Category Archives: Children’s Health

A Natural Alternative to Vaccination

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post by Desirée Brazelton, classical homeopath and founder of Spark Wellness

Many parents have become skeptical about vaccinations in recent years.  As the numbers of vaccinations available rises along with the number of vaccine damaged children, it’s a difficult road to navigate.  There are alternative schedules, selective schedules or some families that are just avoiding vaccinations altogether.

Whether you agree with vaccinations or not, I think we can all agree that we want to protect our children, and the population as a whole, from preventable diseases and illness.  This is something that is not disputed.  What if you could protect your child without vaccinations?  What if there was another way?

The Homeoprophylaxis program offers parents an alternative.   This safe, natural program has been in use for over 200 years and is widely used by parents today.  Homeopathic remedies called nosodes are given to children age newborn and up to stimulate an immune response and protect them against childhood disease – diseases that parents typically vaccinate against.

The method of homeoprophylaxis just makes sense.  How do we, as humans, contract diseases such as pertussis, measles or chicken pox?  Typically this happens through our mucus membranes: nose, mouth, etc.  The body and immune system are set up to begin fighting these illnesses at these typical points of contact.  Our bodies are designed to mount immune defenses as bacteria and viruses enter in these locations.  Thus, homeopathic remedies are given by mouth, allowing the body’s inherent immune capabilities to begin here.

When our children are injected with a vaccination, our bodies may not be prepared to handle immune invaders in this way.  The injection does not just include the vaccine material.  Vaccines contain adjuvants, typically made from an aluminum salt, to increase the body’s immune reaction.  Thimerosal is a mercury containing preservative that has been reduced, but not entirely eliminated from vaccines since the proposed autism link in 1999.  There can also be ingredients such as casein (from wheat), bovine gelatin and chick embryo cells.

Introducing all of these ingredients plus disease material and something to aggravate the immune system can be confusing and difficult for young immune systems.  We’re asking our bodies to mount an immune response but are including some cells that we typically recognize as food.  There are studies currently being done to determine if there is a link between vaccinations and food intolerances.

The way that parents have been taught to handle vaccinations can further confuse the immune system.  When our bodies are exposed to bacteria or viruses, it is natural to develop a fever.  Fever is our best defense against disease.  After vaccination, fevers should be encouraged because the body is processing the disease material and producing the appropriate immune response.  If the fever is stopped through the use of over the counter mediation, the body is not allowed to mount the full immune response.  This is the point where immune issues can begin.

Even if there is no immediate reaction, immune damage can show up months or years later in the form of allergies, asthma, eczema, food intolerance or other auto immune disorder.  Many doctors do not link these immune disorders to vaccinations, but more research needs to be done in this area.

The Homeoprophylaxis program is a natural, safe alternative to traditional vaccination.  Some research has shown that children who have completed the four year program show blood titers that have antibody levels indicating immunity.  If you have done some traditional vaccines and want to move to this program,  your child may experience healing from any negative affects of the vaccination.

At Spark Wellness, we offer complimentary half hour consultations for parents who are considering the program.  The program costs $272 for the first child, $195 for the second and $27.50 for subsequent children.  This price includes the initial hour session and any consultation with your homeopath regarding the program over four years.  Contact Desirée at Spark Wellness with any questions or to set up your visit.

Desirée Brazelton is a classical homeopath and founder of Spark Wellness in Minneapolis. She is a graduate of the Northwestern Academy of Homeopathy and has been in practice for over five years. In her practice, Desirée specializes in pediatric homeopathy and Lyme disease.

Desirée’s vision is to bring holistic care to the forefront of our medical system. She envisions a nation where everyone can access Holistic, Homeopathic hospitals and clinics in their communities and insurance covers their care. Connect with Desiree and Spark Wellness on Facebook.

Healing Your Inner Child from Negative Labels

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by Jenny Collins, Holistic Health Graduate Student, Online Outreach Specialist at Live Your Truth

I don’t have children. But in a way, I’ve recently become a parent.

To myself.

Regardless of how we were raised, every one of us still has an inner child who longs to be loved, understood and supported (i.e. parented) true to our nature.

What did you hear as a child?
Go back to a time when you were young. Did you hear any of these labels as a child? Shy. Bossy. Rambunctious. Perfectionist. Hyper. Too sensitive. Slow. Whiny. Can’t sit still. Too serious. Rebellious. Strong-willed. 

Or maybe a parent or teacher frequently said one of these to you: Calm down! Hurry up! Stop worrying! Settle down! Lighten up! You’re not the parent! Stop moving! Shhhh!

These negative labels and messages typically manifest from a misunderstanding of a child’s true nature or their unique energy blueprint. Since most adults have never had the resources or tools to recognize, it’s easy to see why these labels become so common.

And unfortunately, when you were a child, you might’ve accepted these labels, seeing a part of you as a weakness, rather than a clue to your greatest strengths and source of potential.

How negative childhood labels create wounded adults
When children are parented in such a way that runs contrary to their true nature or when who we are is suppressed rather than supported, our inner child becomes wounded.

As a result, we can grow up believing:

  • It’s not OK to be me.
  • I have to change who I am to be accepted and loved. 
  • It’s not safe to be me.

Can you see how those internal messages put you at odds with yourself and others? And how, over time, they can create pain, dis-ease or anxiety?

Healing your inner child by understanding your true nature
I’ve always been a personality profile junkie. I think I’ve taken almost every assessment tool out there, to better understand why I am the way I am (and partly an effort to convince myself it was OK to be me).

While each tool provided another layer of insight, none of them came close to the understanding—and inner healing—I’ve received from Energy Profiling. Developed by energy therapist Carol Tuttle, Energy Profiling is based on the knowledge that every person (and child) moves through life with a unique energy blueprint. Your Energy Profile, or Type, influences your gifts and talents, thoughts and feelings, and even your physical characteristics and body language.

Carol Tuttle’s Amazon bestseller, The Child Whisperer, is a practical approach to intuitive parenting that teaches you how to recognize and support the unique energy of the 4 Types of children (see descriptions online):

  • Type 1 Fun-loving Child
  • Type 2 Sensitive Child
  • Type 3 Determined Child
  • Type 4 More Serious Child

Each Type of child connects with the world in a different way. When their true nature is supported, children can grow into thriving, confident adults.

And best news is we can all become our own Child Whisperer—for ourselves, and for the children in our lives.

Once you know your true Type, you can begin to live true to your nature. As you accept and love—and parent—your own nature, you come into alignment with who you truly were designed to be. And your inner child can start to live in that freedom.

Learn more at The Child Whisperer and connect on Facebook.

 

Jenny Collins is a Type 3 woman determined to help people navigate a path to true health and healing. An M.A. candidate ‘14 in the Holistic Health Studies program at St. Catherine University, she is a writer and marketing/communications specialist in St. Paul. She originally connected with Carol Tuttle through Dressing Your Truth and Energy Profiling and is now on staff with Live Your Truth. 

“Your child is very bright, but…”: How Developmental Movement Therapy Can Help

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by Stephanie Johnson MA, R-DMT, LPC

There are an increasing number of very bright children unable to perform their best at school. A bright child who does not perform at grade level or has a hard time focusing is often thought of as needing to try harder. Many parents struggle with how to support a smart child who is perceived as not “working up to their ability.”

There are a series of underlying body mechanics that need to be in place before a child can absorb curriculum and demonstrate grade level proficiency. For example, the ability to keep the legs stable in a chair so that the upper body can work, write and express should be automatic. When a child’s body does not do this automatically, precious brain space is used for the physicality of sitting and working thus, robbing resources needed for academic pursuits. When the higher order thinking part of the brain has two jobs to perform it cannot produce high quality work, causing smart children appear as though they are not working hard.

For some children this type of over-working the thinking brain can lead to cognitive fatigue causing a surplus of adrenaline to be released just so the body can keep up with the tasks at hand. Adrenaline is a very powerful chemical needed to run from a big bear, it is not optimal for children to be using it daily just to get through the school day. Think about how you feel after drinking too much coffee, how about after a few days of drinking too much, or a few months! The extra adrenaline in a child’s system can easily cause symptoms of attention challenges. These are just two examples of what can occur to a learner whose body is not supporting the learning process, but rather getting in the way.

What would cause a child’s upper and lower body to not work harmoniously while doing desk work? The body mechanics needed for lifelong cognition, emotional intelligence and perception are developed during the first 15 months of life as an infant is learning to lift the head, roll over, sit, crawl and creep. For many of our children there is not ample time to fully complete all these movements because, as a culture, we are moving away from having babies on the floor where these body mechanics are developed.

Developmental Movement Therapy (DMT) offers children the opportunity to revisit early motor patterns that were not completed as an infant in a fun and supportive environment. DMT has helped many students find ease and comfort in learning without engaging in endless hours of remedial work and/or tutoring. Parents feel so relieved to learn that there is an effective, non-invasive course to supporting their bright child.

Find out how Developmental Movement Therapy can work for your child. For a limited time, save $60 on a two-visit intake and assessment at Sage Education Center. Click here to learn more!

Stephanie Johnson MA, DTR, LPC is a licensed teacher, Registered Dance Therapist, Licensed Professional Counselor and mother who brings a unique perspective to education and child development. Recognizing the body’s role in optimal learning, Ms. Johnson has integrated her experience in the classroom with training in a variety of developmental movement therapies to offer effective treatment plans for children who struggle to perform their best at school. Stephanie offers a deep understanding of how a child’s early physical development influences achievement at school both socially and academically. Ms. Johnson is committed to assessing the origin of symptoms rather than employing a series of coping strategies that overlook the root of the problem. In addition to her therapeutic work with children, Stephanie offers workshops and trainings for parents and educators and is the author of Bring Your Body to Class: A School Wide Model for Celebrating the Body’s Role in Learning. Stephanie is the director of Sage Education and Therapy in SW Minneapolis. Connect with Sage Education and Therapy on Facebook.

Teaching Yoga in Public Schools

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by Debbie Cohen, owner, Core Yoga

The other day, Malika, a young woman at Brighton High School in Boston, told me that when she has yoga class first thing in the morning, she always has a great day afterwards.

Other Boston public school students have shared:

“Yoga calms my mind and helps me control my behavior during the rest of the day… If I can breathe on the mat, then I can breathe during homework to help me through the process.”

“I’ve noticed when I take yoga classes, I have gotten better sleep because many things come off my mind when I practice the ‘slow deep full breaths’ in my belly.”

“I had respect for the relaxation before, but now I appreciate it more. It slows down my mind to the pace where I block out everything else.”

 

It can be rewarding to teach yoga in schools. That said, teaching yoga in schools requires different preparation than teaching yoga to willing adults who have signed up for relaxation and are happy to be led towards that experience.

My experience shows that students are not receptive to serious, heavy-handed instruction in how to relax. First, they do not find this approach relaxing. Second, they already know how to relax. They relax by reading, shopping, playing sports, listening to music etc. No matter how beneficial or sacred I might find the practice, the students respond well when yoga is fun, lighthearted and approached in the spirit of inquiry.

I have found that flowing in and out of the poses in rhythm to the music maintains attention effectively. The less I speak and the more I let the music and movement speak, the happier we all are. This way it is much easier to manage the class. It is fun rather than dogmatic.  During the closing relaxation, I often turn on an inspirational song, either with lyrics the students can appreciate or a yoga chant. I allow that listening to facilitate relaxation and breathing lower down in the belly.

Another technique I have found helpful is breaking down poses through preparatory movements which themselves teach the way into the full poses. This approach enables the students to discover how to embody them skillfully without my saying too much. They feel it from experiencing the movements and, again, it is fun.

It is true that I hold yoga with a certain reverence. I get up early to practice. I also respect my students’ revered practices- spending early morning hours doing their hair and make-up or practicing basketball with intensity and commitment. Rather than feeling I have influenced these students, I feel I myself have been profoundly influenced. My willingness to do whatever it takes to make teaching yoga in schools work has been fascinating to observe in myself- sweeping floors and cleaning out closets, buying food several times a week, soliciting donations, incorporating music into my teaching style. The experience has led me to shift my focus from teaching yoga to getting to know the students by sharing yoga with them… and this has made all the difference.

Deborah Cohen holds a bachelor’s degree in literature and a master’s in education from Harvard University. She also has a master’s in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. Deborah teaches Positive Psychology with Tal Ben-Shahar, previously at Harvard University and now at Kripalu Yoga Center in Massachusetts. Through the Boston Public Schools Fitness and Wellness Department, she has trained teachers to incorporate yoga into their classrooms and she is contracted to collaborate on a research project with Harvard University/Children’s Hospital researcher Katie McLaughlin, PhD in the summer of 2012. Deborah is also the author of Journey to Inner Space: A Children’s Yoga Book which you can find on Amazon.

Craniosacral Therapy: Brain surgery, Massage, or Both?

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by Nichi Hirsche Kuechle, My Healthy Beginning

You wouldn’t believe the questions I get asked, but I’m here to tell you: I totally get it.

Over a decade ago when I looked into craniosacral therapy, I avoided it like the plague because it sounded like brain surgery! That is, until one day when an acquaintance asked if she could practice her new modality on me.

I knew within 30 seconds I had to learn craniosacral therapy. I had been searching for something that fit my hands and method of practice, and I had finally found it.

 

Craniosacral therapy works to release and stimulate the membranes and fluid that surround the spinal cord. This soft body balancing does wonders to guide the nervous system into balance so it can focus on healing and ease in movement.

 

When I first started implementing this practice with my clients, I saw longer, lasting benefits from this work than with the deeper and more painful massage techniques I was using. When I applied this soft and gentle modality, clients moved more quickly into relaxation and experienced the longer lasting benefit of relief from their pain.

Utilizing craniosacral therapy in my practice with soon-to-be mamas and their growing bodies is fascinating. It helps reduce sciatica, low back pain, neck tension, and the tiredness that comes from pregnancy. Because we can do this work standing, sitting or lying, we are able to find a position that works best for mom throughout all her pregnancy stages.

Kids get tired as well, and I see this often in my practice. They get tired because of working through behavior issues and not sleeping restfully through the night. For these cases, I also use Nutrition Response Testing so we can remove inflammatory foods in partnership with a weekly craniosacral visit. Typically, within the first visit there is a shift in behavior, and it is awesome. It is noticeable not only by mom and dad, but by teachers and even the child! Children feel lighter, have more energy, can focus and concentrate with more ease, and fall into work easily.

I’ve never seen such a non-invasive therapy that leaves everyone feeling rested, released, and refocused as much as I have with craniosacral therapy.

This week, Nichi is offering 50% off one craniosacral therapy session! Get your deal and learn more here.

Nichi Hirsch Kuechle supports moms from pregnancy to parenthood as a Bradley Natural Childbirth Instructor, Parent Coach, Craniosacral Therapist, and Doula in Minneapolis. She publishes a weekly e-zine called Raising Healthy Babies, which offers tips and ideas to bring ease, clarity and understanding to your parenting. She also teaches a variety of live and virtual workshops. You can get Nichi’s New Parent Tool Kit, for free ($30 value!), by going to MyHealthyBeginning.com.

Connecting your kids to humanity’s greatest teacher.

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by Molly Gerrish

Today’s youth are becoming increasingly disconnected to nature and the myriad of health benefits it can offer. With our technology focused world and overscheduled calendars, children are becoming more in tune to a screen than to the world around them. On average, American children ages 2-5 spend over 32 hours or more per week watching TV, as well as using other screen time (such as game systems and computers). There have been numerous studies that keep reiterating that when children spend time in nature, it can reduce stress as well as symptoms of ADD in children as young as age 5. Some other interesting statistics to make note of:

  • Children aged 3-12 years spend 1% of their time outdoors and 27% of their time with electronic media.
  • 29% of 2 and 3 year olds have a TV in their bedroom
  • Children are 6 times more likely to play a video game than to ride a bike.
  • There is a link between lack of unstructured outdoor time and obesity, attention deficit disorder, and depression.

The way children feel about the world around them is greatly influenced by the adults in their lives. Adults who are not particularly connected to nature themselves typically do not make it a priority to spend time outside with children in unstructured activities, such as climbing, hiking/walking, exploring, or simply taking the time to observe. Nature is a crucial part of childhood and beyond and provides numerous health benefits that cannot be replicated solely by enrolling children in organized sports. True, organized sports offer children a chance to exercise, learn new skills and be social, however, there is little time for children to simply explore, make interesting observations, or try out ideas on their own when the only time they spend outside is structured or on structured playground equipment. Most injuries that occur outside actually happen on playground equipment and not on natural terrains, which can be a fear of teachers and parents alike. Helping parents and children to “unlearn fear” and instead pay attention to their surroundings is a lifelong skill that can be carried well beyond childhood.

Social/emotional and mental health is also enhanced when children spend time outdoors. Children who are exposed to nature and natural elements learn a greater sense of empathy and responsibility for other living things. Children involved in caring for a garden, or even a simple potted plant learn that it takes patience and care for things to thrive. Spending time outdoors helps children and adults experience and develop respect for the diversity of other life forms in our world and learn to take risks, hypothesize, experiment and try, try again. We want and need to inspire children to care for their world and being outside, immersed in that world is the best way for children to take ownership of the land and to become true stewards of it. It is hard to care for something we do not love. When given the opportunity, children can become competent, responsible, caring members of our global community.

Offering children an opportunity to be engaged in activities outdoors can help reduce an inactive lifestyle, get children moving more and watching screens less, making decisions and trying them out, problem solving, and learning about themselves, others, and the larger world. Children are able to move their bodies in different ways than when indoors or only on structured play equipment. Think of the different balance and coordination it takes to navigate a hill, a slippery path, or a wiggly log. Children who are challenged appropriately outdoors more often than not rise to that challenge and gain self-awareness and improved self-esteem. The many health benefits that being outside offers is just one of the reasons to get children outside, get them moving, and get them exploring!

References:

  • Bailie, P.  (2007)“List of ten reasons to connect children with nature”, Seeds of Learning Conference, River Falls, WI.
  • Cornell, J.  (1989).  Sharing nature with children II. , Dawn Publications, Nevada City, CA.
  • Green Hearts Institute for Nature in Childhood, Omaha, Nebraska www.greenhearts.org
  • Kaiser Family Foundation (2005), USA Today, July 12, 2005
  • Louv, R. (2008).  Last child in the woods.  Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, Workman Publishing Co., New York, NY.

Molly Gerrish is an Assistant Professor of early childhood education at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Ms. Gerrish is currently ABD and completing her PhD in early childhood education with a focus on nature education and reflective practice in educating young children. Molly had presented on this topic at the local, regional, state, and national level and has been nationally published in the NAEYC journal Teaching Young Children.  Contact information: molly.gerrish@uwrf.edu