12/28/2025
Eye Health
"Eye floaters" are a sign of aging. They can happen at about age 50 because the gel of the eye starts to thicken. It eventually pulls away from the back of the eye and little pieces break off to float around. People who are nearsighted are especially likely to get them because their eyeball is elongated. They're quite common, but many people don't notice or do anything about them. There is actually a risk period of three weeks after seeing "floaters" in which retinal detachment could occur. The "floaters" are relatively harmless, but if you see flashes of light or a "curtain" over your eye, get immediate medical attention.
Natural ways to keep your eyes healthy include adding foods that increase your Vitamin A levels. It's also important to increase the circulation and hydration to the eyes. Carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash and kale are the top four Vitamin A foods. Bilberry and Gingko are well-known eye herbs. Goji berries (also called Wolfberries) are noted In TCM as a treatment for all sorts of eye problems due to their ability to nourish the liver and kidneys, which in turn, aids in blood circulation to the optic nerve.
Here are a few other herbs that have Vitamin A
Ginger
Garlic
Dandelion
Lemon grass
Peppermint
Cayenne
Burdock root
Chickweed
Comfrey
Calendula
This Butternut Squash and Sage Soup is a tasty way to get Vitamin A
Ingredients:
5 lbs butternut squash – 2 large or 3 small butternut squash – approximately 5 pounds
2 medium Granny Smith apples, diced
1 large yellow or white onion, diced
10-12 leaves fresh sage
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1.5 cups water
1 cup coconut cream, OR 1/2 cup heavy cream
1.5 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 pinch nutmeg and/or clove
olive oil, butter, or coconut oil – for sautéing
pumpkin seeds and/or parmesan cheese, to garnish (optional)
Instructions:
Cut the butternut squash in half, and scoop out the seedy guts with a spoon. Poke the fleshy parts of each squash with a fork in several places.
On a baking sheet or roasting pan, roast the butternut squash in the oven on 425F until it is tender to the fork – about an hour.
In a large pot over medium-high heat, add a dollop of your preferred cooking fat such as butter, coconut oil, or extra virgin olive oil. Dice the onion, apples, and fresh sage leaves and add them to the pot, along with a little dash of salt and pepper. Do this after the butternut squash has finished roasting.
Sauté and stir frequently until tender, about 7 to 10 mins.
Allow the roasted butternut squash to cool slightly for safe handling. Scoop out the middle flesh to remove it from the thin skin portion.
Add the roasted butternut squash to the pot of apples, onions, and sage. Add vegetable broth, water, 1.5 teaspoon of salt, ÂĽ teaspoon of black pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg and/or clove.
If you are going to use coconut cream for this recipe, go ahead and add a cup now. Alternately, wait to add dairy heavy cream until after the soup is blended and removed from heat.
Stir to combine, bring the contents of the pot to boil, and then reduce the heat to simmer for 15 minutes.
Blend soup using an immersion blender, OR carefully transfer the soup into a standard blender to blend – in batches if needed. Blend until smooth, and remove from the heat.
Add heavy cream now, if desired.
Serve and enjoy! Use within one week in the refrigerator. Or, preserve and freeze the soup in freezer-safe containers. Use frozen soup within one year.
From Homestead and Chill
