Adapted from The Displacing Foods Age Related Macular Degeneration by Chris A Knobbe. Medical Hypotheses 109 2017 184-198
Chris A Knobbe from the University of Texas has studied factors that are thought to be important in the causation of Age Related Macular Degeneration. (AMD).
AMD is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in developing nations. In 2020 some 196 million people were affected worldwide. And Dr Knobbe thinks this is almost always down to dietary factors, in particular the consumption of processed food such as sugar, vegetable oils, refined white flour and trans fats.
Historically, between 1851 and 1930, AMD was a rarity. It rose modestly in the 1930s but became an epidemic in the UK and USA by 1975.
By 2009 63% of the American diet consisted of processed sugars, starch and oils.
Dr Morrison comments: Dr Google now puts this at 73% “hyper-processed foods”.
By looking at the food intake and AMD in 25 nations, it was seen that as the traditional diets were replaced with processed foods, the incidence of new onset AMD correspondingly rose.
If sugar intake is moderate but polyunsaturated fat ingestion is rare, AMD does not rise.
It would therefore appear that processed and nutrient deficient foods are toxic to the retina.
AMD could probably be entirely preventable through reverting back to ancestral dietary patterns, should that be feasible, or eliminating processed foods that have become ubiquitous. Avoidance of these foods is likely to be extremely important for people who have been diagnosed with early or moderate AMD.
Dr. Morrison comments: She was recently at a Hospice ladies lunch group and was sitting at a table with six other women who were about 10-20 years older than herself. Five of them were currently getting eye injections for AMD. Diets that are considered the healthiest by Dr Google are the Mediterranean, Japanese, South Korean and French. None included processed foods."
Words above from here
Read more about Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) here
~ xxx ooo xxx ~
All the best Jan
How interesting! I try to limit my processed foods, as I know they are not good for me- but I didn't know this information. :)
ReplyDelete~Jess
Sounds interesting. Avoiding processed foods at all costs
ReplyDeleteGood information, Jan.
ReplyDeleteWell, 'nothing new under the sun', as they say. Almost all major diseases could be prevented by a healthy, unprocessed nutrition.
ReplyDelete...it's a serious problem.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting that macular degeneration is only on the rise in countries with processed food. It definitely could be foods, but could it be anything else also? Such as longer life spans or perhaps a rise in obesity? This was interesting post for certain.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis was a complete surprise to me, bu it totally makes sense.
ReplyDeleteSiempre hay q ue cuidar la alimentación. Te mando un beso.
ReplyDeleteI read recently that blood sugars that are too high, also contribute to this as well. It's amazing how much we can do when we eat better.
ReplyDeleteI have always believed processed food is not good for us, fresh for me anyday x
ReplyDeleteGood article to read Jan.
ReplyDeleteMy late dad had AMD and was legally blind for many years, he became blind after retiring.
An interesting article. Another nail in the coffin for processed foods.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that highly processed food does us ANY favours.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteInteresting article, I have a cousin who has AMD.
Processed foods are just not good for anyone.
Take care, enjoy your day!
I have a friend that has this...treatment is awful!
ReplyDeletehugs
Donna
Eating well keeps us healthy!
ReplyDeleteI have a macular wrinkle that is not considered to be macular degeneration. Nevertheless, it is pulling the retina or something. And,threatens my vision. I wonder if the cause is the same. This was noticed 30+ years ago. I wonder if this is diet related, too.
ReplyDeleteThat's good motivation.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting post! Valerie
ReplyDeleteHi Jan,
ReplyDeleteKnowing that they are harmful to health, we avoid eating processed foods.
Excellent information.
Hugs and all the best
Como siempre tu reportaje es muy interesante. Besos.
ReplyDeleteI think that can always be a factor in anything but I have it and my siblings who eat not as good of a diet as I do don't have it, so I think some of it is just genetics or other factors too.
ReplyDeleteThat's certainly interesting and worth taking on board!xxx
ReplyDeletewhat a wonderful article
ReplyDeletethanks for the link ,would love to learn ore