Macular degeneration or AMD is an age-related eye disease, and it tends to get worse as time goes by. Macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of permanent or severe vision loss amongst those aged 55 or over.
This eye disease occurs when your macula, a tiny portion in the center of your retina, wears down. Your retina is nerve tissue in your eye with light-sensing capabilities. As you get older, macular degeneration starts to affect the performance of the retina.
It does not cause complete blindness in most cases, but if not taken care of, it can leave severe and permanent damage to your vision. Other forms of this horrid and troublesome eye disease are as follows.
• Juvenile macular degeneration
• Stargardt disease
Both of them can affect young adults and children.
What Can Cause Macular Degeneration?
While this age-associated disease is more common amongst older people, it can affect young adults and even children in some cases. According to the government’s research, macular degeneration can be a result of both environmental and/or genetic issues.
That said, here are some common reasons that may cause or escalate the development of macular degeneration. Shockingly most of these issues are diet-associate and are as follows
- High blood pressure
- Smoking
- High cholesterol
- Eating excessive saturated fat
- Obesity
What is a Recommended Macular Degeneration Diet
In case you or a loved one is suffering from macular degeneration, then they should follow a healthy diet plan that includes
- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Other healthy nutrients
You should be eating plenty of vegetables and fruits with nuts, fish, and seeds as a regular part of your diet. In simple terms, a Mediterranean-style diet is what you should be aiming for.
You must familiarize yourself with other harmful foods that might contribute towards or escalate your chronic health conditions associated with retinitis and macular degeneration.
According to National Eye Institute, a good diet plan for macular degeneration must include a nutrient formula that can help reduce or eliminate the risk of progression of AMD.
So, you can try a combination of healthy natural organic foods as well as supplements to ensure you are in a fit condition to fend of this vision debilitating disease.
The Best Food You Can Consume for AMD
Here are the recommended nutrients that should be a part of your daily diet if you have signs of macular degeneration. If you already have this disease, it is still not too late, as a healthy diet can slow down its progression exponentially.
So let us explore what these nutrients are.
Food Full of Antioxidants
Antioxidants enable your body to fight cellular deterioration and damage. Vitamin A, vitamin C, and E are the best antioxidants for macular degeneration patients. For vitamin A, you must eat food with lots of carotenoids, as these include lutein and zeaxanthin. Both are exceptionally beneficial eye vitamins.
The best sources to find these vitamins are vegetables and fruits with red-orange pigmentation. Dark leafy greens are another main source. For a hefty burst of vitamin C, you must use citrus fruits, while nuts, seeds, and their oils are the best and primary source of vitamin E.
Omega-3
Three main types of nutritional Omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial to eat when you macular degeneration disease. These are
- EPA and DHA – fatty fish is the main source of this specific Omega-3s
- ALA – you will find them in most seeds and nuts
Zinc and Copper
Zinc and copper are trace minerals that can contribute to your eye health directly as well as indirectly. For instance, Zinc enables your body to regulate cellular function and antioxidants such as vitamin A.
Legumes, including chickpeas, shellfish, and meats, are the best sources high in Zinc. Whereas, for copper, you must make a healthy portion of dark leafy greens a part of your regular diet. However, do not leave the eggs, legumes, nuts, and seeds out of your daily diet plan.
Your Macular Degeneration Grocery Shopping List
So, what should your grocery shopping list with AMD look like? Well, here is a comprehensive list of the top resources of nutrients you need to fight this disease.
However, you do not have to buy or consume all of them. Simply pick the ones that suit your taste, preference, and budget. Plus, you can mix and match them or make alternate shopping lists to keep the meal plan fresh every week.
So, the grocery list with the macular disease must include the following.
- Cantaloupe
- Carrots
- Kiwi fruit
- Red and Green Peppers
- Oranges
- Grapefruits
- Chickpeas
- Black-eyed peas
- Lentils
- Mangoes
- Leaf beef
- Chicken breast
- Watermelon
- Kale
- Spinach
- Tofu
- Broccoli
- Almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, cashews, etc.
- Pumpkin seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Zucchini
- Sweet potatoes
A quick piece of advice, consult your doctor prior to making any changes to your existing diet. Plus, be careful if you have a history of allergy to any of the items or nutrients.
Foods to Stay Away with Macular Degeneration
If you have a family history of AMD or currently suffering from it. Here are some of the foods that you must refrain from
Other Options
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Conclusion
If you are suffering from macular degeneration (AMD), simply use this well-researched information from us to your advantage. Incorporating the above-mentioned healthy dietary options can help you reduce the risk of AMD and live a relatively comfortable life.
Feel free to read other blogs from our team and learn how we at Vision Buddy can assist with your AMD.