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Healing the Whole Child Holistic Pediatricians Go Beyond Meds

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GREEN TEA VITAMINS • HERBS

by Ronica O’Hara

When Jackie Jones’ 4-year-old advice at PisforPregnant.com, benefitted daughter had a persistent from a growing trend among pediatricians. runny nose and cough, three The number of doctors that self-identify as visits to the pediatrician proved fruitless. holistic by joining the integrative medicine “He would see us for two minutes, listen section of the American Academy of Pedito her chest, saying she had ‘a cold’, and yet atrics has grown from a dozen in the early still prescribe an antibiotic and steroid that 1990s to more than 400 today, says Kathi would just trash her immune system,” the Kemper, M.D., an Ohio State University Atlanta mom says. “She ended up develop- pediatrics professor who founded the secing pneumonia in both lungs that landed tion and authored The Holistic Pediatrician. her in the hospital.” “Holistic pediatricians are interested

This propelled Jones to switch her in helping children and families meet children’s care to a holistic pediatri- their health goals, not just diagnosing and cian. “He actually listens to me and takes dispensing drugs,” she says. “We use an time with his patients, and recommends evidence-informed approach, including all vitamins and supplements to keep them appropriate therapies and therapists, with healthy, in comparison to just handing out a strong emphasis on healthy lifestyle beantibiotics,” she says. On the first visit, he haviors such as diet, exercise, sleep, stress queried Jones about family use of sham- management, social and emotional skills, poos, soaps and cleaning products that spirituality and a healthy environment.” might contain chemicals. “Definitely not Many pediatricians report they want a conversation I had with my old pediatri- to know more about integrative approaches cian!” she related. because of their frustration in treating the

Jones, who dispenses pregnancy chronic conditions in one-quarter to one-half

of the children they see, as well as to answer questions posed by Google-savvy parents. Yet most pediatricians have limited training in natural health and are wary to suggest such approaches, and parents are often reluctant to disclose their use of natural methods.

Holistic pediatricians, on the other hand, typically get additional training in healing modalities that allows them to integrate natural options into mainstream methods. Unlike many pediatricians in busy clinics that can see a child only briefly, holistic pediatricians typically take longer. “It’s not a one-size-fits-all conventional approach,” says holistic pediatrician Elisa Song, of Belmont, California, who blogs at HealthyKidsHappyKids.com.

For a child with asthma, for example, Song checks for environmental, dietary or social triggers, including mold, food allergies or sensitivities and stress. She looks for underlying biomedical imbalances such as nutritional deficiencies, abnormal gut microbes and signs of a leaky gut. “Based upon clinical and laboratory findings, an initial treatment plan may include elimination of food sensitivities, supplementation with a 3-6-9 fish oil and magnesium, and mindfulness exercises that incorporate diaphragmatic breathing,” she says.

Pediatric naturopaths are another option for parents. These doctors typically start from a natural medicine perspective, are trained in herbs and nutrition, and collaborate with bodyworkers, physical therapists and counselors. “Really, anything that helps a child thrive,” says pediatric naturopath Kathryn Purvis, of Tempe, Arizona. “We use treatments that are gentle and safe, but are also trained to use conventional treatments if necessary.”

Naturopaths undergo a four-year postgraduate medical education like pediatricians, but do not complete an additional three years of pediatric residency, although they can do internships and take courses for certification. In 26 states, they can prescribe pharmaceuticals and administer vaccines.

Purvis is the primary care provider for about 75 percent of the children she sees and provides adjunctive care for specific condiWhen seeking a pediatrician, integrative or not, holistic pediatrician Natalie W. Geary, of Miami, founder of vedaHEALTH (VedaHealth.com), says, “My best advice is to look for a pediatrician that has open communication skills, that listens well and that has the confidence to engage in a Q&A without getting defensive and ruffled. There are several questions to ask that will help guide you.”

In addition, she provides tips on what to look for in the answers.

1.Will you be talking to us about our baby’s nutrition indetail?

Pediatricians trained in integrative medicine recognize that children’s health is fundamentally grounded in what they eat. They need to recognize the impact of poor nutrition on a baby’s growing and developing brain, especially in the first three years of life, and be tions with the rest. For example, one child with chronic ear infections was facing ear tube surgery on the advice of a pediatrician; after his parents followed her advice to take him off dairy and give him certain supplements and a homeopathic remedy, the condition cleared up.

Chiropractors that specialize in pediatrics, although not usually a child’s primary doctor, correct misalignments of the cranium, spine and pelvis using extra-low force, “like checking the ripeness of a tomato,” says pediatric chiropractor Kaleb Scroggin, of Savannah, author of the children’s book C is for Chiropractor. For example, treating a constipated, breast-fed baby usually produces immediate results, he says, adding that adjustments can also help infants with latching issues, painful gas, reflux and general irritability. “My goal is to see how healthy I can help your child become,” he advises.

Ronica O’Hara is a Denver-based health

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Questions for Pediatricians

writer. Connect at OHaraRonica@gmail.com. patient in helping parents navigate food intolerances—not just food allergies—as well as developmental stages and feeding behavior.

2. How do you feel about adjunct therapies such as craniosacral massage, acupuncture and Ayurveda?

The important thing here is not that they necessarily offer these things, but that they are informed about their benefits and are not dismissive or judgmental, and that they are open to working with the other healers and practitioners involved.

3. What are your thoughts on antibiotics?

Some pediatricians may be defensive about this, but it’s worth asking politely to see if they are open to a conversation about when alternatives might be useful, especially for things like ear infections.

Holistic Pediatrician Deborah Bain Practices Integrative Care

by Sheila Julson

After a decade of opening the practice, she has met practicing pediatrics many parents looking for choices in the conventional other than pharmaceutical medimedical realm, Deborah Bain, cations or invasive procedures. M.D., founder of Healthy Kids “Parents are seeking alterPediatrics, endured many health natives so they can raise healthier challenges, including back and families,” she states. “Western neck surgeries and stage 3 breast medicine often utilizes pharcancer diagnosis. Her treatment maceuticals or procedures. My included standard chemo- unique approach to health care therapy and radiation, but she Deborah Bain, M.D. incorporates herbals, homeopathy also brought a naturopath, a and specialized diets, which gives chiropractor and a holistic nutritionist parents more options for their children.” onto her wellness team. Through nutrition As parents continue to seek integraand detoxification, her vigor was restored, tive approaches not just for themselves, but and her eyes were opened to a new way of also for their kids, they are willing to travel achieving wellness. if they can’t find integrative treatment where

Bain knew that children could benefit they live. During the COVID-19 pandemic, from an integrative model, and in 2006, Bain has increased telemedicine appointshe opened Healthy Kids Pediatrics, one of ments that her patients can use after they’ve the first integrative pediatrics practices in had an initial in-person visit. “Telemedicine Texas. Bain focuses on nutrition deficien- has been fabulous, I can help so many more cies and the root causes of diseases. Since people,” she enthuses.” Bain emphasizes that remedies such as dietary changes, along with specialized lab testing, go beyond addressing symptoms through short-term fixes. Her integrative approach resolves underlying issues. She notes that today’s parents are becoming more proactive in their children’s care, especially if they have a family history of a particular disease.

“Specialized testing and screening for autoimmune disease and vitamin deficiencies can direct us toward changes to prevent symptoms from developing,” Bain explains. “If a patient has the genetics, along with the environmental triggers for a disease, I can identify those environmental triggers and the underlying vulnerability of the child. We can then teach that child healthy habits as they head toward adulthood. More parents realize they’re not just raising healthy children—they’re raising children to become healthy adults.”

Bain is certified through the Institute for Functional Medicine. Since 2015, she’s been a gluten-certified practitioner. That training expands her knowledge of utilizing gluten-free diets to achieve wellness. She is pursuing homeopathic certification through the Center for Education and Development of Homeopathy. Through continuing education, Bain becomes more specialized in her knowledge to help patients with issues that aren’t resolved through elimination diets, probiotics or supplements.

Bain believes advanced holistic training can advance the integrative field for practitioners that treat both adults and children. Fourteen years after opening her integrative pediatrics practice, she still sees a shortage of pediatricians specializing in holistic approaches, but is optimistic that will change.

“There’s a growing number of pediatric-trained holistic doctors,” she observes.

“I’ve helped train holistic doctors, and that number is expanding because holistic practices are driven by the industry. I feel that conventional pediatric practices overall are ignorant to holistic desires of the parents and can’t speak their language when discussing options like elderberry or vitamin D. Those practices are not going to be sought after by parents that want more choices than antibiotics or pharmaceuticals. Those parents want to go to a practice that is open-minded to holistic care.”

Healthy Kids Pediatrics is located at 4851 Legacy Dr., Ste. 301, in Frisco. For more information, call 972-294-0808 or visit HealthyKidsPediatrics.com.

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HOUSE BLESSINGS for Clearing and Protecting Spaces

by Marlaina Donato

Moving into a house, office or takes the concept of housewarming to a any new space prompts us to sacred level. A house blessing can temper envision bright days ahead the hair-pulling stresses of a move and be a filled with hope and joy. Perhaps this is wonderful way to restore harmony after life why, from first-century Christians praying gives us a jolt, be it a job loss, a broken relato dissuade evil influences to the Mayans tionship, a loved one’s passing or an illness. smudging herbs to welcome positive Simple gestures of intention, sprinkled energy, the act of blessing a house is such a with some beauty, enable us to claim our time-honored tradition. space and sow a new beginning.

Whether held in private or with a Arranging seasonal blooms in jewelgroup of kindred souls, with or without toned vases, scattering fresh rose petals religious elements, blessing a new dwelling over the threshold or misting the air with ethereal scents consecrates what might otherwise seem mundane. Singing a favorite song, whispering a spontaneous prayer or reciting a Buddhist chant during the flurry of unpacking invites calm and attracts benevolent influences. Pungent smudges of dried, white sage, sweetgrass, pine or lilac flowers help dissolve unpleasant memories and energetic imprints from the past.

Honoring the four elements of earth, air, fire and water can create balance and celebrate ancient customs. Adding one or more essential oils to a spray bottle filled with distilled water or culinary rose water is an easy way to mist the air and the space inside drawers, closets and cupboards before filling or refilling them. Hanging fresh evergreens, leafy branches or tufts of blossoms over doorways evokes what 10th-century mystic and healer Hildegard of Bingen called veriditas—the greening energy of the Earth. Employing a crystal or Tibetan singing bowl, beating a shamanic drum or playing an instrument in select rooms can charge the atmosphere with fiery hope. Opening windows, even briefly during cooler seasons, invites in the fresh air of possibility.

Stepping into a new life—or revitalizing an existing one—is one of the most beautiful acts of caring for soul and self. Blessing our spaces is also an expression of gratitude, something that can make any life wonderful.

Marlaina Donato is an author and recording artist. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

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More Choices for Natural Care New Star Chiropractic & Acupuncture Wellness Center

by Sheila Julson

Doctor of Chiroprac- U.S., Lu learned about tic Zhanping Lu, chiropractic medicine, founder of New which corrects mechaniStar Chiropractic & Acu- cal stressors that shift the puncture Wellness Center, spine and put pressure on offers patients a variety of the spinal nerve, interfernatural wellness modalities ing with their signals to at his clinic. His practice the rest of the body and combines acupuncture, Tra- leading to health issues. In ditional Chinese Medicine 1995, Lu moved to Dallas (TCM), chiropractic, detoxi- to attend Parker University fication and Nambudripd’s (formerly Parker College of Allergy Elimination Tech- Zhanping Lu Chiropractic). niques (NAET), an innova- Lu wanted to transfer to tive, non-invasive treatment for allergies. a clinic setting that combined TCM with

Lu was born and raised in the coastal natural modalities of the Western world city of Yantai, China, and always had a such as chiropractic. In 1998, he opened desire to be in a helping profession. Know- New Star Chiropractic & Acupuncture ing that a career in the medical field would Wellness Center, in Plano, where he adbe a good avenue toward helping people, dresses issues such as allergies, diabetes, auhe studied and trained at the Chinese tism, chronic pain, menopausal symptoms, Academy of Medical Sciences, a state-level weight loss, sports injuries, osteoporosis academic center for medical sciences, then and more. at QingDao University Medical College, in Lu explains how acupuncture and chiShandon, and practiced as a neurologist in ropractic modalities complement each other; China. “Acupuncture is like the software; it im-

In 1991, Lu was invited to participate proves circulation and releases blocked qi, or in research programs funded by the National energy, in the body, which helps with muscle Institutes of Health and the National Science spasms and pain caused by inflammation. Foundation at the University of South Caro- Chiropractic addresses the hardware; it lina Medical School. He quickly noticed the aligns and stabilizes the spine, releasing differences between medical care in China pinched nerves that cause pain or organs to and the conventional U.S. health care system. malfunction.” “Clinically, I saw that there were all these Acupuncture is often combined with pharmaceutical drugs to address symptoms, Chinese herbal remedies to help with specifbut for the root causes of chronic conditions, ic ailments. While chiropractic is frequently Western medicine didn’t offer solutions,” used to treat individuals with neuromushe observes. “TCM addresses root causes culoskeletal complaints such as headaches through modalities like acupuncture and and neck or joint pain, allergies, asthma, natural herbs.” digestive disorders and other ailments can be

During his years of working on addresses through proper spinal alignment, research projects and seeing cases in the Lu notes.

In addition to TCM and chiropractic, Lu uses a variety of techniques and treatments to restore proper function to help the body heal itself. NAET employs non-invasive medical, computerized and kinesiological muscle response testing to mildly stimulate the central nervous system in the presence of each allergen. This technique reprograms the brain so it no longer interprets the presence of the allergen as a threat.

In addition, Lu also uses immune modulation & allergy elimination Technology (IMAET), a biofeedback and relaxation management instrument. The non-invasive device records reactive informational potentials provided by the client into computer software that evaluates the responses. The IMAET device then assists the body’s own relaxation and stress management mechanisms by encouraging a sense of harmony and balance. Detoxification and nutrition counseling round out his toolbox of natural wellness modalities.

“I use chiropractic, acupuncture and NAET all together in my clinic to address most conditions like pain, allergies and autism,” Lu advises. “By combining these natural therapies, we can get people off pharmaceuticals, which are short-term solutions, but do not get to the root causes of diseases. Through TCM, NAET and chiropractic, I can help more people.”

New Star Chiropractic & Acupuncture Wellness Center is located at 425 Maplelawn Dr. Ste. 101, in Plano. For more information, call 972-519-8488 or visit DFWAcupuncture Chiropractic.com. See ad, page 37.