Dr. Stephen Cowan - Author of Fire Child, Water Child: How Understanding the Five Types of ADHD Can Help You Improve Your Child's Self Esteem and Attention, Board Certified pediatrician with over 25 years of experience specializing in ADD, ADHD, Autism and the like. Dr. Cowan uses a holistic approach incorporating both Western and Eastern medicine to treat these difficult issues.

Did you know that according to the World Health Organization, the United States ranks 33rd in the world for average life expectancy? 33rd! For a country that prides itself on innovation, wealth and technology, the average life span in the US is shorter than that of countries such as Israel, Qatar, South Korea, and Iceland.  Hmmm, so much for that incredible Western medicine...right? Well, not really. As we discuss this week (one of many topics we cover in this incredibly varied and interesting episode), Western medicine is by far the best at treating acute illnesses or life threatening emergencies.  Some of the most innovative and miraculous procedures have come from Western medicine and then quickly spread across the globe.  But as the old sang goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and that's where we often go wrong in the Western world.

We have bought too much into the idea of the quick fix. We don't want to work for anything anymore.  We want our burgers in under a minute, we want our data instantly, and we want our health with a swig of water (or soda) and a pill.  And as we are learning, it just doesn't work that way when it comes to such a complicated machine as the human body.  To care for the body takes a lifetime of smart choices, and it's no secret what those choices are! We need to eat well, sleep well, exercise, nurture relationships, etc. But sometimes we just aren't willing to make the effort, and we often pay the ultimate price.  Cancer rates are soaring, diabetes and obesity are destroying the lives of both the young and the old, and the number of children being diagnosed with disabilities such as ADD, ADHD, and autism continue to grow at a steady clip.  It's time we change the way we look at illness.

Stephen Cowan MD is a board-certified pediatrician with 25 years of clinical experience working with children. He has a subspecialty in Developmental Pediatrics and has developed a unique holistic approach to evaluating and treating children struggling with chronic physical, emotional and cognitive disorders.  Considering the child as a reflection of the inter-related forces of family and environment is the central focus of his practice. This approach respects the inseparability of mind, body and spirit and promotes a deeper understanding of what it means to be healthy.

Dr. Cowan ompleted his pediatric training at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center in NY in 1987 and went on to complete a 2 year fellowship in Child Development at the Developmental Disabilities Center at Roosevelt Hospital.  He is long-standing member of the American Board of Pediatrics, a fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics and serves on the AAP committee of Developmental Disabilities. He is a member of the Autism Research Institute's Defeat Autism Now practitioners. Dr. Cowan is a co-founder and advisory board member of the Holistic Pediatric Association and serves on the advisory boards of the Integrative Health Symposium and the TCM World Foundation Building Bridges Conference.

Here is how we found out about Dr. Cowan : Mind Body Green - 11 Things I Wish Every Parent Knew

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