Falcon Healing Arts - Providing you with knowledge and support to care for your family naturally.
Kids Health, Parenting, Personal Development, Women's health

Homeschooling Mom Encouragement Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
homeschool mom encouragement

The Coronavirus Pandemic and the social distancing required to slow the spread, forced schools to close, leaving parents to care for their kids at home for an uncertain amount of time whether they want to or not.  Are you one of these moms?  I know that you’re probably feeling fear from both the viral threat and for homeschooling your child for the first time.  Trust me though, as a homeschooling parent of fours years, I know you can do this!  Here’s my 5 tips on how to stay sane homeschooling amid the Coronavirus Pandemic.  This homeschooling mom encouragement will boost both your immunity and self confidence! 

Before you read my tips or watch me talk about them in the video below, you may want to get my free stress-relieving acupressure guide which will help both you and your child with this transition!  These six acupressure points not only relieve tension and stress, but will help you all sleep better at night which in turn will keep your immunity strong!

self acupressure guide

5 Tips for Dealing With Your Fears – Homeschooling Mom Encouragement Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic

Focus On Self-care and Wellness as a New Homeschool Mom

You’re going to have more time, so it’s best to place your energy where it counts the most! Self-care should be your main focus and will help you better serve your family, as well as bolster your body from infection.

This virus, as is the case with other viruses, is opportunistic. It can only infect you if you are weak. Support your health and your family’s by:

  • Prioritizing better sleep – It’s still a good idea to have an early bedtime. But now that you’re homeschooling, let the family sleep in!
  • Establishing a relaxed schedule – There’s no need to rush your transitions, which can create stress and diminish immunity.
  • Creating alone time – Being home with your kids can be intense. Make sure you still have some alone time, even if it means giving your child a screen to entertain them. Your emotional health is very important right now.
  • Adopting a home yoga practice – Yoga can support your health on all levels. Try this yoga class video that will help you relieve tension as you wake in the morning and help you start the day with ease!
  • Supplementing vitamins and minerals – You should be getting healthy doses of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin D in your diet (and ideally Vitamin D from the sun), but chances are you won’t be getting enough from your food, even if you’re eating whole, organic foods. Find some supplements you like, or try my recommendations here.
  • Feeding your gut beneficial bacteria – Gut health is the basis of your immunity. Read about it’s importance, how it’s damaged and how it’s supported here. Basically, you’ll want to be eating more fermented foods and supplementing with probiotics, but it’s also important to avoid stress, sugar, and pharmaceutical drugs which all diminish your gut health!

This wellness kit comes with the vitamins I use as well as digestive enzymes, probiotics, tension-relieving lotion, and mood enhancing essential oils that will support everyone’s body, mood, and mental focus!

doTERRA Healthy Habits supplement kit for holistic health
Buying this kit also gets you a doTERRA Wholesale account, 25% off of essential oils and natural products for a year.

Tend To Your Home and Family as you Homeschool

I know it’s hard to stay home, especially this time of year! It was easy in Winter when the energy was low and was a natural time to rest and reflect. But in Spring, it’s natural to be more active and energetic. You will simply have to channel that energy into tending your family and your home.

Here’s some ideas:

  • Make all of your meals – Avoid processed food and start making healthy meals with whole foods, if you’re not doing so already. Ask your kids to help you so you get support and they can learn important life skills. Not sure how to get your kids to eat whole foods? Check out my article Practical Dietary Advice for Happy and Healthy Kids.
  • Establish a green cleaning routine – Switch out your toxic household products and clean with natural, essential oil based cleansers instead. Have complete control over the ingredients by using DIY recipes. (We’ll focus on Green Cleaning in April – in the meantime ask me if you need any suggestions or recipes).
  • Organize your pantries
  • Clean out your refrigerators
  • Wash your walls & windows
  • Clean your oven
  • Work in your garden or establish one
  • Hike in open, outside places with your family since fresh air and sunshine are important for general health

Notice that most of these suggestions circle back to self-care?

Educate Yourself As You Educate Your Child

If you’ve never homeschooled your child, it’s the perfect time to learn how! Believe me, you can do this. Just remember not to get caught in a common new homeschool mom trap of trying to re-create the school environment at home.

Your relationship is much different than the one your kids had with their teacher. They have your love. Be lighthearted in your approach, relax and trust that they are learning, even when you’re doing fun stuff like cooking and cleaning together!

There are tons of homeschool resources that you can Google. For online courses, I suggest looking into Outschool.com. For math, we love Prodigygame.com and also use Singapore Math workbooks. We do science kits from melscience.com. The rest is very personal for my family. My son reads alone for a portion of the day, but we also read to him classical child history books and fun fiction. For writing, he does copy work from the novels he’s reading or he journals.

You will need to figure out what works for your family. This is part of the learning process and it can be a really fun discovery! Or see if you can just follow the same curriculum your school was using if your child does well with it.

This can also be a great time for YOU to learn new skills that you can be refining while your kids are doing their studies. Take online classes yourself. Maybe you can explore ways to earn income online. I love working from home! I can still explore my passion of connecting families with natural health resources and helping them be healers in their own home. It’s possible for me to do this while staying home with my son and contributing to my family’s income. If you want to learn more about my business and becoming one of my partners, read on here.

Change Your Mindset – Embrace Being a Homeschool Mom!

Again, you can do this! Homeschool moms need more encouragement in the beginning. Much of your confidence is going to come with time as you see your family thrive with more relaxed learning and lifestyle habits. But it’s also extremely important that you change your attitude and mindset too.

Remember what you’re trying to create for your family. If you remain reluctant to homeschool and complain all the time to your friends, then this will be a miserable experience for you. One of the many positive aspects of social distancing with the Coronavirus pandemic is that you can heal your relationship with your family as you spend time together.

My son was in public school until halfway through Kindergarten when he begged to be pulled out. I was already aware that he was having emotional problems and would do anything to protect him. The dynamic was completely different when we started hanging out with homeschool families vs. when I would hang out with the public school moms.

The biggest difference I’ve noticed in our homeschool groups: we, parents, love hanging out with our kids. We don’t complain about our kids. We understand that this is a privilege to teach them and shape their lives based on family love & values. My love for my son is what fuels my confidence. Each day he grows I feel validated that we’re making the right choice for him. It’s that positive mindset shift that makes our homeschool journey a success.

Adopt A Gratitude Practice – Everything Has a Silver Lining

Adopting a gratitude practice with also help you with the mindset shift I suggest above. Everyday upon waking, I recommend sitting up in bed and thinking about the things you’re grateful for in your life. Be grateful for everything and everyone who supports you. You can do this meditation too anytime you’re feeling that you’re caught in negativity or fear.

Try not to get caught up in the fear of the Coronavirus pandemic. If you’re taking necessary distancing precautions and boosting your health with the guidelines I shared above, chances are you will remain healthy or will recover quickly. I also hope that this confidence in taking care of yourself and family spills over into your role as a homeschooling mom. Wellness practices and homeschooling are complementary skills!

If you enjoyed this post, share this homeschooling mom encouragement with your friends! And let me know if you have any questions in the comments below. Stay well!

Follow brandy on pinterest
homeschool mom encouragement amid coronavirus pandemic
Boost Energy, Kids Health, Natural Remedies, Parenting, Whole Food Diet

How To Get Your Child To Drink More Water

Do you have a hard time getting your child to drink water? Maybe it’s hard for you to stay ahead of his or her thirst (a sign that they’re already dehydrated). Or perhaps you’re challenged with an older child who’s not under your influence as much (like at school) who also prefers sugary, less hydrating, low-nutrient drinks like juice, processed milk, and soda.

 

If you’re a health-conscious parent, you know about the benefits of water and how necessary it is to nourish our cells and drive most physiological functions in our bodies. The most popular recommendation right now is drinking half one’s body weight of water in ounces. But we often need more than that when the weather is hot, we’re sweating a lot, or when we’re sick. Dehydration can happen to people of all ages when we’re losing more water than we’re consuming. Sometimes dehydration can be so severe that a hospital visit is necessary to treat with IV fluids. Getting kids to prioritize drinking water is your best option to prevent serious issues.

 

Don’t worry though! It is totally possible for you to help your child establish this healthy habit. Here are several tips I can offer that have worked in my family to keep my son well-hydrated and preferring water over other drinks.

 
 

How To Get Your Child To Drink More Water

 

Model drinking water at home

If your kids see you reaching for coffee, sodas, juice, or even alcoholic beverages (that look like juice!) instead of water, then they’ll want what you have and will not understand the importance of water. You’ll need to teach them that water is best for you and for them.

 

Offer water first thing in the morning

Everyone, adults and kids alike, would benefit from drinking water first thing in the morning. This primes the body to start peristalsis (moving the digestive tract) which is one of the body’s main detoxification methods. Offer water to your child as soon as they wake, or even leave a large cup of water next to their bed so they can get in the habit of drinking as soon as they wake up. Of course it would be good for you to be doing the same! Adults should try to drink a 1-3 glasses of water upon waking. Your digestion should improve!

 

Let your child have their own special cup or water bottle

It can make all the difference if your child has their own water container. Let them pick out a special cup. Let them decorate their water bottle with stickers. It’s best to drink out of stainless steel, ceramic, copper, or glass, but plastic will do if that’s all that’s available.

 

Keep a pitcher of water at kitchen table

You’ll whole family will find it easier to drink more water if you keep a pitcher full on the kitchen table at all times. Kids love to be able to help themselves, so you could even make it easier for them by having a pitcher small enough that they can pour from themselves.

 

Always travel with water

Try to get your child in the habit of taking a bottle of water with them everywhere. All car rides, school, field trips, and even play dates (if you’re child is uncomfortable asking the parent for water).

 

Flavor the water

Of course it’s best if a child can appreciate the flavor of water alone. If they prefer drinking juice, try offering flavored water as a healthy alternative. Add sliced cucumber, lemon, berries, and/or mint. Our family also loves to drink a chilled hibiscus tea which tastes fruity but does not have any sugar.

(If the whole family agrees that the house water tastes bad, you may want to consider water testing & filtration!)

 

Drink sleepy time teas as bedtime ritual

Many families prefer to have milk at bedtime to help induce sleep, but unless you’re drinking raw milk, there’s not enough nutrients and way too much sugar in processed, lower fat milks. As a bedtime drink, you’re better off offering water alone or a bedtime tea to make it a more special ritual. Chamomile or lavender teas can help them relax to support better sleep. Offer it 1-2 hours before bed so they can go to the bathroom before falling asleep and not risk having to wake up to pee.

 

Teach child signs of dehydration & the risks

Again, dehydration is very serious. If you can spot it easily in babies and toddlers (no wet diapers within 3 hrs, crying without tears, sunken eyes, fever, and/or dry mouth). You’ll need to teach your older kids the signs of dehydration if they’re away from you much of the day. Teach them that they need to drink more water, and maybe even get help from their caregiver, if they’re experiencing:

  • thirst
  • a dry and sticky mouth
  • dark and strong smelling urine
  • infrequent urination (they should be going every 3 hours or so)
  • infrequent stools (they should be pooping every day)
  • headaches or muscle cramps
  • dizziness
  • irritability
  • rapid breathing
 

Try to drink mainly room temperature water

While ice cubes may make drinking water more fun and ice water can feel refreshing on a hot day, it’s not the best way to drink water. We usually slow down and sip cold water (as we do hot), so it’s not as efficient as room temperature water for getting water into a child quickly to quench their thirst. Also, according to Chinese Medicine theory, cold inhibits the movement of Qi (vital energy) in the body, so can also create stomach pain or slow digestion, as can other cold foods and drinks. Still, I support you in doing what you need to to encourage your child to drink! So if you need to buy fancy ice cube trays, so be it!

I hope you’ll benefit from these tips on how to get your child to drink more water! Please let us know how you’re doing with them by commenting in this post. Moms everywhere would also love to hear your tips if you have any I didn’t mention! Well wishes to you and your family…

If you enjoyed this article, please share it with your friends!

Kids Health, Meditation, Parenting, Personal Development

How To Share Love Through Your Words
Share love through words peaceful communication

Words have power! They can inspire us and lift us up. They can shame us and bring us down. Yet even though most of us acknowledge the influence of words, we don’t realize how our simple every-day speech can affect the connection to ourself and others. When we speak mindfully with the intention to relate, we tap into our natural, compassionate state of being, helping us become a more loving parent, friend, partner, and human-being.

Why I Started To Speak More Lovingly

For the longest time, my negative way of speaking was influenced by my family and social circles. I was sarcastic, cynical, and would say things I didn’t really mean to be funny and interesting.

I started to become more mindful of speaking in a positive manner in massage school. We learned how to speak to clients in a way that made them feel supported. We also learned how to speak about ourselves in a more loving way. Our instructor warned us seriously, “Be careful, your body believes everything you say!”

It was the first time I considered the impact my own words had on self-esteem and physical manifestation of our thoughts. Never again did I complain about a “bad” back or other body part that was simply sending pain signals to the brain in it’s own language. I embraced the idea that I should be talking to and about my body in a positive manner so that it could heal.

Still, I had much more room to go in speaking gently. Several years later at the end of a Yoga class, one of my students came up to me and we were talking about Chinese Medicine school (which I was in the middle of). I must have been talking about a test and I said something like, “I’m not going to kill myself over it”. The student’s expression turned to one of horror and she said, “nothing is worth killing yourself over”. Of course I was kidding, but she reflected back to me that it wasn’t funny. To some people this could be very disturbing. And it made a very deep impression on me because I realized that I was supposed to be modeling love & peace for my students and I wasn’t quite there.

Framework for Speaking Positively: Right Speech and Non-violent Communication

When I made the intention to speak more mindfully, I turned my attention to my meditation practice. I also immersed myself in the Buddhism classes at Insight Meditation Center.

Later on when I became a parent, I learned more about Non-Violent Communication which is very similar (but without the religious connotation, so might be more comfortable with some people although I feel that Buddhism is a philosophy for living peacefully, not a religion!) The Attachment Parenting play group we occasionally attended used NVC as a means to connect deeply with the kids and build relationships among the parents. Since I had the background in Right Speech, NVC was not much of a stretch. I’ve done my best to adhere to it’s guidelines ever since.

I was lucky to already be familiar with these concepts, but they are certainly not mainstream. Here’s more information about each so you can decide if either is intriguing and how to apply some of the simple principles.

Right Speech

Right Speech is one of the moral disciplines of the Eight-fold Path in Buddhism and includes these 4 aspects:

  1. No false speech (lies)

  2. Do not slander or discredit others

  3. Abstain from abusive language

  4. No idle talk or gossiping

It supports the saying we’ve all heard:

“If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all!”

When one practices Right Speech, we speak honestly and are more authentic in our communication. We mindfully promote harmony and use language to lesson anger and tension in our social groups.

Practicing Right Speech is not easy, especially in this age of social media and with an inflamed political atmosphere.

In Right Speech From the Buddhist Eightfold Path, the author writes:

“Sometimes people justify harsh speech because they are speaking on behalf of a worthy cause. Ultimately, stirring up acrimony is planting karmic seeds that will hurt the cause we think we’re fighting for.

When you live in a world of acrimonious speech, practice of Right Speech requires Right Effort (another tenet on The Path) and sometimes even courage. But it is an essential part of the Buddhist path.”

Nonviolent Communication (NVC)

The Center for Nonviolent Communication is a good place to begin your education on this practice. They have many helpful articles, resources, and even have a training program for those who feel called to share this training with others. NVC was created by Marshall B. Rosenberg in response to the increasing violence he’s observed in our culture. Basically, practicing NVC consists of these four components (these are taken directly from the website):

  1. Observation: Observation without evaluation consists of noticing concrete things and actions around us. We learn to distinguish between judgment and what we sense in the present moment, and to simply observe what is there.

  2. Feeling: When we notice things around us, we inevitably experience varying emotions and physical sensations in each particular moment. Here, distinguishing feelings from thoughts is an essential step to the NVC process.

  3. Needs: All individuals have needs and values that sustain and enrich their lives. When those needs are met, we experience comfortable feelings, like happiness or peacefulness, and when they are not, we experience uncomfortable feelings, like frustration. Understanding that we, as well as those around us, have these needs is perhaps the most important step in learning to practice NVC and to live empathically.

  4. Request: To make clear and present requests is crucial to NVC’s transformative mission. When we learn to request concrete actions that can be carried out in the present moment, we begin to find ways to cooperatively and creatively ensure that everyone’s needs are met.

If you’re wanting to speak more mindfully, it needs to be a conscious shift you make in the heart first, then the mind. Know that it will take some time and don’t feel too bad if you regress back to old patterns of communication. You’re doing your best and that’s what matters most. I still yell at my son everyday, but it’s the practice of Right Speech and NVC that I’m engaging with 95% of the time that makes it much easier for us to forgive each other and reconnect. I hope it does the same for you and all of your relationships.

Have you practiced mindful speech? How has it worked for you? I’d love to know in the comments!

Chronic Disease, Gut Health, Kids Health, Natural Remedies, Parenting, Whole Food Diet

Practical Dietary Advice For Healthy & Happy Kids
healthy kids diet advice

Taking care of kids in this day and age can be tough, especially when it comes to healthy eating! If we didn’t grow up eating wholesome food, we may not know where to start. However, it is possible to learn the basics of holistic nutrition, even if you were raised on processed food (as I was). In this article, I offer you some practical dietary advice for healthy kids.

Kids Eat Real Food!

Kids need REAL food to grow and thrive. The biggest pet peeve of mine is the assumption that kid & adult food is different and that they will only eat processed food. Of course mac n’cheese, chicken nuggets, and pizza are acceptable to most kids if you buy into that logic and that’s all you feed them. These manufactured meals offer tons of calories, but very little nutritional value. A child raised on this diet is likely to become overweight but at the same time be severely malnourished.

The increase in chronic disease and health challenges of children in this country are largely do to nutrient deficiencies, poor digestion, and toxic overload (also lack of exercise, sleep, and play).

It takes more time and persistence, but continually offering your child real homemade food is the most loving thing you can do for them. I understand the challenge. Some kids are very picky and their tastes continually change. But it’s still wise to be persistent in offering them a variety of whole food, knowing that they will one day make better choices.

My son still doesn’t eat kale and spinach (unless they’re in smoothies), but he will eat broccoli, peas, carrots, and sweet potatoes. And now that he’s a reasonable 8 year old, we’re able to get him to eat even more veggies in an Asian stir fry or noodle dish. You need to be persistent and continue to model what a healthy diet looks like and your kids will come around eventually!

Dietary Advice For Healthy Kids

Protein, Fat, and Carbohydrates are the basic macrobiotics for balanced nutrition.

If you are under the impression that fat is bad, I’m sorry, but you have been greatly misled by our government and the American Heart Association. Read The One Surprising Thing You Need To Add To Your Diet to learn about why good quality fat is essential for our health and why you should reconsider it’s worth.

Basic dietary guidelines/macrobiotics by age:

healthy kids diet advice

~ Complex carbohydrates should consist of mostly organic vegetables and fruits in a 2:1 ratio with no more than 3 servings of whole grains per day. Try seasonal vegetables & fruits, oatmeal, rice, polenta, and buckwheat.

~ Protein should be organic and sourced naturally. Animal sources contain the highest amount of protein per serving. Make sure the animals were fed organic food diets without hormones or processed feeds. Try organic grass fed beef, organic chicken, wild caught salmon, organic whole fat yogurt, organic eggs, nuts and nut butter, and beans/lentils.

~ Fat is the main source of energy for infants from breastmilk. It continues to be important for a child’s brain to develop as they start to explore different foods. Try avocados and their oil, coconut and it’s oil or milk, flax oil, olives and their oil, egg yolk, organic butter, organic nuts & butters, and deep sea fish.

You don’t need to be super strict about the percentages of each macrobiotic, but just be sure that each group is represented and that your child is eating lots of vegetables, protein, and plenty of natural fat.

Dietary Supplements for Kids

Vitamins and minerals are the micronutrients that we all need for our cells to function at their optimum. Unfortunately, farming practices in this country have severely depleted the soil. Even organic fruits and vegetables do not have the nutrients they once did decades ago. Either we need to grow 100% of our food, making sure to feed the soil continuously through organic fertilizers & composting, or we need to supplement.

Choosing supplements can be challenging. A good place to start is visiting your local health food store and speaking to a clerk who has experience using the supplements. My son currently takes dōTERRA’s A2Z chewable multivitamin and IQ Mega Omega-3 oil (he actually asks to have his fish oil everyday!)

Gut Health Basics

Kids love kombucha

My son admiring our homegrown kombucha

I’ve already written about gut health extensively, so revisit these articles to understand what damages gut health (more than most people realize!) and how you can get it back on track. It’s the basis of strong immunity, so an aspect of nutrition you don’t want to ignore!

Improve Your Family’s Gut Health, part 1

Improve Your Family’s Gut Health, part 2

Ideally, try to add fermented vegetables to your child’s meals 1-2 times per day. Pickled cucumbers and carrots, yogurt with no added sugar (add in bananas for the sweetness), and kombucha are usually well accepted. I also suggest supplementing with a probiotic. My son loves dōTERRA’s PB Assist Jr.

I hope these suggestions are clear and get you off to a good start! If you need more help, please post in the comments or reach out to me personally with questions.

You can also revisit these blog posts:

What Does It Mean To Be Healthy?

A Simple Guide To An Organic Lifestyle

3 Quick, Healthy Breakfasts That Will Set You Up For Success

And here’s my favorite websites for kids’ nutrition that will give you even more guidance:

Nourishing Meals – Alyssa Sergersten

Weelicious – Catherine McCord

Weston A. Price Foundation – Children’s Health

——–

References:

Children’s Health Technique Seminar, Annette Schippel, DC & Doris Kutz-Compton, DC, July 22-23, 2017

Do you have any dietary advice for healthy kids that would benefit other parents?  Please let us know in the comments!

Well wishes to you all…

Follow brandy on pinterest

healthy kids diet advice

Kids Health, Parenting, Personal Development

Should You Allow Natural Consequences For Unhealthy Habits?

I often hear myself saying, “sometimes it needs to get really bad before it gets better”.

I might be referring to politics or a sticky social situation that prompts change. I’ve said it to clients too who have a health condition that they’ve let go, but are now committed to resolving. But last week was the first time I found myself saying it to my family.

You see, my son has found Minecraft.

I love seeing him so passionate about something, I’m awed by his creations, pleased with how engaged his is with other online players, and proud of his growing confidence (he’s even talking about doing Minecraft YouTube tutorials!).

But…it’s becoming a bit much. That was obvious when he had a meltdown at the end of a day that featured way too much screen time.

After he cooled down and we talked about what happened, he admitted that the game was negatively affecting him. He also suggested that I write a blog post about it to help other parents! So here I am, following through.

I try to encourage autonomy for my son whenever possible. I do my best to educate him on healthy food choices, dental hygiene, and bathing, but for the most part, we trust that he will either make the best choice for himself or learn from decisions that weren’t in his best interest. But now with this digital obsession, it is clear that he cannot self-regulate and is relying on us to provide limits to avoid anymore physical, mental, and emotional harm.

Because of the meltdown, my son is more aware of the negative effects of screens, so I suppose allowing this consequence did work. But I felt horrible that we had to get to that place in order for him to appreciate our screen limits and I had never intended for him to actually learn the lesson this way.

After reflecting on this for awhile, it seems to me that natural consequences are worthwhile only if the person…

1. Understands cause and effect and is mindful of what they are experiencing.

2. Has the maturity to learn from the mistake.

3. Is not permanently damaged from the consequence.

4. Actually cares about their health!

I see examples of this issue coming up in the clinic in different ways. I have a few parents right now dealing with wonderfully willful children who are not making the best decisions. The parents are concerned about chronic infections or behavior problems and are needing to change their lifestyle choices, encourage their children to follow through with our treatment plan by taking some herbs/supplements, and to establish healthy habits like dressing warmer. For if they continue to get sick often or have emotional imbalances, it negatively impacts other areas of their life. The children are not yet making the connection that their poor choices are worsening their condition.

Should you allow natural consequences for unhealthy habits? Will your child learn better this way? Or will the message be lost on them? Of course this is totally up to you to decide, and your answers maybe different depending on the situation.

Perhaps the next question you should ask though is:

Do you really want the situation to get bad before you implement positive changes?!

Please let us know what you think in the comments!

Emotional health, Meditation, Parenting, Personal Development, Women's health, Yoga

3 Big Reasons Why You Need To Prioritize Self-Care Right Now

“Self-care? What’s that?”, a fellow homeschooling mom joked when I told her what I was writing about this week.

I know that many moms can relate. We do so much for our families. For whatever reason, we tend to put our needs last. But that should stop – for our sake and for those close to us!

Now is the perfect time to shift your priorities, placing greater importance on your well-being. Why now? I’ll explain that and also give you ideas about how to implement these changes, below.

Why You Need to Prioritize Self-care Right Now

1. You’ll stay healthy well into Winter

If you look around in nature and allow yourself to feel it’s slowing rhythm, it becomes apparent that this is the time of year for more warmth, rest, and reflection in preparation for more challenging times in Winter.

If you ignore these cues, your body will not adjust well and you’re more likely to get sick. The more depleted your energy stores & immune system strength, the more likely you’ll end up with repeated illnesses and secondary infections.

How do you take care of yourself now and make it last?

It’s a good idea to:

  • Keep your body warm.

  • Eat warm, well-cooked meals made with seasonal foods.

  • Allow for plenty of downtime, especially approaching the holidays.

  • Consider supplementing – Take Vitamin C if you’re not able to get 7 daily servings of fruits & vegetables and Vitamin D if you did not get a lot of sun exposure over the summer.

  • See a natural health practitioner for wellness visits.

  • Get daily exercise, but be careful not to over do it.

  • Spend time outside connecting with nature.

  • Get plenty of sleep

These are the basics for holistic self-care that every family member can use.

You may want to make sure that you’re focusing on YOUR NEEDS first though, and then offer these to your family members in turn. Don’t worry, your not going to forget taking care of your children! It’s simply not in your nature. But you’re likely to forget about yourself if you don’t make this mental shift soon.

2. You’ll discover what nourishes you deeply

By allowing yourself more downtime this Fall, you’ll give yourself more space to reflect on what you truly need. It’s different for all of us.

  • Some of us need more alone time.
  • Some of us need to be with friends & family.
  • Some may need to create art, music, and share their talents with others.
  • Some just need time to exercise and connect with their bodies.
  • Some may have a desperate need to get out of the house and work a little.

Does the activity you’re choosing fill you up and make you excited about life? This is just one of many questions you can ask yourself when considering what to do in your precious self-care time.

Eg. Eating a pint of ice cream, dropping back a few glasses of wine and watching TV may relieve stress, but they are not choices that would nourish you to the core. This is the time to make healthy choices that last, without any negative side effects!

Also, it’s important to note that if you think you’ve been giving yourself what you need but it’s not working, you’d probably benefit from changing your approach. Sometimes the mind and ego get in the way, thinking that they know best, but they really don’t. And sometimes, what you need may feel a little strange at first, because we’re so used to engaging with ourselves in different and often unhelpful ways.

Eg. If you’re stressed out, exhausted, and try to solve this with hard exercise but are not seeing any benefit, you shouldn’t lose hope. Actually, what you were doing was not what you needed. In this case, a gentle yoga class and meditation would be more appropriate, even though it may seem strange and uncomfortable initially.

3. You’ll Model Self-care For Your Family and Support Them Better

Fellow yoga & mindfulness teacher Hunter Clarke-Fields boldly says in her article Making Yourself A Priority Isn’t Selfish, It’s Your Responsibility that “If you are not taking care of you, you are gypping your children and your family. You are offering them a second-rate version of you. And you are role-modeling a life of ‘not worthy.'”

  • Do you wear your busyness like a badge?
  • Do you think you’re not worthy of rest & relaxation?
  • Are you afraid to spend money on yourself?
  • Are your kids’ activities more important than your own?
  • And are these the messages you want to teach your children?

Some people may think this is easy for me to say since I only have one child. But believe me, I have a very demanding child AND I homeschool him AND have I have a business with clients who rely on me to be “whole” AND I do not have any child care help other than my husband in the evening hours.

I’ve had to create time for myself because I know that everyone close to me will suffer if I don’t take care of my physical, mental, & emotional health. And I want to be on this planet, engaging with everyone as fully as possible for as long as possible.

So there are some non-negotiable self-care activities that I engage in every day: (1) a spiritually deep morning yoga practice and (2) self-massage/stretching/meditation before bed. I try to squeeze in more (like an evening walk, a hot bath, knitting, and journaling) as need be.

My son understands very well now at 7 years old that I need to do these things to be the happy, loving mom we both want me to be. And I love that he’s getting a fabulous education in self-care.

So, Are You Ready To Focus on YOU?

There’s no better time to focus on what really matters – your health and happiness. Shifting the focus to you is not selfish. It’s the most loving thing you can do for yourself, your family, your friends, and your community. You will come to understand that you are a gift to the world.

Do you know what will nourish you to the core?

Can you make space to focus on it now?

If not, what are you waiting for?

Please reach out if you need help figuring out your self-care routine. We can also discuss as a community if you’d like to share in the comments.  Well wishes…

Kids Health, Parenting, Whole Food Diet, Women's health

Healthy Food At the Ballpark? Yes! Or, No Fun!?

When you’re at a fun event with your kids, like a baseball game or an amusement park, what’s your approach when it comes to feeding your family ?

You like to…

(A) … pack your own food because it’s way better than what they’re offering at the event.

(B) … buy the best quality food of what’s offered.

(C) … let go of all the rules! You buy what your kids want because this event is so special!

I would love to be the mom who adopts (C)! But I know too much about the devastating effects of sugar and how easily our gut health can be damaged. So I’m a mixture of (A) and (B), and as I’m reminded everyday by my 7 year-old son, that’s not very fun.

Just last night, our family of 3 attended the Giants vs. Brewers game at AT&T Park. Usually it’s just my husband and son who go to the games. But we bought an extra ticket last night so I could attend too. It became clear pretty quickly though that my presence was cramping their style.

I gasped at the grocery food choices they made for the train ride up to San Francisco. We had to negotiate juice drinks, for the ones they picked were too sweet. And once we arrived at the ballpark, my son headed straight for the kettle corn booth. I begged him to get clam chowder or something more substantial. This was his dinner! But it was part of the routine he had with his dad. He did not want to deviate and I did not want to get in the middle of it (yet again), so I let it go, but put my foot down about no churros or cotton candy.

There was a time when the choices were: momma’s milk or avocado?

I kind of miss those days!

Going to games now 6 years later, my son has many choices of not-so-great food.

Now that I gave up on my son & husband, what was I going to eat? I was overwhelmed with the dilemma of whether to remain the health conscious mother who models what is best for the whole family or to let loose with the rules. I decided to make a huge trek across the park and down to field level (we were at the very top). And at the very bottom after passing booth after booth of fried foods and questionable meat products I found:

Vegetables!

That’s right, there’s a little oasis among the vendor maze called The Garden that sells antipasti and salads. I was so happy, I didn’t even ask if they were organic vegetables. Ignorance is bliss when your choices of healthy food are this limited!

I hiked back to to the top level with a huge smile. On the way, I noticed a Ghirardelli vendor waving a picture of ice cream at toddler-height as the large family in front of me passed him. “Interesting”, I thought, “they’re marketing to the kids!” On I went, but the ice cream stayed on my mind.

I gleefully wolfed down my meal, satisfied that I was getting a lot of filling fat from the marinated olives that made up the majority of the bowl. Before I finished, I talked my son into having some mushrooms & tomatoes.

Then something in me shifted.

I really wanted that ice cream.

I got some.

I didn’t get just a scoop of ice cream.

I got a hot fudge sundae.

My son couldn’t believe it! Mom’s eating ice cream and sharing it too!

I was cool again, just for dessert. We had our fill and put the rest down. I didn’t have any guilt because I had such a healthy dinner. My only regret was not insisting that my son have olives before getting ice cream – he had a mild sugar surge that could’ve been prevented. But it passed and he ended up being fine too.

So what’s my point here, besides a little venting?

Balance.

We could all use a bit more balance in our lives, right? Especially since my son is pretty healthy (we were back on track with wholesome meals today), splurging is not so bad as long as we know how to tend to our gut to prevent imbalance.

But I think there’s a lesson in here for parents in group C too as we shift perspective. I believe that you make up the majority of parents and I’d bet that your family could use a bit more balance with healthier eating in general – eating traditional whole foods, limiting treats to very special occasions, and supporting your child’s gut health. And even if you’re aware that you don’t eat as healthy as you should, you give up easily since many places you go to with your kids have low quality food and you may not even know what to ask for.

If my child had ADD/ADHD, autism, allergies, or any inflammatory condition that suggest poor gut health, I would lean more toward being the parent in group A of our list at the top of the post. I would have complete control over the food we eat. And, I would be more vocal about the lack of real, high quality food at fun places like the ballpark.

Obviously AT&T park hears that many of it’s customers would like fresh food. The Garden is a great start, but there is major room for improvement. If concerned parents all put their voices together asking for change, it would happen!

So what do you think parents? Want to join me in asking for change?! Or do you need help making good choices at concession stands? Let’s talk about this in the comments!

Emotional health, Meditation, Parenting, Personal Development

2 Meditations That Will Shape Your Day In A Positive Way
Gratitude and Forgiveness Meditations

I learned from my teacher long ago, the importance of  engaging in two brief periods of mindfulness with certain intentions. In the morning, we experience gratitude for the new day.  We appreciate all the ways that we’re supported in our life and acknowledge how we support others. In the evening before bed, we engage in a forgiveness meditation.  This allows us to clear away any weight on our heart and mind so we can sleep peacefully and start the next day with a fresher perspective. Together, these gratitude and forgiveness meditations help us create the most positive life possible if we do them daily.  

Practicing Gratitude

We’ve already discussed the importance of gratitude in Grateful Heart, Joy-filled Life. You may want to look back at it to learn about other ways you can experience gratitude throughout your day.  The following guided meditation will really help you.  If you’re feeling like your days are monotonous, overwhelming, and that life is unfair, this can dramatically alter your perspective.

If you have children, this is a wonderful practice to introduce to them. Depending on their age and temperament, you may want to do it with them or just model it for them.

Practicing Forgiveness

At the end of the day, there’s a tendency for many of us to rehash the events of the day. Sometimes, we obsess over interactions with other people that were unpleasant. Other times, we’re overwhelmed with how certain conditions, politically or socially, are negatively affecting our lives. Perhaps we’re upset with ourselves for behaving in a certain way. We don’t want to go to sleep holding a grudge! Sleep will be restless and unsettling, and you’ll just be carrying these feelings over to the next day.

In the recorded meditation below, we work with specific affirmations to help you accept what occurred and all the feelings that resulted. We forgive to the degree that we don’t carry a load of hate & resentment, but we don’t brush off or forget injustices. When the time is right, we can process these incidents further to find the lesson learned.

Again, if you have children, let them know what you’re doing! Teaching forgiveness is essential for your child’s emotional intelligence. I love this, from Sherrie Campbell, PhD in 5 Ways Parents Can Teach Their Kids to Forgive:

“The relationships our children have will, for certain, be their greatest teachers of love and pain. They will never need to use forgiveness more than in their relationships. Forgiveness is many things — but we also must teach that forgiveness doesn’t always mean reconciliation. It is not about condoning harms which have been done. Forgiveness is about taking power back.”

I’m eager to hear how you did with these meditations. Did you feel a positive shift? Please let us know in the comments. And if you found the meditations helpful, please share this post far and wide! Namasté

Follow brandy on pinterest
gratitude and forgiveness meditations
Autumn, Chronic Disease, Emotional health, Environmental Concerns, Gut Health, Kids Health, Meditation, Natural Remedies, Parenting, Seasons, Summer, Supplements, Toxin-free living, Traditional Chinese Medicine

The Best Natural Treatments For Your Child’s ADD/ADHD

 
Summer Break is halfway over, and for some children on a year-round schedule, they’re already back in school! As families anticipate the return, no doubt a myriad of emotions ranging from relief (for some parents) to excitement to anxiety are coming up. The latter may be especially true for kids with Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder.

Sitting still and listening in a classroom is challenging for most kids and is just one of the many reasons why school is not a great fit for my family (we’ve been homeschooling for a year). But for kids with ADHD, time in the classroom can be unbearable. They tend to:

  • daydream

  • fidget

  • talk out of turn

  • engage in impulsive behavior

They also tend to get in trouble for these behaviors because they distract the other kids from focusing and make it hard for the teacher to manage the whole group. As a result, these kids can start to dislike school, get lower grades, and they often lose self-esteem. It is a serious issue because if not treated, these kids have a harder time finishing school and can grow into adults who have a greater chance of:

  • Experiencing depression

  • Abusing drugs & alcohol

  • Job failure

  • Incarceration

  • Obesity

  • Divorce

  • Alzheimer’s disease

{source}

The CDC reports that as of 2012 approximately 11% of children 4-17 years of age (6.4 million) have been diagnosed with ADHD.

You can use the checklist in this link to determine if your child has a problem with inattention or hyperactivity/impulsivity that would fit their definition of ADHD.

What do I know about ADHD?

I know quite a lot, actually! My brother (who is 15 years younger than me) was diagnosed with ADHD when he was in high school. I tutored him quite often because homework and special projects were always a challenge for him. I was a grounding presence, constantly teaching him how to organize his thoughts and how to focus on the present moment.

He was tested for learning disabilities, but it was clear that was not the problem. Still, tests were hard for him to complete in time, his grades were low and school counselors were urging my mom to medicate him.

We just wanted him to be successful, so my mom did get a prescription filled for Ritalin, the standard medication for ADHD. He refused to take it. So instead, she focused on reducing sweets, managing his screen time, and making other lifestyle changes. It was hard and he barely made through high school, but he did make it. He is now a responsible grown man, doing great at a job he loves, while he supports his wife and 3 kids.

I learned great deal, through my brother’s experience, about how lifestyle choices can affect the brain (though I wish I knew then what I know now about natural remedies).

I also saw how easy it was to succumb to the pressure of school authorities to medicate and dampen the symptoms of the problem just to fit certain standards and make the teacher’s job easier.

Standard Treatment for ADHD

Ritalin and Adderall are the most common medications prescribed for ADHD. They are very effective in helping children focus better, but the side effects are pretty horrible for both:

Common side effects:

  • trouble sleeping
  • loss of appetite
  • dry mouth
  • anxiety
  • increased heart rate
  • irritability
  • headache
  • dizziness

Serious side effects can include:

  • addiction
  • heart rhythm problems
  • psychosis, hallucinations, or feeling like bugs are crawling on your skin
  • Raynaud’s syndrome
  • slowed growth in children

Can you imagine a young child dealing with psychosis and addiction? There are dozens of other medications doctors can prescribe too, some of them classified as non-stimulants, but they have a reputation for not working as well. Luckily, there is much you can do before considering medication!

Natural Solutions For ADHD

1. Identify The Cause And Remove Triggers

If your child has signs of developing an attention disorder, determining the triggers and addressing them should be your first step.

Known causes of ADHD include birth trauma, maternal drug use, premature birth, and low birth weight. Environmental toxins definitely have an impact as well though. The CDC cites lead exposure as being a culprit in some cases, though mercury and aluminum exposure have a strong correlation with ADHD too and are way more predominant in our culture these days (through food, dental fillings, and an increasing load of vaccines).

The CDC also states that although they haven’t been proven to cause ADHD, eating too much sugar, eating junk food, watching too much TV, playing video games, and long periods of inactivity can make symptoms worse, so are recognized as triggers.

Avoiding the causes and removing the triggers can help immensely, even if there’s a history of ADHD in the family.

2. Heavy Metal Detoxification

Purging your child’s body of heavy metals is a good idea, even if you don’t think it’s the main cause of his/her symptoms. This is a great article explaining more about the prevalence of metals in our environment, in our bodies, and how we pass on this toxic load through the generations.

Detox can be done through diet, incorporating these foods into a daily smoothie:

  • cilantro
  • wild blueberries
  • celery
  • barley grass juice
  • spirulina
  • Atlantic dulse

You can also give your child a detox bath with these ingredients:

3. Traditional Chinese Medicine

Many of you may be puzzled as you imagine your hyperactive child laying still for several minutes with a dozen acupuncture needles. Is that even possible?! You may actually be surprised at how receptive your child is to acupuncture once they know how relaxing it can be! And with younger kids, needle retention is very brief.

But even for kids who are needle shy or cannot sit still, there are many other treatment options available: Tuina massage, cupping, cold laser, microcurrent, and shonishin (Japanese acupressure).

Side story here:

I was seeing an 8-year-old patient for his attention disorder and there was no way he would let me use needles. Even though his mom was urging me to assert my authority and do it anyway, I respected his wish and reassured her that other methods of treatment were just as effective as acupuncture.

We did Tuina massage instead. Every time, he would be squirmy and silly for the first 15 minutes and I’d engage him with jokes. But when I’d start working on his back and especially when I would massage his feet, he would fall asleep – every – single – time!

He looked forward to our treatments together and said that he could focus a little better in school, but the problem was that all the triggers for his behaviors were not being addressed.

His parents were divorced and he was constantly shuffled between the two homes. His dad was not supportive of what we were doing and the boy ate junk food, was constantly in front of the TV, and didn’t get enough sleep at his house. But his mom and I were happy that he was getting a much needed break when he was in her care and that he appreciated this natural approach to healing.

4. Balance Blood Sugar Levels

Riding the roller coaster of a sugar high and the subsequent crash can make matters much worse for a child with ADHD. To have the greatest success, decreasing the load of sugar in their diet is very important. Check out my post Have a Sweet Summer Without the Excess Sugar to learn how to balance blood sugar levels and make better choices (not just in the Summer, but for life!)

5. GAPS Diet & Rebuilding Gut Biome

The Gut and Psychology Syndrome diet is something you may want to explore for your child. Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride has had a great deal of success healing children and adults with not just A.D.D./A.D.H.D., but also autism, dyspraxia, dyslexia, depression, schizophrenia, and many autoimmune disorders.

GAPS children and adults all have digestive problems – colic, bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, and malnourishment – to different degrees. McBride and many other researchers believe that all disease begins in the gut and these are digestive disorders, not behavior disorders.

The focus of the diet is to eliminate grains (which are abrasive to the intestines, break down to considerable amounts of sugar and contribute to poor gut flora levels) and refined sugar, and then restore gut flora with healing broths, fermented foods, and supplements.

It’s not as hard as it sounds. I’ve done it for myself and did not starve. There are a lot of yummy recipes, including many bread substitutes, that your family will enjoy.

You can Follow my Pinterest GAPS Board for ideas.

If the GAPS diet sounds too daunting, then at least try the other methods of restoring gut health that I’ve outlined here: Improve Your Family’s Gut Health to Increase General Health, Part 2.

I know it’s challenging to eat a basic diet like this when we’re so used to stimulating processed food, large amounts of sugar, and artificial ingredients that make up the Standard American Diet. But this is one of the main reasons why Americans have one of the highest rates of chronic disease in the world and why our children are suffering. It’s important to go against the grain (pun intended) and make your child’s health a priority, even if it’s inconvenient!

6. Behavior Therapies/Mindfulness Practices

Managing ADHD will be easier if your child is aware of his/her behavior and what affects it. Psychologists, licensed counselors, and social workers can all provide behavior therapy that trains both children and their parents on how to control behavior.

The CDC has a directory for behavior therapists, including online resources.

Your family can also engage in mindfulness practices on your own that will help ground your energy, teach body awareness, and to provide insight about behavior and what brings you out of balance and out of control.

Walking meditation is perfect for kids with a lot of pent up energy, and especially for those with ADHD. Here’s a simple, fun, walking mediation practice from Jaclyn Long at Mind Body Moms:

It may also be worthwhile to talk to your child’s teachers and see if they can incorporate mindfulness practices in the classroom (perhaps at the same time also making sure you’re on the same page about discipline and the way your child is treated in class).

Mindfulness meditation for ADD ADHD
Don’t be fooled by this picture. My son sat still for just a few seconds while I took it and then proceeded to run around the yard at the meditation center. But at least he knows what meditation is and why it’s valuable. That’s the first step in introducing mindfulness practices into your lifestyle…

Please reach out to me if you have any questions about treating your child’s ADD/ADHD naturally. I offer free consultations where we can discuss more about how TCM, whole food nutrition, and mindfulness can help your family. Well wishes to you…

Environmental Concerns, journaling, Kids Health, Natural Remedies, Parenting, Personal Development, Toxin-free living

How To Trust Your Parental Instincts
Trust your parental instincts

Do you trust your parental instincts? Does parenting in this modern age overwhelm you? It’s my hope that I can guide you just enough in this post so that you can start trusting your inner voice more.

I’ve been on a roll here, advising about environmental toxins like chlorine, harmful foods like sugar that damage gut flora & immunity, and how to heal without harmful pharmaceuticals. These are things that I think parents may want to know about as they try to keep their families well. With each discussion, I’m offering holistic alternatives and wisdom from Traditional Chinese Medicine. It’s my hope that you’ll learn how to prevent or deal with these challenges in a natural and effective way.

It occurred to me today that even though my focus is on helping you find solutions, that the vibe here may still be very “doom & gloom”. This may be especially if you become easily overwhelmed with parenting and health advice.

Who’s Parenting Advice Do You Follow?

I’m reminded of an article that came out a year ago, “Excuse Me While I Lather My Child In This Toxic Death Cream” by Sarah Kallies.  Many moms can relate as she vents her frustrations with life that has “too many rules about food… hygiene… clothing… education… development… medication… sleep… playtime… friends… car seats… breastfeeding… child-wearing… and TV.” She says that “this world will make you crazy if you aren’t there already.”

Kallies has a point that focusing on all these rules about what others think you should do can make you feel bad about your parenting choices.  I see other parents who are just as frustrated. I honestly do not have the same stress about these choices though!  Learning how to keep my family happy & well is actually enjoyable for me.

Why Do Many Parents Have A Hard Time Trusting Their Instincts?

I believe the main reason we’re challenged with information these days is that we’re out of touch with how to sustain our health for ourselves and our family on a very basic level.

We are no longer responsible for foraging or growing our own food.  We don’t know how to make our own clothes.  Most people can’t  imagine living without electricity, dependent on the sun’s schedule. We don’t have generations of family helping us with childrearing. We’re expected to sit back and let government officials & intellectuals tell us how to eat, sleep, and parent. The groups that we do find solace in are usually other parents who are just as confused about making choices for their kids (not very helpful).

Why I’m So Comfortable Making My Own Choices 

I am not a perfect parent, teacher, or health practitioner, but I’m very secure in these roles.  This is because the choices I make are aligned with my deep-rooted values. I rest knowing that our species has survived thousands of years by living in harmony with nature, by listening to our instincts, and valuing traditional healing arts & ancestral wisdom.

My instincts led me to find a natural parenting approach based on attachment parenting principles.  I breast-fed my son until he was 4 1/2, co-slept as long as he needed it, wore him in a pack constantly as a baby, and let him feed himself when we introduced foods (baby-led weaning). We value natural immunity, organic whole food, and unstructured learning too.

While it has felt like I’m going against the grain socially, parenting itself has been fairly easy. I feel like I’m going with the flow as my son develops beautifully. Each day I feel validated that I’m doing what’s best for him.

I know that my husband and I are responsible for the care of my son, not the government or doctors. And my instincts say that there is something seriously wrong with the Western medical approach to wellness, the U.S. dietary guidelines, and the toxic constituents in our medications & water supply.

When I hear about things like the toxic ingredients in sunscreen, I am not surprised  because I’m aware that many products on the market have not been rigorously tested and safety is questionable.  Instead of throwing up my arms and saying “well, everyone else is using it and we’re going to die of something anyway!”, I take action to avoid it.  For again, I’ve thought long and hard about how our ancestors dealt with sunny days back on the plains. They got just the right amount of sun to stimulate vitamin D production, covered up when their skin started to burn, or found shade when it was overwhelming. 

How You Can Learn To Trust Your Parental Instincts Too

You and I probably have enough in common if you’re still with me this far into the post.  I know my values are not completely the same as yours though, and I would never want to impose mine on you.  I want everyone to feel successful in life and would encourage you to think deeply about what you care about as a parent and a human in this modern age.

To help get in touch with your instincts, I first recommend you do some journaling to answer these questions.

  • What do you value?
  • What are you concerned about?
  • Are these gut feelings?
  • What are your own gifts?
  • How do you contribute to the world?
  • Are you living authentically?
  • How do you connect with nature?
  • Can you picture yourself living long ago, capable of taking care of yourself & family?
  • How would you have dealt with not having our modern conveniences?
  • Are you vigilant about dangers in the environment or assume that everything we’re exposed to is safe?
  • Do you feel qualified to make health choices for your family, or always refer to a Medical Doctor?

By answering these questions, it should become clear whether you trust yourself or not.

If you don’t use your instincts to care for your family, but want to, I suggest finding a group that has a similar goal or a book that can help you tap into your inner wisdom.

These are the resources that helped me immensely…

Mindful Parenting Groups

Mind Body Moms

Insight Meditation Center (Redwood City, CA) Youth & Family Programs

Attachment Parenting

Attachment Parenting International

Breastfeeding

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by Diane Wiessinger

KellyMom

Traditional Living & Diet

Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon

Primal Connection by Mark Sisson

Concerns About Environmental Toxins

Environmental Working Group

March Against Monsanto

A Voice for Choice

I also have a free guide for you that can help you care for your child, based on ancestral wisdom:

10 Ways to Boost Your Child’s Health & Maintain Your Sanity!

I would love to hear about your experience as a parent and making choices for your family. Are you in touch with your instincts?  If you have information that can help other parents,  please let us know in the comments!

Well wishes to you all…

Page 1 of 212

child's health list

Connect With Me On Social Media

Connect With Me on Facebook

Facebook

Recent Posts

Categories

Learn More About Me

BrandyFalconLAc

Brandy Falcon, L.Ac., E-RYT

Get a Blog Just Like Mine!