Chances are you’ve already observed that you don’t hear as well as you used to. Usually, we don’t even realize that our choices are negatively affecting our hearing.

Many types of hearing impairment are preventable with a few simple lifestyle changes. What follows are 6 secrets that will help you protect your hearing.

1. Manage Your Blood Pressure

Persistently high blood pressure is not okay. A study revealed that hearing loss was 52% more likely with individuals who have higher than average blood pressure and they are more likely to have other health problems as well.

Reduce damage to your hearing by taking actions to reduce your blood pressure. Don’t ignore high blood pressure or wait to see a doctor. Following your doctor’s advice, eating a healthy diet, managing stress, and exercising regularly are all parts of blood pressure management.

2. Quit Smoking

Here’s one more reason to quit: People who smoke are 15% more likely to develop hearing loss. What’s even more surprising is that there’s a 28% higher probability of someone developing hearing problems if they are frequently exposed to second-hand smoke. Even if you go away from the room, smoke remains for long periods of time with hazardous repercussions.

If you’re a smoker, protect your hearing and think about quitting. If you hang out with a smoker, take actions to reduce your exposure to second-hand smoke.

3. Control Your Diabetes

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

Blood vessels that are damaged by high blood sugar don’t efficiently transport nutrients. Compared to a person who doesn’t have diabetes, a diabetic person has more than twice the chance of developing hearing loss.

If you suffer from diabetes, safeguard your hearing by taking the proper steps to manage it. If you are at risk of getting type 2 diabetes, safeguard your hearing by making lifestyle changes to avoid it.

4. Lose Some Weight

This is more about your health than feeling good about how you look. Hearing loss and other health conditions rise as your Body Mass Index (BMI) increases. The chance of developing hearing loss rises by 17% for a slightly obese woman with a BMI of 30 to 34. For an individual with a BMI of 40 (moderate obesity), the risk rises to 25%.

Take actions to shed that excess weight. Something as basic as walking for 30 minutes every day can reduce your chance of hearing loss and prolong your life.

5. OTC Medications Shouldn’t be Overused

Certain over-the-counter (OTC) medicines can lead to hearing impairment. The more often these medicines are used over a prolonged period of time, the greater the risk.

Typical over-the-counter drugs that affect hearing include aspirin, NSAIDs (like naproxen, ibuprofen), and acetaminophen. Take these medications in moderation and only with your doctor’s advice if you need to take them more frequently.

Studies show that you’ll probably be okay if you’re using these medications occasionally in the suggested doses. Using them every day, however, raises the risk of hearing loss by as much as 40% for men.

Always follow your doctor’s orders. Your doctor may be able to suggest some lifestyle changes that will lessen your dependence on these drugs if you are using them every day.

6. Eat More Broccoli

Broccoli is loaded with iron as well as essential nutrients including vitamins C and K. Iron is vital to blood circulation and a healthy heart. Oxygen and nutrients are carried to your cells which helps keep them healthy and nourished and iron is a significant part of this process.

For vegetarians or people who don’t eat meat very often, eating a sufficient amount of plant-based iron is important. You’re more likely to be iron deficient because the iron found in plants is less bioavailable than the iron found in meat.

Pennsylvania State University researchers examined over 300,000 people. Individuals who suffer from anemia (extreme iron deficiency) are twice as likely, according to this research, to experience sensorineural hearing loss than people who have normal iron concentrations. Sensorineural hearing loss is the scientific name for irreversible hearing loss associated with aging.

The inner ear has fragile hair cells that pick up sounds and communicate with the brain to transmit the volume and frequency of those sounds. If these hair cells die due to poor circulation or other concerns related to 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 prevent hearing loss.