In a previous blog post, we broke down the types of age-related macular degeneration and examined the symptoms of each. This time around we’re going to look at what the experts recommend are foods that should be avoided with macular degeneration and diet options.
What Is Age-Related Macular Degeneration?
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) involves deterioration over time of the macula, a small section of the eye’s retina responsible for central vision. This deterioration causes a loss of clear vision in the center of your field of view. Although people with macular degeneration don’t necessarily lose their complete sight, their vision is severely impaired by cloudiness and blurriness.
Common Factors That Increase Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration:
- Age. A third of adults over age 75 deal with AMD symptoms.
- Genetics. If you have a family history of the disease, you are at higher risk.
- Being overweight. A poor diet and low activity lead to decreased blood flow, which can contribute to macular degeneration.
- Smoking. The retina requires a lot of oxygen to perform properly. Smoking cuts down on oxygen consumption.
- High blood pressure.Similar to being overweight, hypertension restricts blood flow, which causes issues throughout the body, including less oxygen to the retina.
- Diet. Even if you’re not overweight, eating the wrong foods will increase your risk of dealing with AMD. Decrease your risk by following a diet for macular degeneration prevention. [1]
Women and Caucasians are also at higher risk to suffer from AMD.
Can Age-Related Macular Degeneration Be Prevented?
There’s no concrete evidence that AMD can be completely preventable. Doctors believe heredity is a major factor that determines whether or not a person will develop AMD. That’s the bad news.
Have no fear — there’s good news, too. Doctors also believe a proper diet for macular degeneration prevention can help curb the disease’s effects and delay its onset.
What Foods Should Be Avoided With Macular Degeneration?
Macular degeneration prevention starts by avoiding certain foods. Foods that are bad for your heart and bad for your waistline could increase your risk for age-related macular degeneration. Many of these food choices should be obvious:
- Fast food
- Foods high in fat and/or cholesterol
- Highly processed foods
- Sugar (which turns to fat in your system)
Certainly, a major culprit that could easily headline this list is junk food. We love to snack, and far too often the snacks we love the most are the ones doing our bodies the most harm. Avoid the foods on this list or at least only eat them in moderation to help with your macular degeneration prevention efforts.
What Is A Good Diet For Macular Degeneration Prevention?
Not to oversimplify things, but anything not on the “bad” list is a candidate for the “good” list. Let’s take a look at some of the best options.
Vegetables
Remember when they told you carrots were good for your eyesight? Well, they weren’t kidding. Carrots and other bright or leafy vegetables contain antioxidants (carotenoids) that your eyes need for maximum health. Try some of these:
- Spinach
- Kale
- Greens
- Broccoli
- Corn
- Sweet potatoes
- Green and red peppers
- Zucchini
Omega-3s
OK, so we said fats are bad, just not ALL fats. Foods that contain Omega-3 fatty acids can lower “bad” cholesterol and fight inflammation, which can help decrease the onset of AMD. Add Omega-3s to your diet with fatty fish (salmon) or nuts. If you’re not getting enough Omega-3 fatty acids in your diet, you can substitute what your missing with and Omega-3 dietary supplement or a supplement that has a high dose of Omgea-3 like TOZAL.
Fruit
Vitamin C is really great for eye health, so citrus is a good choice to fight the effects of macular degeneration. In addition, try adding these to your macular degeneration diet:
- Kiwi
- Cantaloupe
- Strawberries
- Watermelon
Eggs
Egg yolks have a high concentration of carotenoids that boost macular health, so it seems obvious that eggs are a no-brainer for limiting the effects of macular degeneration. Care must be taken with eggs, especially if your diet lacks in other areas. For example, if you’re already eating a lot of high-cholesterol foods or an otherwise bad heart health diet, eggs will likely do more harm than good. But if your macular degeneration diet is clean, eggs (in moderation) are a good thing. [2]
Let Focus Labs Help with Macular Degeneration Prevention As You Age
You might not be able to totally prevent age-related macular degeneration, but there are lifestyle changes you can make to slow or even stop its progress. Focus Labs offers a selection of dietary supplements, like TOZAL® Vitamin Supplements. TOZAL® is beta-carotene free and goes beyond the AREDS 2?formula to help support ocular health with a combination of Taurine, Omega-3 from fish oil, Zinc, Antioxidants, Lutein/Zeaxanthin, Vitamins A, B6, D3, and Folic Acid. To find out more about TOZAL and its effects on Macular Degeneration, visit MyTozal.com. Order your TOZAL eye vitamins today!
Citations:
- Junk Food May Be Bad For Your Eyesight https://www.macular.org/junk-food
- The best foods to eat for macular degeneration https://www.sightmatters.com/article-detail-topics/eye-health-foods
