Pathways Article Summaries and References

Issue 23 - Fall 2009

Articles

 

Letter from the Editor
Jeanne Ohm, DC

A whole new dimension of communication has opened up with Facebook, Twitter and the rest of the so-called “social networking” sites. Far-reaching and instantaneous, they connect many people with each other in a way we’ve never experienced before.

I am a lover of communication. I relish all means of connecting with people all over the world, accessing and disseminating information, resources, opinions and perspectives that were once isolated to small and select circles. The dimension that Facebook and Twitter have opened is yet another unprecedented way to reach one another. There is, however, a frantic feeling about them, and this feeling raises some questions for me.

Don’t get me wrong: I have a Facebook and a Twitter account. So does pathways, and so does ICPA. With these tools, we have instant access to floods of people who care to check out our updates. I am also greatly appreciative of the endless stream of information from other Facebookers and Twitterers. It was through Facebook that I first saw the CBS HealthWatch report on the new research revealing serious side effects of ADHD drugs, in which the M.D. on CBS suggested that parents try chiropractic for their child as a safe alternative. It was on Facebook that I discovered a Canadian study questioning the mandatory C-section protocol
for breech presentations. Through Facebook, I stay in touch with parents and practitioners and their extraordinary efforts to spread the family wellness message. I do all this and more, almost instantaneously. It is an undisputed communication phenomenon.

And yet, there is this frenzied Facebook feeling and twitching Twitter tension inside me, compelling me to step back and take a deeper look. I have always said the Internet, as a form of instant communication, is merely a reflection of the underdeveloped yet inherent communication potential we have as human beings. Instantaneous, simultaneous and soul to soul, we have all experienced the ability of our superconsciousness to connect
with others. Simple examples of this phenomenon include thinking about a person right before they call or show up, following a hunch only to find ourselves in the right place at the right time, and the myriad ways parents intuitively connect with their children.

The ability to instantly connect via social media is but a reflection of our inherent capacity to connect with each other without a technological medium. Does our fascination with the online networking and instant communication really represent our true desire to develop our awareness and use of superconscious connectivity? If so, then by being so absorbed in this material hard copy and its rapid-fire means of delivery, are we enhancing or impeding our potential to recognize and develop these skills from within?

Metaphysical scientists and authors such as Gregg Braden, Wayne Dyer, Bruce Lipton, Eckhart Tolle, Lynne McTaggart, Deepak Chopra, Larry Dossey, Joe Dispenza, John Demartini and the founders of the Institute of Noetic Sciences, to name some of my favorites, continuously explore our inherent ability to be in constant communication with each other. They refer to this
ever-present and accessible communications medium as the“divine matrix,” “the non-local mind,” “the patterns that connect”—in other words, the all-pervasive intelligent energy of the universe. Concepts like tipping point, critical mass, synchronicity, conscious intent and collective consciousness are becoming a part of everyday language, as we embrace our unlimited potential for connectivity.

Through our deeper selves, in this newly defined dimension, we are all in constant communication with each other and all existence. However, let us be reminded what the wise ones teach: From a place of love, with grateful expectation and present time consciousness, we are able to access this matrix and connect.

So back to my question: Is the exploding popularity of these instant messaging systems like Facebook and Twitter a reflection of our deeper desire and potential for real instant messaging? Will our use of these technological systems assist us in our evolution to be more conscious of the connective divine matrix? Or will they create a false sense of fulfillment and distract us from refining our inherent abilities for a superconscious connection?

Facebook and Twitter can be a means of growth, bridging the gap between modern technology and ancient wisdom. We can use them as a practical way to communicate via technology, as well as tools to develop our more subtle, higher connectivity with each other. While on Facebook or Twitter, swept up in the momentum of instant communication, let’s try an experiment. Before our fingers begin automatically typing, let’s take one
moment to be consciously present, and from soul to soul, heart to heart, send an intentional blessing of love to the person with whom we’re communicating. Then, with grateful expectation, we can be sure our blessings and messages are traveling not only across our instantaneous social media, but also our inherent superconsciousness. With the frequency that Facebook and Twitter are being used and the amount of people they reach, imagine the momentous ripple effect of each sent message.

Wow! I can feel the exhilarated rush in consciousness already.

Many Blessings,
Jeanne Ohm, DC

About the Author:

Read Dr. Ohm's bio here.

 

 

FEATURE

Ear Infections: Causes and Holistic Care
Linda Folden Palmer, DC

From the Article:

Middle ear infections are on the rise. The ailment, also known as otitis media, has become far more prevalent in children throughout the twentieth century, increasing 150 percent between 1975 to 1990 alone. This dramatic increase illustrates the parameters of wise antibiotic use and its abuse, while at the same time revealing the effects of breastfeeding and formula.

The middle ear is the part of the ear that is enclosed behind the eardrum. A tiny tube, called the eustachian tube, drains any fluids from the middle ear into the throat. Colds and episodes of allergic runny nose, due to airborne allergens or allergies to cow’s milk or other foods, block this eustachian tube with mucus and inflammation. When this tiny mucous-membrane-lined canal is closed off, inflammatory fluids build up in the middle ear cavity (serous otitis media), sometimes referred to as effusion. Over time, passage of nasal and throat bacteria into this tube, from pacifier use or especially when a child is lying on his back, can seed the middle ear. Bacteria can then multiply to large numbers when finding a friendly fluid-filled middle ear environment, creating painful infection (acute otitis media)...

About the Author:

Dr. Linda Folden Palmer is a doctor of chiropractic, a consultant and speaker on pediatric nutrition and natural parenting challenges, a science writer and a mother. She left her chiropractic practice shortly after the birth of her son, when she was confronted with his serious health complications and astounded by the lack of accurate or helpful information from doctors or books. For her son’s sake, she delved deeply into the scientific and medical literature to find answers…which led to further questions and some astonishing realizations. Read about her work here: www.babyreference.com


Holistic Care of Middle Ear Problems in Children
Randall Neustaedter, OMD

From the Article:

Holistic care provides comprehensive treatment for the recurrent or persistent ear problems that are so common in young children. The symptoms of ear infections and fluid collection in the middle ear often begin in a baby’s first year, and they can persist into the toddler and preschool ages. Once children reach ages 5 or 6, and their eustachian tubes are more developed, some tend to grow out of these problems. The problems associated with fluid in the ears, including hearing loss, chronic swelling of mucous membranes, lowered resistance to infection and impaired eustachian tube function, can all be addressed using a combined approach of holistic methods.

Don’t expect fluid in the middle ear to resolve quickly, however. It takes at least two to three months to resolve the issues that contribute to the fluid buildup and facilitate drainage of the middle ear. The following treatments, when used in combination, should address the problems...

About the Author:

Dr. Randall Neustaedter has practiced holistic medicine, specializing in child healthcare, for more than thirty years in the San Francisco Bay area. A licensed acupuncturist and doctor of Oriental medicine, as well as author of Child Health Guide and The Vaccine Guide, Dr. Neustaedter is the father of five children. Visit his website, www.cure-guide.com, to register for a free newsletter with pediatric updates.

 

 

Antibiotics and Ear Infections
Linda Folden Palmer, DC

From the Article:

In cases where the immune response lags behind a bacterial infection that is dangerously decimating the body, the 1950s advent of antibiotic medications saved the lives of millions of people who would have otherwise succumbed. However, the overzealous use of these wonder drugs has now created a new realm of powerful diseases we are unable to fight with existing antibiotics.

Once a resistant bacteria has been created in response to antibiotic therapy, it has the power to transfer its resistance to other microbes, developing new resistant strains. This has been an especially significant issue for the young, who have been chief targets for antibiotic misuse because they are more susceptible to infections and infections are more worrisome in them. Powerful, antibiotic-resistant strains spread easily around day care centers...

About the Author:

Dr. Linda Folden Palmer is a doctor of chiropractic, a consultant and speaker on pediatric nutrition and natural parenting challenges, a science writer, and a mother. She left her chiropractic practice shortly after the birth of her son, when she was confronted with his serious health complications and astounded by the lack of accurate or helpful information from doctors or books. For her son’s sake, she delved deeply into the scientific and medical literature to find answers―which led to further questions and some astonishing realizations.

 

WELLNESS LIFESTYLE

A Chiropractic Look at the Germ Theory
Daniel Middleton, DC

From the Article:

The germ theory states that diseases are due to specific microorganisms, which are capable of transmission from body to body. Yet although it is widely accepted by medical professionals, forming the basis for billions of dollars of healthcare spending (actually sickness care, but that’s another article), the fact that so many people believe it to be true doesn’t make it so. This is one of the classic logical fallacies: argumentum ad populum, the appeal to the majority, where a thing is stated to be true simply because so many people believe it.

That didn’t work for the belief that the earth was flat, and it shouldn’t work for a theory of disease that is increasingly coming under fire from the scientific community and whose fundamental premise was known to be flawed almost from the beginning. I am reminded of the famous quote by Anatole France: “If fifty million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing.”...

About the Author:

Dr. Daniel Middleton is a 1991 graduate of Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic and has been in practice in the upstate South Carolina area for over fifteen years. Even before he began to explore chiropractic as a profession, Dr. Middleton understood and appreciated the philosophy of life and health that it represented—a philosophy surprisingly similar to the Asian philosophy of health and healing he was familiar with from his practice of martial arts with which he has been involved since 1973. Aside from his core passions of chiropractic and the martial arts, Dr. Middleton is also a writer whose articles have been featured in national martial arts publications. Read
about him here: www.adjustingroom.com

 

Too Hot to Handle
Kevin Hinton

From the Article:

Imagine that you forget: That the coffee was made with boiling water. That the tea kettle just came off the burner. That the car radiator fluid was boiling as you removed the cap. How long before you remove your hand from the source of the heat and pain? Not long, I’ll bet. In fact, it’s almost instantaneous. Such is the power of recognition within the organism—the ability of each and every cell to respond.

How long before the body recognizes the presence of pathogens—be they infinitesimally small, microscopic in fact—with names like: germs, bacteria, viruses? Not long, I’ll bet. In fact, it’s almost instantaneous. Such is the ability of each and every cell to respond...

About the Author:

Kevin Hinton is a renowned natural health educator and advocate who has helped a broad range of people reinvigorate their lives through common-sense natural health practices. He is a trusted advisor to many in the corporate world in Australia and North America who recognize the life-improving value of natural health habits. Hinton’s experience reveals that adopting practical natural health habits usually helps drive success in other areas of life. Meet Kevin and his wife Katy here: www.thehealtheducator.com.au

 

NUTRITION

Better School Food's List of Unhealthy Ingredients
Susan Rubin

From the Article:

Better School Food, an organization devoted to promoting healthy meal choices in our nation’s schools, researched and compiled this list of common lunchtime foods. Each ingredient is defined and listed with some of its known side effects. We hope you’ll work to remove these ingredients from your school cafeterias, vending machines and any other areas where food is involved. For further information, visit the Internet resources listed and search the suggested websites for each specific ingredient.

  1. Partially Hydrogenated Oil
    More information: bantransfats.com, sanstrans.com, transfreeamerica.com, cspinet.org, americanheart.org, pubmed.gov
  2. Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO)
    More information: cspinet.org, pubmed.gov
  3. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
    More information: mercola.com, newstarget.com, pubmed.gov
  4. Artificial Colors& Flavorings
    For more information: consumerhealthreviews.com, feingold.org, pubmed.gov
  5. Benzoate Preservatives: BHT, BHA, TBHQ
    For more information: ncbi.nih.gov, pubmed.gov, feingold.org
  6. Caffeine
    For more information: cspinet.org, kidshealth.org, pubmed.gov
  7. Artificial Sweeteners
    For more information: cspinet.org, cancer.gov
  8. MSG (Monosodium Glutamate)
    For more information: cspinet.org, msgtruth.org, mercola.com
  9. Olestra
    For more information: hsph.harvard.edu, ifst.org, americanheart.org
  10. Sodium Nitrite and Nitrate
    For more information: cnn.com/health/indepth.food/additives/
    table.html    , cspinet.org

About Better School Food:

Better School Food is an organization of concerned parents, educators, and health professionals devoted to improving the diet of our nation’s youth in the place where they come together and do much of their eating: at school.

The group works with communities to provide better meals and increase awareness of the connection between good nutrition, good health and the ability to learn and retain information. Seen this way, lunch isn’t something kids do between classes—instead, a healthy lunch is an essential part of the education process.

Better School Food was founded by Dr. Susan Rubin as a way to provide resources and guidance to parents and educators who wanted to improve the health and nutrition of the children in their care. Some of the resources included on the organization’s website (betterschool food.org) are tips and instructions about starting a school garden and farm-toschool programs. Both approaches bring fresh, whole foods into the educational ecosystem. School gardens, in particular, give students hands-on experience with
planting and growing their own food—experience which enriches every meal.

Among the changes the organization would like to make in school food are the following: eliminating the use of partially hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup; providing a vegetarian option every day and serving more fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and beans; shrinking portion sizes to reasonable levels; and allowing more time for students to eat lunch. These changes would result in healthier, happier students, with body chemistries more conducive to learning.

Website: www.betterschoolfood.org

About the Author:

Susan Rubin is a holistic nutritionist, school food activist, retired dentist and mother of 3. www.drsusanrubin.com

Other Useful Online Resources:

 

FAMILY LIVING

Doing Dinner: Confessions of a Radical Mother
Maya Talisman Frost

From the Article:

I love slow living. It’s peaceful, meaningful and even downright radical in a go-go world.

According to a recent article in, appropriately enough, Time magazine, groups of harried parents across the United States are joining a wave of slow-living advocates by doing something really revolutionary: having one sit-down dinner at home with their kids each week.

I don’t know whether to applaud or cry. The idea that parents are willing to undertake the Herculean task of rearranging their schedules to fit in a single dinner at home is laudable. The fact that it requires such superhuman effort is terribly sad.

How did we get here? The article states that back in the 1980s, sociologists decided that providing structured activities for kids would prevent juvenile delinquency. In addition, education experts suggested that American children needed to study harder to compete academically in the global market...

About the Author:

Maya Frost has taught thousands of people how to pay attention. Her eyes-wide-open approach to everyday awareness has been featured in over 100 media outlets worldwide. Having turned her attention to education in the last few years, Maya is the author of The New Global Student and head cheerleader for Smart Education Design. She teaches parents how to help their kids get a personalized and exhilarating global education that doesn’t cost a fortune. Visit her website at: www.massageyourmind.com

 

GRATITUDE

Blessings
Alicia Bayer

From the Article:

Last week I was on vacation at a friend’s mountain home in California. Not only do I adore her and her family, but I also fell in love with her home, situated on 15 acres in the Sierra Nevada mountains. During one trip down the mountain into town, I found myself thinking of my little box house in the middle of town, and coveting her beautiful surroundings. I’m usually very appreciative of the distinct beauty of my own Minnesota landscape, but my friend’s view was so breathtaking that for a few minutes my place in the heartland seemed a little paltry.

When I realized what I was doing, I mentally shook myself back to my senses and did a little internal thanks-giving for the incredible life we have. While I don’t have a view down a mountain, I have a home I never dreamed of, with some pretty breathtaking views of its own. There is nothing like waking up after an unexpected ice storm in the fall to find every late rose,
marigold and blade of grass encased in its own tiny ice sculpture. When the sun hits it all, it’s as if the world is made of spun glass. Or the way ice-covered snow in the fields reflects the color of the sunset…or the deep-blue skies over the rich green and blue of our thousands of lakes in the spring and summer. Daryl and I often point out the beauty as we drive, and we’ve wondered how many people don’t even notice in their rush to get home...

About the Author:

Alicia Bayer lives in rural Minnesota with her husband and four children, ages 2 to 11, whom she homeschools. Alicia has maintained the nonprofit website A Magical Childhood for the past eight years, offering parents support, humor, crafts and a little bit of whimsy to help make childhood (and parenthood) more magical. Read more here: www.magicalchildhood.com

 

CHIROPRACTIC FOR LIFE

Chiropractic and Ear Infections: What We Offer Makes a Difference
Jeanne Ohm, DC

From the Article:

Many parents bring their children into our office asking us to treat their ear infections. My first response is that the purpose of chiropractic care is not the treatment of conditions or diseases; rather, it is the restoration of normal body function. I explain that as chiropractors, we work with the nervous system via gentle spinal adjustments. We reduce stressrelated interference to the nervous system, thereby enhancing all overall body function. I further explain that all systems of the body—muscular, glandular, respiratory, circulatory, digestive, eliminatory, hormonal and immunological—depend on the optimal function of the nervous system. With chiropractic, we focus on nerve system function to enhance all the body’s systems.

Because many parents are unaware of the variety of options available for the treatment of ear infections, I continue, “As a parent, you have some choices to make. You can either treat the ear infection, or not—that’s your right as a parent. Even the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a watch-and-wait approach, because the evidence-based research about antibiotics is showing that not only are they ineffective at treating ear infections, but they will actually lead to repeated ear infections in your child. As a parent, you can choose to treat or not to treat...

About the Author:

Jeanne Ohm is an author, instructor and practicing chiropractor whose special emphasis is on chiropractic for children and in pregnancy. She is the executive director of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association and can be reached on Facebook. Read Dr. Ohm's bio here.

 

PREGNANCY

The Brewer Pregnancy Diet
Joy Jones, RN

From the Article:

The Brewer Diet consists of 14 food groups from which a mother can choose on a daily or weekly basis. However, the diet plan can be summarized as having four basic components: 2,600 calories, 80 to 120 grams of protein, salt to taste and unrestricted weight gain.

The specifics of the diet (available at tinyurl.com/brewer diet) were compiled by Dr. Tom Brewer, an obstetrician, after years of studying research on the effects of nutrition in pregnancy. He lived to see his philosophy used to prevent or treat various complications of pregnancy, including pregnancyinduced hypertension, pathological edema, eclampsia (toxemia),
pre-eclampsia, HELLP syndrome, premature labor, anemias, placental abruption, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and low birth weight. All of these problems have a common source—food deficiency and low blood volume...

About the Author:Joy Jones

Joy Jones, R.N., is a midwife’s assistant and the creator of the Brewer Pregnancy Diet website www.drbrewerpregnancydiet.com. She has worked as a childbirth educator, doula, breastfeeding consultant, author and conference speaker. She and her husband are parents of two grown sons who continue to make them proud.

 

BIRTH

Dangers of Hospital Birth: Why Birthing in a Hospital Can Cause More Problems Than it Solves
Ronnie Falcão, LM, MS

From the Article:

There’s a saying that birth is as safe as life gets. There are times when birth can become dangerous for the baby or, very rarely, for the mother. This is when hospital-based maternity care really shines, and we’re able to save mothers and babies who a hundred years ago might have died. Thank goodness that there are skilled surgeons who can come to the rescue when truly necessary.

There’s also another saying: When you’re holding hammer, everything looks like a nail. Likewise, for hospital-based birth attendants, it is easy to become accustomed to treating every birth as a disaster waiting to happen. Many obstetricians have lost touch with the possibility of normal birth, so much so that even labor that includes a pitocin induction with an epidural, a fetal scalp electrode and a vacuum extraction is called a “natural” birth. Some hospital staff seem offended by the idea of minimizing interventions, as if preferring not to have a needle the size of a house nail inserted near your spine is the same as declining to have a second piece of Aunt Sally’s fruitcake. Sadly, some of today’s younger doctors may never even have seen a truly physiological labor and birth—a birth completely without medical intervention...

About the Author:Ronnie Falcao

Ronnie Falcao, LM MS, is a homebirth midwife practicing in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties in California. She edits and maintains The Midwife Archives at www.gentlebirth.org/archives.

Birth Resources:

Non-Profit Organizations:

Great Reads and Websites:

 

THE OUTER WOMB

Car Seats are for Cars
Catherine McKenzie

From the Article:

Children who are consistently carried in car seats instead of held close to mom suffer adverse physical and psychological effects.

“You know, you’re the only mother here who doesn’t carry her baby in a car seat,” commented the receptionist at my midwife’s office.

My daughter was several weeks old at the time and I’d left her seat in the car, mainly because I didn’t feel like lugging it all the way up the stairs to the clinic. I looked around the waiting room and realized that we were the odd ones out.

It seemed true wherever we went. At the library, the shopping mall and the drop-in center for parents, the babies were all in infant seats—parked next to waiting-room chairs, snapped into matching strollers, clipped onto shopping carts or carried by handles and trailing a woolly blanket.

No longer just a safety device for automobiles, portable infant car seats are now an important part of “travel systems”—sets that include an in-car base, a stroller and a car seat that snaps into both. They’ve been called the SUVs of the stroller world, and a quick glance in any baby store will show you how popular they’ve become...

About the Author:

Catherine McKenzie is a freelance writer and La Leche League leader living in Oakville, Ontario. She has two young daughters: Delia, 5, and Jillian, 1. She can be reached via e-mail at: catherine@mkz.com

 

 

 

MOVEMENT AND LEARNING

Hop, Skip and Jump
Rae Pica

From the Article:

Physical activity molded our past. Can it shape our future?

Once upon a time, children were almost never indoors, preferring to play outside. Nor were they ever still for long. They skipped and galloped, climbed trees, jumped rope, played hopscotch and rode their bicycles for blocks. They ran screaming through each other’s yards and even down the middle of the streets.

They played touch football, hide-and-seek and tag. They raced each other to the sliding board and swingset, chased butterflies and got filthy rolling around on the ground. It’s no wonder no one ever worried about them getting enough exercise!

Today, it’s the rare child who has similar experiences. Instead, children watch TV and DVDs and play not on jungle gyms, but on the computer. And they don’t walk—let alone run, as we did—to and from school. They either take the bus or their parents drive them. (Parents drive their kids everywhere these days.) And during the school day? Physical education and recess, which we had twice a day, are swiftly going the way of the dinosaurs...

About the Author:

Rae Pica is a children’s physical activity specialist, author and host of Body, Mind and Child Radio. She offers insight and wisdom on her site, www.movingandlearning.com, and hosts informative radio interviews on www.bodymindandchild.com/radio, where numerous shows are archived.

 

 

PARENTING

Parenting the Whole Child: Nurturing the Connections Between Emotion, Intellect, Body and Spirit
Dr. Caron Goode

From the Article:

Our western worldview has given us a fragmented picture of the self. As a result, we have developed segmented disciplines in our society. Medicine treats the body’s symptoms; psychology deals with the emotions; education trains the intellect; religion cares for the soul. Yet our mind, body and spirit together make up one network of connected systems of energy, biochemistry and behavioral responses.

The Concept of Wholeness
Around the world, traditional medicines have always perceived the interconnection of the mind, body and soul, treating mental, physical, emotional and spiritual sickness as aspects of the same system. In some ways, western medical science also supports the concept of wholeness. This is evidenced by discoveries in cellular biology, immunology, neuropsychology and other fields, which now acknowledge how energy systems coordinate thoughts, feelings and biochemistry.

But how does this concept of wholeness translate into parenting? What does it mean for rearing happy, successful children?

We know what touching and bonding provide for hurt, stressed or sick children. We know what emotions to nurture for positive mental and physical health, and we know that negative emotions and limiting beliefs correlate to poor health and depression. We know the food, exercise, breathing styles and sleep patterns that are needed by children of different temperaments.

But can we use this knowledge to fulfill the needs of the whole child? What are the building blocks for wholeness?...

About the Author:

Dr. Caron Goode is a psychotherapist, author and inspirational speaker. Gifted with compassion and a deep desire to assist others in living their passionate purpose, Dr. Goode has become a respected leader in the parent coaching industry. In addition to founding and operating the Academy for Coaching Parents International (which trains students in the empowerment model of parent coaching), Dr. Goode has shared her holistic approach to achieving parenting success and managing family relationships in magazines, newspapers and radio. She is the author of twelve books, including The Art and Science of Coaching Parents (2007) and Raising Intuitive Children (2009). Find her here: www.inspiredparenting.net

 

HOLISTIC HEALTHCARE

The Road to Holistic Practice: An Integrated Approach
Larry Palevsky, MD

From the Article:

Every doctor spends years gaining an education and training for his or her career. Medical school and internships present crucial opportunities for learning. But the education doesn’t stop once the training ends. Sometimes, in order to be the best doctor you can be, you have to be ready to unlearn the things you were told were true, and consider the evidence right in front of your eyes.

After four years of pediatric residency and fellowship training, I spent nine years caring for sick children in pediatric emergency rooms, delivery rooms, pediatric and neonatal intensive care units and in-patient wards in the New York City hospital system. I developed a large bag of tricks to give quick help to sick children.

Children with asthma seemed to respond well to treatment with inhalers, steroids and leukotriene inhibitors. Yet these same children kept coming back on a regular basis, with recurrent symptoms of cough, wheezing and difficulty breathing. Similarly, children with ear infections always received antibiotics. They often returned to the ER, however, presenting sick again after completing their 10-day courses of medicine. Newborns who appeared
depressed and lifeless after difficult births were vigorously resuscitated and invariably admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit for observation and treatment since they didn’t perk up quite enough to go to the regular newborn nursery. Often, it took them days to recover and develop adequate tone in their bodies, or demonstrate the ability to feed properly...

About the Author:

Author, lecturer and educator Dr. Larry Palevsky is a board-certified pediatrician who utilizes an integrative approach to children’s wellness and illness. Dr. Palevsky is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, past president of the American Holistic Medical Association, co-founder and president of the Holistic Pediatric Association (hpakids.org) and a diplomate of the American Board of Holistic Medicine. Dr. Palevsky maintains pediatric consultation practices in Northport, Long Island and Manhattan.

 

Current Concerns

Swine Flu
Darrel Crain

From the Article:

Earlier this year saw an outbreak of a frightening new strain of the flu. The resulting panic created a lot of sound and fury…but what did it signify?

Just when the A(H1N1) flu (“the flu formerly known as swine”) was losing its headline luster for being too mild and ordinary a bug, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the first global influenza epidemic in 41 years. On June 11, 2009, the WHO raised the pandemic warning to level 6, the highest possible alert.

Officials point out that this classification refers only to the geographic spread of the new flu over the globe, and tells nothing of its virulence or deadliness. Nevertheless, the heightened alert will likely rekindle the flames of “pandemania” in the United States, sending multitudes of panicky parents to already overcrowded emergency rooms with feverish, sniffling children.

About the Author:

Darrel Crain is a family chiropractor and natural health writer who lives and practices in the beautiful foothills of San Diego in Alpine, California. Read more of his articles here: www.planetchiropractic.com

 

 

MIND-BODY-SPIRIT

What Do You Expect?
Kevin Donka, DC

From the Article:

A busy road near my home is under construction right now. I travel this way twice every day, but yesterday I noticed a sign I hadn’t seen before. It said, “New Lane Configurations—Expect Delays.” This didn’t seem strange to me at first, but as I continued to think about it, I wondered why I should expect delays, rather than just preparing for them. If I leave a little earlier than usual, I won’t have to worry about being late, and if I bring an extra CD to listen to, then I am prepared for a delay. And if it turns out that there is no delay, even better. This way, my expectation is that no matter what happens, it will be fine.

But again, why should I actually expect delays? The simple truth is that you cannot escape something you are giving your attention to. When I put my attention toward expecting a delay, I am very likely to experience one. But when I expect to be okay with whatever happens because I am prepared for it, I often will experience whatever is best for me.

About the Author:

Dr. Kevin Donka graduated from the National College of Chiropractic in 1987 and he has maintained a large and unique family practice in the northwestern suburbs of Chicago since that time. Dr. Donka testified before the U.S. Congress in 1999 on the issue of national healthcare reform, and has spoken at numerous seminars and chiropractic colleges. Dr. Donka is known for his unique way of asking questions about and examining everyday scientific and philosophical ideas, as well as his simple, vitalistic way of explaining these ideas to people. He publishes his free weekly email, Chirothots, which reaches thousands of chiropractors. Kevin has been married to his wife Cristine since 1985 and they have five outrageously happy, beautiful, healthy, possibility-based children. www.kevindonka.com

 

INFORMED CHOICE

Moms Fight Back: The Battle Against BPA
Jane Sheppard

From the Article:

It may be quite astonishing to learn what’s currently going on in the bisphenol a (BPA) industry. BPA is a chemical additive used to strengthen plastic. It’s found in polycarbonate plastic food and drink bottles, including baby bottles and sippy cups. It’s also in most dental sealants and in the lining of aluminum food and beverage cans, including baby formula.

BPA is a chemical that disrupts the development of the reproductive system and the brain, as well as causing other health problems. Babies and fetuses, of course, are the most vulnerable. There’s so much evidence about the harmful effects of BPA that the government is finally acting to ban it from
products meant for children under age 3.

If you haven’t yet heard, representatives from several big companies in the canned food and beverage industry—including Coca Cola, Alcoa, Del Monte, Crown, the American Chemical Council and more—held an emergency meeting in late May to strategize how to stop a government ban on BPA and manipulate public opinion with fear tactics, specifically targeting young mothers. These companies are making friends in the government and a running a major lobbying campaign to block the ban on the use of BPA in baby bottles, toddler cups, baby food and formula containers...

About the Author:

Jane Sheppard helps empower parents to make informed choices to protect the health and well-being of their children. Jane is the owner and publisher of Healthy Child, a comprehensive online resource for reducing environmental toxins, as well as natural parenting and holistic medicine for children. In addition to a newsletter, blog, teleseminars, and hundreds of articles, Healthy Child offers parents thoroughly researched, safe, non-toxic products for babies and children. Jane can be reached through Healthy Child at www.healthychild.com.

 

Pathways High Five

5 Book Recommendations

In Pathways High Five, we recommend the books and resources created by the authors of this issue’s articles. If you read an article that inspires or moves you, or offers some valuable new information or insight, we encourage you to seek out and explore these authors’ further writing.

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