Over the years I have been truly amazed how stress can impact children and how this presents to the outside world, including how it affects the whole family.
There is a great focus on sugar consumption and additives in food, which I wholeheartedly agree with. Our food chain has changed so much over the years and it has become more common to find genetically modified foods and highly processed food. I suggest taking a stroll down the natural health section at the supermarket or shop at different locations that provide good wholesome quality foods.
I would like to suggest a weak connection to bad behaviour and tantrums. I think children are facing unprecedented times and the impact of changes to our world must and is having a huge impact on them. In some cases a problem can come from one area, although there are usually a few areas that need addressing, some more than others and this is a fine balance.
Are lower nutritional reserves connected to tantrums and is this affecting the younger children in a family? Maybe - perhaps because the majority of nutrients may not have been replaced from births before the younger children are born. This may sound odd but hear me out. A busy stressed new mum may not be absorbing her nutrients from food as well as she previously did. This could mean as more children are born the mother has less nutrients to give.
I recall a conversation with a mother of four many years ago who was having trouble with her teeth. Our teeth contain minerals and if we are low in minerals such as calcium and magnesium to name a few, this may cause issues. Our body as I have mentioned in previous blogs is truly incredible, it is constantly balancing vitamins, minerals and electrolytes and this can be evident when we have yearly or two yearly routine blood check ups at the doctor. In some cases our results can be almost identical, showing to me that no matter what is thrown at the body our internal processes are constantly balancing themselves to help us be well.
Back to tantrums - a check up at the doctor is important to rule out infection or any other issue that may be evident. Quite often if an infection is treated a whole host of complaints can improve. In New Zealand we are eternally grateful for the work on micronutrients that has come out of Canterbury University from Dr Julia Rucklidge and her team. I have recently found a case where the use of micronutrients for anger, aggression and tantrums appears to have improved - and quickly. Was it the Bowen Therapy or micronutrients - or both.
Here are my thoughts. Having Bowen Therapy to balance the body appears to take the strain off any area under strain. How was the child’s birth? Is the jaw out of alignment? How are they sleeping? How are the bowels? Are they in pain? Bowen Therapists may be able to detect tension or strain in different areas of the body as we progress through the session. What is amazing is that subsequent sessions can show vast improvement. We recommend three sessions as a starting point, for some this is all that is needed with occasional top up sessions.
A more natural approach to tantrums or strain on the central nervous system is having bodywork. Perhaps I am a little biased and that the benefits I have seen over the years show me how helpful Bowen Therapy can be. Bowen Therapy and micronutrients together appear to work on a different level and compliment each other. The research on micronutrients is impressive, showing that they cross the blood brain barrier, they are more bioavailable because of the unique way they are made. Those of us in the industry are amazed at how this broad spectrum approach improves mental health and stress of all kinds.
Feel free to phone me or book a free ten minute phone call to discuss micronutrients further. If you would also like specific naturopathic advice I suggest booking a face to face appointment or a zoom appointment.
