Happy Easter and Passover from Dr. Andrew Holzman, MD, FACS
As Dr. Holzman and some of his team where having lunch last week we were talking about Passover and then Dr. Holzman asked what does the Easter bunny have to do with Easter? How did the Easter Bunny tradition come about? So, just for fun we googled the Easter Bunny to find out. Thank goodness for Google!! According to Discovery News, the very first Easter Bunny legend was documented in the 1500‘s and by 1680, the first story about a bunny laying eggs and hiding them in the garden was published. These stories and legends were brought to the United States in the 1700s, when German immigrants settled in Pennsylvania Dutch country, according to the Center for Children’s Literature and Culture. “The tradition of making nests for the rabbit to lay its eggs in soon followed. Eventually, nests became decorated baskets and colorful eggs were swapped for candy, treats and other small gifts.”
So, while you’re scarfing down chocolate bunnies and PEEPS chicks this Easter Sunday, think fondly of this holiday’s origins and maybe even impress your friends at your local Easter egg hunt. You might wonder what the heck this blog has to do with eyes and the best I can do is tell you to eat your carrots! Apparently the Easter bunny has amazing eye sight! Carrots are high in vitamin A which is a nutrient that is essential for good vision. Eating carrots will provide you with the small amount of vitamin A needed for good vision. Web MD sites the following about supplements that will help your eyes.
Vision Supplements in Multivitamins
Before you ask your doctor about taking mega-doses of vision supplements, take a look at your multivitamin, if you use one. You’ll probably find you’re already taking several of the following nutrients for healthy eyes. If not, look for these nutrients, in at least these amounts, when you buy a multivitamin or supplement:
- Vitamin C, 250 mg
- Vitamin E, 200 mg
- Beta-carotene, 5,000 IU
- Zinc, 25 mg
- Zeaxanthin, 500 mcg
- Selenium, 100 mcg
- Lutein, 10 mg
- Calcium, 500 mg
- Thiamin, 2 mg
- Folic acid, 800 mcg
- Omega-3 essential fatty acids (including flaxseed oil), 2,000-3,000 mg
- N-acetyl cysteine, 100 mg
- Alpha lipoic acid, 100 mg
If you can’t find a single product that contains all or most of these nutrients, they are available individually.”
