Garlic as a Natural Remedy
Garlic has been used as a natural remedy for illness for thousands of years. There are historical records of its use in Ancient Greece and Rome, and it was part of the legendary vinegar of the four thieves tincture that supposedly saved four thieves from death during the bubonic plague. There are almost 5,000 published studies that support garlic’s healing ability for everything from hypertension to hair loss and everything in between. The fastest and most effective way I use garlic for illness is mincing it up and drinking in water. It isn’t the most appetizing, but it works. I just mince one clove of garlic into tiny pieces and put in a small glass of water. I drink the water and just swallow the garlic pieces without chewing. Unfortunately, my kids aren’t a fan of taking garlic this way because of the strong taste and they have more trouble swallowing the pieces of garlic. Since the most common childhood infection is an ear infection, I’ve been using a traditional garlic oil remedy for years to help fight ear infections quickly.
Garlic Olive Oil for Ear Infection: Traditional Garlic Olive Oil is a remedy that has been used for dozens, if not hundreds of years for ear infections. Unlike many other conventional remedies, garlic can work with the body and provide relief quickly with long-lasting results. Troublesome ear aches and ear infections can usually be relieved in short order with home remedies which include garlic. Garlic has a natural antibiotic called allicin and it is an essential ingredient in some of the most effective home remedies for ear infections and ear aches. Garlic can also be used alone and it can be taken orally to speed the recovery from ear and other infections Antibiotics are often prescribed for ear infections, even though the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) has not recommended this as a general practice since 2004, and yet so many of my patients still tell me that this is the ONLY option they are given by their doctors. Many ear infections are caused by viruses, which are unaffected by antibiotics. Thousands of children unnecessarily get antibiotics each year for ear infections when the antibiotics are not even effective for most infections. This has potential long-lasting side effects as antibiotics can permanently alter gut bacteria and many types of bacteria are becoming antibiotic resistant due to overuse of these drugs. Additionally, research has shown that most children fight an ear infection on their own within 24-72 hours without the need for antibiotics or other intervention. That said, just hearing that your child will be better in 1-3 days is not comforting to a mother who is holding her toddler as he or she screams from the pain of an aching ear. Fortunately, there are remedies, like this garlic ear oil, that our grandmothers and great-grandmothers used to ease the pain of ear infection and speed the healing process.
Why it Works: Garlic is powerful on its own and olive oil is soothing to infection as well. Olive oil is often used as the base for healing salves and lotions because it contains potent polyphenols which reduce inflammation. Together, garlic and olive oil can help ease the pain of ear infection and reduce healing time.
Important Note: This remedy is very effective, but it is important to make sure that the ear drum has not ruptured before using this or any other remedy in the ear. I have an Otoscope on hand to check my child’s eardrum before using any remedy inside the ear canal. Typically, pain subsides if the ear drum bursts so the presence of pain can indicate that the ear drum is still intact, but I always like to check. If one of my children does ever experience a ruptured eardrum, I would definitely get him or her checked my a doctor, though often not much can be done besides keeping the ear dry and letting it heal naturally.
Meg’s Recommendation for YOU: There are a lot of recipes out there for you to make your own garlic oil. I like to stick to one that is made by medical professionals and one that is tested for quality and efficacy. You can get the one that my family and I use right at my webstore: http://www.npscript.com/wellconsulting/mullein-garlic-ear-oil/HP0142PAR#undefined1 This is almost “magical” how fast and quick it works! You can ease the pain and pressure of an ear infection with this synergistic blend of mullein (Verbascum densiflorum) and garlic infused oils. These oils used together kill pain and fight bacteria.