Intelligent Ways To Protect Your Ears As You Get Older

by | Jan 8, 2021 | Lifestyle | 0 comments

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When you’re young, you don’t think twice about your hearing. Everything just works. 

But as you get older, things can be different. You suddenly notice that you’re having to say, “what” and “pardon” more than you used to. And it’s not just because you let your hair drop down past your ears. Something’s gone wrong with your hearing. 

Popular culture says that hearing loss is the result of aging. But as you learn more about it, you soon discover that lifestyle is also a major contributing factor, just as it is for practically every other illness. 

That’s both good and bad news. It’s bad news because it might mean that your hearing loss was preventable. But it’s good news because it means that you can take control of your ear health in ways you never imagined. 

In this post, we take a look at some of the easy ways to protect your ears as you get older. 

Avoid Continuously Loud Noises
The odd clap of thunder here and there isn’t going to wreck your ears. But if you’re in the habit of exposing your auditory system to loud noises continuously, then you could be in for a lot of trouble. 

The biggest culprit is listening to loud music through earbuds. Many people don’t realize that these devices can produce sounds well in excess of the 85 dB safety cut-off. And some of them can be as loud as a pneumatic drill. 

Unlike those sounds, though, listening to music is pleasurable. So people will happily listen to noises with the sound cranked up to the maximum, even if it is damaging the internal machinery. 

Loud noises damage the ears via several mechanisms. The first is by damaging the tiny sound-sensing hairs in the middle ear that send nerve signals for processing in the brain. These are extremely delicate. When they stop working, incoming noises sound more muffled. 

The second mechanism is by damaging the eardrum, a critical flap of skin that transmits sound signals from the outer to the inner ear. High-energy sound waves cause it to become slack, diminishing its effectiveness. 

Actively Seek Quiet
If you want to protect your ears, though, you need to do more than just stay away from loud noises. You also need to actively seek out quiet in your day-to-day life. 

Remember, 85 dB isn’t actually that loud. It’s about the same volume as somebody talking normally six inches from your ear. 

People who want to look after their hearing will often, therefore, seek out low-noise appliances. They will also ask managers in commercial settings to turn the music down if it’s too loud. 

Wear Hearing Protection
Hearing protection is usually something you only see people wearing on building sites to protect their ears from high noise levels. But ideally, you should be wearing them in all excessively loud environments. 

Hearing protection can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. Some people like to wear earmuffs because they look stylish, but there are plenty of other options out there. Earplugs, for instance, are sold by the hundred and actually block out more noise than their more expensive counterparts. 

Avoid Smoking
What could smoking possibly have to do with your hearing? Well, quite a lot actually. Just as smoking damages the lungs and heart, it also adversely affects the ears. The blood vessels supplying the auditory system fur up and, eventually, stop supplying it with the blood it needs. Critical tissues then die back, leading to hearing loss which is hard to recover. 

Keep Earwax Levels Low
Earwax is a major contributor to hearing loss, but also entirely preventable. 

Usually, earwax will drain from the ear naturally, carrying debris to the auricle, before drying and flaking off into the environment harmlessly. However, sometimes it can become compacted, and the ear can’t remove it naturally. When this happens, it blocks sound waves from reaching the eardrum, giving people a “head in a barrel” sensation. 

Fortunately, there’s a lot that you can do to keep earwax levels low. If you have mildly-impacted ear wax, you can get over-the-counter drops that you pour into the ear to loosen the cerumen and eventually dissolve it. If, however, it is more severe, you may have to go to an audiologist to get it removed physically using special tools. 

Check Your Meds
While most medications are safe, some are associated with progressive hearing loss. Aspirin, for instance, can harm the ears, as can some antibiotics and chemo drugs. Always check your hearing status before and after a course of medications to determine whether they’re harming your ears or not. 

The Keys to a Successful Cross-Country Move

by | Jan 8, 2021 | Lifestyle | 0 comments

One of the more commonly overlooked benefits of living in the modern world is the freedom we have to move to another state or even another country. It’s one of those things that’s easy to take granted, but this hasn’t always been the case. While you could move around in days gone by, the difficulty in doing so often meant that people mostly just stayed where they were born. Today, it’s much easier. With that being said, it’s not necessarily easy. As with anything else as big as a cross-country move, there are things that can go wrong.

In this blog, we’re going to take a look at a few tried and tested tips that’ll help to push you in the right direction.

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Know Where You’re Moving
The more that you know about the place you’re moving to, the easier everything will be. After all, knowledge is power! There’s plenty that you can learn. If you have a strong sense of the climate, the cost of living, the good points and bad points, and so forth, then you’ll feel much more confident. It’s when we undertake a big move without any information that things can become a little difficult. This way, you’ll be prepared.

Work With the Experts
It’s tough enough trying to move your life to another house on the same street, let alone to another state. As such, it’s important that you’re taking a focused, smart approach to this big move. And that will mostly mean working with the professionals. If you’re not an expert at moving across the country, then put it in the hands of those that are. A reliable shipping company can transport your belongings and car, and even move your pets. It’s one of the simplest ways to free yourself from one of the most stressful aspects of moving.

Talk With Locals
Unless you’re moving into the wilderness, you won’t be the only person living in your new city of choice. So why not reach out and pick the brains of the other people that also live there? They’ll be full of useful advice, particularly regarding the big matters, such as which neighborhoods are good or bad for living. Also, these people might just become your friends, and talking of which…

Find a Gang
Everything’s better when it feels like you’re not alone in this world. Even if you’re moving to a new place with your partner, it’s important to get out there and make friends. This can be a little difficult, and it’s not as if you’ll find friends for life at the first time of asking, but if you stick with it, then you’ll eventually find that your new place is feeling like home in more ways than one.

Patience
Finally, the key ingredient: patience! You’ll naturally feel a little anxious and disoriented from time to time when you move to a new city, but eventually those feelings will pass. So long as you’re aware that you’re moving in the right direction, you’ll be fine.

Coping With Joint Pain As You Grow Older

by | Jan 6, 2021 | Lifestyle | 0 comments

When we grow a little older many of us start to struggle with aches and pains we didn’t have when we were younger. This is part of growing older and a natural part of life but it doesn’t mean we have to suffer in silence. If you have started to struggle with your joints and mobility it is time to do something about it and try these tips to help you live life more comfortably and independently.

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Take an aromatherapy bath 
One of the best remedies for aching joints and muscles has to be a bath filled with Epsom salts. If you have been stiff and in pain for a few days, invest in Epsom salts and run a warm bath to sit in for 30 minutes while you watch your favourite show. An aromatherapy bath also isn’t complete without some aroma – and here’s where lavender oil can provide a calming influence and help all of that muscle tension slip away. Do this once a week for maximum effect and it will make a huge difference to your life.

Consider wearing gloves 
Gloves are the easiest way to help you if you struggle with stuff hands throughout the year – even once winter has passed. Many of us suffer from a condition called Raynaud’s syndrome which impacts the circulation to our hands and feet and makes our joints stiff and painful. Sleeping in socks and wearing gloves throughout the day is a helpful way to avoid this pain and live life to the fullest.

Eat ginger 
If you struggle with arthritis and inflammation around your joints as well as poor circulation- it is time to add ginger to your diet every single day. Eating one small chunk of ginger every day fresh from the root will not only warm the body and improve circulation but it will also reduce inflammation and help you to cope with your joints and muscles. This is a brilliant natural remedy and will keep you fighting for for years to come.

Use a walking cane 
It is not at all embarrassing to use a walking cane if you are struggling on your feet. It is important for you to support your body when it is under strain because if you don’t effectively support it, your body will overcompensate and end up struggling even more. Be sure to always consider the way your body feels and if there is any equipment or medication you can use to help you live your life comfortably.  A walking cane is a brilliant tool to take strain off the back and legs and will keep you mobile for longer.

Practice stretches 
Yoga is a great idea for anyone who has struggled with their body and it will make a huge difference to your health. Make sure to practice some simple stretches every day such as backbends and hip openers to lengthen muscles and keep them mobile throughout the years.

Try these tips today to keep your body healthy and allow you to move freely this year.