By Pennie Sempell, JD, ACMT

In a world of differing opinions on just about everything, there might be unanimous agreement on one thing: the wish to be healthy. “Health” is more than the absence of disease.  The Department of Education of the State of California has defined health as a complete state of physical, mental and social well-being.  

Being healthy is a state of being. That is not a static, unchanging place.  Being healthy is a dynamic process that takes place with every breath, achieved through a myriad of skills and a complex interaction between our environment, our genetics and our lifestyle.   Already some readers may be throwing up their hands and thinking “That sounds awfully complicated to me.”   And it is.  But the good news is that even young children can learn simple steps to consciously protect their treasure of health and happiness.

So the question parents might be asking is:  How do we teach our children to be healthy – physically, mentally and socially?   How do our children become “health literate”?  Sound science and traditional healing arts yield gems of wisdom to get you started.  

Key #1:  Daily De-Stress
Thumbnail Overview:  Stress is not something “out there”.  Stress is a complex reaction of the mind and body to perceived stressors.  What the individual can do is gain a broader awareness of what results in a stress response, what that “feels” like inside, and then practice skills to reduce everyday stress before it “builds up” and causes physical and emotional well-being problems.
Tip to De-Stress:  Time honored traditions (like meditation and yoga) and modern mind-body therapies teach ways to reduce stress easily and safely. You and your child can learn how to relax.  Take a few moments with your child to do this simple “ 9 Breath” relaxation exercise.  Place your thumb over your index finger (“pointer finger”) to make a ring  Do this on both hands. This is called a “finger pose”. It helps focus. Ask your child to do it, too.  Demonstrate the “In” breath and the “out” breath. On the “out” breath, say “One”.  Inhale, exhale and say “Two”.  Repeat for nine exhales.  You can go on to 36 exhales for a longer relaxation.

Key #2: Resolve Conflicts
Thumbnail Overview:  Misunderstandings, disagreements, bullying and poor communication can lead to conflicts, insecurity, and a lowering of mental and social well-being.
Tip to Resolve Conflicts: Make it a family pact to do your best to resolve conflicts (or agree to a time to talk about it more) before you go to bed at night.   There are many skills involved in effective communication and resolving conflicts.  One rule of thumb:  Practice your listening skills.  Make sure each person, whether child or adult, has a chance to talk without interruption, and to be “heard”.  Keep your tone of voice civil.  Yelling does not work. Avoid insults and name calling.  Acknowledge what works.

Key #3: Whole Food Heaven
Thumbnail Overview:  You build your body, and your child’s body, with what goes in. It is like “fuel” to build and run the body.  The better the fuel, the better the outcome. The quality of the food we eat affects how you and your family feel.  “Whole foods” and “natural foods” are terms that refer to foods that are unprocessed, or minimally processed, and do not contain artificial additives, refined sugars, refined flours, hydrogenated oils, sweeteners, food colors and so on.  Proponents of natural food diets argue that refined ingredients promote obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
Tip to Whole Food Heaven:  Take your child shopping with you.  No matter how young, engage in simple dialogue about the food you are purchasing. Talk about whether it is a “whole food” or “natural food”.  Are there additives?  Select one new “natural food” to cook at home each week.  Delete one “processed” food each week. Talk about it.

Key #4: Fitness for Life
Thumbnail Overview:  During their free time, children are more sedentary, sitting in front of a television or video game, than at any time in history.  Physical activity is essential to building a strong body and to help reduce stress.
Tip to Fitness for Life:  Take a walk together most days.  Walking for about 20 minutes is an excellent, and free, way to get exercise.  Visit a new park or neighborhood in your city, and just walk around.  Your family can take up a new sport, join a team, or local sports center and participate in physical activities there, before the electronic media gets turned on. Getting into a habit of fitness will last a lifetime.

Key #5: Fun Fun Fun
Thumbnail Overview:  Laughter is good medicine.  Common sense and science say this old adage is true. Having fun together is good for your family’s mental, social and physical health.
Tip to Fun Fun Fun:  In our busy and challenging world, you just might need to “book” time for fun in your calendar. This can be a simple as reading from a joke book, renting a family comedy, listening to a children’s CD, or playing with your pet. As the red red robin says in Pennie’s rendition of the classic song “Live, love, laugh and be happy!”

In future articles, I will expand further on these topics and on other natural ways to support a healthier, happier life.

Working with physicians and psychologists at a major medical center, former teacher and mediator, Pennie Sempell, JD, ACMT specializes in integrative healing arts and mind-body therapies.  She has written, performed and produced award-winning programs for children with a focus on health literacy. 
www.HealthierHappierLife.com.

Copyright 2009 Pennie Sempell         
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