Chances are you’ve already detected that you don’t hear as well as you used to. Hearing loss frequently develops as a result of decisions you make without realizing they’re affecting your hearing.
With a few basic lifestyle changes, many types of hearing loss can be prevented. Let’s explore six unexpected secrets that will help you protect your hearing.
1. Regulate Your Blood Pressure
Consistently high blood pressure is not okay. A study found that people with higher than-average blood pressure are 52% more likely to have hearing loss, not to mention other health concerns.
Take steps to lower your blood pressure and prevent hearing damage. Consult a doctor as soon as possible and never disregard your high blood pressure. Management of blood pressure includes correct diet, exercise, stress management, and following your doctor’s orders.
2. Quit Smoking
There are plenty of good reasons to quit smoking, here’s yet another: People who smoke are 15% more likely to suffer from hearing loss. What’s even more surprising is that there’s a 28% higher chance of someone developing hearing problems if they are regularly subjected to second-hand smoke. The hazardous consequences of second-hand smoke are not only harmful, they also linger in the air for long periods.
Think about safeguarding your hearing, if you smoke, by quitting. If you spend time with a smoker, take actions to decrease your exposure to second-hand smoke.
3. Regulate Your Diabetes
Diabetes or pre-diabetes impacts one in four adults. Unless they make some significant lifestyle changes, someone 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. Compared to someone who doesn’t have diabetes, a diabetic person has more than twice the chance of developing hearing loss.
If you suffer from diabetes, safeguard your hearing by taking the proper steps to manage it. If you are at risk of getting type 2 diabetes, safeguard your hearing by making lifestyle changes to avoid it.
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 chance of developing hearing loss goes up by 17% for a slightly obese woman with a BMI of 30 to 34. For an individual with a BMI of 40 (moderate obesity), the risk rises to 25%.
Take measures to lose that extra weight. Something as basic as walking for 30 minutes each day can reduce your chance of hearing loss and prolong your life.
5. Don’t Overuse OTC Medications
Hearing impairment can be the result of some over-the-counter (OTC) medications. The more frequently these medications are used over a prolonged period of time, the greater the risk.
Typical over-the-counter drugs that impact hearing include aspirin, NSAIDs (such as naproxen, ibuprofen), and acetaminophen. Take these medications sparingly and talk to your doctor if you’re taking them regularly.
If you’re using the suggested dose for the occasional headache, studies suggest you’ll probably be fine. The risk of hearing loss goes up to 40% for men, however, when these drugs are taken on a daily basis.
Always follow your doctor’s advice. But if you’re using these medicines every day to control chronic pain or thin your blood, talk to your doctor about lifestyle changes you can implement to lessen 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 integral to a healthy heart and proper blood circulation. Iron helps your blood carry nutrients and oxygen to cells to keep them nourished and healthy.
For vegetarians or people who don’t eat much meat, eating a sufficient amount of plant-based iron is essential. You’re more likely to be iron deficient because the iron found in plants is less bioavailable than the iron found in meat.
Pennsylvania State University researchers studied more than 300,000 people. The researchers discovered participants with anemia (severe iron deficiency) were two times as likely to develop sensorineural hearing loss as those without the condition. Age-related irreversible hearing loss is what the technical term “sensorineural hearing loss” refers to.
The inner ear has fragile hair cells that pick up sounds and communicate with the brain to transmit the volume and frequency of those sounds. If poor circulation or an iron deficiency causes these little hairs to die they will be gone forever.
You’re never too young to have your hearing checked, so don’t wait until it gets worse. Implement these steps into your life and reduce hearing loss.