Our Hearing Is Affected By Our Nutrition

Our Hearing Is Affected By Our Nutrition

Nutrition is essential for health, yet we rarely learn about the connection between nutrition and hearing. There is an association between diet and hearing.

There is no single diet that will either induce or prevent hearing loss. Dietary adjustments will not restore lost hearing.

New research, however, reveals that specific eating practices may either lower or raise the likelihood of developing hearing loss.

A 22-year diet of research

More than 70,000 women’s hearing health was studied for 22 years on various diets in research conducted at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. The Alternate Mediterranean Diet (AMED), Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), and the Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 was among the diets studied (AHEI-2010).

Fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, legumes, whole grains, fish, chicken, and low-fat dairy are favored in these diets. All three advise minimizing sodium (salt) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol-containing diets and avoiding refined and red meats, processed foods, and sugary drinks.

Women who followed diets comparable to AHEI-2010, DASH, and AMED reduced their risk of hearing loss by at least 30%, with DASH and AMED providing the most effect. The researchers discovered that eating fruits and vegetables rich in nutrients including folic acid, potassium, and zinc lowered the chance of hearing loss.

Beneficial nutrients

Other data indicate that some foods are related to improved hearing health. Potassium, a mineral found in bananas, potatoes, and black beans, is essential for the proper operation of the inner ear, which turns sounds into signals that the brain can understand.

According to Sherif F. Tadros, M.D., of the International Center for Hearing and Speech Research, in a study published by Europe PubMed Central, regular consumption may help you keep your existing hearing.

According to George E. Shambaugh Jr, M.D., of the Shambaugh Hearing and Allergy Institute, zinc, which is present in almonds, cashews, and dark chocolate, may be an effective treatment for tinnitus, which is the hearing of ringing or buzzing without the presence of an external sound source.

Magnesium counteracts free radicals produced by loud sounds and acts as a barrier to protect inner ear hair cells.

Folic acid has also been demonstrated to delay the development of hearing loss. Because homocysteine (an amino acid) inhibits blood flow, folic acid breaks it down and balances blood flow.

According to Jane Durga, Ph.D., Folic acid from the Nestlé Research Center in Lausanne, Switzerland, is critical because the inner ear relies on regular blood flow. Folic acid-rich foods include spinach, broccoli, and asparagus.

Malnutrition’s Negative Effects

On the other hand, Malnutrition harms the human body. Susan D. Emmett, M.D., and colleagues discovered that Malnutrition affected children’s physical growth and retarded the inner ear development in a study of 2,193 people aged 16 to 23.

Malnourished children were twice as likely as their well-nourished peers to have hearing loss as young adults.

Furthermore, the report adds that stunting frequently begins before birth. A malnourished pregnant or lactating woman is more likely to pass on her deficiencies to her child.

Malnutrition-related impaired development of the inner ear in utero contributes to a higher risk of hearing loss than Malnutrition in vivo.

Diabetes is linked

People with type II diabetes are also more likely than non-diabetics to acquire hearing loss, according to a National Institutes of Health-funded experiment led by Niigata University professor Dr. Chika Horikawa.

People with prediabetes, or elevated blood glucose levels but not enough for a diabetes diagnosis, are also at a 30% increased risk. The study’s authors relate the increased risk to damaged nerves and blood arteries in the inner ear caused by long-term type II diabetes.

Watch your minerals when eating foods that improve hearing.

Minerals are essential to our general health and good physiological function. Calcium helps to maintain strong bones and teeth. Zinc is a crucial mineral for immune system support.

However, you may be unaware that certain minerals are essential for hearing protection.

What exactly are minerals?

You may support your body by preparing meals high in minerals and vitamins.

Keep your hearing safe.

A mineral is a naturally occurring inorganic component that can be found in soils, rocks, and water. They are nutrients that the body requires to survive and carry out daily operations and processes.

We get minerals through plants, which absorb them from the earth, and meat from animals that graze on plants.

There are numerous vital minerals, but a few are essential for keeping good hearing.

Potassium

Potassium is in charge of controlling the amount of fluid in your blood and bodily tissues. This is vital for your hearing health because of the fluid in the inner ear. It takes a lot of potassium to convert the noises we hear into electrical impulses that the brain perceives as sound.
As we age, potassium levels naturally fall, contributing to presbycusis or age-related hearing loss.

Aldosterone, an important hormone, is mainly responsible for controlling potassium levels, and studies have connected an age-related decrease in aldosterol levels to hearing loss.

Although no direct association has been demonstrated to support the use of potassium supplements to help with hearing, eating potassium-rich foods is helpful to general health.

Potassium-rich foods include:

Tomatoes, potatoes, spinach, lima beans, raisins, apricots, bananas, melons, oranges, yogurt, and milk. Make your favorite potato salad, or bring a fruit salad with citrus fruits and melons to a spring picnic for a tremendous potassium-rich side dish.

Magnesium

The University of Michigan’s Kresge Hearing Research Institute discovered that pretreatment with magnesium (with vitamins A, C, and E) protected people from noise-induced hearing loss.

Scientists believe this is because magnesium protects the delicate hair cells in the inner ear from the impacts of free radicals caused by loud noises.

Furthermore, magnesium deficiency in the inner ear causes blood vessels to constrict, depriving the ear of essential oxygen.

Fruits and vegetables high in magnesium include bananas, artichokes, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, and broccoli.

Fresh artichokes are best in the spring. Cook for 20-30 minutes in boiling water and serve with warm butter or a chilled dill yogurt dip. Plus, the yogurt dip contains potassium!

Zinc

Vitamin C and Zinc aid in the growth and repair of cells, as well as the immune system. As a result, it may be beneficial in preventing cold pathogens and even annoying ear infections.

According to some research, it may also help treat tinnitus in people with normal hearing. However, zinc might interfere with medications and diuretics, so consult your doctor before taking supplements.
Beef, pig, dark meat chicken, cashews, almonds, peanuts, beans, split peas, lentils, oysters, and dark chocolate are high in zinc.

To get your zinc, try creating your granola bars. Nuts and dark chocolate and rolled oats, popped quinoa, raisins, dried cranberries, and coconut flakes make excellent main ingredients. Binders such as honey and nut butter work nicely.

Recipes like this from Love and Zest can be found on the internet. Once you’ve mastered the technique, you can tweak the recipes.

Although it is rarely acknowledged, nutrition has a significant impact on hearing. Incorporating only a few foods into your regular diet and paying attention to the nutrients lacking in your diet can substantially influence your hearing.

Our bodies typically obtain adequate minerals for hearing health if we eat a balanced diet free of processed foods and includes vitamins from natural foods. Before using any supplements, consult with your doctor.

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