Well, I rarely use Olive Oil - my defaults are Grapeseed and Coconut Oils.  And I don't think I use all that much of them.  When it comes to Zinc - vegan sources are...Tofu, Tempeh, Chickpeas (and other beans), Lentils, various nuts, corn, peas, oatmeal, miso, and broccoli.  Again I think I get plenty of these foods.  I will continue to eat these but with more thought on focusing on eye health, specifically.  I know there are many more vegan sources of each but there are just a few.  I don't think my food in take is the problem.  I think I was being lazy and not focusing on my eyes when I should have been.  So what else can I do to help them now?

Rest.  Now that I will not be wearing contacts that won't be hard.  Warm Compresses is one thing I will be trying.  Other sources say warm and cool compresses even.  Eye Exercises which I will start doing soon.  And I think one of the more important ones for me personally is Stepping Away from the Computer more often.  Another thing I would like to be more consistent with with smoothies and juicing!

Focusing on My Lymphatic System

For the next 3 days - minimum - I will be doing a detox of sorts - while focusing on my Lymphatic System.  

There are a few things that I want to heal with my body and I feel the Lymphatic System is the perfect place to start.  I have 2 confessions to make up front.  ONE - I've never done this before so it's a learning process - so it's rather fitting that I am posting it here on my blog - My Blissful Journey.  And TWO - as much as I try and do things to improve my life and situation - it doesn't mean I don't have bad habits.  To get a little personal here - the older I get the less comfortable I feel about going undergarment-free (if you know what I mean) and I know that is BAD...I really have to change that.  It's suggested that women go at least 12 hours every day without that kind of support.  Because I have felt physically uncomfortable doing so I haven't for quite some time...so one of the things I will be forcing myself to do during this time is wear a camisole when I get home at the end of the day.  This might sound like a 'small thing' but it's going to be a challenge for me.  

Having said that...some of the other things I will be focusing on over the next 3 days (which will probably turn into all of this week) will be hot and cold compresses on problem areas, hot and cold showers, deep breathing, yoga, walking, and natural deodorants.  Some of these things I do on a daily basis such as wear a natural (non-aluminum) deodorant.  I rarely (close to if ever) wear make-up and I don't even use lotion, etc.  If need be I will be using Grapeseed Oil and/or Coconut Oil.  Another thing I will be doing more of this week is Oil Pulling and I tend to do that with Coconut Oil.

Now...on to what I HOPE to consume...of course this is all based on whether or not I can find these items in my area which has been a complete challenge as of late.

Plantains - altho - not RAW - I do have some in my freezer that I intend to bake.

Leafy Greens - you will see me doing a LOT of salads this week - so that means - I will most likely be posting those with my home-made dressings!

Cranberries - I really doubt I can find fresh ones right now but I do have a stash of dried that I have from my shipments from The Raw Food World.

Raw/Soaked Nuts & Seeds

Coconut, Avocado - Again, our fresh coconut situation here is grim so I'm unsure how this will come into play but I have been rather Avocado-Happy, lately!

Echinacea - as well as other herbal tonics and tisanes

Garlic/Ginger/Turmeric - I eat these in some form almost every day but during this time I hope to incorporate them into other ways, too!

Seaweeds, Spirulina, Chorella

Citrus - whole, juice, in dressings - you name it!

Consume more fruit on empty stomach - such as more fruit based mono meals

Cantaloupe - if possible I would like to make some Cantaloupe Juice and/or Milk

Apple Cider Vinegar (mixed with water and possibly garlic, Agave)

LOTS of Water and Water with Lemon!

I will probably be doing some juicing and smoothies this week, too!  At least that is my goal.  One I would like to try was from an old Dan McDonald Video - 2 Apples, handful of Grapes, 1 Lemon, and a chunk of Ginger.

These are just some of this things I would like to work toward this week.  I'm challenging myself with many of them to try and stay consistent but also try and do some healing.  Please drop by with encouragement this week!  I would appreciate it!