Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What can I do to help ear pain?

I usually focus on decongesting the sinuses and down the sides of the neck to relieve the pressure that causes ear pain. Eating garlic and spicier foods and breathing essential oils like rosemary and eucalyptus to open the airways can really help. Also, having your child yawn and then massaging from both sides of each ear downward towards the base of the neck could make a difference in relieving congestion.

 It's been 9 yrs since my child had an ear infection, at that time, the doctor wrote a prescription, but told me not to fill it unless I felt like it was getting much worse. The doctor said 85% of ear infections clear fine on their own with time. At that point I decided to just treat them at home. I want to add a couple of things that can help, that I didn't mention in the paragraph above.  First, have the patient lay on a heat pack or heating pad with worst ear down on it when there's an ache. It could help draw moisture out. Heat packs filled with course, rock style salt or rice are especially good because they draw moisture really well, but a regular heating pad works, too. Second, my recommendation is that if you've used any hydrogen peroxide, be sure to follow it with alcohol or swimmer's ear drops, because peroxide turns into water once it's done working in the ear canal, and you don't want water left behind in the ear. Homemade swimmer's ear drops are great to use to chase moisture out. They can sting a lot initially, though.

Instead of peroxide or swimmer's eardrops, I favor using an ear oil containing garlic for earaches, such as this one: https://amzn.to/3Shpz1o

If improvement is not seen, ear pain that persists beyond a few days may need to be evaluated by a medical doctor.

Q: What do you recommend for better sleep?

Sleep is so important for our health. It's the primary time when our body is fasted and able to repair itself due to lowered energy needs.

Sleep on your left side if possible. This supports proper digestion and organ position during sleeping. Be aware that side sleeping may add to tightness in the shoulder that is down on the bed. It's important to massage tight shoulder areas and to do gentle light exercise (i.e. swimmer's arm circles) to keep a good range of motion.

Sleep at least 7 hours per night.

Use natural sleep aids when needed, but don't take large doses of Melatonin. We don't want to affect our body's own melatonin production or create a dependency for high amounts. Take Tart Cherry juice up to an hour before bed to boost your body's own melatonin production. Magnesium taken before bedtime is also known to help in calming and aiding in sleep. LiveGood magnesium is a great option! Sleep patches from LiveGood are also great, but the patches are designed for adult usage only.

When children have sleep problems, parents may need to address such things that make children uncomfortable, such as parasites and increased mucus from foods they don't tolerate well near bedtime. Cow's milk is a common culprit for mucus, and it is commonly believed to be a possible cause of nightmares in some children. Fulvic acid is a gentle daily detox option that can help control parasites, although a stronger product may be wanted initially to address parasites. 

Q: How can I get rid of this cough?

Coughs can be concerning. They are the body's natural way of removing moisture from the bronchial tubes and lungs. When coughing lasts too long or interrupts daily living for multiple weeks, you need investigate the cause and progression of the cough.

1. Determine what caused the onset. Was it a cold or flu-like illness? If so, coughing could be expected for up to 3 weeks, as the body expels excess mucus.
2. If you can't pinpoint the onset, think about your day. Is coughing worse after eating dairy products, which are known to increase mucus?
3. Support your body's immune system with extra zinc and Vitamin C.
4. Help your body expel mucus by alternating breathing warm and cool air. In winter, alternate spending time outside, with time in a warm environment. Coughing may worsen temporarily as the body is being supported to expel mucous. In a similar way, alternating heating pads with ice packs over the lung area could produce similar results.
5. Seek medical attention if coughing is accompanied by wheezing, stomach pain, or significant lack of appetite, as those can be indicators of pneumonia, which would require an antibiotic.

Q: How can I treat colds and viruses?

Colds and other illnesses are common in childhood. Children tend to be around a lot of people due to school and playdates, so there is a lot of potential for exposure to germs of all kinds. Don't fear this though. Immune systems are built by fighting sicknesses! Below are things that support immune systems.

For infants and toddlers, breastmilk helps pass the mother's immunity to her babies.

Outdoor time in the sun, with some skin exposed. This is the natural way to boost Vitamin D levels, which is important for immune health.

A diverse diet, low in processed sugars is important. Sugar uptake decreases the body's ability to utilize Vitamin C. Sugar also depletes the body's magnesium levels as it needs magnesium to process sugar.

Consider a high-quality multi-vitamin and fulvic acid minerals, to round out the child's diet and to fill nutritional gaps. LiveGood brand vitamins are a great, affordable option!

Focus on staying hydrated, especially through fever, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Avoid environmental toxins from second-hand smoke, unnecessary (routine) vaccinations, artificial flavors/colors, and artificial sweeteners.

Q: What can I do to help a sore throat?

It's hard to get through Autumn or Winter without experiencing a sore throat. This is due to dry air as well as viral and bacterial infections. Below are somethings to help treat sore throats. Bacterial infections including strep may be treated with herbal and home remedies; however, with time, a worsening strep infection can lead to scarlet fever, which is very serious. If you suspect a strep infection is not improving or see a rash covering part of the face, seek medical attention from a qualified physician.

Gargle warm salt water. 

Run a humidifier.

Eat raw honey from a spoon. Manuka honey has the most active bacteria fighters. See this page for a recommended Manuka product.

Drink and/or gargle Throat Coat Tea (recommended on this page.) The Echinacea in it kills bacteria in the throat.

Go heavy on the garlic and add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper to foods. We eat a lot of garlic toast when sickness hits.

Avoid environmental irritants from second-hand smoke, non-natural air freshener products, etc.

Be sure to sanitize or replace toothbrushes and water bottles after recovering to keep from getting re-infected.

Since the signing of the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act in 1986, the recommended childhood vaccine schedule has exploded with new and increased recommended shots for children. People born in the 1970s may have been recommended to receive between 8 and 13 vaccinations in childhood. Now (with the addition of Covid-19 vaccines,) the number stands around 94 vaccinations before the age of 18.  Children born today, may seem to be treated like pin cushions for the pharmaceutical companies. There is little doubt that the 1986 act, removing manufacturers liability for death and injury was a catalyst for the severe increase. It is a concern that with increased shots there is an increase in exposure to aluminum, mercury, and foreign DNA, which can be especially toxic to the developing brain and body. It is our opinion that the risks outweigh the benefits for routine vaccinations. We are not medical professionals, but we are parents with healthy unvaccinated children that have excelled in public school, and private college. 

Yes, your child can go to school without vaccines. Please visit NVIC for exemption information and scroll down to find the map to see your state's exemption laws (USA.) Many private colleges and workplaces have their own exemption policies. It will be important to check on those before investing time and money in an organization that may have an agreeable policy.

Another resource, especially if you are new to this topic, is www.Learntherisk.org