On a digital diet? Superfoods could help boost your journey

Living in a tech dependent world, many have been under severe physical and mental stress due to excessive use of gadgets. Lockdowns, online classes and work from home just made it worse to a major chunk of the population. Resumption of offline classes and offices, most that are planning a digital diet strategy post-digital detox.

Although digital detox aims at reducing ill effects of excessive use of gadgets by bringing down the screen time to minimum, we must also understand that mere staying away from gadgets wouldn’t help completely detoxing from the damage gadgets have caused.

The body is capable of healing all the damages all by itself. Providing essential nutritional support makes the healing process better. Superfoods that are densely packed with a variety of nutrition are much-needed to detox all the ill-effects of gadgets.

1) Moringa offers protection against free radicals

Antioxidant properties in Moringa help improve your vision. Vitamin A in moringa leaves helps keep a clear cornea, an outer layer covering the eye, protecting it from inflammation and infections. It also helps prevent thickening of capillary membranes, and inhibit retinal dysfunction. Vitamin E content in Moringa offers protection against free radicals. Free radicals are known to cause chronic conditions like glaucoma.

2) Chia seeds for therapeutic effects

Chia seeds are your rescuers from oxidative damage gadgets could cause for your eyes. Blue light from the gadgets could induce retinal oxidative stress. Chia seeds contain Omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants in abundance. These Omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants are crucial in avoiding retinal oxidative stress. Dry eyes are more prevalent among those whose eyes are exposed to screens for a long time. Research has shown that Omega 3 fatty acids offer effective solutions for dry eyes syndrome and inflammation of dry eyes. Excessive screen time is known to cause systolic blood pressure. Chia seeds top the recommended superfoods that have therapeutic effects on blood pressure.

3) Spirulina aids vision issues

Increased screen time could destroy collagen which leads to oxidative stress induced damage to eyes. Spirulina helps avoid vision problems caused by oxidative damage. Oxidative damage could also lead to vision loss. Antioxidant properties of Spirulina have a potential of preventing vision loss related to oxidative damage. Spirulina helps protect retinal photoreceptors from photostress in the retina. Phycocyanin is a type of protein that is present in Spirulina which offers pain-relief and has anti-inflammatory, and brain-protective properties.

4) Mushroom Coffee to boost energy

Adding mushroom content to coffee has proven nootropic effects, improving the brain's functioning, reducing stress and boosting your energy. Chaga, Cordyceps, and Lion’s Mane are three mushrooms popularly added to the coffee. Antioxidant properties of Chaga Mushroom helps maintain the brain’s health protecting the brain from oxidative stress. Cordyceps are a boon to those that want to get rid of fatigue. Nootropic compounds such as hericenones and erinacines that are present in Lion’s mane mushroom stimulate growth of brain cells and improves your cognition.

5) Ashwagandha to avoid macular degeneration

Ashwagandha, also known as Indian Ginseng, is a benefit packed superfood you can choose for while you are on digital detox. Ashwagandha is known for its ability of increasing strength. If you are suffering from dry eyes due to excessive screen time and are not able to avoid it, you should try Ashwagandha. Consuming it helps avoiding Macular Degeneration caused by prolonged exposure to blue light due to excessive use of gadgets. For those at the risk of suffering cataracts, Ashwagandha is a gift by nature. Its antioxidant properties are known to help prevent cataracts. Its root extracts are known to effectively improve resistance towards stress. Studies have proven Ashwagandha to have reduced cortisol production in chronically stressed and obese adults.

(Rajat Bahl is Director, The Forest Superfood-wellness brand)

Published on: Saturday, January 15, 2022, 12:26 PM IST