This August is National Wellness Month! So if you have a break from the back-to-school rush, take these tips and best wellness practices into consideration to keep the whole family healthy and bright.
Approximately 1 in 4 school-aged children have a vision-related disorder. While the screenings our children receive in school and at the pediatrician's office are a good service, they can miss many vision and ocular health issues that can be discovered during a comprehensive eye exam. Vision is more than just the ability to see well - it includes tracking, focusing and perceptual skills needed for success in academics, athletics and (gasp!) driving. Additionally, with the increased use of devices such as laptops and tablets in schools and at home, there has been a dramatic increase in the visual demands on our children. For all children, I recommend eye exams at "transition" years: before kindergarten and 3rd grade and before transitioning into middle school and high school. Children wearing glasses and contacts should be re-evaluated at least annually. Schedule an appointment with your eye doctor today.
—David Cartwright, Optometrist at TotalVision Glastonbury
Here are a few helpful family wellness tips for back-to-school season:
- Protect your children's immunity with elderberry, colloidal silver, and vitamin C.
- To cope better with increased stress and anxiety, try deep breathing, stretching, sit-down family dinners without cell phones, and lavender, magnolia, and lemongrass essential oils.
- To enhance sleep, stop using all tech devices one hour before bedtime and try chamomile tea, magnesium, and vetiver essential oil.
- To enhance your children's brain power/focus, address potential ADD/ADHD, feed them fish, berries, almonds, and sunflower seeds, and apply rosemary and peppermint essential oils.
—Erika Dworkin, BCHN at Viathena Wellness
It's important to keep mental and physical health in mind as busy fall schedules start. Self-care is important to the immune system at a time when there is an increase in exposure to viruses and germs. As kids return to classrooms and holiday gatherings start, following these three simple steps can help keep you healthy:
- Movement: Three short 10-minute workouts throughout the day can help improve your mood, increase blood flow and oxygen levels, and decrease disease-causing inflammation.
- Eating Seasonally: The foods our bodies need to thrive grow at the time of year in which our bodies need them.
- Diaphragmatic Breathing: Deep belly breaths calm the nervous system and de-stress the body
—Heather McGinnis, MFA/CPT, Owner of Pivot & Thrive Wellness
