5 alternative ways to prevent hearing loss
Post on 6th July 2016
There are a number of reasons people suffer from hearing loss, such as old age, exposure to loud noises and even some illnesses or head injuries can be the cause. However, there are numerous ways which may help to prevent hearing loss – aside from only listening to quiet music or wearing ear protectors – which may surprise you!
1. Run up and down the stairs
Although the specific choice of exercise is entirely up to you, keeping fit and staying active will help in your quest to preventing hearing loss. Whether you run up and down the stairs, go to the gym or take part in a team sport or fitness class a few times a week, you will be actively increasing your aerobic activity. Wondering how this helps? It will increase the flow of oxygenated blood flowing around your body, including to your ears, which can help to prevent hearing loss.
2. Go veggie!
Results of a study published in the Journal of Nutrition showed that the participants with the highest levels of cholesterol in their diets had a 33% higher chance of suffering with serious hearing loss than those who consumed less cholesterol. Although you do not necessarily need to become a vegetarian, cutting down on red meat will help to lower your cholesterol levels. With cholesterol being so frequently linked to red meat and other foods high in saturated fats, cutting down will help to prevent hearing loss in the long term.
3. Stop smoking
It’s not a secret that smoking cigarettes increases your risk of heart disease and cancer (amongst numerous other serious illnesses), but did you know it can also increase your risk of hearing loss? A study by the University of Manchester found that smokers have a 15.1% higher chance of hearing loss than those who do not smoke. In addition to this, those frequently exposed to passive smoke increases the likelihood of hearing loss by 28%. Moral of the story? Stay away from cigarettes.
4. Meditate
With 43% of adults suffering adverse health effects from stress – including hearing loss – it is time to take a moment to relax and unwind. Whether it’s meditation, yoga or listening to some tranquil music, find a way to chill out a few times a week. This can help to prevent hearing loss in the future, as well as keeping you more consistently relaxed and calm.
5. Go green!
And of course, by that we mean, make sure you are eating plenty of greens. Vegetables high in vitamin B9, also known as folate, are known to slow the progression of hearing loss in elderly people with high homocysteine levels and low folate in their diet. Such vegetables include avocados, spinach, broccoli and asparagus.
If you want to find out more, you can click here for more information about hearing loss. Alternatively, if you are concerned about your hearing or want to book a hearing test, take a look at our list of Scrivens Hearing Care branches across the UK.