Macular Degeneration (partial blindness) and Vegetable Oils

DrStrange · Post by **DrStrange** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 12:40 pm

Not sure its the veg oils as such but the fact that they are naturally unsaturated and tend to rancidify and hydrogenate easily (like when heated). That then makes them pro-oxident. Naturally saturated animal fat is pretty much all good as long as it doesn't have fat soluable poisons in it like pesticide residue, hormones, antibiotics etc (think Organically raised).

Antioxidents lutein and zeaxanthin, from orange and red colored plants (esp chrysanthamums which is mostly where its is extracted from for health food store pills) are specific for retina and may help prevent MA. My wife has strong family history of it (grandmother, mother, sister all bad) but she has no sign of it at 51. Been taking those and lots of other anti-ox for many years....

Beeline2.0 · Post by **Beeline2.0** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 12:52 pm

surfhorn · Post by **surfhorn** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 3:20 pm

Beeline - Funny you should mention that book. My wife worked as an assistant cooking instructor at The Pritikin Longevity Center in Santa Monica back in 1980-81. What impressed (and benefited) me most was the location of her office: the sw corner office of Pritikin's big brick building on the beach in Santa Monica ( the old Synanon headquarters).

Her office had a floor to ceiling glass wall with an unobstrucked view of the waves. She grew up surfing that stretch of coastline so she could identify a building swell and then pick up her phone and dial me in. Not only did I eat well but I always caught great surf before the crowds found out that a new swell had filled in. (these were in the days before surf reports)

Beeline2.0 · Post by **Beeline2.0** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 6:07 pm

surfhorn · Post by **surfhorn** » Tue Jul 06, 2004 6:12 am

My diet stays within the bounds of "moderation in everything." Fortunately, my brother is an organic farmer so I have an endless supply of goodies.

Beeline - That stretch of Santa Monica/POP isn't the best for quality surf. I counted Topanga as my 'home' break while living in Santa Monica Canyon. And I hit Zuma and my favorite spot, Zeros.

But Navy Street had some killer body surfing when the Souths hit it just right. I worked with a nonprofit law firm at the corner of Pier and Main Streets and was able to body surf daily -----thank goodness lawyers wre programed to take 2 hour lunches. Those big waves and 72 degree water were just about heaven for a Santa Cruz County boy.

Beeline2.0 · Post by **Beeline2.0** » Tue Jul 06, 2004 11:51 am

Beeline2.0 · Post by **Beeline2.0** » Wed Jul 07, 2004 7:24 am

DrStrange · Post by **DrStrange** » Wed Jul 07, 2004 12:31 pm

Coconut oil is great! Must get organic. Can take lot of heat (relatively) without smoking--think stir fry.

Fish oil--MUST GET MOLECULARLY DISTILLED. Cold lprocess that totally removes all heavy metals, pesticides, trans fats, etc. Only some companies do it and they cost a bit more. I would not take it otherwise.

Organic butter!!!!! MMMMmmmmmmm... Ghee.

Eat meat with the fat--again must be organic/humanely raised so it is clean and as good a karma as you can have eating another person.If at all possible get totally grass fed. A couple weeks on grain in a feed lot completely changes fatty acid content and NOT for the better

Fat is your friend. Just got to eat the right kind.

I repeat, "MMMMMmmmmmm..."