Bee Well Kidz

What's the Buzz           August 2007

The official E-Newsletter of Bee Well Kidz

Welcome to the first issue of What's the Buzz?, the official E-Newsletter of Bee Well Kidz.  Every month  What's the Buzz? brings you news and information about holistic healthcare, tips about natural medical cures, recipes, nutritional advice, ancient wisdom for modern living and answers to your questions. You will also learn about what's new at Bee Well Kidz.

We wish you all a healthy and relaxing summer.

Enjoy our first issue!

Naomi Gelperin Richman
(founder Bee Well Kidz, Inc.)

In this Issue

* Welcome!
* We're in the News!
* Are Herbs Safe for Kids?
* Portobello Mushroom Sandwich

Naomi Richman and Ian Khemlani

Bee Well Kidz on the cover of the
LA Daily News 

 

August 6, 2007

Article by Barbara Correa

 

"Actually, inserting needles into babies is much easier than treating older children or adults, said Naomi Richman, founder of Bee Well Kidz, a pediatric practice near the University of California, Los Angeles, that uses natural and homeopathic therapies, acupuncture and Chinese herbs, among other remedies."

Read Full Article

Nature's Way

Are Herbs Safe for Kids?
by Naomi Richman

In the Pediatric Department of Kyung Hee University Hospital’s Oriental Medicine wing in Seoul, Korea, doctors see close to one hundred little patients each day.  Worried parents bring reluctant youngsters to the doctor for all types of ailments ranging from common colds and constipation to developmental delays and febrile seizures. Doctors observe and examine the children, question the parents, diagnose the illness and write a prescription. To an outsider, this scene appears no different than what you would see at any university hospital on a really busy day. But if you follow the parents to the pharmacy as they picked up their prescription, you would suddenly realize that you were not in Kansas any more.

The pharmacy in this wing of the hospital is not home to pharmaceutical grade pills and over-the-counter cold medicines. (These are found on the other side of the hospital in the Western Medical wing.) This pharmacy, rather, is filled with roots, leaves, flowers, salves, powders and teas. Pharmacists fill prescriptions according to doctor's specifications, parents pay for the office visit and herbs (usually the equivalent of $3 - $15 dollars because this type of medicine is heavily subsidized by the Korean government) and then head home to cook, brew or administer these herbal remedies to their children.

Thousands of children each day in Korea and tens of thousands across Asia and around the world take herbs each day. Spend one day in the Whole Foods herbal isle and you will see multitudes of parents searching out herbal remedies for their children. Yet we hear on a weekly basis from doctors and researchers in the US that herbs may be dangerous, ineffective or have unknown harmful side effects because there have not been enough studies conducted to prove their safety or that they actually work.

Interestingly, between 1997 and 1998 roughly 20 million patients took drugs that were approved and later recalled by the FDA. Their side effect? (Please read quickly) “Side effects may include dry mouth, dry eyes, irritability, stomach pain, bleeding gums, bleeding ulcers, skin rashes, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, head aches, sleep walking , sleep driving, chest pain, difficulty breathing, blurry vision, hyperactivity, addiction and in rare instances sudden death. So ask your doctor…” 

The truth is that plants have been studied and used as medicine for most of our existence. And while today’s skeptics would have us believe that controlled studies are the only true science, Webster’s definition of the scientific method (principles and procedures for the systematic pursuit of knowledge involving the recognition and formulation of a problem, the collection of data through observation and experiment, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses) discusses observation and experimentation. Certainly there are concerns about the purity and quality of herbal remedies and parents need to be cautious about which herbs to give to their children. Fortunately there are trained medical professionals with education and experience to help weed through the vast array of health claims and herb companies. There are also public websites run by nutritionists and scientists that analyze the purity and quality of herbal supplements. (www.ConsumerLab.com).

So, make sure your children eat their vegetables, get plenty of rest and take their herbs. And if you’re still not sure, ask your herbalist. 

mmmm...mushrooms!

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Sandwich

Ingredients:
Portobello Mushroom Caps (one per person)
Cucumber, Red Pepper, Sprouts
Leaf Lettuce, Avocado
Feta Cheese
Focaccia Bread
Olive Oil and Salt

Directions: Sprinkle Mushroom Caps with Olive Oil and salt (to taste)
Grill or Broil Mushroom caps until slightly soft.
Clean and thinly slice cucumber, avocado and red pepper.
Construct sandwich using mushrooms, lettuce, cucumber, red pepper, sprouts, avocado and feta cheese.

Feel free to play with the ingredients to suit your family's taste.
This sandwich goes great with a spring salad mix.
Enjoy!