6 tricks for avoiding hearing problems

Losing your hearing can change your life forever. But did you know there are some everyday things that can be done to help prevent hearing loss? Read on to find out more.

The more physically active you are, the better your hearing is likely to be! Why? Because aerobic activity such as biking and walking brings more oxygen into your lungs, which increases blood flow throughout your body (including your ears). That, in turn, improves your hearing! At least, that's what we hear from researchers.

You don't have to have spent your youth following rock bands around to damage your hearing with loud noises. The noises of everyday life — lawn mower, leaf blowers, cars backfiring, even the ubiquitous headphones attached to everyone's ears these days — are more than enough. So get a few pairs of earplugs, scatter them around the house, in your car and purse, and use them to turn down the volume of your world.

Eat avocado to help your hearing

Mmm, like eating solid butter — but oh, so much better for you! The green fruit is rich in magnesium, a mineral that helps protect your hearing from noise-related hearing loss. Just make sure the fruit is uniformly dark when you buy it and yields slightly — but not too much — when you press on it. You can store a ripe avocado in the fridge for two or three days.

Trust us, you want to keep your original teeth. The more teeth you have, it seems, the better your hearing as you age. That's what researchers found when they compared dental health and hearing loss in more than 1,000 veterans.

Every tooth you lose more than doubles your risk of hearing loss. Scientists aren't sure why, but suspect it has something to do with the position of the jaw or maybe lack of muscle activity that affects the auditory tube. Regardless, brush and floss twice a day!

While your doctor may warn you about obvious loud noises like gunshots and lawn mowers, you may never hear about the dangerous effects of snoring on your hearing. Yes, snoring. Research shows that the sound of snoring can be louder decibel-wise than the sound of city traffic. And any loud noise damages your ears over time.

After proving to your partner that yes, he or she does indeed snore — a tape recorder may help — suggest a visit to a sleep centre. Snoring can be a sign of sleep apnea, a breathing disorder that could lead to heart disease.