Everything changes as we grow older, including our vision. Even though macular degeneration affects large percentage of the population, Caucasian women over the age of 50 are most susceptible to it. Aging is one of the most common causes of vision loss, but some lifestyle choices can either reduce or increase the chance of macular degeneration.
Adding certain foods to your diet is one of the simplest lifestyle changes you can make. Keep reading to find out which foods can help prevent macular degeneration.
GARLIC
1. Blood Pressure Reduction
Blood pressure is one of the key factors in age-related macular degeneration, as hypertension restricts blood flow and thus affects the activity of the retina. Given the fact that retina requires a high rate of oxygen consumption, the reduction of blood supply that delivers this oxygen reduces the chance of maintain healthy vision.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews has conducted two studies which have shown that garlic helps reduce supine systolic blood pressure.
2. Cholesterol Reduction
According to a study conducted by the Harvard Medical School, lower levels of cholesterol are linked to reduced risk of developing age-related macular degeneration. In age-related macular degeneration, fat deposits tend to accumulate under the retina and thus cause blindness or blurring in the centre of the field of vision.
The study involved 23 patients with age-related macular degeneration who were given high doses of Lipitor, a drug which is used to reduce cholesterol levels. The study had shown that ten of these patients experienced improvement in vision clarity as result to the disappearance of the fat deposits under the retina.
According to the Annals of Internal Medicine, only half a clove of garlic daily can reduce total cholesterol levels, due to the fact that its compounds prevent cholesterol synthesis.
To sum up, garlic is cheap, easily accessible, and extremely effective remedy to prevent age-related macular degeneration. Therefore, it is highly recommended to increase your garlic intake in order to ensure that you have good vision for the rest of your life.
CARROTS
1. Beta Carotene
Carrots are an excellent source of beta carotene, which makes it one of the best vegetables which support good vision. Once ingested, beta-carotene turns into vitamin A, a nutrient which prevents many eye diseases. This explains why many people who are deficient in vitamin A suffer from ulcers, dryness of the eyes, spotty vision, and night blindness.
SALMON
1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
It is a well-known fact that salmon is rich source of all three types of omega-3 fatty acids. According to the National Eye Institute, a byproduct of these fatty acids is extremely beneficial for eye health. It has been scientifically shown that a byproduct found in omega-3 fatty acids can prevent abnormal blood vessel growth which is one of the causes of macular diseases.
Researchers also believe that this byproduct found in docosahexaenoic acid, one of the onega-3 fatty acids, can prevent macular degeneration by inhibiting abnormal growth of the blood vessels
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