Holistic paediatrician, Dr. Deb Levy joins me to discuss children’s health. She has a great model for thinking about health and all its challenges that she calls her ‘5 P’s’. Dr. Deb takes us through the 5 p’s and how they apply to the health of all of us, not just children. Dr. Deb uses a holistic integrative approach which means combining the best of conventional medicine with an in-depth knowledge of nutrition, biology, and science to create safe treatment plans which may include both prescription medication or personalised health lifestyle programs or both.

Selected Links from the Episode

Dr. Deb Levy website

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Download the PDF transcription

Dr. Ron Ehrlich: Hello and welcome to “Unstress” where each week we take another look at what stresses us or those we love or what stress is our one and only planet and then try and look at things in a more holistic way. I'm Dr. Ron Ehrlich. The subject of today's episode is children's health and as I've said before whether you've got children or not this is relevant to everyone because children are the most vulnerable in our society and really could or should be thought of as the Canaries in the coal mine. What's happening to them may well be happening to you. It's just that you may have accepted that as your own normal. An interesting idea really.

My guest today is Sydney-based holistic paediatrician Dr. Deb Levy. Now as you will hear Dr. Deb has a great model for thinking about health and all its challenges. She calls it her “5 P's”. Actually, later in the show she adds an extra p and really there are six but anyway, Deb has been trained in South Africa where she graduated from medicine with first class honours then went on to study and practice paediatrics in the UK and in Australia. During her work as a paediatrician within the conventional hospital system, she witnessed firsthand what I think we should all be very alarmed about and that is the rising incidence of illnesses in children like allergies, eczema, asthma, diabetes obesity as well as mood and mental health disorders. She was particularly alarmed at the prediction that is this generation of parents may outlive their children. That's a shocking statement to make but that is what health trends are showing.

Deb has two young children herself, so this isn't just of professional interest but very personally concerned. She believes she needed to offer a more holistic approach to tackle these issues and with a particular interest in the role of diet, gut health, and lifestyle. She's a strong advocate of food as medicine, the impact of the environment and mind-body practices. She takes a holistic integrative approach which means combining the best of conventional medicine with an in-depth knowledge of nutrition, biology, and science to create safe treatment plans which may include both prescription medication or personalised health lifestyle programs or both. Why not use the best of both worlds? Now that to me is truly holistic and that's integrating modern and complementary medicine. And of course, some good old common sense. I hope you enjoy this conversation I had with Dr. Deb Levy.

Download the PDF transcription

Welcome to the show Deb.

Dr. Deb Levy: Thank you, Ron, great to be here.

Dr. Ron Ehrlich: Deb, you are a holistic paediatrician and integrative practitioner. I wonder if you could just share with our listeners part of that journey that got you to this...