Eat Your Way To Better Hearing Health
With March being National Nutrition Month, there is no better time to talk about the connection between nutrition and hearing health. While a healthy diet cannot reverse hearing damage, it can help prevent the development of hearing loss.
EAT A BALANCED DIET
More and more studies are pointing to the benefits of implementing diets like DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) to help prevent or slow the onset of hearing loss and other health problems. This particular diet promotes eating vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, legumes, beans, and nuts. For this diet, participants are advised to avoid foods high in saturated fat and trans fats, as well as sodium. Sugary beverages and sweets should also be limited. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends the following servings for the DASH Eating Plan.
One of the well-known benefits of the DASH diet is the lowering of blood pressure. Since the ears have blood vessels, high blood pressure can damage those vessels, leading to hearing impairment. The DASH diet also helps lower cholesterol. High cholesterol has been linked to the development of tinnitus, hearing loss and vertigo. Also, this diet promotes large servings of fruits and vegetables, many of which have minerals that are linked to decreasing the risk of hearing loss. Finally, the diet can help prevent diabetes, which can lead to nerve and blood vessel damage in the ears.
HELPFUL MINERALS/VITAMINS
As mentioned above, healthy diets that include a plethora of fruits and vegetables can be helpful in the prevention of hearing loss, as many of those foods include valuable minerals/vitamins. Here are a few of the beneficial ingredients to look for and where they can be found:
Potassium: Fluid in the inner ear is dependent upon a rich supply of potassium. Potassium levels drop with aging, which may lead to hearing loss. Potassium can also help lower blood pressure.
Pineapples, potatoes, spinach, milk, yogurt, bananas, melons, oranges, tomatoes, lima beans, apricots and raisins
Magnesium: Magnesium can help combat the free radicals created by your body’s response to loud noises.
Bananas, almonds, avocados, artichokes, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes and broccoli
Zinc: This mineral helps boost the body’s immune system and can help protect the body from ear infections, which can lease to hearing impairment.
Shellfish, pumpkin seeds, cashews, almonds, spinach, dark chocolate and whole grains
Folic Acid: This B vitamin can regulate blood flow, which is imperative to the function of the inner ear.
Beans, rice, pasta, leafy greens like spinach, citrus fruits and lentils
Want to learn more? Check out our video and past blog post on hearing and nutrition. Be sure to also follow our Roanoke and Crozet Facebook pages for the most up to date news.
