Ear Infection

4 year old boy with ear pain was evaluated at ITH and diagnosed with a double ear infection.  The pain was disrupting his (and his parents’) sleep.  Instead of antibiotics, which are no longer the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation for otitis media, he was given a homeopathic remedy prescribed specifically for his individual symptoms by mouth and some garlic/mullein oil in each ear with  warming compresses to the exterior of the ears. The pain subsided immediately; his ears (and thus the infection) cleared completely within 36 hours.  The child and the parents were very happy with the outcome!

While on vacation in California, we visited Dr. Christie's sister Marji, who introduced us to her pressure cooker. Marji made the most amazing black beans in about 20 minutes without pre-soaking the dried beans! We thought that it was so amazing that we would share the recipe. This recipe requires a pressure cooker, which we highly recommend. Pressure cookers allow people to prepare wholesome and healthy meals quickly that they would otherwise be too busy to prepare. Enjoy!

Quick Soak of Beans 

1.5 cups of black beans

6-8 cups of water

Cook at full pressure for 1 minute then cold water release and rinse beans and pot thoroughly. 

Cooking

Black beans from above

1/4 onion finely chopped

1 teaspoon epazote (can be found in Mexican food supply store)

6-8 cups of water

Cook all of the above at full pressure for 8 minutes. Take pot off heat and allow pressure to release naturally. Drain beans and reserve 1 cup of broth to moisten when reheating

Topping

1/2 bunch cilantro (excellent for heavy metal detox!)

1 chopped tomato (can be left out for people on anti-inflammatory diet)

1/4 onion chopped

Olive oil

Salt to taste

Saute the topping ingredients together and then add to finished beans. Serve with corn tortillas or brown rice, guacamole, and a green leafy vegetable.

 At a recent American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting Douglas Smith, MD a professor of Neurology at the University of Pennsylvania basically said there is not such thing as a mild head injury. Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) affects over 1 million Americans every year. While the usually treatment is observation and release, we are now learning that these injuries are not so mild. Patient's persists in neurological and cognitive deficits and may also experience anxiety, insomnia, depression, headaches and gastrointestinal problems.  Even more disturbing is that one does not have to hit one's head to have a head injury!

What can be done about it? Noticing there is a problem is the most important thing. If you or someone you know has been in an accident or diagnosed with a mild concussion, pay attention. Notice if there have been changes in the person (or yourself). If you aren't sure, get to a clinician who is adequately trained to assess the situation. If you have any of the above problems see your doctor even if the incident was many years ago.   Neurofeedback, vitamin D, homeopathy, and fish oil are amazing at not only reducing brain injury but helping the brain recover from the injury. In particular, LENS or Low Energy Neurofeedback System is showing great promise in improving symptoms of 80% of patients with TBI!

• ·      Never ignore a bump on the head. The degree of outer injury to the cranium has little to do with the actual injury to the brain, since it is a sensitive and complex organ.
• ·      Tell your coach or teammates and ask to be taken out of the game (if playing sports)
• ·      Watch for problems with cognitive ability or memory
• ·      Monitor for changes in energy, digestion or menses
• ·      Notice if you have changes in the sense of taste or smell
• ·      Monitor your mood for depression or anxiety
• ·      Keep track of any experiences with insomnia
• ·      Get plenty of rest
• ·      Come see us if problems persist

There are many things that we can do to help the brain heal. Neurofeedback, vitamin D, homeopathy, and fish oil are just a few of the effective treatments that can be beneficial. The sooner treatment begins, the sooner recovery can occur, and the sooner you can be at your best again!  

We wanted to share an article that further validates the advice we have been giving to parents at Insights to Health for years.  Although the article does not mention this aspect, an child does not produce the enzymes to best digest grains until 22 months of age.  AT ITH, we counsel parents on which foods to introduce at which stages of development in order to create optimal health and well-being and to decrease the risk of allergies and asthma.

Rice Cereal Can Wait, Let Them Eat Meat First: AAP committee has changes in mind

Pediatric News Volume 43, Issue 11 (November 2009)

There is no good reason not to introduce meats, vegetables, and fruits as the first complementary foods, according to Dr. Frank R. Greer, a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics's Committee on Nutrition.

Introducing these foods early and often promotes healthy eating habits and preferences for these naturally nutrient-rich foods, said Dr. Greer, who is a professor of pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

Rice cereal has traditionally been the first complementary food given to American infants, but “Complementary foods introduced to infants should be based on their nutrient requirements and the nutrient density of foods, not on traditional practices that have no scientific basis,” Dr. Greer said in an interview.

In fact, the AAP's Committee on Nutrition is working on a statement that will include these new ideas, Dr. Greer said in an interview. Currently, there are no official AAP recommendations for introduction of complementary foods. “There are suggestions of what complementary foods to introduce in various AAP-sponsored publications, which are based on the traditional introduction of solid foods starting with infant iron-fortified cereals and progressing through vegetables and then fruits.”

Complementary foods are any nutrient-containing solid or liquid foods other than breast milk or formula given to infants, excluding vitamin and mineral supplements. By 6 months of age, human milk becomes insufficient to meet the requirements of an infant for energy, protein, iron, zinc, and some fat-soluble vitamins (J. Pediatr. Gastroenterol. Nutr. 2008;46:99–110).

Rice cereal has been the first complementary food given to infants in the United States for many reasons, including cultural tradition. By the 1960s, most U.S. infants (70%–80%) were fed cereal by 1 month of age. By 1980, rice cereal predominated, as it was considered to be well tolerated and “hypoallergenic”—given growing concerns about food allergies, he said. (See box.)

However, newer thinking is that the emphasis for complementary foods should be on naturally nutrient-rich foods. This includes protein and fiber, along with vitamins A, C, D, and E and the B vitamins. In addition, saturated and trans fats should be limited, as should sugar, said Dr. Greer.

In light of this thinking, rice cereal is a less than perfect choice for the first complementary food given to infants, he said. Rice cereal is low in protein and high in carbohydrates. It is often mixed with varying amounts of breast milk or formula. Although most brands of formula now have added iron, zinc, and vitamins, iron is poorly absorbed—only about 7.8% of intake is incorporated into red blood cells.

In contrast, meat is a rich source of iron, zinc, and arachidonic acid. Consumption of meat, fish, or poultry provides iron in the form of heme and promotes absorption of nonheme iron, noted Dr. Greer. Red meat and dark poultry meat have the greatest concentration of heme iron. Heme iron is absorbed intact into intestinal mucosal cells and is not affected by inhibitors of nonheme iron from the intestinal tract. Iron salts present in infant cereal are generally insoluble and poorly absorbed.

Another issue is when to begin introducing complementary foods, said Dr. Greer. This varies by nationality. In Germany for example, complementary foods are introduced to 16% of infants by 3 months. A third (34%) of infants in Italy and half (51%) of infants in the United Kingdom are introduced to complementary foods by 4 months. In the United States, 18% of infants are introduced to complementary foods—cereal—by 3 months, 40% by 4 months, 71% by 5 months, and 81% by 6 months.

Those complementary food choices for infants aren't always the most nutritious either. By 6 months, roughly a third of U.S. infants have been introduced to fruit (71%) and vegetables (73%), but only 21% have been introduced to meat. In a 2008 study in Pediatrics, researchers reported that 15% of infants have less than one serving of fruit or vegetable per day by 8 months of age (Pediatrics 2008;122[suppl. 2]:S91–7). In contrast, half of 10-month-old infants had eaten at a fast food restaurant, 22% had eaten carryout food, and 28% had eaten restaurant or carryout food at least twice in the previous week.

Early experiences promote healthy eating patterns, said Dr. Greer. It's known that food flavors are transmitted to breast milk; infants whose mothers eat fruits and vegetables during lactation will have greater consumption of fruits and vegetables during childhood (Public Health Nutr. 2004;7:295–302). It's also been shown that infants are more accepting of food after repeated exposure (Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2001;73:1080–5).

Dr. Greer reported that he has no relevant financial conflicts of interest.

 

If you (or someone you care about) have been waiting to improve your physical or emotional health, this Fall is the perfect time to take charge and try a new approach. Why are we mentioning Fall when it is August? Because we are now booking new patients for the second week of September! We have experienced huge growth and are planning ahead ourselves.   Turn to September on your calendar and give us a call to schedule your first appointment, which will include a full health evaluation, physical exam, and customized treatment plan to get you started on your individual goals toward health and wellness.    You’ll be glad you did! 

Dr. Gil Winkelman still has a few openings for new neurofeedback patients in August (ADHD and insomnia respond very well to neurofeedback).