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The Body's Way

body's way blog

Dear 21 year-old self

Trust your body. Treat your mind & body better. Get adequate rest. Eat REAL food. Give your body time to fight. Olive oil and garlic helps tremendously.

If I could have known all of these things 11 years ago, maybe I wouldn’t have struggled with constant ear pressure and discomfort for an entire decade of my life! I have a firsthand story to share with you when it comes to treating an ear infection the “conventional” way vs. the Body’s way.


 

Rewind to the week in October 2008 when little ol’ me was heading off to start my future at Palmer College of Chiropractic. Marley and I were officially moving to Iowa that weekend to begin our grueling 3.5 year journey to becoming Doctors of Chiropractic. Keep in mind, my Bachelors degree from the University of Northern Colorado was a B.S. in Chemistry with an emphasis in pre-med. I had been extensively educated on “science” and “chemical reactions” and “anatomy/physiology”, etc., but yet I had NO actual idea about how the body truly works and the importance of the NERVOUS SYSTEM when it comes to true healing and optimal health.

Anyway, back to 2008… we had just finished loading up our Budget truck and were planning to head 800 miles across the country in the next few days to Davenport, IA BUT there was one tiny problem. I woke up that morning with tremendous ear pain and pressure, along with other typical “cold-like” symptoms. {My pediatrician always told me that I was one of those kids who waited to complain about pain in my ear until it was a severe infection.} You see, I remember a handful of times when I was growing up that my mom took me to my Doctor for ear pain and he would say, “your ear is so infected that I’m surprised your eardrum hasn’t burst yet!” So, he would prescribe me some antibiotics and send me on my way. So of course, when I woke up that particular morning, I called into my pediatrician’s office right away and they squeezed me in before it was time for me to get on the road.

Dr. Marley and I during the summer 2008


 

At that appointment, I was prescribed the “Z Pack”(Azithromycin), which I happily took because I was hoping for the quick fix! Aren’t we all?! Ya know, I had no time to be sick when I had to move to a new state and start Graduate School with 33 credit hours per trimester, right?! I remember this particular dosage was a pack of 5-6 pills that I took properly, as prescribed. Within about 48 hours of beginning the medication, the pain in my ear was resolving, but my ear still felt very clogged…like when you’re up in the mountains and your ears needs to pop. Since that week back in 2008, my ears have never returned to “normal.” I tried everything, and I mean everything (even earwax candles)! And nothing really seemed to help. It wasn’t until several years later that I started getting regular Gonstead Chiropractic adjustments (thanks Dr. Marley) ;) + cleaned up my diet + got back into exercising regularly + fixed my disrupted college sleeping patterns that I finally got some relief!

Here’s where the true “life lesson” comes into play. I struggled with that ear pressure for over a decade. A decade! Nonstop. My ear constantly felt plugged up, full of pressure, and absolutely annoying. It’s just been in the past year that the pressure has finally improved. I still have problems with my ears, just not constantly. Driving in the mountains? Forget it! Little sniffles or sinus pressure – it’s back! The point is, after 11 years, I am still struggling with the repercussions of something as simple as an EAR INFECTION…all because I tried to interfere with my body’s ability to heal and instead used a drug to try and speed up the process.


 

Fast forward to May 2019 – my next “ear infection”. I haven’t had pain like that in my ears for over a decade; I almost forgot what it felt like! The intense pressure build-up, the nonstop ache, and burning behind the ear drum…..oh yeah. I remember now. But this time, I did things different. I listened to my body by resting, taking some time off work, hydrating, taking my supplements (most importantly: Sineaid use code: MS01), nourishing my body with real food, and using a homemade olive oil/garlic tincture. And WOW! My intense ear pain resolved in less than 24 hours! The pressure took an extra few days, and voilà – my body took care of it! Within less than a WEEK, my body returned to my normal state of health! It’s not magic. It’s not rocket science. It is patience, listening to my body, trusting the process, addressing the toxicities/deficiencies, and resting.

My hope is that after reading this, you think twice or {three times} before you take an unnecessary antibiotic. Maybe give your body 48 hours BEFORE making an appointment for ear pain (like the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends)! Because the TRUTH is that ear infections aren’t always bacterial and they don’t always need “treated”. And we all know about the SUPERBUG issue that we are facing with the over-prescription of antibiotics, but that’s for another Blog!


 

If you’re looking for a better way to better health, try Chiropractic! We’d be honored to help you and your family on your health journeys. Call or text our office at 307-632-3525 or check us out online here. Plus, we’d love to see you on Facebook or Instagram (@livinwellfamilychiro) too! Remember, our bodies are intelligent, and healthy is NORMAL. If you’re not happy with your health, we’re ready to help!

To your health, happiness, and life,

Dr. Heather Smith DC CACCP

 

 

 

 

2 Join the Conversation

  1. Megan Renegar says
    May 12, 2019 at 2:55 PM

    Dr. Heather, sure would love the recipe for the olive oil and garlic concoction! And how you used it exactly. Thanks Megan

    • info@livinwellchiro.com says
      May 13, 2019 at 8:51 AM

      It was simple. 2 Tablespoons of EVOO, warmed until slightly less than a simmer. One crushed clove of garlic. Stir until you can easily smell the garlic fumes. That's it! Then I used a dropper and Dr. Marley put a few drops directly into my ear.

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