It’s likely that you’ve already observed that you don’t hear as well as you once did. In most cases, we don’t even realize that our choices are negatively affecting our hearing.
Many kinds of hearing loss are preventable with several simple lifestyle changes. Let’s look at six surprising secrets that will help you protect your hearing.
1. Manage Your Blood Pressure
It’s not good if your blood pressure stays high. A study found that hearing loss was 52% more likely with individuals who have higher than average blood pressure and they’re more likely to have other health issues also.
Avoid damage to your hearing by taking actions to lower your blood pressure. Consult a doctor as soon as possible and never dismiss your high blood pressure. Following your doctor’s guidance, managing stress, eating a healthy diet, and getting regular exercise are all parts of blood pressure management.
2. Quit Smoking
Here’s one more reason to quit: People who smoke are 15% more likely to suffer from hearing loss. Even more alarming: People who are frequently exposed to second-hand smoke are 28% more likely to develop hearing problems. The dangerous repercussions of second-hand smoke are not only harmful, they also remain in the air for long periods.
If you’re a smoker, protect your hearing and think about quitting. Take actions to minimize your exposure to second-hand smoke if you spend time with a smoker.
3. Regulate Your Diabetes
Diabetes or pre-diabetes impacts one in four adults. A pre-diabetic individual is very likely to get diabetes within 5 years unless they make serious lifestyle changes.
Blood vessels that are damaged by high blood sugar don’t efficiently transport nutrients. A diabetic individual is more than twice as likely to cope with hearing loss compared to a non-diabetic individual.
If you have diabetes, take the steps required to properly manage it. Safeguard your hearing by making lifestyle changes if you are at risk of type 2 diabetes.
4. Lose Some Weight
This isn’t about body image or feeling good about yourself. It’s about your health. Hearing loss and other health conditions increase as your Body Mass Index (BMI) rises. A slightly obese woman (with a 30 to 34 BMI) has a 17% increased risk of getting hearing loss. For an individual with a BMI of 40 (moderate obesity), the risk goes up to 25%.
Take measures to shed that extra weight. Your life can be prolonged and your hearing can be safeguarded by something as basic as walking for 30 minutes each day.
5. Don’t Overuse OTC Medications
Some over-the-counter (OTC) medications can result in hearing impairment. The risk increases when these medicines are taken regularly over prolonged periods of time.
Drugs including acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin are known to trigger hearing loss. Take these drugs moderately and talk to your doctor if you’re taking them on a regular basis.
If you’re taking the suggested dose for the occasional headache, studies indicate you’ll most likely be fine. Taking them daily, however, increases the risk of hearing loss by up to 40% for men.
Your doctor’s guidance should always be implemented. But if you’re taking these medicines each day to control chronic pain or thin your blood, talk to your doctor about lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your dependence on OTC drugs.
6. Eat More Broccoli
Broccoli is packed with nutrients and vitamins such as C and K and also has lots of iron. Iron is essential to blood circulation and a healthy heart. Iron helps your blood transport oxygen and nutrients to cells to keep them healthy and nourished.
For vegetarians or people who don’t eat much meat, eating a sufficient amount of plant-based iron is important. The iron found in plants is not as bioavailable as the iron in meat so people in this group are more likely to be deficient in iron.
More than 300,000 people were studied by Pennsylvania State University. The researchers discovered participants with anemia (extreme iron deficiency) were twice as likely to develop sensorineural hearing loss as those without the disorder. Sensorineural hearing loss is the scientific term for irreversible hearing loss related to aging.
Sound is picked up and sent to the brain by delicate little hairs in the inner ear which resonate with the volume and frequency of that sound. If these hair cells die due to poor circulation or other concerns related to iron deficiency, they never grow back.
You’re never too young to have your hearing checked, so don’t wait until it’s too late. Counter hearing loss by using these simple tips in your daily life.
