Earache, cold, diaper rash, cradle cap-- Natural Remedy Thursday

One of the things I love most about living a naturally inclined life are the health benefits.
While I was not exactly "granola" growing up, my mother was very much into using herbs and homeopathy for healing ailments of all kinds. To this day my body responds better to things of the earth than to western medicine's interpretation of healing. Nature is wise.

Homeopathic and Naturopathic medicine have played a huge part in my parenting philosophy and I find that mindset has helped inform a lot of my parenting decisions.

I want to share a few of my favorite Natural Remedies, and will continue this series every Thursday. Enjoy! Doesn't it seem that kids are more prone these days to earaches (medically termed otitis media)? Factors that contribute to Otitis Media are a blockage of the Eustachian tube from a cold, allergy or some foreign particles in the ear as well as nutritional deficiency and other infections. Polluted air and smoke can exacerbate an ear infection.

Here are a few things I have found to work well in treating an earache.

-A few drops of garlic extract into the infected ear. (Studies show that garlic is nature's antimicrobial).

-Use blow dryer from about 12 to 15 inches from your head, this will remove any water trapped in the Eustachian tube.

-Put some olive oil on the warm spoon; put 2 to 3 drops of this in each ear.

-Put few drops of lobelia extract (found in most health food stores like Sprouts or Whole Foods) into the infected ear and rub it gently.

-Wash your ear using colloidal silver--another natural antibiotic.

-If you are nursing, a bit of breast milk in the ear does wonders-- for adults and children alike!

The Common Cold and Cough can surely dampen your and your baby's spirits. Because it is a virus, it pretty much has to run it's course. There are however treatments that will help shorten the duration and decrease the intensity.

Ginger is an excellent remedy for colds and coughs. To make a fresh ginger tea, about ten grams of ginger is cut into small pieces and boiled in a cup of water. It should then be strained and honey added to taste. This should be drunk while still warm and may be taken twice daily.

I also love a ginger bath. Draw a hot bath and use fresh cut ginger or 2 Tbs ginger power. It soothes aching muscles and sore throats.

Ginger is fabulous for aiding in so many ailments (nausea and diarrhea to name a few), so I purchase it in bulk from an online store but you can find this spice at most health food stores.

Garlic extract on the back of the throat helps as well as lemon tea.

While battling with a cold it is best to avoid meat, fish, eggs, cheese, and starchy foods.

Ahh the diaper rash. There are several factors that contribute to rash. One is diet. The child may have an allergy to something he has eaten. Feeding baby one new thing at a time can help pin point the culprit. Wet diapers that chafe the skin are another cause of rash and the plastics used in Disposable Diapers do not allow skin to breathe.
The best thing for diaper rash is air and sunlight. Let baby run diaper less in the yard and make sure skin is completely dry before replacing a diaper at changes. Cod liver oil or Udo's Oil (flax oil) taken orally can aid in repairing the skin and corn starch patted on the affected area will absorb excess moisture.

Cradle Cap is caused by oil glands making excess oil.

The first thing to check is that your baby shampoo/wash does not have harsh detergents which can strip the skin of the natural oils, thereby encouraging excess oil production. My favorite for baby is Burt's Bees Baby Bee Wash. It contains no parabens and is gentle enough for extremely sensitive skin. After washing, it helps to apply a little olive oil and comb through to remove the dry flakes.

I hope you found some value in the first installment of the Natural Remedy series. Join me every Thursday and feel free to make requests! email me at yournaturalbabyandmore@gmail.com.