14 DAY TRIAL // People who do not want to develop vision loss conditions such as age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) should consider staying active and moderate exercise on a regular basis, advise medical experts. According to a new research carried out by a team of scientists at the University of Wisconsin, older people should not give up physical activity and indulge in activities which do not require any effort and limit themselves to watching TV or simply sitting around the house.
Moderate physical activity is very beneficial for all individuals, independent of their age, from infants to elderly people. Previous studies have also showed that exercising is as good for the brain as it is for the body and staying active keeps at bay or eases symptoms of a wide range of severe conditions and types of cancer. Therefore, moderate-intensity, regular working out is recommended to all groups of ages and we should all stay active for as long as we live, as physical effort is the synonym for a healthy body and mind.
Writing in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, University of Wisconsin researchers pointed out the fact that regular exercise is very effective against age-related macular degeneration, a condition which is extremely popular among elderly people. The study was conducted on more than 4,000 individuals with ages ranging from 43 to 86.
Participants in the study were both men and women and they were asked about their exercising habits - but not all types of exercising, such as low-intensity physical effort, only about sustained working out which made volunteers sweat. This type of exercising included cycling, dancing, jogging etc. Overall results showed that volunteers who reported practicing this type of 'sweating' activities at least 3 times per week were 70% less likely to develop age-related macular degeneration.
Macular Degeneration relates to any kind of degeneration of the macula of the eye. The macula of the eye is the central portion of the retina and is responsible for focusing central vision in the eye. The deterioration of the macula is caused by malfunctioning cone cells in the retina.
Findings of the study also showed that regular, but lower-intensity effort - such as walking more than 12 blocks daily - is beneficial against sight-loss conditions, but people who practiced this were only 30% less likely to develop lose of their vision.
Researchers also pinpointed the fact that regular exercise must be combined with a healthy lifestyle and diet in order to prevent age-related macular degeneration and many other severe conditions which can be easily developed by older people. Previous studies have shown that individuals who want to keep vision disorders at bay should quit smoking and eat fish, which in overloaded with omega-e beneficial fatty acids.