It’s likely that you’ve already detected that you don’t hear as well as you once did. Usually, we don’t even realize that our decisions are negatively impacting our hearing.
With a few basic lifestyle changes, many kinds of hearing loss can be prevented. Let’s look at six unexpected secrets that will help you protect your hearing.
1. Manage Your Blood Pressure
It’s not good if your blood pressure stays high. A study determined that people who have above-average blood pressure are 52% more likely to develop hearing loss, not to mention other health concerns.
Avoid damage to your hearing by taking actions to reduce your blood pressure. Consult a doctor as soon as possible and never ignore your high blood pressure. Management of blood pressure includes proper diet, exercise, stress management, and following your doctor’s orders.
2. Quit Smoking
Here’s another reason to quit: Hearing loss is 15% more likely to affect smokers. What’s even more surprising is that there’s a 28% higher chance of someone developing hearing issues if they are frequently subjected to second-hand smoke. Even if you go away from the room, smoke lingers for long periods of time with detrimental consequences.
If you’re a smoker, protect your hearing and think about quitting. Take measures to minimize your exposure to second-hand smoke if you hang out with a smoker.
3. Control Your Diabetes
Diabetes or pre-diabetes impacts one out of four adults. A pre-diabetic individual is very likely to get diabetes within 5 years if they don’t make serious lifestyle changes.
High blood sugar damages blood vessels, which makes it very hard for them to effectively transport nutrients. Compared to a person who doesn’t have diabetes, a diabetic person has more than twice the chance of developing hearing loss.
If you have diabetes, take the steps necessary to properly control it. Protect your hearing by making lifestyle changes if you are at risk of type 2 diabetes.
4. Lose Some Weight
This isn’t about body image or feeling great about yourself. It’s about your health. Hearing loss and other health disorders increase as your Body Mass Index (BMI) increases. A mildly obese woman (with a 30 to 34 BMI) has a 17% higher risk of getting hearing loss. A moderately obese person has a 25% risk of hearing loss if they have a BMI of 40.
Take measures to shed that excess weight. Something as basic as walking for 30 minutes every day can decrease your chance of hearing loss and prolong your life.
5. Don’t Overuse OTC Medications
Some over-the-counter (OTC) medications can lead to hearing loss. The more frequently these drugs are used over a prolonged period of time, the greater the risk.
Medicines including acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin are known to lead to hearing loss. Take these drugs sparingly and consult your doctor if you’re taking them on a regular basis.
If you’re using the suggested dose for the occasional headache, studies indicate you’ll most likely be okay. Using them every day, however, increases the chance of hearing loss by up to 40% for men.
Your doctor’s guidance should always be followed. Your doctor may be able to suggest some lifestyle changes that will lessen your dependence on these drugs if you are using them every day.
6. Eat More Broccoli
Broccoli is full of nutrients and vitamins such as C and K and also has lots of iron. Iron is essential to blood circulation and a healthy heart. Iron helps your blood carry oxygen and nutrients to cells to keep them nourished and healthy.
For vegetarians or individuals who don’t eat much meat, eating a sufficient amount of plant-based iron is important. 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 studied more than 300,000 people. People who have anemia (extreme iron deficiency) are two times as likely, according to this research, to experience sensorineural hearing loss than individuals who have typical iron concentrations. Age-related irreversible hearing loss is what the technical term “sensorineural hearing loss” refers to.
Sound is picked up and transmitted to the brain by tiny little hairs in the inner ear which resonate with the volume and frequency of that sound. If these hair cells die because of poor circulation or other concerns related to iron deficiency, they never grow back.
You’re never too young to have your hearing checked, so don’t wait until it’s too late. Prevent hearing loss by applying these simple tips in your everyday life.