Don’t Let Macular Degeneration Ruin Your Golden Years

Ever had the flu or a cold? There’s a pretty good chance you have. Two of the common supplements often recommended by natural therapists are vitamin C and zinc. Zinc has a great reputation for supporting and boosting the immune system. When working with people showing signs of depressed immune function, frequent colds, viruses and infections; it is not uncommon to find a pronounced zinc deficiency.

Did you know though, that your zinc deficiency could also be giving you an early warning sign about macular degeneration?

Macular degeneration is the leading cause of visual impairment in those over the age of 50 and is found in 10% of patients over 66 and 30% of patients over the age of 75. The depressing news is that for those of us with a relative affected by macular degeneration the risk goes up to 50%. Macular degeneration leads to loss of vision in the centre of the visual field due to damage to the retina.

The role of diet and lifestyle in macular degeneration can be seen when looking at the treatment options from medline. This publication from the National Institute of Medicine suggests a number of dietary supplements to slow the onset and the progression of macular degeneration:

• vitamin C;
• beta-carotene;
• zinc;
• copper.

These potent antioxidants are regularly used in natural medicine to prevent the cellular damage caused by dietary, lifestyle and environmental toxins.

While no replacement for testing by a qualified optometrist a zinc tally test performed by our nutritionist can identify the presence of a zinc deficiency, long before physical manifestations are noticed. Not only will this benefit the vision but may also hold that next winter flu or cold at bay.

For those with a family history of macular degeneration, good dietary sources of zinc include:

• natural, unprocessed grains;
• brewer’s yeast;
• wheat bran and wheat germ;
• herring;
• pumpkin seeds.

Large amounts of calcium, iron and fibre can reduce the absorption of zinc in the intestine so it is often best to consume zinc supplements, or dietary sources, away from meals. If using supplements, generally a good multi mineral will contain sufficient zinc without the need for a specific zinc supplement, however where serious deficiency symptoms exist, or macular degeneration is present in the familymar a number of high concentration zinc supplements are available.

Don’t let visual degeneration impact your golden years! If you have a family history of macular degeneration, or are concerned about your vision talk to one of our qualified nutritionists today about your complementary zinc testing normally valued at $15.00.