The Role of Diet and Nutrition in Maintaining Healthy Hearing

Hearing loss is a serious condition that makes it hard for you to speak, interact with others, and enjoy everyday activities. The impact is the same no matter the cause of hearing loss and at any age. Thankfully, there are some steps you can take to maintain healthy hearing, including having your hearing assessed by an experienced audiologist team. Another change you can make is watching what you eat. That’s right. There are foods that are more beneficial to your hearing than others. Continue reading to learn what foods you should focus on and other tips for maintaining your hearing health. 

Understanding How Hearing Loss Affects You

Hearing loss can affect you both mentally and physically. For instance, if you can’t hear well, it can be hard to communicate, hurt your job performance, and lower your confidence to engage in social situations. Not only that but untreated hearing loss has also been linked to memory loss and depression. When it’s hard to hear, it can be frustrating to have to ask people to repeat themselves, causing you to fade into the background rather than enjoy yourself. Over time, you might stop trying to participate or even attend events you once enjoyed.

It’s important to take control of your hearing loss and discuss your options with our team at Eldorado Hearing. We’re experienced with a variety of hearing loss issues and can accurately assess your hearing health in order to create a customized care plan. We take the time to listen to your concerns so you get the best treatment possible. Once you understand how your hearing loss affects you, it’s important to take steps to prevent further hearing loss. As mentioned, an easy way to promote healthier hearing is by making changes to your diet.

How Does Diet Affect Hearing?

It might seem odd, but your hearing health is significantly impacted by what you eat. When you give your body the nutrients and antioxidants it needs, your auditory system improves and allows you to prevent or slow hearing loss. A few of the most beneficial nutrients are listed below.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Omega-3 fatty acids, which are mostly found in fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines, as well as in flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts, have anti-inflammatory qualities that may lower the risk of age-related hearing loss. These important fatty acids help get blood to the inner ear and protect hair cells from damage.

Antioxidants: Antioxidants are important for keeping inner ear cells from damage by free radicals. Berries, such as blueberries and strawberries, dark leafy greens found in spinach and kale, green tea, and red bell peppers, are all good sources of antioxidants. Adding these antioxidant-rich foods to your diet can help you fight off oxidative stress and keep your hearing in good shape.

Magnesium: Studies show that magnesium helps avoid noise-induced hearing loss and may help you with your hearing as you age. Bananas, avocados, spinach, almonds, and beans are all good sources of magnesium.

Potassium: Also found in bananas, potassium is significant in helping the inner ear convert sounds for the brain. Adding more potassium through bananas, potatoes, or even black beans can help communication flow more smoothly and improve your hearing health.

Vitamin C: Vitamin C is known for its ability to boost the immune system. It also helps improve blood flow, which is important for good hearing. Oranges, lemons, grapefruits, strawberries, and bell peppers are all great sources of vitamin C.

Vitamin E: Like vitamin C, vitamin E helps the cells in the inner ear by acting as an antioxidant. Spinach, cabbage, nuts, and seeds like almonds and sunflower seeds are full of vitamin E and help keep your auditory system working at its fullest potential.

If you have a chronic medical condition or take medications regularly, it’s important to talk with your medical team about changes you make in your diet to ensure there are no negative reactions. Also, if you have trouble adding these particular foods to your diet, you can explore supplements that might also be beneficial.

More Ways to Improve Your Hearing Health

Long-term exposure to loud noises can damage hearing in a way that can’t be fixed. Taking steps to prevent exposure is key, whether the noise is from a job, a hobby, or something else. The best ways to protect your hearing are to wear earplugs or headphones in noisy places, limit your exposure to loud music or machinery, and keep the noise on your personal listening devices at a reasonable level. At Eldorado Hearing, we can discuss your options for hearing protection, including custom earplugs and earmolds.

If you can’t completely avoid being in a loud environment, giving your ears time to rest is important. Even small breaks from noise can help lessen the chance of hearing loss. When possible, remove yourself from the situation and head outside or find a quieter place that can give you the rest you need.

It’s also important to clean your ears regularly to keep earwax from building up. When you have too much earwax, it can block the ear canal and make it hard to hear. Even more important is not to go overboard. Remember, your ears do a good job of cleaning themselves to some degree. When too much earwax becomes a problem, it’s best to get help from our professional for safe removal.

It’s also important to handle long-term health problems like diabetes and high blood pressure since they have been linked to a higher chance of hearing loss. By getting medical care, making changes to your lifestyle, and taking your medications as prescribed, you can help lower the chance of hearing loss from these conditions.

Hearing loss can have a significant impact on your everyday life. If you’re concerned about your risks, seeking help sooner rather than later is essential. Our team can provide education and services in an understanding way so you get your questions answered and know your options. With support from an experienced team and effective changes in your lifestyle and diet, you can take control of your hearing loss and start enjoying yourself again. Contact us at Eldorado Hearing today.