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| Dearest Visionary... 💫
Welcome back to our weekly edition of Friday Field Notes.
This week inside our Doctor of Natural Medicine program, we're exploring one of the most practical applications of natural medicine: back-to-school wellness. 🎒🌿
The start of a new school year brings new routines, crowded classrooms, shared surfaces, more indoor time, less sunshine, and plenty of opportunities for seasonal sniffles to make their way home.
For moms and families, that can mean the same cycle every year: runny noses, scratchy throats, coughs, fatigue, digestive complaints, and kids passing germs from classroom to kitchen table.
But what if your back-to-school strategy began before everyone got sick?
From stocking up on elderberry and fermented foods to cleaner air, nourishing meals, and natural therapies, there are countless ways to support family wellness.
Natural medicine also invites us to slow down. A few minutes in the morning sun, a walk after school, bare feet in the grass, or simply listening to the trees can offer a welcome pause in an overstimulating world—and remind us that nature isn't somewhere we have to find.
It's right outside our door.
Read on as we explore natural ways to prepare your family for a healthier back-to-school season. 🩷 |
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| 🍎 Build the Foundation
The strongest wellness routine doesn't begin with a supplement cabinet—it begins with the basics.
Back-to-school schedules can disrupt sleep, meals, outdoor time, and movement. Build a strong foundation with:
- Morning Sunlight — Get outside early whenever possible.
- Quality Sleep — Establish consistent bedtimes.
- Protein-Rich Meals — Build breakfasts and lunches around nutrient-dense protein.
- Colorful Produce — Include a variety of fruits and vegetables.
- Fermented Foods — Try sauerkraut, kefir, yogurt, or fermented vegetables.
- Healthy Fats — Include avocado, olives, eggs, nuts, seeds, and quality oils.
- Plenty of Water — Send a reusable bottle with filtered water each day.
Think food first, sleep first, sunlight first—then thoughtfully chosen natural remedies can complement that foundation. |
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| ✨ Create a Healthier Environment
Our children spend much of their day in classrooms, buses, cafeterias, gyms, and other shared spaces.
We can't control everything our children are exposed to throughout the day, but we can make intentional choices that create a healthier environment—both at home and in the classroom.
- Clean Indoor Air — Use a HEPA air purifier in bedrooms or high-use areas, open windows often, and replace HVAC filters regularly.
- Ditch Artificial Fragrance — Skip unnecessary plug-ins, sprays, and air fresheners.
- Gentler Personal Care — Choose simple, non-toxic, fragrance-free products.
- Pack Their Own Essentials — Consider sending a gentle soap, bamboo tissues, desk wipes, and other holistic alternatives rather than relying on the school's conventional products.
- Choose Natural Materials — Opt for lunch containers, water bottles, and school supplies made from stainless steel, glass, compostable bags, or other less toxic materials.
- Get Outside — A few minutes outdoors after school can provide a welcome break from indoor environments.
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| 🪷 Explore Nature's Medicine Cabinet
Natural medicine offers an incredible variety of tools beyond the typical multivitamin. Some of the fascinating modalities and remedies explored within natural medicine include:
- Cell Salts — Mineral-based preparations rooted in the biochemic tradition.
- Red & Near-Infrared Light — A form of phototherapy that uses specific wavelengths of light to support cellular wellness.
- Ozone — A versatile modality explored in natural medicine and environmental applications.
- Elderberry — A classic botanical remedy to have on hand as we head into cold and flu season.
- Fire Cider — A spicy herbal preparation featuring ingredients such as apple cider vinegar, garlic, onion, ginger, horseradish, and warming spices.
- Heliotherapy & Climatotherapy — Exploring the relationship between sunlight, fresh air, climate, and human wellness.
💗 Within our Doctor of Natural Medicine program, students explore biochemic medicine, phototherapy, climatotherapy, the elements of earth, air, fire, and water, anti-aging practices, and clinical applications.
Because natural medicine isn't confined to a practitioner's office—it's in the food we eat, the air we breathe, the sunlight we feel, and the natural world right outside our door. |
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