Homeopathy is my number one choice when treating children. Homeopathy is a system of medicine which involves treating children with highly diluted substances from either the plant, animal or mineral kingdoms with the ultimate goal of triggering the body’s own innate system of healing. Homeopathy is based on the principle of like cures like. This means if you take a substance which causes symptoms when taken in large doses, that same substance can be used in small amounts to treat those same symptoms to heal the state of imbalance. Remedies are prepared by the process of dilution and shaking. This method of preparation can be understood more from a quantum physics perspective; the substance becomes more powerful the more you shake and dilute it; the vibrational energy of the substance is potentized. Dr. Richard Gerber’s book ‘New Choices for Healing Ourselves’ is a good reference on vibrational medicine.

The reason homeopathy is my first choice in treating children is it is clinically effective, cost effective and safe. Children as little people are not as complicated to treat as adults. This is because their systems have not been as suppressed as much as adults. Homeopathic philosophy talks about the process of suppression. For instance, suppressing something that presents externally such as eczema with a steroid cream can drive the imbalance deeper into the body. For instance, many kids with eczema that are treated with steroid creams (which do make the symptoms go away temporarily) are not cured; the disturbance is not gone and may resurface as asthma later in the child’s life. Adults as a rule have experienced more suppression because they have been on many medications that are treating the symptoms versus getting to the root cause. Homeopathy treats the whole person on a deeper level.

Homeopathy takes the child’s mental, emotional and physical symptoms into account. By matching a single remedy to their whole picture, the child is treated with the most appropriate medicine for them. An important point to remember about homeopathy is the child might get temporarily worse before they get better. This temporary aggravation of symptoms is short lived and is often a clue that the right remedy has been chosen. I have seen so many children balanced by homeopathy that I feel that it is the most appropriate medicine for them. The medicine is easy for kids to take as well. They are given pellets that taste like sugar and easily dissolve in the mouth. Remember that the medicine should not be handled with fingers. It is best to administer the remedy to the child using the cap lid of the homeopathic tube to transfer five pellets to the mouth. Remedies are best dosed on an empty stomach, at least 15 minutes before you eat or drink anything. Adults often get tremendous benefit from homeopathy as well so remember to talk to your naturopathic doctor about homeopathy as a possible treatment modality for your health issues.

Probiotic bacteria aka good bacteria or beneficial bacteria are one of the most commonly prescribed supplements in my private practice. This is simply because I believe that most patients benefit from the addition of probiotic bacteria to their regimen; many patients don’t know the reasons for taking them in the first place. I see extremely effective results for taking them when there is any type of digestive related issue including diarrhea, constipation, bloating or IBS. IBS is potentially caused by an imbalance of natural flora. I choose the most indicated probiotic depending on the particular problem.

Over 500 species of bacteria colonize your inner gut mucosa. Over 80% of your immune system resides along your intestines. These bacteria protect us from any pathogens that come into your body via the air you breathe, the liquids you consume and the solid food you ingest. They do this by changing the pH of the intestines, crowding out other strains of bacteria, yeast or fungi by competitive inhibition, and releasing substances that kill other pathogens. These bacteria secrete enzymes that help you digest your food, synthesize B vitamins and Vitamin K, regulate your immune system from the level of your gut and help with absorption of vitamins and minerals into your bloodstream. They help promote the integrity of the intestinal lining reducing the tendency for food allergies.

Some of the most promising research focuses on the use of probiotic bacteria to reduce reactivity starting from the age of young babies. Newborn babies that were supplemented with specific types of beneficial bacteria saw their potential for developing allergies be reduced by 50% even in high risk populations. Probiotic bacteria stimulate the immune system in the upper GI tract to produce suppressor T cells which produces a gradual production of suppressive cytokines; this is especially beneficial to anyone that is dealing with an autoimmune disease. I often suspect a GI infection that I was hospitalized with (C. difficile in my teenage years) put me at risk for developing an autoimmune disease later on. I did not know about supplementing with probiotic bacteria post antibiotic use back then.

The upper GI mucosa replaces itself every 72 hours and the lower GI mucosa replaces itself every 12 days therefore this is an active system that needs ongoing attention. The most detrimental substances to the intestinal mucosa include antibiotics which can destroy 90% of the bacterial flora causing more resistant antibiotic resistant bacteria to overgrow (eg. clostridium difficile). If you are on a strain of antibiotic bacteria, I recommend supplementing with probiotic bacteria during the course of bacteria (away from the AB) and after you are finished for at least a month or six weeks. This will help restore the beneficial flora to your system and reduce the chances of having further immune setbacks.

Antibiotics and many prescription drugs like oral contraceptives destroy your good bacteria. Dietary factors like a higher intake of meat, processed foods and sugar can negatively affect beneficial bacteria. In contrast, fermented foods such as miso soup, tempeh, sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, and yogurt can be beneficial additions to your diet. These foods support the growth of good bacteria in your intestines. Most people benefit from taking supplements at least part of the year; taking frequent courses of probiotic bacteria are perhaps necessary if you are taking prescription drugs that are getting rid of them in the next breath. If you have an altered bacterial flora, you will certainly experience some gas when you first start taking probiotics. This gas will disappear as your healthy bacteria start to flourish in your system. Always take probiotics with food as they will not make it pass the acid system of the stomach unless there is food in the stomach.

It seems that the collective stress levels keep ramping up. Many of my patients report to me that they are feeling overwhelmed and are having trouble coping with the amount of stress on their plates. My advice to you is for starters find out what is nurturing to you and do it. What makes you feel in balance? Do whatever that is. For myself, getting out to nature is very important. Spend a day on your weekend where you are in the midst of nature. Leave your computer at home and make a date with nature. It is amazing how well you might start feeling when you are leaving the city vibe behind you. I am an introvert so if you are an extrovert this may or may not work for you. I also spend a lot of time in my garden especially at this time of year as I find putting my hands into soil very grounding. Planting nice flowers in my yard helps enrich the environment and brings beauty to those around me. Try to be close to water which is very soothing. I find swimming very balancing to me. I also find time spent next to running water is good for the soul – a walk by the Bow river might suffice or a trip out to Bragg creek might be in order.

Carrying pocket stones is an additional strategy to help with grounding. I find black onyx and tourmaline to be particularly beneficial if you are prone to worry. Going into any metaphysical store and reading about the properties of the stones will help you decide which stones will be most suited for you. One or my patients brought me in some stones and crystals a few years ago along with a book about them (bless her soul). I did not know much about the mineral world before she opened my eyes to them. Believe it or not, these stones and crystals have properties that are beneficial to whatever you are struggling with or feel overwhelmed by. Keep an open mind which will serve you.  Find out what works for you. This is one of the advantages of knowing yourself. The more you know yourself you are more in touch with what you need to do to stay in balance. Trust that these answers are inside of yourself!