Frequent ear infections are one of the most common maladies for babies and small children. They can cause sleepless nights, headaches, and even hearing loss and developmental delays depending on their frequency and severity.
As parents cope with their sick child and the risks and benefits of treatment options, they often find themselves on a slippery slope of choices. Pediatricians usually treat ear infections with antibiotics but whether they actually help reduce the severity and duration of an ear infection is a controversial topic. Parents often become concerned about administering antibiotics over and over again to their baby or toddler, and the lasting affects on their child’s immunity system.

There are several alternative treatments available for ear infections, but the mainstream medical community does not endorse them. One mother suggested putting breast milk in baby’s ear to treat ear infections. I thought this must be an old wives tale, but low and behold, found the same recommendation on several web sites. Colloidal Silver was also suggested along with hydrogen peroxide drops in the ears. One mom I surveyed warned not to use a humidifier but a vaporizer instead in baby’s room because a bacterium doesn’t grow as fast with hot moisture and humidifiers grow bacteria rapidly with cold moisture.

In weighing up the pros and cons of ear tubes there are many success stories from parents who saw dramatic improvement and enjoyed relief after the surgery. No one reported any horror stories of the moms I surveyed. One mom did report she had her daughter’s pediatrician take the tubes out instead of the ear nose and throat specialist and it did cause pain and bleeding so if they don’t fall out, parents should consider going back to the specialist.

The risk of any surgery includes the risks of anesthesia or an allergic reaction and should not be taken lightly. Parents should check out the record of the ear, nose and throat specialist along with the anesthesiologist on the AMA website to make sure they have a great track record. Parents should also check out the out patient facility’s credentials if surgery will not be performed in a hospital.

Parents are faced with many challenging decisions during the course of raising a child to adulthood. It makes sense for them to do their homework, gather the facts, research treatment options, and then finally trust themselves to make the best medical decision for their child.

An oxyhydrogen car is a genius solution to a fundamental problem. We can no longer extract natural resources as expediently and cheaply as we could in days gone by. More readily available fuel sources must be tapped. In most parts of the Western world, what is easier to get your hands on than water?

An oxyhydrogen car still remains a hybrid technology. It is possible that that will change with future developments. As it is, you can still save a sweet 40% to 60% at the gas station by installing your own kit.

How To Make An Oxyhydrogen Car

Before investing time and money in anything else, you simply must download a professional and fully detailed instruction manual. Trying to make do without one is simply like opening a Pandora’s box. It may be fine, if still very frustrating, for tinkering about on a jalopy, but is quite impractical for your mainstay vehicle.

Your manual will tell you how to locate a proton exchange mechanism, a plastic membrane, a metal electrolyzer, the right type of hose, an amperage controller and electrical wire.

The car battery, the HHO generator, the ignition and the control unit are wired up and earthed. The Brown’s gas reservoir is connected, intersected by a vaporizer, to the carburetor. The bubbler extracts any stray moisture from the system. When the vehicle is fired up, electricity shoots through the water in the cell.

The H2O reacts with the cathode and anode of the catalyst from where oxygen and hydrogen fizz away to collect in the dome of the chamber and mingle into gradations of Klein gas. This fuel is funnelled to the engine’s carburetor where it burns five times more efficiently than standard gasoline. Save your dollars and give it a try today.

Contemporary healers, therapists, and marketing gurus are grabbing hold of a phenomenon that insects and animals instinctively understand: the power of aroma.

Scientists pursue aromachology (the study of scent and its ability to change human behavior) for its role in everything from medicine to marketing, migraines to memory loss, and relaxation to revitalization.

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils to treat ailments. These conditions range from physical conditions to emotional problems. From headaches to herpes. Dry skin to acne. Arthritis to asthma. The essential oils of aromatherapy are extracted from aromatic plants and herbs–from the flower, bark, root, twig, seed, berry, rhizome, or leaves–generally through a process of steam distillation. These oils may be inhaled or massaged into the skin, after combining with a vegetable, nut or seed oil.

Massage with essential oils is most commonly used to alleviate skin ailments and muscle pain or tension. Lavender, orange, marjoram, and chamomile are particularly effective aromas in the use of massage.

Essential oils can be inhaled with the help of a vaporizer, an electric diffuser or an aroma lamp.

–>How does it work?

Our sense of smell is more complex than you might think. Your nose contain thousands of olfactory nerves. While your tongue has the ability to taste sweet, sour, salt, and bitter, it is your sense of smell that creates all the delightful flavors you experience. The olfactory bulb is part of your brain’s limbic system, which is not under conscious control. The limbic system controls digestion, libido, and emotions.

So, it’s not your imagination that scents evoke emotion. Aromas actually trigger the release of chemicals in the brain that create a feeling of well-being. Scientists say your body’s response to an aroma takes just four seconds.

–>Which Essential Oils are Right for You?
Essential oils are available in natural and synthetic forms. Natural essential oils are not oils but non-oily, non-water-soluble substances, which dissolve in alcohol and combine with true oils. Pure, natural essential oils may be as much as 70 times more potent than the plant source itself.

Some synthetics are derived from natural products. The exact formulation of an essential oil is virtually impossible to reproduce in the laboratory. Even the smallest variation can produce significant changes in the oil’s effect. Some synthetic oils fall into the category of artificial fragrances, entirely made of petroleum products. These products generally do not produce the same therapeutic effects as essential oils.

Each essential oil is comprised of different hormones and vitamins, which combine to create different effects. Furthermore, the effects of each essential oil can vary depending on the botanical species and where it is grown. The effects of particular aromas also vary among cultures and individuals, so the results of aromatherapy are not universal. Still, aromatherapists have developed a roster of scents with relatively predictable effects:

Aphrodisiacs
Jasmine, ylang ylang, patchouli

Energizers
lemon, basil, bergamot, sweet orange, peppermint, eucalyptus,
tangerine

Hair Care
(dry hair) cedarwood
(normal hair) lavender, ylang ylang
(oily hair) rosemary, lemongrass

PMS
cedarwood, clary sage, fennel, geranium, nerali, Roman chamomile

Relaxation
lavender, myrrh, cardamom, cedarwood, German chamomile, clary sage,
frankincense

Skin Care
(all skin types) Lavender, geranium, ylang ylang
(dry skin) rosemary, rosewood, carrot seed, sandalwood, peppermint,
rosemary
(oily skin) basil, eucalyptus, cedarwood, cypress, lemongrass,
ylang ylang, sage

Scented products are used in many different areas around the home and also for the body. They have been in use for many centuries. As part of mans survival he quickly learnt that plants were useful and he discovered which ones he could use for health and which ones would affect his well being. Many of these origins are obscure as people were interested in keeping the survival of the species alive and these discoveries were handed down from one generation to the next. From very basic information people would notice which plants made them ill, which were safe to eat and which ones made them feel healthier. As people moved to new areas they built a knowledge of their environment and started to use it to their advantage.

At first it would have just been flowers and plants that people may have used in their homes and maybe some of the oils were rubbed on their bodies. Even the smoke from burning certain products left a scent that was used as an insect repellent or an aroma to help heal some ailments. Scented products have been used on a regular basis for religious ceremonies so many of the products that were used would have been revered and sacred.

It was not until about the 10th century that the skills of oil distillation were learnt to harvest the pure essential oils. Many aromatic plants contain essential oils which have been used to calm, relax and even sedate. On the other side of things they have also been used to refresh and stimulate the mind and body. Once the healing properties of these essential oils were discovered they became very popular.

Essential Oils

The essential oils are a natural and volatile substance that has many beneficial properties. The oil evaporates easily into the air, releasing their aromas freely, just as if someone has brushed against a plant. The easiest way to utilize these oils to create a fragrance for the home is to use a vaporizer or oil burner. A bowl with some warm water in it can have a few drops of essential oils added to it and the scent will waft gently through the home, especially if there is an open window near by. An oil burner is a small vessel that can hold a small amount of water with a few drops of essential oils that can be positioned above a small heat source, something like a small candle that will heat the water and oil gently so that it evaporates slowly into the atmosphere and cause a subtle lingering aroma around the home. Make sure that the oil burner is positioned away from the reach of children and inflammable materials. If you choose the appropriate essential oil then you can affect the mood of the people in the home at the time of using the oil burner.

One of the best ways to create a relaxing atmosphere is to place a few drops of essential oils in a bath of warm water to soak and relax in. The oils need to be diluted in some vegetable oil, cream or full cream milk before adding to the bath water and the best way to do this is to wait till the bath is nearly full and then pour the diluted mix near the running water to help disperse the oils in the bath and to help release the aromas into the air. Adding the essential oils to the bath water is also a successful way of aiding the healing process during illness.

Because aromatherapy has a relaxing affect on the body it allows the body to be in a calmer state and so the healing process starts to work. Stress has a debilitating affect on us and allows things like yeast infections to take hold and weaken our immune systems. By using proven natural therapies like aromatherapy we can start to place remedies in place that will give the body enough defenses to fight back and subtly regenerate ourselves to the health we should all be aiming for.

Nasal congestion is caused by cold, flue or allergy or even due to dry air and air pollution. Suffering will be due to swelling of nasal membrane and too much mucus production inside the nose creating obstacles for draining mucus produced in sinus cavities. Difficulties in breathing easily with a feeling of hitch to draw in air into lungs make one bound to inhale air through mouth. This congestion also causes tremendous headache that increases the suffering.

Staying in an air conditioned room supplied with pure filtered air is also a remedy to nasal congestion. Some other methods are application of different types of Vaporizers using water especially treated by adding vinegar or Vicks-style menthol salve. The Vaporizer which uses cool water is for children who cannot bear the heat of steam. But in the absence of the Vaporizer it can be done by breathing over a container of boiling water and herbs or vinegar.

Also by consumption of spicy or pungent food such as chicken soup laced with heavy doses of black pepper and ethnic foods known for spiciness, spicy Mexican, Chinese or Indian dishes containing hot peppers can be consumed as remedial measure. Consumption of century-old recipe for basil tea is another adds on to the list. Some of the vegetables liker tomato tea deliciousness, peeled garlic cut and then placed into the nostril and then to inhale the smell for 10/15 minutes resulting in opening of nose are very effective.

For children by placing a teaspoon of cardamom seeds on hot coal and then inhaled. The smoke of this reduces the nasal congestion.

By alternate thrusting the tongue against the roof of the mouth, pressing between the eyebrows with one finger. This causes the bone that runs through the nasal passages to the mouth to rock back and forth. This should be exercised for 15 to 20 minutes. While sleeping as well one can take an extra pillow under the head to allow the person to breathe with comfort. This will result in relieving the congested nasal passages free. This problem can also be dealt with by the process of boiling water with salt. Water with salt is to be boiled and then to be poured in a sterilized container. One has to wait until it becomes warm. Then after taking that solution in an eye dropper couple of drops is to be put into each nostril. When it feels that salt water reaches the throat, one has to blow the nose hence by clearing the ceiling of nose.

All these home remedies are free from side effects and with regularity it will help in resolving the problem of nasal congestion.

Today, one in every four or five babies and toddlers suffer from dry skin. This makes them prone to more serious skin conditions such as eczema. Since their skin is more delicate than adults’ skin, it is important to know the ins and outs of skin care for them.

Causes of Baby Dry Skin

When the baby is born, she is initially covered in a slippery coat of amniotic fluid. During the first several days, her skin may still not be used to such a dry environment and develop patches of dry skin and redness. Dryness in the air, such as during winter and inside heated homes, can also strip her skin of moisture.

Doting parents may be tempted to give the baby daily baths to make sure she stays clean. What most people don’t know is that daily baths are unnecessary, and may actually harm and dry the skin even more. Summer is also a time for swimming in the pool and the ocean, especially for active toddlers. The salt and chlorine have drying effects on the skin and can cause rashes.

Prevention and treatment of baby dry skin

Adding a humidifier or vaporizer in the baby’s room will help control the moisture content in the air and help hydrate her dry skin. When the temperature gets too cold, it is often a better idea to give the baby more clothes to wear instead of turning the heat up; doing so will lower the humidity. During the summer, take steps to protect the baby from sunburn. Give her gloves or mittens during the winter, both to protect against dropping humidity levels and scratching.

When it comes to washing the baby, a bath every three or four days is actually enough to give her a measure of protection against dry skin. As the baby grows and begins to crawl and get dirty, a bath scheduled every other day is reasonable; just make sure to avoid bubble baths as much as possible, as soap and lather tends to dry the skin. It is often enough to simply sponge areas that look dry during the day.

While giving baby a bath, it is advisable to use warm water instead of hot, as hot water dries the skin. It is also a good idea to cut down the bath time to ten minutes or so-any longer will sap most of the moisture from her skin. Don’t use soap on the baby. Instead, use a soap-free, fragrance-free cleanser. Soap, as in every other possible case, dries the skin. Within a few minutes after the bath, pat her dry and apply a moisturizer, lotion, or emollient. This will lock in the moisture her skin took in from the bath and keep her skin supple until the next bath time. Make sure the moisturizer has no dyes and heavy perfumes, as these can irritate and dry skin.

When washing the baby’s clothes, wash them in a batch separate from the clothes of other members of the family. Do not use laundry soap and fabric softeners on her clothes, as the detergents can irritate her dry skin and cause allergies. Tea-tree oil and baking soda has been advised in the past as a substitute for laundry detergents. During the day, make sure the child isn’t dressed too tightly, and try to avoid any wool or nylon in her wardrobe. Wool, as well as other synthetic materials, has rough edges which easily causes irritation, especially on the baby’s delicate skin. Disposable and cloth diapers are both fine and acceptable for babies. There is only one rule to remember about diapers: if it’s wet, change it. Many parents leave disposable diapers on their babies for too long, until the core bursts and exposes the baby’s skin to more than just wetness.

Toddlers love to play in the water, and trips to the beach or the pool are often in order during the summer. To protect against dry skin caused by salt and chlorine, rinse the child completely in tap water after swimming, then apply a good moisturizer. As a general rule for children, the thicker the moisturizer, the better.

Consult your doctor

Regularly check your child’s skin for any dry skin and redness. While eczema is often treatable with regular applications of moisturizers, it is often best to see the child’s doctor if the redness does not disappear or if the child is always uncomfortable. Red, dry skin may also be an indication of icthyosis, a genetic medical condition. As dry skin gets worse, it may break, swell, or get infected.

It is always a good idea to consult with your doctor if your child’s dry skin problems worry you. Schedule a visit if her dry skin does not respond to home treatments.

HHO gas instructions get better and better. Manuals now are so good that even a technical imbecile like me has been able to build and fit a dozen HHO kits in cars and trucks for family and friends.

One of the great things about HHO gas is that works equally well on petroleum and diesel vehicles. No-one is excluded from saving a mountain of dollars. In these times when Macawberism is defunct, HHO manuals are easy to come by and well set out. The benefits are 25% to 50% savings on gas, $2,000 back from the IRS, less pollution and a longer lasting engine.

The Basics of HHO Gas

Apart from some electrical wire and hose, the critical elements of water car hybrids are an electronic control unit, an HHO generator and a vaporizer. The entire system should cost no more than $150.

The vaporizer is very straightforward. It simply sits between the HHO generator and the vehicle’s carburetor. It is there to avoid any vapor entering the engine and thereby protects it. The cost should be around $10.

The electronic control unit can be placed wherever you like. Most people mount it on or below the dashboard for easy access and monitoring. Other folk stash it out of site in the engine well. They can be as sophisticated as you like. Some simply show the amps traveling through the water in the HHO cell and should allow you to regulate it. Others can be more sophisticated, giving you an idea of what mile per gallon you are achieving. Anticipate spending between $15 and $40.

The HHO generator is where all the action takes place. An electrode (or catalyst) is placed inside CPVC housing or similar. The housing, or casing, should be resistant to high temperatures, which is why CPVC is ideal. The electrode can be formed from a number of metals. The most common are stainless steel and platinum. Think about $50 to $80 for this critical component. You need to do your own research, via your manual, about whether you want a coil or flat catalyst.

Apart from your own personal preference regarding the electronic control unit, everything can be fitted into the car well of almost any vehicle. It is important to make the generator as accessible as possible because it will need replenishing with water every couple of hundred miles and will also need cleaning each two to three months. It should be easily detachable and cleaning should take no more than a couple of minutes.

HHO Gas Manuals

HHO conversion manuals are easily obtained via the internet. Most are downloads and cost between $50 and $100. I actually found the downloads better than a bound book because it gave me the option to focus on the most relevant pages while doing my own conversions. Whether they are in color or not makes little practical difference.

Manuals on how to effect your own H2O conversion do vary in quality, but most are fine. All of them should have detailed instructions, good diagrams and a background explanation of the concepts of HHO technology.

Finding a good vaporizer is not easy. Most people first try the cheaper ones and get hugely disappointed. Sadly, the good vaporizers cost money and there are so many models to choose from. If you want a solid vaporizer that has proven its high quality standards for more than a decade, the Germans have the answer.

Storz & Bickel is a German manufacturer of herbal vaporizers. They come from a long tradition of making food safe products (products that are safe for the food industry, note that in Germany such regulations are of the strictest in the western world) and have been producing herbal vaporizers for over 13 years now.

So if you are looking for a vaporizer that has proven its high quality materials, safety and healthiness, Storz & Bickel is a good place to look at.

Their star product is the Volcano Vaporizer. Its aluminum heating system ensures an exact temperature control and its food safe materials guarantee the herbal vapors purity and flavor. Only when you can determine the exact heat of the air that steams the herbs, you can enjoy the desired effect you are looking for in the inhalation process.

The Volcano is also the only which has a patented valve system. The vapors fill a balloon from which later you inhale. It has a valve that allows you to ration the inhalation any way you want so you can measure the herbs’ effect. With other vaporizers, once you heat them up, the vapors escape a tube usually made of plastic and there’s practicably no way to administer the vapors.

Before I start this article, I want to make it clear that I’m not a medical doctor, and I do not work in any medical field! Should you have any questions or concerns about what I’m going to discuss in this article, please consult your physician.

So, with that behind us, let’s get started. Is it true that a humidifier, particularly a warm mist humidifier, can actually do something to treat the common cold? Well, let’s first start by getting rid of the notion that any of this can actually treat your cold. In fact, very few things in this world will actually cause the cold virus in your body to leave your system before it’s run its course. There is medical research pending on a variety of substances (particularly Zinc) to see if those substances will help the body get rid of the cold virus more quickly. Unfortunately, a humidifier, when used properly, will only help reduce your cold symptoms. In other words, it’ll make you feel better.

Yes, it’s true that many doctors will recommend that you use a humidifier or vaporizer when suffering from a cold. What the warm humid air does is cause your sinus cavities to slightly open up, helping all of that fluid and mucus drain just a little bit better. If you’re suffering from bronchitis or just have a nasty cough, that warm and humid air will help ease your bronchial passages and allow you to breathe more easily.

There are many other health benefits to using humidifiers when you’re sick, but I’ll leave the rest of that discussion to your doctor. Your doctor will help you decide whether a cool mist humidifier, warm mist humidifier, or a vaporizer is right for you and your particular symptoms. There are differences that may help one person’s cold, but not another.

When it comes to deciding watch type of humidifier is best for you you need to look at two simple things, and that is whether or not you want a mechanical humidifier or an ultrasonic humidifier. A mechanical humidifier works as the name implies on the use of the mechanism, which brings the humidity in the room up to a level which is comfortable, which can mean suffering less from dry skin and itchiness. High humidity can also help to protect the furniture, and this in itself can be a reason to buy a mechanical humidifier.

If you want to buy a mechanical humidifier one of the best places to begin your search it out some of the many online mechanical humidifier suppliers. This type of humidifier is one of the most common and you will probably find that there are many different types and styles of mechanical humidifier available to you. Some of the most well-known name include Crane mechanical humidifiers and Holmes humidifiers, and by looking at these two brands you will probably be able to find a humidifier which will suit your needs.

However, just because you choose a mechanical style humidifier compared with an ultrasonic or vaporize a style humidifier, it does not mean you have to do without some of the most modern humidifier developments. Some of the best mechanical humidifiers will also give the option of sending a cool mist into the room in order to actually add moisture into the area. Some of the best humidifiers will also have a steam vaporizer, which can really help with dry skin, a problem during the winter time for many people.

Another brand of mechanical humidifier that is worth looking at is the Hunter humidifier, since this model has a very good reputation for doing a great job and also being able to work for long periods. You want to find a humidifier that can really do the job for you, and in this case an auto shut off mechanical humidifier is probably something worth while considering.

Take time to look at some of the best brands on the market and make sure that they do have some extras, and not just the basic humidifier functions. Using steam and steam vaporizers can really make a difference to your comfort level.