A healthy diet is an important part of hearing health. It’s easy to understand why – a healthy diet equals a healthy body, and when you eat all the right foods and get plenty of exercise, you age better, more naturally, and maybe even slower.
So, how does hearing specifically fit into all this?
Let’s start with minerals. Minerals in food are necessary nutrients the body needs, and there are a few that are crucial to help preserve good hearing. Potassium, folic acid, magnesium, and zinc are all important to help your hearing remain its best. Check out the linked article for more information, and start paying attention to what vitamins you’re regularly consuming. You might need to add some supplements if you’re lacking in any essentials (though talk to your doctor first).
As for overall health, a recent article on the CaptionCall website cites a study: “Over the last 26 years researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, part of Harvard Medical School in Boston, have been studying women’s diets and how it relates to hearing loss.” Results showed that those with better dietary habits had a 47 percent less likely chance to experience hearing loss later in life. “Researchers note that the main relation between healthy diet and hearing loss prevention is increased cardiovascular health. Healthy diets lead to an increase in blood flow and reducing inflammation.”
So, looking beyond diet, it might be safe to conclude that a healthier heart equals hardier hearing. “The connection between hearing health and cardiovascular health has led many professionals to believe the ear may be a window into the heart,” writes Beth McCormick, Au.D., in a Starkey blog.
The body works together in ways that the medical community is still figuring out, and different studies on diet and hearing will naturally have different conclusions. That said, a healthy body is always a good thing to strive for, right?
Healthy body, healthy heart, healthy mind, healthy hearing.