How Nature Helps Children

Many of us growing up can remember spending three hours or more a day outside. Due to today’s media and game devices, safety fears, and shrinking resources, today’s children spend an average of 6.5 hours a day with television, computers, and games!

Nature stimulates children’s imagination and creativity. Playing outside enhances cognitive functions, self-discipline, problem solving abilities, and provides a natural stress release. It has been documented that nature breaks improve test scores dramatically and increase coping skills among depressed or troubled teens.

If you can’t get your child outside among nature as often as you’d like, try bringing nature to them with our DVD. You’ll be surprised at the positive and therapeutic effects . By simply observing nature, individuals cultivate a positive attitude, renewed attention, mindfulness, and sensory awareness.

Let us know how it helps your children! We’d love for you to comment on our Facebook page or over Twitter!

7 Tips for Treating Insomnia

Insomnia is defined as having trouble falling or staying asleep. According to the Mayo Clinic, it’s one of the most common medical complaints. When you suffer from insomnia, you awaken feeling unrefreshed, which takes a toll on your ability to function during the day. It can affect your energy level, mood,  health, weight, work performance, and overall quality of life.

Most adults need seven to eight hours a night, but 30% of Americans get six hours or less.

Approximately 10 million people in the US use prescription sleep aids or insomnia medications to help them sleep.

The more anxious and stressed you are by your insomnia, the worse it will get. You don’t have to put up with sleepless nights or get on medications with scary side effects! Simple changes in your daily habits can resolve insomnia and restore your needed rest.

Take a warm bath. Don’t stay in the tub so long that you dehydrate yourself! Add some Epsom Salt and a splash of lavender oil to really enhance the relaxation experience.

Try herbal tea. There are many brands and flavors available for that perfect cup of evening tea. Try chamomile, jasmine, peppermint, or sage to promote sleep. As long as it’s caffeine free, you can even indulge in some of the Fall delights such as Cinnamon Apple Spice, Gingerbread, or Candy Cane!

Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Coffee is not the only drink containing caffeine. Tea (not herbal), chocolate, and soda are also high in caffeine. Coffee lovers – try Teeccino! It’s roasted and ground to brew and taste just like coffee. Coffee lovers desire Teeccino’s nutritious health benefits with its natural energy boost.

Alcohol may feel like it aids your sleep, but research has shown that alcohol upsets sleep and prevents deep rest.

Get physical during the day. People that work at desks have more trouble with insomnia than people who work physically hard all day. Even 15 minutes of exercise a day (not right before bed!) will give your body the activity and oxygen it needs to help you relax more and sleep better.

Keep a routine. Pick a reasonable and regular time to go to bed each night and try to stick to it. Your body will respond to a consistent routine and sleep will start to come whether you think you’re tired or not.

Listen to soothing nature sounds. Try putting our new Nature Sounds CD on repeat, or loading it onto your iPod to create the perfect relaxing environment you need to let go of the day’s stresses and drift into peaceful sleep.

Make your bedroom a place for sleeping only. Avoid the temptation of working in bed, reading

, watching television, doing crossword puzzles, or snacking. Let your mind and body identify bed with sleeping.

No wonder she can't sleep!

 

What else works for you? We’d love to hear!

6 Ways to Use Sounds of Nature

We have many great success stories and testimonials about our original Calmer By Nature DVD, and that’s great! But we found there were still situations where nature could help, but opportunities to watch DVD clips were simply not convenient.

So we heard your comments and created Sounds of Nature. Here are six creative ways to use it:

Meditation. What a wonderfully grounding way to start your day! You only need to try it for 5 or 10 minutes to see the immediate benefits, such as an increase in serotonin production, which influences mood and behavior. Low levels of serotonin are associated with depression, obesity, insomnia and headaches. Sounds of Nature makes a great backdrop to your morning centering and breathing.

Treat insomnia. How many times have you lied awake at night, either replaying the days stressful events in your head or worried about what tomorrow (or next week, or next month!) will bring? Nature sounds can help turn off the mental chatter and bring your focus inward, helping you drift off into a peaceful sleep.

Calm yourself before a stressful event. Got a big presentation at the office? A speaking engagement in front of a group? An interview? Teacher meeting for your special needs child? These can trigger much anxiety and cause you to lose your focus. Try listening to our CD on the way to your engagement and see how calm, relaxed, and confident you are when you step into that meeting!

Boost creativity. Do you draw or write? Design websites? Nature sounds can help bring out your creativity and increase productivity by putting you in the flow. You naturally tune out the voices that question what you’re creating and go with your inspiration.

Avert sensory meltdown. If you have a child on the Autism Spectrum, with Sensory Processing Disorder, or ADHD, you know it sometimes brings unwanted meltdowns. Instead of losing your patience, create a sensory area for your child that includes low light, pillows, fidgets, and a way to play the CD. All they may need is five minutes before a calm child emerges from this creative break area!

Help at naptime. Do you have a stubborn infant or toddler (or grandmother?) that hates taking naps? Put our CD on repeat and let it play softly in the room. For added success, pair it with some aromatherapy sticks or lightly scented plug-ins. (Please don’t burn candles or incense while napping – we don’t recommend it!!)

Try Sounds of Nature for yourself, and then let us know how you used it on our Facebook or Twitter pages – we’d LOVE to hear from you!

The Story of the Swift

It was last Sunday morning, a friend knocked on our door, she was holding something very gently in her cupped hands. She started talking very quietly. “I have found this in the drive,”she said.

My wife and I took it in turns to peer into her hands. We first saw long beautiful
wings and a little head all still. It didn’t look hopeful. Had it broken a wing? Had it been run over? “Do we have some Rescue Remedy?” I asked. No. All we could do was put it in a box and hope it recovered.

We heard one little movement in about fifteen minutes. The lady who found it said “I am off to church. When I come back, if it is bad news I don’t want to know, lie

to me please.”
The prospects all looked grim, and then my wife said, “Why don’t we try Better by Nature Spray?” She rushed to get it and sprayed it into the side of its beak. The little bird shook its head and started moving its wings in her hand. We took it outside into the garden and my wife opened up her hands and faced it into the wind.

Nothing happened, then suddenly it took off and flew and flew until it was out of sight. A wonderful moment; we cheered and hugged each other. That little spray had given it life.

Barry and Ilse

Calmer By Nature

Nature Sights & Sounds Reduce Pain

There have been more and more reports of the benefits of nature therapy in patients recovering from complex procedures. Amazingly, findings show that patients could get off their pain medication sooner when nature therapy was integrated into their recovery.

One particular study showed that therapy using nature sights and sounds significantly reduced pain and anxiety during Flexible Bronchoscopy.

The setting was a teaching hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, and 80 patients undergoing Flexible Bronchoscopy under mild sedation were studied. Aside from the control group who received no intervention, patients viewed lovely nature murals by their bedside and listened to nature sounds on tape before, during, and after their procedure.

Patients exposed to the nature therapy reported significantly less pain and anxiety.

Wow! Nature is powerful, indeed! Pick up your copy of Calmer By Nature and see some magical results for yourself!

Nature Sounds CD Coming Soon!

Is it sometimes inconvenient to watch the Calmer By Nature DVD when you most need it? We are about to release an audio CD version of our acclaimed Relaxation Nature DVD! You asked, and we listened. Now you can:

• Lull yourself into a soothing sleep at night
• Calm your child at nap time
• Relax during your hectic commute
• Unwind from a stressful day
• Change your mood instantly
• Diffuse an anxiety attack
• Avert a sensory meltdown from your child with Autism

Stay tuned for our official product release and ordering information. Be sure to “Like” us on Facebook for an exclusive pre-sale price! Tell your friends

Additional Films in Production

We need your help! We’re making another two films this year and would like to find common themes to put into them. For example, what nature scenes would people with Autism, including both adults and children, most like to see? Gentle rivers, deer, badgers, flowers, trees, seaside shots, birds, seals, young animals?
Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated, and please remember our films have no people, voice-overs or music; just stunning nature with her natural calls and sounds and silences.

Leave your comments below, or let us know on our Facebook page! Looking forward to your thoughts!

3 Practical and Natural Stress Fighters

Many people reach for comfort foods when feeling stressed, such as cookies, doughnuts, ice cream, or some heavy-duty classics such as mac-n-cheese or pizza. You many think you’re fighting the blues and fatigue, but these foods will cause a severe yo-yo effect in blood sugar levels and ultimately result in worse fatigue and depression.

Here are some practical and natural ways to fight stress and pick up your mood instantly:

Water. About two-thirds of the population walks around dehydrated. Dehydration can cause headaches, loss of energy, false hunger signs, and depression. Aim for six to eight 8-ounce glasses a day… drink up!

Almonds. These flavorful raw nuts contain healthy fats and tons of fiber. They are also rich in Magnesium, which boosts energy levels and helps focus.

Dark Chocolate. Chocolate lovers – good news! Small amounts of dark chocolate lowers blood pressure, is full disease fighting antioxidants, and helps prevent strokes. Plus it triggers the release of seratonin, also known as the “feel good” hormone.

So if you’re feeling down or anxious, pop in our Calmer By Nature DVD, grab a square or two of dark chocolate, a handful of raw almonds, and a large glass of cold water… you’ll feel better instantly!

Guest Post: Product Review by Spirit Of Autism

I first became aware of this amazing DVD through a LinkedIn connection with Barry Wheelock. We immediately connected and started talking about the product’s incredible (and surprising) benefits for Autism and Sensory Processing issues.

I invited Barry to speak during my Sensory Integration Teleseminar and received a copy of the 57-minute Calmer By Nature DVD to use at home. This film is pure and stunning nature footage – there are no people, no voiceovers, and no music.

The concept was created to simply relieve stress and anxiety; however it has turned into a powerful therapy supplement for people with Autism, Sensory issues, Dementia, Alzheimers, insomnia, and more. It is reliable, predictable, and safe, which are key elements for special needs patients. It even encourages communication and creates talking points for people that have difficulties with social skills and conversation. It’s also used by some of the top Occupational Therapists to aid with cognitive and behavioral therapy.

I was hoping for mild results at bedtime with my son, who can at times be-bop around like a whirling dervish until all hours of the night despite our best rituals. If the DVD helped that issue alone, it was worth the price!

What I experienced from the product far surpassed my expectations! Yes, it works at bed time just as I had hoped. It also:

• Calms him before an outing he may be feeling anxious over
• Redirects him during times of high stimulation
• Provides him with short, 10-minute “cool down” times when he needs a sensory break
• Gives him ideas for drawing and video creation projects
• Starts conversations about the wildlife we see on the film

Surprisingly, my daughter also became an instant fan. She told me that it enhanced her creativity when drawing or writing new stories and helps her overcome her blocks. It’s definitely a nice change from the blaring TV shows that are sometimes over-prevalent in our home

For me, I typically have trouble shutting my mind off when I am amidst a task list that is pages long. The overwhelm can feel… well, overwhelming! The film brings me back into the now and offers a reprieve from my mental gymnastics.

In fact, I love this product so much that I am now able to offer it for purchase in the U.S. You can view a three-minute demo here and experience a bit o’ nature magic for yourself! I highly recommend Calmer By Nature for all ages, whether you’re dealing with Autism in your family or just want some stress relief. You won’t be disappointed.

I can’t wait to see the other projects Barry has in the works, including two more films, an Audio CD version, and an iPhone application.

Debi Taylor is an Autism Research Specialist, author, and speaker. She founded Spirit Of Autism and Healing The Spectrum to educate and empower families, schools, treatment centers, and public safety sectors about Autism and other learning disabilities. She is grateful for her journey with her own Autistic child, which inspired her to keep searching for ways to make a global difference with healing and support for the increasing number of children with Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Tourette’s, and other learning disabilities.

Benefits of Nature for Children

You’ve heard it before: Nature is the best medicine. This is especially true for today’s children, who are increasingly challenged with neurological disorders and behavioral and cognitive functioning issues.

More and more the roots of basic play in nature are being forgotten; replaced with video games, television, and focus on higher test scores in schools where recess and outdoor gym classes used to take place.

Consider these facts:

• Children with ADHD and Autism are better able to concentrate after contact with nature
• Children with views of nature actually score higher on tests of concentration and self-discipline
• Children exposed to nature show more advanced motor skills, coordination, and balance
• Creativity is enhanced with the presence of nature
• Nature environments improve children’s cognitive development by heightening their awareness, reasoning and observational skills
• Nature buffers the impact of life’s stresses on children and helps them deal with adversity
• Natural environments stimulate and encourage social interaction between children

With all these benefits, you can see the vital importance of exposing children to nature regularly. It is not always practical and feasible to get to a natural environment, so why not bring nature to you?

See what everyone is talking about! Calmer By Nature – the sounds of silence ease the soul

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