Thursday 20 September 2012

What Is The Right Home Remedy To Treat An Ear Infection


If you are a parent of a child that has suffered from ear infections then you might be interested to know that there are some very effective home remedies that can be used to treat them.  Some children can be very prone to earn infections and over time can cost a small fortune from all those doctors visits.  Then there is also the times when an earache begins at night when it is difficult to see a doctor or on vacation and a good home remedy can give the child relief until such a time that you can visit a doctor.  Of course, if the ear pain is severe and doesn't subside with use of the home remedy, then you should still visit a doctor as soon as you are able.

Ear infections have haunted people for many years and long before prescribed medications were available they were treated with natural remedies.  Many remedies are made from products that you will likely already have in your home.  The effective home remedies to treat ear infections have been used for many years, even after prescribed medications became available, and are still being used today.

A warm compress is always a good option for earaches.  For a warm compress you can use a wheat bag if you have one and if not you can make a compress by putting some rice into a sock and warming it in the microwave for one minute.  Then place the compress on the child's sore ear and let them lie on their side with the bad ear facing down.  By using a warm compress this way it can help to drain any blockage in the child's ear which may relieve the pain.

Hydrogen peroxide is often found in most medicine cabinets and is usually used to clean wounds and kill any germs.  A few drops of hydrogen peroxide in a sore ear will help to kill any bacteria in the ear that might be causing the infection.

If you would prefer a more natural alternative to hydrogen peroxide then lemon juice is a great choice.  Because lemon juice is highly acidic it neutralizes the pH which stops the growth of the bacteria.

The next home remedy to treat ear infections is a recipe from the kitchen which contains onion, garlic and olive oil.  You need to simmer the onion and garlic in some oil and water.  Simmer until the mixture reduces and then strain the mixture so you are left with a liquid.  When cool, apply a few drops into the sore ear.  This can kill the infection and if used at the first sign of ear infection it can clear it up quite fast.

A mixture of vinegar and water is another handy recipe to treat ear infections.  Just mix 50% water with 50% vinegar and apply a few drops into the sore ear.

Lastly, and an unlikely remedy is vodka.  And no we aren't suggesting your child drink vodka until they no longer feel pain!  Just dab some vodka onto a cotton ball and hold it against the ear.

A remedy that might work for one child might not work for another, so you may need to try a few of the remedies until you find one that works well for your child.  Once you know which remedy works for your child then it will be there ready for you whenever your child develops an ear infection.  Remember, if pain persists or is severe then take your child to see a doctor as soon as possible.
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Saturday 15 September 2012

Basic Body Building Tips For Women


Despite what the constant barrage of media tells us, the ideal body shape for women is...well, there is no ideal body shape. However, each woman has what she considers her ideal body shape. Hopefully this image will be based on her own desires, and not those that are constantly thrust upon her by a male-dominated industry. So, before we get started with some body building tips for women, I just wanted to say you should be yourself, and set fitness goals that mean something to and forget what anybody else says about it.

Speaking of goals, that's really where you need to start. There are a few things you should keep in mind to help you achieve them. Above all else, your goals need to be realistic. They can still be big, but if they aren't realistic to you, then you will have a hard time staying motivated because you won't see the point. For example, if you are a size 14 and want to get down to a size 4 in two weeks, then that's unrealistic. However, if you say you want to drop one full size every two months until you get down to a size 8, then that's more realistic. Furthermore, it's specific and structured in such a way that you will achieve several mini-goals on your way to your main goal.

The next thing you need to do is decide what fitness means to you. Which body building technique for women you choose will depend largely on what you're trying to achieve. If you want to add muscle mass and bulk up, then you need to lift the heaviest (or close to it) weights you can lift, but only for a few repetitions. If you want toned muscles, then you can use lighter weights, but then you have to do a lot of repetitions. And that's just one example.

Once you have your goals, you need to develop a plan that's best for you personally. This can be tricky as there is so much information out there, and a lot if it is contradictory. The easiest solution is to hire a personal trainer. A trainer will be able to assess where you are, where you want to be and the best way for you to get there. If a trainer won't work for you, then your local gym is your next best option. Ask to speak to someone about your fitness goals, then they can tell you which exercises are best for you, as well as which machines to use and how to use them.

There is more to body building tips for women than exercise. You also need to watch what you eat. A good rule of thumb is to eat foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. Be sure to get enough sleep so you are ready to take on the day, and to have enough energy for any exercising you'll be doing. Stay motivated, and you'll be happy with the results.
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Wednesday 12 September 2012

What Are The Best Ear Infection Home Remedies



Whether you are an adult or a child, an ear infection can be excruciatingly painful.  Ear infections often begin to hurt at night, usually when doctor surgeries are closed, so it can be difficult to find a doctor and you will often need to wait until the morning.  This is where home remedies come in handy so you can at least relieve the pain somewhat until such a time that you can get to see a doctor.

There are a number of different home remedies that you can try to ease the pain of ear infection and they are all much more effective if you use them at first sign of an earache.  If your earache is severe then you might not get much relief until you have visited your doctor.

One cause of ear infections is swimmers ear which is the result of a fungal infection that has developed from moisture left in the ear canal.  This can occur after a person has been swimming and some water is left in the ear.  Although having fungus in the ear sounds really gross, this type of infection is quite easy to treat if you start treatment early.  One of the best home remedies for swimmers ear is a mixture of water and vinegar.  You mix together equal parts of water and vinegar and then place a few drops into the sore ear.  Let the mixture sit in the ear for a few minutes and then gently rinse with warm water.

The mixture of water and vinegar works by changing the pH level of the excess water in the ear and then the fungus cannot thrive in this new pH level.  If you treat this type of infection early enough the results are usually quite fast and it can clear completely overnight.  The same basic principal works for lemon juice, just squeeze a few drops of lemon juice into the ear and this also changes the pH level, killing off the fungal bacteria.

Another good home remedy is to use a warm compress against the ear.  If you don't have a wheat bag you can easily create your own with a sock and some rice.  You just pour a cup of rice into a sock and then tie off the top of the sock so the rice can't spill out.  Put the sock into the microwave and heat it for about one minute.  Placing the rice sock against the ear will help soothe the ear and relieve the pain.  If you do this repeatedly it will also help encourage draining of any buildup within the ear.

Our last home remedy for ear infection uses onion, garlic and olive oil.  First, chop the onion and garlic finely and then cook them in the olive oil on a low heat.  When the mixture has reduced, drain the oil into a glass container.  Then when the mixture is cool, place a few drops into the affected ear.  This will give some pain relief and also help to shift any wax buildup in the ear.

If you don't get results from any of these home remedies or if the pain is very severe then you should consult a doctor and get some prescribed antibiotics.  Don't give up after just trying one remedy though as some remedies work better for different people, if one doesn't work another might.  Once you know which one works for you then you will have a great remedy on hand for the next time you have an earache.
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Monday 3 September 2012

Acne Scar Surgery Options Just For You


There are a lot of different treatment options out there for those people who have acne, or have developed acne scars. What you may not know is that acne doesn't only affect teenagers. It can happen at just about any age, and it doesn't discriminate based on gender either. A lot of people find success by using creams, ointments and any number of various home remedies. However these methods don't always work, especially in more severe cases.

A quick note before we get started. The following advice is not meant to take the place of a professional opinion. You can use the information to give you a good start on having a discussion about your options with your doctor.

Assuming creams and lotions don't work, then you may have to look at acne scar surgery as a possibility. But don't just assume that's what you will have to do. Everybody is different, and will respond differently to each form of treatment. For example, if you have shallow, barely visible scars, then you probably don't need surgery to take care of the problem.

Of course, there are other types of acne scars, and determining which kind you have is the first step in figuring out which treatment is the best for you and your situation. Ice pick scars are small and deep, and look as though someone may have punctured the skin with a sharp tool; rolling scars are more mild and only somewhat indented; keloidal or hypertrophic acne scars look like raised bumps; and boxcar scars have a sharp edge to the indentation.

So, just what are the acne scar surgery options? For starters, there are laser treatments. These have the benefit of being able to be precisely controlled. Not only can they pinpoint the exact area of the scar, they can also be set to different depths, allowing the doctor to treat the problem at the most effective level. In fact, it can treat other skin blemishes (age spots, wrinkles) besides acne. Side effects--as you will see--tend to be minimal when compared to other surgical procedures for acne scars. Redness is fairly common, though some people have experienced blistering and discoloration.

On the subject of lasers, it should be noted that there are a few different kinds. Such a discussion would be rather technical for this article. But, be sure to understand exactly which laser treatment your doctor is talking about, as well as the pros and cons of each treatment they happen to offer.

Subcision, punch excision, and injected fillers are some of the non-laser acne scar surgery options you may also wish to pursue. Whatever you decide, you can take comfort in knowing that you do not have to live with the scarring caused by acne for the rest of your life. Now that you have a bit more information, it's up to you to take the next step. You can see your doctor, or get some more information on other ways of treating acne and the scars it can leave behind.
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