Food Condiments

Several of the ingredients listed in this herbal remedies section can be eaten to

improve your circulation and immune system, contributing to better health

overall.

Garlic, ginger, and onions are foods that many of us eat in the course of our daily

lives, but there are a couple more esoteric food choices you might not realize

could help you relieve your tinnitus symptoms by improving your circulation or

bolstering your immune system.

Apple cider vinegar

The main benefits of apple cider vinegar in tinnitus treatment are its antibacterial

and anti-inflammation properties. If your tinnitus is caused by a sinus or ear

infection, apple cider vinegar is most likely to help relieve it. Mix about two

teaspoons of vinegar and a little honey together with some water and drink this

mixture 2-3 times a day until your symptoms go away.

Pineapple

The enzyme bromelain that’s found in pineapple has natural anti-inflammatory

properties. Tinnitus caused by infection or injury is most likely to be improved

by eating pineapple. Eat fresh pieces of the fruit at regular intervals throughout

the day until your symptoms go away.

Pineapple is also high in vitamins that can boost your immune system, helping

you to recover from whatever ailment brought the tinnitus on. Fresh pineapple

juice can do the trick, too, but make sure it’s not too processed or the bromelain

may not be present in the same amounts.

Sea vegetables

More common in Asian cuisine than that of the west, sea vegetables like kelp,

algae, wakame, and other seaweeds are nutritionally dense and contain a lot of

vitamins used by your immune system to fight infection.

One of the key components in sea vegetables that make it helpful in fighting

tinnitus is the starch-like molecule fucoidan, which has a unique multi-branching

chemical structure. Though they’re still not as well-understood as more common

food compounds, fucoidans are known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-viral

benefits.

Vitamin deficiencies

If the onset of your tinnitus didn’t seem to be linked to any of the common

causes listed in part one 1 it may be due to a nutritional deficiency. Relief should

follow quickly once your body’s nutritional balance is restored.

A deficiency in vitamin A, vitamin B12, or zinc will not only contribute to

tinnitus and hearing loss but will give you a whole host of other symptoms that

you can use to identify just what it is your body’s lacking.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A deficiency is one of the foremost causes of inner ear issues like

tinnitus. Night blindness is often an early sign of vitamin A deficiency; other

vision problems are common, and in extreme cases, it could lead to total

blindness.

Replenishing your vitamin A should always be undertaken slowly. When you eat

more vitamin A than your body needs the excess is stored in the liver. If you

take too much at once, this can lead to a condition called hypervitamintosis, or

vitamin A toxicity, which can cause nausea, swelling of the bones and brain, and

yellowed skin.

Unless your deficiency is dangerously severe, it’s best to get your vitamin A

through the foods that you eat rather than a supplement. Increase your

consumption of dark, leafy greens, dark fruits (like plums), tomatoes, and orange

and yellow vegetables (like carrots or pumpkin). Liver and fish also contain

vitamin A, as do dairy products, like milk and eggs.

Vitamin B12

A lack of vitamin B12 can lead to anemia and the symptoms are very similar,

including weakness, dizziness, pale skin, or numbness and tingling in the limbs.

The ringing in your ears may come immediately before or after dizzy spells or

occur in conjunction with blurred vision or heart palpitations.

Vitamin B12 deficiency is especially common in people suffering from ailments

of the intestine, like Crohn’s disease or celiac disease, or those who have had

gastro-bypass or other weight loss surgery. Those who eat a vegan diet can also

suffer from B12 deficiency since many of our natural sources of it come from

animal and dairy products.

Beef liver is one of the most concentrated sources of B12, but red meat in

general is a good source of natural B12, as are some fishes, like mackerel,

salmon, and sardines. You can also find it in milk, yogurt, eggs, and some

cheeses. If you’re vegan or vegetarian, your best options would be fortified

breakfast cereals and soy products, like tofu.

You can also supplement your B12 intake with a daily multivitamin. Look for

one with around 2.4mcg of B12 to get the standard adult dose. Women who are

pregnant or breastfeeding will need a bit more B12, around 2.6-2.8mcg daily.

Zinc

The World Health Organization estimates that 31% of adults world-wide live

with a chronic zinc deficiency. Zinc is necessary to maintaining our digestive

health; zinc deficiency contributes to a lowered immune system overall, which in

severe cases manifests as intense diarrhea and pneumonia.

Zinc is also used to regulate histamine levels in the body, meaning a zinc

deficiency causes you to be more sensitive to allergens and to have a more

severe reaction to them. Suddenly thinning hair or unexplained hives and skin

rashes are other signs of a zinc deficiency.

Elderly adults are the largest group likely to be afflicted by a zinc deficiency,

and it’s often one factor in tinnitus caused by age. Also at risk are those with a

history of alcoholism, strict vegetarians, and people with certain chronic

ailments, like IBS, rheumatoid arthritis, or sickle cell anemia.

You can find zinc supplements in the health food section of your grocery store.

Your daily dose should be around 90-150mg for about 3-6 months to make sure

your zinc levels have been restored to normal. You should notice a stronger

immune system and lessened allergy symptoms in addition to relief of tinnitus

symptoms.

If you’d rather boost your zinc intake through your diet than a pill, seeds and

nuts are some of the best natural zinc sources, specifically pumpkin seeds and

cashews. Vegetables like spinach and mushrooms are high in zinc; in terms of

protein, look for lamb or grass-fed beef.

People who are diabetic or have another metabolic disorder should use caution

with any medication that contains zinc. Zinc alters the way your body processes

glucose and can make your blood sugar drop quickly. If you have diabetes,

consult your doctor before starting any supplements or making dietary changes.