Chances are you’ve already detected that you don’t hear as well as you used to. Normally, we don’t even recognize that our decisions are negatively impacting our hearing.
Many kinds of hearing loss are avoidable with several basic lifestyle changes. Let’s explore six unexpected secrets that will help you protect your hearing.
1. Manage Your Blood Pressure
Consistently high blood pressure is not okay. A study revealed that hearing loss was 52% more likely with individuals who have above average blood pressure and they’re more likely to have other health issues as well.
Reduce injury to your hearing by taking actions to lower your blood pressure. See a doctor right away and never ignore 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. Stop Smoking
There are plenty of good reasons to quit smoking, here’s yet another: Smokers are 15% more likely to suffer from hearing loss. What’s even more surprising is that there’s a 28% higher probability of someone experiencing hearing problems if they are regularly exposed to second-hand smoke. The harmful repercussions of second-hand smoke are not only harmful, they also stay in the air for long periods.
Consider protecting your hearing, if you’re a smoker, by quitting. If you spend time with a smoker, take steps to decrease your exposure to second-hand smoke.
3. Regulate Your Diabetes
One out of four adults is either pre-diabetic or diabetic. Unless they make some serious lifestyle changes, somebody who is pre-diabetic will very likely develop diabetes within 5 years.
High blood sugar harms blood vessels, which makes it very difficult for them to efficiently transport nutrients. A diabetic individual is more than twice as likely to experience hearing loss compared to a non-diabetic person.
If you suffer from diabetes, take the steps necessary to correctly control 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 great about yourself. It’s about your health. As your Body Mass Index (BMI) rises, so does your possibility of hearing loss and other health disorders. The risk of getting hearing loss rises by 17% for a mildly obese woman with a BMI of 30 to 34. For someone with a BMI of 40 (moderate obesity), the risk rises to 25%.
Work to eliminate some of that excess weight. Your life can be prolonged and your hearing can be safeguarded by something as simple as walking for 30 minutes each day.
5. OTC Medications Shouldn’t be Overused
Some over-the-counter (OTC) medications can lead to hearing impairment. The more often these medicines are used over a prolonged period of time, the higher the risk.
Common over-the-counter medications that impact hearing include aspirin, NSAIDs (like naproxen, ibuprofen), and acetaminophen. Use these medications in moderation and only with your doctor’s guidance if you need to take them more regularly.
If you’re taking the suggested dose for the periodic headache, studies suggest you’ll probably be okay. The danger of hearing loss goes up to 40% for men, however, when these medications are taken on a day-to-day basis.
Your doctor’s orders should always be followed. Your doctor might be able to recommend some lifestyle changes that will reduce your dependence on these medications if you are taking them every day.
6. Eat More Broccoli
Broccoli is loaded with iron along with essential nutrients like vitamins C and K. Iron is essential to a healthy heart and proper blood circulation. Nutrients and oxygen are transported to your cells which helps keep them nourished and healthy and iron is a significant part of this process.
For vegetarians or individuals who don’t eat meat very often, eating a sufficient amount of plant-based iron is essential. 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.
Pennsylvania State University researchers examined more than 300,000 people. The researchers determined participants with anemia (extreme iron deficiency) were two times as likely to develop sensorineural hearing loss as those without the condition. Age-related permanent hearing loss is what the technical term “sensorineural hearing loss” refers to.
Sound is received and sent to the brain by fragile little hairs in the inner ear which resonate with the frequency and volume of that sound. If poor circulation or an iron deficiency causes these little hairs to die they will never grow back.
Don’t wait to get a hearing exam because you’re never too young. Implement these steps into your life and reduce hearing loss.
