Dr Cowan's 8th insight is about giving children time to heal, but I think it is a tip the adults in the family could benefit from.  8. Healing takes time The most alternative medicine I practice these days is taking time. As a society, we're addicted to quick fixes because we have no time to be sick anymore. As a doctor, I was trained as a kind of glorified fireman, looking to put out emergencies quickly and efficiently...

Dr Cowan's 7th tip for you: The one phrase from the Eagle Scout motto that stuck with me since I was a boy was Be Prepared. This is a state of readiness that can be fueled by confidence or fear. These days I practice what I call “preparatory medicine” rather than preventive medicine, so that getting sick is not seen as a failure. Being healthy does not mean never getting sick. Life is a journey of ups and downs and t...

This week we are up to Dr Stephen Cowan's 6 th tip: Good medicine asks what is the symptom trying to accomplish? Rather than simply suppressing it. Our body has its own intelligence and yet so much of pharmaceutical advertising tries to convince us that there is something wrong with feeling symptoms. Much of my medical training was focused on stopping symptoms as if they were the problem. (This is like telling the body to shut up. I...

Dr Stephen Cowan's 5th insight for parents is: You don’t need an expensive spiritual retreat to become enlightened. Your little sage-teacher is right in front of you, offering you true wisdom free of charge! Children watch our every move when they're little, studying our inconsistencies as they try to figure out this crazy world. And they will call you on it. When a child pushes your buttons, remember: they are yo...

Hello and welcome to Paediatrician Dr Stephen Cowan's 4th insight. 4. Encouragement is not the same as indulgence We are not in the business of raising little kings and queens. Kings don’t do well in our society. Recent studies have shown that indulgence actually weakens your child’s powers to survive, deflating motivation and diminishing feelings of success. Encouragement means putting courage in your child, not do...

Hello and welcome to my second post in which I am sharing Dr Stephen Cowan's '11 Things I Wish Every Parent Should Know.' 3. We grow in cycles. There is a rhythm and pulse to each child’s life – sometimes fast and intense, sometimes slow and quiet. Just as each spring brings a renewed sense of appreciation for life, each stage of a child’s life is a time of new discovery and wonder. After all, learning ...

Hello, Over the next 10 weeks (except for this week, in which you will recieve 2) I will be sharing one wise insight from Dr Stephan Cowan's '11 Things I Wish Every Parent Knew', for you to think about.   He writes: After 25 years practicing paediatrics, and caring for thousands of children, I've noticed some patterns that offer me a deeper vision of health. Here are some of those invaluable lessons: 1. Gro...