Dear Customer,

As we head into the colder months, we all tend to spend a little bit more time indoors sharing among other things, germs. Ear infections, colds, sinus infections and the flu are just a few of the illnesses that affect people this time of the year. One of the most important things we can do is focus on prevention by keeping our hands and noses clean, as well as those of our children. This month's Xlear Perspective comes from Jerry Bozeman, a licensed professional counselor and registered play therapist. She has seen her fair share of children affected by chronic ear infections, and her perspective focuses on the impact of ear infections, beyond the discomfort.

We look forward to your feedback on the article and this month's issue of Crystal Xlear.

Ear infections: Wait and See or DO SOMETHING ELSE!

I was devastated when my infant son battled ear infections when he was less than a year old. The doctors told me that nursing helped prevent them. I NURSED! They said smoking caused them. MY HUSBAND STOPPED SMOKING! They said exposing him to germs by taking him out caused them. I STAYED HOME!

As he grew older, the infections got better, but I was a teacher, and I knew that he was missing things. He didn't seem to hear things well, and we later found out the ear infections had caused a persistent ringing, called tinnitus, which interferes with hearing. He didn't learn to read until he was in the fourth grade, and only then because I worked extra hard finding a way to help him learn. The teachers thought he was just slow and pretty much gave up. He's now a licensed professional engineer, and he's not slow.

He had a set of problems that often go along with ear infections. They are problems that doctors don't look at because they only see the medical aspects of ear infections. But every time a child gets an ear infection some fluid from the inflammation gets into the middle ear. This is the place where all of the small bones are that transmit sound from the ear drum to the brain. When fluid is there, sound is not transmitted well, hearing and speech are compromised, and these children often wind up in remedial reading classes or special education.

Please read the rest of this article at Xlear.com/perspective.

Cooking with Xylitol

Nothing like waking up to a warm coffee cake on a cold October morning. This xylitol recipe is courtesy of the revised and expanded xylitol cookbook "Sweeten Your Life the Xylitol Way," by Karen Edwards, PhD. The recipe book is available through Xlear.com.

• 4 TBS unsalted butter
• 1 cup XyloSweet (link to online store for XyloSweet)
• 6 TBS unsweetened applesauce
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1.5 TBS lecithin granules
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp nutmeg

• 2/3 cup XyloSweet
• ½ cup finely chopped pecans
• 1 tsp cinnamon

To prepare cake batter: Cream butter and xylitol, gradually adding applesauce during creaming process. Beat in eggs. Add sour cream and mix well. Combine flour, lecithin, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; gradually add to cake batter and mix well. Pour batter into a buttered and floured 9" x 13" pan.

To prepare topping: Combine xylitol, pecans and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over batter. Cover cake and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight. Uncover and bake at 350? for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Yields 24 servings.

Note: This sweet, delicately flavored coffee cake has a very light and tender texture and is better served warm.

Per serving: Calories: 117, Carbs: 19.1g, Fiber: 1.1g, Fat: 5.7g, Sodium: 129.2mg, Net Carbs: 6.3g.

Try this recipe, and send in your comments to recipes@xlear.com. Also, if you have a favorite recipe, and we use it in the monthly Cooking with Xylitol section of our newsletter, we'll send you a free, one-pound bag of XyloSweet. Email recipes to recipes@xlear.com.

Buy Xylosweet today: Available in packets, 1-pound, and 3-pound sizes.

Xylitol News & Research

Sugar alternatives: should you make the switch?, Belfast Telegraph
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/health_beauty/story.jsp?story=708754

Got Saliva?, Lincoln News Messsenger
"Salivary secretion can be induced and increased by chewing gum containing Xylitol."
http://www.lincolnnewsmessenger.com/articles/2006/09/28/news/senior_living/03sdfsa.txt

Chewing This Gum May Help Prevent Cavities, CityNews
http://www.citynews.ca/news/features_3832.aspx

Chewing gum may have perks, The Sun News
http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/myrtlebeachonline/15570605.htm

Common-Sense Methods For Shining Your Choppers, Wall Street Journal (subscription req.)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115803107036960346.html

High-Tech Microbes Could Bolster Production of Natural Sweetener, U.S. Department of Agriculture
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2006/060918.htm

Customer Feedback

Got a question for Xlear? Want to know how xylitol and Xlear's products can help you and or your family? If so, email us your questions at CrystalXlear@xlear.com.

Xlear Product Testimonials

Would you like share your product testimonials with fellow Crystal Xlear readers, please let us know by emailing us at CrystalXlear@xlear.com. If we use your testimonial in our newsletter, we'll send you a free 10-piece pack of Spry gum!