December 21, 2010
Wishing You A Healthy Carbs Christmas!
Macular Degeneration Diet
Many of us are aware of the importance of foods high in antioxidants in a macular degeneration diet, but unaware of how important it is to eat good carbohydrates and less of them.
Simply put there are good carbohydrates and there are bad carbohydrates. Healthy carbs are those that have a low glycemic index. A low glycemic diet is one that will benefit your health and your eyes.
High Glycemic Carbs
Bad carbohydrates are foods that are quickly digested and spike our blood sugar levels - holiday foods like white rolls, mashed potatoes, cookies, and pies. How can foods like these affect our vision and most importantly the macula? Sugar and unhealthy carbs cause chronic inflammation. Inflammation contributes to the development of many degenerative diseases, like heart disease and age related macular degeneration (AMD).According to Jack Challem the author of The Inflammation Syndrome: Your Nutrition Plan for Great Health, Weight Loss, and Pain-Free Living
"A diet relatively low in refined sugars and carbohydrates...can help blood sugar and insulin levels, which in turn will decrease inflammation levels."
Low Glycemic Carbs
Low glycemic cards are the better carbohydrates. These healthy carbs are foods that have a low glycemic index - foods that are slowly digested and don't spike our blood sugar levels.Allen Taylor, PhD, director of the Laboratory for Nutrition and Vision Research at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University, examined the eyes of more than 500 women between 53 and 73 years of age.
Taylor, who is also a nutrition, ophthalmology and biochemistry professor on the Tufts health sciences campus in Boston stated:
"The likelihood of having abnormalities characteristic of AMD on eye exam more than doubled for women who consumed diets with the highest glycemic index, regardless of other factors already known or suspected to increase the risk of AMD, such as age, high blood pressure, cigarette smoking, and obesity."
Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Dr. Michael Samuel, an ophthalmologist and retina specialist states, "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."In his book Macular Degeneration: A Complete Guide for Patients and Their Families
Limit the number of sweets or breads that you eat. Come up with a plan that works for you. One plan that has worked for me is to limit my desserts to two small servings a week.
I love chocolate. So I skip the Christmas sugar cookies and holiday breads and save my dessert serving for something chocolate. Find someone you can be accountable to. My neighbor and I are accountable to each other each holiday season. If we go over our two serving limit we owe the other person $10.
Do something good for your eyes this holiday season - limit your desserts and breads. If you'd like to learn more about what foods are considered healthy carbs go to:
Thanks so much for subscribing to Macular Degeneration News.
Leslie Degner, RN, BSN
Better Health for Better Vision
www.WebRN-MacularDegeneration.com