Hi Parents,
For a long time, it was accepted that really the only thing that determined the health of our kids was their genetics. The Gene Theory ???? basically stated that humans are “coded” for either health or various forms of illness and disease… and that there isn’t much you can do about it.
Thankfully , once that theory was actually researched and studied, it was proven untrue. We learned that our environment and lifestyle
♂️ have a lot more to do with the health outcomes of our children than their genetic code, through a concept called epigenetics. (Google this, it will blow your mind!)
As parents, having an understanding of how this works can honestly be both exciting and scary! It’s exciting because it means that traditional medicine ⚕️ was off base and for the most part, our children’s health is not just left to random chance and good *or bad* luck. But it’s also a bit scary because it truly means we have more control and say in the outcome than we once thought!
We’ll be blogging for our tribe over the next several weeks and take you step-by-step through each of the decisions and actions that help ensure your kids are on the ‘path’ to healthy, happy, vibrant lives!
We promise to keep it simple, structured, and entertaining along the way as well!
Let’s get started with Decision #1 – Choosing the Right Guide(s)!
First, let’s look at our current realities. For 90% or more of us starting out, we honestly don’t even know we have more than one choice when it comes to health guidance and health care for our family.
Heck, to even get checked out of the hospital (if you choose to have your baby there, also a choice) they require you to have a Pediatrician ⚕️ come and give your child an exam and recommendations. Right there, it ingrains in most parents that when it comes to the health of that baby, you are not in charge… the doctor is. ❌
Well, let’s look where that has landed us:
Just one look at the graphic above tells us one thing – we need to go in a different direction. Which also means, we need a different guide.
Trusting traditional medicine and the average pediatrician with the health of our children has led us down the path of now having the sickest
, most susceptible generation of kids in history.
We could write so many more paragraphs to really depict why this is, but the bulk of it comes from these three (3) elements:
1. Significantly missing the number of neurosensory challenges (Perfect Storm ) brewing in infants and toddlers, and not getting them to an effective early intervention plan
2. The overuse of antibiotics, steroid-based medications and vaccine additives that can cause negative reactions
3. The lack of lifestyle and healthy living guidance ????
Alright, we’ve got that problem clearly highlighted, and honestly, we don’t even need the stats and fancy graphic sheet from above… we can just look around and see how many sick, struggling, stressed, allergy and illness riddled kids we have of all ages and know we need a different path.
Traditional medicine needs to move from the first option to the last resort. But, who do we turn to instead for guidance and direction towards a healthy, proactive, adaptable future for our kids?
Good news! You’ve got two (2) options!
1. Natural (Nutritional) & Holistic
2. Neurological (Pediatric Chiropractic)
Reality is, most of you reading this have likely already gone at least a good way down the natural and nutritional road. This approach is the ‘leading’ approach from books
, online blogs, Facebook groups, and so many other awesome avenues we can now tap into and learn from as parents these days!
You’ve probably at least dabbled with things like Vitamin D and probiotics, gluten and dairy ???? free, Paleo or Keto, essential oils and herbs
, and so forth.
But as awesome as that approach is to help improve gut function and strengthen the immune response naturally, it can also be entirely overwhelming.
What really is the best diet? What are the best supplement brands? How much and how many should my kid take? Young Living or DoTerra? Almond milk or oat milk?
Also, we meet parents every single day in our office who have truly done it all in both the traditional/medical and natural/nutritional space… and yet, their child still struggles. These parents are especially exhausted and running out of hope because they still aren’t seeing the full results they want for the health of their child.
What’s missing? The Nervous System ????.
Or put specifically, the Autonomic or Central Nervous System. The nervous system’s job is to control, coordinate, and modulate every single cell and system in the body.
It truly is the “mom” of our biology, knowing what’s going on with each and every other system in the body at all times… doing everything it can to keep things organized and in order
! Well moms, is that an easy job? Not so much.
The “Air Traffic Controller” job becomes even more difficult under stress. And as simple as it sounds, that is the actual #1 cause of all childhood illnesses we face today – stress.
When a child’s nervous system is exposed to excessive levels of stress, especially at its earliest stages of development (pregnancy, birth, infancy) it immediately “shifts” into what we call fight-or-flight overdrive mode , known as the sympathetic side of the nervous system.
The problem here is that this side of the autonomic nervous system is designed for survival, not growth and development (health). For the 72 years we’ve been open, we’ve seen over 80% of our pediatric patients be exposed to at least 1 of the 3 early “Perfect Storm” indicators and stress triggers (these numbers increasing drastically over the past 30 years):
1. Prenatal & Maternal Stress ????????
2. Birth Intervention & Injury (Forceps, Vacuum, C-section, Induction, etc.)
3. Colic, Constipation, Congestion (ears, sinuses, respiratory infections) as an Infant
We call this early exposure to stress “The Perfect Storm ” and it especially stacks up and wreaks havoc on their health if they have all of the factors. Specifically, it creates what is called a ‘subluxation’ within their nervous system – a state of stress being “stuck” on.
Since the Central and Autonomic Nervous System ???? has far more bearing on the health of the gut and immune system than even Pre and Probiotics, Vitamin D, and the Paleo Diet… this is the first place we need to start when it comes to the health of our kids.
We need a guide (a doctor) who is an absolute expert in neurology, not just genetics and random chance. We need someone who takes a proactive, forward-thinking, modern approach to health and wellness… not a “wait and see” approach. We need a guide who focuses first on the health of the nervous system, and then also knows natural and holistic health.
When we have that kind of guide leading our child’s health care team, we have things in the right “order” and sequence! It does not mean we don’t want and need to have an incredible pediatrician or traditional family doctor in our corner, it just means we really only want to see them once a year for a height, weight, and chart check-in! Not because they aren’t awesome, but simply because they aren’t needed !
That is the path to true health for our children. That is the path out of this “Perfect Storm” of chronic illness our kids live with today, and the path we need to teach and show our future generations!
Neurology first, physiology second, chemistry last resort.
Take-Home Action: Find Your Family’s Provider for all Three (3), and Make Your Plan
It’s time our families have multiple guides (doctors, professionals) who can help lead our kids to full, vibrant health… instead of just relying on one! It’s time we find doctors and professionals who understand their role and work in a coordinated, open-minded fashion with other experts and professionals for the best possible health outcomes for our family!
If this info-packed email resonated with you, consider one of these two options:
1. Attend our next ‘Raising Healthy Kids, Naturally’ Workshop on May 6th @ 6:30pm at our office to learn even more about the Neurological and Natural Approach to health
2. If you already know you’re ready to rock in choosing a new guide for your family and your kiddos aren’t yet under care with us – call us at 254-699-4004 and chat with one of our friendly staff to get your crew scheduled today!
3. Maybe you have a friend, family member or neighbor who needs to hear this information. Point them in our direction, invite them to the upcoming workshop and help us spread some hope for their family! Every kid deserves to have health!
The best part of this is, there are many wonderful professionals out there who can handle both the Medical and Holistic Care for your family, making life at least one step simpler and easier for you and your family!
Stay tuned for the next blog in this Raising Healthy Kids Naturally series, where we dive deeper into the infant and baby stage and help you sort out things like how to handle fevers, teething, first foods, and more!
God bless and be well️,
The Isdale Chiropractic Team