Stretch marks are visible lines on the skin surface, with an off-color hue. Stretch marks are mainly found in the abdominal wall, but can also occur over the thighs, upper arms, buttocks and breasts. Sometimes stretch marks can cover large areas of the body. While pregnancy is the main cause behind stretch marks, other reasons can be sudden gain or loss in weight, rapid growth, heredity factors, stress and changes in physical conditions.

The skin consists of three main layers: Epidermis (the outer layer), Dermis (the middle layer) and Subcutaneous or Hypodermic (the deepest layer). Stretch marks form in the dermis or middle layer of the skin when the connective tissue is “stretched” beyond the power of its flexibility due to rapid expansion or contraction of the skin. As skin is stretched, the collagen is weakened and its normal production cycle is interrupted and damaged. This ultimately results in fine scars under the top layer of the skin. Initially the marks look pink or red, but over time a thin, silvery line appears on the skin surface and a stretch mark is born. Stretch marks appear on the skin surface when someone grows quickly, or puts on weight quickly.

Anti oxidants to repair stretch marks

Anti oxidants are compounds well known for keeping skin young. These compounds have properties which repairs our skin fast and helps you to get rid of wrinkles and stretch marks. Eat foods rich in anti oxidants or apply a stretch marks removal cream for lessening your marks. Catechin polyphenols in green tea, polyphenols in apples, flavonoid in dark chocolate, lycopene in tomato, gluthathoine in yogurt are good antioxidants to treat stretch marks. Other foods like berries, pomegranate, eggs are also very helpful. One can also apply these fruits and vegetables to your cracked skin so that it heals fast. Good quantity of anti oxidants in body will not only help you to get rid of stretch marks but will also keep skin firm.

Healthy Food

Eat food rich in Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Zinc and omega fatty acid to help l the stretch marks. Fish, eggs, oranges, broccoli, spinach, almonds, lentils are foods one must have to provide body with essential nutrients to heal the cracks fast. Also drink water according to your body requirement, everybody is different, to keep body hydrated and moisturized.  Junk food should be avoided in this process.

Exercise

Exercise provides more blood and oxygen to skin that helps to give extra nutrients and vitamins that repair the cracked skin. Remember to exercise more for the region or part of the body where you have more stretch marks. Usually the stretch marks are on chest thighs and stomach, so chest push ups and pull ups are good. Similarly for stomach crunches are good and for thighs cycling, swimming and sit ups are helpful. One can also massage the area where you have cracked skin. Take a cold pack and slowly rub in on your marksa. Follow this method daily to quickly remove stretch marks.

Ointments to get rid of stretch marks

Now a days many creams are available in the market that claim to lighten stretch marks from skin. Although we have not tried any such cream or not asked any person who has used such creams, but these companies claims to give postive results. You can ask a dermatologist for getting a quick solution to your problem.

Cucumbers

Cucumbers are various nutrients and skin lightening compounds that lighten the stretch marks. It provides a lot of moisture that leads to growth of new cells that repair the affected  skin. Take the smaller cucumber and cut in into slices. Now take one slice and rub it slowly over the stretch marks for 5 minutes. Let it stay for 15 minutes, till then have some rest. Now remove the cucumber slice and wash the affected skin with warm water, apply an oil or a rich moisturiser . Cucumber helps to relax our skin cells and following this method daily will lighten your stretch marks quickly.

Avocado

Avocado is a great source for folic acid. Folic acid is widely used in stretch marks removal creams and is very good in healing damaged and cracked skin. Avocado also provides a lot of moisture to skin, hence extracts of avocado are widely used in moisturizing creams. To prepare a natural stretch marks removal cream make a paste of avocado. Now apply it to skin and let it rest for 20 minutes. Now remove it using warm water,and proceed with an oil or a rich moisturizer.  Follow this technique daily to get rid of stretch marks naturally. This will not only heal the skin but also make it soft and more flexible. You can add some lemon drops to avocado paste for getting better and more effective results.

Aloe vera Gel

Aloe vera gel is rich in anti oxidants, moisture, vitamins and has powerful healing properties that help to treat stretch marks, wrinkles and various other skin problems. Since it is antiseptic , it can also be used to heal burns, rashes and cuts. Due to its nutritional skin benefits, it is widely used in skin care products. Apply aloe vera gel to your stretch marks and let it dry for 15 minutes, apply an oil or a rich moisturizer. This therapy will soothe your stretch marks and make skin soft and beautiful. Antioxidants in this gel repairs skin cells and stimulates the generation of new skin that quickly removes stretch marks.

Potato

Potato contains starch, vitamins, minerals and skin lighting enzymes which makes it one of the best remedy for removing stretch marks. Potato speeds up the process of production of new skin cells that fill the cracks in skin. Crush one potato and extract its juice or cut in into big slices. Apply the juice or gently rub slice to your effected skin. I recommend you to apply the juice and cover it with cotton. Let it remain for fifteen minutes and then rinse it. Allow the skin to absorb the nutrients from potato so that it speeds up the process of healing stretch marks.

Honey and Lemon

Honey and lemon juice treatment is also very effective to get rid of stretch marks. While honey is full of predigested sugar and moisture, lemon contains vitamin C and citric acid that lighten the skin marks. Vitamin C also builds collagen in body that repairs and lightens the dark spots and stretch marks. Add few drops of lemon juice to honey and cover your affected skin with it. Give time to the skin so that it absorbs the moisture, vitamin C and other compounds. Follow this process daily and within weeks your stretch marks will start fading.

Natural Oils

Natural oils like coconut oil, almond oil, olive oil contains vitamin E and lots of anti oxidants that helps to deal with various skin problems including stretch marks. Massage any one of these oils to your marks daily for 10 minutes. Giving more time will soothe your skin problem and repair your cracked skin faster. For better and quick results mix aloevera gel to one of the natural oil, apply it to skin and leave it overnight.

Apply a Mixture of Coconut Oil and Vitamin E Oil

Coconut oil’s unique composition, including a variety of powerful antioxidants and fatty acids, makes it an outstanding source of nourishment for the skin when applied topically. It also contains lauric acid, a medium chain fatty acid whose only other natural occurrence is in mother’s breast milk- dermatologists suggest that coconut oil does for the skin what mother’s milk does for growing infants.

As both coconut oil and vitamin E are readily available at supermarkets, blend the two to reap maximum benefits. Apply the oil to clean, dry skin twice daily and allow to absorb. Store unused oil in a cool, dark container for future use.

Add Vitamin E- and Zinc-Rich Foods to Your Diet

Eating vitamin E rich foods is beneficial for the same reasons as its topical application- vitamin E is outstanding at protecting against free radicals and nourishing skin cell membranes. Vitamin E rich foods include sunflower seeds, almonds, leafy greens, asparagus, and papaya among others.

Zinc is necessary for the production of collagen, which gives skin it’s elasticity, as well as an essential part of the functioning of enzymes that repair damaged tissue in the body. Foods rich in zinc include sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, oats, yogurt,seaweed, oysters, etc.

Use a Homemade Scrub and Create Your Own at Home Spa

In The Green Beauty Guide, Julie Gabriel suggests a mixture of salt, honey and glycerin to get rid of stretch marks. Stir together 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon honey and 1 teaspoon glycerin in a small container; then massage onto skin for a few minutes and rinse. Afterward, wash with a gentle cleanser, moisturize (with the oil blend from above) and pat dry. Store unused scrub in the refrigerator and use within 48 hours.

Egg Treatment

Egg is rich in omega 3 fatty acids, proteins, vitamins and minerals that help to get rid of wrinkles and stretch marks. Apply the egg white to your skin, let it dry and wash it after 10 minutes. This remedy is helpful for healing stretch marks easily.

Milk Cream

Milk cream is the great source for many vitamins and minerals that helps to nourish our skin cells. Apply the milk cream directly to your skin, leave it for 30 minutes. Giving more time will help the milk cream to erase your stretch marks rapidly. Follow this method daily and within one month you will get positive results and your stretch marks will be less visible.

Orange Juice

Orange juice is rich in vitamin C that works best for treating stretch marks and lightening skin tone. Mix little turmeric and olive oil to orange juice and rub it over your stretch marks two rimes a day. Follow this technique to fade your stretch marks quickly.

Highlight

Is the opposite of contour. Highlighting is the process of enhancing; visually enlarging, drawing attention to a specific area, a feature highlight shade is usually a lighter shade.

Contour

Contour is the opposite of Highlight.
Everything that we contour we push away from the eye to make it appear less visible, in other words to minimize or give the illusion that is smaller.
A contour shade is usually a darker shade that give your features more depth and definition by contrasting against the lighter shades used on your Skin.

1. Prep your face with two shades of base. “Dot on a foundation that’s one shade lighter than your skin tone in the center of your face, and another that’s one shade darker than your complexion around the perimeter,” . Our model Jess used IT Cosmetics Bye-Bye Under Eye Concealer in “Natural Medium” (as the light base) and “Deep” (as the dark).
2. Blend the two shades. “Using a blending brush, blend the two shades on your face to create the subtle illusion of depth and dimension.”
3. Map the contours and highlights of your face. “Mark the areas you want to contour — the hollows under your cheekbones, your temples, along your hairline, jawline, the sides of your nose, the tip of the nose, and the crease of your eyes — with a brow or a concealer pencil,” . Brow gel pencils are really concentrated, yet very smudgeable and it’s easy to control the placement of their dark pigment, making it perfect for contouring. “Next, use an all-over cream highlighter on the tops of your cheekbones, on the center of your forehead, the bridge of your nose, the center of your chin, and on your cupids bow.” Here is used IT Cosmetics Brow Power Perfector Gel Pencil in “Auburn” and Mac Cosmetics Cream Colour Base in “Luna.”
4. Blend the two for a flawless finish. “Create that sculpted airbrushed effect using a flat top dense brush to buff out the two shades to perfection,” . Here,is used IT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Flat Top Buffing Foundation Brush.
Lastly, bump up the contours and highlights with MAC Sculpt and Shape Powders and consider yourself contoured!,here is used “Definitive” to enhance the contoured areas on your face and “Emphasize” to illuminate the highlighted spots.

Highlighting and contouring according to rookie rookie

Highlighting and contouring are two crafty li’l tricks that you can use to enhance your bone structure and make it look like you’re constantly under the most flattering movie lighting possible. Even if you’re not going to an event, it’s fun to experiment with elements of ~drama~ in your makeup. This tutorial will show you how to use foundation, concealer, and powder to put a spotlight on your natural gorgeousness. Let’s get to it!

What you’ll need:

• Liquid foundation in your normal shade. (I used Revlon ColorStay Foundation in Cappuccino.)
• Liquid concealer or foundation in a slightly lighter color than your skin. (Mine’s L.A. Girl Pro Conceal in Warm Honey.)
• Concealer, foundation, or powder in a slightly darker color than your skin. (I used M.A.C. Eye Shadow in Embark.)
• Setting powder (Mine: M.A.C. Mineralize Skinfinish Natural powder in Dark.)
• Blush (Mine came from a Kleancolor palette like this one.)
• A powder brush such as this kabuki brush from Claire’s.
• Optional: a foundation brush or sponge like this one from e.l.f.
• Optional: a concealer brush like this one from e.l.f.

A note on picking your contour and highlight colors: Don’t choose shades that are drastically lighter or darker than your natural skin tone. If you have fair skin, use a very light shade to highlight and a fair to medium color to contour. If you have darker skin, use a medium-toned highlight and a contour slightly deeper than your skin color. If you have very dark skin and can’t find a deeper shade of foundation to contour with, a dark eye shadow will do the trick!

step 1

After cleaning and moisturizing your skin, apply your foundation all over your face using a foundation brush or your fingers.

step 2

Blend your foundation to about midway down your neck. Since my skin is naturally darker there, this step makes the difference between my face and neck less stark.

step 3

Mix your lighter concealer or foundation with your regular foundation using a brush or your fingers.

step 4

Using a concealer brush or your fingers, apply the lighter makeup mixture to your T-zone (the area right above your eyebrows and the spot between them, if you have one; down the center of your nose; the middle of your upper lip; and the middle of your chin), your under-eye area, and right above your cheekbones.

step 5

Paint a thin line with this highlighting mixture right above your jawline.

step 6

Use a brush, sponge, or your fingers to blend your makeup until there is no visible line of demarcation between the highlighter and your foundation. You want this to look seamless.

step 7

The “contour,” or darker makeup, goes on the sides of your nose, right under your cheekbones, and around your hairline (the darkest areas on the diagram above).

step 8

Blend in your contour just like you did your highlight. Easy, right?

step 9

Apply finishing powder to your whole face to get rid of any excess shine and set your makeup.

step 10

Add blush to your cheeks, moving upward from the apples to your temples. This will add dimension to your face and give you a pretty glow.

Wow! You’re all set. Now go astound the world with your flawless skillz!

Herbal Remedies for Rosacea

Rosacea generally results in enlarged blood vessels, generally focusing on the face, particularly the nose, and often takes the appearance of flushed or red skin. Rosacea may be brought about by stress, excessive temperatures or food sensitivities, among other causes. In addition to conventional treatment choices, you might have the ability to get relief from flareups and  reduce this condition over time with certain home remedies for rosacea. Before using any natural alternative, though, ask your primary care physician so as to steer clear of allergic reactions or unexpected side effects.

Eat healthy. Nutritional deficiencies may exacerbate rosacea.
◦ Eliminate foods containing trans fats, high-fructose corn syrup, sugar, and common allergens, such as corn, dairy, gluten, and peanuts, which are known to trigger rosacea flare-up.
◦ Eat lots of whole grains, almonds, and dark leafy greens, which contain anti-inflammatory B vitamins.
◦ Eat fruits and vegetables, such as prunes, pomegranates, grapes, blueberries, blackberries, zucchini, cherries, apples, beets, kale, spinach, broccoli, and onions, which are rich in antioxidant,and bioflavonoids to strengthen arteries and veins and prevent them from dilating to cause rosacea.
◦ Eat fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as wild-caught salmon, halibut, and sardines, three times a week.

About Rosacea By Jessica Wu

Rosacea is a type of acne that occurs only in adults. It usually appears in people with fair skin, and it tends to be hereditary. It often begins with easy flushing or blushing and later produces pink bumps, pimples, and pustules on the nose, cheeks, and chin. In addition to redness, people can get enlarged capillary veins, especially across the nose and cheeks.

People with Rosacea often also have overactive oil glands and large pores. If left untreated, this condition can develop into pustules and pimples, and eventually large cysts. In addition, Rosacea can lead to distortion of the shape of the nose.

Treatments for Rosacea are varied, and often combined for more effective results. An initial option is the prescription of topical antibiotics such as Metrogel and oral antibiotics such as Tetracycline, Doxycycline, or Minocycline. Aurora Laser treatments can improve the background redness associated with Rosacea, while a Diode laser can collapse the larger veins that appear on the face. For the oiliness and acne, a Jessner peel containing Salicylic Acid can help unclog oil glands and reduce redness and pustules.

As a general lifestyle guideline, it’s essential for people with Rosacea to avoid anything that causes the skin to flush, including hot or spicy foods and drinks, saunas and Jacuzzis, and alcohol.

What Causes Rosacea According To Paula Begoun

One of the main reasons there have been problems finding a cure for rosacea is that no one knows, or at everyone doesn’t agree on, exactly what causes it. Many researchers think there’s a genetic component to the development of rosacea. Others believe that elevated levels of an inflammatory peptide called cathelicidin or high levels of an enzyme known as KLK5 in the skin’s uppermost layers play a role.

Another theory is that a mite commonly found on human skin, Demodex folliculorum, triggers the inflammation that leads to rosacea. Research has shown that those with rosacea tend to have a finer layer of superficial blood vessels in their facial skin, and these vessels are hypersensitive to internal and external factors.

Last, some researchers believe that those with rosacea have a much thinner, more delicate surface barrier. Think of the skin’s layers like the layers of an onion: On rosacea skin, the barrier is akin to the onion’s paper-thin skin; on skin without rosacea, there are more layers (literally, thicker skin) offering enhanced barrier protection.

Regardless of the cause, there are plenty of factors that can make rosacea worse! Basically, anything that causes a rush of blood to the face is an issue. All of these are triggers:

• Sun exposure
• Wind
• Hot climates
• Heavy or strenuous exercise
• Emotional stress
• Certain cosmetic ingredients
• Topical steroid creams and other topical medications that can thin the skin
• Spicy foods, alcohol, and caffeine (especially from hot beverages like coffee)

Who Gets Rosacea

Rosacea is a condition that shows up in adults, usually between the ages of 30 and 60. It affects all segments of the population, but is most common in people with fair skin tones, especially those who tend to blush easily. In fact, it’s thought to affect as much as 30 to 50 percent of the Caucasian population! Women are diagnosed with rosacea more frequently than men, but men tend to experience more severe symptoms, such as a swollen, distended nose area and more broken capillaries.

Essential Oils and Herbs for Rosacea

Several treatments for rosacea symptoms are possible, including laser therapy. Other forms of symptom treatment include using moisturizers for sensitive skin, taking herbal supplements and/or the topical application of essential oils. Always consult with your physician or other qualified healthcare provider before embarking on a new treatment.

Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender essential oil is extracted from the flowers and leaves of the plant through steam distillation. A favorite essential oil for all skin types, lavender essential oil is particularly beneficial to rosacea skin. It calms the skin and has anti-inflammatory properties.

Rose Hip Oil

Like borage oil, rose hip oil has a high concentration of the essential fatty acid, GLA. Essential fatty acids are necessary to the creation and maintenance of healthy cellular membranes, through which nutrients pass into the cells. Rose hip oil is used on rosacea as an antiseptic and to regulate sebum production.

Evening Primrose

Evening primrose oil is extracted from the plant’s seeds, which are high in GLA content. It is offered as an herbal supplement, as well as a topical oil. Evening primrose oil helps to normalize the barrier functions of the skin, maintains hydration and offers both astringent and calming effects.

Chamomile Oil

Chamomile oil is extracted by steam distillation from the flowers of the plant. The oil contains azulene, which offers superior calming effects. When used for rosacea, the oil soothes the skin and relieves inflammation.

Try Chamomile  cold compresses. Steep a handful of pure chamomile or several chamomile tea bags in three cups of boiling water for 10 minutes, then refrigerate. When you need a cold compress, dip a cotton cloth in the chamomile and apply it to the affected area until you feel relief. Chamomile may also be used as an ointment or cream applied to skin.

Borage Oil

Borage oil is extracted from the seeds of the Borago officinalis plant. It is rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an essential fatty acid. The body does not naturally produce essential fatty acids and must take them from food sources. Borage oil can be taken as an herbal supplement or applied topically to the skin. Its anti-inflammatory properties are helpful for rosacea; borage oil also reduces reddening. It is also an effective emollient and promotes healthy skin.

Feverfew

Apply a skin cream containing Feverfew to the affected area. Feverfew reduces inflammation by inhibiting 5-lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase, resulting in decreased platelet aggregation. Extracts of feverfew contain parthenolide, a potent skin sensitizer. In a recent study by Sur et al, a parthenolide-depleted extract of Feverfew (PD-Feverfew) was made and used to test for its effectiveness in treating inflammatory skin conditions, and found that it reduced inflammatory markers and reduced skin redness induced by vasodilation (similar mechanism as in rosacea), suggesting that parthenolide-depleted feverfew might be an appropriate herbal remedy for rosacea.

Green Tea

Use Green Tea. In addition, apply green tea infused face cream twice daily to affected areas of the skin. Green tea contains epicatechin, epigallocatechin, epicatechin-3-gallate, and epigallocatechin-3-gallate, which have anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and photoprotective properties, the latter especially useful rosacea, of which sun sensitivity is a hallmark. Green tea extract may also reduce the disruption of the skin barrier seen in rosacea. If you cannot find green tea infused cream, you can try the cold compress method described for chamomile above.

Licorice

Apply a gel containing Licorice  to affected areas of the skin twice daily. Glycyrrhizinic acid has also been shown to improve dermatitis. In a study by Saeedi et al (2003), 2% glycyrrhizinic acid gel significantly reduced erythema, edema, and itching in patients with atopic dermatitis over the 2-week treatment period.

Tea Tree Oil

Apply Tea Tree Oil to affected areas of skin. Tea tree oil has both antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. It may kill germs resistant to methicillin, vancomycin, and other antibiotics. Tea tree oil contains over 100 components, mostly monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and their alcohols, such as terpinen-4-ol, which is responsible for most of the antimicrobial activity.

Use tea tree oil with caution, as it may cause side effects including allergic contact dermatitis,[systemic contact dermatitis, erythema, and systemic hypersensitivity reactions, as well as conditions such as linear immunoglobulin A disease

Light-Based Treatments for Rosacea

Some of the best and most effective treatments for rosacea involve using light to target the blood vessels that cause the “red mask” and broken capillaries of rosacea. Special lasers or intense pulsed light (IPL) machines target capillaries and diffuse redness in the upper layers of the skin. These light-based treatments cause the walls of blood vessels to heat up, which damages them, causing them to be absorbed by the body as part of its natural defense.

The catch? Repeated treatments (typically 4–6 spaced a few weeks apart) are required for the redness to disappear completely, and most people will need a maintenance treatment at least once per year. Despite the need for repeat treatments and the expense involved, light-based treatments can make a remarkable difference in keeping rosacea and its symptoms under wraps, often for extended periods of time.

Contrary to popular belief, your teeth are designed to last a lifetime. Even so, an increasing percentage of Americans wear dentures. According to the dental profession, between 80 and 90 percent of our population has some observable gum disease.

Taken together, tooth cavities (dental caries) and gum (periodontal) disease, create a painful condition that causes tooth loss and is expensive to correct. Americans spend more than $40 billion a year to treat and slow the degeneration of their dental health.

Dental disease has a reciprocal effect with overall body health. If you’re over stressed and generally unhealthy, your immune system will be suppressed and dental caries, caused by bacteria, will flourish. If your mouth is unhealthy, especially with gum disease, it overloads your health every moment of the day, lowering your resistance to all disease.

A clean mouth is a healthy mouth. As the saying goes, “clean only the teeth you want to keep.” In addition to conventional care, the main way to keep your mouth clean is to eat a sugar-free, natural foods diet. The bacteria that cause dental caries (Streptococcus mutans) thrive on sugar.

Most herbalists and natural healers recommend using warming, astringent, connective-tissue-healing herbs to enhance and maintain oral health. These herbs can be used as a rinse or applied as packs (a pinch of powder, wetted to a mush with a liquid such as water or vitamin E, and tucked next to the teeth). Rinses are made by preparing a herb as tea in the usual way, or by simply stirring herb powder into water. Hold the rinse in the mouth for a few seconds or up to several minutes, gargle, and spit out. Michael Tierra, O.M.C., L.Ac., in “Planetary Herbology” (Lotus, 1988), suggests that a daily mouth wash made from chaparral will prevent dental caries. Ayurvedic herbalist Melanie Sachs, in “Ayurvedic Beauty Care” (Lotus, 1994), suggests a gum massage with a mixture containing five parts alum powder, two parts rock salt powder, three parts black pepper powder, and one part turmeric root powder. In The “Traditional Healers Handbook” (Healing Arts, 1988), Hakim Chrishti, N.D., suggests a gum pack made from rose petal, oak leaf, and carob powder.

The Ayurvedic herb, amla, is a general rebuilder of oral health. Dr. Vasant Lad, a noted Ayurvedic proponent, suggests this fruit in his Yoga of Herbs (Lotus, 1986). Amla works well as a mouth rinse, or one to two grams per day can be taken orally in capsules for long-term benefit to the teeth and gums.

Herbs such as amla that support the healing and development of connective tissue when taken internally will always benefit the gums. Just remember that since they must saturate the whole body in order to work on the gums, the healing effect of these tonics tends takes longer to become apparent. The results, however, are more lasting.

Bilberry fruit and hawthorn berry stabilize collagen, strengthening the gum tissue. Licorice root is a gem for the mouth: It promotes anti-cavity action, reduces plaque, and has an antibacterial effect.

The tooth sockets are joints, and the teeth are essentially bones. Herbs that treat the skeleton and the joints when taken internally are good bets for long-term tooth health. Standouts include yellow dock root, alfalfa leaf, cinnamon bark, and turmeric root.

Recipes

Mix 1 teaspoon each of rosemary, peppermint and lavender. Mix the herbs well and then place 1 teaspoon of the mixture in a cup of boiling water. Steep 15 minutes, then strain. Cool and use as a mouthwash.

Pour 2 cups of boiling water over 3 tablespoons of angelica seeds. Add peppermint, lemon verbena, caraway and rosemary for extra strength. A touch of orris root will perfume the breath with the smell of violet. Cover and steep until cool. Strain and store in a tightly closed container.

Combine 3 drops of cinnamon oil, 2 drops of clove oil, 2 teaspoons of sugar and 3/4 teaspoon of boric acid solution to 4 cups of water. Place in a quart container and shake well.

A very simple mouthwash with antiseptic properties can be made by combining 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar with 2 cups of boiling water. Let it cool and store in a jar in your medicine cabinet. Some homemade toothpastes can be used as effective cleansing agents for teeth and can promote general oral hygiene. Try the following:

Cut a fresh strawberry in half and rub your teeth and gums with it. Leave on for 15 minutes, then add some warm water and gently brush. This is not only a good cleaner but promotes health of the gums.

Take lemon rind and rub your teeth and gums, massaging your upper gums downward and your lower gums upward. This helps to remove plaque and tartar.

Teeth to Body Relationships According to Doctor Bill Wolfe

Your Teeth are Part of Your Body

The oral cavity is the dirtiest (by bacteria count) part of the body. In addition, there are the issues of mercury/silver fillings, nickel crowns, bio-incompatible dental materials, electrogalvanism/dissimilar metals, dead teeth (root canals), residual jaw infections (cavitations), etc., all of which can be additive in their effects on the rest of the body. In addition, the major organ acupuncture meridians flow through the region of the oral cavity and the teeth effect these organs at a distance through their effects on the associated meridian/energy pathways. Recently, there have even been numerous magazine and newspaper articles as to how gum disease can influence potential heart attacks strokes, etc. Therefore, the health of our mouth is crucial to our overall health, as our body is all one piece.

Dentistry is not an Exact Science

Dentistry is an art form, and every dentist develops their personally unique way of “practicing” dentistry. For me, my personal conception of the practice of dentistry began when I was 14 years old and working as a part time dental assistant. At this time, in the early 60’s, the technology of mixing mercury/silver, amalgam fillings was to add the liquid mercury from a dispensing vial to the powdered metal phase and to then mix the two components in an “amalgamator” device to incorporate the mercury into a mixture, or amalgamation, with the other metals. The resulting proportions were approximately 50% mercury, 30% silver, and the rest varying percentages of zinc, copper, and tin. (similar percentages as modern day amalgams) The amalgam was then squeezed by the assistant in a cotton “squeeze cloth” to express the excess mercury from the mix (no gloves were used in 1962) into a jar to be stored in a “safe place”. Invariably, some mercury would be spilled onto the counter top. In the process of wiping the mercury globules across the table top into the jar, I would play with the globules, separating and recombining them, although the dentist I worked for would tell me not to touch the mercury.

One day I asked him why he didn’t want me to touch the mercury, as it was fun to play with. He replied that mercury was a poison, to which I asked him, “then why are we putting it in the kids’ mouths?” He said “that’s different”. I figured he was a doctor, he should know. I was “seduced” by the doctor image and didn’t question the use of mercury in dentistry again until 27 years later in 1979, after having been a dentist for 7 years, at which time I had become very ill. This time I was the doctor, and I made the decision to no longer use mercury in my practice.

In a quest to regain my health, to stay healthy, and to develop a wider range of therapies for my patients, I studied homeopathy, electro-acupuncture, the meridian system, applied kinesiology, naturopathy, magnetic, color and sound therapy, myotherapy, auriculotherapy, enzymatic therapy, detoxification, etc. The conclusion resulting from studying all of the above is that yes, the body is all “one piece,” and that the oral cavity, the teeth and the dental materials within are a vastly overlooked and important component to the systemic health puzzle.

The Western medical paradigm taught in medical and dental schools is basically that if you can’t dissect it in gross anatomy class, it doesn’t exist. They are right. My cadaver in dental school didn’t have acupuncture meridians. However, you and I do have Chi (life energy) distributed throughout the body by the intricate meridian system. Classical acupuncture (needle stimulation) and electro-acupuncture (electro-dermal stimulation) are techniques to stimulate and/or sedate these meridian/energetic pathways. However, the original advanced approach to acupuncture, upon which more advanced and complex/computerized systems have now been developed, was the electro-acupuncture system according to Voll (EAV).

Dr. Reinholdt Voll, a German physician and scientist developed EAV in 1953. Dr. Voll was trained not oniy as a medical doctor, but in classical Chinese acupuncture, as well as electronics. After developing an instrument named the Dermatron to measure the electrical characteristics of acupuncture meridians, Dr. Voll established how the electrical characteristics of an acupuncture meridian measurement point remote from the associated organ can reflect the pathology of the organ to which those points refer. Another premise which EAV proved was that a seemingly insignificant process going on in the body (a focus) is capable of producing a disturbance in this meridian flow and creating effects distant from the site of the focus. Furthermore, Dr. Voll found that the most common site of a focus is in the teeth and jaws!

I was very fortunate to study with Dr. Voll, and by following his testing techniques I repeatedly demonstrated how a disturbance field (focus) in the oral cavity can effect distant organs. The basic meridian system runs through the oral cavity and a focus in the mouth can be an energetic disruption on a particular meridian flow. The partially blocked meridian flow creates a reduced energetic nourishment to that organ, resulting in a physical symptom.

The Origins of the Meridian Tooth Chart
In Chinese medicine, much attention is focused on a universal energy of life called “chi” or “qi”. This force that’s present in every person and every other living creature is believed to circulate through the body along pathways called meridians. When the energy flows freely, everything is fine and good health is maintained. When chi is blocked, however, you experience pain, illness and other symptoms of the disruption.

Think of these meridians like rivers. When these rivers flood, there are disasters, including short-outs of the electrical circuits resulting in outages. The purpose of acupuncture is to restore the normal flow of chi and therefore restore normal body function by stimulating certain points and freeing the pent-up energy.
So what does this have to do with dentistry? Many years ago, I learned about the Tooth-Organ Chart that associates each tooth in the mouth with a specific organ system in the body. I was skeptical then, but after years of study and feedback from people that use the chart, I’ve become convinced that our teeth really are connected to the meridians in our body, and that the relationship between oral health and overall health is very real.
When a tooth becomes damaged by infection or a high galvanic current, that creates an imbalance that blocks the flow of chi energy. As a result, whatever organ system is connected by meridian to that tooth is negatively impacted and overall health and wellness is compromised.

Holistic Dental Uses For The Tooth Chart

One of the most important things biological dentistry can do for you is to eliminate imbalances within your body and reprogram or restore the mouth back to the state of balance in which it is intended to be. When dental concerns are addressed, I’ve seen the proof that systemic conditions like digestive issues, joint pain, headaches, fatigue and sinus infections can correct themselves. Even heart palpitations can spontaneous correct themselves when dental issues are treated with biological dentistry techniques.

Metal in the mouth is one cause of chi disruption. Mercury-containing fillings — so-called silver fillings — generate electricity in the mouth. This electricity is conducted along the nerves in your body. You have a natural current traveling through your body, but this additional current overloads the body, creating conditions like swelling in your joints, pain all over your body and tissue deterioration in your organs and elsewhere.
But a sensible biological dentist with a strong understanding of the connection between the teeth and the rest of the body can see that the mouth is often the cause of patient symptoms and can create cures for systemic issues that other kinds of doctors can’t fathom. When you can’t get an accurate diagnosis or effective treatment through the usual channels, consider turning to a biological dentist to help you improve your overall health.

Simply put, if you have a bad tooth, the energy flowing through and around it will be disrupted. And that changes the state of health in other parts of your body — depending on which tooth has the problem. So if you have a problem involving your stomach, breast, liver or kidneys, for example, and can’t figure out how to clear it up, maybe it’s time to turn to tooth number 14, the first molar on the upper left (reference teeth chart above). If there’s a problem with that tooth, correcting it could solve your other problems too — and allow you to lead a better, healthier life.
Here is the chart to serve you: