Caring for your hearing is a life-long holistic journey…
Hearing loss is a common condition that many of us experience as we get older. Genes, health and environmental factors can all play a part in the degeneration of our hearing which means that although we might not be able to stop it completely, there are still many things we can do to prevent hearing loss as we age.
Of course we are all aware of the importance of protecting our ears from loud noises such as concerts and electric tools and this is absolutely imperative when it comes to preventing hearing loss, but what else can we do to make sure we keep our ear health optimum as we age?
Maintaining or improving circulation to your inner ears might be your absolute next best strategy for looking after your hearing. Maintaining healthy circulation to the ears will in turn maintain the health of the tiny little hairs on our inner ear which are responsible for translating sound waves into electrical signals that our brain can interpret.
There are many ways we can do this such as exercising regularly to increase blood flow and staying warm, drinking warm teas and eating warm foods, especially in winter. Another, often overlooked but very important technique is reducing stress in our lives. When we feel stressed our body limits our circulation from our extremities and our ears become compromised; this is why some of us might get tinnitus, experienced as a ringing sound in the ears when we are stressed. There are a number of circulatory stimulating herbs which you might like to try as well, herbs like Ginkgo and Ginger are both very helpful herbs to aid the warming and circulation around your peripheral vascular system, or why not try adding more chilli into your cooking?
Then of course there are the amazing benefits of eating a balanced and varied diet full of fresh produce. Fresh fruits and vegetables are full of antioxidants which help to gather up what we call ‘free radicals’ or ‘reactive oxygen species’ which are loose and volatile particles that cause damage to tissues in your body. Eating plenty of antioxidants will ensure that oxidative damage to your inner ear is kept at a minimum and your general levels of inflammation are kept under control. This will greatly benefit your hearing into your old age.
We can’t forget about the importance of our nervous system either, maintaining healthy nervous function means that the interpretation of the sound waves into electrical signals for our brains is done so smoothly and effectively. Again, antioxidants and eating fresh food is important for nerve health as well as eating a variety of proteins and getting all of your essential minerals. Magnesium is a mineral it is often difficult for us to get enough of, especially in the often stressful lives that we live in the modern day. Ensuring we are getting enough magnesium or taking magnesium supplements or salt baths is another great way of protecting your nervous system and therefore hearing.
Here at the Thornbury Apothecary we have a number of products which can be helpful for your hearing!
Try out our…
Digestion and circulation tea blend
Shiitake mushroom powder for cardiovascular health
Ancient Minerals Magnesium Oil
Circulation Bath Salts
