“Your life isn’t about a big break. It about taking one significant life-transformation step at a time.” Oprah Winfrey

“What did you say? Oh, I didn’t hear you! Who? What?” famous words for the aging. Signs of hearing loss.

We should be aware of taking steps to prevent further damage. Hearing loss or “presbycusis” affects one-third of all people over 65 and half of people over 75. Hearing loss can influence the quality of your life and ultimately your health.

I know when my peers and I get together that is the conversation—hearing problems. Many do not realize that they have loss some hearing.

When you cannot hear well there is social isolation because you are not sure of what is being said and also you don’t like to keep asking the speaker to repeat themselves. Our universe changes. We have to accept that is part of us and we are just going to go forward.

Although we have the imperfections of aging we are still loving and lovable. Aging is naturally unfolding. We have to harmonize and work with it. We do not let go of life!

Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen say, “If you do what you can to save your hearing, you’ll feel younger-and be younger.”

Much research has shown that the biggest threat to your hearing is loud noise. Within your ear canal glands secrete wax that traps dust and repels water that can enter and damage your ear.

The loss of hearing could be the result of viral infections and certain medications that attack hair cells in the ear. A common occurrence in children is a treatable infection when water gets trapped inside the ear. A chronic ringing in the ears is a condition called tinnitus. The ear canals also affect our balance.

One of the worst things we can do to our ears is use a Q-tip or fingernail to pull wax out of our canal. Anything you put in your ear sends the wax deeper risking puncturing an ear drum. (I had an experience with a blocked ear.)

Hear ye, hear ye! What to eat for your ears: Folate and phytochemicals might have some auditory advantages. Folate which is found in leafy green foods has been known to slow the loss of high- frequency sounds.

Deficiencies in folate and vitamin B12 might affect both the nervous system and the vascular system associated with hearing. Hearing also benefits from phytochemicals, so the stronger the color of the fruit, the better. That means it contains high levels of these protective substances.

This information is taken from, “You: Staying Young” updated so that it gives us information and advice that will allow us to live with a zippy body and a sharp mind.

The idea that we can control our health largely by what we eat offers hope for our personal wellbeing.

Just a reminder that on Sept. 19 at the Saco Parks and Rec Seniority Programs 50+ there will be Indoor Walking from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Beginner Pilates from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.; Taichi from 10 to 11:15 a.m. and a bus trip to Colby Sunflower Farm and lunch in Newburyport, Massachusetts.