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What does Inflammation have to do with AMD?
June 03, 2009
Hello

What does Inflammation have to do with AMD?

According to Dr. Michael Samuels, ophthalmologist and author of Macular Degeneration: A Complete Guide for Patients and Their Families , "Modern research into age related macular degeneration has found that inflammation plays a clear role in the development of the dry form of this disease." Now, if you have the wet form, you may think that this information does not apply to you. But, in fact, chronic inflammation plays a role in many other diseases like heart disease, cancer, diabetes and Alzheimers.

The two forms of inflammation are acute and chronic.

Acute inflammation occurs when there is a sudden illness or injury to the body - like the flu or a torn ligament. The body responds by making and sending cells that fight the disease or build and repair injured tissue. A mechanism of of several inflammatory responses occur - like fever, swelling, or redness.

Chronic inflammation is a slow and ongoing response of the body whose immune system is constantly "on" and fighting, even when there is no imminent danger.

You all know about anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin or ibuprofen. So why not just take these drugs to control chronic inflammation? These drugs, although they are over the counter, still have some serious side effects.

The best way to reduce chronic inflammation is through diet - by including certain foods and by staying away from harmful foods.

Good Fats and Bad Fats

Did you know that fats can either promote inflammation or fight inflammation? The fats to stay away from are:

Cottonseed

Soybean

Safflower

Corn

Sunflower Peanut

Partially hydrogenated oils

Likewise sugar and refined flours are pro-inflammatory while whole grained flours and foods low in the glycemic index are anti-inflammatory.

Good Carbs and Bad Carbs

Foods high in glycemic index that you should stay away from are:

Cookies

White Bread

White Pasta

White Potatoes

Cake

Candy and Candy Bars

To learn more about how to make the switch from pro-inflammatory foods to anti-inflammatory foods go to:


Macular Degeneration Diet

Thanks so much for subscribing to Macular Degeneration News.



Leslie Degner, RN, BSN

Better Health for Better Vision

www.WebRN-MacularDegneration.com

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