Interesting Dental Health Link

Can Teeth be Remineralized Naturally?

Lately I have been particularly interested in dental health and remineralizing teeth. Can it be done? Some bloggers think that you can do it with dietary changes and things like oil pulling. The most common elements are swishing with coconut oil for 20 minutes every day, taking a fermented cod liver oil supplement for the Vitamin D, butter oil, a calcium source like raw dairy or bone broth, and avoiding foods high in phytic acid. The last is very important and turns a lot of what you have learned about nutrition on its head. Beans and grains are high in phytic acid and have to be soaked before consuming if at all. What the diet comes down to is basically the Paleo Diet and this explains in part why cavities seemed unusual for cavemen.

Check out the link below for some more detailed discussion on this fascinating topic

http://rawfoodsos.com/2010/01/24/dental-drama-tooth-problems-on-the-raw-diet-part-1/#comment-144693

Foods That Prevent Prostate and Other Types of Cancers

It's movember, the month many men grow moustaches to show awareness of prostate cancer. Overall people have become more aware of risk factors to cancer, but prostate cancer is still the second most common cancer. This interesting map shows rates of incidence of most different types of cancer

http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-info/cancerstats/world/incidence/#By

The map is interesting because it shows rates that are sometimes significantly different in similarly developed countries in different regions of the world, and because certain ethnic groups have much higher or lower rates of cancers. I was especially struck by the high rates of liver cancer in Mongolia. It has an incidence rate of 78 per 100,000 people compared to just 22 per 100,000 in neighbouring China.
According to this article it is due to high rates of hepatitis infection

http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2811%2960448-0/fulltext

 An important thing to remember though is that sometimes lower incidence rates mean lower detection rates or that people are just dying earlier of other causes before the cancer can develop. Increasingly though nutrition is being linked to lower rates of certain types of cancers. The book "The China Study" linked the consumption of animal products in western society to higher rates of cancer. The book's conclusions are controversial but the evidence of higher cancer rates in western influenced Japan compared to China are compelling.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_China_Study#Eight_principles_of_food_and_health

Much research is being done now that is slowly revealing that particular foods will have special effects on particular or many different types of cancers. Foods like berries and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage seem to have tumor shrinking properties in animal studies. Tomato consumption seems to result in lower rates of lung cancer, and habanero peppers caused prostate tumors to self destruct by blocking testosterone from entering them and other factors. And the list goes on. Indeed Mexico with it's high habanero consumption seems to have a very low rate of prostate cancer as the aforementioned map shows.

http://www.watershedsentinel.ca/content/investigating-habanero-peppers-prostate-cancer

But for all this readily available information doesn't seem to be getting publicized a lot even during this month of prostate cancer awareness. There are a few good articles out there to read like the one I link to here.

http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/prostate-cancer-procrastination-6-foods-eat-today#1

As you can see this list included tomatoes and broccoli (cruciferous) as well as Green Tea which some theorized was a factor in China having lower rates of certain types of cancer compared to the west. Antioxidant rich food like pomegranates or berries could also be a factor in the prevention of cancer causing damage to your cells. As for myself  I drink green tea, eat berries, and try to get some organic greens every day. I find broccoli to be a very versatile food and it is known to be rich in a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. It's inexpensive and I always chop up the stems as well to add to stir fries or steam them with garlic and butter which is very tasty too. A good part of getting the proper nutrients is establishing a routine for yourself to get all these important things into you over the course of a day. In my case I start out the day with a spoonful of berry powder, and work in other things in like tomato juice with Omega3s (anti inflammatory) stirred in. Once your own routine is established you should start to see the effects of these antioxidant rich foods on your own outward appearance like better hair and skin quality.

The Best Foods For Dental Health

So I noticed the other day that my molar was wearing down and it got me thinking about what I could do naturally to reverse this condition. An ugly cavity I missed at the back of my mouth. I was already aware that our teeth can re-mineralize on their own because typically when I feel something is coming on, I increase my consumption of calcium with milk and other supplements. I am surprised about this particular tooth though because I have largely eliminated refined sugar from my diet. What I didn't know though was that the best re-mineralization results were achieved when grains, nuts, and beans were also eliminated or largely reduced. This is because these foods will result in high amounts of Phytic Acid in the body, which in turns binds with calcium that would otherwise be used to maintain the teeth. Interesting isn't it. Other minerals in turn are less readily absorbed as well, and this has the greatest effects on children's health. Sadly for vegans the ideal diet for dental health is more difficult to achieve as the foods with the lowest amounts of phytic acid are things like meat, fish, and raw dairy. As some commenters say this is very close to the paleo diet. Vegans often consume large amounts of tofu (bean curd) and grains which could result in high amounts of Phytic Acid. There are however calcium supplements on the market which could help. My largest problem has been finding one that is unflavoured in stores where I live though. So far they all seem to be flavoured with Stevia or Citric Acid (even when that package said unflavoured!). Very annoying. I am taking some of that though, along with extra milk, using a Sensodyne toothpaste labelled repair and protect (it contains calcium as well), and using a natural dental gel  that kills cavity forming bacteria with essential plant oils. For me it would take too long to wait and see if this tooth repairs itself though so I will need to get a filling from the dentist. All the same though my diet is changing as much as possible.

Check out the graph showing the cavity/remineralization rates with various diets in this article about reversing tooth decay.

http://wellnessmama.com/1756/reverse-tooth-decay/

Just for fun I also looked up whether people could make their own fillings. Turns out that they can! And very simple as well too!

For people who do not have coverage for dental operations, maybe this temporary filling could help. It only involves zinc powder and clove oil so it is not expensive and such information could save some teeth !

 http://www.toothacheselfhelp.com/fill-your-own-teeth/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GC8RxLnbio

Another important issue for dental health is the use and consumption of sweeteners. Lately I have been using a calcium supplement sweetened with stevia. I had been searching for a totally unsweetened calcium powder but I had to settle for the Natural Balance SeaCal. It seemed to be the closest thing but after doing some reading online about stevia I won't be buying this product again. It appears that Stevia may have all sorts of negative effects for overall health! Even for diabetics because there is evidence that sweeteners other than refined sugar can still cause an insulin response. And according to this blog below liquid stevias may contain glycerine that may interfere with the remineralization of teeth. Not a concern in the case of the Natural Balance powder, but still something to be aware of.

http://empoweredsustenance.com/is-stevia-bad-for-you/

And although Stevia does not provide nutrition for bacteria that help create cavities, some dentists have warned that their has not been sufficient studies to guarantee that stevia does not harm teeth in other ways.

 http://www.dental-tribune.com/articles/news/europe/7965_stevia_might_harm_oral_health_dentists_suggest_.html

There is xylitol also but that is an artificial ingredient so that does not really attract me much to it.

 http://cyberdentist.blogspot.ca/2011/02/sugar-substitutes-better-for-your-teeth.html

We do still need glucose for proper body function though so things like fruit in moderation and raw honey may be the best option. Milk surprisingly will feed the bacteria causing cavities so you have to be careful to brush after drinking it. The calcium is important though for building strong bones and teeth.

I have also bought coconut oil to swish and Cod liver oil for Vitamin D. Apparently the Coconut Oil swishing removes a lot of toxins and acts against bacteria. Great article about it here.

http://wellnessmama.com/7866/oil-pulling-for-oral-health/


For further reading this site also has a lot of general information about the way bacteria harm your teeth.


http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/plaque-on-teeth

Does farming crops kill more animals than raising livestock animals?

When it comes to vegetarianism vs meat eating the costs to animals is not always very clear cut. While vegans can often be quite sure of themselves when eating a bowl of oatmeal there are other consequences that they may not have considered. Growing crops may kill more animals and living creatures than pasturing cows in a field. Here is why. Large scale farming involves the use of heavy machinery and vehicles that will run over many small animals in the fields. Groundhogs, mice, voles, snakes just to name a few. Grain farmers will also poison millions of mice periodically, which will also result in their offspring perishing. Pesticides used on non organic farms will also kill billions of insects. Using a field to grow crops will also drastically alter the ecosystem and natural plant life while using the same field for pasture will largely preserve those things.

Not so black and white is it ?

Consider that this situation only involves grass fed cattle though. It's easy to see that factory farms for chickens are far more harmful than that cattle pasture. And some farms do not use machinery and instead just have people harvesting by hand. My personal philosophy is about minimizing the damage to other living creatures. Vegetarians would be well advised to think more closely about how the food on their plate came to be there and make their food choices accordingly. I got some great stats on the question of whether crops or raising livestock is responsible for more harm to animals here. Sometimes you have to pick the lesser of two evils.

 http://www.quora.com/How-many-years-do-you-think-it-will-be-before-people-stop-eating-meat-What-do-you-think-the-biggest-obstacles-will-be-to-achieving-this/answer/Colin-Wright-9/comment/5726874?__snids__=586356254&__nsrc__=1&__filter__=all&share=1#comment5729255

Gorillas: The Muscular Vegans. How do they do it?

How can gorillas and chimpanzees  be so closely related to humans but are so strong and muscular on a vegan diet?

When people try to survive on the same diet as their close genetic relatives the gorilla they tend to wind up weak and scrawny. The diet these people consume is called the fruititarian diet. Even vegetarians and vegans must use a carefully planned mix of food and often must also add supplements to their food to avoid becoming deficient in certain vitamins and minerals. Gorillas eat a diet primarily consisting of leaves and fruit and yet a gorilla is stronger than practically any human. Where did our diets diverge and why? I asked this question on a great site called Quora and got a very well written explanation. Link to it here

http://www.quora.com/Questions-That-Contain-Assumptions/What-evolutionary-factors-resulted-in-gorillas-having-the-ability-to-process-protein-from-vegetation-when-humans-do-not/answer/Trevor-Best-2?share=1

Picking the Right Pet Food

My Opinion on a Biased Article About By Products in Pet Foods 

Just read this article and found it very frustrating that this information is being spread on the internet when so much has been done in the past decade to improve the quality of pet foods that are available.

http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/dog-food-label-ingredients/#comment-205592

 As a person with many past and present beloved family pets I do quite a bit of reading on pet foods and want the best for them. One of our family pets did die a painful death from cancer before I started learning about pet foods, and I think it is possible that cheap pet food was a factor in the development of that cancer. Pets live short lives but we all want them to be healthy and spend as much time as possible with us. Playing the odds and giving them the best diet possible is a step in the right direction. I want to share what I have learned in the hopes your pet can live a healthier life.

The important thing to remember is that the main source of material for this opinionated article is Pedigree dog foods. This company manufactures a food with  By-Products in the ingredient list. Hardly unbiased.


Now lets take a closer look at Pedigree Dog Food. They do a lot of advertising {unlike the really good super premium brands interestingly) and their commercials show leaping happy dogs. But how good are their ingredients?

Here are the ingredients for their original formula food.

 http://www.mypedigree.ca/en/our-food/foodproductlist/dryvitalityib/

There are a number of things wrong with this food. First of all the first ingredient which is the largest by weight is corn. Think about it. We make syrup out of corn so that's not going to be good for their blood sugar, and probably bad for their teeth as well. It's a simple carb with little nutritional value. The next ingredients are meat and bone meal, and animal fat. Meat and animal fat? From what animal? I don't know where this company gets their meat meal. When you buy a food with meat and animal ingredients what  assurances in general are there  there that it isn't from a very bad source. Are those sources  euthanized or diseased  animals, expired grocery store meat,  road kill, or even restaurant grease? These questions need to be more clearly answered by the government and pet food makers. http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-industry-exposed/dogs-meat-meal/

Try finding a pet food containing By Products with OVERALL ingredients as good as a food with HUMAN GRADE chicken. You will have a hard time doing that. Really good quality brands that I would feed to family pets like Orijen, Fromm, and Go Natural have meat that is specially inspected to be fit for human consumption. That of course means that the ingredients are not from euthanized animals etc. Secondly the really good quality foods do not have filler like simple carb wheat and corn. Instead they contain antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables that support the overall health with natural sources of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. These fruits and vegetables may also have valuable cancer and disease preventing properties for your pet just as they will for you. In the long run spending money on better pet food may save you money on vet bills. Any trip to the vet will likely cost you enough money to  buy  a lot of dog food. At an average cost of about $70/bag good quality dog food winds up costing you about $2.50 a day. Not so bad when you look at it that way right?

They also will not have any artificial colors or preservatives like many cheaper byproduct pet foods. Those chemicals will build up in your pet and be a risk factor for cancers. On top of all this really good quality foods contain probiotics that can help with digestion. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria in your pet's stomach that can help break down food and promote good health.

These days people consider their pet a member of the family and want them to eat as good quality food as the humans. Would you eat a diet of byproducts, corn/wheat, and synthetic vitamins? How healthy do you think you would be? Still think a food with byproducts is better? Look up that brand on dogfoodavisor.com and see what they say….

This pup is going to eat the best food possible.

Benefits of Blackstrap Molasses For Your Hair and Skin

 The Many Beneficial Compounds in Molasses

I find hair an interesting subject. How much can it be protected by nutrients in food? Sometimes I see someone in the grocery store and wonder if they had picked different foods or a more organic shampoo their hair quality might be improved. What if they gave up smoking or had less stress? Does it make a difference? There are quite a few things that seem to be beneficial including zinc, copper, vitamin B12, Omega 3s, antioxidant Superoxide Dimutase and Catalase. Pretty hard to fit so many supplements in your diet. I have tried a few things like the Chinese Herb He Shou Wu (The Man With Black Hair), and copper tablets. Certain things do contain a combination of these substances and one such is Blackstrap Molasses. Blackstrap molasses is what is left over when sugar is refined from sugar cane. While it may be the leftover, in this case the leftover contains most of the nutrients including zinc and copper. The little paint factories that make the colours in your hair need many nutrients to function effectively. One theory about damage to hair as you age is that mounting levels of free radical hydrogen peroxide eventually bleaches your hair and damages the follicles, while you produce declining amounts of antioxidants. Pretty interesting stuff. I buy my molasses in bulk containers at a local supermarket. I tried it out for a while and while it does not seem to sweeten tea much, the main problem is that it's so messy! Check this link for more detailed information.

 http://www.naturalnews.com/046100_blackstrap_molasses_hair_growth_nutrition.html