A healthy diet may help protect your hearing

“It’s very rare to reverse or heal hearing damage, but there are many correlations between a healthy diet and healthier overall hearing,” said Lorie Frazee, an audiologist at Hearing Services Center. “Diets high in folic acid and leafy green vegetables, which offer a number of vitamins and minerals, certainly seem to have a positive effect on hearing health.”

The study, which was performed by University of Florida health researchers, found that those who scored higher on the USDA’s Healthy Eating Index, but who also had higher levels of noise exposure, actually had hearing comparable to that of people with lower noise exposure but poorer diets.

This suggests that a better diet may have protective effects on the delicate inner ear structure that, when damaged by loud noise, can suffer permanent hearing loss, Frazee said.

“Hearing loss is usually permanent, so it’s important to do things that protect the hearing you have,” she said. “Hearing loss can ultimately lead to faster mental decline, so making positive dietary changes will probably be good for more than your hearing — it’ll be good for your body and brain health as well.”

Those who suspect they have hearing loss should contact an audiologist for a comprehensive hearing exam, and ask about dietary changes that promote healthy hearing, Frazee said.

For more information, call 209-368-9222 or visit www.hearingservicescenter.net.