Looking after your eyesight is amongst the most crucial aspects of personal health care. These precious organs enable you to interact with the world, so here is what you should be doing to keep them in peak condition.

Diet

The link between what you put inside your stomach and how your eyes perform may not seem too obvious. Nevertheless dieting as an integral part of eye care. Amongst the best types of food to eat to ensure your eyes remain in excellent condition are fruit and vegetables.

The old adage about eating carrots to enable you to see in the dark might seem like a piece of folklore. However there is a lot of truth in the potency of these little vegetables. Carrots are root vegetables that come pre-packaged with a lot of natural substances excellent for your eyes, such as beta carotene. This is very helpful because it is an anti-oxidant that has the effect of considerably reducing your risk of macular degeneration.

Other vegetables that you should be looking out for include Brussels sprouts, peppers and broccoli. The reason why these vegetables are all terrific for eye care is because they are bursting with Vitamin C. They might not be the greatest-tasting vegetables when eaten on their own, but next time you are preparing a main course, it might be useful to consider trying out any of these as a side dish - for their medicinal qualities! If you can't bear the thought of tucking into Brussels sprouts, then why not chop them up as an additive for hummus, or yoghurt?

Sardines have long been regarded as good for your eyes. The reason for this is the fact they contain fats called omega-3. Unlike the nastier fats that are the nemesis of dieticians and weight control nutritionists across the globe, these fats are good for your body. Amongst the key properties they possess is the fact they protect the little blood vessels in your eyes.

Spinach was certainly good enough for Popeye, but he had good practical reasons for relishing this stuff! Along with sweet potatoes, they contain the same beta carotene you find in carrots. Spinach also has Vitamin C, as well as other natural ingredients, such as zeaxanthin and lutein. The best way to enjoy sweet potatoes is to slice them up into chips and gently stir-fry them with olive oil. Spinach can be added, either as a side dish, or a dip.

Eye care

When looking after your eyes directly, the things that have to be considered include avoiding damaging the surfaces. If you are a contact lens wearer, then undoubtedly your optician will have advised you not to wear these for periods exceeding 19 hours or so. Not only would this cause discomfort to your eyes, it can lead to permanent site damage.

The same precaution can be stated about wearing spectacles. If you have visited to your local multiplexed to watch a 3-D film, then only where the special 3-D glasses for the duration of the future never for any period of time afterwards. Also remember not to stare at your mobile phone too early in the morning, or late at night. When you look at object very close vs very far away you use different body muscles so it's good to look at distant objects like trees untill your eyes completely focus on all the detail and that might take a few mins, or even 30 mins. The Y-thai team do this and we have 20/20 vision, yeah, even after writing and posting so much with computers hehe.

Of all the hairstyle variations, it often seems that possessing naturally wavy or curly hair can pose more than its fair share of problems. As well as being incredibly uncooperative, when the hair is also thick it becomes even more of a nightmare to deal with. So, if you're fed up with friends joking that you look as if you've just jammed your finger into an electric plug point, what can be done about it?!

The good news it is a relatively straightforward process to alter those annoyingly frizzy curls or unkempt kinks into a style that will bring you nothing but complements. All it takes is some careful hair preparation.

The very first thing that you should do is find yourself a good hairstylist. A great way to get introduced to one is through personal recommendation. Even if you don't have the benefit of firsthand experience, most high-street hairdressers will be able to offer excellent service – otherwise they wouldn't be able to stay in business! Naturally the best friends or colleagues to approach are those with curly hair, as they may well have found a particularly excellent exponent.

Ask your stylist if they are familiar with the technique known as ‘twist cutting'. This is particularly effective for curly or wavy hair. While paying a visit to a salon specializing in this particular form of cutting may be slightly more expensive than a normal cut, the old adage that you get what you pay for has never been more appropriate.

When it comes to looking after your own curly hair between visits to the twist cutting stylist, it is important to pay attention to the fact you do not have to shampoo every single day. However, it would be sensible to condition your hair every time you happen to shower. In choosing a combination of conditioner and shampoo, it is important to choose products that leave your hair feeling good to yourself. At the end of the day you do not wish to have hair that, once it has washed, still feels as if there is product left in it; or worse still, feels dry even when it shouldn't be.

A potent weapon in the arsenal of caring for wavy hair is one of the most simple commodities anyone has around the house. Cold water. By washing your wavy hair in cold water it will end up looking shinier. In addition, moisture will be locked in and perhaps most importantly of all, the unseemly ‘frizz effect' will be considerably reduced.

One of the commonest causes of hair turning ‘frizzy' is when it is brushed out while dry. So unless you happen to be drying your hair with a blast from the hairdryer to try and get it straight, you should be using your fingers like a comb to run through the dry hair.

Another consideration with wavy or curly hair is never to use too much hair product. All you need is a minimal amount of styling gel or mousse. Apply a small ‘coin-sized' blob to your palm, rub your palms together, then knead through your hair, distributing thus evenly. Use this the moment you come out of your shower when you hear it's still wet. This will ensure that moisture gets trapped and that the end result is lustrous, moisture-rich curls.

Maintaining a perfectly white smile can seem an uphill struggle at times, especially with the way we are bombarded with choices of rich food and drink. But as long as you appreciate the steps you can take to look after your teeth, it should be a relatively painless experience.

You should be brushing twice a day. Any less than this will allow bacteria to form inside your mouth, eventually leading to the plaque which can have such a destructive effect on your teeth enamel. Any more than this will actually have a detrimental effect as the protective layer of enamel coating the teeth will be effectively worn away.

Any dentist will concur that brushing your teeth thoroughly is by far the most effective way of keeping them healthy. Like any other household instrument that is regularly used, it is important to consider the shelf life of your toothbrush. Once any toothbrush has been employed for any length of time, the bristles will begin to wilt under the pressure. For a toothbrush that is months old, its bristles will no longer stand proud. Once they buckle, they will be much less effective at reaching into the awkward recesses of your teeth.

It is advisable to brush your teeth for a certain period. This should certainly not be any less than two minutes. As you attend to your teeth, you may well have a certain pattern of movement that you adhere to. Many people commence at the rear of the month, getting into those thick molars. Working your way forward you should be paying close attention to the incisors, or front teeth. Remember to cover every possible surface of the teeth. It is especially important to deal with the inside of the teeth, even if these aren't actually going to be exposed for scrutiny by the outside world at any point. Plaque can gather at any portion of your teeth, but especially round about cracks or partitions where your toothbrush is less likely to delve than open spaces.

More and more people are choosing the option of the electric toothbrush. This is not necessarily just down to convenience. Electric shavers are far more effective at attacking the bacteria that exists inside your mouth. As the plastic bristles rotate, driven by the electrical charge, the vigorous friction will really help to remove foreign particles from the surface of your teeth and gums.

You should also treat an electric toothbrush as you would any other kind. Its head is not going to last for ever, so you should be aiming to change every two to three months. As well as the bristles themselves losing their strength, the more often you use them inside your mouth, the more bacteria they'll harbour. If this isn't checked, the bacteria will simply be transferred from the toothbrush head into your mouth.

When it comes to the actual brushing motion, whether you are using the traditional brush or an electric one, the optimum method is to place the instrument at a 45° angle against your gums. No move it around in a circular, grinding motion, rather than the enthusiastic but far less effective ‘backwards and forwards' technique that is universally popular. Also learn to grip as if you were holding a pencil – again, this ensures that you don't employ too much pressure as you scrub.

Those nine months of pregnancy are obviously fraught times for women. But there are many activities you can indulge in, in order to make the experience pleasant, and more importantly, as healthy as possible. After all, as well as your own wellbeing, your primary concern will be that your baby is given the best possible start.

Deciding what to eat during this period is one of the most crucial decisions to take. The good news is that just because you happen to be pregnant is no reason why making diet choices should be too onerous. Even if you find out you are to be the mother of twins or triplets, you can still choose from a variety of foods in order that you (and your unborn) get access to a full range of delicious nutrients.

A common question asked by expectant mothers is what foods are safest for me to eat? Fruit and vegetables are a great choice. As well as being relatively inexpensive, these are packed full of minerals, fibre and vitamins. You should aim to be eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables on a daily basis, during the pregnancy. The best aspect of eating these is the fact there are now so many to choose from, all of which can be easily prepared in various ways.

You should also be considering eating a variety of starchy foods. This includes rice, pasta, potatoes and bread. Foodstuffs such as these are excellent sources of vitamins, fibre and energy. In order to maintain a healthy balanced diet during the nine months, it is important to inject your daily intake with these, along with the fruit and vegetables mentioned. When eating bread it is preferable that you choose the wholegrain varieties where possible. Brown rice or pasta is also much higher in fibre.

Your diet should also include a range of protein sources. The best examples of this are eggs, beans, fresh fish, tinned fish, and meat. In the case of the latter, always opt for lean meat. When it comes to preparing these dishes, it is important to ensure that chicken, pork, or even burgers or sausages, are thoroughly cooked through.

The old adage that states everything in moderation is acceptable certainly applies to pregnancy eating. It is only natural that you will feel like supplementing your diet of fruit, vegetables, starchy food and proteins with a rationed amount of drinks or foods that are relatively high in their content of fat and sugar. The key aspect of this, of course, is rationing. While there is no need to be completely abstinent, and it is still okay to enjoy the occasional sugary fizzy drink, crisps, or biscuits, it is important not to over-indulge.

Many women develop all manner of cravings during this period, but what should always be lurking at the back of your mind is the fact that eating too much sugary food can lead to you putting on too much weight. While this is not ideal at the best of times, during pregnancy it can have adverse effects on your health by increasing your blood pressure. Where your baby's health is concerned this should obviously be avoided.