Skip Breakfast, Take Supplements, Lower AMD Risk

The more science debunks our past programming the more we can reasonably take control of our health. Past programming includes such non-medical, age-old mantras as, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day” or “I only get my vitamins from real foods”. Now it seems that the opposite of what we were told is true Case in point, John Kellogg of Kellogg cereal company joined in coining the breakfast saying, for obvious reasons. As reported by Mashed,

“The saying is widely attached to cereal genius Dr. John Harvey Kellogg and fellow 7th Day Adventist James Caleb Jackson and their efforts to promote breakfast cereal.”

Now it seems that breakfast may not be the most important meal and specific supplements may not be such a bad idea after all, especially when it comes to preventing age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

You Can Do It

Breakfast, especially an American breakfast, is considered not only the most important meal of the day but it is practically imprinted on the DNA of the American experience. Telling someone to skip breakfast is short of being blasphemous to some. Yet, when many take such a huge step and wait for their body to acclimate, the results can be substantially beneficial.

According to Healthline,

“Skipping breakfast is a common part of many intermittent fasting methods…Intermittent fasting has been shown to effectively reduce calorie intake, increase weight loss and improve metabolic health.”

In addition to these benefits it turns out preventing AMD may be another.

According to a study of research conducted at Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea, Optometry Times reported that,

“The investigators identified 4,504 patients between 2015 and 2018…The researchers found that the intermittent fasting group had a decreased risk of AMD compared to the non-fasting group and this was especially true in subjects younger than 70 years, those who were obese, and those who lived in cities.”

These results mat be due to a decrease of internal inflammation which can be caused by overtaxed digestion and poor food choices. This inflammation is often found in the eyes, particularly as excessive blood vessel growth, one of the symptoms of wet macular degeneration.

Check with your doctor to try the 16:8 eating schedule. This is a 16 hour overnight fast followed by an 8 hour eating window. By skipping breakfast you can start eating at 12pm and finish by 8pm. Plenty of time to eat enough and not overtax your body, especially your vision. Most Americans eat too much anyway which is why there is an expoential obesity crisis in this country.

Many diseases have been linked to excessive eating of poor food choices which might include:

• Processed foods
• Refined sugars
• Unstable oils
• High sodium
• Chemical preservatives

This should not be happening. You can take control now by first consuming non-caloric choices at breakfast such as:

• Black coffee
• Plain green tea
• Yerba mate tea
• Water

Anything else will spike insulin and the health benefits of skipping breakfast to prevent AMD may not be as effective. Eventually, you won’t miss it much, especially if you drink black coffee or the teas as these are natural appetite suppressants.

Second, when you are in your non-fasting eight hour window, eating foods that are high in non-processed plant-based nutrients will become more desirable. This is particularly beneficial when eating foods high in lutein and zeaxanthin, two prominent plant pigments known as carotenoids which are literally found on the human retina. These act as powerful protectants against macular degeneration and can be found in foods such as:

• Kale
• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Oranges
• Berries
• Carrots
• Pumpkin
• Sweet potato

However, if your day goes a mile a minute and you cannot always get the best foods then, according to a recent study, supplementation to prevent macular degeneration may help.

Support on the Side

There has often been pushback regarding the validity of taking dietary supplements. One particular consideration was the research presented from the ARED I & II (age-related eye disease study). This study followed 4,203 participants that took formulas which included lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene resulting in mixed but beneficial data.

Now, a new formula has been studied for ten years on the 3,883 of the original 4,203 participants which researchers and doctors are saying may be the best formula yet.

It turns out the beta-carotene in the formula made smokers and, surprisingly, even non-smokers, more at risk for developing lung cancer. This new formula goes back to the original mix of lutein and zeaxanthin removing the beta-carotene.

According to Emily Chew, MD, director of the NEI’s Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Application, as well as lead author of the study as reported by Optometry Times,

“This 10-year data confirms that not only is the new formula safer, it’s actually better at slowing AMD progression,”

Look for macular protecting formulas that contain lutein and zeaxanthin not beta-carotene. The accumulative effect of raking these daily, could according to studies, keep your macula and retina clear of macular degeneration.

Keeping science in the front windshield view and not the rear view mirror will, in many aspects, get us closer to less disease and more healthful living. This can advance exponentially once conventional and traditional medicine merge. In the meantime, talk to your physician or naturopathic doctor about skipping breakfast and taking supplements to lower AMD risk.

Sources:

https://www.mashed.com/234731/the-reason-people-believe-breakfast-is-the-most-important-meal-of-the-day/?utm_campaign=clip

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-skipping-breakfast-bad#TOC_TITLE_HDR_5

https://www.optometrytimes.com/view/skipping-breakfast-linked-to-decreased-risk-of-amd

https://www.optometrytimes.com/view/study-confirms-supplements-slow-amd-progression