Health

Hearing and Dementia

By Shay Moser

Exercise. Eat healthfully. Don’t smoke. Manage health issues such as diabetes. Most people know these habits are important for a healthy lifestyle to reduce the risk of dementia. Yet, many are unaware of the number one preventive health measure to prevent dementia.

“Treating hearing loss is eight times more important than reducing obesity and diabetes and four times as important as physical exercise to reduce the risk of dementia,” says Dr. Keith Darrow, the only Harvard Medical and M.I.T.-trained neuroscientist focused on private practice audiology.

Dr. Darrow is best known for his work as a neuroscientist and audiologist, but today his mission is educating people. He does this as an author and the director and founder of the Hearing and Brain Centers of America and the Excellence in Audiology network of offices throughout the U.S.

HIGHEST-RATED HEARING LOSS AND TINNITUS TREATMENT

As part of the Hearing and Brain Centers of America national expansion to treat more of the 42 million Americans in need of hearing loss and tinnitus treatment, a Paradise Valley location recently opened.

Patients at the Hearing and Brain Center of Arizona in Paradise Valley benefit from Dr. Darrow’s comprehensive programs for preventing decline through the medical treatment of hearing loss and tinnitus. Patients see a team of experienced doctors and specialists who provide personalized hearing care plans based on their needs, lifestyle, and budget. The center offers several cutting-edge treatment options, which patients learn about at their initial complimentary treatment consultation. Plus, all treatments offer a lifetime satisfaction guarantee. And soon, Scottsdale residents will have a center nearby where they can get same-day treatments, too. “We offer a completely new and simple approach at the Hearing and Brain Centers. The medical treatment of hearing loss and tinnitus is not a hearing aid. Instead, we’ve identified the most important aspects of treatment that improve hearing in all situations, reduce the ringing in your ears, and help you prevent cognitive decline and dementia.”

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU GET YOUR HEARING CHECKED?

Dr. Darrow says the easy rule of thumb to remember is “ears and rears,” suggesting that when you turn 50 is when we should all have our first hearing test. It’s difficult to notice the initial signs of hearing loss without a hearing evaluation, says Dr. Darrow. But it’s more likely to affect life as we grow older because noise damage starts to add up.

A LISTENING EAR FOR LOCAL DOCTORS

Many primary care physicians are starting to understand the connections between hearing loss and dementia, according to Dr. Darrow. So, they’re incorporating a question about hearing loss in medical evaluations.

Doctors who have patients that may have hearing loss or are between 60 and 70 years old, can refer them to the Hearing and Brain Centers of Arizona for cognitive screening.

Learn more about the importance of medically treating hearing loss at the free, one-hour community symposium in Paradise Valley on Thurs., Nov. 3. Visit hearinganddementia.com or call 602-641-4179. You can learn more about Dr. Darrow at drkeithdarrow.com.

Food Sensitivities: A Naturopathic Approach

By Dr. Jenna Dye, Naturopathic Physician

Food is one of the most common causes of inflammation in the body. This inflammation can lead to chronic illnesses. In naturopathic medicine, we focus on diet in detail to find potential foods that may be impacting your health. Once those foods are identified we can eliminate them and begin to nourish the body with foods that decrease inflammation, while healing the digestive tract.

There are two main types of immune reactions to foods. An IgE reaction is an immediate reaction that can occur within minutes of consuming a particular food. This reaction is often severe and easier to pinpoint which food was the culprit. A common example is a Peanut IgE reaction. After consumption there can be symptoms of hives, swelling, and difficulty breathing. Consuming these foods can be dangerous and must be avoided.

The other type of immune reaction is an IgG reaction. This is more of a sensitivity rather than a true allergy. This is a delayed reaction that can occur within hours or up to days after consuming a particular food. These reactions are often less severe and harder to identify. Reactions can include generalized fatigue, brain fog, muscle or joint pain, constipation, gas, bloating, abdominal discomfort, eczema, and other skin conditions.

There are different ways to identify food sensitivities. The gold standard is the basic elimination diet. We eliminate the most common highly allergenic foods for a period. Once symptoms have resolved we can then slowly reintroduce them and see how the body reacts. Common allergenic foods are dairy, wheat, eggs, corn, and soy. Another way to test for sensitivities is an IgG blood test. This is a sensitivity test that allows us to identify up to 100-200 different types of foods that may be negatively reacting in the body. These results can help us decide which specific foods to eliminate based on the level of reactivity.

Whichever way we identify food sensitivities, we eliminate those foods while healing the gut with additional naturopathic support. It can take up to six to eight weeks for symptoms to resolve. Imagine it is like a pair of shoes that causes a blister, you need to remove the shoe for a while, let the blister heal and then try the shoe on again. If the blister does not return then you can wear the shoes, if it does then it needs more time to heal.

A naturopathic physician can offer a more comprehensive and individualized approach to help you identify, eliminate, and heal any obstacles that may be impacting your health. Food is one of the simplest places to begin the healing process.

Dr. Jenna Dye is a licensed naturopathic physician. Her role is to support the body’s foundation to restore and maintain optimal health. Together with her patients, this is achieved by identifying and removing barriers that may be impacting health while creating a healing environment. For more information visit drjennadye.com.