Eat your way to healthier hearing!
Protecting your ears from continued noise exposure and keeping ear infections at bay are fundamental. However, It may come as a surprise that there are foods you can eat to help protect and prevent hearing loss, and halt the progression of any current hearing loss. Do you know which foods are good for hearing health? Here’s a list of foods to keep in your shopping list to make sure you’re able to enjoy healthy ears.
Omega 3 Fats and Vitamin D
The high levels of omega 3 fats and Vitamin D generally found in fish, such as salmon, tuna, trout or sardines, can have highly positive effects on hearing loss. Omega-3s, we know these fats have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system and reduce inflammation; which can damage sensitive tissues, including those in our ear
Anti-oxidants and Folic Acid
A regular intake of antioxidants, especially in the form of folic acid commonly found in spinach, asparagus, beans, broccoli, eggs, liver or nuts, can reduce the risk of hearing loss by up to 20%. Antioxidants reduce the number of free radicals that swirl through your body and which can otherwise damage the nerve tissue in your inner ears. That might be because the body uses folic acid to metabolize homocysteine, an inflammatory compound that reduces circulation. Good circulation is an important component in keeping the hair cells of the inner ear healthy and working properly.
Zinc
You can increase your inner ear’s resistance to the boon of age related hearing loss by keeping a healthy dose of Zinc. This can be found in dark chocolate or oysters, among many. Zinc boosts body’s immune system and is also responsible for cell growth and healing wounds, so it’s potentially helpful in warding off germs that cause the common cold and, ultimately, those pesky ear infections. Foods rich in zinc include beef, port and dark-meat chicken, cashews, almonds, peanuts, beans, split peas, lentils, oysters – and dark chocolate!
Vitamin C, E and Glutathione
Vitamin E protects blood vessels and nerves around the ear while vitamin C boosts immune function to resist ear infections. Similar to antioxidants, Vitamin C/E can keep free radicals in check and strengthen your overall immune system. The source is easy to find: vegetables (e.g. oranges) and fruits (e.g. bell peppers).
Eat Better, Prevent Hearing Loss
Most of these supplements are inexpensive and readily available. More importantly, the majority of these substances are safe to take for the vast majority of people who suffer from hearing loss. Who knew that better hearing was as close as the nearest multivitamin! If you want to learn more about our ears, or how to prevent hearing loss or need a bit advice on hearing aids, just contact us. In the meantime, eat healthy and you’ll hear better!
If you are worried about your hearing contact your local Hidden Hearing branch. Hidden Hearing offers free hearing tests at its 80 clinics nationwide.
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