What could be the cause of my son’s recurrent ear infections?
The structure of the middle ear. My five-year-old son suffers from recurrent ear infections, and he is, yet again, on antibiotics. PHOTO | FILE |
What you need to know:
The most common culprit in this regard is dairy produce. It’s also renowned for its ability to stimulate mucus formation in and around the ears.
That means cutting out milk, cheese, yoghurt and ice-cream. As children, my brother and I would take dairy produce about three times a day.
However, cutting out dairy alone isn’t always enough for some children.
Q: My five-year-old son suffers from recurrent ear infections, and he is, yet again, on antibiotics. I fear that too much antibiotics are not good for him – is there an alternative?
Even better, can these earaches be prevented?
A: When I read your email, it reminded me of one of my earliest childhood memories; that of being at the doctor with my younger brother.
You see, he too had numerous ear infections while growing up. Amoxycillin, a commonly prescribed antibioti, rarely missed in our medicine cabinet.
So why, even though we ate the same food, did my brother get sick all the time? Well, in nutritional medicine, recurrent ear infections are often related to food sensitivity. In fact, in one study, eliminating the offending foods led to a significant improvement in 86 per cent of the children.
The most common culprit in this regard is dairy produce. It’s also renowned for its ability to stimulate mucus formation in and around the ears.
That means cutting out milk, cheese, yoghurt and ice-cream. As children, my brother and I would take dairy produce about three times a day.
However, cutting out dairy alone isn’t always enough for some children. At my clinic, we regularly look at the other commonly implicated foods: namely wheat, eggs and chocolate.
Another factor that is often overlooked is the child’s consumption of sugar. Sugar has been shown time and again to supress immune function.
For that reason, cutting out sugary, soft drinks and sweets, and cutting down on biscuits and cakes is important.
Q: I heard that caffeine in normal tea isn’t good, so I want to switch to herbal tea, which is very expensive. Could you suggest an alternative?
A: The popularity of herbal teas is on the increase – and for good reason. Not only are the herbs themselves good for you, but they’re great in helping you hit your two-litre-a-day water quota. However, as you point out, they don’t come cheap. Does that mean you need to forgo the benefits? Not at all. Infusions, the correct term for drinks such as herbal tea, are very easy to make. For a stronger infusion, simmer the herb for 20 minutes before serving. If you have less time, simply add boiling water to the herb or spices.
What should you be drinking? Nettle is great for cleansing (and for those who have gout), while peppermint and ginger are ideal around mealtime.
Alternatively, you may wish to put some cardamom, fennel and cloves with some hot water in a flask to sip throughout the day.
Q: Are quail eggs more nutritious than normal eggs? They seem to be everywhere!
A: Eggs really are a nutritional powerhouse. They’re packed with quality protein, and are a top dietary source of choline, an essential vitamin that has been shown to promote brain health.
They are also rich with lutein and zeaxanthin, powerful antioxidants which have been shown to enhance eye health. Wouldn’t it be great if quail’s eggs improved on all this?
Well, when I compared the nutritional data for quail and chicken eggs, there really isn’t much more in it. While the quail eggs are marginally more nutritious, it really doesn’t justify the extra money you spend on them.
Instead, make your eggs a healthier buy by eating them boiled or poached, rather than fried, since this protects the nutritional status of the delicate yolk. Frying them will push up your cholesterol.
