Sunday, March 20, 2011

Ear Infections & Herbs

Ear infections are common in child hood.  I had my share when I was young and my kids have had a few as well.  Most of the time you rush your kid to the doctor's office to be told what you already knew.  Now, not only do they have ear infections, but they have been exposed to all kinds of other illnesses while in the waiting room.

Don't get me wrong.  I'm NOT a germ-a-phobe. I just don't see any reason to drag a sick kid out when they don't feel well and their immune systems are already compromised.  I'm not against doctors either.  We had an issue recently with our oldest that required some serious testing.  God in His mercy, was good to us and allowed the doctors to find the problem, which turned out to be much less of an issue than we were warned it may have been in the beginning.  Our second daughter lived her first couple of weeks in the NICU, so I definitely think that a good doctor is something to be desired.  But I don't think we should all run to the store to buy up all the cough syrups and medicines that simply mask the problem and then cause side affects to boot.

So, these past weeks I've had 3 sickies.  Two of the girls were sick with fevers, headaches and sore throats.  Wesley had all that plus an ear infection. 

This is what I did:  I ran out of garlic oil.  (Not helpful!)  So, I called a friend who knows more than I do about such things.  (Very helpful!)

1)  We put slices of garlic cloves and some warm (but NOT hot, you don't want to burn the child) olive oil in the infected ear and "corked" it with a cotton swab.  Be sure the garlic cloves are not so small that they would get stuck in the ear canal...or you may end up at the doctor's office for other reasons.    Garlic is an excellent way to boost your immune system and draw out the infection. (It would be easier to put a little garlic oil in the ear, but since I didn't have any...)

2)  I gave Wesley some Kyolic Garlic Immune which is an immune booster as well. He took one in the morning and one before bed every day for 10 days.  (Thank you, Shari, for sharing your stash with me!)  It worked and now he's good as new.  The others were given Echinacea-Golden Seal Complex twice a day.  Even those who were not sick.  (I wanted to nip this in the bud!) 

Some other ideas for killing bugs and viruses:
1) Apple Cider Vinegar...give a teaspoon in some honey or some orange juice when you think you may have come in contact with germs.  It kills the germs, and the first time you drink it you may think it's going to kill you.  It's pretty bad tasting.  But it does the job and a whole lot more.
2)  Colloidal silver appears to be a strong, effective antibiotic and infection preventative. It is believed to suffocate bacteria and other organisms without harming humans.
3) Grape Fruit Seed Extract is a really great one to try too.

That's what I've learned (some I already knew) this past month.  We simply tried to do the natural, sensible  thing...and it worked!  No waiting in line for a doctor.  I love things that make my life easier...and are GOOD for my family!


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4 comments:

  1. thanks for sharing this- i knew some of it. i use garlic oil also when ears are bothering us--but. instead of putting a piece of a clove of garlic in their ear, i make garlic oil. it only takes about 30 min and is similar to you what you do, only you let the garlic sit in hot oil for about 10 min or until the fragrance is VERY strong but the garlic is not turing color yet. then cool completely (the other 20 min.) and strain the garlic pieces. i wouldnt make a lot at a time because i'm not sure of the shelf life. then i use a dropper to put it in their ear.

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  3. Hello!

    Sorry, to post this as a comment, I couldn't find an email address on your blog site, but I'd love to invite you to join me for Wildcrafting Wednesday.

    Wildcrafting Wednesday isa blog carnival and it's a great way to increase traffic to your site as well as share your love and knowledge of anything herbal. :) Whether it’s crafts, cleaning, tinctures, or cooking, if it involves herbs then we want to hear about it!

    So please stop by Wildcrafting Wednesday and impart some of your wisdom and passion. :) Please let me know if you have any questions, and I hope to see you Wednesday at www(dot)MindBodyandSoleOnline(dot)com.

    Thanks!
    ~Kathy

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  4. Thank you for the invite! I will surely be checking out your site. Thanks so much!

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