When I was first in practice, a woman came to me with her five-year-old child and said that he had already had eight ear infections in his short life. He had a snack with him: Ritz bits and a pouch containing a purple-dyed sugary liquid. THAT was the problem. His diet was creating inflammation and undermining his immune system.

Inflammation is a component of all diseases, including recurring infections. I put him on the Anti-Inflammation Diet and gave him a probiotic. I never saw them again. The child simply stopped having ear infections.

Why probiotics? About 70% of your immune system is associated with the GI tract. The bacteria in the intestine, called the “microbiome”, has a lot to do with health and immunity. It is an ecosystem. Multiple bouts of antibiotics will disrupt the microbiome and create problems with the immune system. Studies have shown that probiotic supplementation helps the immune system. Read the Microbiome Report to learn more. Balancing the microbiome can do wonders for the immune system.

Hot onions can help: Chop onions and wrap them in gauze. Pinn the gauze closed, making a little sack. Heat the sack in a dry frying pan, making it as warm as possible, but still be tolerated against the skin. Use a headband or earmuffs to hold the sack over the affected ear. This works wonderfully most of the time.

Homeopathic or herbal ear drops: Many companies make these, and they are effective much of the time. One study had them outperfoming antibiotics. Dr. George Koffeman used to put a couple of drops of vodka in the ear when his children would be getting an ear infection. He swore by it.

Try this:

This will get you started. Find a physician who is familiar with natural healthcare because there may be other issues. You may need to deal with hidden food sensitivities, nutrient deficiency, or a need to look closely at digestion and the microbiome.