Ear infections can be painful, and can affect your daily life. It often starts with a dull throb, and moves on to become a sharp stabbing pain. Sometimes, the pain can move down to your jaw and neck, and make it difficult for you to concentrate on anything.

According to a survey, more than two-thirds of children around the world, suffer from middle ear infection at least once by the time they turn three. It is more prominent in babies between seven to nine months of age. This can be frightening for most first time parents as they cannot fathom the reason for their child’s crankiness and sleeplessness.

Today, most doctors wait up to 72 hours before prescribing any antibiotics to children.

Also, most parents and adults are hesitant to use antibiotics due to its possible side-effects. Using antibiotics should be the last resort, whether it’s you or your child. You can try some of these safe and gentle home remedies that are very effective. Read on to know more.

Olive Oil
Take some warm olive oil and put a few drops into the infected ear. Leave it for a few minutes and then use a cotton swab to clean the ear. Make sure not to insert the swab too deep into the ear.

Salt
Heat a cup of salt over low flame for a few minutes. Take a clean cloth and place the salt on it. Secure it by tying a rubber band. Lie down and place the cloth on the infected ear for a few minutes. The salt will reduce the pain and swelling by draining out the fluid and bring relief.

Garlic
Garlic is antibacterial and has pain relieving properties, making it very effective for all kinds of infections. Add two garlic cloves in two tablespoons of mustard oil and heat till it becomes black.

Strain the liquid and pour a few drops of it in the affected ear after it has cooled down a bit.

Breastmilk
In case your baby is affected by ear infection then breastmilk will bring great relief. Pour a few drops of breastmilk in the baby’s ear every four hours, to cure the infection.

Tea Tree Oil
This is an excellent herbal remedy. Mix some tea tree oil and olive oil and warm the mixture slightly. Add this into the infected ear and lay down for a few minutes. Clean the ear with a cotton swab.

Onion Juice
Cook an onion in the oven for minutes at 450F. Upon cooling (slightly warm) squeeze out juice from it. Strain it and pour it into the affected ear.

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)
Despite its strong odor, it is still considered to be a great remedy for ear infections. Mix one part of ACV with one part of water. Soak a cotton ball into it and allow it to sit on the infected ear for five minutes. Remove the cotton ball and drain out the residual liquid from the ear.

Try any of these home remedies to get relief and cure ear infections, without the use of antibiotics.

Allergies become prevalent with the change of weather. If not treated, they can continue to irritate and keep the person uncomfortable. You can either go for over-the-counter medications or consult a doctor if your allergy is chronic.

Here are the ten most common allergies and their symptoms:

• Pollens
  One of the most common seasonal forms of allergies our country is hay fever or rose fever, which is caused by pollen. It enters your nasal passage or throat, thereby causing a typical reaction. The allergy symptoms for this include coughing, sneezing, runny, itchy eyes, nasal congestion, etc.
• Food allergy  
  Common food items like cow’s milk, nuts, eggs, shellfish, wheat, and soy might be problematic. These can cause mild to severe allergies like sneezing, rash, nausea, wheezing, hives, and dizziness.
• Animal dander
  The proteins present in the saliva, skin flakes and urine in pets can sometimes cause allergic reactions. Symptoms can be sneezing, nasal/throat congestion, coughing, facial pressure, chest tightness or pain.
• Medication
  Sometimes medications can cause severe allergy symptoms like hives, itchiness, giddiness, etc. Some medicines like antibiotics, anticonvulsants, chemotherapic drugs, etc. can react and cause health complications.
• Latex
  Sometimes latex in gloves, balloons, etc. can cause an allergic reaction like itchiness, rashes, hives, and sneezing.
• Fragrance
  Some beauty and household products have artificial fragrance in them, which leads to allergies, which causes allergy symptoms like giddiness, headache, nausea, etc.
• Insect bites
  Insect bites are painful enough, but the real problem starts when your body reacts to its venom. Some of the allergic reactions are severe like instant swelling and redness of that area, nausea, and low-grade fever.
• Mold
  Mold grows and reproduces via spores in damp places. If inhaled, it can result in allergy symptoms like a cough, breathlessness, asthma-like symptoms, itchiness, post nasal drip, etc.
• Dust mites
  An unclean space can collect dust and dust mites, which results in allergy and can cause a reaction like a sinus, itchy nose, scratchy throat, chest pain, etc.
• Cockroaches
  Their appendages, droppings, and saliva contain a protein-like substance that can be an allergen, leading to reactions like ear or sinus infection, wheezing, nausea and nasal congestion.

Vacuum sealers are fast emerging as an important feature in many commercial and home kitchens. With food-scarcity looming in many parts of the world and prices skyrocketing, wastage and spoilage of food is something that’s a no-no for most homes.

Many times, oxygen is the culprit in food spoilage. It provides nutrition for microbes, bacteria, and fungi present in the air which get trapped inside the food package. Vacuum sealer machines help to eliminate air from a package before it’s sealed. You can get a small table top one for home use or a larger, industrial model for commercial kitchens. It’s the best way to optimize food storage and ensure that the contents of the package remain protected and free from contamination and spoilage.

A vacuum sealer is useful for many things. Here are a few reasons why a vacuum sealer is an essential kitchen tool.

• Gourmet cooking
  If you enjoy and love sous-vide cooking, a vacuum sealer lets you do that right there in your own home kitchen. Seal your meat or veggies in a bag and poach it for a great tasting, fresh-looking meal. This method isn’t new and has been in use by French chefs for a long time. It ensures that oxygen is removed from the ingredients, making vegetables more dense, crisp, crunchy and helps them retain their taste.
• Preservation
  Apart from fresh meat and veggies, you can store cooked foods, dry fruits, nuts, cheeses, cereals, fish, coffee, liquids, sauces etc. This retains the original flavors and textures and ensures that they don’t get spoiled. Cooked meat can last up to a week in the fridge, and up to a year in a freezer.
• No freezer burn
  When you buy in bulk and freeze, it’s likely that the surface of the food gets dehydrated. Vacuum sealing prevents freezer burn.
• Zip lock friendly
  You don’t have to invest in special bags, though they’re more effective. For home use, zip lock pouches will do.
• Not Just Food
  Stepping out of the kitchen for a moment, vacuum sealers are a great way to store clothes, shoes, sheets, blankets, eiderdowns etc. when they’re not in use. This keeps them fresh and doesn’t add bulk in your storage space.
• Batch-wise Freezing
  You can vacuum seal individual portions and freeze them. You don’t have to worry about expiry dates, or spoiled leftovers.
• Kitchen hygiene
  Food packed individually reduces cross-contamination in your freezer. Vacuum sealing reduces the number of times you handle the food directly. Transparent packaging lets you see what’s available. This method is ideal for commercial kitchens with rigorous safety norms.