Save Your Teeth and Live Longer

Diets bad for teeth are also bad for the body
Leila Gray leilag@u.washington.edu

Dental disease may be a wake-up call that your diet is harming your body.

"The five-alarm fire bell of a tooth ache is difficult to ignore," says Dr. Philippe P. Hujoel, professor of dental public health sciences at the University of Washington School of Dentistry. Beyond the immediate distress, dental pain may portend future medical problems. It may be a warning that the high-glycemic diet that led to dental problems in the short term may, in the long term, lead to potentially serious chronic diseases.

Hujoel reviewed the relationships between diet, dental disease, and chronic systemic illness in a report published July 1 in The Journal of Dental Research. He weighed two contradictory viewpoints on the role of dietary carbohydrates in health and disease. The debate surrounds fermentable carbohydates: foods that turn into simple sugars in the mouth. Fermentable carbohydrates are not just sweets like cookies, doughnuts, cake and candy. They also include bananas and several tropical fruits, sticky fruits like raisins and other dried fruits, and starchy foods like potatoes, refined wheat flour, yams, rice, pasta, pretzels, bread, and corn.

One viewpoint is that certain fermentable carbohydrates are beneficial to general health and that the harmful dental consequences of such a diet should be managed by the tools found in the oral hygiene section of drugstores. A contrasting viewpoint suggests that fermentable carbohydrates are bad for both dental and general health, and that both dental and general health need to be maintained by restricting fermentable carbohydrates.

The differing perspectives on the perceived role of dietary carbohydrates have resulted in opposing approaches to dental disease prevention, Hujoel notes, and have prompted debates in interpreting the link between dental diseases and such systemic diseases as obesity, diabetes, and some forms of cancer.

Over the past twenty years or so, Hujoel says, people have been advised to make fermentable dietary carbohydrates the foundation of their diet. Fats were considered the evil food. A high-carbohydrate diet was assumed to prevent a number of systemic chronic diseases. Unfortunately, such a diet - allegedly good for systemic health - was bad for dental health. As a result, cavities or gingival bleeding from fermentable carbohydrates could be avoided only -- and not always successfully, as Hujoel points out -- by conscientious brushing, fluorides, and other types of dental preventive measures. When these measures are not successful, people end up with cavities and gum disease.

Hujoel observed that the dental harms of fermentable carbohydrates have been recognized by what looks like every major health organization. Even those fermentable carbohydrates assumed to be good for systemic health break down into simple sugars in the mouth and promote tooth decay. All fermentable carbohydrates have the potential to induce dental decay, Hujoel notes.

But what if fermentable carbohydrates are also bad for systemic health? Hujoel asks. What if dietary guidelines would start incorporating the slew of clinical trial results suggesting that a diet low in fermentable carbohydrates improves cardiovascular markers of disease and decreases body fat? Such a change in perspective on fermentable carbohydrates, and by extension, on people's diets, could have a significant impact on the dental profession, as a diet higher in fat and protein does not cause dental diseases, he notes. Dentists would no longer be pressed to recommend to patients diets that are bad for teeth or remain mum when it comes to dietary advice. Dentists often have been reluctant, Hujoel says, to challenge the prevailing thinking on nutrition. Advising patients to reduce the amount or frequency of fermentable carbohydrate consumption is difficult when official guidelines suggested the opposite.

The close correlation between the biological mechanisms that cause dental decay and the factors responsible for high average levels of glucose in the blood is intriguing. Hujoel explains that eating sugar or fermentable carbohydrates drops the acidity levels of dental plaque and is considered an initiating cause of dental decay.

"Eating these same foods, he says, is also associated with spikes in blood sugar levels. There is fascinating evidence that suggests that the higher the glycemic level of a food, the more it will drop the acidity of dental plaque, and the higher it will raise blood sugar. So, possibly, dental decay may really be a marker for the chronic high-glycemic diets that lead to both dental decay and chronic systemic diseases. This puts a whole new light on studies that have linked dental diseases to such diverse illnesses as Alzheimer's disease and pancreatic cancer."

The correlations between dental diseases and systemic disease, he adds, provide indirect support for those researchers who have suggested that Alzheimer's disease and pancreatic cancer are due to an abnormal blood glucose metabolism.

The hypotheses on dental diseases as a marker for the diseases of civilization were postulated back in the mid-20th century by two physicians: Thomas Cleave and John Yudkin. Tragically, their work, although supported by epidemiological evidence, became largely forgotten, Hujoel notes. This is unfortunate, he adds, because dental diseases really may be the most noticeable and rapid warning sign to an individual that something is going awry with his or her diet.

"Dental problems from poor dietary habits appear in a few weeks to a few years," Hujoel explains. "Dental improvement can be rapid when habits are corrected. For example, reducing sugar intake can often improve gingivitis scores (a measurement of gum disease) in a couple of weeks. Dental disease reveals very early on that eating habits are putting a person at risk for systemic disease. Since chronic medical disease takes decades to become severe enough to be detected in screening tests, dental diseases may provide plenty of lead-time to change harmful eating habits and thereby decrease the risk of developing the other diseases of civilization."

In planning a daily or weekly menu, Hujoel suggests: "What's good for your oral health looks increasingly likely to also benefit your overall health."

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The University of Washington School of Dentistry, one of only two dental schools in the Pacific Northwest, is a worldwide leader in dental education and research. It ranks third among the 57 dental schools in the United States for National Institutes of Health funding in 2009. The school furnishes comprehensive clinical care and also plays a major role in public health through its service to Medicaid patients and people with disabilities or medically compromised systems.

Fixing Your Aging Neck

The neck is quite often the tell tale sign of aging in humans. The robustness of a young athlete may be revealed in the full, strong, vibrant neck. On the opposite end of life, the weak, crooked, and wrinkled neck is often a sign that life on this planet is coming to a close. It's a very visual part of the human experience.
The cosmetic component is valid, but the health issue is even more valid. A strong neck will save your life in a fall, accident, or trauma. Weak, undermuscled necks are more susceptible to whiplash, knock out, or even muscle strains.
Too often the first action taken, when you are aware of how bad your neck looks is a sprint to the plastic surgeon's office. This is effective in terms of the visual aspect, but not so effective in the practical aspect. Good surgeons can clip muscles and tighten skin and change your visual age dramatically. They offer little in the way of strengthening the neck or making it more robust and functional. Only exercise can do that. Here are some simple guidelines that can make you younger in weeks, and possibly,..... save your neck.

First off, visit your doctor to determine if exercise is appropriate for you. He may know nothing about exercise and tell you only to do walking. Fire him as a doctor and get another one who trains and has an interest in health.

These exercises use only the weight of your skull initially, to stimulate muscle growth. Most everyone is SO weak in this area, that the skull will be a sufficient level of resistance.

Lay on a bed or better yet, and exercise bench, face down, with the head free to move through it's full range of motion. Your head should be hanging over the bed or bench. Simply raise the head up and down VERY slowly for 4 repetitions. Here is the interesting part. Each repetition will take ten seconds to raise, and ten seconds to lower. This slow speed of movement will keep soreness to a minimum, and safety at an optimum. When you are finished roll to your side and repeat. You may have to brace your lower arm on the floor to be stable and secure. Make sure to work both sides of the neck. Then roll on your back. Let your head hang free and slowly lift it, bringing your chin to your chest. The key of this exercise is very slow movement.

Repeat this drill three times each week for two weeks. Then it is time to add manual resistance in the form of your own palms pressing against your head. Resistance should be smooth and even, with the same 10 second cadence. All four sides of your neck should be trained evenly. One month of training will have you actually resisting fairly hard. From here, the next step is having a training partner, someone you trust, to apply resistance in all four directions. This is the highest level of training and is used by elite athletes, but can be scaled to any trainee at any fitness level.

This simple, safe, progression will change your appearance and give you a healthier, stronger, neck. The only frosting on the cake is to use ample sunscreen to prevent sun damage and cross linkage of the skin that covers those newly developed muscles. Forget about anti wrinkling creams, jams, jellies, and marmalades. The true anti aging skin cream is called sun screen and the only true anti aging neck process is call exercise.

The End of The Sweet Tooth

It may alleviate your sweet tooth, do wonderful things for your blood sugar, and minimize your afternoon hunger. What is it? Cinnamon. This common spice apparently can do amazing things for your body. The following article examines some interesting evidence regarding this wonderful tasting product. ARTICLE
Anecdotal evidence for Cinnamon is common, but don't wait till all the hard evidence is in. Enjoy it because it tastes good!

The Most Important Book You Will Ever Read

Dr. John Sarno in my mind, should win the Nobel Prize. His methodology is so powerful it should be shared by everyone. I became aware of his success on this ABC TV report by John Stossel. Watch this, it's rather compelling.Video

The thought process is rather unique but also empowering. Dr. Sarno actually gives you power over pain and makes you part of the process. This means being responsible for how you feel. This is a new concept for many. It will be hard to accept, but he has too many files on patients who no longer have to be limited by perceived pain or injury.
Here is a two part interview with Dr. Sarno as well. He's rather convincing in his approach.
Part One.
Part Two.

Dr. Sarno's book is HERE on Amazon.

Avoid Looking Old. A Strength Coach's Opinion

Father time can be cruel. The above photo of film tough guy, Clint Eastwood, shows that even the physically elite do not escape aging. The idea is to optimize a strategy to age well. A recent forum post by noted strength coach, Dan John, gave his rather sophisticated approach to fighting the changes associated with abundant time on this planet. I've edited some of Dan's technical terms for more clarity. Insiders in the strength game sometimes talk in another language!

"A couple of quick suggestions: first, the role of muscle building needs to be addressed. One of things that starts to mellow out is the "passion" to train. Honestly, I don't have the answer there, but a few years ago, DHEA was argued to be the answer here. So, whatever it takes to reignite the spark, do it. I suggest camps, workshops, seminars, or any kind of full leap back into whatever lights you up. Relearn everything. I think that might be part of the reason things like the Kettlebells really got me going again. Call it immersion.

With that, the older guy also needs to address specific strength and muscle building issues. Now, be sure to look up tonic and phasic muscles and you really want to build up the deltoids, triceps, rhomboids, and glutes with explosive big movements. Doing stuff like Double Kettle bell Clean and Press or Double Kettle bell Clean and Front Squat will do a lot for you. At the same time, you need to do some flexibility work , but just what you need. I find stretching the pectorals, the hamstrings, the hips, the psoas and the calves to be plenty. Absolutely, things like Bikram Yoga are great, but you can get by with much less.

Don't be afraid to do workouts like my 2-3-5-10 press workout that emphasize one weight but you get 20 reps fast. Do that five times and you have 100 reps...good for hypertrophy, yet little damage to the system.
("It's the exercise where, when people see me, they say, 'Your shoulders have gotten huge! What do you do for them?' What I do is double kettlebell presses. If you want to add size [to your shoulders], here's a series to do: do a set of 2, then a set of 3, then a set of 5, then a set of 10, and repeat that [up to four more times]. Use the same weight throughout and minimize rest between sets. If you repeat that series five times, you've done 100 kettle bell presses, and that's a huge workout. It's just a marvelous workout for building size.")

Passion can come back through gaining muscle and a little fat loss. Take your Vitamin D, follow Atkins's Induction Phase, (see the recent books) and get in the sun. For supplements, do stuff like Acetyl-L Carnitine, Alpha Lipoic Acid and more Fish Oil than you think. Also, pound down the orange flavored sugar free Metamucil. Drink your water, floss twice a day, wear a seat belt and....a big one...donate blood five times a year.

Honestly, that newer Atkins book, something like the companion or something, is a great thing to follow. Eat all you want of fish, eggs, meat, poultry...one cup of cooked veggies a day....3-4 cups of raw veggies and drink a lot of water. If you drink, but the book, "Martinis and Whipped Cream." Too bad "LoCarbCris" no longer has a site. She had great low carbohydrate drink recipes. Crystal Light and either rum, vodka or tequila is a pretty good little "how you doing!."

Sleep is huge. I take ZMA, Z-12, Fish Oil, Alpha Male ( http://www.biotest.net/ ) and some Metamucil before bed (about 45 minutes before bed) every night. I also invested in good shades, good pillows, and I worry about comfort in bed. It's worth every nickel to invest in sleep. If you live in a dorm, buy ear plugs, eye shades and a CD or something that will teach you to relax and sleep. Underrated advice here...

Train in two week blocks. If you do Kenneth Jay's VO2 max, an excellent plan, do it like I do: an 8 minutes workout, a 12 and a 15. Do THAT five times every two weeks. So, week one is 8/12/15 then week two is 8/12 and week three is 15/8/12...you get the drift. Work over two weeks. If you do something like I just mentioned, week two might be three lifting sessions where weeks one and three are two. Also, you need to nail down this issue: do I do light days or off days. I can't do light. I can only workout, so for me, an easy day is "off."
( http://www.dragondoor.com/b39.html )

Don't ignore these final two things: either do Farmer Walks and/or Sprints about twice a week. I call my sprints the "Great 8." I start off slow and taper. I don't measure the sprints and merely strive for 4 "Down and Backs." The idea is to be smooth and get into a sprinting movement. Farmer Walks for distance is something you also need to do. I would argue these last two ideas tie into everything I have said (see tonic and phasic...explosive glute work...two week blocks, whatever), but many people will become addicted to the gym for their answers and the answer is probably outside. ( http://danjohn.org/ )

Having said all of this, remember that part of the victory is simply playing longer than anybody else. I'm 52 and I'm already planning how to beat the crap out of college kids next year. In ten years, I would love to say that these guys will be competing but I have the sense that I will be in the kilt or the ring or the field and they will be discovering Scotch.

Certainly, there is more, but take care of some of this..."

Dan John's book and incredible DVD's can be purchased at www.davedraper.com

The Most Powerful Nutrients

by Tom Furman

Would you like to consume a source of nutritional power that may make you healthier, leaner, and in less pain? If the answer is "yes" then look no further than your spice rack.

The top antioxidant foods including all fruit and vegetables are spices. A new study conducted in Penn State’s College of Health and Human Development is testing how much our bodies actually benefit from eating high-antioxidant spices. How quickly these antioxidants can neutralize an oxidizing agent, is called the ORAC value (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity).
Do not confuse a higher ORAC value with being better.s Always eat a diet which consists of a variety of fresh foods including fruits, vegetables, and spices.

Here are some of the top spices.

1. Ginger--(Zingiber officinale) One teaspoon of ground ginger has as much antioxidants as a cup of spinach. They have been used for arthritis, bursitis; motion sickness, nausea, and it is a natural anti-inflammatory agent.

2. Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum) are dried flower buds which are native to Indonesia. Cloves are used as spice all over the world. They are rich in antioxidants, and been shown to decrease LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels as well as improve insulin function.

3. Cinnamon (Cinamomum aromaticum) is a spice derived from the bark of a small evergreen tree. One teaspoon of cinnamon has more antioxidants than several cups fresh vegetables. Adding a little cinnamon to your diet can also help to moderate the blood glucose elevations that occur after a meal. Sprinkling some onto your cereal in the morning or into your coffee may be just what the doctor ordered.

4. Oregano (Origanum vulgaris) A popular herb used in Italian and Greek cooking, it is a high in antioxidant activity and has been used to stave off colds and flu. Oregano has both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Oregano has more than forty times the antioxidant power of an apple.

5. Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a plant from the ginger family and is native to South East Asia. Turmeric contains curcumin, which is thought to act as a strong pain reliever (by inhibiting the cox-2 enzyme). Curcumin may be useful for the treatment of arthritis as well for Alzheimer's disease, where it is believed to inhibit the formation of amyloid plaques. It’s currently being studied for its role in slowing down the growth of cancer cells as well as its ability to lower LDL cholesterol levels.

6. Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) has a long history of use in connection with chest and respiratory problems including coughs, bronchitis, and chest congestion. Recently, researchers have discovered important volatile oil components of thyme that bring about its healing effects. They are known to include carvacolo, borneol, but most importantly, thymol.

This is only a partial list of the top spices. The wonderful thing is, as you become more adept at spicing your food, the more consistent you will be at consuming these powerful foods. They are cheap, easily accessible, and improve the quality of your meals.

Hormone Replacement Therapy with Dr. John Crisler

By Tom Furman

I enjoyed attending a workshop with Dr. John Crisler at the Life Extension Foundation Conference on Anti-Aging, "Yes We Can ...Think Outside The Box" on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009. It was held at Nova University in Davie, Florida, less than a parking lot away from the Miami Dolphins training camp.

Dr. Crisler is famous for his Hormone Replacement Therapy protocol, but calls himself, "a country doctor". He basically believes in common sense. Part of that common sense is the understanding of what is "optimal" and what is normal. He specializes in men's anti-aging medicine. He views loss of hormone with aging as a manageable condition that not only improves the quality of life, but prevents disease and lengthens life.

Here are some of the diseases associated with less than optimal hormone levels.

• Cardiovascular disease
• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Metabolic Syndrome X
• Osteoporosis
• Depression
• Dementia (including Alzheimer's)
• Erectile Dysfunction

Dr. Crisler strongly disagrees with the use of Anabolic Steroids in Sports. People in general, associate HRT with steroid use. Even some physicians do. Nothing could be further from the truth. HRT is simply restoring hormones to optimal levels, while Anabolic Steroid use in athletics may be using doses at an incredibly high level. Using blood thinners in the proper amounts is life-saving for some individuals. Using 15 times the dose of blood thinner will kill the same patient.

The speech and presentation were top-notch, informative and funny. The first segment, on Testosterone, is available HERE, in Powerpoint format. I highly recommend you download it.

The second segment of Dr. Crisler's presentation was "The Un-GHRT". It revealed his beliefs on Growth Hormone replacement. He believes it is more important to restore rather than replace. With that philosophy he uses GHRP, or Growth Hormone Releasing Peptide along with supportive measures. Primarily GHRP-6. The basis of his treatment with both GH and Testosterone is very specific blood testing. Nothing is guesswork as this area of medicine has been the Doc's specialty for over nine years. His UnGHRT lecture is also in Powerpoint format and very detailed. You can download it HERE.

Dr. Crisler has been very charitable with his time and knowledge. As anyone inside the fitness business can tell you, he's been the "go to" source for solid information about hormone replacement therapy on fitness and strength forums for years. His own website has a forum for questions on a variety of subject. He's a great source of referrals for HRT physicians as well. His website is www.allthingsmale.com .

I highly recommend checking out Dr. Crisler, then talking to your physician if the signs of low testosterone creep up on you. What are those signs? Here's the Doctor's own list. Good Luck.

• Fatigue
• Loss of muscle mass
• Fat gain
• Poor recovery
• Irritability
• Depression
• Decreased memory
• Lack of libido
• Erectile Dysfunction