Three well-studied elements—nature, music and laughter—create powerful physiological changes that help kids relax.

Parents and grandparents are always seeking ways to help kids wind down.

Yet so often the common choice: putting on a movie—actually stresses kids out more.
That’s because most mainstream children’s media is over stimulating. Instead of relaxing children, it winds them up, makes them anxious or zones them out—the exact opposite of what’s intended.

In choosing children’s media that will positively benefit kids, three elements are key according to Dr. Steve Koc, an Oregon chiropractor who’s worked for 40 years helping clients of all ages relax, de-stress and heal.

“Nature, music and humor are powerful healers,” said Koc. “Each element by itself is a natural de-stressor that creates physiological and hormonal shifts in the body. When you combine them together, you have a powerful agent for relaxation and stress relief.”

It’s not the first time the healing properties of nature, music and laughter have been noted by the scientific and holistic communities.

A Japanese study found that those who practiced shinrin-yoku (walking and staying in forests) experienced greater stress reduction. Dr. Masura Emoto, author of Messages from Water, gained worldwide acclaim for his research in vibrational sound, and Dr. Mitchell Gaynor documents his findings in The Healing Power of Sound. The acclaimed Norman Cousins researched the healing power of laugher in his book The Anatomy of an Illness, to name a few.

Koc became so intrigued by the idea of using these three elements—nature, music and laughter—for stress relief, he created Gnomies World, an award-winning animated children’s movie designed to help kids relax.

The film follows the adventures of the Gnomies, a merry band of characters who live deep in the woods, go on peaceful adventures in nature, and bring laughter to all.

“On the one hand, Gnomies World is light and frivolous,” said Koc. “Yet there is an underlying science in the making of this movie that is designed for deep healing. As one gets immersed into the world of the Gnomies, the brain and body are affected in uplifting and healing ways.”

“In my four decades of clinical practice, I’ve always sought out natural ways to assist the healing process. I’ve found very good results using breathing exercises, along with visual images that create a state of inner peace, and sound healing,” Koc said.

“Gnomies World uses all of these modalities in addition to the laughter response, to create a state of relaxation in the body.” Koc said. Because of this, the film differs from most children’s media in several key ways:

Peace and kindness

“There’s no violence in the film,” said Koc. “The Gnomies are kind and respectful to each other. Nowadays, popular children’s shows are loaded with sarcasm, witty put downs, and attitudes of “me, me, me. This negativity disguised as humor trains children and adults to think and act in ways that lead to negative outcomes.”

“There is an intention to create peace and harmony through this film. There is an intention to leave the audience in a state of higher vibration or attunement. There is an intention to uplift those who watch it,” Koc said.

“What we watch and listen to feeds our thoughts and feelings. When we focus on positivity, we reap the benefits in physical and emotional health,” he noted.

Interactive nature

Nature also plays a starring role in the film.
“Without doubt, nature heals,” said Koc. “The studies are clear about the benefits of being in natural settings, with practices like forest bathing, earthing, green spaces and being outside. From a healing perspective, the benefits of exposure to nature are pretty much the same as the benefits from laughter itself: stimulation of the immune system, reduction of stress, and relaxation of the muscles.”

Gnomies World is designed to bring real-life, non-commercialized, actual nature to children. It was filmed on 12 private acres in the Oregon forests south of Portland. “I spent a lot of times outdoors,” said Koc. “I spent hours wandering amongst the trees, moss and mud with a camera.”

Reviewing the footage, Koc was surprised to see unexpected nature show up: “Out of nowhere, a frog jumped onto one of the Gnomie’s heads, and a curious hummingbird dropped by. A bumblebee showed up unexpectedly. Nature is always interacting with us in wonderful ways.”

Sound therapy

The soundtrack is specifically designed to create a healing response in the body.

An expert in sound healing: Koc has produced four award-winning healing music CDs, and has used sound healing in his clinical practice for forty years.

“Sound therapy is well-documented as a healing modality. The way we choose beats, tones and vibration creates changes in the physiology.” he said. The movie is imbued with original music that helps relax and release tension.”

Laughter—the best medicine

“Plain and simple, laughter heals,” said Koc. “The mind and body let go of stress when we laugh—and this true for both children and adults.

“The feel-good chemicals of the brain, endorphins and the like, are enhanced while at the same time the stress-related chemicals such as cortisol and epinephrine are reduced. It’s well-documented that the immune system also gets a healthy boost as a result of laughing, and our breath and circulation are affected in positive ways.”

In 2016, Gnomies World won Best Animated Film at the Northwest Comic Fest, and Official Selection at the Oregon Independent Film Festival.
Gnomies World is available on DVD from Beyond Words Publishing. For information, visit www.gnomiesworld.com

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I speak with personal experience on this matter; trained as an osteopath with thirty-five years in the health promotion profession, including almost twenty years managing one of the country’s first holistic health centres in Tunbridge Wells (The Wealden Clinic 1981- 2001). I really thought I knew a little about health and its aetiology, though it has taken until now for me to break away from those prejudices that have coloured my thinking and hidden some of the basic truths. I hope that I can help expedite this thought shift for others with some of the work I am doing now.

Here are just a few of the myth busting statements for your consideration:

1. Every child at birth has the right genes and the right brain to become a genius, or at least to far exceed any expectations the parent may ever dream of for their child.
2. Every baby can learn to read as easily as they learn to talk.
3. Although education begins at six years old, learning begins at birth.
4. Our capacity to learn is highest in the first year of life and falls off year by year until six years of age.
5. Beautiful children all breathe through their noses and rarely mouth breathe.
6. Children who mouth breathe have crooked teeth and poor posture.
7. No child needs cows milk for good healthy bones.
8. None of us, including children, need meat for protein and iron.
9. The best teachers for young children are mothers or fathers, or anyone willing to give them the one to one attention they need during this early learning period.

If you’d like to learn more about the statements above:

For points 1 to 4 watch a short Youtube video ‘An introduction to the Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential’s work with children for over 50 years’

For points 5 and 6 please view my blog or a full presentation by an orthodontist

For statements 7 and 8 view thefoodconnection.org.uk

For point 9, decide for yourself after you have learnt the facts!

Michael Lingard BSc DO BBEC
totalhealthmatters.co.uk
June 2015

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It’s September, the new school year has just begun and you are already juggling complex after-school schedules and conjuring up novel lunch box ideas that won’t disappoint. But with the new school term, comes those perennial classroom health horrors every parent dreads. Soggy sandwiches, verrucas and stinking PE kits are firmly in the naughty corner, but fret not, help is at hand!

BrightStart – the smart choice for clever kids

These tasty orange flavoured droplets are great for fussy eaters, who may not be getting their RDA of vitamins. BrightStart is a brand new Vitamin D3 which contributes to brain, eye and heart health as well as central nervous system, bones, teeth, immunity and muscles. Unlike other children’s vitamins, BrightStart is free from preservatives, alcohol, sweeteners, sugar and artificial colours and flavours. BrightStart is £7.99 available from all good health stores and online at www.questexcellence.com Suitable from 1 month to 5 years.

SwimSeal – for little swimmers everywhere

We all know swimming is an essential life skill, however children can easily be put off this activity for life if they start experiencing problems in their ears, caused by trapped water. SwimSeal, originating in South Africa, has been uniquely developed by Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialists to prevent water getting trapped in the ears, which can cause discomfort, pain and can even lead to Swimmer’s Ear. Two to three drops of SwimSeal in each ear creates a natural barrier to external infection. SwimSeal’s unique formulation contains tea tree oil and medical liquid silicon and are the only drops in the UK market which naturally coat the ear canal. SwimSeal is £7.99, available from Boots and Superdrug. For babies, children and adults

Meet the new lunch box favourites

Mix it up a bit with Chi’s new 100% natural Chocolate Coconut Milk, this dairy free delight is ideal for the lactose intolerant, £1.79 from Whole Foods. Crisps are a snack-time staple so go for a healthier option with Verobica’s Snacks new Crunchy Creatures, baked corn snacks with 40% less fat than regular corn chips and free from artificial colours, flavorings and gluten free. 89p from Tescos stores nationwide.

Combat tummy bugs and sniffles before they begin

Over 70% of the body’s immune system is concentrated in the intestine, that’s why it’s so important to top up your friendly bacteria with probiotics. ProVen Probiotics are the most clinically researched probiotics brand with over 6 blind studies to their name. Top up your child’s friendly bacteria to help maintain immune and intestinal function with ProVen’s new chewable blackcurrant Child Probiotic with A-Z Multivitamins. Suitable for 4 years onwards, £5.95 from www.provenprobiotics.co.uk

Vanish Veruccas’s in one easy step

As another year of school begins, PE classes and after-school sessions at the pool are sure to increase the occurrence of verrucas and warts. Carnation Footcare’s new Verruca & Wart Remover Freeze Spray removes verrucas and warts with just one application, rapidly freezing the affected area with no need for gels, creams or plasters. This spray will leave your child’s feet free-from warts and veruccas within 10-14 days, £10.50 from www.carnationfootcare.co.uk

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There was and still is so much much confusion about when to introduce foods, what type of foods, whether to puree or try baby-led weaning… It’s not easy when we are bombarded with conflicting advice. Advice from parents, advice from friends, books, magazine articles, advertising. One minute it’s 5 a day and then it’s 7 a day, eat dairy, don’t eat dairy… so what is the correct advice?

I think most of it is common sense and with all the stories about the addictive effects of sugar I think the first major decision is to avoid as much processed sugar as possible.

I know at her nursery some parents don’t allow their children to share in the birthday cake celebrations and while I understand the thought process I think denying a child the opportunity to share and join in a celebration is a little sad and perhaps leaves the child wondering why they can’t join in. Perhaps instead of avoiding sweet treats completely, look at some healthy alternatives that use natural sugars, like honey, agarve, stevia and maple syrup. I recently made some delicious chocolate avocado brownies, raspberry protein balls and carrot and beetroot cakes for a school fete… they went down a treat and were all using good ingredients, like raw cacao instead of chocolate, fruit and vegetable powders for colouring and flavouring, dates for sweetening and avocados instead of cream.

Baby-led weaning for fussy eater

When my daughter was 6 months I decided to try the baby-led weaning, it seemed to make sense to get them to explore foods, textures and choose what they want to eat. Yes it was messy and there was lots of waste but she seems to enjoy the process. I didn’t just choose the solid foods, I mixed it with purees just because she liked eating them but added in things like cucumber, bread sticks, houmous, banana, strawberries, grapes (cut in half, length ways to avoid chocking), blueberries and then moving on to broccoli, cauliflower, carrots sticks, sardines on toast, quinoa, rice and pasta. There are some good books telling you what to introduce and when as certain foods should be introduced as they get a bit older and some tasty recipes like Avocado, chicken and potato puree.

She never really liked meat and even now she isn’t really interested but occasionally she will eat some lamb meat balls or chicken goujons. I don’t stress over what she is eating and if she refuses or says she doesn’t like it (even if she has never tried it before) I ask her to try it and then if she still doesn’t like it she leaves it, but I will still keep presenting it and gradually over time it gets introduced into her meal times.

Occasionally I wonder if she is getting all the right nutrients, I have tried vitamin supplements in the past put I think getting a colourful diet is much easier than trying to sneak vitamin powders into her food and drink.

Clever ways to hide veggies for fussy eaters

Zingology carrot ice lollie

We make carrot and beetroot juices and then freeze them into ice lollies, I mix Zingology strawberry and raspberry powders into natural yoghurt and porridge and sprinkle beetroot powder on to salads. She still won’t drink the green drinks although I successfully made a pineapple, spinach, kale and mint green drink which I froze into ice lollies!

She does have sweets but they are limited, all the party bag, christmas and easter treats get put into tins in the cupboard and occasionally she is allowed to pick a treat and we negotiate on how many sweets she can choose, but it is never more that three. It’s now July and we still have sweets left from Christmas and Easter and she rarely mentions them.

Food shopping is treated as a special occasion. I do a lot of mine online with Ocado and then once or twice a month we go food shopping so that she can choose her food for dinner and healthy snacks. Interestingly she now chooses fruit like cherries, apricots and blueberries and vegetables like peppers, sweetcorn, carrots and broccoli  as her treats and we never go down the sweets aisle!

I will never forget the excitement of giving my daughter a corn on the cob to unwrap. She didn’t know what was inside and she shredded all the outside leaves off onto the kitchen floor and was so excited to see that there was a sweetcorn inside, then we cooked it for dinner and has loved corn on the cob ever since.

Drinks are an area that I see as a problem for many parents. My daughter has never had a fizzy drink, there is no need for high sugar drinks, they rot the teeth and are full of sugar. She has always had water, occasionally milk or coconut milk (Koko) and then we buy Rocks organic blackcurrant juice. We make carrot, apple and beetroot juice and if we go out for a meal she has a bottle of apple juice (pressed and not from concentrate). I have a dislike for most children’s drinks, full of sugar, made from concentrate and not a single good thing about them. I know that at some point she will be given fizzy drinks but even now when she is given a carton of juice that is sugar laden she doesn’t drink it and if she is thirty she asks for water.

Have I got it right? She doesn’t eat all the food I prepare but she isn’t a fussy eater. Meals times aren’t stressful, there is rarely a battle over food, she seems healthy and happy and knows when to stop eating when she is full. She likes fresh fruit and vegetables, it might not be an extensive range of foods but that will build over time as she learns to explore and her taste buds mature.

I have enjoyed the process of making new recipes, trying new foods and taking her food shopping. Even though our garden is the size of a postage stamp we grow herbs and the occasional fruit and vegetable… We might only have two figs this year but she now knows what a fig is and last year we only managed to get one successful pumpkin but it’s the excitement of seeing it grow, picking and eating it that gets her interested in new foods. A few weeks ago I saw her out in the garden with the neighbours children getting them to try the salad burnet and telling them that it tasted like cucumber, the three children tried the rocket, mint and lemon balm laughing and giggling as they picked and smelt the leaves…

Tips to avoid a fussy eater

• A food needs to be presented about 10 – 20 times before a child will try or accept a food, don’t expect them to love it the first time they see it and don’t give up just because they didn’t like it.
• Don’t force them to eat, encourage them to try and negotiate on how much they need to eat.
• If they like certain foods make a meal including a few of the things they love and then introduce a new food for them to try.
• Take them shopping and show them all the amazing fruit and vegetables available, get them to choose something for dinner, take it home and ask them to help prepare it.
• Sometimes they might not like food cooked so try and offer it raw. Just because you are having a sunday roast doesn’t mean you can’t offer raw carrots instead of cooked!
• Try fun ways to introduce fruit and veg, we use Zingology fruit and vegetable powders and then bake cakes together using these sparkly powders. Stir them into yoghurts or porridge.
• Don’t exclude treats but do limit them. Try and have healthy treats made with good ingredients, natural sugars, nuts, seeds, dates, coconut and raw chocolate.
• Try rice or coconut milk instead of cows milk on their cereal especially if they can’t handle dairy.
• Try quinoa, brown rice and brown pasta instead of the refined white.
• Visit a health food store and see what healthy alternative there are such as nut butters instead of the cheap peanut butter. Rice cakes, protein bars and snacks, protein powders for fruit smoothies.
• Serve water with the meal, try juicing and if you do want juice buy something like Rocks or Zingology powders.
• Avoid fast food places like MacDonalds and KFC there are plenty of local cafes and restaurants that can offer fresh, healthy and tasty foods.
• Ask your children to help make the meals, try making home made pizzas where they choose their own toppings from a selection of vegetables.
• Most of all have fun with your food and drinks and before long you won’t have a fussy eater.

Introducing whole food and juice powders

Whole food and juice powders are an amazing way to sneak fruit and veg into the diet of a fussy eater. Zingology powders take the organic fruit and vegetable and use a gentle process to extract the water molecules leaving all the vitamins and nutrition intact. In studies at Washington State University Zingology strawberry powder was shown to retain the same vitamin C content as its original fruit. These powders are very different to freeze dried powders as they taste good enough to eat off the spoon, they can be used to turn back into juice, freeze juices into ice lollies, bake into bakes, stir into dips like houmous, hide carrot powder in baked beans, soups and stews. These powders can be a good send for parents of a fussy eater.

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