Since becoming pregnant I have stopped nursing my 3 1/2 year old daughter. I just couldn’t do it anymore. That was about a month ago. She now has an ear infection. The first she’s ever had, which I am suspicious is a result of weaning. I feel extremely guilty over having to wean her and this infection only makes it worse. I don’t want to put her on antibiotics as she’s never had those either. So, I need help figuring out how to get rid of this once and for all.

Thanks so much for your help.

Sincerely,

Erin

ANSWER:

Hi Erin –

Ear infections are bound to happen with little ones. Please do not blame yourself. Breast feeding her until 3 1/2 is highly commendable.

Common causes of ear infections:

Dairy products – many children cannot tolerate dairy until they are quite a bit older and sometimes never. I still try to avoid dairy products entirely with my boys. Cow Milk seems to be the worst form. Cheese, whey protein, kefir or cottage cheese does not seem to cause ear infections in my boys like standard milk does – but – everyone is different and all dairy products may need to be avoided.

Eating laying down – if your child eats while laying down, the food or drink can get into their ear canal causing a bacterial party. Always keep them upright to eat
Outside when cold without a hat – when it gets quite cold outside and they are without a hat, this can lead to an ear infection. I am not sure of the mechanism but it occurs commonly. Always put a hat or hood on your little when quite cold outside.
Swimming – pools and other bodies of water may lead to ear infection. This is not as common but can be a cause.
Antibiotics and Ear Infections:
Most ear infections do not need antibiotics.

However, if an ear infection gets worse and becomes complicated, antibiotics may be life-saving as they can prevent infection in the mastoid process (mastoiditis) and meningitis. Both complications are quite rare with ear infections; however, they can happen.

If antiobiotics are indicated, and again, they are typically not, take the full round of antibiotics as directed. Then take a probiotic after the course of antibiotics to replenish the bacteria in the digestive tract. Antibiotics eradicate most if not all digestive bacteria. So replenishing the digestive tract again with healthy bacteria is essential.

A ‘probiotic’ is healthy bacteria that is needed in the human body for proper immune and digestive function.

Keep in mind that the antibiotics do not remove the cause of ear infections; they simply kill the bacteria. The cause may still remain so the likelihood for recurrent ear infections remain high. Therefore, it is key that the common causes of ear infections are removed in order to prevent further occurences.

Dr Greene talks about antibiotics and ear infections quite well. I highly recommend reading his blurb on Ear Infections.

Reducing Pain with Ear Infections:
There are a few tricks which work quite well in reducing ear infection pain:

Wet Sock Treatment – this pulls fluid from the head and relieves pressure. I use it when my patients have ear infections and have used it on my boys when they had them. Doctors have renamed the Wet Sock Treatment to the ‘Warming Sock Treatment’ – sounds better and is more accurate.
Avoiding Sugar and Milk Products – key as both feed the bacteria
Acidophilus – if your child has had antibiotics in the past without use of probiotics, getting a quality probiotic is key. For little ones, I recommend using 1/3 sachet in a 1/5 cup of water. Stir well and give right before dinner. Do this for 14 days. The acidophilus will boost her immune system and attempt to restore healthy digestive bacteria balance.
Homepathics to reduce ear infection pain – depending on the type of child, one can provide earache drops or earache tablets.
Herbal Medicines – specific herbal medicine applied in the ear may significantly reduce the pain and duration of ear infections as well. Gaia makes a great product ‘Gaia Herbs Childrens Herbal Ear Drops.’ You may find this in your local health store. I need to start carrying this product as it is effective.
For those who can chew gum – chewing xylitol gum may reduce the pain and may assist in treating the ear infection. Xylitol Gum is best used to prevent ear infections.

Cautions with Home Treatment of Ear Infections:

If this is your first experience with an ear infection, I recommend you visit a naturopathic physician. They will go over all the tricks/traps of home treatment of ear infections.

If you get on the ear infection quickly, the tympanic membrane, aka Ear Drum, is less likely to rupture. All these home treatments may significantly reduce the pain and may remove the ear infection.
If the tympanic membrane ruptures, typically fluid will be seen coming out of the ear and pain will be gone. It will appear as if the child’s ear infection has healed but in actuality it has not. The tympanic membrane can heal by itself commonly if it ruptures in the ‘proper place’. Obviously, the goal is to prevent the tympanic membrane from rupturing.
If you see fluid coming out of the ear or the pain has gone, do NOT put anything in the child’s ear. I advise taking the child to a naturopathic physician and having their ears examined.

If you’ve further questions, please do ask.

Good luck and speedy healing with your little one!

In health,
Dr Ben

Benjamin Lynch, ND
Founder

HealthE Goods
www.HealthEGoods.com

Large wallets were so 1987!

The new wallet is the “money clip” one simple tip I always give men with low back pain, neck pain, hip/hamstring/knee problems, is to check their wallet for unneeded items and then shift the wallet to the front of their pants or carry it in a jacket pocket.

It’s amazing how simply sitting on a large wadded up leather wallet all day long can throw a body out of whack.

Now let’s get one thing perfectly straight….I am in no way as a doctor endorsing fanny packs *shudder* unless they are those Kevlar kind from REI that kind of look cool.

Part of being healthy and feeling good is checking in on the ergonomics of our posture, and physical structure from time to time. If you are sitting crooked on a large wallet half the day driving around, and the other half sitting at work in the office, I am guessing you have some sort of chronic pain as the proper alignment of the hips are intrinsically important to the happiness of their neighboring joints.

The importance of this topic popped in my head the other day as I realized my new Coach briefcase purse I purchased slowly started to retain way too many items…5 pounds of spare change, extra clothing, books, laptop, and snacks to the point that the bag actually weighed about 25 pounds! No wonder my right arm, shoulder, and neck were killing me. Now if you can’t lighten the load you can remind yourself to consistently switch sides every so often throughout the day. You can also consider a briefcase on wheels if your life requires you to carry more than you can physically handle.

Otherwise consider the essentials in your wallet and switch to a money clip.

Money Clip Checklist:

Keep it:

• Two Pieces of picture ID
• Several different variables of cash (I prefer $100’s and $1000’s mainly…but $1’s are good too.)
• Check Card/Debit Card
• 1-2 Credit Cards. Pick your main card and simply carry a second for backup.
• A picture of me. Now if you have to have a picture of me on your money clip that is okay just keep it small
• A couple business cards. These are helpful also in case your money clip is lost.
• Club Cards/Gym Cards/Membership Cards that are required for admittance.

Lose It:

• Grocery Store Cards, Store Cards- Most stores let you use your phone number. I just use my Mom’s everywhere I go since she so diligently signs up for EVERYTHING If you have a diligent mom too you can save yourself oodles of time filling out paperwork that jams up grocery store lines. Let mom benefit from all your shopping.
• Receipts- Start a simple filing system at home right next to the shredder for immediate disposal of all receipts so they don’t pile up in your wallet or money clip.
• Social Security Card or Passport. If you have picture ID carrying these items is unnecessarily risky. If travelling overseas carry a photocopy on you and keep your original locked up in a safe place unless it is needed that day.
• Other People’s Business Cards- When you get a business card, immediately enter the info in your phone and computer and then do the person a favor and pass it off to someone else that can use it. This is the Kosher, environmental, trick that lightens your load and helps out your friends and colleagues.
• Lose anything else that you don’t use daily or weekly.

Purse Checklist:

• Wallet with aforementioned items in the Money Clip Checklist. Keep your checkbook at home.
• Lip gloss, lip balm, needed personal hygiene products.
• Hand sanitizer or a small bar of soap.
• Band-aids
• Kleenex
• Paper/pen
• 1-2 Healthy Snacks
• Phone
• Business Cards
• Bottle of Water
• Keychain with needed keys….lose all extra keys and keychains. I’ve seen keychains that likely weigh 5 pounds alone!

Keep in your purse only the items that you use daily or weekly. If it’s in your purse, and you haven’t used it in a month….LOSE IT! It is just likely crap weighing you down and throwing your body ergonomics off as you lug around unnecessary baggage.

Even if you carry a large sized purse you can still enjoy the benefits of lightening your load because your purse will always be ready to throw a sweater, coat, snacks, or needed items for that day. A small backpack or bag kept in your car or workstation with other random essentials should cover the bases for the items that don‘t fit the purse criteria.

Be sure to share these simple tips with your friends and family. I can’t tell you how many patients never stop to ponder this silly little lifestyle tip. A few minutes of organization with our purses and wallets can save a trip to the doctor’s office, and hopefully force me in to early retirement!

~Dr. Nicole
Related Reading: Desk Ergonomics

Dear Kitchen Table Medicine Readers,

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Upon payment you will be redirected to the full access version of the website.  Only members will be allowed to comment and ask questions that will be posted in the “Ask Dr. Nicole” column.

Food is one of the greatest pleasures in life.

But how often do you actually think about the fact that the nutrients contained in the food you eat are what become your skin, your lungs, even your heart, and every other part of your body?! (You’ll think again the next time you reach for some chemical ridden processed food, won’t you?)

And how can you make sure you’re absorbing the valuable nutrients contained in your food? By having great digestion!

This means you have an easy and complete bowel movement first thing in the morning (and ideally after lunch and dinner as well…but if you at least have one every morning, you’re doing well), your belly feels comfortable after you eat without any bloating or pressure, and gas is a rare occurrence. So how do you rate?

Digestive complaints (also referred to as GI complaints, which stands for gastrointestinal) are among the most common reasons Americans go to the doctor. Symptoms include constipation (no bowel movement for greater than 24 hours), bloating, gas, indigestion, persistent diarrhea, and/or irritable bowel syndrome. Chronic poor digestion and malabsorption of vital nutrients can contribute to degenerative diseases, compromised immune status, and nutritional deficiencies….not good things to have!

So, how can you improve your digestion? Take a few of these simple steps:

• Chew! Chew! Chew!….until your food is the consistency of baby food. This makes the nutrients more absorbable. And savor each bite.
• Take a deep breath before you start your meal and throughout your meal. (If your body is in ‘action’ mode, it doesn’t make digestion a priority.)
• Eat calmly and without distractions. Same reasoning as above. Yes, that means turn the TV off! How about some nice music instead.
• Increase fresh fruits and vegetables. These gems from nature contain high amounts of fiber, a key component to assisting your body in removing toxins and ensuring you have easy and regular bowel movements. Eat a few prunes in the morning. Take an apple or fresh cut veggies to work for a snack. Eat more beans and lentils. Eat salads as often as you can. Always include a vegetable at dinnertime. Add fresh ground flax seeds to a smoothie, or sprinkle on yogurt, a salad, or any dish of your choice.
• Drink half of your body weight (in pounds) in ounces of water each day…so if you weigh 140 pounds, drink 70 oz of water/day. Insufficient water intake is a primary cause of constipation. Constipation then causes an imbalance in the needed bacteria in your gut, promotes inflammation of your intestines, and can even lead to the absorption of larger molecules that are meant to be excreted (a condition called ‘Leaky Gut syndrome’). Start your day with a large glass of warm water with lemon or lime juice (= a great cleansing for your gut), and drink the remainder ideally between meals.
• Exercise to stay in your optimal weight. The pressure on the digestive system of excess weight can cause that horrible pain of heartburn, which is a result of stomach acid being pushed up into your esophagus….yuk. (This can also be caused by rushing around at meal times and/or continuing to eat once you feel full….= time to put your fork down! Just say no to the ‘clean plate club.’ Listen to the actual needs of your body instead.)
• Identify if you eat foods that your body cannot digest well.  Dairy products and wheat are the biggest culprits. Other common food issues can be found with corn, soy, eggs, nuts, seafood, and/or citrus. See Dr. Nicole’s article on Elimination Diets for how to identify if you have a particular food causing havoc on your digestion.
• Increase the healthy bacteria in your gut. ‘Probiotics’ are the healthy bacteria found in your gut which help to maintain intestinal health, and thus optimal digestion. Antibiotics in pill form, or which also can be found in meat and dairy products, kill these important bacteria. Good quality probiotics can be found at a reputable health food store and ideally are kept in the refrigerator. The bacteria Lactobacillus acidophillus and Bifidobacterium bifidum are two of the most beneficial strains. Eating a high quality, organic yoghurt is also effective (but make sure its not just any ole’ yogurt on the shelf because these are usually heat pasteurized which kills both the bad and good bacteria.)

So what happens if you try all of the above and are still having poor digestion? This is when I strongly recommend making an appointment with a naturopathic physician to inquiry about having a Comprehensive Stool Analysis. The one I recommend is by a lab that caters to clinics anywhere in the country, and can be found at: www.doctorsdata.com. For direct inquiries, you can email them at: inquiries@doctorsdata.com

This test assesses the efficiency of your digestion and absorption of nutrients, the presence of inflammation in your intestines, measures the balance of good and bad bacteria in your gut, identifies parasites or other unwanted pathogens, and can even assess the health of your immune system. (Did you know that approximately 70% of your immune system cells are located in your gut?!)

Poor digestion should be taken seriously. Less than optimal digestion and malabsorption of vital nutrients can contribute to degenerative diseases, compromised immune status, nutritional deficiencies, the development of food allergies, systemic illnesses, autoimmune disease, and toxic overload from substances that are meant to be kept in the confines of the bowel and end up in the toilet. This all makes sense if you think about if for a minute…if the nutrients you eat become the cells of your body, if what is being digested and absorbed is healthy stuff, you will likely have healthy cells.

As one of the most reputable professors at my medical school always said: “The best insurance policy for good health is good digestion!”

No surprise to anyone is the fact that humans today are busier and have more on their plate, so to speak, than ever before. We eat on the run, often literally standing up. We grab ready made meals as we rush to our next appointment. We finish meals in minutes, gulping down food that not only have we not been fully present for as we chew but have barely even chewed fully before swallowing.

Furthermore, even for those of us who attain our 10-15 servings of fruits and vegetables per day (yes! 10-15…that’s not a typo!), today’s mass food production techniques result in foods of inferior nutrient density, not to mention the unwanted added chemicals. Enter superfoods!

What are superfoods? The term ‘superfoods’ simply refers to those foods that are the most densely packed with beneficial nutrients and minerals compared to most other foods; foods with the most nutritional bang for your buck, so to speak. Ideally, it is best to eat superfoods in their nature-made form, and as often as you can, if not daily. Eating whole foods (as opposed to processed foods which have been stripped of nutrients and usually come with added chemicals…yuck!) is always what we here at KitchenTableMedicine.com advocate.

Here is a short list of gold medal winners: Blueberries! (my personal favorite…I keep them in the freezer and eat at least a handful of them daily all year long = easy!), broccoli, spinach, walnuts, avocado, salmon, green tea, beans, pumpkin, flax seeds, goji berries, bee pollen, pure dark chocolate, and last but certainly not least, that dazzling, deep green, leafy beauty kale! (And there are many more…. you can read about them listed in Dr. Nicole’s article on her favorite “Superfoods.”)

Do I really need superfoods? If you want optimal health and functioning of every cell in your body, the answer is, ‘yes.’

What are the benefits of eating superfoods? By giving your body a diet densely packed with nutrients and minerals, you are allowing every cell in your body to thrive. Furthermore, vibrant cells efficiently and effectively protect themselves from the inevitable waste and toxins that our bodies are subject to on a daily basis, in essence having the energy to constantly detoxify themselves.

Superfoods can improve your digestion and help you to optimally absorb the nutrients contained in your meals. They can enhance your circulation, which increases nutrient delivery to every cell throughout your body. For you, all of this translates to mean increased energy and endurance, enhanced well-being mentally and physically, and optimizing prevention against illness and disease. (Basically, all good news for your body and health!)

How do I choose which superfoods are best for me? This answer is simple! If you eat at least one or two or more of your favorite superfoods on a daily basis, you’re doing great! But reality is, getting 10-15 servings of them a day is a huge challenge for many and we here at KitchenTable are dedicated to giving you convenient tips on how to make living healthfully simple.

Thus, this is one of the few cases I support adding a supplement to your daily routine. The good news is that there are many great superfood supplement options made by respectable companies, resulting in high quality products, via environmentally friendly techniques.

In choosing a product, for not only the health of your body, but for the health of our exquisite planet, I recommend choosing a company that uses ecological, sustainable, and fair trade practices. Powdered is a common and good form. I don’t recommend pill form because many of those can pass through your body without ever being fully absorbed. Organic ingredients are of course ideal, especially because the whole point is to reduce your ingestion of chemicals. (And again, by using organic products, you benefit the earth by supporting companies that don’t add yucky toxins into our environment!) But if not organic, don’t stress yourself out; you are still likely doing your body good.

One caveat though, when it comes to saving money, I never recommend going for cheap when it comes to the precious nutrients you fuel your body with! (If you want to save money, choose another aspect of your life, like going on a walk with your friends instead of to the movies, or taking the bus instead of filling up your car with gas, or…,or…,or…!)

The benefits to your body of some of the most common superfoods found in superfood supplements are listed below:

• Spirulina: has more protein gram for gram than any other food and is the richest source of beta-carotene and vitamin B-12 on the earth. (B-12 = increased energy!)

• Blue/Green Algae: is a concentrated source of PEA, a key nutrient for enhancing mood; can also decrease hunger, and increase energy and endurance.

• Chlorella is one of the world’s strongest natural heavy metal chelators and detoxifiers.

• Wheatgrass has an endless list of benefits so I can only list a few here: detoxification, stimulates metabolism, reduces blood pressure, stimulates the thyroid gland, and restores alkalinity to the blood.

• Seaweeds: Dulse is an exceptional natural source of every mineral the body needs, thus serving to effectively alkalize the body. Kelp provides minerals such as iodine for thyroid function and iron for blood cell function, is a powerful detoxifier, and can increase metabolism and help balance blood lipid concentrations.

• Flax Seeds are a good source of omega 3 essential fatty acids which help reduce inflammation in the body, provide healthy membranes to cells, can reduce cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. They also contain antioxidants and the seeds (whole or ground) are a great source of fiber.

• Goji berries are exceptionally dense in antioxidants, reducing free radical damage in the body. They have been used for centuries to provide protection to the liver, benefit eyesight, as an aphrodisiac, to boost the immune system, and improve longevity. Reports have also shown they work as an anti-coagulant, and can reduce blood pressure and cholesterol.

As a wrap up, including superfoods in your life is an important and simple step for optimizing your health. Eat a few of your favorite superfoods in whole form on a regular or even daily basis and add a supplement to your daily routine…and with how great you feel, you’ll be ready to boogy all day long! Enjoy!

Dr. Jody Stanislaw is a licensed Naturopathic Physician, receiving her doctorate degree from Bastyr University in Seattle. Bastyr is the most acclaimed of the four accredited natural health medical schools in America, where physicians are trained to heal disease via natural and complimentary treatments.

As the diabetes columnist for KitchenTableMedicine.com, her expertise in diabetes not only comes from her professional training but from her own personal experience as well. Having been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of seven, her passion towards improving the health and well-being of others stems from successfully overcoming her own challenges of living with this chronic disease.

Focusing on the best food choices for optimal health throughout her lifetime has given her expertise in good nutrition and in knowing the ideal foods for achieving balanced blood sugar levels.

Yet spending so much time thinking about food led her to have unhealthy eating patterns during her 20’s. As a result, she also has a passion for helping others heal from disordered eating patterns, which is common amongst both type 1 and type 2 diabetics. One of her core beliefs in life is everything that happens in life is a teacher, always full of rich opportunities for personal growth. This empowering perspective is a key element present in all of her work and teachings.

She also enjoys helping others strengthen what she calls the Four Pillars of Health: nutritious food, adequate rest, regular movement, and a healthy spiritual and emotional life. Just as important as the sturdiness of each leg of a four legged table is for creating balance, if even one of these areas of life is weak or lacking, optimal health cannot exist. Each of these key areas is equally important for allowing a strong foundation for good health in one’s life.

And lastly, a bit about her background…Having grown up in the Northwest, she is an avid outdoor enthusiast. Hiking in the Cascades, snow skiing in the Rockies, water skiing, biking, and practicing yoga are the activities she enjoys the most for keeping her body fit. She also delights in continually expanding her mind regarding the myriad of ways humans can and do chose to live their lives, via visiting foreign cultures. She traveled throughout Europe while living in Italy in 1993, backpacked through Australia in 1997, and left her hometown of Seattle to work with patients from all over the world at a health resort in Thailand during 2008.

This latter experience led her to realize that when people are out of touch with what they love about life and are lacking experiencing joy on a regular basis, no herbs or supplements or food plan will succeed in achieving the optimal health they are truly looking for. This revelation inspired her to write a book to address this issue. It is a story that will act as a catalyst for helping readers become clear on what is holding them back from truly loving their life.

After writing for six months in Bali, Indonesia in 2009, she is now back in Seattle, finishing her book. Stay tuned to KitchenTableMedicine.com for the announcement of the publication of this wonderfully adventurous and inspiring story!

I am Dr. Jody, the new Director of Advertising for Kitchen Table.

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Eating healthy on the cheap can be tough, but if you stock your kitchen with the healthy cheap essentials it should save a great deal in the long run.

I buy certain staples like organic cheese and organic butter when they are on sale and keep them in the freezer.

Consider buying your organic meats, eggs, and fish in bulk and store in a larger freezer out in the garage.

Remember we have to pay for our health one way or another. Prevention is key. The food that graces your kitchen table is the best disease prevention money can buy. President Obama thinks that we will never fix the National Deficit until we fix the Health Care Crisis, I think we will never fix the Health Care Crisis until we fix the crisis at our kitchen tables.

Here are my favorite cheap health foods:

• Green Tea

• Flax seeds

• Oatmeal

• Brown Rice

• Apples

• Yams/Sweet potatoes

• Broccoli

• Spinach

• Canned tomatoes

• Carrots

• Bananas

• Yogurt

• Cottage Cheese

• String Cheese

Tips I have learned from the Whole Foods School of Hard Knocks:

1. Avoid buying a bunch of healthy stuff you don’t know how to prepare. Nothing is more wasteful than a bunch of rotting random veggies in your fridge. Instead, commit to making one new healthy recipe per week, experiment with new ingredients and recipes gradually to avoid wasting valuable grocery dollars. Don’t get overwhelmed by all the different grain options, make friends with them one recipe at a time.
2. Drink a smoothie in place of one meal each day. You can easily get two servings of fruits out of the way by doing so. Buy frozen fruit when it is on sale, or save money each summer by picking and freezing your own.
3. Shop at Farmer’s Markets for produce once weekly when possible. Plan meals around the foods that are in season, rely heavily on fresh herbs, pepper, garlic, and onions to season your food in lieu of organic sea salt.
4. Buy frozen chicken breasts and fish on sale.
5. Shop organic when possible, buy “The Dirty Dozen” organic, and save your organic dollars on the “Foods Least Likely to Contain Pesticides”.
6. Avoid canned foods and opt for frozen. Always keep a little frozen broccoli, spincach, cauliflower, and mixed veggies in the freezer. You can quickly dress up any recipe by adding some steamed frozen veggies. Add one cup of frozen veggies to every frozen meal you prepare, most veggies will mix in nicely with the sauce. The fiber in the vegetables will keep you feeling full longer.

Most of the recipes I post on this site are relatively inexpensive and simple to prepare, the reason for this is that I am extremely lazy (er efficient) and have spent ten years of my life as a poor college student. I therefore sincerely believe that if I can do it, so can you. Remember that eating healthy is an investment in your current and long term health.

Please do post your favorite inexpensive healthy recipe ideas or favorite cheap health food in the comments for all to enjoy or share this article with someone that can use it!

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table,

~Dr. Nicole