Facial Development: Can Your Home Affect Your Appearance?

Our environment shapes how we grow. The daily pressures and habits are extremely powerful in affecting the way we move and function. An understated aspect is how your home can affect how your child grows up looking!

The importance of environmental factors are clearly being ignored and could greatly assist the field of orthodontic therapy and general health. Professor John Mew developed an interest in the science of facial growth. Seeking alternatives to facial surgery he returned in 1965 to University College to specialise in orthodontics. Since then he has been developing non-surgical methods of correcting unattractive vertical growth in children’s faces.

In the 1970s he wrote several papers on the new sub-specialty of ‘Orthotropics’ which aims to encourage horizontal growth by changing oral posture. He has written a textbook and published many articles internationally on this subject. John has recently been described both as “a maverick” and “the brightest orthodontist who has ever lived”. It was the science and environmental factors of facial development that interested Prof. Mew to seek alternatives to facial surgery and specialise in orthodontics.

This article summaries an interview, in which he goes over some of the environmental factors that can affect the growth of your face, and hence, affect how you look, including your own home.

What kind of growth do we want for the face and head?

However, in typical treatment, orthodontists offer fixed braces or ‘train tracks’, usually accompanied with extractions and sometimes jaw surgery. The belief is it is too difficult or impossible to alter the growth of the jaws. This form of traditional treatment has been used for about 100 years and orthodontists are fully aware that it can damage the teeth and face and also that the crowding tends to return later. For example, In the UK only 5% of Orthodontists inform their patients that there are alternative methods, such as guiding the growth of the jaws ‘Orthotropics’.

You can imagine the expense that parents have to go through in order to correct their child’s teeth or jaw alignment!

Forward growth is good looking growth. It also ensures room for all of the teeth. More importantly, it prevents sleep apnea, which shortens one’s lives, according to some studies, by ten years or more.

This forward growth also creates a bigger space in the throat to breathe, particularly at night. Dr Mew explains: “When the tongue drops to the back of the throat, and you are unable to breathe for long periods at night.”

A good facial posture involves the mouth, tongue, and neck being in good position. However, this has been neglected in scientific research because it is simply not very feasible to measure posture per se. But by measuring the results, you can see how particular changes in posture can affect facial growth. Whether the result looks “good” or “bad” is also tricky to quantify, but you can assess the function of how the mouth and tongue is.

Dr Mew called his approach orthothropics. One way he sought to prove this was to treat twins; he would treat one while another orthodontist would treat the other. In every case, the twin treated by Dr Mew showed his method taking into account posture worked significantly better.

Why is posture so important for young children?

The cranial base is said to reach 87% of its growth by 2 years and 98% by 15 years of age.

Around age 5, the cranial base has completed 90% of its growth and, from then on, can be considered relatively stable as the remaining 10% of change occurs in the next 10 years.[1]

It is known that maturation of different components of the craniofacial skeleton reach their completion at different time points. It is also considered that some components of the anterior cranial base are the earliest structures in the skull to reach maturity in shape and size at about 7–8 years. This is earlier than the teen years and even early adolescence that convention suggests.

The changes in the craniofacial structure do not stop with the onset of adulthood, but continue, though at a significantly slower rate, throughout adult life. However, these changes tended to be of small magnitude compared to the tremendous changes during early childhood.

How can your home affect how you look?

Have you seen your room when a shaft of sunlight crosses a bedroom?

Allergies and blocked noses can start soon after birth. They are a response to tiny particles of dust in the air, and are becoming increasingly common in industrial countries. The most common allergy is to house dust.

Do you use air conditioning (with all closed windows) often as a matter of habit?

These habits contribute to mouth breathing. Over time, blocked noses lead to open mouth postures, which derails the optimal development of the facial structure. From the Orthotropics blog:

The genetic influence on facial development is obvious and environmental things such as thumb sucking has long been recognised. It is not often appreciated how influential the environment is and what a dramatic effect on facial shape changing this can make. (…)

Nearly all children experience at least one blocked nose in early infancy, most have complete nasal blockage for days at a time, when they are forced to lower their tongue and open their mouths to breath.

This becomes a habit during the very period that they are learning to walk and program their postural centres. This picture shows the effect of this on a child who was almost fully grown but developed a blocked nose causing his face to grow down, the effect on younger developing children is even greater.

Critical points in facial development

Around ages six and seven, the permanent teeth start to come in. A child’s appearance can be severely damaged by poor posture. This factor has been overlooked in orthodontics, which is why Dr Mew says orthotropics treat at a younger age by age seven whereas orthodontics treat patients older in teenagehood.

You can watch the interview with Dr John Mew here The interviewer asks the tough questions https://youtu.be/SVeTRz6qY18

Resources & References

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8317569/pdf/i0003-3219-87-6-897.pdf

[2] Orthotropics. Information For Parents. https://orthotropics.com/information-for-parents/

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Do you suffer with any throat and nose problems? Do you have sleep apnea or snoring? Do you find your home dustier than it should be? Get a free discovery call to find out how to create a home to support your child’s development.

Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity Syndrome (EHS): Why Is It So Common & What Can You Do About It?

Updated 4 August 2024.

Electro-sensitivity symptoms are becoming commonplace—reflecting the increasing digitisation of our lifestyles and digital infrastructure with 5G and the IoT. What’s causing this? Learn more, plus find out how to advocate for yourself.

First, what is Electromagnetic Hyper Sensitivity (EHS)?

EHS is also called Electromagnetic Sensitivity, electro-hypersensitivity, electro-sensitivity, electrical sensitivity (ES) and “Idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to electromagnetic fields (IEI-EMF)”.

EMF is an "electrostatic" field or electromagnetic field that comes off any electronic device that emits energy, frequencies, radiation, or field of energy of any type.

Back in the 1970s, EHS was known as “microwave syndrome", clinically characterised by the a wide spectrum of symptoms affecting various organs, typically including central nervous system symptoms. The vast majority of electrohypersensitive (EHS) patients complain about headaches on contact with an electromagnetic source.

A report from the former Soviet Union described it as “microwave syndrome”[r]. The Soviet military recognised early on the possible side-effects from radar and radio radiation. Medical diagnoses frequently noted various symptoms typically including central nervous system symptoms, that occur following the patient's acute or chronic exposure to electromagnetic fields.

Statements on EHS by health organisation

Austria is the only country with a written suggestion to guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of EMF-related health problems. Apart from this, EHS is not recognised as a specific diagnosis in the rest of the world.

However, institutions such as the WHO, the European Environment Agency (official advisory body to the European Union), and many research and scientific organisations have proposed and advocated for recommendations around EMFs.

This includes the groundbreaking Bioinitiative Report was published by scientists, public health and public policy experts to document the scientific evidence on electromagnetic fields. It has since been updated over the years 2014-2019. (Download the Bioinitiative Report 2014-2019 updated edition.)

In 2015, the Fifth Paris Appeal Colloquium showed a focus on electromagnetic fields and EHS. You can watch Dr Lennart Hardell’s presentation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JehrGVPTUos

What are the Symptoms of EHS?

Patients can have neurologic, neuro-hormonal and neuro-psychiatric symptoms [1] following exposure to EMF as a consequence of neural damage and over-sensitised neural responses, including: headaches, concentration difficulties, sleep problems, depression, a lack of energy, fatigue, and flu-like symptoms.

Studies conducted in 2001 and 2002 revealed that people reported symptoms most frequently due to exposure to cell phone base stations (74%), cell phones (36%), cordless (DECT) phones (29%) and power lines (27%) visual displays and fluorescent lighting (1.9%), electrical factors and also chemicals or smells (2.4%).

Symptoms, their duration, and their impact on the person’s quality of life and ability to function in daily life. Mild EHS may manifest with mild symptoms such as prickling or burning sensations that disappear within seconds or minutes after EMF exposure (e.g. using a cell- phone) has stopped. With moderate EHS the severity, frequency and duration of the symptoms increase. For example, a headache may persist for several hours after using the cell-phone. With severe EHS the problem becomes chronic and persistent.

A study, mandated by the Swiss Federal Government and performed by the University of Bern in 2004, Swiss doctors working with complementary diagnostic and therapeutic tools reported that 71% of their consultations related to EMF.

This facts are jarring, but what’s even more worrying is that the majority of these symptoms are accepted as nothing out of the ordinary or a matter of lifestyle fatigue, and is thus usually ignored.

Often electromagnetic hypersensitivity exacerbates any systemic health issues that you already have, including heavy metals and mercury toxicity, Candida yeast infection (moulds and fungi), bacterial or viral infections, bio-toxins or parasites [4].

Learn more about wireless harms and the symptoms at the advocacy group. This page highlights studies that establish wireless technology radiation can create cognitive effects such as ADHD and other behavioral disorders. https://wearetheevidence.org/wireless-harms/ I also share important research about fertility and children’s health here.

Who is most vulnerable? What are the signs in Children?

Studies show that children are especially vulnerable to developing chronic health conditions from EHS, like obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease—all things that can disrupt their mental and emotional growth and development.

One case report detailed how two 15-year-old male students and one 47-year-old female teacher who expericienced health effects like headaches, difficulties concentrating, tachycardia, poor memory, or dizziness when exposed to Wi-Fi in school [3]. This study highlighted the potential health impacts from increasing RF exposure of students and teachers by Wi-Fi.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified EMFs as a "possible human carcinogen” after consistent epidemiologic evidence of an association between childhood leukemia and exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields [2].The first study between the link was in 1979! The evidence has grown to cover associations with other childhood cancers.

What is behind the treatment disparities?

While there are many factors that affect how EHS is seen and addressed, whether by the individual him/herself or in medical field, it is clear there is rising recognition and evidence in the biological harm of EMFs.

The WHO recommendations are based on based on currents induced in the body (ELF) and thermal effects (RF). It does not consider long-term non-thermal effects.

The BioInitiative reports are global groundbreaking milestones comprehensive review of biological effects and health effects of low-intensity electromagnetic radiation, including thousands of published studies on: gene and protein expres- sion, DNA, immune function, neurology and behavior, blood-brain barrier, brain tumors and acoustic neuromas, childhood leukemia, melatonin, Alzheimer’s disease, breast cancer, fertility and reproduction, fetal and neo- natal disorders, and autism.

The European Environment Agency compared the risks of non-ionising radiation (EMF) to other environmental hazards such as asbestos, benzene, and tobacco, urgently recommending to implement a precautionary approach regarding EMF.

Many countries have taken their own initiative to reduce EMF exposure, especially to their most people.

For example, Belgium has banned the advertising of mobile phones for children under seven. France banned Wi-Fi in nurseries for children under the age of 3 and to enable Wi-Fi at primary schools with children under the age of 11 only when used specifically for lessons. Public places offering Wi-Fi must clearly advertise this fact on a sign.

References & Resources

1. The microwave syndrome or electro-hypersensitivity: historical background. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26556835/

2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32289567/

3. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.1201/b16968-13/childhood-leukemia-extremely-low-frequency-magnetic-fields-critical-evaluation-epidemiologic-evidence-using-hill-framework-leeka-kheifets-john-swanson

4. http://www.stralskyddsstiftelsen.se/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/hedendahl_hardell_2015.pdf

5. See what happens when micro-organisms are exposed to harmful energy and what causes electromagnetic hypersensitivity: https://youtu.be/qMAV-pZMlZs

6. Greco F, Garnier O, Macioce V, Picot MC. Prevalence of Migraine Disease in Electrohypersensitive Patients. J Clin Med. 2023 Jun 16;12(12):4092. doi: 10.3390/jcm12124092. PMID: 37373785; PMCID: PMC10299347. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37373785/

Glamping: A Diary and Review Of What Was Great (And Not So)

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Recently we did something only parents who miss the outdoors can do when they are also simultaneously dealing with (between them) back injuries and all the thrills of a third trimester pregnancy. We went glamping in the highlands.

Travelling can be tiring in itself and at the end of the day your body and mind need optimal rest because that is the basic biological needs that keep us healthy and energetic. Otherwise you would be booking yourself in for “real rest” after being worn out and done in on a holiday—not our intention!

It was both fantastic and a bag of surprises. The cool and relaxed environment of the highlands was compromised by a few design flaws.

Why people are loving glamping

Whether it is called glam camping, luxurious, posh, luxe camping, luxury boutique camping, there is a trend for an experience under canvas, which focuses on the environment, respects nature, and keeps it as high quality and as local and artisan as possible.

The aim is usually to offer a comfortable, accessible way to spend time reconnecting to nature and partake in its health benefits—without adding any stress, which can happen occasionally with traditional camping.

Where we stayed was more camp than glamp, though. Indeed, as its name (which I’m deciding to omit) suggested.

It’s been a while since we’ve stayed “on the land” with the small ones so these factors stood out during our stay.

We hope these biological factors are also helpful for you to consider and understand what makes being outdoors in nature so healing, as well as the possible detractors and discomforts in any environment that can compromise your level of rejuvenation and rest.

Before going into the factors, it might be helpful to have a sense of how the place was laid out.

The tents were located side by side and most of them faced inwards to a communal round area. The others were further up the hill. The toilets were cubicles situated together, and downward some metres away from the tents. Plastic sheeting helped keep the load of the highlands’ heavy rainfall off the tent itself and black garden netting kept the glare off. Garden patches made up the walkway up a tiered gentle slope to the tents. These factors helped us expect that the glamping site was geared towards being social (they have many groups and families), that could explain their priorities for how area is designed.

The orientation of the light sources

The camping ground is a public space regularly booked by families, so we understand the liberal use of light probably for safety reasons. However, these lights were bright! Bright LED bulbs have unnatural spikes in the blue wavelength that suppresses melatonin—the very hormone that wants to kick in at dusk for optimal rest and rejuvenation. The lighting clashes with the gentle hues of sundown, and forced a brightness over the grounds well into the night. Our tent opening faced one of these flood lights directly. It was impossible getting to sleep until Papa cleverly used the duvets as blackout curtains instead. We also used our hoodies and extra clothes as eye masks. Long sleeves and pants and socks help cover the body to keep the dark environment for the best release of melatonin.

Orientation of the fire pits

The communal spaces and offerings for a steamboat and hotpot helped set a friendly and social vibe. Perfect for a cool mountain camping! The smoke, however, wafted into the tents. No one wants to deal with smarting eyes and stuffed noses in a tent…

The toilets were lit

Similar to the point about the bright lights above… Taking a loo break at night was blinding. It took a while getting back to sleep.

Ambient noise levels

The quaint spot was marred by surrounding traffic that continued well into midnight. Do people really enjoy camping by traffic roads?

Choice of bedding

This factor may come across as a matter of comfort and lifestyle over health. However, the quality of the sheets has a direct impact on the quality of your sleep. No one is expecting a five-star style sheet and mattress combo at most campgrounds, but the rough polyester was uncomfortable and sticky to lay on in the humid weather.

Would the polyester sheets withstand mold better, I wondered, as the mattresses were directly placed on the cold humid ground.

Using strongly-fragranced washing detergent put another dampener on the fresh outdoor experience. We wanted the fresh air, and joked that we will now also remember the scent of the detergent in the tent.

Privacy

Our neighbours were very considerate and most had retired into their tents by 11pm. Still the challenge of the space meant the tents were mere metres from one another. One could hear what was going on in the next tent (and on their TVs). How can privacy in a small space be protected?

Material of the tent

This factor is a tricky one as the choices of tents suitable for families, yet suitable for a very wet and cool climate can be limited in the market. The tents are relatively new — the campsite is not more than a year old or so, however they are already growing moldy on the outside. If anyone has suggestions on tents and outdoor setups that can take our extreme humidity, it would be so useful to know.

Waste grey water disposal

Waste water flows by a rivulet on the side down to...an external drain. I can see they tried their logical best with the location of the pipe placements carrying it out to the side and down the entire one side of the site. The smell was not the best, and we weren’t sure how the waste was going.

Last thoughts: Roughing it out need not be too rough in the outdoors

To creatively think about how to sleep and rest better is something I enjoy thinking about in every new spot I travel to, whether a swanky hotel or a rustic “glamping” spot. This is especially when we bring the littles along. Because travel can be tiring, and the outdoors can be a mix of potentially great recuperation and great elemental challenges.

Thus, the experience of a glamping site was an interesting case study.

By no means do I mean this as a full review of the glamping site and experience itself. I didn’t try the cooking experience myself and I didn’t go for the spa in a bus.

But I was intrigued by how the principles of building biology apply even more in such an outdoor environment. Thus, I hope this article was helpful for you to consider when you next go camping or glamping, to make the utmost of your outdoor adventure.

Do you enjoy the outdoors? Have you gone glamping? What did you expect and not expect from the experience? I would love to know!

Building Healthy Habits with Outdoor Play During the Early Years

Updated 10 Jan 2022

Most parents know their children do better after a good bout of play outdoors. The fresh elements, natural sensory elements, and opportunities for creative imagination are part of why we as adults appreciate and enjoy the calming aspects of nature too.

Why do we need to build habits with outdoor play?

Most of us would say our kids are spending too much time indoors (usually watching TV and playing video and computer games).  A recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that the average eight to eighteen year old kid is now spending an alarming 7 hours and 38 minutes of electronic screen time per day—that is almost half their waking hours.

Often the focus is on “pre-preparation” for academics, or the training of the mind; but we ensure our children develop healthy bodies by playing outdoors. The recommendation for the preschool years is at least 1 hour of outdoor play. In Singapore, the Health Ministry and Education Ministry in 2017 said that pre-school children will get at least an hour of physical activity a day, double the current 30 minutes.

Time outdoors in natural spaces help calm the body’s sympathetic/stress responses. Researchers at the University of Illinois have determined that 30 minutes of time in a park setting will help children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to be able to concentrate in the classroom and act more calmly and with more focus at home. 

Homeschooling curriculums recognise how important getting outdoor activity is to the success of the daily rhythm of learning and playing. For example, Charlotte Mason recommends even more — 4 to 6 hours of outdoor play!

(Side note: Charlotte Mason wrote books about educating children, and her philosophy advised delaying formal education until age six, instead advocating play (a lot of it outdoors!) and work with the gentle boundaries of the family. Nature study is a very important component to a Charlotte Mason method. Mason believed children should spend as much time as possible outdoors, and had students keep detailed nature journals and used nature guides to discover and identify the natural world in their neighborhood.)

In this post, I'll share with you some ideas ideas that you can use for to build healthful habits with your little ones during outdoor play. Given the opportunity to play outdoors and have fun, children will develop meaningful connections with their natural environment and build habits into their grown-up years!

1. Embrace the outdoors, daily

Once in Norway, and again in Finland, I heard the phrase: No bad weather, but poor clothing. Charmed by the Scandinavian attitude and the array of outdoor sports available in the worst of winters, I began to adopt this when I had my own children, and then learnt different cultures have their own variations of the same phrase.

I live where searing heat and persistent mosquitos can wear me down during the hotter seasons, and make any outdoor attempt a plain drag (if not danger for heat stroke). To work around this, we played early in the morning or snuck quick trips to the playground after the worst heat of the day was over. Outdoors is not a novelty, but part of our daily routine.

Modern research supports this. Lack of outdoor time is linked to many childhood problems, like Sensory Processing Disorder, obesity, and even ADHD.

“Never be within doors when you can rightly be out.” Charlotte Mason, Home Education, page 42

Have meals al fresco (or at a balcony). Take your chores and hobbies outside. Find any way to situate your activities outdoors, or a semi-outdoor environment.

2. Observe the patterns and cycles of Nature

Ask the child to go observe the clouds, a tree, flower, or other interesting feature. Have them come back to report what they have seen. This helps increase their vocabulary, ability to remember, and ability to recount without exaggeration.

This encourages a child to use their five senses while looking at things in nature, or objects around the house. It also sharpens their relationship to their natural environment.

3. Take time to touch and ground

If you’re wearing shoes all the time, try taking them off to feel the fresh grass. Pause to touch the soft petals of a flower, or hear the hum of a bee. These actions offer ways for your bodies to ground to the Earth and absorb its beneficial frequencies, instead of skimming past when we are outdoors.

4. Slow your rhythm to match Nature’s frequencies

Ask your children to “listen to the quiet or to any buzzes and hums you hear. At appropriate times, make space for a break to take in. If your children are a little older, ask them describe to you this landscape of calm silence. This can seem like an abstract task, but it can be enjoyable when presented as a game.

This helps a child grow awareness of the difference between feeling busy, especially if you live hectic schedules amidst city living, and feeling calm. He or she will easily connect the ways to access this, through attention to their body’s awareness.

5. Let them play

When you and your child are outside for play, don’t waste the opportunity by impeding your child’s play. This means giving them space and time to play, uninterrupted (under your watchful eye). True free play is the work that children must do to grow and develop a strong body and mind.

Sometimes this means letting your toddler climb the rings higher without saying “no, that’s dangerous”. Or gently guiding or diverting him or her without saying “you can’t do that.”

Let your five-year-old holler his heart out for a bit and hold any comment as he seems to swing a little too high. You’ll be heartened to observe, that usually, children can find their own boundaries. Your toddler will likely pause if he cannot reach a bar, and your primary school age child will choose not to climb to the top after all. Usually they find these boundaries better playing by themselves or in smaller, rather than larger, groups.

You will observe your children naturally inclined to seek these activities which stimulate the proprioceptive sense:

• Pushing (for example against heavy instruments as the swing, merry-go-round)

• Pulling (tug of war, or hanging from bars)

• Squeezing (climbing small spaces, crawling under structures)

• Climbing or lifting

• Stretching (e.g. more climbing and taking leaps!)

They are growing their proprioception (from Latin proprius, meaning "one's own" and capio “to take or grasp”) senses, which are what helps them understand their self-movement, force, and body position. Physical activities which stimulate this sense have an organising effect on the brain.

This sets them up for more disciplined movements later whether it is sports or sitting still for fine motor tasks — such as writing.

For some parents, getting outside seems more like a chore rather than a relaxing pleasure. There are risks and potential for accidents everywhere.

The hours that we spend outside are sure to make up some of your children’s most treasured memories of childhood. By making habits to connect better to our natural environment, you are building their toolset to help regulate their well-being, and growing their awareness of the natural elements.

Explore the many ways you can bring the outdoors to your indoor spaces, and children love this. If you want to create a biologically supportive indoor space for your children, get in touch for a FREE discovery call.