By Richard Heft

The following is based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). TCM is based on the theory, observation that everything, including the body is an ongoing balance of opposites, many of which we control through diet, herbs, exercise, thought, etc.

Learn the whole first, before attempting to diagnose and or treat the part (symptom, structure, function) as all the parts work together and many times share similar symptoms, diseases but not necessarily causes. Misdiagnosis and mistreatment are common in many medicines. as the knowledge of health and disease has been liminted to the few, humble.

There are two types of ear infections, inflammation (otitis): external and internal. External otitis, also know as swimmers ear, affects the outer ear. It is generally caused by an upper respiratory infection. Otitis media affects the middle ear (behind the eardrum) and is common in infants and children. The Eustachian (connects naso-pharynx and middle ear) and auditory tubes (connect the ear to the back of the nasal cavity) regulate air pressure, temperature and moisture. Low pressure, colder temperatures tend to increase moisture, water in the ears, especially in young children, babies. Excess moisture, water in the ear canals and Eustachian tubes can accumulate, stagnate and fester, attracting and feeding bacteria and viruses that inflame and pressurize the ear causing an earache: sharp, dull or throbbing pain, feeling of fullness in the ear and or a high fever (as high as 103 F). High altitude and or colder temperatures increase discomfort and infection.

The ears (connected to the nasal cavity) are susceptible to an external or internal attack of cold and damp. Cold and damp air travels with the wind and easily penetrates the nose, mouth and ears. In the extreme, this tends to cause condensation in the ears. Cold condenses. In nature, winter cold cools, hardens and condenses water in air into rain, snow and ice. In the body, cold condenses fluids in the lungs, nose, throat, sinuses, mouth, ears, etc. into water, mucous and phlegm. Bacteria and viruses thrive in stagnant, watery mediums (mucous, phlegm, cysts, urine, etc.) before inflaming and infecting.

Middle ear infections are common in children. Children tend to be weak, cold as they are still developing. This weakness, lack of energy, heat makes them more susceptible to cold and damp, external and internal.

Internally, the body is heated in many ways via digestion, circulation, locomotion, etc. all of which are heated fueled by blood, nutrients, protein and fat. Protein and fat build and fuel all structure and function.

Digestion is a major source of heat within the body. Three meals per day activate digestion, acid, enzymes and bile in the stomach and small intestines (twenty-two feet in length), which in turn, generates heat, much in the same way, a car engine heats the car. Heat from digestion naturally rises into the lungs, throat, mouth, nose, sinuses and ears, heating and drying.

The lungs (includes throat, nose, sinuses, etc.) are naturally moist. Moisture, water facilitates the exchange of gases (oxygen, carbon dioxide. Too much or too little weakens the exchange, which in turn, disrupts the breath and or causes infection, inflammation, etc.

Weak digestion (common in children) generates less heat, causing a temperature drop and subsequent cooling and moistening (water, mucous and phlegm) of the lungs, nose, throat, etc. In nature, te cold temperatures of evening, night time thicken and harden water in the air into the morning dew. In winter, cold temperatures thicken, harden water in the air into rain, snow and ice. In the body, colder temperatures thicken, harden water in the lungs, nose, throat ad sinuses into mucous and phlegm.

Low protein, low fat (milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, beans, nuts and seeds) and high carbohydrate diets, in the extreme, weaken, cool and dilute digestion (acid, enzymes), elimination (loose stools), respiration (mucous, phlegm), ears (water, infection, inflammation), immunity (tendency to catch colds), etc. Milk and cereal are cold damp as is orange juice. Hot cereals with a little cinnamon or ginger are more warming, building.

The middle diet, meal plan including spices (cumin, coriander fennel, cayenne, ginger, etc.) is recommended. Use spices in soups, stews, desserts, etc. Spices increase digestion and dry dampness: excess fluids: mucous, phlegm, loose stools, edema, cellulite, etc. Ginger or cinnamon can be used in cookies, desserts. Vegetables (carrots, yams) an fruits (apples, pineapple, etc.) can be used as sweeteners, to reduce sugar cravings. Cooked foods, soups, stews, protein and fat stimulate, warm the body: lungs, digestive organs etc Milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, ice cream, salads, tropical fruits, smoothies, shakes and cold drinks cool and moisten the body.

Middle diet, meal plan: preferably breakfast, lunch

+/- 1/3 Protein and fat

+/- 1/3 Grains (whole, cracked, noodles, bread)

+/- 1/3 Vegetables, cooked/ raw (3-5) and fruit (1)

+/- Spices(aid digestion)

+/- Soup (in the beginning) and or tea (at the end)

Garlic or peppermint oil drops in the ear are commonly used as they dry dampness while fighting infection. Ear cones, candles are used for the same reason. The candles are placed in the ear and set on fire. As the cone, candle burns down, it absorbs water, dries the ear. There are different types of ear candles. Ear candles with wax may drip excess wax into the ears.

About The Author

Web: http://www.wordpress.com/richardheft, Acupuncture Physician (FL 1992- 2002), owner, operator, Food and Thought health food store, Hollywood, FL (1984- 2001), author, Hot and Cold Health (c) 2003

By Richard Heft

The following is based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). TCM is based on the theory, observation that everything, including the body is an ongoing balance of opposites, many of which we control through diet, herbs, exercise, thought, etc.

Learn the whole before attempting to diagnose and or treat the part (structure, function) as all the parts work together and many times share similar symptoms, diseases. Misdiagnosis and mistreatment are common in all medicines.

The body is not one structure and function but many that work together to produce greater structure and function. The immune system is not separate from digestion, absorption, blood, elimination, etc. Most autoimmune illnesses (Candida Albicans, Fibromyalgia, Epstein Barr Syndrome, Lupus, Crohn Disease, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Rheumatoid Arthritis, etc.) share similar symptoms: abdominal bloating, gas, loose stools, diarrhea, constipation, mucous, phlegm, swelling, edema, etc. They also tend to affect women, more so than men.

1. Lupus has the following symptoms: abdominal pain, weight loss, fatigue, skin rash, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation.

2. Crohn Disease has the following symptoms: pain in abdomen, right lower quadrant, appendix, diarrhea, nausea, fever, fatigue and or weight loss.

3. Fibromyalgia has the following symptoms: chronic, achy muscular pain, dizziness, fatigue, Irritable Bowel syndrome (abdominal pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation and or anorexia), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, etc.

4. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has the following symptoms: extreme fatigue, aching muscles and joints, headaches, low blood pressure, fever, loss of appetite, upper respiratory infections, nasal congestion, mucous, phlegm, Candidiasis, intestinal problems, depression, anxiety, etc.

Most autoimmune illnesses progress in stages. Stage 1 is poor diet. Poor diet tends to cause indigestion (Stage 2). Indigestion tends to cause poor elimination (Stage 3) and blood deficiency (Stage 4), and in the extreme, months, years later, autoimmune illnesses (Stage 5). Autoimmune illnesses are chronic in nature. All chronic (long-lasting diseases) take time (months, years) to develop and cure.

Poor diet (1) weakens digestion. Digestion transforms and transports food, nutrients into blood, structure and function. Weak digestion transforms and transports less, reducing nutrient absorption, blood causing fatigue, pallor, pain, numbness, inflammation, weight loss, etc., while also slowing the movement of food (abdominal bloating, pain, gas, nausea and or vomiting) and stools (loose stools, diarrhea, and or constipation). It also tends to create sour, musty body odor.

Weak digestion (2) also increases waste product, as all food, nutrients, non-nutrients, not digested, absorbed become waste, sent, moved down into the large intestine, for temporary storage and eventual elimination. All waste product, especially animal protein and fat, are poisonous, toxic (Ama). Daily elimination is necessary; otherwise, re-absorption of wastes, posions into the bloodstream and lymph system may occur.

Weak elimination (3) increases the likelihood of toxins in the large intestine reabsorbing back into the blood and lymph. In the extreme, autointoxication, weakening of the immune system (5), producing antibodies that attack healthy tissues and other body materials. The large intestine tends to be the breeding ground for autoimmune illnesses.

The body digests food and transforms nutrients into blood, structure and function. There are only two kinds of nutrients: building and cleansing. Protein and fat build, thicken, fuel, hold, heat, etc. Long-term low protein, low fat and high carbohydrate diets (fruit, vegetables, grains) tends to thin and weaken the blood, which then thins and weakens all structure function, digestion, elimination, immunity, circulation, etc. etc.

(4) Blood, protein and fat deficiency (thin blood and or reduced circulation), in the extreme, tends to cause fatigue, pallor, pain, numbness, inflammation, weight loss, indigestion, constipation, autoimmune illnesses, etc. High carbohydrate diets (bread, salads, tropical fruits, juices, smoothies, cold drinks, etc.), in the extreme, tend to dilute and weaken digestion, reducing nutrient absorption, blood, while increasing watery wastes.

Autoimmune illnesses in general tend to attack women more than men. Many women tend to eat low protein, low fat (milk, yogurt, soft cheese, etc.) and high carbohydrate (salads, tropical fruits, juices, smoothie, etc.) diets. They also menstruate lose blood regularly, three to seven days every month for thirty plus years, from the first menses to the last, menopause. The combination of diet and menstruation tends to make women more susceptible to blood deficiency, weak digestion, elimination, immunity, etc. Autoimmune illnesses (Stage 5) are generally cold, deficient (under-built, over-cleansed) in nature.
Drugs, surgery and chronic illness may also be a factor.

The middle diet, meal plan, adjusted accordingly is recommended. Reduce raw, eat more cooked (lightly, crunchy, not soft, except hard squashes) vegetables 3- 5 per meal, organic if possible, broccoli, kale, collard greens, carrots with tops, cabbage, celery, cauliflower, hard squashes, etc. Avoid tomatoes, potatoes and eggplant. Cook with spice (cumin, coriander, fennel, cardamon, turmeric, cayenne, ginger, cinnamon, etc.). Use several at a time (soups, stews, desserts, etc.). Reduce dairy, increase chicken, turkey, eggs and or hard cheese. Check with your doctor before making any changes in the way you eat.

About The Author

Web: http://www.wordpress.com/richardheft, Acupuncture Physician (FL 1992- 2002), owner, operator, Food and Thought health food store, Hollywood, FL (1984- 2001), author, Hot and Cold Health (c) 2003