The Wellness Mama Podcast 497: Dr. Joel Warsh on Integrative Pediatric Care and Combining Western and Alternative Medicine
Today on the podcast, I’m here with Dr. Joel Warsh, a board-certified pediatrician in Los Angeles who specializes in integrative medicine. We talk all about raising healthy kids using integrative pediatric options by combining Western and alternative medicine. One of my favorite quotes from this episode is, “It’s not a doctor’s job to tell people what to do, it’s a doctor’s job to teach people what to do.” And he does a lot of teaching in this interview.
We touch on different aspects of pediatric care and integrative medicine today, including all the hot topics such as what to do about a fever, ways to address things like eczema and allergies, why all childhood illnesses are on the rise, what to do about behavioral issues, why the vast majority of illnesses can be resolved at home, why he rarely prescribes antibiotics, and so much more.
He offers peace of mind for parents about how most childhood illnesses pass quickly on their own and don’t actually need care, but he gives advice on what to do if you encounter one that does require medical attention. So, without further ado, let’s learn from Dr. Joel.
Episode Highlights With Dr. Joel Warsh
- Why parents are increasingly frustrated with the current medical system
- How working with your pediatrician should be a partnership
- The reason illnesses are on the rise, even in children
- Difference between conventional care, which treats acute illness, and optimal care
- Why diabetes rates in children have doubled in the last two years
- His SEEDS of health for kids: Stress, Environment, Exercise, Diet, and Sleep
- The number one thing we can do to change our health
- Why cooking at home is one of the best health changes you can make
- The benefits of working with a team of doctors instead of a single doctor
- How often medication is actually necessary vs. the vast majority of illnesses that get resolved without it
- Why avoiding antibiotics when they aren’t needed is so important
- The reason he almost never prescribes antibiotics and uses them less than 1% of the time
- Why a fever isn’t usually a bad thing and what to do about it
- Natural ways to tackle a fever or minor illness
- Why it’s important to remember that it’s normal for kids to get sick
- How Western and alternative medicine are starting to blend together
- The three big things that parenting books get wrong about raising healthy children
- How kids are more frequently labeled with behavioral concerns now
- What the most important thing often missed in medical care
- How changing our kids’ diets can improve symptoms and reduce chemical exposure/overload