From drugs costing over $2000 a month to those that could cause a stroke or heart attack you have a lot of conventional medicine available to treat macular degeneration. But let’s say you’re not independently wealthy and you don’t want to sacrifice your body to save your eyes–what can you do?
Prevention
It’s by far the best approach in anything dealing with your health. Leafy greens and carrots can help, but the best prevention are omega-3 fatty acids. When I used to hear that word I would get a horrible taste in my mouth, a reminder of the pungency of fish oil pills lingering all day. Thankfully this is something we no longer have to endure.
Fish!
Fish are among the best omega-3 sources (especially salmon, mackerel, sardines, and white tuna). Look for wild-caught–farmed usually have more toxins. Liquid forms of fish oil are also good choices, and as mentioned before many manufacturers have remedied the infamous bad taste. It’s important that the oil you choose comes from a good, clean source free of toxins and again should be wild-caught. When in doubt read the label!
Not a fish fan? No problem–some of the highest omega-3 contents are found elsewhere. Ground flaxseeds can be added to many foods from cereal to smoothies to salads as a tasteless fatty acid boost–we keep a jar of them in the freezer and they last for months. Don’t forget these sources as well:
- walnuts
- avocados
- tofu
- hemp seeds
Treatment
For those who already have macular degeneration a diet of omega-3-rich food might slow the disease’s advance but it is not a cure. The University of Maryland Medical Center has recommendations for natural treatments from herbs to vitamin formulas, as well as current information on all things related to the disease.
Further Reading
- Eye benefits of omega-3 fatty acids: more than just macular degeneration prevention.
- Omega-3 fatty acids: how they work and what they do.
- Current information on macular degeneration
