Living Well and Healthy, Part 12

Relaxation Technique (continued from last week)

3. Become aware of your breathing.  Each time you exhale, say the word “one” (or any other word or phrase) silently or aloud.  Concentrate on breathing from your abdomen and not your chest.  Instead of focusing on a repeated word, you can fix your gaze on a stationary object.  Any mental stimulus will help you to clear your mind.

Continue the above for 10 to 20 minutes.  As distracting thoughts enter your mind, don’t dwell on them, just allow them to drift away.

4.  Sit quietly for several minutes, until you are ready to open your eyes.

5.  Notice the difference in your breathing and your pulse rate.

Don’t worry about becoming deeply relaxed.  The key to this exercise is to remain passive, to let distracting thoughts slip away like waves on the beach.

Practice for 10 to 20 minutes once or twice a day, but not within 2 hours after a meal.  When you have set up a routine, you can achieve the relaxation response with little effort.

Take Care of Your Teeth.  Your teeth will last a lifetime if you care for them properly.  Brushing and flossing regularly, eating a mouth-healthy diet, and visiting your dentist for regular checkups will help keep your teeth healthy.

Brushing.

• Brush at least twice a day for 3 to 5 minutes each time.
• Use a fluoride toothpaste (young children should use only a pea-sized dab).  Tartar-control toothpaste may help slow the formation of hard mineral build up (tartar) on the teeth. 
• Brush your tongue.  Plaque build-up (a sticky film made of bacteria) on the tongue can cause bad breath.

Start brushing your child’s teeth as soon as they come in.  Brush your child’s teeth for the first 4 to 5 years, until your child seems able to do it alone.  A good teaching method is to have your child brush in the morning and you brush at night until your child masters the skill.  If your local water does not contain enough fluoride, your child may need a fluoride supplement.  Discuss this with your dentist.

(Flossing, diet, and dental checkups will be explained next Monday, 17 June 2013. – J.P.)