It’s likely that you’ve already detected that you don’t hear as well as you used to. Hearing loss typically progresses because of decisions you make without realizing they’re impacting your hearing.
With a few basic lifestyle changes, many kinds of hearing loss can be prevented. Let’s look at six surprising secrets that will help you maintain your hearing.
1. Manage Your Blood Pressure
It’s not good if your blood pressure stays high. A study determined that individuals who have higher than-average blood pressure are 52% more likely to have hearing loss, not to mention other health problems.
Prevent injury to your hearing by taking actions to lower your blood pressure. See 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. Stop Smoking
There are plenty of reasons to quit smoking, here’s yet another: Hearing loss is 15% more likely to affect smokers. What’s even more surprising is that there’s a 28% higher chance of someone experiencing hearing issues if they are regularly subjected to second-hand smoke. The harmful repercussions of second-hand smoke are not only harmful, they also hang in the air for long periods.
If you’re a smoker, protect your hearing and think about quitting. If you hang out with a smoker, take steps to reduce your exposure to second-hand smoke.
3. Keep Your Diabetes in Check
One out of four adults is either pre-diabetic or diabetic. A pre-diabetic person is extremely likely to get diabetes within 5 years if they don’t make serious lifestyle changes.
Blood vessels that are injured by high blood sugar don’t efficiently transport nutrients. A diabetic individual is more than twice as likely to experience hearing loss compared to a non-diabetic individual.
If you have diabetes, protect your hearing by taking the correct steps to manage it. If you are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, protect your hearing by making lifestyle changes to prevent it.
4. Lose Some Weight
This isn’t about body image or feeling good about yourself. It’s about your health. As your Body Mass Index (BMI) goes up, so does your risk of hearing loss and other health problems. The chance of developing hearing loss rises by 17% for a slightly obese woman with a BMI of 30 to 34. A moderately obese person has a 25% risk of hearing loss if they have a BMI of 40.
Work to get rid of some of that excess weight. Your life can be prolonged and your hearing can be protected by something as basic as walking for 30 minutes every day.
5. Don’t Overuse OTC Drugs
Certain over-the-counter (OTC) medicines can result in hearing impairment. The danger increases when these drugs are taken regularly over lengthy periods of time.
Medicines like acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin are known to trigger hearing loss. Take these medications moderately and seek advice from your doctor if you’re using them regularly.
If you’re taking the recommended dose for the occasional headache, studies indicate you’ll most likely be fine. The danger of hearing loss goes up to 40% for men, however, when these medications are used on a day-to-day basis.
Always follow your doctor’s orders. Your doctor may be able to recommend some lifestyle changes that will lessen your dependence on these medications if you are using them every day.
6. Eat More Broccoli
Broccoli is loaded with iron in addition to important nutrients such as vitamins C and K. Iron is vital to blood circulation and a healthy heart. Iron helps your blood carry nutrients and oxygen to cells to keep them nourished and healthy.
If you’re a vegetarian or eat very little meat, it’s critical that you consume enough plant-based iron. 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 over 300,000 individuals. The researchers determined participants with anemia (severe iron deficiency) were two times as likely to develop sensorineural hearing loss as those without the disorder. Age-related irreversible hearing loss is what the technical term “sensorineural hearing loss” refers to.
Sound is received and sent to the brain by delicate little hairs in the inner ear which vibrate with the volume and frequency of that sound. If these hair cells die due to poor circulation or other complications related to iron deficiency, they won’t grow back.
You’re never too young to get your hearing examined, so don’t wait until it’s too late. Reduce hearing loss by using these simple secrets in your daily life.
