Good Books
Karen Schacter, contributing editor (www.dishingwithyourdaughters.com)
Book Review: Healthy Mother, Healthy Child: Creating Balance in Everyday Life by Elizabeth Irvine
It is every mother’s greatest wish that her children will grow up to be not only happy, but healthy. And when one of her babies is not well, we mamas will do everything in our power to figure out how to make her better.
Such is the story of Elizabeth Irvine and her son Sam. When Sam was just a newborn, he developed a “...sudden outbreak of an angry rash that grew to cover his entire body.” As Elizabeth said, reminiscent of how any mom would feel, “...it created a pit in my stomach every time I let myself think of his suffering.”
Such began Elizabeth Irvine’s journey, from traditional nurse to holistic healer extraordinaire. Her son’s ordeal and her own concern opened a door of learning, growth and tremendous healing for the whole family. And lucky for the reader of Healthy Mother, Healthy Child, Ms. Irvine is generous with her wisdom and her insights.
Her book, although relatively short and easy to read; more like a handbook than a textbook, offers a wide spectrum of healing ideas and concepts, some familiar and some perhaps less so.
She begins with discussing the benefits of yoga, breathing and meditation noting that these things “...give your body the opportunity to perform as the amazing machine that it is.” Yoga, from her perspective, is not simply a set of exercises or a way to move, but a holistic way of living and caring for your body and yourself, on and off the mat. Her photos and instruction provide clear guidelines for you to share with your children, and it helps that her children are included in the photos!
Next, Ms. Irvine discusses nutrition from a holistic and healthy — never preachy — perspective. Instead of lecturing, she inspires you to tune into your body and notice how foods make you feel, and to teach your children to do the same. She encourages fellow moms to make mealtime a sacred time to connect with your family.
Her book also covers alternative healing therapies, from craniosacral to acupuncture to homeopathy and more. Although she doesn’t go into detail, her explanations encourage the reader to look at healing from a “whole person” perspective and to leave no stone unturned when it comes to finding gentle solutions for creating wellness for your family.
My favorite part of the book is Chapter 8, when she discusses family rituals, routines and roles. Ms. Irvine gently, yet directly, reminds us that our children are not ours, but are on “loan” to us for a brief span of time. It is our job, as parents, to help them find their unique gifts and bring them into the world. Each challenge is an opportunity to grow and learn if we allow ourselves to open to them. And while she wholeheartedly empathizes with how challenging it can be to be a parent, she once again, reminds us of how very lucky we are!
This book feels like an offering, a gift. We readers are taken on a journey of one mother and son’s healing and through their wisdom as we find ourselves wanting to fill our own family’s “well” with nourishing and healing experiences as well.
