A Healthy Diet Can Lower the Risks of Hearing Loss

There is evidence out there to show that prevention is always better than a cure, and nothing truer could be said about your hearing. Hearing loss is mostly permanent, and while hearing aids and devices will be able to help you with your hearing, you must consider that you need to get the help of an audiologist to ensure that you are able to hear properly. Preventative care could help you to avoid hearing loss as you get older, but this time you may be surprised to learn that this begins in the dining room at home. Food is not medicine – we should be clear about that – however, there are undeniable benefits to eating food rich in vitamins and minerals. Healthy food options including fruit, vegetables and protein are linked to improved hearing health, and this should tell you that eating well benefits you from head to toe. New research and studies into hearing loss are happening all the time, and your audiologist will be able to cite these for you. The systems in the body relate to the senses, and you are in control of how much is done when you are not eating well.

New Boston research emerges

Research conducted at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston – part of the Harvard Medical School – shows that over the long term, a diet packed with healthy options is one that is linked to better resistance to hearing loss. This study has spanned 20 years, and during this time, those who ate healthier options had better hearing. They were also 30% less likely to develop hearing loss in the middle of the range, with 25% of people less likely to develop hearing loss at higher frequencies. When you look at the amount of hearing loss in three years of the study, 50% of it showed that hearing loss was in the high frequency range and 38% of the participants had worsening hearing, with 19% having hearing loss in lower frequency sounds. This study isn’t the only one out there, but it’s important to note that with hearing decline so prevalent, it’s so important to maintain a healthy diet. A better diet all around can have a preventative effect on hearing loss, and it’s in this study that you’ll see how important it is.

Aging and hearing loss

As you may know, 50% of those over 75 have mild-to-moderate hearing loss, and as we age our risk of experiencing hearing loss increases. This is because permanent hearing loss usually occurs over time, and the gradual damage that is done to our ears catches up with us as we hit our senior years. This leads to hearing loss as life goes by, and the hearing loss that you accrue as you age is encouraged by the structural changes to the inner ear that occur as we get older, too. The inner ear is made up of exceptionally fragile bones and hair cells, and when these are damaged it is often irreversible. One third of the population aged 65-75 has hearing loss that remains significant, and the number will rise. By age 90, nine out of ten people have hearing loss that they live with. The aging body makes us susceptible to hearing loss, but if we are ensuring that we are eating a healthy diet from as young as possible, we can put this off for as long as possible.

Approaches relating to our diets

There has been research in the past that links foods and food groups to better hearing outcomes, and if we are on the side of caution in our diets with this research in hand, we can ensure that we avoid hearing loss for as long as possible. For example, those who eat plenty of fish show that they are far less likely to develop hearing loss over time compared to those who avoid fish. The good news is that you don’t have to load up on trout if you’re not a fish fan, as research has proven that it’s more in the dietary pattern than the actual individual food that hearing loss is determined or not. A diet that is well balanced and filled with unprocessed foods is far more likely to have a positive impact on hearing health. It also links to healthier weights, better circulation and better heart function. As diabetes can affect your hearing, you can avoid this, too, with a healthy weight range.

Get control

If you are ready to take control of your hearing and you would like to know more about preventative care, contact Grusecki Audiology & Hearing Aid Services at 623-583-1737.