What Your Eyes Say About You

They say eyes are the window to the soul. While the poetic statement might well be true, what’s certain is that your eyes are a great indicator of your health and what’s going on in your body. Common conditions like crow’s feet, dark circles, and puffy eyes might be more than just skin deep. Read on to learn what they really mean, plus how to deal with them naturally.

Crow’s feet

What are crow’s feet? Also called wrinkles and fine lines, crow’s feet are the thin lines in the skin that appear on the corner of the eyes and mouth, especially when you smile. Crow’s feet are normal when you’re smiling and laughing, and tend to become a regular fixture in your mid- to late thirties. But crow’s feet can also signal dehydration or nutritional deficiency.

Are you dehydrated?

Dehydration doesn’t have to be the severe kind: you might be suffering from dehydration without even realizing it. Low energy, recurring headaches, and increased fine lines like crow’s feet can happen when you don’t maintain ideal hydration levels. Drinking enough water is the first step, but there’s more: water quality is really important, too. What’s more, things like alcohol and coffee can further dehydrate the body.

Nutritional deficiency

Certain nutrients are essential to maintain skin elasticity and natural glow. Think antioxidant-rich berries, vitamin- and mineral-rich foods, and free radical-fighting leafy greens. A diet rich in essential fatty acids is also key in reversing signs of aging like crow’s feet.

What to do?

Maintain optimal hydration levels and nix crow’s feet by upping your water intake and avoiding dehydrating food and drinks. Check your diet and add more beauty boosting, nutrient-rich superfoods like berries, turmeric, and leafy greens. Finally, dab a pea-sized amount of eye contour gel on the corner of the eyes twice a day to plump skin and smooth fine lines.

Dark circles

What are dark circles? Dark circles appear under the eyes when you’re tired or haven’t slept enough. But if you have dark circles under your eyes even when you’re fully rested, there might be something else than fatigue at play. So what could it be? Allergies and nutritional deficiencies are also top causes of dark circles.

Allergies

Seasonal allergies can cause dark circles under the eyes because of histamine. Histamines are released by your immune system when you’re triggered by allergens like pollen, animal fur, and dust. The release of histamines causes inflammation and swelling and can make dark circles way more pronounced. You can fight allergic symptoms by removing allergens, and also by supporting your immune system with botanicals like nettle tea and reishi mushroom.

Nutritional deficiencies

Three specific nutrients are associated with dark circles. They are:

• Iron: Low iron can increase the visibility of blood vessels under the eyes and make dark circles worse. Foods rich in iron include animal sources like meat, poultry, and fish, as well as leafy greens like spinach.
• B-12: Pale skin and dark circles under the eyes can signal a B-12 deficiency. A water soluble B-vitamin, active B-12 is found mainly in animal products like meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products.
• Vitamin K: Aiding with blood circulation, vitamin K1 is found in leafy greens while vitamin K2 is plentiful in grass-fed meat and dairy.

What to do?

Stay on top of possible allergy symptoms like dark circles by avoiding allergens, and fortify your body with immune-supporting, antihistamine herbs like stinging nettle tea and medicinal mushrooms like reishi. Check your diet and make sure you’re getting enough iron, B-12, and vitamin K. Dab a pea-sized amount of eye serum on the under-eye area twice a day to clear away dark circles.

Puffy eyes

What are puffy eyes? You generally get puffy eyes after a bout of crying, and also sometimes just when waking up in the morning. If your eyes stay puffy and swollen throughout the day without reason, though, there might be something going on behind the scenes. Like what? Food intolerances and water retention can make the condition worse.

Food intolerances

Hidden food intolerances can make your eyes puffy even when you’re rested. Inflammation under the eyes and a swollen, puffy face can be clues that there’s something in your diet that you’re reacting to. When it comes to dealing with food intolerances, there’s two approaches you can take: remove possible allergens with the elimination diet, or work on healing your gut with a nutrient-rich diet.

Water retention

Some medications can cause water retention, as well as a salt-heavy diet. While natural, mineral-rich salt has its benefits, you’ll want to watch sodium intake when you’re dealing with puffy eyes. Steer clear of salt-heavy processed foods and fight water retention with foods like fresh parsley, and herbs like potassium-rich dandelion leaf tea.

What to do

Clear out your diet of trigger foods that might be causing food intolerance and promoting puffy eyes. Meanwhile, you can work toward healing your gut with probiotic-rich fermented foods like kimchi and miso, and collagen-rich bone broth. Avoid water retention by drinking more water, cropping out salty processed foods, and adding parsley and dandelion leaf tea to your routine. Dab a pea-sized amount of refreshing eye serum to the eye area twice a day to reduce puffiness caused by stress, diet, and lifestyle.

It can be interesting to dig deeper sometimes. If you have crow’s feet, dark circles, and puffy eyes, it could be just because of lack of sleep or normal aging, and nothing more. But natural, holistic approaches like small diet changes, gentle herbs, and organic skincare products can’t hurt, either way!