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When Hippocrates said 'the physician treats but nature heals,' he was describing the human body's natural tendency toward minimizing illness and creating optimal health. As we know, however, the body needs a little help at times. Alternative health practices can support the physical body in its natural propensity toward healing by applying very effective remedies.

In this article we present powerful natural treatments for three health conditions that frequently affect children: asthma, head lice, and pink eye. Orthodox medical doctors and the drug conglomerates won't be overly thrilled that you know these natural treatments; they have no way of patenting or monetizing these cures.

The Asthma Remedy

Asthma is a serious (if not frightening) disorder in which the airway becomes inflamed, resulting in wheezing, loss of breath, and tightness in the chest. About 15 million people in the U.S. suffer with asthma and there are more than half a million hospitalizations resulting from this disorder.

The prevalence of asthma has been increasing for every age group affected. Children have the highest increase; over the last ten years the rate of asthma in children has increased by over 90%. Parents with asthmatic children will know that the quickest remedy for an asthma attack comes from medication, but there are times when a child's inhaler is not available.

There are two natural ways to treat an asthma attack which relate to the soothing effect that warm liquid has on bronchial tubes. First, try some hot soup which can soothe the bonchials. However, the second remedy can be more effective since it includes a warm liquid with an additional ingredient: caffeine. Coffee or tea, with caffeine, can open airways similar to the way inhalers do, so try this during an asthma episode if no medication is available.

The Pink Eye Cure

Before 1938, patentable antibacterial drugs had not been developed, so colloidal silver was the primary 'medicine' for fighting infections in the U.S. It is quietly used today as a cleaning agent in water tanks, by airlines for in-flight water purification, and by NASA to sterilize water on the Space Shuttle. Why? Colloidal silver has been found to destroy about 650 viral, bacterial, and fungal 'bugs.'

One independent laboratory conducted research to determine the effectiveness of a colloidal silver manufactured by a company called Earthborn Products. This silver was applied to both normal and resistant strains of staphylococcus aureus bacteria and incubated at 37 degrees centigrade. The staph cultures were killed in just four minutes! Also, research at the Upstate Medical Center at Syracuse University (N.Y.) found that 'silver works on a wide range of bacteria without any known side effects''

Pink eye (pinkeye) or conjunctivitis is a highly contagious ailment in which the conjunctiva or membrane that covers the eye is infected by a virus or bacterial infection. Although harmless, the challenge is to keep infected family members from contaminating those around them. This challenge, however, has been met with colloidal silver.

Many people are successfully treating their pink eye by applying one or two drops of colloidal silver in their eyes, twice a day. In fact, Dr. Evan M. Kansas reported in Science Digest (1978) that he experienced 'instant success" using colloidal silver with immune compromised patients. One example he gave was a patient's pinkeye that was totally resolved in less than six hours after topical treatment!

The Head Lice Cure

Mom and dad, if you're tired of 'nit picking,' then pay attention. About ten million people in America are afflicted with head lice and their eggs, or 'nits.' The head louse lives in human hair fairly close to the scalp where it feeds on human blood. Female lice lay about 10 eggs per day and the babies, or nits, hang-on to strands of hair with amazing tenacity.

Getting rid of head lice is a three-step process. You must kill all the live lice, check for and remove all the nits by combing and manual nit picking, and you must do a thorough job of cleaning the infested person's belongings and home environment.

Doctor Lawrence Schachner of the University of Miami School of Medicine has found what he believes is the best, fastest natural remedy for head lice yet: petroleum jelly. This cure works not by poisoning the lice (like the prescription drugs available), but by smothering them.

Dr. Schachner recommends slathering petroleum jelly on your child's scalp and hair in the evening before bed. Then put a shower cap on the child and let him sleep the night with the cap on. By morning, the lice and knits are smothered. The down side? Children must do repeated shampoos to remove the petroleum jelly, so their hair may look oily for a while.

Copyright 2005 Robert Fioravante