INSIDE OUT

Every vegan I've met loves to do things as naturally as possible. I've heard of some unhealthy vegans that eat chips, pop, and non-milk chocolate for lunch, but, I haven't met any. My favorite natural cure-for-all... "My Big Fat Greek Wedding's" equivalent to windex... garlic! Oh, how I love garlic. I love the smell, the flavor, the feel of a freshly peeled clove... the only thing better than all of this, is the amazing benefits to garlic.

I could give you data upon data, which proves the health benefits of garlic. It's antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-EVERYTHING bad!! But, for the sake of time and laziness, you'll just have to trust my own experiences.

My firstborn had a bit too many ear infections for my liking. In his first year, he had already had three of them. I always took him to my pill-pushing doctor who always pushed his antibiotics on me. I took them. My son was under a year after all. Who was I to mess around with his potential hearing loss!!! Well, one time, after my second son was born and they were both found to have ear infections, they were prescribed J's first antibiotics and S's fourth! Those antibiotics did not work and so I was prescribed a SECOND round!! I decided I'd had it! I'm not putting one more dose into my children!!

I had heard of garlic. But again, too scared to try it. Well, since the antibiotics weren't working anyway, I decided I would try it. I did as much research as I could and gave it to both my boyz. They both loved it (not that a bit of honey didn't help) and within 24 hours they were BOTH without fever and running around. After 48 hours they were both back to their normal selves again. I was convinced.

So, without more chitter-chattering. I will give you the secret potion. Now, my kids will eat this stuff raw if I let them. I've been giving it to them since they were before the age of one (except S who definitely needs something sweet with it). I caution you to check with your doctor if you can though. I would still get a diagnosis to ensure it wasn't anything more. Now that I have done this and have got to know my children enough to know when they need it, I no longer need visits to the doctor unless it's been over 3 days of low-grade fever with no change or if the fever is over 103 with no change after tylenol. ***sidenote - I rarely use any fever medicine. The body uses the heat from the fever to kill the bacteria, which can't thrive in heat. I have learned the hard way though, if your child is under the age of 2, don't mess around with fevers anywhere near 103. You need to get that fever down!

GARLIC SOLUTION

INGREDIENTS:
-Equal parts Olive Oil and minced garlic.
*I use Cold Pressed, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and fresh organic garlic (if using fresh, use 1/3 less of the garlic). I have used store bought garlic and I get the same effects. Also, this might be spicy for your first-time users. You might have to use less garlic and give doses more frequently.
-Fine sieve
-Small glass bowl with cover
-Pan

DIRECTIONS:
Pour oil in pan. Mince garlic and add it to the oil, let sit for 10 minutes (this is due to the chemical reaction of the garlic after being minced). Next, heat pan on low heat and let garlic simmer. Garlic should still be white when finished. Pour the hot garlic in the glass bowl through a fine sieve. Press the garlic to remove all of the oil.

DOSAGE:
For ear infections:
Take an oral dropper (for medicine) and put 1/4 teaspoon in the infected ear, 3 to 4 times daily (I will use it 4 times daily if the fever is high enough). Just like antibiotics, this should be done for 7 days to ensure the bacteria does not come back. Once the ear infection subsides and the fever breaks, you will only need to give the garlic twice daily.
* The warm oil also helps a hurting ear.
*I try to have my child keep their head to one side for as long as I can, to keep the garlic oil in place. I put a cotton swab in their ear afterwards.

For all other infections:
Give 1 tsp of oil three to four times daily. I use Agave nectar now but you could use any kind of sweetener needed along with the garlic. I dip the oral dropper into the sweetener and give it to them this way. They always ask for seconds. You may need to use more sweetener at first.

If I feel an infection of any kind coming on, for myself, I will simply chop up the garlic, wait 10 minutes and swallow it with some water. I chop it up as small as I need to in order to swallow it without chewing.

Give the garlic 24-48 hours to work, no different than antibiotics. If there is not a significant change by this time and there is still a fever, go see your doctor. Not even antibiotics heal all and you might need to figure out if it's something different than what you or the doctor first thought. You may also need to tweak the garlic dosage for the next infection.

The great thing about garlic is that, unlike antibiotics, it does not get rid of bad bacteria. One of the hard parts about garlic is that you can't really prescribe it. I know how much to give and I know what works for all of my kids. I believe there are some general rules, but, when you're dealing with infections, you have to be careful with young children. This is appropriately so. Some ask why doctors don't prescribe it if it's "that" good. There would be too many lawsuits on doctor's hands as there just is not enough clinical studies showing how much to give for every different infection, for every different body weight. Use your better judgement. Get to know your child really well before avoiding the doctors and their pill-pushing behaviors (not all doctors are pill-pushers, by the way). And just like vitamin C, if you find the stools get soft or that an upset stomach ensues, hold back a dose each day or use half at each dose.

I hope you investigate the amazing benefits of garlic. It's worth looking into and has saved us not only from putting WAY too many antibiotics in my children, but, also has saved us a fortune. By now, I'm sure my very own drug-pusher would have put tubes in one of my kids. And I quote, "one of your kids needs tubes. Not sure which one, but, their ears just look like they might need them." Good grief.