Quincy Hearing June 2017

June 2017

THIS hear Follow the beat of better hearing and healthy living

The Transformative Power

of Effective Hearing Treatment

our generous, 75-day trial period to get him back in. “I almost didn’t come today,” he told me. That same day, he’d run into his friend at the cigar shop and told him that he was replacing his broken hearing aids. “Oh, that’s a waste of money!” his friend told him. “Don’t even bother!” But, he’d already paid for them, so he came in and got fitted. In the following biweekly follow-ups, I saw a steadily rising pep in his step. He does volunteer work at his town’s Council on Aging, and his peers had noticed his newfound hearing ability. His wife had commented on the massive difference. His grandkids no longer had to yell to be heard. He’d experienced a complete 180 in every aspect of his life. He no longer had to be on guard all the time. It’s these kinds of success stories that keep me coming into work every morning. Proper hearing is an instrumental part of the human experience. I feel privileged to be able to help my patients recover their listening skills — and their lives.

At a certain point, this other provider had finally told him, “There’s nothing more we can do for you.” He was reluctant to return to another audiologist, but at this point, he was desperate. His hearing difficulty had a huge negative impact on his quality of life, “pressing down upon me and wearing me down.” Like many people with hearing problems, he was constantly on guard, worried that he was annoying the people in his life. His wife, grandkids, and friends were all understanding of the damage that years of construction management had wreaked on his ears, “but,” he wondered aloud, “how much can they put up with?” I managed to convince him to try a demo pair of hearing aids in my office. I could see a massive shift in his personality the instant he put them in. His shoulders relaxed, his scrunched-up face calmed, and his guard fell ever so slightly. Before my eyes, he was reclaiming a whole world of sound that had been incrementally stolen from him throughout his entire life. But, skeptic that he was, he didn’t commit to his own hearing aids just yet. It took a few calls from Phil and a reminder about

If you’re not one of the millions of people afflicted with hearing loss, or one of the audiologists treating them, it can be difficult to conceive just how drastically barriers to communication and understanding can hamper a person’s life. I think many people are concerned that hearing treatment and hearing aids won’t work or will not be worth the investment. But I see patient’s lives transformed everyday through the treatment I provide. A few weeks back, I had one particularly skeptical patient — let’s call him Greg — in for a consultation. As he came into my office, his shoulders were hunched forward, rampant frustration evident in his every move. Ever after he sat down, his face was contorted into a stubborn scowl for nearly our entire conversation. “The reason I’m here,” he told me, “is because I don’t know what else to do.” Ten years back, an audiologist fit Greg with his current hearing aids, and for 10 years, he suffered with persistent, disabling issues with the technology. “My right one is constantly full of static, and my left one has been completely dead for months.” But it was anything but a new issue. He’d been in and out of this other office dozens of times since his fitting in 2007, to almost no benefit.

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Summer Reading for Busy Families Summer reading lists are always popular, but most families rarely have time to have dinner together, let alone sit still reading for hours. Luckily, the ever-growing popularity of audiobooks means you don’t have to wait for school to start again for your kids to get back into literature. Here are a few great audiobooks you can introduce to your family this summer. For the Long Road Trip “The Bad Beginning” (A Series of Unfortunate Events) by Lemony Snicket, read by Tim Curry When a terrible fire destroys the Baudelaire mansion, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny find themselves orphans and are sent to live with the terrible Count Olaf. Convinced their awful new guardian is only after their fortune, the Baudelaires must use their intelligence and skills to stick together and (maybe) overcome their sad circumstances. Fans of the Netflix series will love to hear the story that started it all! Who knew such an unfortunate series could mean fun for the whole family? For Family Bonding “Half Magic” by Edward Eager, read by Words Take Wing A beloved family favorite since it was first published in 1954, “Half Magic” tells the story of siblings Jane, Mark, Katharine, and Martha, who discover a magic wish-granting coin. They soon realize the coin only grants half of what they wish for, and an unplanned vacation to the Sahara, followed by chaos in King Arthur’s court, is just a one of the hilarious misadventures this family must overcome together. For Something Entirely New “The Wild Robot” by Peter Brown, read by Kate Atwater When lonely robot Roz opens her eyes for the first time, she finds she’s trapped on a wild island. Struggling to survive and befriend the island’s hostile animal inhabitants, Roz must eventually face her mysterious past, which threatens to tear her home apart. This brand-new book is a stunning tale about the environment, technology, and the wonder of being alive. These are just a few of

Testimonial Corner

“I am very pleased with the care I am receiving and the efficient way all my needs are taken care of.” –Ann K.

“You guys are fantastic! Friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable are the words to describe you two. Thanks for everything!” –Mike T. “I always look forward to seeing Dr. Powis and Mia. I feel confident that I am getting the best care and am never rushed. I would highly recommend them to my friends.” –Jeanne A.

the many titles your family can enjoy this summer. Find even

more by visiting Audible.com or

checking the audiobooks catalogue on iTunes.

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Hearing Health TIPS

Food for Your Ears

Nutrition and Its Link to Hearing Loss

Zinc can help greatly with sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), a condition usually treated with high-dose steroids. Good sources of zinc include seafood, grass-fed beef, cashews, tahini, pumpkin seeds, almonds, spinach, cheddar cheese, sea vegetables, and cremini mushrooms. Keep in mind, though, anything above 50 milligrams of zinc is considered excessive and may cause health problems. Astaxanthin, a highly potent antioxidant, may benefit brain and eye health, with the potential to aid hearing, as well. Astaxanthin is rare in nature, however, so your best bet would be to take a two-milligram supplement daily. All these variables may seem complicated, but really, it’s simple. A varied diet of healthy, real food will go a long way toward protecting you against age-related hearing loss and may even reverse it, to an extent.

Everybody knows that carrots are good for your eyes. But did you know that certain foods can benefit your hearing? Diet plays a significant role in the health of your ear and your ability to hear properly. Scientists believe that nutritional imbalances, not mechanical dysfunction, are the primary cause of hearing loss. There are four nutrients essential for your hearing: carotenoids like folate (vitamin B9), vitamin A, astaxanthin, and zinc. Each of these aids your hearing in a different way; and collectively, they prevent free-radical damage and oxidative stress in the cochlea while improving homocysteine metabolism and increasing blood flow. More specifically, folate has been shown to reduce tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, as well as homocysteine metabolism — which is important, as elevated levels of homocysteine in the blood are connected to age-related hearing loss. Eat plenty of organic, raw, leafy green veggies to get your daily intake of folate.

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Summer Crab Roll

Ingredients:

• 2 soft rolls, split down the center like hot dog buns • Green leaf lettuce leaves (for serving) • Freshly ground white pepper

• 8 ounces fresh or canned crabmeat • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise • Kosher salt • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

Directions:

1. Mix crab and mayonnaise in a small bowl and season with salt. 2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. 3. Butter opening of buns and cook until golden, about 2 minutes per side. 4. Place a large leaf of lettuce in each bun. 5. Add crabmeat mixture and season with pepper. 6. Enjoy!

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INSIDE this issue SEE WHAT’S

The Transformative Power of Effective Hearing Treatment PAGE 1 Audiobooks Your Family Will Love Testimonial Corner PAGE 2

Food for Your Ears Summer Crab Roll Sudoku PAGE 3

Move Over, Man Cave! Introducing the She Shed PAGE 4

MOVE OVER, MAN CAVE!

Stephanie Rauterkus, Ph.D., professor of accounting and finance at the University of Alabama School of Business, points out, homebuyers appreciate extra space. She sheds are becoming ever more popular as designers replace drafty interiors with cozy nooks where buyers will actually want to spend time. Just remember that too much personalization is the enemy. Homebuyers want to picture themselves in a home, and they might say no thanks to your lavender and fuchsia color scheme. Find a balance between useful and endearing without getting too artistic. When in doubt, stick with neutral colors and avoid adding anything that would be considered permanent. That being said, this new addition to the home is only growing in popularity, offering possibilities and additional storage spaces, which can really help your property stand out from the rest.

In 2012, the Merriam-Webster dictionary added the word “man cave” to its hallowed pages. Traditionally a room dedicated to sports, video games, or other “manly” pursuits, man caves have become a homebuyer’s must-have. So it’s no wonder the lady of the house has decided to create her own space. Introducing the she shed. Much like the man cave, a she shed is a space, usually a backyard shed, transformed into a hobby oasis. Gardening and sewing are common themes, but, as with the man cave, the purpose of a she shed is limited only by its creator’s passions. Many she sheds serve as reading nooks, home offices, art studios, or just general sanctuaries of solitude. She sheds can boast elegant designs, often mimicking the style of an antique dollhouse or enchanted cottage.

Sellers looking to use their she shed to increase property value are in luck! As

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