Tinnitus and Diet

Jacyntha Crawley

"No problem can be solved by the same level of consciousness which created it.
Albert Einstein.

# Cookery Writer and Nutritionist Maya Driscoll, and Jacyntha Crawley are planning a trial Workshop on "Tinnitus and Diet" to take place within the Greater London area. tinnitusanddiet@yahoo.co.uk for details.

www.tinnitusanddiet.jacynthacrawley.com

# Nutrition Breakdown Feature. Enter a food, food combination or drink into the "Search a Term" box. Use the singular of the word - e.g. USE buffaloberry NOT "buffaloberries". Click Nutrition Value and the breakdown is displayed just as it would be on a product label.

Breads and Yeasts.

Many suffering from tinnitus find consuming the "baking yeast" found in much British bread; in many manufactured biscuits, and in shop-bought cakes aggravates their tinnitus. Those tinnitus sufferers affected in this way have observed that items containing brewer's yeast will probably have a similar, but slightly less dramatic effect on their tinnitus. Test this out using the elimination method of removing an item from your diet for 3 weeks or a month, and then eating it again. Do you notice a difference? Tinnitus sufferers who do notice one would be well advised to also avoid many brands of beer and lager, and some (but not all!) wines!

# French bread, made with FRENCH yeasts, as sold in Waitrose, and increasingly in other shops, does NOT adversely affect tinnitus sufferers. Neither does eating Soda Bread. Soda Bread is a bland, (in our view "uninteresting"!) bread, but as it is yeast free, and, becoming more widely available in the UK. If you have a bread-maker or make bread yourself, here is a Foccaci bread recipe that will not exaccerbate your tinnitus. One reason for this is the reaction of the (baked) olive oil as an ingredient. Total Time needed 2 hours and 5 minutes, which includes 1 hour and 30 minutes for the proving. Preheat the Oven to 230 degreesC/ 450 degreesF/ or Gas 8.
# Ingredients:
# 500g (1lb 2oz) of strong white bread flour, plus extra for kneading.
# 1 x 7g sachet easy-blend dried yeast.
# 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt.
# 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
# 300ml (10 fluid ounces) hand-hot water.
# 2-3 tablespoons of rosemary leaves. If these are not easily available used good quality dried rosemary, preferably soaked in a small amount of (mineral?) water, for around 1/2 hour beforehand. If you sprinkle with the dried rosemary unsoaked it will just burn up during the baking.
# 2 heaped teaspoons of coarse sea salt.
# Method:
# Mix flour, yeast, and fine salt in large mixing bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, and the water, and mix into a soft dough.
# Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead for about 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
# Lightly oil a large, solid baking sheet. Roll the dough out into a rectangle measuring approcimately 20cm (8 inches) by 30cm (12 inches) and place on the baking sheet. Cover with a clean, damp tea towel and leave in a warm place until doubled in size. This will take about 1 hour 30 minutes.
# Preheat the oven to Gas mark 8 or as above. Using fingertips, dimple the surface of the dough. This will allow the olive oil to sink in. Drizzle liberally with the remaining extra virgin olive oil and scatter with the rosemary. Sprinkle over the coarse sea salt and bake on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
# Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool slightly. Cut into squares and serve.
# At the Meeting Point we recommend that tinnitus sufferers stick to olive oil, walnut oil or rice oil as their general oil for culinary purposes.
# Why Cheese Sarnies are still on the Menu.


Cheese and Chutney (or Branston Pickle) at Lunch Time is an
Excellent Combination for Tinnitus sufferers.

# We suggest tinnitus sufferers choose a quality hard cheese. Cheddar or Jarlsburg come to mind, but there are many others to choose from. Stilton, and Danish Blue are also very beneficial for tinnitus sufferers, but these are not to everyone's taste. If you choose that option you'll probably want less pickle or chutney! Other blue veined cheeses don't appear to have the same beneficial effect on tinnitus sufferers. Tinnitus sufferers should try to avoid "processed" cheese.

# Tinnitus sufferers who like making chutney can try this recipe, which makes around 1.5 kilos / 3 1/2lbs.
# Ingredients: 675g or 1 1.2lb of ripe red Plums stoned and halved.
# 225 or 8oz of cooking apples, peeled and chopped.
# 1 large onion, or 2 smaller ones, peeled and finely chopped.
# 225g or 8oz of raisins - preferably washed to remove the preservative from them. To do this, we suggest a brief emersion in boiling water. An oily film containing many of the (dried on) preservatives will rise to the top.
# 85g or 3oz of brown sugar.
# 2 (or 3 depending on personal taste!) whole chillies sliced length-wise. We recommend Bird's Eye Chillies, a variety of chilli usually grown in Central Africa. Some tinnitus sufferers might find these difficult to source locally. In our view, if you suffer from tinnitus it is well worth the effort of tracking them down! Dried, but reconstituted, chillies could be a useful substitute.
# 3.5ml or 3/4 of a teaspoon of quality ground ginger.
# 3 ml or just over 1/2 a teaspoon of allspice.
# A pinch of ground cloves.
# A pinch of mustard powder. Note: Mustard is one of nature's anti-depressant.
# A pinch of grated nutmeg. Nutmeg is good for most digestive aliments.
# 15g or 1/2oz of rice vinegar. Rice vinegar is best, but if you can't easily get it settle for malt vinegar.
# Place all the ingredients in a saucepan, bring to the boil, and simmer until soft and thick. Spoon the chutney into warmed, sterilised jars and cover, seal and label.
# For best results, store in a cool, dark place for 1 or 2 months before eating.


Like the rest of us, tinnitus sufferers
probably enjoy desserts!

# Apricot Rice Pudding. Perhaps use more apricot and less sugar?
# Blackberry and Apple Trifle: Use fresh blackberries in season. You might want to replace about 1/4 of the almond content with peach kernel powder if available.
# Blackberry and Apple Oat Crumble: why not raise the cinnamon/allspice level aclittle, and possible reduce the sugar level?
# Bruleed Kiwi and Grape Cheesecake.
# Cranberry and Banana Muffins.
# Plum Ameretto Pudding: Suggestions: best use Marsala option, or even substitute a reasonable quality brandy. If feasible reduce the amounts of "added sugar".
# Mrs Beetons Arrowroot Sauce for Puddings.
# Both Tapioca, and Brazilian Arrowroot are produced from the same plant source. Where can I buy Arrowroot? Both are excellent foods for tinnitus sufferers. If you can manage to eat either without additional sweetening, so much the better. If you can't, and most people prefer the taste with the sugar included, try and use as little sugar as you can whilst not making the dessert unpleasant to the taste! This is NOT because sugar itself is intrinsically bad, it's just that, when it is added to some foods, sugar could combine with them so that the body may grab the energy kick. Then, some of the other nutrients could pass through the digestive system, without being throughly absorbed. When you have gone to the trouble of planning a diet specifically for the effects of the combined nutrients, allowing them to possibily of "escape" before absorption isn't sensible!

# There are many different plant sources for what we see in the shops labelled as "arrowroot". This can be confusing. Always be sure that any arrowroot you buy has the word "BRAZILIAN" on the label. This indicates that you are likely to get quality arrowroot that is reasonably pure. Those who suffer from tinnitus, are, presumably, hoping to benefit from the medicinal qualities of arrowroot, so quality is important. Cheaper varieties of arrowroot are often adulterated with bulking substances, thus reducing the quality. Some reference websites for Tapioca are:
# http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/t/tapioc06.html#med ;
# http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/317467.stm .
# Tapioca Tea: This was totally new to us. It is potentially very interesting. If any tinnitus sufferer has feedback on Tapioca Tea, we'd love to hear from them. tinnitusanddiet@yahoo.co.uk .

# In many instances honey is better than sugar, in particular for sweetening drinks, particularly tea. The best sources of honey for those suffering from tinnitus are: Clover honeys from the UK, New Zealand or Canada.
# Orange Blossom Honey. Is Grapefruit Honey made? We've never seen it on sale.
# If you can afford it, an organic honey is best for tinnitus sufferers.


Your 5- A Day!
Some Fruits which benefit Tinnitus Sufferers?
".... berries"

# Bilberries, Blackberries, Blueberries, http://www.dorset-blueberry.co.uk , Boysenberries, Buffaloberries, Chokeberries, Cranberries, Dewberries, Elderberries, Japanese Wine Berries, Raspberries and Black Raspberries, and Tayberries.

# Many of the fortifying qualities of Bilberries come from the plant’s main constituents. Anthocyanidins are antioxidants that help to counteract cell damage caused by free radicals. They also help to stabilise collagen, and maintain the health of elastin, so are beneficial to cardiovascular and circulatory health.
# Organic Bilberry Fruit Supplements with Acti-Zyme by G & G Vitamins, their ref: HH024, are excellent for tinnitus sufferers. All the G & G Vitamins supplements are suitable for vegetarians. The complete G & G Vitamins catalogue can be downloaded, but it will take a few minutes. Should you have a specific query, you might prefer to e.mail your question using the "Contact Us" link on the G & G Vitamins website.
# The Woods Supplements complete catalogue is also available to download. Once again it will take some time to do so.

# Blackberries contain proanthocyanidin pigments, which are responsible for the purplish-black colour, http://www.fsascience.net/node?from=10 , and the antioxidant properties. They also contain vitamin C, vitamin E and ellagic acid, which are thought to give protection against cancer and chronic disease.

# Japanese Wine Berries, have the highest antioxidant content of the most commonly eaten fruits. Bilberries and Japanese Wine Berries, are members of the plant family Ericaceae. They are particularly good for tinnitus sufferers, but are seasonally available. Frozen ones may be a useful substitute - but fresh is best! Eat Japanese Wine Berries, raw, make jam, or stew them, as you'd stew apples. Add as little sugar as your palate can bear! A useful source of blueberries is a good quality jam. St Dalfour Wild Blueberry Jam is made in France, with no added sugar. Bilberries, Japanese Wine Berries,, and the other fruits listed above, are best for tinnitus sufferers eaten around breakfast time. Both blueberries and bilberries contain pterostilbene, which helps to regulate blood sugar and MIGHT, repeat MIGHT, help fight type-2 diabetes. Agnes Rimando, of the US Department of Agriculture in Oxford, Mississippi, told a meeting of the American Chemical Society that researchers thought blueberries might be a potent weapon in the battle against obesity and heart disease. Both are leading killer-diseases in the US and the UK.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition September 2004 Vol. 80, No. 3, 626-632.
In 2007, researchers at Tufts University in Boston, USA, announced the results of a study that, they said, suggested blueberries and Japanese Wine Berries, may stem, or even reverse age-related mental decline.
# Pomegreat Juice is a blend of pomegranate and blueberry juice, and is ideal for those who suffer from tinnitus. Pomegreat Juice is approved of by H.E.A.R.T., the cholestrol charity.
# Rimon Winery make 100% pomegranate wine from Israel,
# ... and 100% Pure Pomegranate Seed Oil from Upper Galilee that is excellent for tinnitus suffers.
# Plums and Pears Cooked with Blueberries. We suggest raising the Plums and Blueberries, and reducing the Pear content: you do need at least 2.
# http://www.weightwatchers.co.uk/food/rcp/index.aspx?recipeId=7013402


# Cranberries and Cranberry Juice: Cranberries, cooked with as little extra sugar as possible, Cranberry Juice and Cranberry Tea are excellent for tinnitus sufferers. So is Rosehip Tea . Tinnitus Sufferers report that Cranberry Juice, Cranberry Tea, or Rosehip Tea, drunk first thing in the morning, i.e. on an "empty" stomach, considerably quietens their tinnitus. If possible, avoid "tea bags": go for loose tea instead. Cranberries are excellent for improving kidney function, and for relieving cystitus. In the UK, research on cranberries is undertaken at St. George's Hospital, Tooting, S.W. London.
# A Cranberry Juice that we would recommend, and it comes at a reasonable price, is sold by Healthy Direct www.healthydirect.co.uk . The UK Freephone number is 0800 107 5757, 8.30 am to 9pm. Healthy Direct is based in Guernsey.

# Elderberries:
For hundreds of years, in Europe and in North America, three red berry fruits, bilberries, Chokeberries, and elderberries have been used to treat many ailments, from scurvy to dysentery to stomach and urinary tract problems. In Ancient Greece, Hippocrates, the "Father of Medicine," is reputed to have called the elderberry tree his "medicine chest". These three particular berries were, recently, the subject of four coronary vascular investigations reported on by researchers from Indiana University. They reported to the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Society that, eating these berries, relaxes the blood vessels and improves the blood flow. The Nitric Oxide contained in these three berries, inhibits blood clot development, and helps keep blood pressure from becoming dangerously high.

# Raspberries
and Raspberry Leaf: Recent studies have shown Raspberry Leaf to be helpful in lowering blood sugar levels, and to be a valuable remedy for diarrhoea, reducing fevers and soothing sore throats, as well as being helpful for alleviating toxins in the body.


Citrus ...
# Most citrus fruits are good for tinnitus sufferers. Two of the "better ones" are kumquats (also known as "cumquats" or "kinkans")
# http://sc.essortment.com/whatisakumqua_rkpk.htm

and Pink (in the US they are often referred to as "Florida") Grapefruits.
# Rocket, Pink Grapefruit and Prawn Salad: info.weightwatchers.co.uk/cgi-bin9/DM/y/ecAC0HWlOJ0NUo0B1pG0Es
Note: It is NOT advisable for anyone who has previously suffered a stroke, had a mini-stroke; or even has high blood pressure, to eat Grapefruitss on a regular basis. Eating Grapefruits is also bad when you are taking some medications. Check this out on http://www.safemedication.com .

# Some other recommended fruits:
Bananas, Kiwi Fruits, also known as Chinese Gooseberries, Nisperos, which are seasonally available from April (about 12 weeks); Noni Fruits, also called the Indian Mulberry, Peach es, Plums , and Star Fruit, also known as Carambola.

# Peach and apricot kernels can sometimes be found in UK health shops, either whole, or more often in powdered form. Both are excellent for tinnitus sufferers, but please be careful to avoid overdosing. Instructions should be available to the packs. Peach kernels contain cyanide, so, while a small amount can be very helpful, too much could give you an upset stomach! .
# Mumefural is found in Japanese Apricot Fruit Concentrate. The importance of Mumefural is fully explained under "Plums" (below).
# Here is an 1834 cake recipe that contains Peach kernels:
http://listserv.linguistlist.org/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0302B&L=ads-l&P=1019
It's NOT for the "weight conscious", but it is nice! As usual "try and reduce the amount of sugar". A particular reason for including this recipe is that COOKED EGG WHITES are excellent for tinnitus sufferers. This obviously includes meringues: http://mylittlekitchen.blogspot.com/2005/06/imbb-16-blueberry-meringues.html is a recipe for Blueberry Meringues.
# If you can't bear to waste all those egg yolks, here is a tasty, easy-to-make sponge cake recipe: http://www.abc.net.au/northtas/stories/s535319.htm
# A Japanese Egg Yolk Sauce called "Kimizu" is excellent for tinnitus sufferers. "Kimi" means egg yolks, and "zu" means vinegar. Eat with seafood or vegetables.
# Dorset Oysters Limited (including mussels, cockles, clams, winkles and welks!
# Fresh Welsh Seafood and Where to Buy it.
# Bwyd Mor ffres Cymreig beth i'w brynu, ble i'w brynu.
# Cornish Sea Salt Company on the Lizard Peninsula.
# Noni Fruit, also called the Indian Mulberry,
and Noni Juice . Polynesian healers have, so we are told, used Noni Juice for centuries. Nowadays we'd say this was probably because Noni Fruits contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Noni Juice has a rather bitter taste, so you might want to mix it with another fruit juice.

# In 2003 Tahitian Noni Juice was approved by the Food Standards Agency, the FSA, for sale within the UK. In 2006 a Company wishing to import Hawaiian Noni Juice into the UK applied for a licence to do so. We are providing the links below to illustrate how the FSA works to protect the public. http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2006/jan/nonileapfaith
# http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2006/jan/nonihnllc

# The FSA has a department working on Vegan and Vegetarian labelling.

# Dried Pineapple and Dried Mango: with very broadly similar reasoning to the situation of Mumefural and the Umeboshi these two dried fruits are excellent for tinnitus sufferers.

# Plums , and the Japanese Plum or Umeboshi.
Legend has it that Japanese plums once saved the lives of a unit of Samurai warriors who were dying of thirst. The warriors discovered an Umeboshi tree in the wilderness, ate the fruit, which stimulated their salivary glands and brought them back from the brink of death. The Umeboshi, like most plums, are reported to aid the digestive system, and even cure hangovers, headaches and toothaches! At the American Physiological Society Annual Meeting in 2002 a team from Vanderbilt University and from Wakayama University in Japan, presented their research on an extract of Umeboshi, known as Bainiku-ekisu. Extracting Bainiku-ekisu creates Mumefural, which the researchers confirmed was the ingredient that has a positive effects on cardiovascular health; reduces hypertension improves blood flow. It is important to note that whilst the Japanese plum is reported to have these beneficial health effects, it's actually the Bainiku-ekisu extract of the plum that contain the heart healthy ingredients.
# "A popular Japanese Plum, now available in the US,
may help prevent the onset of Cardiac Disease". The American Physiological Society (2002).
# http://www.scienceblog.com/community/older/2002/A/2002813.html
# An easy-to-make Plum Chutney.
# Mumefural is also found in Japanese Apricot Fruit Concentrate.
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# The British National Fruit Tree collection is at Brogdale in Kent.
# Brogdale Apple and Pear Recipe Book
# The Brogdale Soft Fruit Recipe Book
# The Brogdale Stone Fruit Recipe Book


Some vegetables we would recommend for tinnitus sufferers.
# Roasted Cauliflower and Tofu Curry is excellent if you suffer from tinnitus.
email: jacyntha@jacyntha.com tel: + 44 208 940 3098
Fuente: The Meeting Point, 30/1/2010,
http://www.jacynthacrawley.com/phdi/p1.nsf/supppages/bio?opendocument&part=10
foto: www.jacynthacrawley.com/