Now that we’re walking gently into September, the sun’s shadows are starting to get a bit sharper. The mornings stay dark a little longer, and the sounds of the annual autumn migrations hang in the air. This revolution into autumn brings more than just a golden light to the air. It also brings a burst of goldenrod flowers to our natural landscapes. These flowers line the edges of our highways, sneak into our gardens, and joyfully dot the landscapes in front of us just about everywhere we go. There’s a quiet truth that our bones know. The earth gives us just what we need, just when we need it. Not only are these golden flowers beautiful heralds of autumn, but they’re also little packets of natural medicine right when we need it most. As pollen counts increase, goldenrod is there to help alleviate our allergy symptoms and so many more symptoms of the seasonal transition. Goldenrod is definitely a healing herb of the autumn!

Common name: Goldenrod 

Latin name: Solidago canadensis

Part Used: Flowers and leaves

Benefits: Diuretic, clears excess mucous, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, clears excess gas, wound-heal, and helps induce sweating to aid in detoxification

Taste/Energetics: Warming, drying, astringent, slightly bitter

History: Goldenrod has a long history of being used by Indigenous populations as a wound healer. Its name, “solidago,” is actually from the Latin word for “to make whole.” The Omaha indigenous people used goldenrod as a sign in their floral calendar. While they were away on their summer buffalo hunt, they would use the local flora to give them signs and signals. As soon as goldenrod began to pop up, they knew their corn was ripening back home, and it was time to return. During Elizabethan times, goldenrod was already well known beyond its capabilities as a healing herb of autumn. As a native plant to North America, goldenrod’s powdered leaves and flowers were exported to London for quite a heavy price. In colonial America, colonists would drink goldenrod tea, or “Liberty Tea,” as they began to call it, after the Boston Tea Party. It was so popular that they even began to export it to China. 

Benefits: Goldenrod has been traditionally used by different Indigenous groups for a number of ailments. Topically, it’s been an important healer of sores, infections, aches, burns, and other wounds. Internally, it’s been used as a diuretic, meaning it helps move toxins through our body systems to be expelled through urination. As such, it’s beneficial for many urinary issues, as well as respiratory and digestive issues. Modern uses of goldenrod really focus on its powerful decongestant abilities. It’s often a go-to for clearing sinus complications, allergies, and flu symptoms. Infusing goldenrod with sage (making a strong tea) is an effective gargle for sore throats and laryngitis (1).

Goldenrod is also a useful digestive agent. Due to its high tannin count and anti-inflammatory properties, it can help alleviate diarrhea symptoms. Tannins are drying and astringent, two modalities that are helpful with diarrhea, gas, bloating, and indigestion. Using goldenrod as a tea can also help stimulate and ease digestion. 

Herbs are helpful not only for the physical body but also for the emotional and spiritual body. Emotionally, goldenrod inspires a sense of self-trust and confidence, especially for those having trouble finding a strong sense of self and identity. Our identities and values often mirror our surroundings. For this, Goldenrod boosts inner knowing and helps solidify identity away from peer pressure. 

Herbs and plants, like Goldenrod, have a beautiful way of helping the physical, emotional, and spiritual body. In our exploration of these remarkable allies, we appreciate you joining us for the second herb of this series. If there are other herbs you’re interested in learning more about go ahead and reach out to us and we’ll add them to our future writings.

And if you want to include more herbal medicine into your health or existing care plans, our naturopathic doctors at Richmond Natural Medicine have extensive knowledge of herbal remedies and can customize blends that are specific and individualized for you. For more information on becoming a new patient or getting back on the schedule, call our front desk at 804-977-2634.

Related Reading

Check out some of our practitioner’s favorite herbal teas!

Can’t shake the allergy fog? Here are a few of our favorite tips and tricks for handling all of the ragweed this fall.

If you missed our August Herb of the Month, click here to read about Agrimony!

1. McIntyre, A. The Complete Herbal Tutor: The Ideal Companion for Study and Practice (Octopus Books, 2010).

Life is about more than just living long. It is also about living well, and with life expectancy on the rise, this becomes even more important. Below is a discussion of important health aspects to focus on when maintaining optimal health, along with actionable steps you can take today to support aging with grace. 

NUTRITION:                                                                                                                                   

Nutrition may be the number one priority when it comes to aging gracefully. The nutrients received from food play a role in every single biological function and process in the body. Protein synthesis is necessary for the repair of muscles and vital organs. Absorption of healthy fats is vital for brain health. Vitamins and minerals are necessary for energy production. Without proper nutrition, we can see a decline in cognition, energy, mobility, and functioning of the heart, liver, and kidneys. Focus on the steps below to aid in adequate nutrition.

Actionable Steps:

• Eat a minimum of two meals/day
• Focus on whole foods, the fresher, the better
  • Whole foods are rich in nutrients and are free from added sugars or other undesirable substances.
  • Focus on 5-6 servings of vegetables, 1-2 servings of fruit, and a variety of whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, mushrooms, and herbs/spices daily. 
• Eat 30 different plants a week to support digestion and microbiome diversity
  • This includes all fruits, vegetables, grains, and spices!
• Water: Aim to drink about ½ your body weight in oz of water daily. For example, if you weigh 100 lbs, 1⁄2 your body weight is 50. Aim to drink 50 oz of water daily.

PHYSICAL MOVEMENT:                                                                                                               

If nutrition is the number one priority in healthy aging, physical movement is a close second. As we age, the focus of physical movement shifts from athletic ability to maintaining mobility. The adage of “use it or lose it” is particularly true for physical activity with age. For instance, if hip mobility is limited, when you go to pick something up off the ground, you may find yourself in a precarious situation. Following the steps below can help ensure mobility as you age.

Actionable Steps:

• Walk as much as you can. Go for daily walks. If your mobility is currently limited, start with walks around your home. Be sure to make your walking area free from obstacles such as cords or bunched-up rugs!
• Move all joints every day. Point and flex your toes, bend and straighten your knees, raise your arms over your head, etc. 
• Avoid sitting for long periods of time! Every hour, stand or walk for a few minutes. Something as simple as standing helps to increase muscle stability and reduce fall risk. 
• Strength training is a must. Try adding a few simple exercises to your daily routine. For example, before sitting down completely, try sitting, then standing, and sitting, then standing again to strengthen your leg muscles. 
• When in doubt, always work with a health professional such as a physical therapist or occupational therapist to ensure safety and correct imbalances. 

COGNITION:                                                                                                                                  

Cognitive decline may be one of the biggest concerns among older adults and their families. Keeping your brain active and engaged may be an important factor in limiting concerns such as dementia or memory loss. Brains are similar to muscles in that the more you use them, the healthier and stronger they become. So toss out the idea that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks because learning new tricks helps to prevent diseases such as Alzheimer’s. 

Actionable Steps:

• Participate in hobbies or activities that interest you and try something new! Maintaining curiosity and joy is important for making new connections/synapses between brain cells. 
• Participate in physical activities that use both sides of the body, such as walking, swimming, dancing, etc. 
• Keep an active social life and communicate with others regularly.
• Talk to your healthcare provider about how medications or health conditions may contribute to memory concerns or confusion. 
• Visit your Naturopathic doctor for support with supplemental care that aids in maintaining a healthy mind. 

There are many options to reduce health concerns that come with age. Aging doesn’t have to be scary. Richmond Natural Medicine is here to help you age with grace. 

Helpful Resources

Wake Forest Osteoporosis Center

Effect of Estrogen on Calcium Absorption and Serum Vitamin D Metabolites in Postmenopausal Osteoporosis

The Naturopathic Approach to Alzheimer’s 

Chronic Pain in Adults

It is estimated that over 25% of adults live with chronic pain in the United States, collectively spending over 100 billion dollars annually on expenses related to their chronic pain. 

When we think of chronic pain, we usually think of muscle or joint pains. However, we often overlook other types of chronic pain like endometriosis, migraines, fibromyalgia, and inflammatory bowel disease. We can also develop chronic pain after certain events like vehicle accidents or other physical traumas. No matter the cause of chronic pain, it can be debilitating and lead to a lower quality of life, as the pain often takes away the ability to do the things that we once enjoyed. 

Coping Strategies for Chronic Pain

While there are many different causes and types of chronic pain and various approaches to them, here are a few simple ways you can help reduce inflammation within the body and help reduce pain:

1. Eating an anti-inflammatory diet high in antioxidants is a great way to reduce inflammation. Likewise, reducing packaged or processed foods and refined sugars is another excellent step toward reducing inflammation and pain.
2. Working to reduce stress levels can help reduce overall inflammation. It can allow the body to exit from a hypervigilant state, where we often experience more muscle tension that can lead to worse pains over time. Stress management techniques can be very effective in reducing certain types of chronic pains, especially when there is a strong mental-emotional connection between the two. 
3. For conditions like osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, and other joint and muscle pains, photobiomodulation (a process by which light stimulates living things to heal themselves), especially infrared light therapy, can effectively reduce inflammation and pain. Visiting an infrared sauna is a great way to help improve pain and inflammation.
4. Daily movement, stretching, or exercise can significantly reduce pain and inflammation. They keep the body in motion and reduce stress and tension on the muscles and joints. Walking, jogging, swimming, and cycling are a few easy and gentle ways to incorporate movement into your daily routine. There are also plenty of resources available for chair exercises, which allow for gentle movement in the comfort of your own space. 
5. Supportive therapies such as Cranial Sacral Therapy (CST) and Reiki have shown benefits for pain management, especially when chronic pain has mental and emotional components or symptoms. Both work together to release tension from the body and foster a deeper body awareness, which can help individuals better understand and manage their pain.

Naturopathic Approach to Chronic Pain

As naturopathic doctors, we are trained to follow six principles of naturopathic medicine, one of them being ‘tolle totum,’ which translates into ‘care for the whole person.’ 

Dr. Alexander notes, “As a naturopathic doctor, it is my responsibility to see each patient as a whole – to zoom out and see the big picture and to connect the dots that are often unconnected. When it comes to chronic pain, we often see a combination of different problems coming together and resulting in pain. During visits, I typically ask patients about any injuries or illnesses that may contribute to their pain, along with any family history of chronic pain patterns. When possible, I also like to discuss certain traumas that the patient may have experienced, as this may be a crucial element to unearthing potential root causes of their chronic pain.”

If you need support while navigating these different coping strategies for chronic pain, our practitioners at Richmond Natural Medicine are ready to help. They offer consults, Reiki, and CST. Contact our office today to schedule your appointment! 

References:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK553030/ 
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10381948/ 
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10531845/ 
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9980499/ 
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10815384/ 
6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31642490/ 
7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30982020/ 

Medicinal herbs exist everywhere, dotting our landscapes as gentle reminders from nature that they’re here and ready to help. Walking outside, no matter where you live – city, country, desert, forest, etc. – you can see medicinal plants dwelling in the cracks and the open spaces, wherever they can find a home. Their bloom cycle is tied to the seasons, inhaling and exhaling with the earth’s rotations. We are happy to begin a new series to share an herb of the month to foster your education on naturally derived herbs all around you. Let’s take a walk together and explore our first herb, kicking off our monthly learning series!

Common name: Agrimony 

Latin name: Agrimonia eupatoria

Part Used: Leaf

Benefits: Mucosal Membranes, Digestive System, Liver, Gallbladder, Urinary Tract, Nervous System, Emotionally uplifting

Taste/Energetics: Bitter, Astringent, Cooling, Drying, Nervine Relaxant

History: Agrimony’s small yellow star-shaped flowers have been used in Western herbalism for centuries. Written accounts of its benefits date back to the 5th century. Since the age of antiquity, agrimony has been recommended to individuals for complications with ulcers and liver and gallbladder diseases. The Elizabethan poet Michael Drayton once hailed it as an “all-heal.” This herb can be found in writings spanning massive time periods, from the days of ancient Greece up to British folklore. 

Benefits: Agrimony is a gentle herb in the rose family, brought to the Americas from Europe for its many medicinal properties. Topically, its leaves can be ground into a poultice to support wound care, prevent scarring, or dry up certain topical infections like infections. Internally, you can infuse agrimony into a tea and benefit from its gentle support for digestion, breathing, urination, as well as chronic non-healing wounds. Energetically, agrimony is cooling, drying, and astringent within the body. It can help combat conditions like diarrhea, lung inflammation, liver conditions, bleeding disorders, skin ailments, and support the mucous membranes (mouth, eyes, nose, lungs, and stomach). This is partly due to the relatively high concentration of tannins in agrimony. Tannins typically taste pretty bitter and work to tighten the mucosal linings around your gastrointestinal tract.

Additionally, a bitter-tasting herb often indicates a relationship with the liver and gallbladder. This promotes healthy digestion and extending these benefits to urinary tract issues and kidney conditions. As a bitter and tonifying herb, Agrimony can restore, tighten, and invigorate loose tissue back to a balanced state. Its high tannin count increases gastric secretions, essentially readying your stomach to digest correctly and promoting nutrient absorption. Additionally, agrimony is known as a nervine relaxant, meaning it soothes the nerves. So, on the one hand, agrimony is a wonderful tonifier for tissues that are too lax. And on the other hand, it can down-regulate nervous system overstimulation. Isn’t that amazing? 

Herbs are useful not only for the physical body but also for the emotional and spiritual body. Emotionally, agrimony has been recommended for individuals who may hide their displeasure or unhappiness behind masks of cheerfulness, not ready to let anyone see their darker sides. In some cases, individuals may also turn to alcohol or other drugs to help them seem happy and upbeat. According to the concepts of flower essences, agrimony’s positive potential is to help individuals accept the darker sides of their lives and personalities. This can also help make peace with the ebbs and flows of life, finding gratitude.

Herbs and plants have a beautiful way of helping the physical, emotional, and spiritual body. Thanks for taking a walk with us for our first herb of this series. Reach out to us if there are other herbs you’re interested in learning more about, and we’ll add them to our future writings. 

And if you want to include more herbal medicine into your health or existing care plans, our naturopathic doctors at Richmond Natural Medicine have extensive knowledge of herbal remedies and can customize blends that are specific and individualized for you. For more information on becoming a new patient or getting back on the schedule, call our front desk at 804-977-2634

If you’d like to read more, check out our previous post for Heart Healthy Herbs. 

Having trouble sleeping? Take a look at our recommendations for Sleepy Time Herbs!

Avoid that back-to-school slump, here are some Herbs for the Brain.

Read more here for pointers on using Herbs in Your Home and keeping your pantry stocked!

Parenting can be very difficult, especially when small bodies have big emotions. You do your best to keep your cool, but even the best-meaning parents sometimes run into hills that seem too big to climb. These feelings come from several different places. Fears for your child, frustration, being overwhelmed, loss, guilt, confusion, lack of sleep, and even fear for yourself are all concerns plaguing a parent – all while trying to help your child learn, grow, and regulate their emotions. The inner pressures and struggles can feel like too much to bear. Luckily, there are some things that can help. Statistics show that mindfulness helps parents not only manage their own emotions but those of their children (Waters, 2016). 

Mindfulness is a mental state that results from focusing one’s awareness on the present moment. It involves acknowledging and accepting one’s thoughts and feelings. Here are some ideas for practicing mindfulness and being more mindful and present. 

NAP Stress Technique

Use the NAP acronym to help bring awareness to your internal world. 

• Notice: take a moment to notice what sensations you are experiencing. Do you have tension in your body? Is your breathing rapid or slow? What emotions are you feeling?
• Allow: without judgment or trying to change anything, allow yourself to be as you are. 
• Pass: rest in this moment and allow the emotions to pass. 

54321 Grounding Technique

This common technique is utilized for many concerns, including anxiety and PTSD. It helps ground you in the moment by reconnecting with your body and your five senses.

• Five things you can see: name 5 things you can see, whether it is close to you or far away.
• Four things you can feel: name 4 things you can feel, such as wind, feet in shoes, fabric of clothes on your skin, etc.
• Three things you can hear: name 3 things you can hear, such as birds, the AC, running water, wind, etc.
• Two things you can smell: name 2 things you can smell. If you can’t smell anything, try walking around and noticing any smells you encounter. If you can’t smell anything, name two smells that you like.
• One thing you can taste: Name one thing you think you can taste, such as the aftertaste of lunch, coffee, gum, etc. You can even put something like a mint in your mouth or drink a sip of tea for this activity. 

Box Breathing Technique

For this technique

• Breathe in for 5 counts.
• Then, hold your breath for 5 counts. 
• Then, exhale for 5 counts. 
• Then, hold your breath for 5 counts. 
• Repeat this several times. 

• This helps to regulate your breathing and calm the nervous system. 

Mindfulness with Your Children (Parlakian, 2024)

• • Active Listening: listen to your child with your full attention. A few minutes a day of undivided attention and actively listening to your child can promote a sense of connection and unity between you and your child. Try turning off screens, putting down your phone, or pausing a task to listen to your child fully. 

• COAL Technique

• • Curiosity: explore your child with curiosity and without judgment. With a soft gaze, notice how your child plays, moves, and thinks. What are they expressing?
  • Openness: when your child initiates a connection with you, receive them with openness. A connection can be engaging you in play, asking questions, or even hugging you.
  • Acceptance: accept the interaction your child gives without judgment and allow the interaction to change as your child moves from activity to activity.
  • Love: express love for your child!

Basic techniques can help you learn to regulate your emotions and nervous system and connect with your child. Parenting is hard; you are not alone. Call to schedule an appointment for more support. 

Read more: Mindfulness in Young Kids

Read more: Mindfulness to Reduce Stress

Read more: Tips for Creating Wellness Habits with Children

Waters, L. (2016). The relationship between child stress, child mindfulness and parent mindfulness. Psychology, 7(01), 40.

Abblett, Mitch. “A Mindfulness Practice for Stressed-out Parents.” Mindful, 15 Nov. 2023, www.mindful.org/when-parenting-gets-tough/. 

Parlakian, Rebecca, et al. “Mindfulness for Parents.” ZERO TO THREE, 3 Apr. 2024, www.zerotothree.org/resource/mindfulness-for-parents/. 

Sleep is a vital part of our daily lives, yet according to the National Institute of Health, over 50 million Americans experience a sleep disorder. In today’s society, it is often encouraged to sacrifice sleep to be more productive, but unfortunately this has caused us to lose sight of the importance of sleep. 

Lack of sleep can lead to slower cognitive thinking and reaction times and affect how we interact with each other in our daily lives. Research also shows that lack of sleep is often associated with cardiovascular disease, depression, inadequate blood glucose control, and hormonal imbalances. 

Tips for Improving Sleep

Creating healthy sleep habits and routines may sound like an overwhelming task, so here are a few simple ways to get started:

1. Consider purchasing blackout curtains to help eliminate light infiltration during sleep. Research has shown that even small amounts of dim light at night can negatively impact overall sleep. 
2. If you find it difficult to fall asleep because your sleep environment is too noisy, consider downloading an app like Insight Timer or purchasing a noise machine for additional sleep support. Research has shown that both white and pink noise can effectively mask external sounds while simultaneously evoking a sense of calmness and relaxation, promoting better sleep quality.
3. Avoiding caffeine after lunchtime can be a helpful change to incorporate into your routine, as too much caffeine in the afternoons and evenings can disrupt your natural sleep cycle and can cause you to stay up past your bedtime. Consider swapping that afternoon coffee for a cup of herbal tea! 
4. Start learning more about your sleep habits by creating a sleep-tracking journal. A good journal should include the following: what time you stopped using screens, what time you got in bed, how long it took to fall asleep, how many times you woke during the night, what time you woke in the morning, and if you felt tired or refreshed upon waking. You can even take it a step further by writing down some notes about your dreams! 

Read more about Sleep Hygiene Practices.

Naturopathic Approach

At Richmond Natural Medicine, each practitioner approaches sleep disturbances differently, but they each provide a comprehensive investigation into your sleep patterns. Dr. Alexander explains her approach to working with patients who experience sleep disturbances: 

“With patterns of disrupted sleep, we typically cannot pinpoint one individual cause, but rather typically a combination of multiple insults that have occurred throughout the day and over a period of time. With each patient, I dive deep into their sleep history to determine more information about their relationship with sleep, their nighttime routines, their bedroom environment, and their daily caffeine intake. We even discuss other factors that may be contributing to disturbed sleep patterns, such as partners, children, or pets that share the sleeping space. By gathering all of this information, we learn more about potential root causes of each individual’s sleep disturbances.” 

 Read more about our Top Tips for Improving Sleep.

If you need extra support improving your sleep quality, our practitioners at Richmond Natural Medicine are ready to help you. Contact our office today to schedule your appointment! 

Still interested in what a sleep routine should look like?

Read more about checking your sleep routine here!

References:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK19961/ 
2. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2013/04/benefits-slumber 
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5976009/ 
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8838436 
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36870101/ 

Mold is everywhere in our environment, especially now during these hot and humid months. From the pink film on your shower curtain to the moldy berries lurking in the back of your refrigerator, we are exposed to mold (and mycotoxins) more frequently than we realize. 

With the growing number of toxins our bodies are exposed to daily (chemicals, fragrances, plastics, etc.), it has become more difficult for our bodies to keep up with the demand, resulting in more chronic illnesses. 

You may read this and think that the ‘mold conversation’ is just a new trend since, historically, we have been able to coexist with mold without any issue or known consequence. While this may be true, the amount of environmental toxins and exposures has increased as society has become more industrialized, therefore creating a higher environmental burden on our bodies. While many people can be exposed to mold on a daily basis without issue, this is not the case for everyone – as it all depends on the individual body burden and ability to eliminate toxins and waste appropriately.

What does mold illness look like?

There is no set criteria for mold illness, as each person typically experiences a different presentation of symptoms. Unfortunately, some of the most common symptoms tend to mimic other conditions and can be difficult to differentiate, but they include headaches, unexplainable fatigue, rashes, hives, itching, sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion, recurring sinus infections, difficulty breathing, and many more. 

Read More | The Health Effects of Mold Exposure & The Naturopathic Approach

How can I protect against mold?

Purchase a dehumidifier for your home to reduce excess moisture that could contribute to mold formation. Aim for less than 50% humidity in the home! Make sure there is good airflow throughout your home. Open closets and storage spaces frequently and allow them to air out. Change your HVAC and HEPA air filters on a regular basis! Check ceilings, attics, and crawl spaces after each rain to ensure there are no leaks. Create a schedule so that you are able to monitor all appliances, sinks, toilets, etc on a regular basis to ensure there are no water leaks

Read More | Air Health: Benefits of Air Purifiers for Spring

What if I find mold in my home?

If you think you may have mold in your home, consider reaching out to a local home inspector who is specifically trained and focuses on mold, as general inspectors are not always fully trained in this area. A thorough mold inspection will take many hours to complete and will be very thorough, but will help determine if mold is present in your environment. If remediation is recommended, it is important to hire a separate contractor to complete the remediation to ensure there are no conflicts of interest.

I think mold may be contributing to my symptoms – what do I do next?

Are you ready to investigate mold as a potential underlying cause of your symptoms? Our naturopathic doctors will ask extensive questions about your health and environmental exposure history to determine if you may be experiencing mold-related illness.

Dr. Alexander recently completed Dr. Jill Crista’s Intensive Certification on Mold-Related Illness, which effectively taught her how to identify vulnerable patients and how to safely and properly support them on their journey with mold-related illnesses. 

If you suspect mold sickness or want to investigate further, schedule an appointment with Dr. Alexander or one of our other mold-literate providers today.

Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric conditions in children and adolescents, affecting nearly 1 in 12 children and 1 in 4 adolescents (Kowalchuk, et al, 2022). Anxiety in kids can have several negative effects, including fear or worry that is out of proportion to the situation. Physical symptoms such as chest tightness, nausea, and faintness can also occur. This is often seen as crying, tantrums, or reluctance to engage in activities. 

Read more: RNM’s Approach to Mental Health

Over time, anxiety can begin to affect the ability to complete tasks, socialize, and participate in activities. Executive functioning, which is the ability to regulate focus, can become impaired (Jacobson, 2016). As anxiety increases, it becomes more difficult to ignore the fear, which interferes with the ability to focus and make good decisions. 

Mindfulness has been shown to reduce anxiety and improve focus. Mindfulness can feel daunting to teach kids, but it can be quite fun! Consider implementing one of these mindfulness activities with your child. 

Pinwheel Breathing:

• Regulating the breath is an important first step in learning mindfulness. 
• Try holding a pinwheel out in front of your child and have them blow long, deep breaths. 
• Notice how you feel. Do you feel calm? Are you having trouble sitting still?
• Next, blow on the pinwheel with short, quick breaths. 
• Notice how you feel. Do you feel the same as the long, deep breaths?
• Return to the long, deep breaths
• Talk with your child about how the different breaths made them feel.

Balancing on One Foot:

• First, focus the gaze slightly below eye level
• Then, stand on one leg while keeping this gaze
• How long are you able to stand on one leg? How about the other leg?
• Next, try conversing, singing a song, or closing your eyes.
• How did things change?

Simon Says:

• Classic children’s games can help with mindfulness, too!
• This game helps to teach focus, control, and listening skills
• How to Play:
  • Designate a “Simon”. Simon is in charge, and all players do what he says.
  • Simon will then call out instructions varying between statements that start with “Simon says,” such as “Simon says touch your nose,” and statements that exclude “Simon says,” such as “touch your nose.”
  • The players should only perform the action that Simons starts with. “Simon says”
  • If players follow instructions that do not start with “Simon says, “ they are out of the game. 
  • The last player standing wins. 
• After the game, talk about how easy or hard it was to follow the instructions and differentiate between the commands with “Simon says” vs. those without. 

These mindfulness exercises can help teach kids to regulate their thoughts, body and breath. This in turn can help to reduce anxiety and improve focus. Remember that mindful kids come from mindful parents! Try taking a moment throughout the day to focus on your own breath. Notice how you feel. Are you stressed, calm, relaxed, frustrated, excited? Acknowledge these feelings and breathe through them. Always seek additional support as needed from your care provider. 

References:

Courtney E. Ackerman, MA. “18 Mindfulness Games, Worksheets and Activities for Kids.” PositivePsychology.Com, 8 May 2024, positivepsychology.com/mindfulness-for-kids/. 

Jacobson, Lisa. “Anxiety and Its Impact on Learning.” Kennedy Krieger Institute, www.kennedykrieger.org/stories/making-difference/inspiring-stories/anxiety-and-its-impact-learning#:~:text=Anxiety%20can%20impair%20the%20executive,point%20where%20learning%20is%20compromised. Accessed 8 July 2024. 

Kowalchuk A, Gonzalez SJ, Zoorob RJ. Anxiety Disorders in Children and Adolescents. Am Fam Physician. 2022 Dec;106(6):657-664. PMID: 36521463.