Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy uses the medicinal properties found in the
essential oils of plants to affect mood. Essential oils from
herbal plants infused into oils (olive oil, for example) are
either absorbed through the skin or inhaled. So either use
them in oil that is rubbed into the skin or breathe them in
through a diffuser.
The use of tea tree oil and lavender on top of toothpaste
can relax you and soothe your gum tissue. They have a
pleasant aroma, and are best to use before bedtime.
Chamomile is also an excellent relaxant and can be used as
an extract on top of toothpaste.
Here are some specifics about the calming oils:
• Lavender: Used for burns and small injuries. Its high
ester content can give off a calming sensation to the
brain.
• Chamomile: Calms an upset mind and can reduce
mental and physical stress.
• Mandarin: Used as an oil, it can release anxiety.
• Clary sage: Used as a sedative.
• Sandalwood: Used as a sedative.
Any of these calming essences can be placed in a bath
and used to calm and relax you. Add six drops to a warm
bath and relax for ten to twenty minutes.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture can alleviate pain and enhance the immune
system in response to a vital flow of life energy throughout the body. It can alter the perception of pain by intervening
with neurotransmitters to the brain. Acupuncture stimulates
the release of endorphins, the body’s natural painkilling
chemicals.
How does acupuncture work? There are twelve major
pathways, or meridians, each linked to a specific organ, and
there are over a thousand acupoints (meridian points). When
needles are placed at these points, they stimulate the flow of
chi (heart-released energy) in the body and remove blockages.
Massage Therapies
Massage therapy is effective in healing the whole body. Here
are some different kinds of massage.
Reflexology
Foot massage. According to practitioners, when there is an
imbalance in the body, granular crystalline substances are
deposited on the reflex point. Can this correlation occur with
the mouth? Can the blockage of the meridians in the mouth
cause calcium deposits such as tartar? No research supports
this theory at the present time, but it is possible.
In reflexology massage, pressure is placed on the meridians
that run through the feet. Reflexology reduces stress
and tension by increasing the blood flow that supplies the
body. Much the same as acupuncture, reflexology removes
the blocks that inhibit energy flow in the body.
Swedish Massage
Emotions can cause muscle tension and trap energy. This
form of massage releases energy-bound muscles, reducing tension and relaxing the mind. This form of a massage can
even put you into a sleep state.
Shiatsu Massage
This Eastern technique includes acupressure and aims to
balance the energy of the body. The acupressure points are
worked, and because of muscle relaxation, the mind also
relaxes.
Aromatherapy Facial Massage
In this kind of massage, the practitioner will cleanse the skin
and then follow with circular strokes with scented oils or
creams. This is useful with the jaw muscles, which are often
tense.
Qi-gong
This energy-based therapy can help the mind, body, and
spirit in people of all ages. Qi-gong is the learning of
breathing techniques and movements that stimulate the life
force within the body. Stretching in front of the body can
enhance lung capacity. Certain exercises will help you to
recognize the chi energy within your body. Like acupuncture,
qi-gong activates the electrical currents that flow
within the pathways of the body and breaks down the
energy blocks of the body.
Qi-gong can initiate a relaxing response, which
decreases the sympathetic functions of the autonomic nervous
system and frees the mind from distraction. This then
increases blood flow to the capillaries and optimizes the
delivery of oxygen to the tissue.
You can activate the chi in your body with a therapeutic
gum massage that can also activate the immune system.
Qi-gong coordinates the left and right brain hemispheres,
promoting deeper sleep, reduced anxiety, and mental clarity.
It diminishes pain.
A simple way to get a sense of the chi in your body is to
rub your hands together. After producing heat in your hands,
place your hand over an organ. This will increase the chi. If
you are interested in increasing the chi in the area of the
mouth, then rub your hands together, producing heat, and
place your hands over the region of the gums in your mouth.
Feel your internal chi energy. See a practitioner of qi-gong
for more specific information.
Tai Chi Ch’uan
This is a martial art form that uses breathing techniques with
slow, graceful movements to improve the flow of chi, or life
force, so that the mood is calmed. It is a meditation in
motion performed by millions of Chinese people every day.
There are 24 movements in the short version, and they can
be performed in five to ten minutes. In the long version,
there are 108 movements, which takes twenty to forty minutes
to perform.
Visualization
By imagining positive images, you can overcome problems
and heal yourself. Negative attitudes—including fear, pain,
and stress—also can be changed with visualization.
I use imagery when I am in a situation that can be a
painful experience. For example, when I go to the dentist to have a tooth drilled or even a root canal, instead of getting
anesthesia I simply use my imagination and remove my
mind from my body. This takes total concentration and meditation,
but when I do so I am removed from any pain. I have
surprised many practitioners with my abilities.
Hypnotherapy
Hypnosis is an artificially induced state characterized by a
heightened receptivity to suggestion. This is achieved by
relaxing the body and then shifting the mind to an object
away from the body. If you reach a deep state of hypnosis,
then a posthypnotic suggestion can be carried out. The
deeper state of hypnosis can alter addictions by power of
suggestion.
Hypnotherapy is very effective in treating stress and
mental health problems such as fears and phobias, and even
depression. It is used in psychology to remove fears and
address problems. It can help a person stop smoking and
overcome other harmful addictions. In dentistry, hypnotherapy
is used with excellent results. It is known that hypnosis
can control the circulatory system and enhance the healing
process as well.
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