There are plenty of blogs out on the big wide web telling us why eating healthy is great for our overall health. A healthy diet helps ours bones, brain and heart – but what about our ears?
You might be wondering “what constitutes a healthy, nutritional diet?” We’re here to tell you it’s not so much a specific diet but healthy eating patterns and being mindful about the food you’re eating. Let’s take a look at what foods are great for your ears!
Folate increases circulation in the body, which is crucial for our ear health. Dark green vegetables like broccoli are fantastic for maintaining healthy ears as they are rich in folate. Spinach, edamame and avocado are all rich in folate too. Did someone say Sunday roast with veggies? Or maybe nachos with some guacamole… yum!
Our ears also need potassium to stay in tip top shape, as it helps regulate fluid in the body. Fish like salmon and cod are great sources of potassium. If you’re not a fan of seafood, most fruits and vegetables are rich sources – bananas are well known for being high potassium.
Some more nutritional powerhouses are nuts, lentils and seeds as they contain zinc which is known to increase cell growth and boost your immune system. You could add chickpeas to your salad, lentils to your pasta or split peas in a hearty soup. A mindful approach to eating doesn’t mean you have to compromise on flavour in order to get good hearing, and of course other health benefits.
We’ve saved the best to last … dark chocolate! Dark chocolate is a great source of magnesium, much better than white and milk chocolate. Magnesium is great for your ear health and can help maintain nerve function and in help protect the hair cells in your inner ear, which could aid in reducing your chances of developing noise-induced hearing damage. Any excuse for some chocolate is a good excuse – especially when it’s great for your ears!
Eating better not only helps you stay fit and healthy, it has a beneficial impact on your hearing health. Add some or all of these nutritious and delicious food items to your daily food chart and reap the benefits.
Want to be proactive about your hearing health? Call our lovely team on 8331 8047 to book a FREE hearing test with one of our clinicians.