Holistic paediatrician, Dr. Elisa Song, joins me to chat about leaky gut, fussy eating, screen time and its challenges, sleep, the importance of community for developing brains, the immune system and inflammatory responses, as well as vaccinations. This is jam-packed with information and Dr. Elisa Song then leaves us with some simple steps to help kids thrive holistically; body, mind and spirit.

Selected Links from the Episode

Dr. Elisa Song website

Dr. Elisa Song 3 Part Facebook live course on gut health

Unstress episode with Dr. Jodie Lowinger on mental health

Unstress episode with Dr. Leila Masson on an integrative approach to a healthy child and you

Dawn Huebner - What to do when you worry too much

Breathe for Kids App

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Dr. Ron Ehrlich:                   Hello, and welcome to Unstress, I'm Dr. Ron Ehrlich. Now, today I want you to get ready for a taste of what could be the most thorough visit to a doctor you could hope to have. I've mentioned my passion for integrative health practitioners and after today, if you're not already looking for or seeing an integrative health care professional or looking at that approach to your health this will surely convince you, if you indeed needed convincing. My guest is Dr. Elisa Song who founded the Whole Child Wellness clinic in California, USA in 2005. It's now the Whole Family Wellness Center.

I actually do think mission statements are important. We've had one in our clinic and I recognize it as perhaps the most important document we have ever produced. And Elisa's mission is, "To create a nurturing environment that integrates allopathic," now, that's the best that modern medicine has to offer, "And natural medicine, customized to each unique child and person to help them thrive to fulfill their full potential." Now, Elisa has a family practice but has a special interest in integrative care for children with complex medical issues. And this includes: autism, ADHD, asthma, autoimmune illnesses, eczema, food allergies and sensitivities, reflux, gastrointestinal disorders, neurological disorders, and environmental illness. It's a long list but this is precisely what people are facing today with children's health.

In addition to qualifications in pediatrics, political science and public policy, I actually think that's a great combination actually, Elisa has trained in functional medicine, holistic nutrition, homeopathy, acupuncture, herbal medicine, and other natural therapies. She is, also, as you will hear, a great communicator. I hope you enjoy this conversation I had with Dr. Elisa Song.

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Welcome to the show, Elisa.

Dr. Elisa Song:                       Thank you, Dr. Ehrlich. I'm so glad to be here today.

Dr. Ron Ehrlich:                   Oh, Dr. Ron, please, oh, Ron is fine.

Dr. Elisa Song:                       Okay, Dr. Ron.

Dr. Ron Ehrlich:                   Let's not get too formal here. Now listen, the word holistic evokes a lot of things to many people. And you describe yourself as a holistic pediatrician, what does the word holistic mean to you?

Dr. Elisa Song:                       Holistic can mean so many different things but to me, when I discuss holistic pediatrics, I really think about taking the whole child into context, their body, mind, and spirit and looking at everything that affects a child's health from within and without. So that includes not just the food they're eating and the air they're breathing but it also includes the thoughts that they're having because we really need to look at these internal and external stressors as impacting their whole health and their whole body, mind, and spirit. And it also includes their relationships outside of their selves with their family and their friends and their teachers and their community. So holistic really means taking that whole child approach and looking at the child in the context of everything that...