Having the ability to hear is a blessing, and you should consider yourself lucky each and every day. Being able to hear allows you to listen to your favorite song, hear your favorite person’s voice, and will enable you to be fully immersed in the world around you. Unfortunately, just because you have the ability to hear doesn’t mean it will always stick around. You can lose your hearing in the blink of an eye. Noise-induced hearing loss could occur, and many people’s ability to hear starts to deteriorate as they age. However, there are easy ways to support your hearing so you can continue to be fully immersed in everyday life.

Did you know that May is Better Hearing and Speech Month? Support your hearing health this month and every day going forward by learning more about the easy ways to support your hearing.

• Watching what you eat helps your mind, body, and hearing. Your daily diet plays a crucial role in hearing health and goes a long way in keeping your ears healthy. Eating a healthy diet can improve your overall health and promote ear function. Vitamins and other nutrients are required for healthy hearing, so if you want to help preserve your hearing, improve your diet.

• Moving your body every day is good for your heart, health, and ears. Getting physical exercise can help boost your spirits and can help with circulation. Getting the blood flowing can help improve auditory function and is very good for your ears. In fact, yoga has even been shown to help reduce the symptoms of tinnitus!

• Noise-induced hearing loss is common yet often preventable, so going forward, be mindful of the volume level around you. If you listen through headphones, keep the volume to a reasonable level. Keep the television volume down. If you are going to a loud show/event of any kind, wear quality protection to protect your ears. Being mindful and aware of your surroundings can go a long way in protecting your hearing health.

• Seeing a hearing health professional regularly can help keep your ears healthy and can help give you peace of mind. Scheduling an appointment at least once a year with an audiologist can help you stay on top of your hearing health and allow you to catch any problems or potential problems early on. Early detection will help give you the best course of action, instead of ignoring any signs or symptoms, which can quickly snowball if left untreated.