Most people tend to use Q-tips to keep their ears tidy, but a little known fact is that they actually worsen the buildup of ear wax. We’ve all heard it from our doctors at some point, “never stick Q-tips into your ears!” but did we ever listen?  After you take that swipe or two with those Q-tips, you assume that you’ve done your job; the inside of your ear is now ‘clean as a whistle’ right? Wrong. The single, innocent cotton swab may actually cause PERMANENT damage to your ear drum. If you really think about it, each time you use a Q-tip you’re literally pushing it into your ear which means that you’re also pushing the ear wax deeper into the ear canal. This action may eventually rupture your ear drum and that, fellow readers, is quite a scary thought.

At Five Star Wellness Center, one of our services includes the ancient art of ear candling. It is a safe and effective alternative method for in-ear cleansing. It is a simple 30-45 minute procedure in which a hollow candle stick is inserted into the ear and a wick is lit at the opposite end. There is, of course, a non-flammable divider between your ear and the burning end of the candle. Once the procedure is completed, the candle will be taken out and you may marvel at all the things that have been held hostage within your ear. I’m sure many of you are now asking in bewilderment, “why would I want to put a candle into my head?” Well, there are quite a few benefits to this age-old practice and interestingly enough, most find this procedure to be very soothing and not nearly as scary as it sounds. So why not give it a try?

On a final note, here are some fascinating benefits of ear candling:

• Better hearing
• Reliefs tension headaches and migraines
• Absence of noises in the ears
• Better lymphatic circulation
• Loss of excess wax
• Pressure regulation
• Cleansing of the sinus cavities
• Relief from vertigo and Meniere’s disease

According to the American College of Surgeons two out of three adults have had, currently have or will have a case of hemorrhoids.  So, you are not alone in this world with this problem and there are many ways to either prevent this condition, or treat it with inexpensive, natural remedies that in most cases are proven to work.

Along with treating your condition with natural, nonchemical remedies, there are ways to speed up the healing process such as:

•   Keep the bowels as clean as possible.
•   Drink lots of fruit juices and vegetable juices.
•   Do not strain or hold your breath while having a bowel movement.
•   Take walks after meals.

Natural Remedies
Consider using some of the below posted suggestions and, hopefully, in a few days, you will have this problem behind you.

•   Apply liquid lecithin directly on the hemorrhoids, once a day, until they disappear.
•   Take a warm bath. If your hemorrhoids are really bad you can do that several times a day.
•   Eat three raw unprocessed almonds every day.  Make sure to chew each one about 50 times (even though it sounds a little crazy, people claim it works).
•   Consider taking advantage of the healing properties of the enzymes in papaya. Deep in a sterilized cotton ball in a pure papaya juice.  Place it on the hemorrhoid area and secure it in a place with a bandage.  The juice should help stop the bleeding and bring the irritation under control.
To prevent hemorrhoids in a first place, it is recommended to increase the fiber and fluids intake.  The idea is to keep your stools soft so you don’t need to strain when moving your bowels which is the main cause of hemorrhoids.  About fiber properties read my next post that will be coming really soon.

Happy Healing!