Ear Infection, Could It Be Fungus?

I’m certainly not alone; many children will experience some type ear infection  in their lives. According to The Mayo Clinic’s website, ear infections are typically viral or bacterial and usually require antibiotic use. Interestingly, some of the risk factors include bottle feeding (in the case of infants) and poor air quality – two factors that have the potential to be linked to fungus.

The diet of young children has been in steady decline for years; kids live on a steady diet of processed grains, sugar and food dyes. A diet rich in grains and sugar is a diet that is prone to mycotoxin exposure; it is also a diet that would fuel a pathogenic fungal infection. Indoor air, especially if a home has experienced a leak or any water damage, is prone to being polluted by fungal spores or airborne mycotoxins.

As was my own case, ear infections can become a chronically occurring problem, requiring round after round of antibiotics. Eventually though, one has to conclude that If the antibiotics aren’t fixing the problem, perhaps something else is at the root of these infections. Antibiotics are designed to fight bacterial infections; if a fungus is at the root of your ear problems, continuing to take antibiotics may just be fueling the fire.

Chronic use of antibiotics has been shown to put kids at risk for a number of things later in life. Most recently, studies have linked antibiotic use with childhood obesity. Multiple rounds of antibiotics also do nothing to mitigate the risk of your child developing problems with fungus. Obviously, it is always best to follow the advice of a doctor when your child is sick. But antibiotics are indiscriminate bacterial killers; be sure to supplement their use with probiotics to keep the flora in the gut in balance.

Furthermore, sometimes a good defense is the best offense. Changing or modifying your children’s diet to exclude grains, corn, sugar and potatoes in favor of organic grass fed meat, vegetables and limited fruits will go a long way. Include some natural anti-fungals, such as olive leaf extract. Fortify their immune system with a good multivitamin, beta glucan, probiotics and fish oil. These steps may go a long way towards preventing trips to the doctor.

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