A Natural Approach for Kids: Real Foods, Homeopathy & More

​FRIDAY FEATURE:
Wendi Combes,
Registered Nurse &
Founder, Jubilee Health
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Today, I'm excited to introduce Wendi Combes!  A pediatric nurse with over 20 years of experience, Wendi founded Jubilee Health, a practice that helps to treat kids with health and behavioral issues with a holistic and natural approach. I recently heard Wendi speak at an event and she provided tons of helpful information and tips about how to boost our kid's immunity (some advice included: eat real foods, no gummy vitamins, get rid of hand sanitizer, and limit use of plastics...to name a few!)  It was eye-opening to learn how many of the health (and even behavioral issues) our children face are due to their diet. Wendi has a strong passion for working with families who may be looking for another method of treatment for ADD, learning problems, social anxiety, and behavior issues. Wendi's website is a great start if this interview leaves you wondering more about natural health: she provides a great section of resources, a blog, podcast, and a free natural remedies e-course. Enjoy this interesting feature and have a wonderful weekend!

"My lens to see health care changed when both of my daughters had health issues early on and the conventional medicine route didn’t really help them. It was then that I discovered the beauty and effectiveness of natural remedies and using a more holistic approach to healing. I now help other parents on the journey of wellness for their child and am a passionate advocate to help kids thrive! ​"
-Wendi Combes

Q: How do you serve the youth in our community?
I have been a pediatric nurse for over 20 years, mostly working at  Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta with kids who have cancer and blood disorders. That was truly a privilege and taught me a lot about kids, pre-teens, teenagers and family units as a whole. What I have chosen to do now is help families who might want to look at a more holistic or natural way to treat common health problems like ear infections or asthma.(Jubilee Health) But one of my biggest passions is helping families who might be looking for an alternate way to treat  ADD, learning problems, social anxiety, and behavior issues. My goal is to go looking for an underlying physiological cause to these issues and to treat that underlying issue instead of just treating symptoms. One helpful method is genetic testing, and  you can listen to this podcast to learn more. Treatment could involve a myriad of things like dietary changes, environmental changes, and/ or supplements and remedies.

Q: What is a “Bioenergetic Assessment?”   What types of issues do you generally find when doing this type of testing?
I do “Bioenergetic Assessments in my office. This involves looking for patterns in the body that might be causing some stress. It is non invasive way using Galvanic skin response to help show where problems might exist.  It in no way diagnoses any illness, but helps guide a practitioner to look for underlying causes of stress.
 
Q: If a parent is interested in learning more about homeopathy, where is a good place to start?  Have you seen homeopathy work with children who have behavioral issues? 
There are a lot of “natural remedies” that can help with behavioral issues including simply changing one’s diet, herbs, and even homeopathy. Homeopathy has become a favorite of mine because it is so easy to use, but it is something that does require some professional help when it comes to chronic or behavior issues. It is not cookie cutter medicine,meaning what works for one person, might not work for another person,  and it always takes the whole person into account.  (Homeopathy is a fantastic way, however to treat common illness, like cold and sore throat easily at home without professional help.)  There are lots of great resources on the internet to start learning. One is a free ecourse I offer that can be found through this link.
 
Q: Studies say eating dinner as a family on a regular basis can protect kids from the harm of cyberbullying. What would that family dinner meal look like in your house?
One of the things I missed out on as a child was family dinners. My parents divorced when I was 12, so Lean Cuisines were the norm for my four brothers and me. That led me to long for family dinners with my husband and two daughters, and thankfully that happens most every night at our house.  I am not the greatest cook and actually don’t like all the planning, time and not to mention sacrifice it involves to make it happen. BUT we have committed ourselves to it and I believe it has made a difference in our two daughter’s lives. Now please hear me say too, it is not a fancy dinner- we’re lucky to get a piece of chicken , rice and a vegetable on the table. I finally had to add a little creativity to it to keep me involved, so now we do “Special Sunday” every Sunday night. One member of the family is the host and they decide on a theme. The theme could involve costumes or just having to do something funny. We also try and introduce a new food on special Sunday so they will learn to try new things in a fun and positive environment. If meal planning has you down too, be sure to check out a great meal plan service called Real Plans.

Q: What advice do you have for parents of teenagers?
WOW, loaded question. My children are still in elementary school, so can’t offer advice as a parent, BUT what I can say is that after years of being a volunteer with youth  and a nurse, the love we give our children matters. We all do it in different ways and with different gifts we’ve been given, and it is more like a marathon of course than a sprint. I think most important would be showing that you care by being involved in what your teen’s interests are. I would say as a “reformed foodie” –ie one who lived off Velveeta Shells and Cheese and Coca Cola as a teenager, that what you feed your teenager does matter. Sure it is ok for the occasional pizza and Oreos, but teens’ growing and developing brains need specific nutrients to function optimally. They will feel better when well nourished and you will too because there will be much more peace in the home!
 
Q:Tell us one thing your colleagues or other professionals don't know about you.
I was on the TV show 20/20 and IT’s A Miracle.

Q:When you have 30 minutes of free-time, what do you like to do?
Sit by my fire place with a roaring fire.