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October 3, 2019
Book Review: ‘My Hard of Hearing Life’ by Cynthia Dixon
October 7, 2019How to create a holistic hearing loss health plan
Heather Vuchinich is a writer, astrologer and herbalist with more than 25 years experience in holistic healing. She has been certified as a Master Astrologer by Steven Forrest and has a MA from the Hutchins School at Sonoma State University with a focus on Environmental Psychology. She is currently attending the renowned California School of Herbal Studies to become a certified herbal practitioner. Advice in this post should not replace that of your medical physician.
I’ve sometimes fantasized over the years about what it would be like to live without a hearing loss. I’ve gradually learned how to have a creative and interesting life because of my hearing loss, rather than in spite of it.
It has taken a lot of hard work and dedication. Having my hearing improve would be an unexpected gift. But it’s not one for which I’m willing to sacrifice my peace of mind. As a result, I’ve developed a holistic hearing loss health plan.
Healing Secondary Issues
These days, when I think about “healing” my hearing loss, I’m more interested in healing the secondary issues that can go along with having hearing loss in a hearing world. It’s all part of my holistic hearing loss health plan.
Some of these common secondary symptoms of hearing loss include:
- Stress and exhaustion from trying to communicate
- Tension in neck, head, ear area (headaches)
- Tinnitus and balance issues
- Ear wax issues from wearing hearing aids
- Retaining remaining hearing
- Psychological issues like adjusting to a changing identity: from hearing to not hearing, or “normal” to “not normal.”
I’ve found that alternative health care practices have offered me the most generous toolbox of remedies, practices and lifestyle choices. Approaching hearing loss from a more holistic perspective has helped me to grow in ways I could have never imagined. It has also taught me how to deeply connect to my own resilience, power, and gifts.
“Approaching hearing loss from a more holistic perspective has helped me to grow in ways I could have never imagined.”
These are the four “cornerstones” of my holistic hearing loss health plan:
Diet/Nutrition
You’ve probably heard this before, but it is still worth repeating. Eating well will improve your stress levels and your energy. According to a study by the Brigham and Women’s hospital, a healthy diet is associated with a lower risk of acquired hearing loss in women. Yes, it can even help you maintain the hearing you do have. There are certain minerals that are associated with your hearing health. The best, most direct route to getting minerals into your body is to eat them. Some of the most important minerals are potassium, magnesium, folic acid, and zinc. Foods that include these nutrients are fruits and vegetables like bananas, artichokes, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, broccoli, and asparagus. You’ll also want to include nuts, dark meats and legumes like lentils or split peas in your diet.
Herbs and Supplements
Herbs are nature’s gift to us. Their use goes back thousands of years and spans many cultures. Some of the best herbs for hearing are those that stimulate the activity of the nerves and arteries connected to hearing. These herbs can be useful to preserve remaining hearing. They have also been shown in some cases to actually reverse hearing loss! In a 1986 French study on the therapeutic effects of the plant Gingko biloba on cochlear deafness, it was shown that “improvement was distinctly better in the Ginkgo biloba group.”
There are also many studies showing Gingko’s effectiveness in treating tinnitus and inner ear issues. Be sure to source your Ginkgo from a reputable company like Mountain Rose Herbals or Frontier organics for the best experience.
A number of other herbs besides Gingko can be helpful to include in your daily wellness routine. Some of these are: spearmint, milky oats, nettles, and lavender.
Bodywork/Exercise
Yoga, dancing, and running are three examples of exercise that can help you release tension and relax while toning your nervous system and improving circulation.
Read more: Yoga and meditation classes are challenging with hearing loss
Straining to hear can tighten the muscles in your neck, head, and shoulders. Therefore, it’s important to incorporate practices that help move any congestion in your lymph system and ease muscular patterns that have developed. Lymph drainage massage and craniosacral are two bodywork modalities that address these important areas of your body.
Support
Feelings of disconnection, “why me” syndrome, and coping with feeling different or outside the norm can cause emotional stress and depression. Besides going to traditional talk therapy style counseling, there are alternative avenues to gaining insight and support around your hearing loss. These can bring you even greater insight and healing.
Working with your ancestral lineage from a spiritual perspective can help you to unearth family patterns and dynamics that may influence your relationship to your hearing loss. The Ancestral Medicine approach is a grounded, compassionate way of working with ancestors that can bring great healing and insight.
A few other alternative resources like energy healing, astrology, and intuitive readings can help you to more clearly understand the unseen factors that may influence you and your relationship to the world and your hearing loss. These practices can be very subtle. Or they can be more profound and dramatic as they guide you towards greater awareness of the energetic patterns that are shaping your life.
What are some alternatives you’ve explored when it comes to your hearing loss?
