You’ve most likely already recognized that your hearing is failing. Hearing loss often develops as a result of decisions you make without knowing they’re impacting your hearing.

Many types of hearing loss are preventable with several basic lifestyle changes. Let’s explore six unexpected secrets that will help you protect your hearing.

1. Manage Your Blood Pressure

It’s not good if your blood pressure remains high. A study revealed that hearing loss was 52% more likely with people who have above average blood pressure and they are more likely to have other health issues also.

Avoid damage to your hearing by taking measures to reduce your blood pressure. Don’t neglect high blood pressure or wait to see a doctor. Management of blood pressure includes proper diet, exercise, stress management, and following your doctor’s orders.

2. Stop Smoking

Here’s another reason to quit: Smokers are 15% more likely to suffer from hearing loss. Even more alarming: People who are frequently exposed to second-hand smoke are 28% more likely to have hearing problems. The hazardous consequences of second-hand smoke are not only harmful, they also stay in the air for long periods.

If you’re a smoker, protect your hearing and consider quitting. Take steps to reduce your exposure to second-hand smoke if you hang out with a smoker.

3. Control Your Diabetes

Diabetes or pre-diabetes impacts one out of four adults. A pre-diabetic individual is extremely likely to develop diabetes within 5 years if they don’t make serious lifestyle changes.

High blood sugar harms blood vessels, which makes it very hard for them to effectively transport nutrients. A diabetic individual is more than twice as likely to cope with hearing loss compared to a non-diabetic person.

If you have diabetes, take the steps necessary to correctly manage it. Safeguard your hearing by making lifestyle changes if you are at risk of type 2 diabetes.

4. Lose Some Weight

This isn’t about body image or feeling good about yourself. It’s about your health. As your Body Mass Index (BMI) goes up, so does your possibility of hearing loss and other health disorders. A mildly obese woman (with a 30 to 34 BMI) has a 17% higher chance of getting hearing loss. A moderately obese individual has a 25% risk of hearing loss if they have a BMI of 40.

Take steps to shed that extra weight. Your life can be prolonged and your hearing can be protected by something as simple as walking for 30 minutes each day.

5. OTC Drugs Shouldn’t be Overused

Some over-the-counter (OTC) medications can result in hearing impairment. The more often these drugs are used over a prolonged period of time, the greater the risk.

Medications such as acetaminophen, naproxen, ibuprofen, and aspirin are known to lead to hearing loss. Use these medicines in moderation and only with your doctor’s guidance if you need to take them more regularly.

Studies show that you’ll most likely be okay if you’re taking these medications occasionally in the suggested doses. The risk of hearing loss increases up to 40% for men, however, when these medicines are used on a day-to-day basis.

Always follow your doctor’s advice. But if you’re using these medications every day to manage chronic pain or thin your blood, consult your doctor about lifestyle changes you can implement to lessen your dependence on OTC drugs.

6. Eat More Broccoli

Broccoli is loaded with iron as well as important nutrients including vitamins C and K. Iron is integral to a healthy heart and proper blood circulation. Iron helps your blood carry nutrients and oxygen to cells to keep them healthy and nourished.

If you’re a vegetarian or don’t eat much meat, it’s important that you consume enough plant-based iron. The iron found in plants is not as bioavailable as the iron in meat so people in this group are more likely to be deficient in iron.

Pennsylvania State University researchers studied more than 300,000 individuals. People who suffer from anemia (severe iron deficiency) are twice as likely, according to this research, to develop sensorineural hearing loss than individuals who have typical iron concentrations. Sensorineural hearing loss is the scientific name for irreversible hearing loss associated with the aging process.

Sound is received and transmitted to the brain by fragile little hairs in the inner ear which resonate with the frequency and volume of that sound. If these hair cells die due to poor circulation or other concerns arising from iron deficiency, they won’t grow back.

Don’t wait to get a hearing test because you’re never too young. Implement these steps into your life and reduce hearing loss.