Jo's Health Corner: garlic

A Simpe But Delicious Salad With a Powerful Dressing

My salads are very simple this time of the year since I slow cook meat, vegetables, herbs and spices so we get a lot of nutrients from the main dish. Since the main dish itself is a powerhouse of nutrients I'm happy to just add a few things to my salad. I love olives so I try to include olives as often as I can. Today before the main course I just served a simple but delicious salad of greens, onion, goat cheese and olives.

I re-use my old bottles for my dressing.

I can't remember the last time that I bought a salad dressing. This is by far my favorite salad dressing and it is a very powerful dressing. I've learned this recipe from Tracy Holly from the Cory Holly Institute. It is full of garlic, olive oil and lemon juice. According to Steven Horne, garlic is probably one of the most valuable natural alternative to antibiotics available. An anti-microbial and pungent compound called allicin is released when the garlic is crushed. Horne says garlic is anti-viral and as such is helpful for colds and congestion. He also says garlic is helpful in combating parasitic and fungal infections. Valnet wrote that lemon is a tonic for supporting the nervous and sympathetic nervous system. Lemon also counteracts the acidity and makes the stomach more alkaline. It also stimulates the action of the white blood corpuscles. It also has a tonic effect on the circulatory system.

Salad dressing ( I always double the recipe)

Mix in a glass jar:

1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil

1/2 juice from freshly squeezed lemon

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

6 cloves of freshly grated garlic

Put the lid on the glass jar and shake. Taste it and if you want it more tart, add more lemon juice, and if you want it more oily, then add more olive oil. You can switch out the lemon juice with apple cider vinegar or or balsamic vinegar. You can also switch out the olive oil for flax seed oil.

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Johanna is an aromatherapist she is passionate about educating people about health, essential oils, real food, natural remedies, and nutrition so they make healthier choices in their lives.
Follow Johanna on twitter and facebook for more health tips and information.

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How To Deal With Earaches Naturally

I still remember the endless hours of carrying around a crying baby with earaches. My oldest son was born with a weaker immune system than his sister and brother, and I didn't know much about health back then. I didn't realize that all the trips to the doctor, who prescribed more antibiotics each time we came, were weakening his immune system even further.

Earaches

An earache is caused by an infection or inflammation in the ear. The infection can be located behind the ear drum, in the middle ear, or in the outer ear canal. An infection that takes place in the inner ear is called otitis interna, and it causes sudden onset of vertigo, loss of balance, and vomiting.

A children's ear passages are small, so fluid/mucus that normally wouldn't cause any problem in an adult, can cause problems in a child. This is one reason that a child is more prone to earaches than adults.

Why do some children get so many earaches?

Some children seem to have earaches after earaches, and it seems like it never ends. There is some evidence that ear infections often are allergy induced. Cow's milk and/or formula seem to be the most common but it is important to consider wheat, which is another common allergen.

What happens is that the allergy causes irritation to the mucus membranes, and this leads to swelling. This further leads to constriction of the eustachian tube that is located between the middle ear and the throat. The eustachian tube equalizes the pressure on both sides of the ear drum and allows for drainage of fluid from the inner ear. The pain in the ear is caused by the built-up of pressure when this tube is swollen.

Why antibiotics are not always the best answer

Antibiotics are used to treat ear infections. However, the over-use of antibiotics has caused a resistance to antibiotics. It is so bad in some areas that they had to burn down complete hospitals in order to control the resistant bugs.

Almost half of the immune cells are located in the intestines where they fight invading microorganisms. Antibiotics and immune cells are fighting each other in the intestines, and many immune cells die off or are damaged as the result from the fight. This makes the body weak and it also makes it easier for other diseases to take hold of the body. The damaged immune cells have changed shape and functions, and they don’t recognize the normal cells anymore. They start attacking the healthy tissues which can lead to inflammation and nerve damages.

Antibiotics can create an autoimmune attack on the body’s own immune system which can lead to food allergies, asthma, muscle soreness and stomach disorders, and more ear infections. The flora needs to be brought back into balance or otherwise Candida may grow.

So, what can be done?

Start with building the immune system:

Eat wholesome natural/organic foods
Avoid toxic chemicals and use natural products
Increase the amount of fresh foods
Avoid refined products
Add supplements like a multivitamins, omega-3, Probiotics, and immune boosters. You have to take your child's age into consideration before you supplement.

There are many natural remedies that historically have been used for ear aches and infections. Historically, home remedies like garlic soaked in olive oil and baked onion have successfully been used by many. According to Steven Horne, an oil of mullein, garlic and St.John's Wort can be made and used as ear drops. He also says colloidal silver can be used, and that echinacea can be taken internally to fight infection and reduce inflammation.

It is wise to check for food allergies and yeast infections if your child has frequent ear infections. Make sure you give your child sufficient amount of Probiotics after eating antibiotics. According to Dr. Pedersen, Probiotics should be taken twice daily for two months after the use of antibiotics. Yogurt itself doesn't contain sufficient amount of Probiotics to counteract the damage caused by the antibiotics.

What has worked for you when your child has been sick?
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Johanna is an aromatherapist and she is passionate about educating people about health, essential oils, real food, natural remedies, and nutrition so they make healthier choices in their lives.

Follow Johanna on twitter and facebook for more health tips and information.

This post is linked to:
Simple Lives Thursday
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Monday Mania
Wildcrafting Wednesdays

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