EAR INFECTION

Ear Infection

Human ear is divided into three sections – outer ear, middle ear and the inner ear. Ear infection is often the reason to visit a ear specialist. There are two main types of ear infection – otitis media and otitis externa. Otitis media is the infection of the middle ear, found mainly among infants and children. Otitis externa also known as swimmer’s ear is the infection of the external ear. Ear infection is more commonly seen in boys and in winter season. Ear infection is not contagious.

Symptoms for otitis media

Following are the symptoms for otitis media
• Pain and itch in the infected ear
• Fever and falling sick
• Hearing problem in the infected ear
• Dizziness in some cases
• Fluid discharge from the infected ear
• Vomiting.

Symptoms for otitis externa

Following are the symptoms of otitis externa
• Itch in the infected ear
• Discharge from the infected ear
• Pain getting more severe by movement of the ear lobe or the jaw
• Temporary reduction in hearing
• Slight fever
• Inflammation in the ear.

Causes for otitis media

The main cause of otitis media is blockage of the Eustachian tube due to cold, allergy or some foreign particles in the ear. This causes fluid to build up in the middle ear. This fluid can cause swelling of the ear drum if infected by the virus. If adenoid glands interfere with the Eustachian tube it will cause otitis media. Weak immune system will not cure the infection.

Causes for otitis externa

Otitis externa is caused by the bacteria or fungi. Moist and wet conditions are favorable for the growth of these bacteria or fungi. Frequent swimming or exposure to water increases the chances of infection. Skin allergies can also cause otitis externa.

Other causes of ear infection

Besides all these some other factors like nutritional deficiency, allergy and other infections may also cause ear infection.

Remedies for infected ear

Put few drops of garlic juice into the infected ear. Use blow dryer from about 12 to 15 inches from your head, this will remove any water trapped in the Eustachian tube. Put some olive oil on the warm spoon; put 2 to 3 drops of this in each ear. Put few drops of lobelia extract into the infected ear and rub it gently. Wash your ear using colloidal silver, it is a natural antibiotic. Slightly warm one teaspoon of juice of the mango leaf and put it into the infected ear drop by drop.

Take Vitamin C and increase zinc intake

Take vitamin C to boost your immune system, it will help you to combat infection. Increase Zinc intake, it reduces ear infection. Eat a healthy diet with lots of calcium in it. Avoid processed foods and hydrogenated oils. Stress on breast feeding for infection in infants.

Other suggestions for ear infection

Avoid going in front of any one smoking because cigarette smoke can block Eustachian tubes. Avoid accompanying people suffering from cold. Wash your hands regularly. Avoid touching nose and eyes

 

TURN YOUR BRAIN INTO POWERFUL THINKING MACHINE

10 AMAZINGLY SIMPLE TRICKS TO TURN YOUR BRAIN INTO A POWERFUL THINKING MACHINE

There are two basic principles to keep your brain healthy and sharp as you age: variety and curiosity. When anything you do becomes second nature, you need to make a change. If you can do the crossword puzzle in your sleep, it’s time for you to move on to a new challenge in order to get the best workout for your brain. Curiosity about the world around you, how it works and how you can understand it will keep your brain working fast and efficiently. Use the ideas below to help attain your quest for mental fitness.

 

1. Read a Book

Pick a book on an entirely new subject. Read a novel set in Egypt. Learn about economics. There are many excellent popular non-fiction books that do a great job entertaining you while teaching about a subject. Become an expert in something new each week. Branch out from familiar reading topics. If you usually read history books, try a contemporary novel. Read foreign authors, the classics and random books. Not only will your brain get a workout by imagining different time periods, cultures and peoples, you will also have interesting stories to tell about your reading, what it makes you think of and the connections you draw between modem life and the words.

 

2. Play Games

Games are a wonderful way to tease and challenge your brain. Suduko, crosswords and electronic games can all improve your brain’s speed and memory. These games rely on logic, word skills, math and more. These games are also fun. You’ll get benefit more by doing these games a little bit every day-spend 15 minutes or so, not hours.

 

3. Use Your Opposite Hand

Spend the day doing things with your non-dominant hand. If you are left-handed, open doors with your right hand. If you are right-handed, try using your keys with your left. This simple task will cause your brain to lay down some new pathways and rethink daily tasks. Wear your watch on the opposite hand to remind you to switch.

 

4. Learn Phone Numbers

Our modem phones remember every number that calls them. No one memorizes phone numbers anymore, but it is a great memory Skill. Learn a new phone number everyday.

 

5. Eat for Your Brain

Your brain needs you to eat healthy fats. Focus on fish oils from wild salmon, nuts such as walnuts, seeds such as flax seed and olive oil. Eat more of these foods and less saturated fats. Eliminate transfats completely from your diet.

 

6. Break the Routine

We love our routines. We have hobbies and pastimes that we could do for hours on end. But the more something is second nature, the less our brains have to work to do it. To really help your brain stay young, challenge it. Change routes to the grocery store, use your opposite hand to open doors and eat dessert first. All this will force your brain to wake up from habits and pay attention again.

7. Go a Different way

Drive or walk a different way to wherever you go. This little change in routine helps the brain practice special memory and directions. Try different side streets go through stores in a different order anything to change your route.

8. Learn a New Skill

Learning a new skill works multiple areas of the brain. Your memory comes into play, you learn new movements and you associate things differently. Reading Shakespeare, learning to cook and building an airplane out of tooth picks all will challenge your brain and give you something to think about.

 

9. Make Lists

Lists are wonderful. Making lists helps us to associate items with one another. Make a list of all the places you have traveled. Make a list of the tastiest foods you have eaten. Make a list of the best presents you have been given. Make one list every day to jog your memory and make new connections. But don’t become too reliant on them. Make your grocery list, but then try to shop without it. Use the list once you have put every item you can think of in your cart. Do the same with your “to do” lists.

 

10. Choose a new skill

Find something that captivates you that you can do easily in your home and doesn’t cost too much. Photography with a digital camera, learning to draw, learning a musical instrument learning new cooking styles, or writing are all great choices.

 

REST SMART

Rest Smart

 

Once there were a group of men, a young hot-blooded guy and a big number of old folks, doing timber job in a jungle (i.e. chopping down trees).

This young chap is very hard working. He always continues to work through his break time and complains that those old folks were wasting time, having to break few times a day to drink and chat. As times goes by, this young guy noticed that even though he worked thru’ break time and hardly took a rest… those old folks are chopping the same amount of trees as he did and sometimes did more than he did. It was as if those old folks work thru’ the break time as he did. So he decided to work harder the next day…unfortunately the results were even worse.

One day, one of the old folk invited him for a drink during their break time. That young guy refused and said he has no extra time to spend! Then the old man smiled to him and said it was just a waste of effort to keep chopping trees without re-sharpening your knife. Sooner or later you will give up or be as exhausted as you have spent too much energy.

Suddenly the young man realized that actually during break times while those old folks were having a chat, they were also re-sharpening their knife at the same time! And that’s how they can chop faster than him and yet spending lesser time! The old man said what we need is efficiency by making use of our skill and ability intelligently. Only then can we have more times to do other things.

Otherwise you will always keep saying … I have no time!

The morale of the story: By taking a short break during work, it would make you feel fresher, think well and work better after the break! (Or am I just finding excuse to take a break). But by taking a break, it is not to stop work but to rest and re-think our strategy to go about it from another angle. Think smart, work smart and rest smart.