Natural Remedies for Macular Degeneration
Hello Folks,
When I think of eye health, my mind goes to three things; Essential Fatty Acids, Antioxidants, and Distance Gazing.
The first part of a diet to heal or prevent macular degeneration is healthy oils. Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) are a necessary part of eye health. Your body breaks oils down into fatty acids, much same way proteins are broken down into amino acids. These Fatty Acids are then carried throughout your body via the bloodstream to build cell walls. If the quality of the Fatty Acids are good, your body will build healthy cell walls. If the Fatty Acids are derived from McDonald's fries and doritos...well, the cell walls won't be that healthy.
My favorite sources of EFAs are hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and organic leafy green vegetables. All whole food sources. This ensures your body is getting the oils delivered in the way Nature intended. Isolated oils are hard for your body to digest. Eating raw, whole foods that contain EFAs gives your body the enzymes it's going to use to break down the oils. Nothing fancy, just following the way your body is designed.
Don't fuss with trying to get exact, measured amounts of EFAs. Simply make sure to eat EFA containing foods on a regular daily basis and your body will handle the rest. For the sake of simplicity, figure on eating a small handful of either hemp seeds, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds daily. A mix would be ideal, to broaden the range of the EFAs and the other goodness in these wonderful and tasty foods.
As for the leafy greens, you should aim to eat at least a cup or two daily. Figure a cup to be about what you'd put into a good sized salad. Leafy greens are some of the healthiest foods in the world. They are nutrient rich, antioxidant rich, full of fiber, and loaded with blood building/blood cleansing chlorophyll. Leafy greens are also easy to digest. Chew them thoroughly to break down the fibers. If you cook them, add ginger, fennel seeds, or anise to help with digestion.
The second major component of eye health and preventing macular degeneration is antioxidants. These will help to prevent healthy cells in your eyes from being damaged by free radicals, unstable particles. Free radicals are characterized by having unpaired electrons. This makes them potentially damaging as they will seek out an electron from other places in your body to complete themselves. That's where antioxidants come in.
Antioxidants will provide that electron without the free radical taking it from an otherwise healthy cell. You should aim to eat seven or eight servings of antioxidant rich foods every day. A serving would be a small handful. My favorite antioxidant rich foods include berries, pineapple, citrus fruits, kiwi, cherries, pomegranate, dark grapes, prunes, kale, alfalfa sprouts, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kidney beans, pinto beans, lentils, spinach, garlic, and onions.
Quick note: when eating beans, be sure to chew thoroughly and flavor with ginger, anise seed, or fennel seeds. This will greatly aid digestion and prevent gas. Both your body and your friends will thank you.
Another great option for getting antioxidants is drinking herbal tea. Green, White, or Black tea (no milk or cream or it'll render the antioxidants inert), Rooibos (also known as Redbush), and Yerba Mate' are loaded with protective antioxidants. Each eight ounce cupful will provide a full serving.
The last natural remedy for macular degeneration is Distance Gazing. You use your eyes every day, all day, your entire life. The only break they get is when you are sleeping. It's worth it to treat them well. In our modern times, we have a tendency to look at things close-up a lot. We read, drive, surf the internet, and oftentimes even work looking at things that are relatively close. Most of us have experienced eye strain at one point in our lives. Much of this comes from staring intently at things within a few inches or feet of your eyes for extended periods of time.
Take time to gaze at far horizons. It's pleasant to look out over mountains or prairies. It's also enjoyable to stare at the stars, the moon, or over the ocean. This gives you an opportunity to strengthen your distance vision and to enjoy a different perspective of this beautiful world. While gazing, take a few moments to breathe deeply. This will provide further eye support by providing oxygen. Plus, it feels great.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article. Now, go outside and gaze at far horizons. Take a few deep breaths, smile, and relax. It's a beautiful world.
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