INTRODUCTION

This is a book to help those wanting to get better by offering tools and techniques to help themselves. As a dentist who treat chronic pain, TMJ, sleep disordered breathing and all the traditional dental issues- I have seen one thing we need to emphasize more. I have discovered how you can help yourself and as a result see vastly improved health.

As a practitioner, I have tools that I can use. However, there is no magic wand that will cure what casues anything that I treat

My tools are just Band-Aids

They are crutches designed ot help relieve symptoms. However, symptoms are just indicators of a much larger problem.

Much like the medications we provide for patients who have high blood pressure or sleeping difficulties, chronic pain, or almost any of nodern societies health problems- my tools can help to ease symptoms.

To actually address the underlying issues, we need to turn our focus to the CAUSE- an underlying problem that results in the visible symptoms of disease.

Most of what you are being given to treat symptoms will only help you get by and survive- not thrive. I want you to thrive

There are no one size fits all anaswers. Each person is iunique in what will best help them. However, there are some very significant, universal patterns that apply to many siuations.

If you want to thrive- we being with a simple idea that you and you alone- hold the key, to once and for all correct the underlying causes of your dis-ease.

You will have to put in some work.

There are a multitude of tools out there to help relieve symptoms and that is important. These tools can be very effective. However, none of them will solve the underlying casue with-out work being done by YOU.

It begins with education. This book will provide the education. By educating yourself, you will be ready to begin doing the work. This book will introduce a variety of techniques you can use to eliminate pain, illness and poor sleep cycles. Together, we will work to identify, address and ultimately correct the underlying causes.

That’s what this book is for. Within these pages—you learn a variety of ways you can help yourself.

This is not an all inclusive, exhaustive manual and your learning will likely continue beyond this book. I will introduce you to many areas that are mandatory in order for you to get better. There are no short cuts.

Remember, there is no magic potion, magic appliance, or magic injection. You are the magic.

Modern medicine may help to relieve symptoms, but you have the power to address the underlying cause.

This doesn’t mean that intervention from a doctor, a dentist, a wellness coach, an oral appliance, a technique, or medications should NOT be used—these will likely be necessary to help aid you in your journey to wellness. It is possible that too much damage has been done. Your journey to health and wellness may require a combination of modern medical or dental intervention. Just remember, without the additional work that you’ll be required to do to achieve the outcome you want, these interventions will only relieve the symptoms and not eliminate the underlying cause. If you choose not to do the work, you will not only be selling yourself short—you will almost guarantee that additional problems will be a part of you life in the future.

As we begin our journey together, I will be introducing you to concepts that you have likely never thought about. I will introduce you to the important health benefits of effective nasal breathing. I will demonstrate how important it is to breathe. You will learn how to breathe properly by using breathing exercises and techniques.

Healthy breathing is the first key to optimal health.

Proper and effective breathing will lead to significant improvement of your overall health and it will work to reduce, if not eliminate, symptoms of chronic health problems.

Its simple really. Breathe well to be well. you cannot expect to experience lasting improvement without proper breathing. Period. No exceptions. Once you have achieved the ability to properly breathe, you will then be ready to apply the other self-help concepts introduced in this book. Proper breathing applies universally to all of us. Once you are breathing correctly, your next step will be to learn what you, your mind and your body need to restore complete health. It will be your job to figure out which of the other principles and techniques you will need to address your individual needs.

Try them all. Apply them all. They won’t be difficult. Try them one at a time or all together—that is up to you. As long as you are breathing properly—you will begin to see the benefits.

I have asked my colleague and good friend, Timbrey Lind, to contribute her expertise to this work. Timbrey is a hygienist, a myofunctional therapist, and a buteyko breathing practitioner.

She educates individuals on how to better breathe, function, and lead a healthier life.

More information on her and what she provides can be found on her website integrativehygienist.com You will see her contributions as her name will appear below the titles of her contributions.

I will cite books and resources throughout where I have found valuable information and that you might want to use for further exploration.