Tinnitus and diet do go hand in hand, as we have already noted. Some foods aggravate your tinnitus symptoms while others help them to calm down. In the world of nuts it is hard for a tinnitus sufferer to go wrong, as nearly all species are very beneficial for ear and general health (note: Peanuts are NOT actual nuts. We will explain why you should avoid them in a future post). Almonds are at the top of the list of nuts which are useful for the ringing and buzzing symptoms, as they poses an impressive arsenal of tinnitus-specific health benefits.
Sugars and Fats:
Sugar and fat ingestion and digestion result in specific enzymes being released by the body so absorption of these m
aterials can take place. These particular food components are one of the greatest culprits in tinnitus symptoms which emerge due to dietary intake. The breakdown of sugars, fats, cholesterol and carbs in the body can cause an impressive leap in the intensity of the symptoms.
The sweet almond itself contains practically no carbohydrates, and is gluten-free, and thus may be made into flour for low-carbohydrate diets, for patients suffering from diabetes mellitus or any other form of glycosuria and individuals with coeliac allergies. A standard serving of almond flour, 1 cup, contains 20 grams of carbs, of which 10 g is dietary fibre for a net of 10 g of carbohydrate. This makes almond flour very desirable for use in cake and bread recipes by people on carbohydrate-restricted diets. They are also rich in monounsaturated fat, one of the two “good” fats responsible for lowering LDL cholesterol.
A controlled trial showed that 73g of almonds in the daily diet reduced LDL cholesterol by as much as 9.4%, reduced the LDL:HDL ratio by 12.0%, and increased HDL-cholesterol by 4.6%.
Antioxidants:
Almonds are a rich source of Vitamin E, containing 24 mg per 100 g or 20% of the daily value in each serving. Vitamin E is actually 20 times stronger, as an antioxidant, than vitamin C. The antioxidants in the nut scavenge the toxic free radicals in the body which cause an increase in the tinnitus symptoms. As the body is cleansed the buzzing sounds should calm itself.
Stimulating the GI tract:
One of the health benefits of almonds is improved movement of food through the colon, as well as helping with the absorption of mineral and vitamin content of the food.
Supplementation of Vitamin/Mineral Deficiencies:
Calcium is greatly important to the strength of the bones, including the small bones of the ear.
Magnesium is necessary for the proper absorption of calcium and vitamin D
Zinc is leached from the system when magnesium is used, so to keep a balance the two should be eaten together. Zinc is also found in the highest concentration in the cochlea of the ear and studies have shown that individuals with tinnitus have less zinc in the system and in the structures of the inner ear.
Niacin pumps oxygen and nitric oxide throughout the system, clearing out the free radicals and delivering oxygen to areas of the body which may usually be starved for it.
Vitamin Bs deficiencies of any of the B vitamins can cause the symptoms of tinnitus to emerge
This nut can also be used externally to help with causes of objective tinnitus, such as build up of wax in the ear canal. Almond Oil is extracted by cold process and is considered a nutritive treatment both for external use and internal consumption. It can help with the safe removal of ear wax if a little is dripped inside the ear daily. Recent studies have shown that almond oil has anti-inflammatory, immunity boosting, and anti-hepatotoxicity effects.
