**Inside:** Learn how simple integrative health techniques can be used every day to enhance your child’s behavior, mood, and mental well-being.
**Table of Contents**
We’ve nicknamed it “the beast.” It used to show up at least twice a week, turning our household upside down, yet it couldn’t be seen. Occasionally, it still makes an appearance, taking over my nine-year-old daughter when she wakes up late on weekends or after a long day. You can tell it’s there by her grumpy tones, irritability, and piercing looks.
Since she was a toddler, we noticed how quickly her mood could swing, but it took us a while to identify the cause.
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The solution was so straightforward that we overlooked it initially. But once we pinpointed one simple change, her morning moods became much more stable (more on that later).
There are many practical ways to boost your child’s behavior and mood every day. These methods are often so simple that we forget to intentionally apply them.
If you’re like me, you’ve probably heard the term ‘integrative medicine’ but never fully grasped what it meant. Recently, I completed training in integrative medicine and mental health with Dr. Leslie Korn, a Harvard Medical School-trained physician. She specializes in using nutritional and herbal medicine to optimize brain function and mental health.
I discovered that integrative health approaches consider the entire body, combining multiple areas of medicine with nutritional sciences. It’s about creating the best package for each individual.
There are many integrative approaches for enhancing a child’s emotional and behavioral health. I was amazed to learn how basic principles of integrative medicine can make a significant difference in improving a child’s behavior, listening skills, and overall emotional health.
For instance, understanding the significant impact of hydration on our bodies and brains, we make sure to each drink 8 ounces of water before and after school. Dehydration can reduce focus and energy, affecting mood and performance. Children are at greater risk of dehydration as they rely on others for fluids and are more active.
You might be familiar with the term circadian rhythm but not realize its importance to your child’s mental and emotional well-being. This 24-hour sleep-wake cycle affects cortisol levels, influencing mood, sleep, stress, pain, and depression. Inadequate or disrupted sleep impacts neurotransmitters and hormones, interfering with thinking and emotional regulation, leading to behavioral problems.
Being in nature can help children manage emotions and positively influence mood, cognition, memory, and anxiety by reducing brain activity linked to anxious thoughts.
Research shows that nature programs can boost children’s self-efficacy, coping skills, social comfort, and emotional regulation.
To help with behavior issues, consider trading some screen time for ‘green time’ outdoors each day.
We discovered that preventing our daughter’s morning meltdowns was as simple as more frequent meals to stabilize her blood sugar. We also noticed she struggled emotionally without enough protein in her diet.
Neurotransmitters, which brain cells use to communicate, are made from amino acids, the components of proteins. Proteins also form hormones and enzymes that control all bodily processes. Adding nutritious proteins to your child’s meals can greatly improve their mood and behavior.
“Kids! Time to get into pajamas, brush your teeth, and practice mindfulness!” Experts believe that one day, mindfulness will be a routine recommendation for brain health. Kids’ mindfulness activities help develop self-control, calming skills, and concentration.
“If you control the breath, you control the mind.” Yoga not only involves stretching, resistance training, and balance—which enhance mental clarity, stability, and flexibility—but also teaches children to regulate their breathing.
Fast-paced living can throw off breathing patterns, leading to stress and anxiety. Children’s yoga exercises are fun and help them manage emotions through breathing control.
“You are what you eat.” Eating real, nutrient-rich foods can greatly enhance your child’s ability to focus, stay calm, and manage emotions. Dr. Leslie Korn’s ‘brainbow diet’ provides guiding principles for incorporating better foods into your child’s diet.
For years, I’ve known that smelling lavender helps me relax and lemon energizes my brain, and now I understand why! The brain processes smells in areas tied to emotion and memory. Essential oils can lift moods and are great for calming children at bedtime or helping them focus during homework.
Research highlights how cardiovascular health impacts mental well-being by promoting neurochemical reactions that stabilize mood and energy. Engage in aerobic exercises with your child and incorporate them into your weekly schedule. After my daughter’s soccer practice, her mood often brightens for the rest of the evening!
A study on three-year-olds found that they were more prone to concentration problems, temper loss, and sleep issues after consuming fruit juice with colorings and preservatives.
The standard American diet, or SAD diet, is filled with refined, processed foods containing chemicals and synthetic preservatives, which can disrupt biological processes, affecting mood and behavior (via inflammation and neurotransmitter imbalance). Although convenient, making an effort to reduce processed food intake can be beneficial.
Now, when the beast shows up, I give my daughter a look that says, “uh-oh, this isn’t my kind daughter,” and we head straight to the kitchen.
Small, consistent changes in your child’s habits will improve their present behavior and establish healthy lifelong habits that enhance emotional health in the future.
Help your child develop essential life skills.
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Here are other parenting articles you might enjoy:
– 10 Insights of Remarkable Parents (from a family therapist)
– 75 Calming Techniques for Kids that work (printable)
– Positive Parenting Isn’t Working? Here are 7 eye-opening reasons why
– 5 Ways to Raise Good Listeners (without yelling or negativity)
