It’s not secret that eating health is great for your overall health. Eating healthy reduces the risk of chronic diseases. It supports brain function and may also improve mental health. And, of course, a healthy diet can support an active lifestyle. But a study also suggests that a healthy diet may have another surprising benefit—one that may be music to your ears.
Analyzing Healthy Eating and Hearing Loss
A study by Brigham and Women’s Hospital from 2018 sought to explore the connection between diet and risk of hearing loss. The study examined the relation between 3 distinct diets—the Alternative Mediterranean diet (AMED), Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, and the Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI-2010)—and risk of developing hearing loss. The study included almost 71,000 women and followed their health over the course of 22 years.
So what did the study find?
It’s no surprise, but the study concluded that eating healthier contributed to overall good health. Interestingly enough though, researchers observed that those following a healthy diet did have a lower risk of moderate or worse hearing loss. The study found that:
“[W]omen whose diets most closely resembled the AMED or DASH dietary patterns had an approximately 30 percent lower risk of moderate or worse hearing loss, compared with women whose diets resembled these dietary patterns the least. Moreover, findings in a sub-cohort of over 33,000 women for whom detailed hearing-related information had been collected suggest that the magnitude of the reduced risk may be even greater than 30 percent, and may also pertain to the AHEI-2010.”
Better Hearing and a Healthy Lifestyle
And like the advantages of a healthy diet, the list of better hearing benefits goes on, including:
Improved mental health
There’s a wealth of research that proves that undiagnosed and untreated hearing loss increases risk for anxiety, isolation and depression. And on the other hand, consistent, proper use of interventions like hearing aids can help reduce this risk. Healthy hearing empowers you to stay connected with your social network, stay engaged in the community and feel confident in social situations.
Staying physically active
Whether you’re exercising, gardening, or doing the chores, better hearing keeps you safe. It increases your situational awareness, lessens the chance of falling, and supports your balance and gait.
Preventing dementia
A growing body of research has found a direct link between untreated hearing loss and an increased risk of dementia in older adults. In fact, research by Johns Hopkins University of Medicine suggests that mild degrees of hearing loss double the risk of dementia, moderate hearing loss triples the risk of dementia, and severe hearing loss increases the likelihood by five times.
And on the other side, a 2020 report by the Lancet Commission titled Dementia Prevention, Intervention and Care reveals that that managing your hearing loss by midlife (age 40–65) could contribute to prevention or delay of dementia.
Health Eating = Healthy Hearing = Overall Better Health
Just like how a wholesome diet may help reduce the risk of hearing loss for women, remember that better hearing can also help promote overall good health. And maintaining healthy hearing starts with getting your hearing tested by a licensed hearing care professional. Here at Audibel Hearing Centers, we suggest getting you’re hearing tested every three to five years until around the age of 50. At that point, regardless of whether you experience hearing loss symptoms, we strongly recommend attending annual hearing exams.
Find out what noises you may be missing! Schedule an appointment today for a hearing consultation.