| "Dietary changes may be the most practical and | | | | increases your risk of developing macular |
| cost-effective prevention method to combat | | | | degeneration. Not only is it important to include |
| progression of age related macular | | | | foods that provide this essential fatty acid, but |
| degneration(AMD)," according to Allen Taylor, | | | | you must also stay away from unhealthy fats to |
| Ph.D., Director of the Laboratory for Nutrition and | | | | experience the benefits of the good fats. The |
| Vision Research at the USDA | | | | right ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids |
| The food we eat provides our bodies, including | | | | should be 3:1. |
| our eyes, with the building blocks that are needed | | | | Macular Degeneration Diet |
| to build and repair cells. The more nutrient rich the | | | | What foods do I avoid and what do I eat for a |
| food, the better the building blocks. The better | | | | macular degeneration diet? Do not underestimate |
| the building blocks the healthier the body. | | | | the power of nutrition for healthy eyes and a |
| The health of your eyes is also a reflection of the | | | | healthy macula. Stay away from sugar and |
| health of your entire body - if you have weak | | | | refined foods. Eat healthy carbohydrates that are |
| blood vessels, degeneration, or blockages in your | | | | low in the glycemic index - like whole grains, |
| eyes, the same processes are occurring in the | | | | brown rice, or whole wheat pasta. Include healthy |
| rest of your body as well. Conversely, any benefit | | | | fats like wild caught salmon, flax seed oil and olive |
| your eyes get from nutrition, vitamins or | | | | oil. |
| supplements, your whole body will benefit as well. | | | | Macular Degeneration Vitamins |
| Nutrition for for a healthy macula includes | | | | Today, it is common to supplement our hopefully, |
| antioxidants, omega-s essential fatty acids, lutein | | | | healthy diet with vitamins and supplements. The |
| and a macular degeneration diet. | | | | good news is that there is plenty of studies and |
| Macular Degneration Antioxidants | | | | evidence to support the need to supplement with |
| "Almost every single one of the risk factors we | | | | vitamins to benefit our vision and our macula. The |
| have for AMD can be linked to free radicals," | | | | problem is knowing what to take, how much to |
| according to Dr. Lylas Mogk, Director of the Visual | | | | take and which brands of vitamins and |
| Rehabilitation and Research Center of the Henry | | | | supplements will be best used by the body. |
| Ford Health System. | | | | Macular Degeneration Lutein |
| Much of today's research on ocular health is | | | | Lutein and zeaxanthin are two carotenoids that |
| focused on antioxidants and their effects on free | | | | make up the macular pigment. The macular |
| radical damage to the macula and the macular | | | | pigment protects the eye from the damaging |
| pigment. Surprisingly, not only are fruits rich in | | | | affects of ultra-violet light and blue light. Patients |
| antioxidants, but so are vegetables, nuts and | | | | with age related macular degeneration have a low |
| legumes. | | | | macular pigment density. It is possible to increase |
| Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids are Necessary for | | | | the density of the macular pigment through eating |
| Eye Health | | | | foods rich in lutein or supplementing with lutein. |
| Diets low in omega-3 essential fatty acids | | | | |