Ear infections (otitis media) are one of the most common childhood ailments. Around 90% of all children will suffer from ear infections at some stage before they start school. Before you start asking for antibiotics, find out how you can prevent and treat ear infections naturally.
Ear infections can be a random occurrence or can be chronic for may children. Most ear infections stem from a bout of the common cold. Mucous from the upper respiratory tracts travels to the narrow Eustachian tubes creates the perfect environment for an infection to take hold.
For those with children that have chronic ear infections, then further investigation into why this is occurring is warranted. For these kids, we would look into diet, lifestyle and immune health. While sometimes it can be due to structural issues making the ears more prone to infection, it most often is due to immune systems inability to fight infection.
Ear infections have been on the rise in the past decade, in line with the rise of allergies and asthma. We have to question why this is occurring, and most likely it is due to environmental exposures, poor nutrition, depleted microbiome and stress.
So is it a problem that children are getting recurrent ear infections? Well, yes it is. Recurrent ear infections can lead to scarring on the eardrums, poor achievements in school due to a lack of hearing, and for those using antibiotics, altered gut microbiota and reduced immune health. In addition to this, the use of antibiotics in the first two years of life is linked to an increase in the incidences of asthma.
Studies have confirmed that the use of antibiotics to treat ear infections is usually unnecessary and is contributing to the worldwide crisis of antibiotic resistance. Firstly, most ear infections are a viral infection, rendering antibiotics pointless. Doctors will often prescribe antibiotics in the hope of preventing a secondary bacterial infection. Antibiotics should never be used as preventative medicine. Most doctors agree that a standard ear infection will clear on its own over the course of several days.
However, if the infection stems from swimming in contaminated water, or there is discharge coming from the ear, please consult with our doctor as antibiotics may be warranted in these cases.
Building up your child’s immune system is the best way to prevent any type of infection from taking hold. The best way to do this is through a diet that is robust in nutrients and is void of foods that deplete the immune system.
Ensuring that your child eats a diet that has 4-6 serves of vegetable per day and 1-2 pieces of fruit will set them on the right path. A child’s serve is considered to be around ½ cup or 1 piece of fruit or vegetable. Include a piece of good quality protein at each meal, this can be animal or plant-based. Adding in high-quality fats such as olive oil, coconut oil, oily fish, grass-fed butter or avocado at least twice a day. Healthy carbohydrates should be included at every meal to support their high energy lifestyle. This includes oats, quinoa, rice, sweet potato, white potato, corn, spelt, millet to name a few.
In addition to what you include in your child’s diet, it is important to look at what you DON’T include. Avoiding processed foods, fizzy drinks, refined grain products such as white bread, cakes, muffins and pastries all support the immune system. The reason is that these foods contain virtually no nutrients. In fact, they will often rob the body of nutrients to metabolise them and they fill your child up so that they are less likely to eat a healthy meal. I understand that this can be very hard to do, especially with the pester-power of children. A great way to encourage a healthy diet is to have a ‘healthy home’. This means that all the food you have at home is healthy and high in nutrients. When the kids are out, or at birthday parties, then you can relax the rules a little and let them enjoy some of these foods. Complete avoidance of ‘treat-like’ foods can create an unhealthy relationship with food leading to secretive eating or binge eating.
If you feel that you can’t quite get enough of the right type of foods into your child diet, then consider supplementing them with these nutrients that have a proven benefit for children’s health.
Treat a cold at the first sign
Ear infections often occur from catching a cold. AT the first sign of a sniffy nose remove WHEAT, DAIRY, SUGAR and JUICE from their diet. Sugar is known to suppress the immune system, reducing the bodies ability to fight the infection. Wheat and dairy products may contribute to mucus production in some children, enhancing the breeding ground for pathogens. Adding in some Elderberry syrup or Echinacea drops will help to boost the immune system. You can find these supplements at most health food stores, however, it is best to consult your naturopath or herbalist to ensure that the product you are using contains the therapeutically active parts of the plant.
This point doesn’t need too much explanation. Just as smoke exposure is dangerous to adults, it is even more so for children. As a parent or caregiver, it is your responsibility to avoid this exposure to your children.
You might be surprised just how stressed our children can get. Today they are living in a busy and hectic environment and are more likely to be away from the family home for longer periods of time. School-aged children can begin to feel the pressure from bullies and academic expectations. Taking the time help your child recognise when they are feeling stressed and giving them tools to manage this is setting them up with practical life long skills. Teaching them some breathing exercises, mediation and yoga/stretching techniques will be very supportive. Please don’t underestimate the effect that stress has on both our own health and our children’s health.
Breastfed babies are half as likely to develop ear infections compared to formula-fed babies. Exclusively breastfeeding until 6 months of age, and ideally, up the 12 months of age can dramatically reduce the chance of infection. It is also good to remember when feeding baby, to hold her at an upright 45-degree angle, rather than lying flat. This reduces the chance of milk getting into the back of the throat up into the immature Eustachian tubes.
So the ear infection has set in…what to do now.
Lastly, if your child does appear to have an ear infection, please take to your chosen health professional to get a correct diagnosis. Understand that you have the right to express to them that you are happy to take the ‘wait and watch’ approach before considering antibiotics. It is your child, and ultimately your choice as to how you manage their healthcare.
A note on chronic ear infections and glue ear…
These conditions need a thorough consultation with your naturopath to establish the root cause of the problem. With a little time and dedication, you can restore your child’s ear health.
The development of a robust microbiota in the early stages of life will impact our overall health status for the rest of our life. Our microbiota has many vital functions to perform that are essential to human health. This includes digestion, immune function, mood, how efficiently calories and nutrients are metabolised, gut lining and the synthesis of amino acids, fatty acids and vitamins such as vitamin K, B12 and B3.
It has been well established that babies born via C-section have lower long-term health outcomes than those born vaginally. Much of this is now being put down to the development of the microbiome in newborns. Those born vaginally get exposed to the microbiota of their mother as they pass down the birth canal, which allows the development of their own microbiota. Of course, the quality of babies developing microbiota is reflective on the quality of mum’s microbiota at birth.
Babies born via C-section don’t get exposed to their mother’s vaginal flora and may struggle to develop their own microbiota. Instead, they are exposed to the bacteria from the hospital environment and health-care workers. An altered microbiota has been linked to many conditions such as obesity, diabetes, autoimmune conditions, allergies and eczema. While this might sound frightening for mothers giving birth via C-section, there are ways that you can support the establishment of your newborn’s microbiome.
Breastfeeding is literally seeding your baby’s gut. Baby’s get nearly 30% of their gut bacteria from breast milk and another 10% from suckling on the skin of the breast.
Breast milk contains a specific sugar called human milk oligosaccharides (0ver 200 different types of HMO’s) that selectively feed many of the microbes that are setting up residence in our baby’s gut, in particular, the dominant Bifidobacterium infantis. B. infantis is known to support brain development, folate production, immune support, and most importantly feed an infant’s gut cells to begin the process of sealing their naturally ‘leaky gut’. In the presence of HMO’s, B.infantis flourishes and outcompetes other gut bacteria.
From this, we can see that it is not only the actual probiotics in the breast milk that make it essential for baby’s health, but it’s the HMO’s that truly allow breast milk to be the only true ‘superfood’. Whilst probiotic supplementation is beneficial, at this stage, it can not replicate the collective benefit that breast milk provides.
For those reading this, wishing that they had this information when their child was a newborn. Don’t despair, you can encourage a rich microbiota to develop in your child’s gut, regardless of age. Follow the points in the ‘microbiota prior to delivery section’ above and your child’s gut should start to flourish.
The rate of eczema is on the rise with it affecting up to 20% of children and 3% of adults. There are many discussions as to why eczema is on the rise, but let’s get down to how to treat the root cause of eczema.
The only way to truly heal eczema is to treat the underlying factors that contribute to its onset.
Eczema is not considered to be an autoimmune disease; however, it does share some similar traits. The immune/allergy response that is seen in eczema results in the inflammation that is seen on the skin. This is very predominant in infants that suffer from eczema, and these infants often go on to develop other allergic conditions such as asthma or sinusitis. (1)
Supporting a healthy immune system is essential to treating the root cause of eczema.
Food intolerances are a very common trigger for eczema. (2) Many of the testing methods available are a little controversial as their accuracy is not agreed upon by from immunologists. The gold standard for food intolerance testing is the food elimination diet. Whilst this method is time-consuming and a little tedious, the results can be astounding, and well worth the effort. (3)
When we delve into the area of food intolerances, we have to question why do these occur. The reason is often due to intestinal permeability (4), other wise known as ‘leaky gut’. The lining of the digestive system is very selective on the size and type of molecule that it lets through its lining and into the blood stream. When this lining becomes compromised larger molecules pass through into the blood stream. This can result in further aggravation to the immune system and inflammation throughout the body.
What we are not sure about is, is the food intolerance causing the leaky gut, or is the leaky gut causing the food intolerance. Most likely they are both impacting each other, making it important to heal the gut and to manage the intolerance.
So, whilst removing trigger foods is essential, without repairing the gut lining more food intolerances are likely to develop due to the passive of food molecules into the blood stream. Immune responses and inflammation will continue to occur and health imbalances will progress.
Naturopathic medicine is based around treating the body as a whole. Everything is linked together and when there is disharmony in one system, it will reflect in another. We see this clearly with the gut and skin axis. Maintaining a varied and dense microbiome will allow the body to better manage inflammation, oxidative stress, blood sugar levels and the levels of fatty acids in the skin.
Studies have shown that probiotics during pregnancy and breastfeeding reduce the incidence of eczema in infants. (5) We also see that certain strains of probiotics can reduce the severity in eczema patients.
As mentioned above, when our digestive system is compromised the occurrence of eczema may increase.
In addition to these vitamins, there are many other nutrients that all contribute to skin health, this includes B vitamins, Vitamin D, vitamin K2 and selenium. A well-balanced diet that is 80% plant based (vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, oils, gluten free grains) with the remainder being well-sourced quality protein (grass fed meat and dairy, eggs, seafood) is the ideal eating plan.
Chronic stress plays a role in most imbalances in the body. It is a component that is often overlooked in the management of eczema and skin health. Stress is known to impair wound healing and low cortisol levels that may result from chronic stress is often seen in eczema patients. (6)
Slowing down, being mindful and taking time for self-care is vital for healing.
So in summary….
You are Unique
Do you want to get to the root cause of your eczema? Drop me a line and we can work on it together. Heal your skin from the inside, do it right, then you only have to do it once.
Collagen just may be the secret ingredient to pausing the hands of time. While collagen has long been associated with skin health and is an ingredient commonly seen in skin care product. It is the oral intake of collagen that can provide a wide range of benefits to improve your total health.
Collagen is the most abundant protein found in our bodies. You have it in your muscles, skin, bones, blood vessels, tendons and digestive system. Collagen is what gives our skin elasticity and holds our joints and tendons together. Collagen is naturally high in amino acids such as proline, glycine, glutamine and arginine. All of these amino acids have a wide variety of key roles within the body.
As we age our collagen levels naturally decline. It is this drop in collagen that directly causes our skin to sag, wrinkles to appear and joint pain to begin. Of course when we eat a diet that is high in sugar, processed foods and have a high exposure to UV rays and pollution, the signs of ageing will be accelerated, regardless of collagen levels.
Taking collagen can improve all aspects of your skin. Studies have shown that women aged 35-55 who consumed 2.5-5gm of collagen hydrolysate daily for eight weeks, reported a significant improvement in skin elasticity, and hydration. (1)
As a structural component of your joints, collagen helps with flexibility in the ligaments. As collagen declines, stiffness can set in. Our joints contain type 2 collagen (there are over 6 different types of collagen!), which is high in chicken, for this reason, chicken bone broth is great for managing stiff and painful joints. Multiple studies have shown an improvement in the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and general joint pain when taking collagen. (2,3)
Collagen is an important structural component of the lining of our digestive system. This lining is essential for regulating what does and doesn’t enter the blood stream. When this layer gets compromised, undigested molecules enter the blood stream, resulting in inflammatory and immune responses. I have written about this extensively here and here. I can’t stress enough that gut health is key to good health.
Collagen is naturally found in animal based foods such as poultry, fish, beef, pork, dairy and eggs. For the vegetarians and vegans out there, you can ensure your body makes its own collagen by eating plenty of the cofactors that are required for collagen production. This includes vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, silica, copper and manganese.
Bone broth is a great way to add collagen into your diet. Here is a recipe to show you how easy it is to make this healing broth.
Collagen supplements are a great way to really take a therapeutic dose of collagen. Collagen supplements come from bovine, porcine or marine based sources. Marine collagen is the best choice as the collagen is a smaller molecule, making it easier to absorb. The most abundant form of collagen is called Type 1 collagen. Marine collagen is rich in this Type 1 collagen, making it a great all-rounder that will benefit all aspects of your health.
I use Vital Proteins Collagen Beauty Water. This is a marine based collagen that dissolves into liquid and has no nasty fishy taste to it. You can purchase this product from iherb.com (I have no affiliation with this product, it is simply a good quality and ethically sourced product.)
Image Source – vital proteins
2 scoops of marine collagen (10-20gm collagen)
1Tbs chlorophyll
250ml cold coconut water
Blend and enjoy
Diets are the most unreliable way to achieve weight loss. Study after study shows that people regain the weight that they lost, plus more. Five years after following a diet, most people have gained the weight back and 40% have gained more weight back.
Mindful eating is the act of eating with intention and attention.
Mindful eating is about turning off auto-pilot when it comes to eating.
Mindful eating is about stopping for a moment and tuning into your hunger signals to really see what they are telling you.
Mindful eating is learning to understand your bodies signals so that you eat when you are hungry and you stop when you are satisfied. Most weight gain boils down to eating when you are not hungry.
This is a biggie. As children, we are often conditioned (or bribed) with food to soothe us when we are hurt or sad. Years of doing this conditions the brain to seek food when we are feeling hurt or sad. The big problem with this is the type of food that we have been conditioned with. If Mum and Dad came running to us with something sweet when we were upset as a child, chances are it is something sweet that you will seek out as an adult when you are sad or having a stressful day.
“Mindful eating is not a diet. There are no menus or recipes. It is being more aware of your eating habits, the sensations you experience when you eat, and the thoughts and emotions that you have about food. It is more about how you eat than what you eat.” – Susan Albers
Learning to eat mindfully doesn’t happen automatically. Like any new habit, it takes repetition to become automatic.
I challenge you to start today, at your next meal to just stop for a moment and see what your body is telling you that it needs.