Hearing is that sense by which you hear different sounds. Hearing is a complex process and your ears are the main organ that helps in hearing. Your ear consists of the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. The ear canal located in your outer ear picks sound waves from the environment and passes them to the middle ear. Your middle ear amplifies the sound waves which are converted by the inner ear into electrical signals and sent to your brain for reception.
Your ability to hear allows you to connect and communicate with your surroundings and the world. Hearing impairment can cause discomfort and disturb your routine activities.
Hearing loss is a common type of hearing impairment and occurs when the hair cells in your inner ear (mainly in the cochlea or the hearing organ) are damaged. Hearing loss can be temporary or permanent and is treatable.
When you talk about treating hearing loss, the first thing that pops into your mind would be some sort of hearing aids.
You would never think of regular foods like fruits and vegetables that can help protect your ear and promote your hearing health. Yes! that’s right; foods containing essential vitamins and minerals are a great way to treat minor hearing loss problems and for boosting your overall ear health. In this article, you will see 5 such vitamins and minerals.
Foods That Are Good For Your Hearing
Know how certain vitamins and minerals found in foods can promote your hearing health:
1. Potassium
Potassium regulates the fluid in your inner ear. Research shows that fluid in your inner ear needs potassium to convert sound waves into nerve (electrical) impulses that get sent to your brain. Potassium levels in your inner ear drop as you age, contributing to age-related hearing loss.
Foods rich in potassium that you should include in your daily diet are potatoes, spinach, lima beans, tomatoes, raisins, apricots, bananas, melons, oranges, yogurt, and low-fat milk.
2. Folic Acid
Folic acid is not only important during pregnancy but also necessary for boosting new cell growth in your body. Adding sources of folic acid to your daily diet is known to decrease your risk of age-related hearing loss. Folic acid supplements are usually prescribed for older people who are suffering from hearing loss to help sharpen their ears.
Fortified breakfast cereal, liver, spinach, broccoli, and asparagus are some foods rich in folic acid.
3. Magnesium
It’s believed that magnesium acts as a protective barrier to the hair cells in your inner ear when you are exposed to loud noises. Studies also show that a lack of magnesium in your body can cause the blood vessels in your inner ear to shrink. Constricted blood vessels in the inner ear can cause irritation and discomfort.
To keep your ear health going, make sure you are getting enough of this superhero mineral. Eat foods like bananas, artichokes, potatoes, spinach, and broccoli, that are rich in magnesium.
4. Zinc
Known to increase cell growth and heal wounds, zinc has immune-boosting properties that can ward off various infections, including the ones that can affect your ear. Zinc is also known to be useful in treating sudden, unexplained hearing loss (known as sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL)).
Foods rich in zinc are beef, pork and dark-meat chicken, cashews, almonds, peanuts, beans, split peas, lentils, oysters, and dark chocolate!
However check with your general physician/ENT specialist before consuming this mineral, as it may interact with antibiotics and diuretics, if you are taking any. Antibiotics are medicines that fight bacterial infections. Diuretics or water pills are medications taken to increase the amount of water and salt expelled from your body as urine and are also used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension).
5. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
You would have heard all about the anti inflammatory and anti aging properties of omega-3 fatty acids, but did you know it can prevent or delay the onset of age-related hearing loss? Studies show that omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the risk of age-related hearing loss by over 40 percent.
Omega-3 fatty acids are found abundantly in- flaxseed oil, krill oil (a supplement that contains omega-3 fatty acids), salmon, soybean oil, and sardines.
Hearing is an important function that allows you to carry on your daily activities smoothly and eating the right foods can boost your overall hearing health. Before you make any changes to your diet, talk to your physician/ENT specialist to make sure the changes are as required.
Disclaimer: This article is written by the Practitioner for informational and educational purposes only. The content presented on this page should not be considered as a substitute for medical expertise. Please "DO NOT SELF-MEDICATE" and seek professional help regarding any health conditions or concerns. Practo will not be responsible for any act or omission arising from the interpretation of the content present on this page.