You Hear What You Eat: 5 Foods That Can Prevent Hearing Loss…and Hearing Aids

There are myriads of ways to maintain healthy hearing. Protecting your ears from continued hazardous noise exposure and keeping ear infections at bay are certainly fundamental. However, a healthy lifestyle with plenty of exercise and a balanced diet can do its fair share to prevent or delay hearing loss.

This week we looked at how “what you eat”, can ultimately impact “how well you hear.” Keep an eye on the following ingredients next time you serve yourself that grand meal:

Omega 3 Fats & Vitamin D and Hearing Loss Prevention

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. Studies have shown that adults who ate fish twice a week had a 42% lower chance of facing age-related hearing loss than non-fish eaters. The main reason, researchers claim, is that Omega 3 fats strengthen the blood vessels in our ear’s sensory system. Fish is your ear’s friend; stock up on it.

Anti-oxidants & Folic Acid and Hearing Loss Prevention

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. Heed your mom’s words: eat your veggies!

Magnesium and Hearing Loss Prevention

Magnesium, commonly found in bananas, potatoes, artichokes or broccoli, has been shown to provide additional protection against noise induced hearing loss. Eating a strand of 5 bananas a day doesn’t give you the excuse to crank up that iPod volume though.

Zinc and Hearing Loss Prevention

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.

Vitamin C, E & Glutathione and Hearing Loss Prevention

Similar to antioxidants, Vitamin C/E can keep free radicals in check and strengthen your overall immune system, thus reducing the risk of ear infections. The source is easy to find: vegetables (e.g. oranges) and fruits (e.g. bell peppers).

Eat Better, Prevent Hearing Loss

The above ingredients are the staple of any healthy diet, which can increase the chances of your health staying tip-top for many years to come. If you want to learn more about our ears, or how to prevent hearing loss or need a bit of help with our hearing aids, just reach out to us. In the meantime, eat healthy and you’ll hear better!

Sources: Audicus, Healthy100, Healthyhearing, HearingAids.com

by Patrick Freuler