Can what I eat make my AMD worse?
There is growing evidence suggesting it can.
A collaboration of researchers in Europe found that patients that adhere to a Mediterranean diet reduced their risk of late-stage AMD by 41%.
What is a Mediterranean diet?
It’s a diet rich in plant-based foods. Think fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, fish, seafood, and olive oil. It emphasizes limited red meat consumption, processed foods, and added sugar.
The authors studied the data of over 4,000 participants in two different studies (the Rotterdam study and the Alienor study). In these studies, food questionnaires were given to patients every 5 years over a 21 year period for the Rotterdam study and every 2 years over a 4 year period for the Alienor study.
What did they find?
The researchers found that those who closely followed the diet were 41 percent less likely to develop AMD compared with those who did not follow the diet.
What if I just add fish to my diet – is that enough?
No. The authors did not find that the reduced risk was tied to just one food, rather it was the entire pattern of eating a nutrient rich diet that did it.
