All-Natural Essential Oils May be as Effective as Antiobiotics Getting an Earful Tell all the mothers in the neighborhood that they might be able to toss those antibiotics that their kids have been swallowing for ear infections in favor of a safer treatment. A study in the June 1 issue of the Journal of Infectious Diseases reports that all-natural essential oils may be just as effective. This study compared the effects of essential oils to those of placebo in rats. The investigators found that the oils cured up to 81 percent of the animals, while the cure rate for the animals given a placebo was less than 6 percent. Topical treatments for ear infections usually aren't recommended because most are unable to penetrate the eardrum to reach the middle ear. But researchers found that the vapors from some essential oils like oil of basil have rapid bacteria-killing effects that may be able to reach the area and destroy the bacteria that cause pain, infection, and sleepless nights for so many children -- and their parents. **************************************************** More power to you Q: I feel exhausted all the time, and even more so when I exercise. My doctor says my thyroid levels are fine, so what could be my problem? JVW: When my patients complain of exhaustion, I suspect problems with their adrenal glands. When the adrenals are not functioning properly, weakness, fatigue, exercise intolerance, dizziness upon standing, heart palpitations, low blood pressure, and low body weight can result. The good news is that when treated with natural therapies, weak adrenal function (also called hypoadrenalism) can be resolved, and patients' energy levels can be restored in just a short time. The first step in diagnosing the condition is to undergo an adrenal function test, which involves a 24-hour urine collection followed by an injection of ACTH, the hormone that stimulates the adrenals to respond to stress. After the injection, there is another 24-hour urine collection. Then the urine samples are compared. A normal sample will show an elevated level of hormone after the injection. If your test results prove your adrenals are not functioning properly, adding more salt to your diet will allow your adrenals to rest so that they can repair themselves. I usually also recommend taking low-dose natural cortisol and 15 milligrams of the natural hormone DHEA. You can help the healing process along even further by supplementing with a multi-vitamin, 1 gram of pantothenic acid twice daily, and 1 to 3 grams of the sodium ascorbate form of vitamin C three times a day. If the higher amounts of vitamin C cause diarrhea or gas, cut back to only 1 gram a day. For more details on testing and treating hypoadrenalism, refer back to the November 2001 issue of Nutrition & Healing. Subscribers can download this issue for free by visiting www.wrightnewsletter.com, and logging on with the username and password listed on page 8 of your most recent issue. **************************************************** What is...otitis media? Otitis media is the medical term for an ear infection. It occurs when the tube that connects the middle ear cavity to the back of the nose and throat (called the eustachian tube) becomes swollen as a result of a cold, allergies, or upper respiratory infection. If the tube swells enough, it effectively blocks the canal between the ear and the nose. In response to an infection, pus and mucus build up behind the eardrum, causing the hallmark symptoms of ear infection: pressure and pain along with redness and swelling of the eardrum. The pressure can cause the eardrum to burst, allowing the pus and mucus to drain out of the middle ear. But more often, the swollen eustachian tube blocks the fluid from being drained, and it remains, sometimes for weeks or months, until the infection is resolved. Yours in good health, Amanda Ross Editorial Director Nutrition & Healing Sources: "Effective treatment of experimental acute otitis media by application of volatile fluids into the ear canal." Journal of Infectious Diseases 2005; 191: 1,876-1,880

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