Infant Thrush Natural Remedies - What's Safe and What's Not

If your baby has infant thrush or you have breastfeeding thrush, I know you want relief and you want relief fast. In this age of the internet there's so much great information available to moms who are seeking safe and natural remedies, but it can also be difficult to discern the good from the bad. After 15 years in the natural health industry, I've learned you really need to approach natural medicine, and even seemingly harmless home remedies, with a discerning eye - especially when it comes to baby and children.

In this article I'm not going to cover all of the risks of prescription drugs (anti-fungals) for infant thrush. But it's important to realize I definitely do not recommend using prescription anti-fungals as your first line of defense for thrush: they simply have too many dangerous side effects and are not effective at curing the root cause of the problem.

I'm a big fan of natural and alternative medicine and, generally speaking, it's far safer than western medicine. However, for natural and alternative remedies for thrush, I'd like to draw your attention to several natural remedies which are commonly recommended for infant and breastfeeding thrush which you need to steer clear of:

Gentian Violet: Gentian violet is so commonly recommended and from the feedback I've seen, is fairly effective at getting rid of oral thrush symptoms. HOWEVER, gentian violet is not really even natural - it's a petrol-derived product and its use is linked to increased long-term risk for oral cancer. Gentian violet can also cause mouth ulcers/sores when used excessively. In fact, the FDA has decided that gentian violet is not even safe to use as an additive in animal feed! I don't know about you, but I don't want to put something in my baby's mouth that's not even approved for animal feed!

Colloidal Silver: Colloidal silver is another popular fold remedy that I would stay away from, especially in the case of an infant or toddler. Colloidal silver is a metal, and can lead to a medical condition called agyria - a permanent darkening of the skin. Animal studies done on colloidal silver also raise significant concerns for me about its use in anyone, but especially babies and toddlers.

Tea tree oil/oregano oil: Tea tree and oregano oil are great products - but not for infant or breastfeeding thrush. Essential oils are very powerful medicine and must be used with caution. Tea tree oil is not recognized as safe for internal use and oregano oil is just way too harsh for a newborn's developing kidneys.

Nipple creams: These products look so appealing; after all, what breastfeeding mom with thrush would turn down a natural cream that's supposed to relieve your pain and discomfort? Unfortunately, the oily base of these creams is exactly what you don't want. This simply creates the right environment for the yeast to continue to grown.

Rebecca Haworth is a professional health writer with more than 15 years of experience in the alternative health industry. Her ebook, "The 3-Day Thrush Cure" is specifically designed to help breastfeeding mothers and babies suffering from thrush to overcome this problem quickly and naturally.

Natural Health - Natural Sleep Remedies

I'm a very lucky lady. I put my head on the pillow at night and I'm asleep immediately. I always wake up refreshed and revitalized. Not too many people can say that. As a matter of fact, many people I know have insomnia ~ difficulty with either falling asleep or staying asleep.

The "Sleep in America" Poll (2002) showed that 58% of adults in the U.S. experienced symptoms of insomnia a few nights a week.

Sleep is the ultimate rejuvenator and regenerator. Deep rest and sleep is one of the main states that allows the body to do its self-healing and to keep us looking younger. With good rest and sleep, the immune system stays intact and the youthful glow remains in the eyes and face. Insomnia can keep us from maximizing our abilities to do most anything.

There are so many possible factors that contribute to insomnia:

--Anxiety
--Stress
--Depression
--Hormonal changes (mostly in women)
--Decreased melatonin
--Pain
--Genetics
--Medications
--Foods (excitotoxins)
--Sleep apnea
--Disturbed noisy environment
--Medical conditions such as:
Allergies, arthritis, asthma, heart disease, high blood pressure, hyperthyroidism, Parkinson's disease

There are several natural remedies for sleep that include food, holistic practices, environment and essential oils:

-Tryptophan-rich healthy foods can aid in sleep.

Miso (fermented soy beans)
Beans
Whole grains, including rice
Lentils
Chickpeas
Hazelnuts
Peanuts
Eggs
Sunflower seeds
Sesame seeds

Good night time snacks:

--Glass of warm milk
--half a turkey or peanut butter sandwich
--Whole-grain, low-sugar cereal or granola with yogurt
--A banana and a cup of hot chamomile tea
--small serving of fresh or dried fruit
--small handful of raw nuts or seeds

Practices (as part of a daily/frequent routine):

--Exercise (from walking to aerobics)
--Yoga
--Acupuncture
--Energy Work (Reiki, Healing Touch, etc)

Essential Oil Application:

--Lavender bath (my favorite is YL St. Marie's Lavender)
--Vetiver on feet before bed (then put socks on!)
--Sandalwood - a dab on the forehead
--Roman Chamomile - dab on wrist, feet, inhale
--Valor (blend) - run in energy field, put on feet