HEALTHY LIVING TIPS

A large percentage of us can admit to sugar cravings.  In fact, you may be hard pressed to identify someone who does not like the taste of sugar.  Sugar can be detrimental to weight loss efforts, as the body stores excess sugar as fat.  Experiencing sugar cravings does not mean that one is weak-willed or it’s “all in their head”.  There are actual biological reasons for craving sugar.

Many times people crave the foods that are actually harmful to their body.  And sugar is definitely detrimental.  It is pro-inflammatory in the body, weakens the immune system, contributes to weight gain and tooth decay, acidifies the body, depletes nutrients, and increases the risk of cancer, just to name a few.     

So what is sugar?  Sugar is the generic name for sweet, simple carbohydrates.  Examples are fructose (in fruits), lactose (in milk), sucrose (in maple syrup, sugar cane, and sugar beets) and sucrose (table sugar).  When we ingest starches and sugars, our body converts them into glucose, our blood sugar.  This is either utilized by our body for energy or stored as fat.

Diabetics have elevated blood glucose levels because their bodies cannot metabolize sugar properly.  The most common type of diabetes that is growing in epidemic proportions is type 2, and in many cases it is completely preventable through diet, exercise, and weight loss.  The American Diabetes Association estimates that 23.6 million Americans have diabetes and nearly 1/4 of them do not know they have the disease.  Eating lots of sugary foods along with carrying extra pounds can put you more at risk for developing diabetes.

When you experience sugar cravings, there can be several things at play.  One is low levels of serotonin.  Carbohydrates such as breads and pastas and sugary foods are a quick source of serotonin, our “feel good” chemical messenger in the body.  This is why sugar can be so addicting – it can help us temporarily feel better.  But very shortly the body uses up the serotonin and we experience the blood sugar “crash” and lower serotonin state, and the cycle repeats itself.  Adrenal fatigue can be another cause of food cravings.  Chronic stress, illness, poor nutrition, and medications can increase the work load of our adrenal glands contributing to a state of feeling “tired but wired” and wanting a quick energy fix.     

These imbalances can be corrected!  Proper nutrition can go a long way to supplying the body with the nutrients it needs to produce adequate amounts of serotonin, cortisol, and other chemical messengers.  In addition, types of food such as protein do not cause the increased elevation in blood sugars that carbohydrates do, so you are less likely to experience the dip that can promote cravings and hunger.  Chromium is a mineral that can help stabilize blood sugar and reduce sugar cravings.  Other vitamins and minerals, amino acids, and herbs for the adrenals can be utilized as appropriate to help bring the body back in balance as well.

Sugar is hidden in the vast majority of processed foods.  For example, the next time you reach for that bottle of low-fat dressing, soda pop, or can of tomato sauce, take a peek at the label.  Watch out for ingredients ending in “ose” as it signifies the food contains sugar.  The closer the word is to the top of the list of ingredients, the more sugar the product contains relative to the other ingredients.  One can of regular soda can contain nearly 10 teaspoons of sugar.  That’s almost the entire daily “recommended” amount of sugar in one item!

So if you would like to stop the sugar cravings and lose weight, switch to a whole foods diet with abundant amounts of vegetables and lean protein such as fish or chicken, and moderate amounts of carbohydrates in the form of whole grains and fruit.  Eat smaller meals and healthy snacks throughout the day and make sure you eat breakfast.  Consider a multivitamin and source of omega-3 fatty acids such as fish oil to help insure you are getting optimal nutrition.  Commit to regular exercise.  If this does not do the trick, seek the advice of a health professional who can help identify probable imbalances and correct them.  So rather than blame yourself the next time you experience a craving, take it as a sign that your body is letting you know that it is probably not getting what it needs to be optimally healthy.



By: Marci Scott

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TRY CYLAPRIL FREE

Orthodontics braces are an excellent way to have your teeth straightened. Unfortunately, your orthodontist can’t do it on his own; braces simply won’t work without a little help and care from you. Avoiding certain things, caring for them properly, and keeping a good oral hygiene routine will give you the best results and will prevent you from having to wear the appliance longer than you have to.

Choosing The Right Foods

While the foods you can eat remain fairly wide open, some foods should be completely avoided at least until after the orthodontist has removed your braces. Foods that are sticky such as gum and chewy candies get into the hidden areas of the orthotics and can cause serious tooth decay. Foods high in refined sugars are also big culprits of this problem and need to be avoided. Crunchy food items and those that are sticky or hard can also cause the wires to break or bend, affecting their ability to straighten your teeth.

Other hard objects that people often put in their mouths such as their fingernails, ice cubes, and pencils can damage braces badly as well. Popcorn and the husks that come with it are terrible for braces. The popcorn gets underneath the metal braces, go down beneath the gum line, and can bend, break, or become wedged in the wires of the braces. This causes severe irritation while wrecking the braces themselves. Lastly, citrus fruits and other foods high in citric acid will weaken the enamel of your teeth leading to sensitivity and tooth decay.

Proper Oral Health Care

One of the best tools to have to care for your teeth, gums, and braces is a soft-bristled toothbrush. Using it several times a day along with a good flossing technique will prevent plaque, gum disease, and decay from forming in your mouth. Many dental professionals suggest using a Waterpik before you floss or brush to get your mouth as clean as possible.

Many brace wearers avoid or miss dental appointments because of the discomfort associated with adjustments. These appointments are not only necessary to ensure your teeth are straightening correctly, but actual dental appointments are vital as well so that the overall health of your teeth and gums can be checked. In fact, missing these appointments can cause you to have the braces on for a longer period of time because the teeth didn’t align properly or the gums swelled limiting their movement. Between appointments, you need to have any damage repaired immediately to avoid this potential problem as well.

Habits To Avoid With Braces

While these habits are not good for anyone, continuing with the habit while wearing braces can be very destructive. One of the first things the orthodontist will warn you about is not to chew on hard objects like pencils or tear open packages with your teeth. Biting on your lips or fingernails is also a bad idea. It might not seem like it at the start, but using your tongue to put pressure on your teeth the wires of your orthodontics to bend and can even force your teeth to go out of alignment.

Additional Tips For Orthodontics

Braces often have sharp or protruding edges on them that can cut your tongue. One of the best ways around this, at least until you get used to wearing them, is to rub a little dental wax on the braces. Orthodontists also recommend massaging your teeth and cleaning your braces for a half hour each night by using a dry toothbrush with no toothpaste. This helps alleviate discomfort and keeps everything clean.

It might not seem like it at the start, but braces are relatively easy to look after. They do require a few special rules and restrictions, but so long as they are looked after properly, you with have the smile you were looking for in no time at all.



By: Christine OKelly

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FREE TEETH WHITENING

Dentists stopped being tooth pullers long ago. With all the different advances today in dentistry, there are many new facets of the field. Cosmetic dentistry is something that did not exist a few years ago. You may be confused between the cosmetic dentist and a general dentist. Let’s take a look at what a general dentist does.

The general dentist deals with what it sounds like. He deals with general issues regarding your teeth. This is the oral professional that deals with most of the problems. They have training and specialize in the techniques to ensure proper oral hygiene. They clean your teeth and repair them and helped intervene to prevent dental loss and potential gum damage. For many people this is the only kind of dentist they will ever see.

As opposed to the cosmetic dentist whose primary focus is to do the things that make your teeth look perfect and great, your general dentist is focusing on making sure that you have great chops to eat your food with and that you don’t get periodontal disease.

One of the biggest things a dentist deals with is cavities. With tooth decay, the general dentist is the one that will remove the bad tissue, take away the damaged enamel, clean the area, and then fill it with either metal or porcelain.

The dentist or general dentist will also deal with things like root canals. If you have an inflamed nerve or potential decay that is not repairable, the general dentist is the one that will remove that nerve and then ultimately the tooth if necessary.

Your general dentists does other tooth repair like handling a loose filling or reshaping a broken tooth.

And, don’t forget the regular checkups. Your dentist is the one that you visit to get your teeth cleaned and polished, and also the one that takes the x-rays to make sure that the overall health of your teeth and your gums are the way they should be. You may remember getting fluoride treatments when you were younger.

Finding a great and general dentist is a process that can take some time and referrals typically are what you’re looking for. Find a dentist that has a great rapport and wanted you so comfortable with. If you are looking for other than regular dentistry, your dentist may actually be able to perform the procedure, as there are much more cross over in industry these days. For things like porcelain veneers, lumineers, or bleaching, you may need to seek the expertise of the cosmetic dentist. In another article, we will be discussing what the cosmetic dentist specializes in.



By: Matt Chang

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FREE TEETH WHITENING

When needed, orthodontic treatment not only enhances your smile, it also prevents existing problems from worsening. Besides correcting a less-than-perfect grin, orthodontics:

• Helps to prevent tooth decay, periodontal (gum) disease and tooth loss by easing apart crowded, hard-to-clean teeth

• Alleviates a bad bite (malocclusion) that can lead to abnormal wearing of tooth surfaces, chewing difficulty, and bone and gum tissue damage

• Helps relieve jaw joint pain by properly adjusting poorly aligned teeth

Getting the Look Without the “Loudness”

Although everyone would love a beautiful smile with straight teeth and a perfect bite, most adults don’t relish the idea of undergoing the same orthodontic treatments as children and teens – conspicuous metal braces.

Fortunately, today there is an alternative solution. Now, you can straighten your teeth with Invisalign, an innovative new method of orthodontics that straightens teeth without the use of metal or wires. Invisalign aligners are an FDA-approved dental appliance and are made from strong, transparent medical-grade plastic. They’re almost invisible, and they’re removable.

How Invisalign® Works

First, impressions (molds) are taken of your upper and lower teeth. Your cosmetic dentist uses a computer imaging program to project the exact stages of tooth movement, morphing your current tooth positions into your new, nicely-spaced positions. He designs a series of positions that will correspond to your series of trays, made by the Invisalign laboratory.

Each two weeks, you remove the current pair of trays (aligners) and start wearing the next pair. Each pair nudges your teeth in small increments, moving them further forward, further sideways or back, whatever is needed to get them all aligned correctly.

Invisalign aligners move the teeth gently and gradually without irritation from metal brackets or wires and without the many adjustments necessary when traditional braces are used. The “miracle” of Invisalign is accomplished through the placement and timing of controlled pressure on selected teeth.

Why Wait?

More than a quarter-million people worldwide have used the Invisalign method to improve the appearance and health of their teeth. Dentists undergo special training to become certified Invisalign® providers, so you can rest assured your treatment will be safe and well-planned. If you would like the benefits of braces without the pain, hassle, and awkward appearance, the Invisalign® method offers a practical, viable, convenient alternative.



By: Patricia Woloch

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TRY AT HOME TEETH WHITENING

Green Tea has had more zealous acceptance than nearly any other food product in the past twenty years. There are claims that substances contained in green tea inhibit cancer cells, improve cholesterol, reduce the appetite and strengthen the immune system. Not since the Vitamin C rage has another food product been treated as a must have. The following summarizes the more important claims; some backed by research, some not.

Research at the University of Purdue, concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells. A report published in a 1994 Journal of the National Cancer Institute indicated that drinking green tea lowered the risk of esophageal cancer.

There are also studies that have concluded green tea lowers overall cholesterol levels and improves the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol. Still other studies indicate that green tea is also reputed to be helpful with Cardiovascular disease, infection, impaired immune function, Rheumatoid arthritis.

Green Tea is rich in antioxidants, particularly catechin polyphenols. This powerful antioxidant has been shown by researchers at the University of Kansas to be twice as powerful as resveratrol, the compound that gives red wine its amazing heart protecting effects. To further support the claim, Japanese men have a low heart attack rate despite the fact that more than 70% smoke cigarettes.

The results of a study published by American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed a green tea extract, when taken with caffeine can lead to an increased rate of calorie burning. Green Tea has bacteria fighting abilities that can helps in prevention of tooth decay and food poisoning.

There does not seem be a real consensus on how much green tea should be consumed. Some recommend as many as 10 (six to eight ounce) cups per day, while others suggest at least three cups.

There are few negatives effects caused by drinking green tea other than those caused by the caffeine that is present. A cup of green tea contains about 60% of the caffeine found in a cup of coffee. For those people who are sensitive to caffeine, green tea may cause insomnia or nervous irritability.

If you are unable to drink green tea during the day, a green tea extract will provide similar benefits. These can be found in most supermarkets.

Clearly, the research suggests there are significant health benefits to adding green tea as a component of your daily diet. If your fighting to lose weight and gain better health, a warm cup of green tea will hit the spot.

Do not use green tea without first talking to your doctor if you have heart problems or high blood pressure, kidney disease, an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), an anxiety or nervous disorder, or a bleeding or blood clotting disorder or if you take a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin).



By: David Rafferty

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GREEN TEA HEALTH