The Perfect Meal for Macular Degeneration by Dr. Michael Lange

cooking with Dr. Mike

Proper diet and meal preparation is something Dr. Michael Lange optometrist with Lange Eye Care feels is important to discuss with all of his patients especially if they have Macular Degeneration.   Food for macular degeneration can help to slow down the degenerative process.  However it must be the proper food!  Optometrists and ophthalmologists should have a pre written list of foods that are beneficial for these macular degeneration patients. If you just tell them they wont remember so it is ideal to give them a handout that discusses  proper nutrition for macular degeneration.  Specific food for macular degeneration acts as medicine,  a concept some patients may grasp. Patients that are over weight must lose weight and get down to their ideal weight. Over weight people are much more prone to have progressive macular degenerative changes.  Over weight people usually have specific blood chemistries that are elevated like blood sugars , cholesterol , triglycerides,  homocystein  and  inflammatory  markers like CRP.  These are all modifiable risk factors that may improve or even normalize by appropriate weight loss.  Body fat  tends to attract carotenoids like lutein, zeaxanthin and astaxanthin.  If these crucial macular nutrients  accumulate in the fat on a person then less is available to go to the macular. Weight loss counseling is also very important for the eye care provider to discuss with their macular degeneration patients.

wild salmon, tumeric, green tea, red wine, gogi berreis, coconut oil, spinach, kale,eggs a perfect meal for macular degeneration

Dr. Michael Lange Optometrist and Nutrition specialist preaches over and over again in his clinics and on his talk shows the power of proper nutrition for macular degeneration. Dr. Langes favorite meal for macular degeneration and the reasoning  is: 

Wild Alaskan Salmon sautéed in a cast iron pan in organic virgin coconut oil.  thoroughly wash organic kale, spinach, orange  bell peppers and organic gogi berries then saute them in with the wild salmon.  Sprinkle a generous amount of curcumin/ turmeric spice and some  organic pepper and real lemon for seasoning.  Top the salmon, kale, spinach, orange bell pepper, gogi berry meal with  a soft organic poached egg.  Drink some organic green tea with the meal and finish off the meal with one small piece of dark chocolate and a glass of  organic ( biodynamic) Pinot Noir. 

The wild salmon is a great source of protein that is high in omega three fatty acids and astaxanthin. Many new studies link higher intake of omega three fatty acids with decreased rate of macular degeneration.  Omega three fatty acids also act as a shuttle system aiding the absorption of the beneficial carotenoids like lutein, zeaxanthin and astaxanthin.  Astaxanthin is what gives the red color to wild salmon. Farm raised salmon has a synthetic  dye that is given to the fish in the feed that may have many potential health complications associated with it. Stick with only wild Alaskan salmon. When in season get fresh or fresh frozen when possible , out of season it is ok to do canned or frozen.  Astaxanthin has become an extremely popular nutrient  do to its large list of health benefits.  new studies indicate astaxanthin may increase blood flow to the choroid and to the retina, it is also a potent  anti inflammatory that has been shown to lower cholesterol and also help to control free radical damage do to its extremely high antioxidant power. Astaxanthin is considerably more potent at quenching free radicals than vitamin c or vitamin e.  The kale and spinach must be organically grown since non organic greens are extremely high in pesticide content. These greens are very high in a crucial carotenoid for macular health called lutein. Cooking the greens will break down the chlorophyl based cell wall and aid in the release of the lutein to the body. Orange bell peppers  and gogi  berries are very high in zeaxanthin another carotenoid that is crucial for macular health. The combination of lutein and zeaxanthin help to replenish macular pigment density in the retina and may help retard some of the degenerative aspects.  Cooking these foods for macular degeneration in coconut oil adds to the flavor with out adding any potential toxins from genetically modified cooking oils. Coconut oil is also very high in medium chain triglycerides and lauric acid. Both of these have been proven to aid in neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s.  There is a link to Alzheimer’s and macular degeneration so the coconut oil may  be found in the future to be beneficial for macular degeneration.  When cooking use cast iron, stainless steel or ceramic pans and stay away from teflon or silver stone. The teflon pans can release carcinogens and pollutants into the air!  Using curcumin / turmeric as a spice will also increase the antioxidant and anti inflammatory power of the meal .  Tumeric and curcumin has also been studied for its anti veg f activity.  The turmeric  seems to have some power at helping to stop small blood vessels from growing and bursting causing the wet form of macular degeneration. More studies need to be done in this area before definitive claims can be made.  Organic whole leaf green tea also acts as a potent anti oxidant and anti inflammatory that may also exhibit some anti veg f benefits.  The bio dynamic organic pinot noir preferably from the New York or Oregon region has the highest amount of resveratrol. Resvertrol is also a potent antioxidant and anti inflammatory and has been studied for its anti veg f activity  as well.  A recent small study using resveratrol in macular degeneration patients proved beneficial.  Adding the soft-boiled or poached egg adds a little more protein and specific vitamins but most importantly the egg has one of the most bio available forms  of lutein in the yolk. The phospholipids in the yolk will further enhance the absorption of the omega threes, lutein and zeaxanthin in this nutrient dense meal.  Dark chocolate contains  cocoa flavaonols that have been studied for improvement in visual functioning. The flavonols in chocolate also exhibit some anti veg f properties they may prove to benefit macular degeneration.   Eat for your vision!  Bon  Appetite.

If you would like to see Dr. Michael Lange as a patient you can go to www.langeeyecare.com or www.drmichaellange.com for more information on the nine locations he is available at.  If you are interested in any of the  food items pictured or discussed above  call Lange Nutrition center  727 216 6275, we ship all over the world.  If you want to order  Supplements developed by Dr. Lange for Vision and total body wellness go to www.fortifeye.com  or call 866 503 9746