Category: Wellness

Why good posture is important for children

Over the last two decades in clinic, I’ve seen a progressive deterioration in the overall posture and fitness of most children, unless they are into sport. The incidence of upper back and neck pain is increasing and many children have surprisingly limited range of motion in their necks.

They also often come with issues such as rounded shoulders, slumped posture and respiratory problems – do you think there might be a possible connection? Do you think the lungs can fully inflate and children can breathe easily if the head is down (constricting the throat and airway) and they are constantly slumped forward, crowding and compressing the lungs and organs in the trunk of the body?

It’s sad to see children with poor muscle tone from very little exercise, constantly playing computer games and not going outside to run and play. They come in with sore knees, hips, ankles and many are now flat footed. And while flat feet can be genetic, it can also be environmental.

These issues can often be resolved with quality body structural correction, but it is a concern that young bodies are so stiff and in pain. In the past, this only used to happen to the elderly or those who had been in accidents.

Some children rarely go outside these days in bare feet, but as a Reflexologist, I can tell you that our feet were designed to bend and flex naturally as we walk, jump, balance and climb over various natural surfaces. Little time outside doing a variety of physical activities means that key muscles are not being strengthened or stretched.

Exercising outside and exposure to fresh air, sunlight (getting natural vitamin D), all help to strengthen bones and joints, of everyone not just children. And especially if you’re battling pain or don’t want it back again.

How is your child’s posture? Could it do with some improvements?

There are reflexes in the feet that relate to the rest of the body. Many people get pain relief from releasing the feet. If you can’t get a professional reflexology treatment, you can help yourself by working your own feet.

Sit comfortably and roll a massage ball under the foot, to allow the muscles and tendons to flex and stretch. You can also concentrate on certain areas of the foot for different parts of the body:

• Head and neck – the toes

• Chest – the ball of the foot

• Spine and back – along the inside or arch of the foot from heel to big toe

• Stomach and bowel – middle of foot, in the arch

The human foot was designed to walk on natural surfaces such as grass, sand and soil with undulations and natural cushioning. Our feet were not meant to stand all day and walk on hard surfaces such as concrete, tiles and bitumen.

Wearing shoes all the time, also stops the foot from flexing, stretching and adapting to the environment so muscles become stiff and underutilised. Rolling a massage or tennis ball under the arch of the foot helps release and flex those muscles and improve circulation. Wriggle those toes, stretch and flex the feet, rotate the ankles in both directions.

Look after and maintain your feet. See a Reflexologist or Bowen Therapist for professional help if you have issues.

Regularly have a pedicure or do your own to exfoliate the layers of dead skin, trim nails and attend to calluses and corns. Some deformities in the feet come from neglect and can change the way you walk, causing further problems with ankles, knees, hips and back.

Looking after your feet helps keep you pain free!

Golden Milk is an ancient Ayurvedic drink that is great for helping inflammation. There are numerous golden milk recipes around using variations of turmeric, black pepper, coconut oil, ginger, cinnamon, honey etc.

You can make up your own golden paste which you keep in the fridge and then just use a little each time to make your golden milk.

You can also use raw turmeric and ginger (some think it’s more effective). Of course you should do your own research and find the best recipe for you but for your information, here’s a simple recipe I use: 


Golden Milk

1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon of Golden Paste

1 cup milk (can be coconut, almond or cow, preferably not homogenised)

Ginger, vanilla and/or cinnamon to taste (optional)

Honey (or natural sweetener) to taste (optional)

Preferably in a stainless steel pot, gently mix and heat to steaming (but do not boil) 1 cup of milk with up to 1/2 teaspoon of golden paste. Remove from heat and add optional vanilla, ginger, cinnamon and/or honey to taste. 

Golden Paste

1/4 cup organic turmeric powder

1/2 cup of filtered water 

1 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons virgin coconut oil (cold pressed)

Preferably in a small stainless steel pot, cook the turmeric, water and black pepper until it forms a smooth paste on medium heat, stirring so it doesn’t burn. Remove from heat, cool slightly and thoroughly mix in the coconut oil. Store the golden paste in a small glass jar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks (if it develops a metallic taste, it’s been stored too long so throw it out). 

Have you tried Golden Milk before?