Supporting Your Hearing Health With Food

Name: Associated Hearing Professionals
Address: 950 Francis Place, Ste 200, St. Louis, MO, 63105, US
Telephone: 636-778-9232

January 12, 2021BlogHealth With Food, hearing healthy

You may be surprised to learn that wearing earplugs in noisy environments and visiting your audiologist aren’t the only ways to protect your hearing health. Certain foods can also promote healthy hearing by providing your body with several essential vitamins and minerals. Here’s a look at how you can support your hearing health with food.

Folate

As an important nutrient during pregnancy, folate is an essential component of prenatal vitamins. However, an increased intake of folate may also ward off age-related hearing problems. Beans, lentils, spinach, and kale are all foods rich in folate that are easy to add to meals every day.

Magnesium, Zinc, and Potassium

Magnesium, zinc, and potassium are all essential nutrients that may have a protective effect against certain types of hearing loss. Magnesium, abundant in foods like dark chocolate, whole grains, and avocados, is beneficial for neurological health and may have some involvement in the prevention or improvement of noise-induced hearing loss. Zinc is found in a wide variety of nuts and seeds, and it can help to boost the immune system and prevent hearing-damaging infections. Potassium from bananas, potatoes, and oranges can help to regulate fluid in the body, including important fluids in the inner ear.

Omega-3 and Vitamin D

Omega-3s from walnuts, flaxseed, and fish, and vitamin D from eggs, milk, and mushrooms can also combat or delay hearing loss. Omega-3s are healthy fatty acids that offer a wide range of health benefits, including hearing protection. Vitamin D works to strengthen and protect your body’s bones, including the tiny, essential bones in your ears.

While healthy hearing can not be guaranteed through diet alone, eating a variety of healthy foods may reduce your risks of several different kinds of hearing loss. At Associated Hearing Professionals, we offer comprehensive hearing tests and a full range of hearing aid services to patients in the greater St. Louis area. To schedule an appointment, give us a call at 314-725-2686 in St. Louis or 636-778-9232 in Chesterfield.