The idea that diet plays a crucial role in strengthening bones and improving vision, and that eating healthy and getting regular exercise can keep you healthy, is a common understanding. Were you aware that your hearing health can also be significantly impacted by the lifestyle choices you make? Read on to learn more about how your lifestyle choices can affect the health of your hearing.
Control what you can for your hearing health
Your genetic inheritance has a lot to do with whether you experience hearing loss. There isn’t much you can do about it if your parents and grandparents were hard of hearing. You can limit the advancement with some wise lifestyle decisions.
If you have no hearing issues in your family, regardless of your age, begin making some changes that will positively affect your hearing health like those below.
Keep your ears safe
If you work in a noisy environment or like to attend loud concerts, invest in some protection. Use earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones.
Noise-induced hearing loss is usually the result of exposure to loud sounds.
Motivate your children and teens to use them as well. You can never start too young to protect your hearing.
Eat the right food
Make it a point to include the following foods into your diet:
- Fish
- Legumes
- Garlic
- Bananas
- Dark chocolate
- Whole grains
- Broccoli
These foods consist of nutrients that provide strength for the little bones in your ears, while at the same time they protect against irregular bone growth.
Be active
Regular physical activity is important for preserving good cardiovascular health. Think about incorporating activities like brisk walking, swimming laps, or riding a bike into your routine.
Engaging in regular low-impact physical activity improves the health of your heart and blood vessels, reducing the possibility of hypertension and its potential link to hearing issues.
Given up smoking
The presence of hazardous compounds in cigarettes, such as arsenic, ammonia, and formaldehyde, can harm the internal mechanisms of your ears and eventually result in hearing loss.
Furthermore, there is also a connection between this and the inception of tinnitus.
Reduce your alcohol drinking
Drinking too many cocktails in a short period of time can affect your hearing health. It can lead to impaired hearing, typically knowned as cocktail deafness, where background sounds become muted. It can also result in temporary tinnitus.
There is a possibility of these two situations becoming irreversible. If you notice hearing loss or ringing in the ears, it is a good idea to talk to a hearing professional for an evaluation.
Take supplements that positively affect hearing health
The following supplements are not only great for your overall health, but there are studies that link them to strengthening hearing health.
- Omega 3 fatty acids
- Zinc
- Magnesium and Potassium
- Vitamins A, C, and E
- B Vitamins
Speak with your primary care physician to ensure they are okay for you.
Schedule regular hearing exams
Getting regular hearing assessments is the most effective way to detect any potential hearing issues or changes in your hearing early on.
Schedule your hearing test now
If you are currently managing hearing loss, think about these lifestyle changes and arrange a meeting with a skilled hearing professional as soon as possible.