Written by Anastasia Schenk, Pediatric Feeding Specialist/Integrative Nutrition Anastasia Schenk is a Pediatric Feeding Specialist and Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. She supports children from starting solids to young adulthood with evidence-based strategies for ARFID, picky eating, gut health, immune support, allergy prevention, and chronic inflammation. I was standing in a Swiss supermarket last week, doing what I always do in the baby food aisle, ignoring the fronts of packages and flipping them over. I picked up a Big Brand’s “Spaghetti Bolognese” tray, the one in the heart-shaped container that looks like it was designed by someone who genuinely loves children. The front said meal. The back said, 5% beef, 5% pasta, water, rice flour, corn starch. This “Bolognese” is roughly 90% not Bolognese. Somewhere in Italy, a grandmother just felt a little queasy. I kept going. I picked up every jar, every pouch, every tray, every bottle. I read the backs the way you read a contract. And by the time I reached the end of the aisle, I wasn’t angry. I was fascinated. Because this aisle tells a story, and it’s not the one on the label. The front sells, the back tells Next to the trays sat a row of Big Brand’s juices. “100% Bio Direktsaft,” the label announced. Organic. Direct-pressed. Beautiful glass bottles. And on the cap, ab 5. Monat. From the fifth month. Fruit juice. For a five-month-old. The WHO’s own draft nutrient profile model explicitly states that fruit juices should not be marketed as suitable for infants and young children. Most paediatric bodies worldwide agree. Yet there they sat at CHF 3.20 a bottle, looking wholesome, wearing the organic seal like a medal of honour. One shelf over, things got more colourful. A Disney Princess “Bio Heldinnen Porridge” featuring Moana and Ariel. A Paw Patrol “Helden Bio Müsli” with Chase the police dog on the front. Both stamped “Bio.” Both marketed for children 3+. The word “Bio” does extraordinarily heavy lifting on these packages. It signals health. It whispers, trust me. But organic sugar is still sugar. And when the packaging features cartoon characters, who exactly is making the purchase decision? Not the parent reading the back. The child pointing at Chase. A WHO study across four European cities found that between 28% and 60% of commercial baby foods were marketed as suitable for infants under six months, directly contradicting WHO guidance. In three of those cities, half or more of the products derived over 30% of their calories from sugars. A separate analysis of 2,634 baby food products across ten European countries found that, on average, roughly a third of all energy came from total sugar. The best-selling baby finger foods were often as high in sugar as standard confectionery. These are not fringe findings from activist blogs. They come from the WHO, published in peer-reviewed journals, and presented to governments. And the aisle hasn’t changed. What processing actually does Between the farm and the jar, something happens that most parents never think about. Most jarred baby foods undergo ultra-high-temperature processing or retort sterilisation, heating to 120°C or higher to guarantee shelf stability. This is necessary for safety. Nobody is arguing against food safety. But it comes with trade-offs that are rarely mentioned on the packaging. Heat-sensitive nutrients, such as vitamin C, certain B vitamins, and delicate enzymes, degrade under those conditions. Flavour complexity flattens. The result is a product that tastes uniform. Jar after jar, brand after brand, the sensory experience is remarkably similar, soft, mild, predictable. For a developing palate, that predictability is the opposite of what’s needed. Pouches face a similar fate. Homogenisation creates a texture that bypasses chewing entirely. Freeze-dried puffs and “melties” dissolve on contact. They teach a baby’s mouth that food requires no effort. Compare that with a home-prepared meal, variable textures, intact micronutrients, genuine flavour diversity. It’s nothing out of the ordinary, “ancestral”, or high effort. Just food that still behaves like food. Baby cereal was never the hero we were told it was For decades, iron-fortified cereal was the undisputed first food. Paediatricians recommended it. Baby books enshrined it. Parents spooned it dutifully into tiny mouths that didn’t seem particularly impressed. Here’s what those recommendations rarely mentioned, babies under nine months produce very little pancreatic amylase, the enzyme required to break down starch efficiently. Salivary amylase is present, but limited. So we’ve spent generations handing babies a food their digestive systems aren’t fully equipped to process and calling it “gentle.” The real nutritional priority in early weaning is fat, specifically for brain development, DHA, choline, and fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. These are the building blocks of myelination, synaptic growth, and neural membrane integrity. None of them appear in a bowl of baby cereal or “brei.” What does appear, maltodextrin, iron in forms with limited bioavailability, and a flavour profile that is essentially blank. The first food a baby tastes teaches the brain what food is. When that first impression is bland starch, the palate has been given a very boring opening lecture. Emerging paediatric guidance is shifting toward nutrient-dense whole foods as ideal first introductions, egg yolk, well-cooked liver, avocado, soft meat. Foods with fat, flavour, and actual developmental purpose. Forget “100 foods” and “1,000 days”, think five years The “first 1,000 days” framework did something important, it put early nutrition on the public health map. But it also created a false finish line. Parents hear “1,000 days” and assume the window closes at age two. It doesn’t. Gut microbiome composition continues to shift and mature until approximately age three to five. A 2012 study published in Nature, by Yatsunenko and colleagues, tracked microbial communities across populations and found that the microbiome does not reach adult-like stability until well into early childhood. Immune programming via the gut, as shown by Gensollen and colleagues in Science (2016), extends over the same period. Taste preference formation has sensitive windows that stretch to at least age four or five, with repeated exposure research showing that food acceptance patterns at age two are nowhere near fixed. Myelination of the prefrontal cortex, the region governing impulse control around food, is barely getting started at age two. So when the baby food aisle targets 6 to 36 months and then drops children into the “kids’ food” category of chicken nuggets and fruit bars, it abandons them mid-sentence. That Paw Patrol müsli, the one marketed for “3+,” lands right in this gap, cartoon branding and fruit-derived sweetness arriving at exactly the moment when a child’s palate needs continued expansion, not a reward for eating. The aisle that’s missing I walked the entire section. I read every label. And here is what I didn’t find, a single product designed around developmental feeding science. Nothing built for texture progression. Nothing formulated with fat-first, nutrient-dense priorities. Nothing that treats the period from six months to five years as the continuous developmental arc it actually is. There are products designed for shelf life. Products designed for margins. Products designed for Instagram. Products designed to make a three-year-old point and say “Chase!” But products designed for how a child’s body and brain actually develop? Those are conspicuously, almost impressively, absent. The baby food aisle isn’t “damaged.” It was never built for babies in the first place. It was built for shoppers and busy, overwhelmed parents, reading “Bio” and justifying a “great ingredient list”, with no time to dive into the depths of industrial production processes and tacit practices. And until someone builds it differently, the gap between what children need and what the shelf provides will keep widening, one heart-shaped tray of 5% beef at a time. Follow me on Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Anastasia Schenk Anastasia Schenk, Pediatric Feeding Specialist/Integrative Nutrition Anastasia Schenk is a Pediatric Feeding Specialist and Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who reversed her own autoimmune disease through nutrition. A mother of two, she combines clinical expertise with lived experience to help families navigate picky eating, Pediatric Feeding Disorders, ARFID, gut health, and chronic inflammation. Her programs are evidence-based and rooted in real life, supporting children from starting solids to young adulthood. She is the founder of Early Eaters Club, a platform dedicated to raising resilient, adventurous eaters for lifelong health.

Written by Adam Markel, Author & Wellness Expert Bestselling author, keynote speaker, workplace expert, and resilience researcher Adam Markel inspires leaders to master the challenges of massive disruption in his new book. For a long time, we treated collaboration like it was a personality trait. Hire people who seem cooperative, put them in meetings together, and assume teamwork will happen. It rarely does. Real collaboration isn’t about attitude. It’s about design. It’s how work flows, how decisions get made, and how information moves across a team. When I sit with leadership groups, the issue almost never comes down to willingness. People usually want to collaborate. The problem is the system around them makes it hard. We build silos, overload calendars, scatter conversations across tools, and then wonder why teams feel disconnected. If we want environments people actually enjoy working in, collaboration can’t be left to chance. It has to be built on purpose. Why collaboration fails today Modern work makes collaboration harder in predictable ways. Ownership isn’t always clear, so decisions drag or get revisited. There’s no real cadence, so teams bounce from meeting to meeting without time to think or regroup. And digital noise pulls attention in a hundred directions at once. I’ve seen teams spend months “working together” only to realise no one could clearly name the owner, the outcome, or the timeline. That’s not a motivation issue. It’s a design flaw. If the structure doesn’t show who carries what weight, even strong teams start to wobble. Collaboration architecture It helps to think of collaboration like city planning. You need roads, traffic rules, and systems people can rely on. In a team, that means meetings with a clear role, rituals that create rhythm, and norms that guide how communication and decisions happen. Some meetings are for decisions. Some are for shaping ideas. Others exist just to keep everyone aligned. When those purposes blur, energy drains fast. Rituals give teams a steady beat. Weekly priority check-ins, demo sessions, and reviews focused on learning keep progress visible without turning everything into status theatre. Norms act like shared traffic rules, when we meet live versus async, how quickly we respond, how we document choices, and what counts as finished work. In hybrid setups, this level of intention isn’t optional. You can’t rely on hallway conversations to fix a broken system anymore. Shared agreements are the foundation The strongest teams I’ve seen make their operating system explicit. Not in a document that gets filed away, but in agreements they actually use. They clarify why the team exists, how decisions are made, and how communication works day to day. They spell out roles and decision rights so authority isn’t a guessing game. They define expectations around response times and channels so people aren’t constantly wondering where to look. Importantly, they also include boundaries around workload and well-being. Exhausted teams don’t collaborate well. They just comply. When these agreements are built together instead of handed down, people feel steadier. There’s a sense that the ground won’t suddenly shift under them, and that’s when people really start to show up for each other. Rhythm beats intensity Good collaboration isn’t about more meetings or louder discussions. It’s about consistency. A predictable rhythm reduces the constant switching between tasks and helps teams trust the process. Quick standups keep short-term work aligned. Weekly planning surfaces trade-offs early. Periodic reviews focus on what’s actually changing, not just what’s being done. Retrospectives turn mistakes into insight instead of blame. And just as important, deep work time needs to be protected and visible. I once watched a CEO end a meeting exactly when the clock hit the agreed time. That single action probably built more trust than anything said in the room. The role of tools in a human system Tools should support collaboration, not shape it. It helps to have one primary channel for quick coordination, one clear system for tracking work and ownership, and one place where decisions live permanently. Once those lanes exist, they have to be respected. If a decision isn’t recorded, it isn’t final. If a task isn’t tracked, it isn’t real work. Shared documents and whiteboards should help people think together, not become storage units for forgotten ideas. And every time you introduce a new tool, something else should probably go. There’s only so much attention to go around. When collaboration turns to friction Too much collaboration can be just as harmful as too little. It looks like endless requests for input, oversized meetings, and activity that feels productive but leads nowhere. The fix is usually constraint. Smaller decision groups. A clearly named owner for every outcome. Using consent instead of full consensus when decisions can be reversed. Sharing context asynchronously so live time is spent on actual thinking, not updates. A monthly calendar review can also reveal a lot. If a meeting doesn’t create clarity, commitment, or connection, it may not need to exist. Micro-behaviours that make the system work Structure matters, but everyday behaviour keeps the system moving. Starting and ending on time. Sharing agendas with clear goals. Following through on commitments. Explaining decisions so others learn how to think through similar situations. Asking what was learned, not just what was completed. Publicly recognising contributions, offering critique privately, and treating mistakes as learning moments unless there’s clear negligence. These small habits build trust, and trust is what lets collaboration actually flow. Designing for hybrid reality Hybrid work removes the benefit of proximity, so intention has to replace it. Clarity becomes more important than presence. Outcomes, ownership, and decision rights need to be explicit. Visibility comes from shared artifacts like recordings, written updates, and decision notes that people can access anytime. Skill growth also needs more structure. Short, regular coaching conversations often do more than occasional big check-ins. And the connection has to be designed, not assumed. Even a single well-planned in-person gathering each quarter can sustain months of remote momentum. Build the team people love to work in People don’t love teams because everyone agrees. They love teams where the work makes sense, the pace feels sustainable, the tools are manageable, and the culture is straightforward. That’s what collaboration by design looks like. It turns individual talent into a network where information moves smoothly, decisions hold, and energy doesn’t drain away. It isn’t soft at all. It’s structural. And when the structure works, performance usually follows. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website  for more info! Read more from Adam Markel Adam Markel, Author & Wellness Expert Bestselling author, keynote speaker, workplace expert, and resilience researcher Adam Markel inspires leaders to master the challenges of massive disruption in his new book, “Change Proof – Leveraging the Power of Uncertainty to Build Long-Term Resilience” (McGraw-Hill, Feb. 22, 2022). Adam is the author of the 1 Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, and Publishers Weekly bestseller, “Pivot: The Art & Science of Reinventing Your Career and Life.”

Written by Joshua Bennett-Johnson, Licensed Counselor & Owner of JBJ Counseling For nearly 14 years, I've helped individuals navigate the complex landscape of addiction in order to achieve recovery. Nicknamed "The Casual Counselor", my approach is unconventional but undeniably effective. It was a young person who taught me this. We’d been working together for a number of years. When I first encountered them, it didn’t take long to get a sense of why they were behaving so self-destructively. For a long time, I didn’t think they were going to make it. They did. I was wrong. I’m so grateful I was wrong. They told me one day, “You know, I was thinking back to my high school years again…” High school had been where the shattered pieces had come from. That had been the venue in which many parts of their life had been broken and wounds inflicted, the most significant being an actual breakup after someone they truly loved and cared for betrayed their trust, and the relationship went up in smoke. Follow the breadcrumbs that inform present-day behaviours. Additionally, this individual had gone to a fancy private prep school. The type of place where you see endless polo shirts, boat shoes, sundresses, and high-end handbags adorning the typical and popular group of peers. This was not my friend. They had been of the more sensitive and eccentric variety. A bit of a misfit, they enjoyed street art and acting and hanging out in more edgy environments compared to the country club or the quarterback’s kegger. And they were picked on and outcast for their differences and idiosyncrasies. Few friends. Head down. Heartbroken. This is where we find the shattered pieces that turned into seeds that grew and blossomed into deep depression and very intense relief-seeking and self-harming behaviours. By the time we were acquainted, this had been the story for several years, and it wasn’t abating. A half-hearted effort at treatment, when they wanted no part of it, had put them in touch with an MD and a counsellor for an attempt at aftercare. Enter Josh. We established a relationship of depth and trust and shared some very powerful moments during the years to come, along with periodic episodes of big-ticket crises, hospitalisations, and drastic escalation of risk behaviour throughout the time we shared. Theirs was one of the sessions I looked forward to most each week. I always knew it was going to be something to really “do some work on,” come what may, up or down, left or right. In the in-between, I was very much, and often, worried about them. As I mentioned before, there were times when things that happened in their life frightened me into believing that they might not get there, to that healthy person inside trying to emerge and get to know themselves in a new and unfamiliar way. But it turns out, flanked by a good-enough psychiatrist on one side and a good-enough counsellor on the other, it proved to be enough in the end. It just took a while to get there. They’re no longer with me, but during one of our close-to-the-end conversations, that topic of high school came up again. They’re doing great today, by the way, working now in a pretty high-end sector of the adult workforce. Entry-level, but fully equipped and healthy enough to climb the ladder to more success and, hopefully, full independence in time. This time, though, the conversation wasn’t about the broken pieces or the emotional toll of those years, it was about something else entirely. It was about the classes. The curriculum. What the students at school were, and were not, being taught. They went on, “Josh, I was thinking about the classes they’d send me to. What were they teaching me? English, history, mathematics, science, physics, art, gym, all the other extracurricular stuff. It’s not that those classes aren’t important or anything, but what were they really teaching me? We never had a single class about feelings. About what it’s like having your heart broken. Being teased or bullied. How to cope with feelings, shit, how to even name feelings! And I wasn’t learning it at home either because my parents weren’t taught! The bell would ring. Be at your desk on time. Don’t speak unless spoken to. Raise your hand. Memorising information. Exams. Homework. The bell would ring. Off to the next class. Just repeated, over and over.” “Josh, they didn’t teach us how to live in the world. They were just teaching us to be obedient, to be workers. Guidance counselling was a joke. It was just about prepping and applying for college. We might have a banging economy, but most of my friends still act now like they did back in high school. Partying. Getting fucked up. Doing stupid shit when they’re not working at the job they hate.” See? I told you our conversations got deep. They always were after we found our rapport, our rhythm, mutual trust. And they were, and are, right. We’ve got an impressive society of hard-working people, but our culture is otherwise nowhere near well-rounded when it comes to coping with the human experience. If our schools didn’t teach us how to cope with our feelings, our media and pop culture stepped in. Before we even have a chance to know who we are, we’ve already been told, by our families, by society, by products, by trends, by competition and comparison. “Work hard, play hard!” (Don’t forget to bring beer for the “play” part.) “Consume!” (All that hard-earned money you’ve acquired? Have we got the deal for you! Give it back.) “Invest!” (Give it back and we’ll give you a slice of it, but we’re in charge of the pie, so sorry if your slice inexplicably disappears and you’ve nothing to eat.) “Consume!” (Again, and again, and again, in perpetuity. Merchandise. Clothing. Food. Tech. Decor. Mattresses. Medication. The free market goes on and on forever.) “Productivity!” (Till you drop. Drop from drinking.) On a more personal level, as a man, I can confirm that I was taught by our culture things like, “Boys don’t cry,” “It’s a weakling move to ask for help,” “Don’t be a puXXy!” Women were objects of sexual conquest, and they better be “hot.” Don’t talk about feelings. It’s better to be dumb and tough than educated and scared. The quest for money, fortune, fame, and notoriety are noble pursuits. It goes on and on forever. I’m not a woman, so I won’t speak to the societal lessons they were taught and conditioned by, but some are in plain sight. Beliefs like, “It’s important to possess a certain body type and maintain it in order to be valued,” that this is a man’s world, you’re going to be often objectified, so make sure to present yourself in such a way that you dazzle people, staying home to tend to the family instead of pursuing your dreams is a noble pursuit. A whole litany of other archaic tropes that are still perpetuated in this modern day. And hey, to each their own. Live and let live. But let’s face facts. A lot of our beliefs, communication styles, and lifestyles paint a rather unhealthy picture. Just scroll your feed for evidence. My friend is right. When our parents were never taught to label, talk about, and cope with big feelings, how are they expected to teach us? Clearly, their own parents didn’t teach them either, and it probably spans back for centuries. There are always exceptions. Some are fortunate to receive an education about feelings, emotional maturity, and self-awareness from their caretakers, but I would posit that they are the few out of many. And that societal voice that tells us who we should be and how we should deal with it, pop a pill or crack open that bottle, just hit the drive-thru, it gets in. It gets into all of us, even if we have had the good fortune of learning about more substantive parts of being human and being healthy and whole. The fact is, it is damn hard to be a human being, especially in this modern day. Readers, I urge you, have empathy for the younger people of our society. Look at the world that they have inherited. The younger people I’m fortunate to know, they’re hard-working and intelligent. They have a potent work ethic and ambition. They are talented. They want to work and be independent. They are capable of getting there, but it isn’t as easy as it once was. Gone are the days when you could build a career and a good-enough salary with a BA in philosophy. The competition. Advanced degrees. The cost of higher education and those letters after your name. They are not just competing against each other. They are competing against cheap automation. Robots. AI. They’ve only known a lifetime of existential unrest and threat, with skyrocketing prices of everything from eggs to real estate. It’s not that they’re lazy. They just want a fair shot. They don’t want to take on six figures of student debt only to get stuck in entry-level positions and wages for years. Often, nowadays, living in the family home, working full time, and saving as much as possible is the healthier option for people in their 20s and sometimes into their 30s. Healthier, I said. Not healthy. It could be healthier. It’s not. It’s in a state of growing decay. No wonder young people just want to wear their noise-cancelling headphones, scroll their feeds, and check out. When they look forward, what they see looks bleak. It’s ironic and paradoxical. If someone is fortunate within their misfortune of “crashing out,” that’s often the first “university” they’ll encounter which teaches all things feelings. How to label them. How to sit with them. How to cope with them in healthier ways, compared to looking for a solution in the bottom of a bottle or a codependent relationship with an equally stunted partner. Water seeks its own level. I’m talking about therapy. Treatment. Psychology. Psychiatry. Becoming whole. Not dying on the hill of seeking relief from a culture of excess, a culture of stress from constant productivity just to give it all back, a culture of an unending deluge of information that is beamed into our collective psyche, a culture of unaffordability and inequity. A rigged system. “Tilt!” on a pinball arcade machine. And everything that comes from a shot at reconditioning oneself into becoming a changed person. Creating a new consciousness and perspective on how to navigate and manoeuvre, rather than suppressing and settling for less. Sometimes I ponder. I think my younger friend is right. I’m not sure what the most appropriate methodology would be to integrate more social learning into the heavy academic curricula we place on young, developing minds, but I do think it would give us a real chance. During those difficult formative years, if we placed more emphasis on honouring the wholeness of the human experience, becoming an emerging adult with all of its responsibilities and challenges, understanding the feelings that come after a ten-hour workday or an argument with a lover, and knowing what to do with them, might that not create a healthier society? Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Joshua Bennett-Johnson Joshua Bennett-Johnson, Licensed Counselor & Owner of JBJ Counseling After working for 7 years in an amazing clinic, I launched into private practice in 2018. I love my job. I can say that without reservation. Watching people rebuild their lives is something that is worth more than any dollar amount.

Written by Carla dos Santos , SEO Coach & Specialist Carla dos Santos is an SEO Coach dedicated to the alchemy of human expertise and digital strategy. She empowers mission-led entrepreneurs to master search visibility and achieve sustainable organic growth. By transforming complex data into actionable insights, Carla helps her clients build a digital legacy that outlives the algorithm. In the 1998 film Sliding Doors, a split-second moment creates two parallel realities. In 2026, the corporate world is facing a definitive version of this divergence. We are no longer operating in a singular marketplace, we are navigating a bifurcated search ecosystem. This has given rise to what I call the Split-Mind Theory of Marketing. It is the psychological and strategic tension between the human-centric narrative and the machine-centric synthesis. For the modern corporation, the "sliding door" is opening. You either architect a bridge between these two minds, or you suffer from a total loss of digital equity. 1. The fork in the corporate psyche: A strategy of two halves Historically, corporations were told to have one voice. But the AI revolution has created a paradox. To be understood by everyone, you must now speak two distinct languages. The "fork" represents a daunting psychological choice that many boards are failing to navigate: The cognitive face (human): Optimising solely for connection and E-E-A-T. This satisfies the human psyche’s need for story, expertise, and trust. The algorithmic face (machine): Optimising for large language models (LLMs) and answer engines. This satisfies the machine’s need for structured logic and semantic data. When a corporation chooses one over the other, it creates a split-mind brand. If you speak only to humans, the "sliding door" closes on 70% of AI-driven discovery. If you speak only to machines, you strip away the human authority that drives a transaction. 2. The SEO mullet methodology: The architectural resolution To resolve this split, leadership must adopt the SEO mullet methodology. This is not a "quirky" metaphor, it is an industrial-grade systems architecture designed to unify a bifurcated identity. Business in the front (the human mind): This is the face of your brand equity. In an era of AI noise, humans seek "proof of personhood." Through expertise extraction, we codify the non-replicable wisdom of your leaders, creating a "trust anchor" that validates your authority to a C-suite decision-maker. AI in the back (the machine mind): This is the technical "party" in the code, answer engine optimisation (AEO). Using my CIDD framework (component, insight, design, deployment), we restructure your data into a "knowledge graph" that AI can synthesise. This ensures your brand is the "primary source" cited by LLMs. 3. The impact of invisibility: Digital equity vs. Rented traffic The greatest risk of the split-mind era is functional invisibility. If your human narrative and your machine data do not align, you are effectively operating two different businesses, neither of which is fully visible. This is why I advocate for the knowledge transfer model. The traditional agency "black box" approach creates a dependency that keeps a corporation’s digital equity in a state of perpetual debt. My mission is to architect a system where the brand owns its narrative across both "minds." The decision tree: Which version of your brand catches the train The "sliding door" of 2026 search is currently in motion. One path leads to a self-sustained, authoritative legacy, the other leads to the "retainer trap" and algorithmic obsolescence. By architecting for the split-mind, you ensure that, in the split second of a search query, your organisation does not have to choose between trust and efficiency. You walk through both doors, owning your data, your story, and your future. The architecture is set. The fork is ahead. Which version of your legacy are you building? Follow me on LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Carla dos Santos Carla dos Santos , SEO Coach & Specialist Carla dos Santos is a leading authority in digital equity and search performance. After two decades of managing global digital footprints for corporate giants, she saw the "Agency Gap" leaving brilliant experts invisible. She has since dedicated her career to the "Alchemy of Partnership," helping entrepreneurs reclaim their organic authority through her proprietary C-I-D-D Framework . She is the founder of The SEO Coach, a mentorship platform serving mission-led leaders worldwide. Her mission: No expert left behind.

Written by Gareth Edward Jones, Visionary Technology Leader, Environmentalist, & Social Impact Advocate Gareth Edward Jones is a visionary technology leader with 20+ years of digital success, CIO Times Top 5 Business Leader, Executive Contributor for Brainz Magazine, UN SDG Advocate, and Co-Founder of Lightrise, and Trustee of the Lightrise Foundation. I’m getting a ride back from the rental company, talking to my driver, who is about to become an officer in the Army. “Of course, getting the balance between ego and self-care is critical. The ego devours itself,” I comment. “I think this applies to women too,” he remarks. “Absolutely, it applies to all,” I reply. I had moved into my new home, having spent the last 10 months living in a shed in the garden as part of a divorce. I had given myself a fair amount of time to reflect on what the ego was and to undertake new learning. “Have enough ego that it doesn’t get you run over by a bus,” I watched Adrian Pengelly say, as I attended his healing course. In Greek, ego literally means “I.” Stoics believed that much of our suffering stems from taking things personally, needing control, seeking approval, and attaching our identity to external things such as status, possessions, and perceived reputation. Sometimes it takes a sharp eye to spot egotism, but I’m sure we can reflect on those we’ve met on our paths, both in person and in the media, and clearly identify those we would class as egotistical. I sat back on the relative luxury of a sofa once again and caught up with Louis Theroux’s TV show Manosphere, which had recently been the subject of discussion on several social channels. It troubled me. I’ve been aware of the stories around egotistical and misogynistic influencers like Andrew Tate for a while. These people are so far up their own backside that it’s easy to see why they don’t shed any light. But they promise paths to satisfy greed and the ego for those drawn to them. They are known for using double binds, persuasion, and manipulation techniques to lead young men to believe this is the route to success. It might be a possible route to success if you want sponsorship for the latest status luxury goods. Less Manosphere, more Boyosphere. Egotism wrapped up in a self-care and goal-setting package, with the promise of instant riches and fast cars. “Men have to create their own value” was the tagline, followed by a mix of money making, misogyny, racism, and madness as the way forward, at the expense of a gentleman’s integrity and honour. These values had gone straight out the door, with HSTikkytokky saying, “Call me racist, call me a misogynist, call me homophobic, call me a scammer, I’m all those things,” and “I only care about myself.” This person claims to be a coach but lacks empathy and sidelines conscience in favour of ego and greed. All propped up by unscrupulous sponsors willing to associate themselves with the culture these influencers promote. A sell-out to the ego and to basic human decency. Why did they not care about their out-of-control egos, I thought? Why didn’t they choose to live a life with respect and integrity? Like yin and yang, we all need to seek balance in our approach to ego, particularly when choosing our own journeys of shadow or light. The good news is that there are lighter ways to handle the ego. Space exists to turn it into healthy traits. Healthy ego Good self-esteem, which you can nurture through positive self-love and care. A stable identity. Knowing and accepting yourself, for better or worse, and being humble about areas you know you can improve, without getting into comparisons or internal competition with others. The ability to handle criticism. You will find this easier if you have a stable identity. Why? Because you will know what is true and what is not. This means you can either recognise it as something you already know or dismiss it as an attempt to trigger you, without wasting energy. A realistic view of yourself. Tina Turner sang, “You are simply the best. Better than all the rest.” The reality is that you are probably not. You might still be good, but let’s be honest. Ever heard of the best self-exercise , a 360-degree feedback exercise, or even coaching? These can help you gain a realistic view of yourself professionally. But be prepared for the truth on your path to improvement. All this said, when out of balance, the ego devours itself. People who succumb to their egos typically invest their energy in the following ways. Unhealthy ego Overly inflated self-importance. I’m better than you because I have bigger, better, more. You get the idea. Think back to those people you’ve met who cannot stop talking about how great they are and belittle others to make themselves look good. Defensiveness. The flip side of being able to handle criticism, whether it is constructive or not. People with unhealthy egos dodge any feedback they do not want to hear. Strong individuals will listen and, where appropriate, improve quickly. Taking things personally. That feedback is not feedback. It is always a personal attack. Is that how it feels? People with large egos may try to claim they will fend off that attack with physical strength, particularly if they have invested more in their physical self than their mind or spirit. Ultimately, it may be all they feel they have. They act as if they hold all the cards, but in reality, they only hold one. Needing to be right, sometimes even interrupting others to prove it. Honestly, they will make up anything and hold on to it as truth. Sadly, you cannot even challenge them, because they become defensive, as mentioned above. Struggling to admit mistakes. From a leadership perspective, you will create stronger cultures when people feel it is acceptable to admit mistakes, learn from them, and move on. But building that kind of culture is only possible if leaders admit mistakes too. Let’s face it, we are all human, and the world needs more humility. Why don’t people control their ego (the psychological reasons) The ego acts as a defence mechanism People often develop ego inflation to protect themselves from painful personal doubts and feelings such as shame, insecurity, rejection, and failure. Carl Jung, full name Carl Gustav Jung, 1875 to 1961, was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychologist best known as the founder of analytical psychology, a major school of depth psychology. Jung defined inflation as “an unconscious psychic condition, an expansion of the personality beyond its proper limits by identification with the persona or an archetype.” This leads to an exaggerated sense of self-importance, often as compensation for inferiority. If someone deep down feels fundamentally “not enough,” they may unconsciously build the opposite as armour, superiority. Controlling the ego would mean facing those inner shadows, demons, and core wounds. A journey for some, which may be as long as time itself, but in the end, a brave journey of self-improvement we should all embark on if we are to make ourselves lighter, stronger, and happier. Easier said than done, because our minds typically avoid dealing with our shadow self, as it feels unsafe and uncomfortable. It’s unconscious Much of an ego’s behaviour is automatic. Across cognitive psychology, social cognitive research, and classical and modern psychoanalytic models, we find that the self, and ego, can be activated unconsciously.[2] Furthermore, social judgments and identity-protective behaviours related to the ego have been found to operate automatically.[3] The egotistical among you reading this article may well say, “What do those boffins know? I could beat them in a fight.” I would reply, “Need I say more?” but, of course, I am just signposting the science. True strength is to hold awareness of yourself while equally holding awareness of others. Both are consistent traits of emotional intelligence, and we know from extensive leadership research that emotional intelligence predicts transformational leadership, which is often ranked as a hallmark of high-performing leadership.[1] Early experiences shape ego control Nature or nurture? Early experiences are vitally important in shaping us. People who struggle with ego regulation often grew up being “nurtured” in particular ways during childhood, and this can potentially lead to certain types of behaviour later in life. Over-criticism creates defensiveness. Over-praise creates entitlement. Insecure attachment creates fear and overreaction. Chaos, inconsistency, or fear creates hypervigilance. As parents, we have very difficult jobs, but we can at least practise an emotionally intelligent and balanced way of parenting that tries to anticipate what our actions may develop into in our children later on. Fundamentally, it comes down to the principle of treating others as you would want to be treated. I speak as a child who was traumatised by a teacher who hit me. Later, through fear and stress, I burnt out with hypervigilant traits. Despite a lifetime of my ego telling me I could not break my mind, I worked out the hard way that I could. My father, who grew up being shouted at by his stepfather, was keen that I learned not to shout too much at my own son. Despite my criticism of him, this was one thing he recognised as important not to pass on. Trauma can become intergenerational, and you may want to consider how, as part of your lineage, you can be the one who stops history from repeating itself based on how you were brought up. Just because it is the way you knew does not make it the best way. If we all followed the same path in history, we would be doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over again. “If you tolerate this, then your children will be next,” as the Manic Street Preachers   sang. Poor emotional regulation skills An uncontrolled ego may step in to defend against your emotions. Acceptable if you are growing up as a boy or girl, but I would counter that if you want to be a strong man or woman, you should pursue strength in mind and master those emotional regulation skills. There is a reason elite special forces and top athletes around the world focus on both mental and physical development. If you find yourself saying things like: “It’s not my fault, it’s theirs.” “You’re the problem, not me.” It may not just be confidence, but a red flag for your ego’s avoidance of emotional pain. I encourage you to reflect on this safely and deeply in your own personal time. Social and cultural reinforcement Despite all the science and self-reflection, the odds are somewhat stacked against us, as society often rewards traditional ego behaviours such as: Confidence Self-promotion Dominance Assertiveness Ambition While it is good that coaching and self-development programmes often encourage growth in these areas, it is equally disappointing that the same programmes do not talk about the balance of control. Obi-Wan from Star Wars may as well have said, “Ego is a way to the Dark Side,” to young Anakin. All these things lead to a path of darkness when out of balance. Develop balance in mind, body, and spirit, a psychiatrist once told me. I have found that keeping these directions as compass points as I move along my own path of authenticity serves me well. Left unchecked, these ego-based behaviours can evolve into grandiosity and entitlement. Because these behaviours sometimes result in perceived positive outcomes, for example in business or conflict, the overinflated ego never learns healthier strategies. You may even start to recognise that some sales tactics are engineered to play on your ego, from high-rate loans that promise to support your latest ego-driven purchase, to cosmetics, to modern-day influencers like HSTikkyTokky. If people are suggesting get-rich-quick schemes, there is a good chance they are appealing to your ego. People buy for pleasure and pain. When you sell to the ego, you are appealing to both. Why do some egos get out of control? Even though it creates problems in the long term, an inflated ego can bring immediate relief by avoiding feelings of shame, vulnerability, and inferiority. “You need to show your vulnerabilities more,” you may hear people say. Well, yes and no. Perhaps it is better to reframe this as showing your strength by showing your vulnerabilities. I am not sure asking people to show their vulnerabilities is helpful unless it is reframed. We have an instinct to survive, and at its core, the mind may interpret vulnerability as weakness. Being strong enough to show that you have mastered your shadow self and vulnerabilities creates a different perception. For many, letting go of ego can feel like losing protection, but once you move past that mindset, it becomes easier to recognise that your ego was not protection, but a weakness all along. Some common reasons A low sense of self-worth disguised as superiority. The bigger the ego, often the deeper the insecurity. When you look deeply at yourself, what are you insecure about? Trauma or chronic criticism, and past wounds, can make the ego hyper-reactive. Many of us have experienced trauma in our lives. Has yours opened an unintended path? Did your parents or peers give you constant criticism? We are all on a personal journey, and recognising our past is key to healing. Go back, dig deep inside to find your childhood self, and hold them by the hand to bring them safely into the present. Narcissistic traits or patterns are not the same as narcissistic disorder, but they reflect similar ego-based patterns, a grandiose external self and a fragile internal self. Fear-based identity. When someone’s sense of self is unstable, they cling harder to the ego to feel solid. Which is odd when you think about it. The sense of “I” is unstable, so cling to the “I”? Is an out of control ego fixable? Yes, but only if the person becomes aware of it and of any shadow it casts. Self-awareness is key, but confronting your shadow self can leave you feeling fragile, so you may want to reflect privately. There are online tests that look for egotistical traits. One such test is the Pathological Narcissism Inventory . Have a look around for what you feel comfortable with, but always try to find tests designed by psychologists, and seek support through coaches if you feel it will help. If you feel you have room for improvement, ego regulation usually improves when someone learns: To uncover the root causes of why they started to behave the way they do. Mindfulness training to help regulate emotional impulses, reduce defensiveness, lower reactivity, and increase psychological flexibility. Harvard Health highlights mindfulness as an effective way of improving self-regulation , helping individuals reflect before reacting and reduce ego-driven behaviour. Reappraisal techniques, which help individuals reinterpret ego-threatening situations in more balanced ways. Evidence shows that cognitive reappraisal is a scientifically validated emotion regulation strategy that strengthens control over reactions. You may want to identify exactly what happened that triggered you and what your mind instantly assumed. Then ask yourself questions like, “What else could this mean that is not about me personally?” or “If I were calm and confident, how would I interpret this?” From this, you may then consider a more balanced interpretation and response. Reducing stress. Are you getting enough sleep? Relaxation? Are you lowering your caffeine and alcohol consumption? Understanding what your values are and shifting focus towards them. Strong personal values guide emotional responses and improve behaviour control . These are just a few approaches. Remember, it is a healing process, not a quick fix. Everyone’s timescales are different. It is not a race, the only race is with yourself. Start your journey with Lightrise today Reach out to Lightrise  or Gareth personally for guidance and support in building personal or business strength driven by positive impact. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , and LinkedIn  for more info! Read more from Gareth Edward Jones Gareth Edward Jones, Visionary Technology Leader, Environmentalist, & Social Impact Advocate Gareth Edward Jones is a visionary technology leader, environmentalist, and social impact advocate with over two decades of experience at the intersection of people, purpose, and digital transformation. A CIO Times Top 5 Business Leader (2024–25), and Executive Contributor for Brainz Magazine. Gareth is the founder and CEO of Lightrise, where he champions ethical innovation, ESG-driven strategy, and inclusive technology solutions. References: [1] Tang and Yin, 2012 [2] Kihlstrom, 2022 [3] Bargh et al., 2012

Written by Roje Khalique, Founder of rkTherapy Roje Khalique is a visionary clinical consultant with 20 years of experience in mental health. She is the founder of rkTherapy, a London-based bespoke psychology consultancy, and a specialist in culturally attuned Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). If social media psychology continues to advocate for replacing connection with avoidance, we risk creating a generation of high achievers that is emotionally aware but relationally disconnected. For diaspora professionals navigating two worlds, two cultures, and two sets of expectations, that is not progress. It is the loneliest kind of success. We are living in an era of unprecedented psychological literacy. Terms once confined to clinical rooms, such as boundaries, triggers, emotional availability, and no contact, now saturate our social media feeds. On the surface, this looks like progress. The issue is not psychology itself, but how it is being simplified and amplified through social media, where nuanced clinical tools are reduced to rigid rules for living. As a consultant psychotherapist working with high achievers in Black, Asian, and ethnically diverse communities, my colleagues and I are observing a darker, more divisive trend. What is being presented as healing is, in many cases, encouraging disconnection. What is being framed as empowerment is, in practice, increasing isolation. Nowhere is this more concerning than among diaspora high achievers, professionals who have already mastered the art of appearing fine, who are less likely to seek help, and who are now being handed a psychological permission slip to sever the very relationships that sustain them. The science of connection Humans are social animals, we are not designed to function in isolation. A 2023 study published in The Lancet identifies social isolation and lack of interaction as significant predictors of both depression and physical health decline. In my practice, we are seeing a rise in depression and anxiety among diaspora high achievers in the legal and finance sectors. These are individuals who present as highly functional and self-sufficient, meeting every external marker of success, yet suffering in silence and internalising the belief that they should be able to cope alone. It is reinforced daily by a wellness culture that packages withdrawal as wisdom. We saw this clearly during and after the lockdowns. Avoidance over time leads to the weakening of the social muscle, resulting in social anxiety and depression. For diaspora professionals, whose wellbeing has historically been held within community and family networks rather than formal systems, the cost of that decline is not abstract. It is clinical, and we are seeing it. "Protect my peace" and the rise of no contact Despite our biological need for connection, social media promotes "protect my peace" as a daily mantra. In practice, this has become, block people, delete contacts, go no contact. We are seeing individuals go no contact with siblings, friends, and elderly parents over everyday disagreements. For a diaspora professional already navigating the complexity of intergenerational relationships, family obligations, and cultural expectations, this message is particularly seductive. It offers a clean exit from what is, in reality, a relationship that requires skill, patience, and often professional support to navigate. No contact is, in a clinical setting, a serious intervention reserved for situations of intentional abuse or extreme distress. If someone is causing repeated, deliberate harm, removing yourself is legitimate and sometimes necessary. But using it as a response to everyday conflict, to disagreement, or to difference raises a fundamental question about our capacity to navigate life among people who are not like us. These tools were designed to help us create healthy relationships, not to justify leaving them. What we are observing is a shift from relational resilience to relational avoidance. It creates distance and, ultimately, isolation. When boundaries become barriers In therapy, a boundary is not a wall. It is a guideline that communicates, this is how I can remain in a healthy relationship with you. Used correctly, boundaries require communication, flexibility, and accountability. What we are increasingly seeing in practice is something quite different, boundaries used as justification for distance, silence, and withdrawal, where the question shifts from how do we stay connected to how quickly can I remove you. For a diaspora professional navigating a parent who expresses love through action rather than words, or a sibling shaped by an entirely different cultural moment, labelling that person as someone who has crossed a boundary and withdrawing is not a therapeutic act. It is a loss that may take years to understand and that no wellness mantra will undo. When boundaries become rigid, uncommunicated, or punitive, they stop being therapeutic tools and become barriers. The misapplication of this concept within diaspora families, where intergenerational and cultural differences in emotional expression are already present, can fracture bonds that took generations to build. The "triggered" narrative Being triggered is increasingly used to place full responsibility for our emotional responses onto others. Unless there is intentional harm or abuse, being triggered is clinical information about our own internal world, not a verdict on someone else's character. It is, at its most useful, a signal that something internal requires our attention and, where necessary, professional support. The message that has taken hold on social media, that being triggered justifies removing people from our lives, is a move away from personal agency and towards externalising distress. For diaspora high achievers, who may already be managing significant internal pressure with little visible support, this narrative is particularly unhelpful. It redirects energy away from the internal work that would genuinely build resilience and towards managing the behaviour of everyone around them. That is not emotional health. It is emotional exhaustion. The misuse of emotional unavailability Labelling others as emotionally unavailable has become one of the most common justifications for ending or distancing from relationships. In clinical practice, emotional unavailability refers to a consistent and specific pattern of relational withdrawal. On social media, it has come to mean anyone who does not express care in the language of modern psychology. For diaspora communities, this is particularly divisive. A parent who shows up, provides, sacrifices, and protects but does not verbalise emotions in the way wellness culture now expects is not emotionally unavailable. They are operating from a different but equally valid emotional framework, often one shaped by necessity, culture, and survival. Expecting people to adopt a single emotional language, and penalising them when they do not, creates division where understanding is both possible and necessary. Not everyone we love will speak the same emotional dialect. That is not a reason to lose them. The hyper independence trap Running beneath all these trends is a deeper and largely unquestioned idea, that needing no one is a sign of emotional strength. Hyper independence, the belief that we can and should manage entirely alone, that we are entitled to remove anyone who causes us discomfort, is being sold as self-care. It is not. In practice, we see harm created at both ends of the relational spectrum. Co-dependency, where we cannot function without others' approval, is widely recognised as unhealthy. Hyper independence is equally damaging and far less challenged. For diaspora high achievers who have already internalised self-sufficiency as a survival strategy, often out of necessity, this message does not challenge a harmful pattern. It confirms one. The idea that emotional health means needing no one is not a psychological achievement. It is a vulnerability dressed up as strength, and it is one that leaves people increasingly alone while believing they have chosen freedom. What this means for diaspora high achievers Each of these trends carries its own risk. Together, directed at diaspora high achievers specifically, they are disproportionately dangerous. During periods of racial discrimination, social instability, or anti immigration sentiment, connection is not optional, it is protective. Friends, family, and community are often the primary sources of emotional and practical support where wider systems fall short. The diaspora high achiever already carries a particular weight, the pressure to succeed, to remain resilient, to represent, and to cope without visible struggle. They are, by training and by necessity, experts at performing wellness while managing something far more complicated underneath. For that same person to be simultaneously encouraged to disengage from their relational networks over everyday conflict is not empowerment. It is isolation without a safety net. One must first have the capacity to build and sustain connection before losing the most enduring relationships one has. This is not a theoretical concern. We are seeing it in our clinical rooms. The path forward If your emotional health is being impacted, seeking professional support to develop the capacity to regulate yourself must always be the first step. "Protect your peace" and "set boundaries," as presented on social media, are not psychotherapy methods. They are distorted forms of wellness language that become harmful when misapplied. Based on what we are observing in clinical practice, they are contributing to a rise in depression and anxiety among diaspora high achievers, the very people least likely to ask for help and most likely to lose the most by cutting away their foundations. The path forward is not found on the lonely island of isolation, but in the nuanced practice of interdependence. For diaspora communities, our strength has always been rooted in connection, the complex, sometimes painful, often imperfect ties to family and community that no modern system can fully replace. True psychological maturity is not the ability to walk away from everyone who challenges us. It is the capacity to remain connected, to pursue repair before withdrawal, and to build the emotional skills that make those things possible. We must collectively challenge social media messages that treat every disagreement as trauma and every difficult person as a threat. By strengthening our social muscle and embracing the friction that comes with genuine community, we do not just protect our peace. We build resilience that lasts. Visit my website for more info! Read more from Roje Khalique Roje Khalique, Founder of rkTherapy Roje is a clinical practitioner for a wide range of anxiety disorders and depression. She is dedicated to making quality psychological support accessible to high-achieving professionals in the legal and finance industries in London's high-stakes corporate world. During COVID-19 she recognised a global and increasing need for evidence-based support and developed a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) online, virtual platform and a mobile app. Designed to fit the demanding schedules of professionals not only in London but across Europe, the US, the Middle East, and Asia.

Lindsay Evans and Danielle McGrath are twin sisters and the co-founders of Nourish Live Flow, a holistic wellness brand dedicated to helping women thrive through perimenopause and midlife. Their work blends science-backed strategy with practical lifestyle tools to support nervous system regulation, hormonal balance, and sustainable clean living. Danielle’s professional background is rooted in physiotherapy and acupuncture, giving her a deep understanding of biomechanics, energy, and whole-body healing. Lindsay’s background spans nutrition, food, and media, where she developed a passion for translating complex health concepts into simple, actionable guidance for women and families. Lindsay Evans & Danielle McGrath, Co-Founders of Nourish Live Flow Who are Lindsay Evans and Danielle McGrath? We’re identical twins, best friends, and moms to two teenage kids each (plus one fur baby each, too!). We’re also turning 50 this year, which still feels a little surreal to say out loud. After years of living in different cities across Canada, we now live just three doors down from each other and truly share our lives in every sense. From a young age, our parents instilled in us a love for health, nature, and the environment, along with the importance of connection, relationships, and community. We feel so grateful to now live in a small town that reflects all of that, surrounded by nature, outdoor activities, and a like-minded, health-conscious community. Most days, you’ll find us walking our dogs, hiking, or heading to our favourite Pilates studio, and working on our business either from home or our local coffee shop. We’ve always had a deep passion for helping people, and starting a business together was something we had dreamed about for years. Danielle began her career as a Registered Physical Therapist and Acupuncture Practitioner, while Lindsay trained as a Nutritionist and worked as an entrepreneur in the food, nutrition, and media industry. When our kids were young, we both took a leap of faith and went back to school to become certified holistic health coaches, and that’s where our business, Nourish Live Flow, was born. Over the past decade, it has grown and evolved alongside us, shaped by both our professional training and our personal life experiences. At the heart of it all, we’re two women who deeply believe in the power of small, consistent shifts and the importance of feeling supported through every season of life. We’re not about perfection, we’re about real life, real conversations, and helping women feel more at home in their bodies. Everything we create and share comes from lived experience, a genuine desire to help, and the belief that when women are supported, nourished, and connected, they can truly thrive. What inspired you to create Nourish Live Flow and dedicate your work to supporting women through perimenopause? Like many women, our journey hasn’t been without challenges. Despite our commitment to health and wellness, we’ve both experienced periods of significant anxiety. Those experiences led us to explore mindfulness, breathwork, meditation, and energy work, practices that have become foundational in our own lives and a core part of how we now support other women. Our passion for clean living began during pregnancy, when we started learning more about the impact of toxins and chemicals on our health and environment. That awareness sparked a deep desire to make changes in our own homes and to help educate other women to do the same. When our dad was later diagnosed with cancer and eventually passed away, it strengthened our commitment even further and deepened our sense of purpose. As we entered our 40s, we began experiencing many of the shifts and symptoms that come with midlife, often feeling confused, unsupported, and searching for answers ourselves. At the same time, we were working closely with women who were feeling the exact same way, doing all the “right” things, yet still feeling exhausted, anxious, and out of balance. We started to notice a clear pattern. So many women were quietly moving through perimenopause without fully understanding what was happening in their bodies, often being told their symptoms were just “part of aging”, something to push through or accept. That never felt right to us. We remember thinking… there has to be a better way to support women through this. Nourish Live Flow evolved from that belief, and from our own lived experiences as women navigating midlife. It has evolved alongside us over the years, shaped by our personal journeys, our professional training, and the women we’ve had the privilege of supporting. At its core, our work is about creating a space where women feel seen, supported, and empowered with practical tools that actually make a difference. Our mission is to help women understand what’s happening in their bodies and give them the clarity, confidence, and support they need to feel more calm, resilient, and at home in themselves again. What are the most common challenges women face during perimenopause that are often misunderstood or overlooked? One of the biggest challenges we see is that so many women don’t actually realize what they’re experiencing is perimenopause. They’ll come to us feeling anxious, exhausted, not sleeping, more irritable than usual, or like their body is changing in ways they don’t recognize, and they often think something is wrong with them, or that they just need to “try harder” to get back to how they used to feel. What’s often overlooked is how much the nervous system is impacted during this stage. Many women are living in a constant state of stress without even realizing it, and that can amplify everything, from hormone imbalances to sleep issues to mood changes. Another big piece is how disconnected many women feel from their bodies. The strategies that used to work, whether it’s how they eat, exercise, or manage stress, suddenly don’t feel effective anymore, and that can be really confusing and frustrating. And then there’s the lack of clear, practical education. There’s more conversation happening now, which is amazing, but a lot of women still feel overwhelmed by conflicting information and aren’t sure what actually applies to them. More than anything, we see women who are trying to hold everything together, family, work, life, while quietly struggling, and not always feeling seen or supported in what they’re going through. That’s why we believe this stage isn’t something women are meant to just “push through.” With the right support and understanding, it can actually become a really powerful time of reconnection and change. What is your 4-Pillar Nourish & Thrive in Perimenopause framework and how does it help women regain balance and vitality? Our Nourish & Thrive in Perimenopause framework is built around four foundational pillars that we guide women through to help them feel more balanced, supported, and healthy in their bodies during midlife. Instead of focusing on quick fixes, we focus on helping women create a stable foundation, because when the body feels safe and supported, it has an incredible ability to rebalance naturally. The first pillar is Mindset & Intentions. We often see that how a woman thinks about her body, her health, and aging deeply shapes her experience. When she begins to shift from pressure and restriction into curiosity, compassion, and self-trust, everything starts to change. The second pillar is Regulating the Nervous System. This is often the missing piece. When the nervous system is dysregulated, the body stays in a constant state of stress, which can impact sleep, digestion, hormones, and mood. We teach simple, practical ways to help the body feel safe again, because that’s where real healing begins. The third pillar is Nourishing the Body & Mind. This goes far beyond food. We guide women toward nourishment that supports their energy, including balanced nutrition, movement that feels supportive rather than depleting, and practices that replenish their mental and emotional wellbeing. The fourth pillar is Reducing Toxic Load. Today, women are exposed to thousands of environmental toxins through everyday products and lifestyle habits. We help simplify this by showing women how to make gentle, sustainable swaps that support their hormones and overall health without overwhelm. When these four pillars come together, something powerful happens. Women move away from chasing quick fixes and begin to feel more grounded, energized, and in tune with their bodies, creating a sense of vitality that actually lasts. What role do nervous system regulation, nourishment, and reducing toxic load play in supporting women’s hormonal health? One of the most important things we help women understand is that hormones don’t operate in isolation, they’re constantly responding to the environment of the body, both internally and externally. We often see that when the nervous system is stuck in a chronic stress response, the body shifts into survival mode. And in that state, it will always prioritize immediate needs over balance. This can impact sleep, digestion, metabolism, and the delicate hormonal shifts happening during perimenopause. That’s why nervous system regulation becomes such a foundational piece of the work we do. When the body begins to feel safe again, it can finally move into a state of rest, repair, and hormonal balance. Nourishment plays an equally powerful role. We guide women to focus on stabilizing blood sugar, eating in a way that supports their energy, and choosing movement that feels replenishing rather than depleting. These simple shifts can have a profound impact on mood, energy, and overall hormonal health. Reducing toxic load is another piece that’s becoming increasingly important. Many of the everyday products we are exposed to contain endocrine disruptors, which can interfere with how hormones communicate in the body. We always remind women that this isn’t about perfection, it’s about awareness and small, sustainable changes. Simple swaps in areas like using skincare, food, and home environments can gently reduce that overall burden on the body. When these three pieces, nervous system regulation, nourishment, and reducing toxic load, are supported together, we often see women start to feel more balanced, energized, and like themselves again. What makes your holistic coaching, workshops, programs and soon to launch workbook different from other approaches to women’s health? One of the things that makes our approach different is that we bring together clinical knowledge, lived experience, and real-life application. With Danielle’s background in physiotherapy and acupuncture, Lindsay’s background in nutrition along with our holistic health education, we’re able to look at the body from both a clinical and lifestyle perspective, which allows us to connect the dots in a way that many women haven’t experienced before. But just as importantly, we’re also sisters, mothers, and women living this ourselves. We’ve built this work while raising families and navigating the same challenges many of our clients are facing, so everything we teach is grounded in real life. We’re always asking, “Is this actually doable for a busy woman?” If it’s not, we simplify it. We also place a strong emphasis on education and empowerment. We don’t want women to feel like they need to follow a rigid plan or rely on us long-term. Our goal is to help them understand their bodies so they can feel confident making decisions that support their health now and in their future. And instead of focusing on quick fixes, we guide women toward sustainable practices that support the body as a whole. When women begin to regulate their nervous system, nourish themselves properly, and reduce the stressors around them, we often see changes that ripple into every area of their lives. At the core of it, our approach is about helping women heal by becoming more connected to their bodies, not more overwhelmed by them. What can women expect from your upcoming workbook, Nourish & Thrive in Perimenopause, and how can it support their journey? Our Nourish & Thrive in Perimenopause workbook was really created to be the kind of support we wish we had when we were navigating this stage ourselves. Women can expect a mix of education and practical tools. A guide they can not only learn from, but actually use in their day-to-day lives. We walk through what’s really happening in the body during perimenopause in a way that feels clear and not overwhelming, and then gently guide women through simple, supportive shifts they can start making. Everything is built around our four pillars, nervous system support, nourishment, mindset, and reducing toxic load, so it’s a very whole-body approach rather than focusing on just one piece. There are also reflection prompts, trackers, and small daily practices woven throughout, because we know this isn’t about doing everything perfectly. It’s about creating awareness and building habits that feel doable and supportive over time. More than anything, we want women to feel less alone and more empowered. To understand what’s happening in their bodies, to trust themselves again, and to know that they have options and support. Our hope is that it becomes something they come back to again and again, a guide that meets them where they are and helps them feel more steady, supported, and able to truly thrive through this stage of life. Final paragraph & CTA: If this resonated with you, we’d love to stay connected. You can find us on Instagram at @the.cleantwins, where we share simple, supportive tools for navigating perimenopause. If you’re looking for a place to start, our 7-Day Nervous System Reset is a gentle, practical way to begin feeling calmer, supported, and back in your body. And if you’re craving community, join us inside our Thrive in Perimenopause Circle , where we continue these conversations and support you in real time. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Lindsay Evans & Danielle McGrath

Written by Jenna McDonough, Emotional Regulation Specialist Jenna McDonough is a trauma-sensitive emotional regulation specialist who supports adults and children through meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, somatic resets, and sound healing. She is the creator of the PEACEFUL: Mindful Moments for Every Age app and author of Kind Kids. Her mission is to make emotional well-being accessible to all. In a world that often moves too quickly, children are experiencing big emotions earlier and more intensely than ever before. Frustration, overwhelm, anxiety, excitement, and disappointment all show up in a child’s day, sometimes within the span of a single hour. The challenge isn’t that children are feeling these emotions. The challenge is that many of them are never taught what to do when those feelings take over. Emotional regulation is not just another skill. It is the foundation for communication, relationships, learning, and resilience. When we teach children to pause, breathe, and reflect, we are giving them tools they will carry into every area of their lives. Behavior is communication, not defiance For generations, emotional reactions were often viewed simply as behaviour that needed to be corrected. A child who yelled was seen as disrespectful. A child who cried easily was labelled sensitive. A child who shut down was considered unmotivated. Today, we understand something much more important, dysregulation is often a nervous system response. When a child becomes overwhelmed, their brain shifts into survival mode. In that moment, logic and reasoning take a back seat. This is why telling a dysregulated child to “calm down” rarely works. They don’t yet have the tools to do so. But when we teach children to pause, take a breath, and reflect, we help them reconnect with their bodies and return to a place where they can think clearly again. This is where growth happens. The power of pause Pausing is powerful because it interrupts automatic reactions. Instead of immediately yelling, shutting down, or acting impulsively, a child learns that there is space between feeling and responding. That space is where emotional intelligence develops. A simple pause allows: The body to settle The breath to regulate The brain to re-engage The child to choose a response instead of reacting These moments may seem small, but they create lasting change. Over time, children begin to internalise the process and regulate independently. Why breathing works Breathing is one of the most accessible regulation tools available. It directly impacts the nervous system, signalling safety to the body and helping shift children out of fight or flight mode. When children learn to slow their breathing: Heart rate decreases Muscles relax Emotional intensity lowers Clarity improves Even one or two intentional breaths can make a difference. Teaching this early gives children a portable tool they can use anywhere, in the classroom, on the playground, at home, or later in life during stressful situations. Reflection builds emotional intelligence Once a child is calm, reflection helps them understand their experience. Questions like: What were you feeling? Where did you feel it in your body? What could we try next time? These gentle prompts build awareness and self-understanding. Over time, children learn that emotions are not something to fear, they are signals that can guide them. This process also strengthens communication skills, empathy, and problem-solving abilities. Modeling matters more than perfection Children learn emotional regulation by watching the adults around them. When parents and educators pause, breathe, and respond calmly, children see what regulation looks like in real life. This doesn’t require perfection. In fact, repairing after mistakes is one of the most powerful lessons we can model. When adults acknowledge their own emotions and reset, children learn that regulation is a process, not a destination. Small moments create lasting change Emotional regulation doesn’t require long lessons or complex programs. It happens in everyday moments: A sibling disagreement A challenging homework assignment A difficult transition A moment of disappointment These situations become opportunities to practice pausing, breathing, and reflecting together. Over time, these small practices build resilience, strengthen relationships, and help children develop confidence in their ability to navigate big emotions. The long-term impact When children learn emotional regulation early, the benefits extend far beyond childhood. Regulated children often become: Better communicators Stronger problem solvers More empathetic friends More confident learners More resilient adults We aren’t just helping children calm down in the moment, we are helping them build skills for life. Because emotional regulation isn’t just about managing feelings. It’s about creating a foundation for connection, kindness, and understanding. Sometimes, it all begins with something as simple as a pause, a breath, and a moment to reflect. If you’re looking for simple, age-appropriate tools to help children practice emotional regulation, incorporating short mindfulness moments into daily routines can be a powerful place to start. Even one minute of pausing and breathing together can create meaningful change. Follow me on   Facebook ,   Instagram, LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Jenna McDonough Jenna McDonough, Emotional Regulation Specialist Jenna McDonough is a meditation and mindfulness teacher, children’s book author, and emotional regulation specialist dedicated to helping people of all ages live more peaceful and present lives. She supports adults and children in recognizing, understanding, and moving through their emotions with meditation, mindfulness, somatic resets, breathwork, and sound and energy healing, all offered through a trauma-sensitive approach that ensures safe and empowering experiences. She is the founder of the PEACEFUL: Mindful Moments for Every Age App and the author of Kind Kids: The Adventures of Hurley, Pearl, and the Pink Soldiers of Kindness, and the creator of meditation and healing arts courses designed to foster emotional intelligence, resilience, and compassion.

Written by Sajdah Wendy Muhammad, Business Advisor Wendy is a multi-million-dollar business and real estate developer, global thought leader, crisis manager, emotional intelligence coach, and award-winning urban historic preservationist. An international entrepreneur, she has pioneered innovative healthcare business models and founded the Mind of an Entrepreneur® brand to empower marginalized communities through wealth-building, business ownership, and sustainable community development. I am honored to be competing in the Entrepreneur of Impact Competition alongside so many extraordinary entrepreneurs who are building, creating, and shaping the future of business. Daymond John has been a source of inspiration not only to our community, but globally. His legacy brands have helped transform our culture into one of the most powerful forces on the planet. To be considered within a space that reflects that level of impact is both humbling and deeply meaningful to me. I am an award-winning global thought leader, multi-million-dollar business developer, author, and historic preservationist. My work lives at the intersection of enterprise, culture, and community transformation. “I earned this through experience. I share it so you can move smarter.” Sometimes it can be so difficult to find someone who is willing to give back and who really wants to see you win. I take great pride in using my experience to help others win. I tell all my Business Advisory and Coaching Clients, “I earned this through experience. I share it so you can move smarter.” To me, being an entrepreneur of impact is not simply about building successful businesses. It is about building people, expanding thinking, and creating pathways where none previously existed. My impact is rooted in one core principle. I do not keep knowledge to myself. I take the lessons, strategies, and experiences I have gained as a business developer and entrepreneur, and I openly share them. My goal is to help people recognize the power of their own gifts and talents and, more importantly, to teach them how to leverage their authenticity and monetize it. I believe true economic empowerment does not come from imitation. It comes from introducing much needed products and services into your community and doing business in a manner that allows you to monetize your authenticity. Where it all began My entrepreneurial journey began as a teenager when I started a babysitting business. Earning my own money sparked something in me, a deep desire for independence and ownership. My father recognized that early. He called me his “little mogul” and began bringing me into business environments, exposing me to conversations and opportunities that shaped how I think. My mother reinforced that foundation by sharing financial newsletters and encouraging my curiosity about how money and financial markets work. I grew up immersed in business. I envisioned myself as a business owner, carrying a briefcase instead of a backpack in high school. My family gave me calculators, computers, and briefcases for birthdays and holiday gifts. They loved and supported my vision. From an early age, I understood something clearly. I was not meant to simply work within systems. I was meant to create them. What keeps me motivated What keeps me motivated is the opportunity to build. New ideas come to me constantly, and I am energized by the process of turning those ideas into real enterprises that serve people. Building businesses and pouring into people are my passions. Entrepreneurship stretches my thinking beyond my current intellectual limits and requires me to grow continuously. There is something powerful about taking an idea from thought to structure, from vision to reality. That process, creating, developing, and bringing ideas to life, is what fuels me every day. What I will do with the $25,000 With the $25,000, I will expand my educational platform, The Art and Science of Business. I recognize that traditional job security is changing, and many people, especially within marginalized communities, are searching for new pathways to income, ownership, and stability. My work is focused on meeting that need directly. Through this platform, I will provide: Practical tools for starting and growing businesses Education on wealth building and economic strategy Guidance on forming strong partnerships and collaborative ventures This is not just about business. It is about creating sustainable economic opportunity and helping people participate in the economy as owners, not just workers. Why your vote matters Being recognized as an Entrepreneur of Impact is not just a personal milestone for me. It is an opportunity to amplify this work and extend it to more people. If you believe in economic empowerment, ownership, and the power of shared knowledge, I invite you to support this mission. Vote here ! Closing I believe impact is not defined by what I build for myself. It is defined by what I make possible for others. And that is the work I am committed to every single day. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Sajdah Wendy Muhammad Sajdah Wendy Muhammad , Business Advisor Wendy Muhammad is a multi-million-dollar business developer, Author of the best-selling book, The Art and Science of Business, an Award-Winning Urban Historic Preservationist and Real Estate Developer, with more than $500 million in projects across healthcare, real estate, infrastructure, and community development. Muhammad is a leading voice in empowering entrepreneurs and building generational wealth. Her Mind of an Entrepreneur brand includes podcasts, workshops, and books that blend strategy, spirituality, and economic empowerment

Written by Priyanka Ayodele, Leadership and Business Specialist Priyanka Ayodele is a leadership and organisational development specialist and the founder of The Leadership Method. As a Chartered Manager and Associate CIPD member, she supports organisations through leadership development, coaching, and culture-focused work with managers and teams. Most organisations don’t struggle to define the culture they want. They struggle to understand the culture they already have. I have seen many organisations try to “change culture” by introducing new values, running campaigns, or setting expectations around how people should behave. But that’s not how culture changes, because culture isn’t what organisations say it is, it’s what people experience every day. Culture will show up in how meetings are run, who speaks up and who remains quieter, how mistakes are handled, and what people feel safe saying and what they don’t feel safe to say. The reality is that culture is already there, whether we acknowledge it or not. Culture already exists Every team has its own way of working. Over time, people figure out what is expected of them, not always because it’s been clearly explained, but because they’ve experienced it. They learn: What gets a positive reaction, what gets ignored, what gets shut down, and what feels “safe.” These patterns build slowly, through everyday interactions. This is something Edgar Schein spoke about a lot in his work on organisational culture. He described culture as the deeper patterns and assumptions that shape how organisations actually function. So, when organisations try to introduce new behaviours without understanding what already exists, there tends to be a big disconnect. And this is not necessarily because people don’t want to change. It is because the change doesn’t match what they have learned is “normal.” Why culture change doesn’t always work One of the biggest mistakes I see is organisations focusing on what they want culture to look like, without really understanding what it currently feels like to work there. Leaders might say things such as: “We want people to speak up more,” or “We want openness,” or “We want collaboration.” But if people have been previously ignored when they have spoken up, criticised for mistakes, and left out of decisions, then those messages don’t land in the way leaders expect. They become seen as tokenistic. This is because people don’t follow what organisations say. They follow what they experience. If behaviour doesn’t change, culture doesn’t change. Culture lives in everyday moments Culture is not something that is built within strategy documents. It will show itself in those small moments we see every day. It’s how managers respond when something goes wrong, how feedback is given, how pressure is handled, how people are spoken to when things aren’t going well, and how we celebrate and praise the positives. All of these things individually might seem small, but they build up over time. Eventually, they influence how people feel at work, how they behave, and how teams function. That’s why culture change isn’t about one big initiative, it is about consistent behaviour over time. You have to understand culture before you can change it Before trying to change culture, organisations need to slow down and really understand what’s already happening. This means asking questions like, how do people actually communicate here? Who speaks in meetings, and who doesn’t? What behaviours are rewarded, even informally? What do people avoid saying? Without that level of understanding, change efforts often miss the mark because they are trying to fix something they haven’t fully understood. We have to work with culture, not against it. We will see that change happens when leaders work with the culture that already exists, rather than trying to override it completely. That means organisations must recognise what already works, understand where resistance is coming from, and introduce change in a way that feels realistic. When we see leaders start to model different behaviours consistently, people will start to notice this, and over time, those behaviours start to shift culture with how others respond, how teams interact, and how the culture begins to evolve. Culture takes time There can be pressure to change culture quickly, but working with culture change is not something that works on a quick timeline. It needs things such as repeated behaviours, consistency, and everyday actions to create that shift. It’s definitely not something that requires announcements, posters, and one-off initiatives alone to work. Culture is not something you can just install, it’s actually something we uncover. Once we uncover it, we understand it better, and once we understand it better, we can start to shape and influence one behaviour, one interaction, one moment at a time to finally create that ripple effect across the organisation. Follow me on Instagram and visit my website for more info! Read more from Priyanka Ayodele Priyanka Ayodele, Leadership and Business Specialist Priyanka Ayodele (CMgr MCMI, Assoc. CIPD) is a Chartered Manager and Associate CIPD member and the founder of The Leadership Method. Her work focuses on leadership, team culture, and organisational development. Earlier in her career, she studied psychology and worked in mental health, which shaped her interest in how people experience leadership at work. Having experienced both poor management and the kind of leadership that helps people grow, she saw firsthand how much impact managers can have on someone's confidence and development. The managers who recognised her potential played a big part in shaping the leader she is today. That experience now influences the work she does at The Leadership Method

Written b y Samantha Williams, Founder of Interconnections Marketing LLC Samantha Williams created Interconnections to transform how medical practices engage with patients through HIPAA-compliant content on social media, focusing exclusively on growing healthcare organizations. Let’s be honest, social media plays a major role in the world we live in today. It shapes how we communicate, how we learn, how we share information, and even how we make decisions. So, how do we disconnect so we can reconnect? One day at the gym, I was about to step into the sauna, and of course, my phone came with me. Yes, I completely ignored the “no phones” sign. Within moments, instead of simply soaking in the heat, I found myself scrolling through emails and checking account notifications. The man sitting next to me laughed and said, “Your generation is always on the phone.” I smiled and admitted he was right, explaining that social media is part of my job, and my phone rarely leaves my side. But that moment stayed with me. Did I really need my phone in the sauna, or was the chance to truly disconnect far more important? As important as social media marketing is, we know it’s important to recognize digital burnout and when to step away. The nonstop demand for visibility, analytics, and responsiveness can blur the line between work and personal life, leaving little time to rest or recharge. Over time, this can lead to fatigue, decreased creativity, anxiety, and a sense of being overwhelmed by digital noise. Disconnecting starts with setting clear boundaries, scheduling offline time, limiting notifications, and stepping away from performance metrics that drive stress. Prioritizing intentional breaks, delegating when possible, and reconnecting with real-world interactions can help restore balance, protect mental well-being, and bring purpose back to how and why content is created. As owner of Interconnections, I’ve had moments where stepping away from my desk leads to fresher ideas and better content creations. Because let’s face it, we don’t need another generic post to be skipped over and ignored. Viewers want real, deeper reels and content pieces that they can connect with. On top of taking digital burnout seriously, it’s important, as a growing social media company, to create a team you can trust. When you reach the point where you can hire a reliable, supportive team, making time for yourself becomes much easier. Protecting your energy and well-being isn’t selfish, it’s essential. By putting yourself first, you create space for your goals, ideas, and dreams to come to life. In today’s fast-paced digital world, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the constant demands of social media and work. I’ve been there, and I understand how exhausting it can be to juggle it all. But here’s the thing, stepping away and disconnecting is not just important for your well-being, it’s vital for your creativity and growth. By giving yourself the space to recharge, you’re able to come back with fresh ideas, renewed energy, and a clearer purpose. I’m here to tell you that it’s okay to take a step back, you’re not alone in feeling this pressure. We all need those moments of pause to reconnect with ourselves and the world around us. When we prioritize our mental and emotional health, we can create work that truly resonates with others, work that’s meaningful and impactful. So, if you’re feeling burnt out, remember: take that break, recharge, and come back stronger. You’ve got this, and your well-being is the key to your success. Follow me on  Facebook ,  Instagram ,  and visit my  website  for more info! Read more from Samantha Williams Samantha Williams, Founder of Interconnections Marketing LLC Samantha Williams began her career in Ophthalmology as a certified technician interested in the medical field and positional growth. She made her way up the ladder from billing, to surgical coordinator to managing an office at the age of 23. After retiring from the field to grow her family, she reimagined the medical field in a digital style. In a rapidly evolving digital world Samantha created Interconnections with a simple mission: to humanize healthcare through strategic content that builds trust, drives engagement and supports practice growth.

Written by Erika MacTinger, Holistic Health and Behavioral Coach Erika is skilled in restoring health naturally, after overcoming over 30 chronic medical symptoms and conditions. Erika specializes in chronic illness, unique behavior, and exceptional children. Erika has a special interest in coaching children who have autism, ADHD, and other conditions with challenging behaviors. The four main functions of behavior in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) are attention, escape, access to tangibles, and sensory stimulation. These four functions are often used to describe the reason or purpose a challenging behavior occurs in children who have Autism. There are also times when the function is unknown.   Attention refers to a child seeking a reaction from the behavior at hand. Escape can be defined as a child trying to escape from a task or demand. A child could want to escape being asked to participate in a group game or activity, or being asked to brush their teeth, or to help clean up.  Access to tangibles is when a child would like access to something specific, such as a toy or a specific activity. Sensory stimulation relates to children seeking sensory stimulation to bring comfort or a pleasant sensation. Some examples of the need for sensory stimulation may include, a child pacing the room, hand flapping, rocking, tapping feet, or spinning . We can also look to overstimulation as a sensory stimulation function of behavior. An example would be a child who is overstimulated by screen time, loud noises, and crowded rooms.   While challenging behaviors can be defined using these ABA functions, there is much more to the picture when you are looking at behaviors from a holistic health perspective. The holistic health perspective can also explain the functions that were unknown. Let’s list some challenging behaviors that may occur in children who are on the spectrum.   Screaming Spitting Physical aggression Property destruction Physical and vocal protests   Can the functions of behaviors be classified as attention, escape, access to tangibles, and sensory stimulation? Absolutely! However, there are factors we may be overlooking.   When it comes to a holistic health perspective, we need to ask the question: What are we missing?   High-fat diet Processed food and juice with artificial flavors and or artificial colors High sugar content Caffeine Dehydration Blood sugar imbalance Lack of trace mineral salts from fruit and vegetables Lack of glucose from fruit and vegetables Lack of Calories Environmental Toxins Running on Adrenaline Not getting adequate sleep   If you want to create change in behavior, first, we need to address a child’s food and beverage intake. Is the child getting an adequate amount of trace mineral salts and glucose from fruit and vegetables? Take small steps to start creating change and adding in what we can to the child’s daily intake.   How much of the food contains sugar, artificial flavors, artificial colors, or caffeine? Parents can start reading labels and begin switching out the unhealthy foods for healthier snacks. Eliminate caffeine as much as possible. Caffeine is a stimulant and produces adrenaline, which can contribute to challenging behaviors.   We should ask. Is the food intake high in fat? If so, start reducing fat slowly where you can. This includes animal products, seeds, nuts, oils, and avocados. A diet higher in fat is going to result in higher rates of challenging behaviors. We need higher amounts of glucose and mineral salts going to the brain in children with autism.   Is the child eating enough calories? If not, then they are running on adrenaline, and this will create more challenging behaviors as well. Do the best you can to encourage snacking throughout the day in addition to three meals a day. The next question is: Is the child hydrated throughout the day? This is also going to affect behavior.   We also want to take a look at whether the child is getting adequate sleep. I list some steps below to help with that. Sleep can be a more complex issue, and you may need to work with a health coach or practitioner for serious sleep issues.   In a world that has become extremely polluted with environmental toxins, it’s imperative that we address what environmental toxins are in the child’s environment and switch to non-toxic products in the home. It’s also important to start removing toxic heavy metals from the brain and body using nutrition, which can help remove current and new exposure.   Below I list some examples that will help children who have autism. This list will also help children who have other conditions that exhibit challenging behaviors. Examples of healthier snacks/transitional food items: Simple Mills organic seed flour crackers Simple Mills honey cinnamon sweet thins Siete grain-free tortilla chips Trader Joe's dried fruit bars Bear fruit rolls Solely organic fruit gummies Humble organic potato chips Note that any of these companies could change ingredients, so it’s important to keep an eye out for that.   Examples for including trace mineral salts are incorporating: Leafy greens Celery Fresh herbs such as Cilantro and Parsley Lemons and Limes Celery Juice   Examples for including enough glucose: Apples Berries Oranges Dates Mangoes Bananas Sweet potatoes Potatoes   Examples for getting enough hydration: Coconut Water Lemon or Lime water with honey Cucumber juice Celery juice Fruit juice   Examples for removing toxic heavy metals: Wild blueberries Cilantro Apples Apricots Sweet potatoes Spirulina Barley grass juice powder Sea vegetables such as dulse or nori The heavy metal detox smoothie Celery juice   Examples to have before bed to help with sleep: Mangoes Potatoes Sweet potatoes Bananas Lemon balm   Do not be discouraged if your child is a picky eater. I discuss this further in my article: 12 Tips For Picky Eaters .   Remember, when looking at functions behind challenging behavior, we must evaluate beyond attention, escape, access to tangibles, and sensory stimulation. We need to look at the lifestyle of the child. We have to look at the whole picture before we can conclude the reason behind challenging behavior. Oftentimes, the reason a behavior is happening is not one direct answer, but a combination of things that we need to address.   If you are someone who is searching for answers on how to reduce the frequency of behaviors, ways to help avoid behaviors, and learn how to de-escalate behaviors naturally by taking a holistic health approach, and are looking for support, please reach out! To schedule an Intuitive Health Coaching Session or a Healthy Cooking Tutoring Session at Holistic Hope and Healing, send us a message here ! Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , and visit my website for more info! Read more from Erika MacTinger Erika MacTinger, Holistic Health and Behavioral Coach Erika is a Holistic Health and Behavioral Coach and the owner of Holistic Hope and Healing. Erika created her health coaching business after healing herself of over 30 chronic medical symptoms and conditions by changing her lifestyle, and utilizing, fruit, vegetables, wild foods, herbs, supplements, and techniques to strengthen the mind and heal the soul. Aside from coaching how to overcome chronic illness, Erika has a passion and specialty in coaching children who have, autism, ADHD, anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other conditions that express challenging behaviors or special needs. Erika works closely with parents, offering holistic health guidance and emotional support as their children begin a healing journey.