While you may think that hearing loss isn’t something you have to worry about until you get older, this just isn’t the case. Studies have shown that hearing loss in young people has been on the rise over the last decade. Given this, it’s become even more important to do all you can to preserve your hearing.
One of the best ways to prevent hearing loss is by adjusting your approach to nutrition. Indeed, there are nutrients that you need to incorporate into your diet so that you can preserve your hearing. If this is something that you’re interested in knowing more about, read on for the five essential nutrients that will help you maintain healthy hearing.
Potassium
Potassium is essential for a slew of bodily functions and hearing is no exception. In fact, potassium is crucial for converting sound into nerve impulses that get sent to the brain. This is why you’ll want to ensure that you incorporate a healthy amount of potassium into your diet. Potassium becomes even more important as you age, as the potassium levels in your body naturally drop as you get older.
Here are common food that contains potassium:
- Apricots
- Bananas
- Melons
- Oranges
- Spinach
Folate
Folates are an antioxidant that helps combat free radicals. Free radicals cause a multitude of different issues in your body. Free radical activity reduces the blood flow to your inner ear, which damages sensory cells that are needed for healthy hearing.
You’ll find folate in:
- Black-eyed peas
- Brussels sprouts
- Romaine lettuce
- Spinach
- Asparagus
- Liver
- Avocados
B12
Vitamin B12 is a B vitamin that is needed for nerve tissue health, brain function, and the production of red blood cells. Due to how important it is to nerve tissue health, it’s not surprising that vitamin B12 is essential to maintaining your hearing.
The best sources of B12 are fermented foods, including:
- Kimchi
- Sauerkraut
- Pickled vegetables
- Kombucha
- Yogurt
- Kefir
- Red meat
Vitamin C and E
Both vitamin C and E are antioxidants that combat free radicals that damage your cells. They are also essential for maintaining healthy blood flow and nerve health in your inner ears, which makes these vitamins incredibly important when it comes to preserving your hearing.
Common sources for vitamins C and E include:
- Papaya
- Kiwi
- Broccoli
- Bell peppers
Vitamin D
Considering that vitamin D improves your overall health, it’s not really surprising that it can also help preserve your hearing. Unlike the other nutrients on this list, you can’t really consistently get vitamin D from many food items. If you insist on getting it from food, mushrooms, lichen, and algae are good sources for vitamin D. An alternative, an arguably easier, way to get vitamin D is through the use of supplements.
Conclusion
We hope this article proves to be useful when it comes to helping you preserve your hearing. As you can see, there are a slew of nutrients that can help prevent hearing loss. While you may need to make small adjustments to incorporate these nutrients into your diet, it will be well worth it in the end due to how helpful they will be to your hearing.
If you’re looking for the best hearing clinic, then you’ve come to the right place. We here at Hear More Associates are dedicated to caring for our patients throughout Lexington and Greater Boston, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. Our trusted and experienced hearing care specialists will be able to help with any and all of your hearing needs. For more information on what we can do for you, check out our website today!
