How Antioxidant Rich Berries Help the Retina

This morning I made a fruit smoothie from blueberries that came from our crop of bushes planted in our backyard. We have six blueberry bushes that are loaded with this antioxidant rich fruit.

What is Oxidation?

To help you understand why including antioxidant rich foods in your diet are so important, let me explain why the macula especially needs antioxidants.

Because the macula is oxygen rich, you will find high levels of oxidation occurring in the retina which means plenty of free radical formation. Free radicals cause cell damage - at the DNA level - which can result in degenerative diseases like macular degeneration.

According to Dr. John Nolan, vision scientist and Fulbright postdoctoral fellow in the MCG Department of Ophthalmology, "It may be that once you go beyond 60, which is the age when macular degeneration typically starts developing, the pigment is depleted for several reasons, including increased oxidative stress and a poor diet, both associated with an increase in age."

Antioxidant Rich Blueberries

Just by eating, as our bodies break down and metabolize food, they generate free radicals. “And without any antioxidants present, like those from colorful fruits and vegetables, for instance, there’s nothing to counteract this detrimental effect,” says Dr. Ronald Prior ,a chemist at USDA’s Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center in Little Rock.

“We’re learning that antioxidants should be consumed with every meal,” says Prior. “And if you routinely skip antioxidants in your diet, over time, the excess number of free radicals being produced may begin damaging cellular components, ultimately leading to atherosclerosis, cancer, and other diseases.” Blueberries are rich in antioxidants, and can supply the macula with needed antioxidants to prevent free radical damage.

Find out what other health benefits this antioxidant rich fruit has to offer and how you can easily incorporate them into you antioxidant rich diet... ...

Benefits of Blueberries to Your Eye Health

Leslie Degner, RN, BSN

Better Health for Better Vision

WebRN-MacularDegeneration.com

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