Renowned dentist and frequent guest of The Dr. Oz Show, Dr. Jonathan Levine's book Smile!: The Ultimate Guide to Achieving Smile Beauty is the complete guide to getting a whiter, brighter smile. In this excerpt, Dr. Levine answers every question you've ever had about teeth whitening solutions.
Here's a peek at a few tricks you can find in the book.
No, they're not ear piercings. Ear seeds are like at-home acupuncture to help relieve pain, insomnia and stress. They're thought to promote comfort and relaxation.
The seeds are traditionally sourced from an herb called vaccaria, but today that can be adhesive metal or ceramic beads. They're placed on the outside of your ear over certain acupuncture points. They're usually held in place by waterproof tape and stay on your ears for up to a week.
The ear is important in traditional Chinese medicine because it's one of the areas of the body considered to be a microcosm of the body as a whole. On the ear, there are dozens of pressure points that correspond to different areas of the body. When you apply pressure to one of those points by applying an ear seed, that point activates. In fact, some in TCM believe piercing the ears —especially in places other than the lobe — can have a negative effect on your health. That's because piercings are believed to cause a disruption in the flow of Qi (energy) and other body fluids.
This is another method you can easily try at home. One of the most critical things to help reduce stress and anxiety is sleep. Insomnia is an age-old challenge, so several TCM therapies help promote regular sleep patterns. Soaking your feet is one good option.
Here's how to soak your feet for sleep and reduced stress:
1. Add three large pieces of ginger to a pot of water that's large enough to fit both feet. Bring to a boil
2. Remove from the heat and add 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Let cool until the water is no longer scolding and you can comfortably put your feet in.
3. Soak your feet for 30 minutes. You can continue to add warm water throughout the soak to keep the temperature up.
You can't talk about traditional Chinese medicine without talking about its use of nutrients.
Traditional Chinese medicine uses nutrients and herbs to target healing for a variety of issues and for prevention. The book has tons of ailment-specific recipes, as well as some do-it-all foods and nutrients (like ginger!) that are prominent in TCM methods. One of the stars of the show: Congee, a porridge that's made of grain and most commonly eaten at breakfast. At the top of the home-cooked meal list, just about everyone eats congee just about every day. It's known for its beneficial effects on the body. The book features many congee recipes.
Get a sneak peek of these recipes here — a soothing green tea (with a twist!) for when you've got a sore throat.
