By Dr Ron Ehrlich
In today’s world, the rhythms of life—once dictated by nature, community, and intuition—have been replaced by the demands of screens, schedules, and systems. In this week’s Unstress Health episode, I spoke with Dr. Elizabeth Mumper, a distinguished paediatrician and integrative health expert, to explore the growing disconnect between our lifestyle and its impact on our children. As I’ve mentioned, they are the ‘canaries in the coalmine’, so what’s happening to them reflects how the world is affecting us all.
Dr Mumper’s perspective is sobering. As childhood rates of autism, ADHD, anxiety, asthma, and autoimmune diseases continue to rise, we’re told it’s due to “better diagnosis.” But what if that explanation isn’t just incomplete—what if it’s misleading?
Dr Mumper reminds us that genes don’t change this quickly. The real culprits lie in our environment: the food we eat, the toxins we’re exposed to, the stress we internalise, and the daily rhythms we’ve disrupted. Modern life, with its chronic overstimulation and disconnection from natural cycles, is putting pressure on our children’s minds and bodies before they can fully develop.
Then came the pandemic—a global disruption that affected everyone and every family, especially the youngest among us. School closures, isolation, fear-based messaging, and emergency-authorised medical interventions upended the very foundations of not just scientific principles but also what we all, in general, and children in particular, need: routine, play, connection, safety, and trust. Dr Mumper spoke openly about the mental health crisis that has followed—one we are only just beginning to grasp.
As practitioners and parents, we need to get back to the basics. What does it mean to thrive in today’s world? How can we help a child regain their natural rhythm when everything around them encourages disconnection?
Recovery starts with recognising where things went awry. It involves trusting instincts, respecting well-informed consent, and probing our systems with more challenging questions. It encompasses providing children with nourishing food, opportunities for movement, quality sleep, time in nature, and love—not merely medications or labels.
Dr Mumper’s message is ultimately one of hope. She’s not anti-medicine—far from it. She’s pro-child, pro-truth, and pro-recovery. Her approach reflects what Unstress Health is all about: empowering individuals to take charge of their health, to reclaim their rhythm, and to recognise that well-being isn’t something we outsource—it’s something we create every day.
The future of public health will rely on how effectively we support ourselves, each other, and those most vulnerable. This support starts with asking the right questions and being open to re-evaluating what we’ve been told.
This conversation is for you if you’re a parent, teacher, practitioner—or just someone who cares about the future.
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