Prevention of Nature Deficit Disorder

Recently I sat down with my colleagues from the Pear Tree Naturopathic Clinic to discuss concepts of natural beauty.  We collectively looked beyond the physical aspects of self image; to the deeper qualities of self care, self acceptance and self expression. When I reflected later about where I see beauty fitting into my practice,  I found myself back where I most often admire beauty;  in nature herself.

I truly believe that my love and appreciation for nature led me to this medical profession,  which was founded in nature cure. Nature cure being the use of water, foods, and exercise to bring a person back to health. I recognize within myself a deep personal  need for daily exposure to green spaces, water vistas and “fresh air”.

Thereby the concept brought forth in Richard Louv’s book, Last Child in the Woods, is very one close my heart. It discusses how being overly “plugged in” has isolated us from the wonderful benefits we receive by being close to nature, and how some people have adapted very well to the electronic era, whereas others suffer from the effects of  “nature deficit disorder”.

Nature-deficit disorder is not a medical condition; it is a description

of the human costs of alienation from nature. This alienation

     damages children and shapes adults, families, and communities.

There are solutions, though, and they’re right in our own backyards.

http://www.education.com/facts/quickfacts-ndd/what-is-nature-deficit-disorder/

The following is a list of ten things you can do with your family to spend time fostering an appreciation for nature, the list was originally published at www.education.com, however I’ve added a little local content.

1.    Be a role model!
Remember, children will get excited about something when you are genuinely excited about it, too! Model the behavior you want your children to emulate. Demonstrate your own curiosity about nature sharing what you love to do in the outdoors with your kids. You can model respect for nature through simple everyday activities like recycling and not littering. Sharing your natural interests is the best motivation a child can have to participate.

2.    Plan a monthly or weekly surprise outdoor adventure!
Every Sunday, or once a month, plan a surprise outdoor trip with your kids. You could go to your local river, beach, forest, nature preserve, or city park! Planning surprise family fun time builds kids’ excitement for the next adventure, and helps demonstrate how you value your time with them.

3.    Organize a monthly outing with your child’s school/ day care. 
Be the parent who plans the monthly outing with families in your child’s class. Exploring the great outdoors can be easier and closer than you think. Trips can include the beach, hiking on the Dobson trail, national parks, or fishing. Do some research on beautiful areas near you. Build community with your child’s class and instill in them a love of nature.

4.    Follow the AAP’s guidelines and limit TV and video games to 1-2 hours a day!
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than 1-2 hours of quality programming per day. Just think of how much more time your child will have for unstructured, imagination-fueled play time outside!

5.    Take a daily or weekly walk together as a family after dinner.
In the evenings after dinner, go for a nice family stroll with your kids. A walk around the neighborhood, saying hello to neighbors, pointing out flowers or birds, and catching up on the days’ events is a great way to spend quality time with your kids outside and get a little exercise together.

6.    Register your child for an outdoor summer camp.
There are hundreds of great outdoor camps that your child can attend across the country or in your region. Give them a dose of the outdoors, a chance to make new friends, and fall in love with nature during summer vacation next year. Some accredited camps cost as little as $75 per week.

7.    Go camping!
Provincial and national parks are being used less and less every year. Grab your tent, sleeping bag, and camp stove and teach your child how to camp! Camping in national parks is a great cost-effective family vacation that can be fun and educational. Go out and enjoy local parks or take a road trip and discover national treasures around the country.

8.    Plant a garden.
Plant a vegetable, flower or herb garden in your backyard, at your child’s school, or take part in an urban community garden plot. School or home food gardens teach kids how to be smart about nature, nutrition, and make better food choices. Take advantage of whatever small amount of outdoor space to which you have access and experiment with a vegetable, herb, or plant garden. It’s a great way to learn about nature alongside your children and get your hands dirty in rich soil.

9.    Buy a field guide.

Field guides make every walk in the park an educational experience! A good quality field or nature guide helps you name and identify what you find outside. Guides can teach you about the favorite foods of the animals or the flowering and fruiting times of plants. That walk around the block can become an educational experience for you and your children, my favorites include Merrit Gibsons Bird watching, Summer Nature notes for Nova Scotians SEASHORES by merit Gibson, Wildflowers of NS, NB and PEI by Mary Primrose & Marian Munro.

10.    Link up with a nature lover’s organizations!
Moncton Outdoor enthusiasts
New Brunswick Conservation Council
Children and Nature Network 
Boy Scouts  
Girl Scouts 
Outward Bound  
Wildlife Conservation Society 
Earth Explore Adventures  
National Audubon Society 
Into the Outside 
Ecological Literacy Program
Geography Action  
Sierra Club  
The Society for Amateur Scientists  
National Environmental Directory 

I wish you and your family great times together as you rediscover the beauty & bounty nature has to offer us all. More time spent outdoors will equal more time spent growing in good health.

Khalsa Way Pregnancy Yoga- new session starting soon!

Khalsa Way® Pregnancy Yoga

with Blossom Bitting ND

Wednesdays 5:15pm

6 week session

November 13th-December 18th

Dance Breathe Practice Meditate

When it comes to pregnancy and childbirth, nothing can prepare

a woman's body, mind and spirit better than

The Khalsa Way® pregnancy yoga.

Learn techniques that will help to bring comfort through all stages

of the prenatal period; conception, pregnancy, birth and beyond.

for all levels of practice.

Please call to register, space is limited

857-1300

Fee: $75 for 6 week session or $15 per class drop-in

Pear Tree Clinic & Yoga Loft 1067 Champlain St Dieppe

The Change of Season Cold

A Common time for people to experience colds and coughs are during a change of season. When the weather changes from fair to crisp;  sniffles and  colds  and cough viruses start to become more and more common place.
Now, as the first evening frosts creep in, our kids immunity get hit with the double whammy sugar onslaught from thanksgiving pies to Halloween treats. Thus,  we’ve got to have prevention strategies in place and/or prepare for another round of stuffy heads and runny noses. While most colds are self limiting, meaning they will go away on their own in 5 to 7 days, it is always nice to be equipped with some gentle comfort measures, something you can do for yourself or your children to help speed the healing process, or ease the symptoms. If your cold or cough doesn't  improve or resolve in the aforementioned 5 to 7 days it’s time to pack up the family and visit your naturopathic doctor, we can offer immune support and specific herbals, acupuncture, supplements and homeopathics to help wager your microbial battle. During the winter months in particular I attempt to have at least one patient spot per day available for last minute acute care needs.

Take some time off if possible
I recently read that rest is the most undervalued treatment available in North America today, and I could not agree more. When you are coming down with a cold or cough give yourself and your children the gift of  plenty of rest and relaxation. Allow time for your body to heal. Eat warm, cooked food and drink plenty of warm liquids. Avoid sugar as it works directly against the immune system. Many people reach for copious s amounts of orange juice during a cold to increase their vitamin C intake. I would advise you to eat oranges, grapefruit, strawberries, and bell peppers, but skip the juice which is quite high in sugar. Most people find that avoiding dairy products when congested  also helps prevent the over production of mucus during a head cold.

Perform home hydrotherapy
To help in fighting  off a cold or flu use warming socks. Get a knee-high pair of cotton socks and a pair of wool socks. Soak the cotton socks in cold water, wring them out and then put them on your feet. Put the dry wool socks on top and then go to bed. The body will respond by warming the feet, thus draining the congestion from the head.

Support your  fever
To reduce a fever drink a couple of glasses of water, apply cold wet compress to the forehead and chest and take a long tepid bath or sponge bath. Rest, drink plenty of fluids, peppermint tea, yarrow and catnip have all been used traditionally to help break fevers. Limit your food intake until the fever breaks naturally. Fevers below 39C (102F) are seen as “friendly” and a reaction of the body’s immune system to fight infection and  to eliminate toxins.
We can aid the elimination of toxins through the skin by inducing perspiration.  Try taking warm baths, using an infra-red sauna or steam room. Increasing perspiration through the skin is one of the safest and most effective ways of eliminating toxins during a cold or flu.

Treat yourself with homeopathy
An advantage to using low dose homeopathic remedies to treat your family is the safety of this form of medicine. No side effects or drug interactions occur with homeopathy, making it a good choice for families with small children, pregnant women or people on multiple medications. There are two guiding principals with homeopathy. The first is the law of similar’s, meaning that the symptom picture of an illness must match as closely as possible to the symptom picture of the chosen remedy. The more information you have about the illness, and the better you know the remedy picture, and the better your choice will be. The second principal is that of using the minimum dose. Which means using as little as a medicine as possible to stimulate the body’s own healing mechanism. Give only one dose (pellet) and wait to see what relief it brings. If things improve do not re-dose unless the cold stops improving before full recovery is made, or a relapse is symptoms are seen.
Consider:
Aconite- for early stages of cold when the person has experienced a chill.
Arsenicum- for thin, watery burning discharge with colds.
Pulsitilla- for thick, yellow profuse discharge which is worse in the morning.
Gelsemium- for colds with body acing and intense desire to stay in bed.
Silica- for a cold which is slow to go, especially in people with low resistance to infection.

Bundle up and enjoy the beauty this season has to offer; crisp fresh air, majestic fall colors, & pumpkin spice soy lattes. Remember it’s the simplicity of eating well and staying active that will be the best protection against this fall’s bugs.