Parenting Philosophy

Dr. M’s SPA Newsletter Audiocast Volume 13 Issue 38

Literature Review

1) “Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common mental behavioral disorder in children. Alterations in gut microbiota composition are associated with neurological disorders….Also discussions on CTE, Covid, Omega 3 Fats, and more…
Part II is about learning how to talk to your children and finally the recipe of the week.
Enjoy,
Dr. M

Dr. M’s Women and Children First Podcast #51 – Paul Smolen, MD – Parenting Class

This weeks guest is my friend, Dr. Paul Smolen, also known as Doc Smo by his friends, is a pediatrician with 38 years of experience caring for children and families. He is a graduate of Duke University (1974), Rutgers Medical School (1978), and Wake Forest University-N.C. Baptist Hospital (1982). At Wake Forest University he completed a residency in general pediatrics, served as chief resident, and completed a fellowship in ambulatory pediatrics. For over 38 years, he was an Adjunct Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill helping to train a generation of medical students and pediatric residents as well as author several research papers. He is also the author of two parenting books,  Can Doesn’t Mean Should (2015) and Great Kids Don’t Just Happen (2019). Doc Smo is a bona-fide expert in knowing what parents want and need to know about parenting and child health. Imparting practical and useful advice is the goal of every “Pedcast” that he produced over his podcasting career.
This week we discuss his book Great Kids Don’t Just Happen.
Enjoy,
Dr. M

Dr. M’s SPA Newsletter Audiocast Volume 13 Issue 24

Breastfeeding Versus Formula
Science versus Opinion
I read with somewhat of a frustrated feeling a recent article in Scientific American entitled: It’s Okay Not to Breastfeed by Kavin Senapathy. In principle, the reality of this statement is reasonable. Then you read the article as to what makes this reasonable. She states: “Exclusive breastfeeding is not imperative, and the “breast is best” mantra can be harmful to babies and parents, especially among marginalized people.”(K. Senapathy 2023) Again, at first blush this may seem reasonable. Let’s dig into the science and the truth of breast versus cow milk based formula for optimal health for a child. Does formula in all of its forms work for infant nutrition in order to grow and survive in a reasonable way? The answer is a resounding yes, however, this does not tell the whole story, far from it…..
Enjoy,
Dr. M

Dr. M’s Women and Children First Podcast #44 – Blake Chalfant – A Young Man’s Journey

This weeks guest is special to me as he is my nephew and Godson. In his own words: “I am an active seeker, student of life, and on a mission of helping others remember who they are and their innate self worth. It has been my passion of walking alongside others in their own healing and transformation that has brought me to this work.
I am a currently a nomadic Young Mens coach currently based in South America. I earned my BS in Psychology from The California Institute of Integrative Studies, and have a certification in Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy. My work with individuals varies greatly depending on who I am working with and what kind of support they are needing, but you can expect Internal Family Systems (IFS), Somatic Experiencing, compassionate listening, radical self acceptance, and practical tools and exercises in each session.”
We discussed the view of our current society from a young man’s perspective. What is the crisis of “good enough?” What do we really want authentically as young persons? How can parents show up for their kids? And so much more…
https://www.blakechalfant.com
Young Man’s Toolbox Course
Enjoy,
Dr. M

Dr. M’s Women and Children First Podcast #41 Pam Staples, PhD – Teenagers and Parenting

This weeks guest is Dr. Pam Staples. She is a friend and as amazing therapist. Her Bio lists her as having received a master’s and a doctorate in the field of Psychology. For her entire 40 year career, she chose to work with a very special population—teenagers. Working with teens has been so incredibly rewarding for Dr. Pam. She could see the innate opportunities to help change the trajectory of a teenager’s life, which are so potent during this delicate developmental stage. She describes herself as the “temporary third parent” when working with teens alongside their parents. Dr. Pam shared many of the tools in her wide ranging “tool kit” with her beloved teen clients. As a result, many of them are flourishing as adults today and seek out Dr. Pam to share their stories to this day.

It is a joyful conversation that goes all the way around the world of parenting teens.

Enjoy,
Dr. M

Dr. M’s SPA Newsletter Audiocast Volume 13 Issue 2

Food in Infants
What do we know?
“Humans are the only mammals who feed our young special complementary foods before weaning and we are the only primates that wean our young before they can forage independently. There appears to be a sensitive period in the first several months of life when infants readily accept a wide variety of tastes and this period overlaps with a critical window for oral tolerance.” (Borowitz S.) We do a deep dive here plus some information on the mineral calcium and a segment on loneliness.
Enjoy,
Dr. M

Dr. M’s SPA Newsletter Audiocast Volume 12 Issue 42

Literature review
1) Looking for a new sweetener that is natural and less toxic to your body? Usher in Allulose which is the enantiomer of fructose, is much less sweet to taste and does not spike blood glucose or insulin levels. In the British Medical Journal we find: “This is the largest study assessing the effects of D-allulose in Westerners demonstrating an early dose-dependent reduction in plasma glucose and insulin levels as well as decreased postprandial glucose and insulin excursion in subjects without DM. These pilot observations set the basis for large-scale investigations to support the anti-DM effects of D-allulose.” (Franchi et. al. 2021)…..
Enjoy,
Dr. M