Food Cures (44 page)
Authors: Carol Svec
BEST FOODS FOR OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS:
Wild salmon (fresh, canned), herring, mackerel (not king), sardines, anchovies, rainbow trout, Pacific oysters, omega-3-fortified eggs, flaxseed (ground and oil), walnuts, butternuts (white walnuts), seaweed, walnut oil, canola oil, soybeans
BONUS POINTS
- Get regular eye exams.
It is important to get a regular comprehensive checkup by an optometrist or ophthalmologist—at least once a year if you’re over age 60. Be sure that the exam includes eye dilation so that any change in your lens or retina can be spotted easily and early.- Protect your eyes from the sun.
One of the top causes of cataracts is radiation from the sun. Take steps to protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses and a hat with a brim whenever you are out in bright daylight.- Stop smoking.
Smoking increases your risk of both cataracts and macular degeneration, in part because it creates free radicals, and in part because smoking decreases the amount of oxygen to the eye.- If you smoke, don’t drink alcohol or take beta carotene supplements.
I strongly encourage you to stop smoking, but if you haven’t yet quit entirely, you have a couple other guidelines. Although alcohol alone doesn’t increase the risk for cataracts, smokers who drink alcohol have a greater risk than smokers who don’t drink. And beta carotene supplements may increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers, so that’s a dangerous combination.- Maintain a healthy weight.
People with early-stage macular degeneration who are also overweight have double the risk of moving on to the advanced stage, so losing weight may help keep the disease from progressing. Plus, people who are overweight have a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes, which increases the risk of cataracts. (See Weight Loss on Chapter 3 for more information.)- Avoid eating foods high in saturated and trans fats.
Butter, stick margarine, cream, whole milk, ice cream, lard, cheese, beef fat, products made with hydrogenated oil, and other damaging fats can cause a buildup of plaque in blood vessels which can choke off blood flow—including blood flow to the eye. Any decrease in oxygen can harm the eye and promote tissue damage.
SUPPLEMENTS
FOR CATARACTS
If you are concerned about cataracts and want to consider supplements
in addition to
the food fixes, my only recommendation is for:
- Multivitamin.
It is important to get the necessary amounts of the cataract-fighting B vitamins, along with a basic amount of vitamin C and E. Look for a standard multivitamin that contains 100 percent of vitamins C and E. Too much vitamin C from supplemental doses might actually increase the risk of cataracts…and too much vitamin E from supplemental doses might increase the risk of macular degeneration. Supplements with “mega” doses of any vitamin or mineral are not recommended.
FOR MACULAR DEGENERATION ONLY
For people who have been diagnosed with macular degeneration, the following supplements may help slow progression of the disease. Among the best studied are daily dosages of the following supplements:
I RECOMMEND THAT EVERYONE TAKE
- Multivitamin that provides
only
100% DV for Vitamin E.
AND SPEAK WITH YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT THESE
ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS
- 500 milligrams vitamin C.
- 15 milligrams beta carotene. Smokers shouldn’t take beta carotene because it may increase the risk of cancer (in smokers only).
- 80 milligrams zinc, with 2 milligrams copper to balance out the effect of such high levels of zinc, which can depress the immune system and block copper’s availability in the body.
Follow this program if you have macular degeneration or cataracts, or a family history of these diseases.
STEP 1…
START WITH THE BASICS
These are the first things you should do to address eye problems:
- See an optometrist or ophthalmologist for a comprehensive eye exam. If you are over age 60, have an exam every two years. If you notice any vision changes, see a doctor immediately—don’t wait for your next appointment.
- If you have macular degeneration, talk with your physician about whether you are a good candidate to take the AREDS supplements, and whether you need to avoid zinc or beta carotene.
- If you smoke, quit.
- Protect your eyes from the sun by wearing a brimmed hat and sunglasses whenever possible.
STEP 2…
YOUR ULTIMATE GROCERY LIST
A nutrition plan is only as good as the foods that you choose. This list contains foods with high levels of nutrients that contribute to eye health, plus some foods used as ingredients in the meal plans and recipes. You don’t have to purchase every item…but these foods should make up the bulk of what you eat for the week. If you find yourself getting bored, try adding a food from the list that’s new to you. My practice is full of people who are passionate fans of foods they’ve only recently started eating.
FRUIT
Apples (especially Red Delicious, Granny Smith, Gala)
Apricots
Berries (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries)
Cantaloupe
Cherries
Clementines
Cranberries, fresh and dried (and juice)
Grapefruit (and juice)
Guava
Kiwi
Lemons
Limes
Lychees
Mangos
Oranges (and juice)
Papaya
Peaches
Persimmons
Pineapple
Plums (especially black)
Prunes
Tangerines
Watermelon
VEGETABLES
Artichoke hearts
Asparagus
Avocado
Beans (red, kidney, pinto, black, garbanzo, lima)
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage (including Chinese, red)
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
Collard greens
Corn
Green beans
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lentils
Lettuce (romaine, green leaf, red leaf, butterhead, Boston, Bibb)
Mushrooms (including portobello, white)
Mustard greens
Okra
Onions
Peas (green, sugar snap)
Peas, black-eyed
Peppers (hot; yellow/red/green bell)
Potatoes, sweet
Potatoes, white (including russet)
Pumpkin
Radicchio
Rutabagas
Scallions
Seaweed
Snow peas
Soybeans (edamame)
Spinach
Squash, summer (all varieties)
Squash, winter (especially butternut)
Swiss chard
Tomatoes (including green tomatoes, red ripe tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, and tomato paste)
Turnip greens
Watercress
SEAFOOD
Anchovies
Crab
Herring
Mackerel (not king)
Oysters (including Pacific)
Salmon, wild (fresh, canned)
Sardines
Trout, rainbow
Tuna (canned light)
LEAN MEATS/EGGS
Beef, lean
Chicken
Eggs (especially omega-3-fortified)
Ham, lean
Liver
Ostrich
Pork (lean cuts, including tenderloin)
Turkey
Veal
Venison
NUTS AND SEEDS (PREFERABLY UNSALTED)
Almonds
Brazil nuts
Butternuts (white walnuts)
Cashews
Flaxseed, ground
Hazelnuts
Peanut butter
Peanuts
Pecans
Pine nuts
Pumpkin seeds
Sunflower seeds
Walnuts
WHOLE GRAINS
Breads, whole wheat (including pita and crackers)
Cereal, fortified whole grain
Couscous, whole wheat
Pasta, whole wheat
Wheat germ
DAIRY
Cheese (fat-free, reduced-fat)
Cottage cheese (nonfat, 1% reduced-fat)
Milk (fat-free, 1% reduced-fat)
Yogurt (fat-free, low-fat)
MISCELLANEOUS
Chili, canned vegetarian, low-fat
Coffee
Dressing, salad, reduced-fat
Guacamole
Horseradish (prepared)
Hummus
Margarine spread, soft tub trans fat-free
Mayonnaise, reduced-fat
Nonstick cooking spray
Oil, canola
Oil, flaxseed
Oil, olive
Oil, walnut
Parsley, fresh
Pepper, black
Salt
Soup, canned butternut squash, low-fat
Soup, canned pumpkin, low-fat
Soup, canned split pea, low-fat
Sugar
Tea (green, black)
Vinegar, balsamic or red wine
Worcestershire sauce
STEP 3…
GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND
If you want to do everything you can for eye health, here are some additional things you might try:
- If you like, feel free to take a multivitamin with 100% DV for B vitamins and folic acid. Look for a supplement that contains no more than 100% DV of any nutrient, especially vitamins C and E.
- If you specifically have macular degeneration (not cataracts), consider supplements of vitamin C, beta carotene, and zinc with copper, in the dosages recommended on Chapter 11. At the very least, make sure your multivitamin provides 100% DV for beta carotene, zinc, and copper. If you smoke, cross beta carotene off your list. These are treatment-level dosages—if you do not have macular degeneration, do not take these supplements.
- Avoid eating foods high in saturated and trans fats, including butter, stick margarine, ice cream, whole milk, cheese, and products made with hydrogenated oils.
SUNGLASSES
Your choice of sunglasses makes a fashion statement, but please don’t let that statement include the words
eye damage
. Not all designer models protect the eyes. Don’t be fooled into thinking that large or dark lenses necessarily protect against radiation. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends choosing sunglasses that are certified to block 99 to 100 percent of UVA and UVB radiation. Glasses should fit well so they don’t slide down your nose. If possible, look for models that wrap all the way around to your temples. Wear your sunglasses every time you go outside, even on cloudy days—radiation is still there even if the sun is hidden. If you wear contact lenses with UV protection, it is still important to wear sunglasses because contacts cover only a tiny portion of your eyes.
STEP 4…
MEAL PLANS
These sample menus include foods high in nutrients that have been shown to be protective against cataracts and macular degeneration, specifically antioxidants, beta carotene, vitamins C and E, zinc, B vitamins, and lutein.
Every day, choose
one
option for each of the three meals—breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Then, one or two times per day, choose from a variety of my suggested snacks. Approximate calories have been provided to help adjust for your personal weight management goals. If you find yourself hungry (and if weight is not an issue), feel free to increase the portion sizes for meals and snacks. Beverage calories are
not
included.
