Overview of Natural Posture for Pain-Free Living:

Our bones are the framework of support for our bodies, much like the wall studs and beams of a house. Yet the alignment of the skeleton along the vertical axis of gravity is largely overlooked today, even by fitness experts and yoga teachers. In a culture of cocked hips, sauntering models, and slouching TV watchers, where “chin up, shoulders back, stomach in” is believed to be good posture, we have forgotten what healthy alignment looks and feels like--leading to chronic neck, shoulder, and back pain for millions.

• Provides eye-opening evidence comparing healthy innate human alignment with modern day dysfunctional adaptations.
• Offers 12 physical "explorations" to become mindful of your posture and discover pain-free alignment of your pelvis, rib cage, shoulders, neck, and back
• Provides simple yet detailed instructions on how to sit, stand, walk, bend, get up from a chair, sit to meditate, sleep, and practice yoga with proper alignment
• Includes full-color diagrams and posture photographs from around the world.

“Kathleen Porter’s eloquent photojournalism adds powerful, persuasive impact to her message about the relationship between dynamic structural alignment and health of body and mind. The chapters about children, pregnancy, and fitness should be required reading for all parents and physicians.”

                                                     -Mary Bond, author of The New Rules of Posture and                                                                                                                                   movement faculty chair at the Rolf Institute

“Never before in the world of fitness has there been a more readable, groundbreaking, or seminal book than Natural Posture for Pain-Free Living. Through this revolutionary book, Kathleen Porter is about to rock your world!” 

                                                        -Jean Couch, founder and director of the Balance Center                                                                                                                               and coauthor of The Runner’s Yoga Book

“As a family physician treating my share of patients with back pain, neck pain, osteoporosis, and dysfunctional labor, I find this book instructive. Kathleen Porter’s observation of peoples around the world who retain their natural alignment, movement, and relaxation is a clear window into the healing of the chronic pain syndromes of our culture. More than that, her work has been personally transformative.” 

                                                         -Leah Morton, M.D., Santa Fe, New Mexico                                                                                         

                         Overview of Healthy Posture For Babies and Children

A manual for parents, teachers, and kids to restore their natural alignment

• Explores the principles of natural alignment in accessible ways to share with children

• Details simple and fun exercises--for kids and adults alike--that “remind” the body of its natural patterns and movements

• Explains how innate movements and natural alignment play an essential role in the development of a fully functioning body and nervous system

Babies and toddlers develop naturally healthy alignment by moving in instinctive ways that promote  correct pelvic positioning and the development of deep core muscles to stabilize their bodies upright. Yet, as evidenced by the slouching epidemic seen in school-age children, most kids lose this natural alignment early in life, often due to an overreliance on strollers, baby seats, and bucket-style carriers during infancy and the reluctance to put babies on their bellies because of widespread fear of SIDS.

With a multitude of easy-to-follow principles and exercises--far more fun and effective than the futile mantra of “sit up straight”--Kathleen Porter provides a detailed road map for parents, teachers, and health professionals to learn how to guide children back to their natural posture by inhabiting their bodies mindfully for a lifetime of easy movement, strength, and energetic vitality--the hallmarks of enduring good health.

"Kathleen Porter has so clearly addressed some of the major issues affecting both children and adults today and how to alleviate them through natural spinal alignment and movement. She shares the current research on SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), hyperactivity, the autism spectrum, and physical decline in age with practical, scientifically validated healthy postures that assist attention, optimal learning, health, and ease of movement for a lifetime. I am highly impressed with her knowledge and clear graphics that make this a must-read for everyone.”

                                                        - Carla Hannaford, Ph.D., biologist, international consultant and                                                                                                                     workshop leader to 50 countries, and author of                                                                                               Smart Moves: Why Learning is not all in Your Head.\

"Human beings of every age can benefit from this book. Our eyes marvel at Porter’s outstanding photos, as our bodies adjust, relax, and align with these easy-to-use tools. Kathleen Porter skillfully explains why belly-to-eart movements are enormously important for babies and why our miraculous natural development is worth safeguarding. This book is a treasure—beautiful, practical, and inspiring."

                                                           - Sonia Story, Creator of Brain and Sensory Foundations course in                                                                                                                neurodevelopmental movement for building physical,                                                                                                            emotional, social, and learning skills.

"In Healthy Posture for Babies and Children, author Kathleen Porter continues to advocate for change in our increasingly sedentary society by eloquently explaining the importance of creating opportunities for natural movement beginning in infancy (and throughout our lives) to encourage cognitive and motor development and a keen awareness of our physical body as we grow. This awareness cultivates a solidly strong, naturally upright posture, optimizing everything from breathing, digestion, intelligence, and behavior. Through her guided exercises, Porter empowers us and transports us back in time to retrace our movement journey to reclaim some of the strength and resilience of our youth.”

                                                           - Sharon A. Vallone, D.C., F.I.C.C.P., Pediatric Chiropractor, Author, Teacher                                                                                                   and co-ediotor of the Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics

"Healthy Posture for Babies and Children is front and center in my treatment room and is the first book I share with all of my patients suffering from any type of musculoskeletal pain. Kathleen uses visually stimulating examples and easy to comprehend text, which immediately entralls while education. When you find yourself in these pages, the proverbial “lightbulb” will come on; you will have the key to understanding how to correct the biomechanical stress in your body. This book should be in the hands of every doctor, teacher, and parent."

                                                             - Donna Beck, N.D., founder of A Family Wellness Center, Member of Oregon                                                                                               Board of Naturopathic Medicine and member of Board of                                                                                                     National University of Naturopathic Medicine.

Kathleen Porter changed my perception of my body forever. She introduced me to my sit bones when she came to visit our Mothering magazine office in Santa Fe, where she generously and gently instructed us how to stay in alignment at our desks. I had always thought this was impossible, but simply by teaching us how to sit, she changed my perception of my body forever. 

                                                                - Peggy O'Mara, Founder and editor of Mothering magazine for 30+ years;