Medical Science: Experimental Studies and Theoretical
Foundations(Berkeley, Calif: North Atlantic Books,
1995).
Benson, Herbert The founding president of the
Mind/Body Medical Institute of Pathway Health
Network and a Harvard Medical School graduate.
Benson, a medical doctor and chief of the Division
of Behavioral Medicine at the Deaconess Hospital,
teaches at Andover Newton Theological School and
conducts medical research, lectures widely, and has
written several books, including The Relaxation
Response(New York: William Morrow, 1975); The
Mind/Body Effect(New York: Simon & Schuster,
1979); Beyond the Relaxation Response(New York:
Times Books, 1984); Your Maximum Mind (New
York: Times Books, 1987); and The Wellness Book
(New York: Fireside, 1993) (with Eileen M. Stew-
art, R.N., C, M.S.). Benson lives in Lexington,
Massachusetts.
See also BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE.
Bhakhi enema See ENEMA.
Bikram yoga A branch of yoga characterized by
performing yoga exercises and asanas in a room
heated to about 103 degrees.
See also YOGA.
bioenergetics Also called core energetics, as a
component of energy medicine, a technique geared
toward helping one connect with lower chakra
energy in the treatment of repressed emotions.
Energy medicine techniques include Reiki, reflex-
ology, shiatsu, craniosacral therapy, zone therapy,
homeopathy, acupuncture, polarity, Phoenix Ris-
ing yoga therapy, and breathwork.
See also CHAKRAS; ENERGY.
bioentrainment The principle that the brain
responds to oscillating light, sound, or magnetic-
field energies through “entraining,” or “condition-
ing,” itself to the frequency of a particular energy.
There exist devices designed to induce relaxation by
emitting light (usually red light) or energy waves to
the brain at an adjustable frequency. This modality
is also used to treat seizure activity and memory and
vision problems, among other disorders.
biofeedback A series of electrodermal responses
to changes in heart rate, respirations, temperature,
muscle tension, perspiration, brain waves, gastric
acidity, blood pressure, and other bodily functions
recorded on a machine similar to an electrocardio-
gram. An individual is connected to sensors that
pick up signals of involuntary bodily activities. At a
time of stress, these signals are recorded by the
machine to inform the person how the body han-
dled that stress. The goal of biofeedback is to help
recognize these reactions and learn to alter them
through relaxation techniques. Biofeedback is use-
ful in reducing stress as a trigger for physical disor-
ders and disease. Patients of biofeedback are
usually taught various breathing techniques as a
way to overcome anxiety and other stress
responses. This is sometimes referred to as “passive
volition,” which means developing one’s capacity
to pay attention to and relax the muscles while
doing corresponding breathwork.biological dentistry A branch of dentistry that
emphasizes the importance of tooth alignment and
jaw structure, cavities as a source of other illness,
nontoxic restoration materials, the impact of dental
toxins, and the conservation of all healthy tooth
material. Biological dentistry employs various ther-
apies that may be categorized as bioenergetic med-
icine, including neural and cold laser therapy, oral
acupuncture, homeopathy, mouth balancing, and
nutrition.
Neural therapy is based on the concept that the
body’s electrical charge that is channeled through-
out the body; an impediment that blocks or injures
this charge may lead to cell breakdown and disease.
Effective in healing wounds, reducing inflammation,
and fighting bacteria, cold laser therapy draws on
traditional acupuncture techniques, but with the use
of laser beams instead of needles. Oral acupuncture,
which involves the injection of saline solution, weak
local anesthetics, or a combination of homeopathic
remedies into acupoints in the mucous membrane,
is used for relief of pain during dental procedures;
for the treatment of neuralgia, sinusitis, allergies,
and digestive disorders; and for diagnostic proce-
dures. Mouth balancing is a modality that diagnoses
cranial structural problems that may cause illness in
other parts of the body, such as headaches, shoulderbiological dentistry 19