If you are a parent, have you ever stopped to think about all the issues that face our children today? When you were a child how many kids in your classroom were considered obese? How often did you hear of autism when you were growing up? Chances what is today’s new normal are issues that were of minimal concern for you when you were growing up. In today’s world, we are so used to hearing terms, such as autism, childhood obesity and ADHD, that we really don’t even think twice when our child, or the child of friend or family member, has been diagnosed with one of these new norms. We have come to accept these illnesses and conditions as normals and our settling. When in fact, these new childhood norms are not okay. They are not acceptable.
Let’s take a look today’s new normal for our children as well as what the three pillars of radiant health can do to help us all lead a healthier lifestyle. Let’s take a look at today’s new normals in the United States:
54 percent of children are sick, overweight or at risk for developmental delays. They have asthma, allergies, ADHD, arthritis, autism, anxiety disorders, arthritis and more. These are just the conditions at the beginning of the alphabet. Imagine how long this list would be if we decided to run from A all the way down to Z.
Amongst developed countries, the United States ranks number one in infant death rate as well as in maternal mortality rate.
Again, in developed countries, the U.S, ranks second when it comes to preterm birth rate.
Did you know that one in 8 women in the United States will give birth to a premature baby?
Amongst developing countries, the United States is ranked number 5 when it comes to c-section rates.
One in three women will give birth to their baby by c-section.
These new childhood norms may seem extremely out of the norm if for us, our parents, our parents’ parents and so on. So that’s a parent to do? How can we help prevent these new childhood norms?
The Three Pillars of Radiant Health:
As we search to find answers for these new childhood norms, what are we to do whenever there is a health issue? Medical anthropologist, Syd Singer, suggest that we ask, ” What am I doing that may be causing the problem?” To find the answers to our problems, we are consulting researchers, reading up on scientific literature, examining global best practices, accessing ancestral wisdom and acknowledging anecdotal and clinical experience. When it comes to your family’s health (whether you are just starting a family or thinking about becoming pregnant), here are three pillars of radiant health to help everyone in your family achieve optimal health.
Pillar 1: Respect the Microbiome
Human health, immunity and well-being pivot on a vast microbial foundation known as the human microbiome. This human microbiome is one of the three pillars of radiant health. The human microbiome is the total complement of the microorganisms that are found in and on our skin as well as deep inside the body. These microorganisms found deep inside the body can include the mucosal linings from our nasal and oral membranes down to those in the gastrointestinal tract and beyond. Our bodies contains as many as three pounds worth of microorganisms. The microbiome is an entire ecosystem with 10,000 species of bacteria, yeasts, fungi and more.
