Does my chronic ear infection have anything to do with eating RAW?

[tartscout]

I started eating raw foods about 3-4 weeks ago. Since then I have had chronic ear infections. I am wondering if this is some kind of an allergic reaction to nuts. I have cheated on the diet, but cant tell if my "cheats" are a part of the problem or solution or totally irrelivant.

I have been put on huge doses of antibiotics but I can tell the ear infection is not gone.

Are these ear infections a result/symptom/allergy/detox/side effect of eating raw foods??? Any suggestions would be SUPER appreciated.

OH, I am also having a metal taste in my mouth, which I have read is detox.

[Revvell]

What is your food program like? Even with knowing that, everyone here will only be guessing, not knowing what else you're doing yet, it's a start.

[livingit]

Poor diet, prescription drugs (especially antibiotics), fluoride and chlorine in our drinking water, destroy the good intestinal flora in our intestinal tract and allow the bad bacteria such as candida to flourish. Side effects from an out of control candida problem are allergies, yeast infection, fungus, acne, etc. Recollonating your intestinal tract with good bacteria is the center of a strong immune system. A good quality probiotic (not antibiotic) with at least 6-10 billion cfu's per capsule taken regularly will fight any kind of infection. Go extra heavy in the beginning until the infection subsides and then taper off gradually. Some years ago the whole side of my face was swollen from an absessed tooth and I couldn't see a dentist because it was the weekend. A friend who is a nutrionist suggested I take 2 capsules every hour with some spirulina, and within 10-12 hours the pain and swelling were completely gone. Viola! no dentist. I order mine from vitacost.com. They have the NSI 10-20 brand for $10 dollars, depending on your budget they have some with more potency. For regular maintenance I use Primal Defense from Garden of Life. They're a heartier form of probiotic.

[tartscout]

WoW thanks for the help. So, even though I have been eating about 90% raw about 4 dyas in a row, then a "not reall bad cheat" the next 2 days- That is still considered a poor diet and is still harmful? You said allergies, yeast and fungus are side effects fr candida. BUt you did not say ear infections??? If I have had candida now then wouldnt I have had it all along? The reason I ask this is because that would indicate previous ear infections. This is the first ear infection I have ever had and this past month is the healthiest I have ever eaten.
Pleasse understand, Im not trying to question your wonderful advice just trying to figure out this new lifestyle, Im just new at this...yall probably think these questions are rediculous.

[tartscout]

OH and is it ok to start probiotics emmediately after I have been on antibiotics and steroids? Or do I need to wait a while? If so, how long?

[Tenuviel]

Hi there! sorry you have been feeling so sick...:( Was your doctor positive you have an actual infection, or did he prescribe antibiotics just to cover one in case present? I'm only asking, because when I first went raw, and another time I did a week of oregano oil + month of candisol, and most recently when I did a grapefruit juice feast for a week, my ears got plugged up, painful, sore itchy throat, achy muscles esp. in neck, low grade fevers that would come and go. Every time was a time I was detoxing, but not actually sick, although I felt like it. You only feel the detox symptoms (herxheim reaction) when the baddies are dying off in numbers that are too large to process out of your body fast enough. the reaction can also happen when taking medicine to treat lyme's disease, and others with antibiotics. The amount of time it takes to get over it Depends on the amount of inflammation in your system before the detox phase begins.

It took me about 3 weeks to start feeling better, from the time symptoms start, about 4 to 5 days in. Anyway, the probiotics regimine above sounds like a good plan.. keep the gut healthy, and there will be less nasties hanging about to give you colds, flu, etc. ;)


I just read you are on steroids... do you have an immune illness? I was on steroids long ago, and I found they lowered my immune system and was catching every flu and cold that would go around work. As for the raw... I would say there is no problem starting back up as soon as you want! There is no way that fresh fruits and vegetables could make infections worse, unless you are really allergic to one of them. Go for it! :)

[Revvell]

OH and is it ok to start probiotics immediately after I have been on antibiotics and steroids?

There's the potential cause of your problem!

Personally, I'd get on probiotics while on anything else ....

[tartscout]

What a wealth of information yall have given me!!!!!

Oh....How interesting that you ask::::"Was your doctor positive you have an actual infection, or did he prescribe antibiotics just to cover one in case present?"
Because he seemed perplexed and said well they do look dry. He gave me some antibiotic drops that didnt work. The pain became so intense that I only called back for another script didnt go back in. That is when he gave me the steroids and 1500mg Cipro-enough to knock out a horse.

"My ears got plugged up, painful, sore itchy throat, achy muscles esp. in neck, low grade fevers that would come and go." These are like, almost my exact symptoms except I would get nauseated too and sensitivity to light. But the fevers are weird like I really dont have one....but I do, and very random. Does that sound right?

Did you later get a metallic taste in your mouth? Like 3 weeks after the onset of your ear pain??

OK now not quite understanding the regimen that you used to heal/sooth your ears?

"a week of oregano oil + month of candisol" Did you put this in your ear????? or did you drink this??? And if so how much a day and how many times a day? Did it cure your ear problems?

[Tenuviel]

cipro is really nasty stuff.... there are all kinds of lawsuits from people who have used it, and their achillies tendons burst for no reason! I wonder why docs still prescribe that particular one :confused: oregano oil is a natural antibiotic (wild oregano) you can use it externally if it is 100% pure, but is very very strong and can be very irritating to skin and mucous membranes. So i have used it on cuts one small drop diluted in lots of water on a cotton ball. and one small drop in a big glass of water to drink. I would not recommend putting in your ear. people use it for virulent bacterial infections, but you need to bounce back with probiotics as well. SOme also use it to kill candida, and it can actually detox you and give you yucky symptoms for a bit while your body cleans house.
I prefer olive leaf extract as it stops viruses from replicating in the body, plus bacteria, but isn't as harsh as the oregano oil. Take good care of yourself, rest, and drink lots of water... rest is the most important thing... are you able to stay home and relax til you're better?

Turmeric powdered or fresh grated root (juice squeezed out) is also really good for infections... it is the most gentle on the system and not only kills bacteria but reduces inflammation, headache, achiness as well. I mix 1/2 powder tsp. in a large glass of warm water with a pinch of black pepper. The pepper helps the body absorb the turmeric better. If you can get a fresh root (at asian markets usually) grate a 1" piece and pour very hot water over it, (need hot to release the oils) and drink the same way. I've had great success with all 3 of these remedies.. the turmeric is the easiest, cheapest, and least processed.. still works great though :)

[livingit]

We all have candida. It's actually beneficial when at the right ratio which I believe is about 80/20. It's when that balance is disrupted for the reasons I described earlier that it begins to rear its ugly head so to speak. I knew a woman whose entire body was taken over by candida. She was what is called I believe an EI (environmentally ill) person. She shut herself up in her house and in her car with the windows closed always using air purifiers. The slightest wiff of any chemical (even someone wearing ferfume) would send her into toxic shock. She finally found a place to live in the mountains. I would say most people have a candida imbalance and wind up seeing doctors to treat all sorts of symptoms instead of getting to the root of the problem. All health first starts in the gut. Your doing something healthy and as a result your detoxifying too fast. Headaches, nausea, infections are signs that your body is cleaning itself out, which is good, but why suffer?