Do you know that an estimated 20% of the population is deaf or suffers difficulty in hearing?

Although most of those with hearing loss are over the age of 60, surprisingly a lot of younger people have hearing issues as well. Unfortunately, once you lose your hearing, you can’t get it back without help from hearing aids and so it’s worth trying to prevent going prematurely deaf!

Here are some tips on how to preserve your hearing :

Go for a regular walk in a quiet park

Not only will the experience of silence help you to focus better on sounds, but also physically fit people tend to have better hearing than those who are unfit. The reason? Aerobic exercise brings more oxygen into your system and improves blood flow to your ears.

Carry earplugs

Keep a pair of earplugs in your bag, car, in the garage with the gardening tools and by the lawnmower. IYou may not be unable to avoid loud noise but you can always be prepared to protect your hearing.

Eat avocado as a snack or starter

Avocado is rich in magnesium. Low levels of magnesium may increase the risk of noise-induced hearing loss.

Protect your teeth

For optimum dental health, brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss after every meal. The more of your own teeth you retain in old age, the better your hearing.

Serve wholegraln bread and split pea soup

Whole grains and legumes are great sources of B vitamins, which protect the neurons and blood vessels connected to the cochlea i.e. the tiny bone found in your inner car.

Get ear wax cleared

Clearing the wax from your ears is often all that is needed to improve your your ring. It is advised though, to not do it yourself. Instead, ask your regular doctor about ear syringeing.

Loudness Guide

Exposure of just 1 minute to sounds of 110 decibels or higher can damage hearing. It is generally recommended that one do not go beyond 15 minutes of exposure to noise of 100 decibels or few hours of noises of more than 90 decibels.

Just to give a rough idea of ‘decibel’ what really equates to, here are some are the decibel levels of some common noises:

– 140 decibels: rock concerts, fireworks
– 110 decibels: chaimaw
– 100 decibels: woodworking equipment
– 90 decibels: lawnmower, motorcycle
– 80 decibels: city traffic noise
– 60 decibels: normal conversation
– 40 decibels: refrigerator humming
– 20 decibels: whispered voice
– 0 decibels: threshold of normal hearing