National Dental Hygiene Month
Thursday, October 15th, 2009
October is National Dental Hygiene Month, and we at THP would like to take a few moments to remind or inform you of how to keep your mouth in mint condition with good oral hygeine and OraMD.
It's estimated that 75% of Americans have some form of periodontal disease, and unhealthy conditions in the mouth like that can often be attributed to poor oral hygiene. These same conditions can also generally be corrected, or prevented in the first place by adopting good oral hygiene practices. This includes brushing, flossing, gargling, and in cases of bad breath or halitosis, many turn to mints or gum to mask odor. However, many of the over-the-counter products that are advertised to help improve these conditions actually contain ingredients that contribute to poor oral health.
OraMD contains ingredients that are 100% all natural, and proven to be anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, and anti-fungal and can replace all of the chemical laden products you might normally use, including toothpaste, mouthwash, and even mints or gum.
To use as toothpaste, put 2-5 drops of OraMD on your toothbrush and brush as normal. Flossing is an important part of good oral hygiene, as it removes food particles and plaque from the spaces between teeth that your brush will not reach. Some people prefer to use an oral irrigator in place of floss to clean between teeth with pressurized water. OraMD can be added to the water used for irrigation for an enhanced anti-bacterial effect, but it is important to remember that OraMD can sometimes damage cheaper plastic components. To avoid this, flush your irrigator immediately after use with medium-to-hot water for 20-30 seconds. OraMD can be used as a mouth rinse simply by diluting 2-5 drops in an ounce of water and gargling. You can also apply a few drops directly onto the tongue to coat the mouth and remove the cause of bad breath.
Stress will be the end of you. If you let it, that is. Daily stress can add up and seriously bring you down, causing anxiety, depression, and even anger issues. What many don’t realize is the havoc it can wreak on your immune system and overall body function. If it gets out of control it can increase cholesterol, blood pressure, weight gain, and cause insomnia, headaches, acne, and even hair loss. Take appropriate time to unwind and clear your head daily. Meditation with focused, deep breaths is a great way to reduce the silent killer that is stress.
Go for your regular checkups, at least annually. Men tend to avoid going to the doctor much more than women. Perhaps it’s the can-do, tough attitude that they can get better on their own. Maybe it’s for fear of bad news, or not feeling the necessity since you “feel fine”. Feeling fine often has little to do with actual health though. High blood pressure, cholesterol, or even diabetes will rarely present themselves in ways you’re likely to notice right off the bat. Suck it up, be a man, and get checked out.
While we’re on the subject of things men are uncomfortable with, one of the most important things to monitor as men age is the prostate. Prostate cancer results in 250,000 deaths per year worldwide. Early symptoms are primarily found in the urinary system, where tumors can press against the bladder and cause either more frequent urinating, or trouble urinating. It can eventually spread to the lymph nodes in the pelvis, and eventually into bones. The exam may be a scary thought for a lot of men, but the possible repercussions are much more so.
As the seasonal winds of change blow from hot and humid to cool and crisp, allergy sufferers don’t get the break that they deserve. Even though flowers and trees are no longer in bloom, one of the biggest offenders doesn’t begin to pollinate until late August. Even though it may not grow anywhere near where you live or work, ragweed pollen can be spread over one hundred miles through the air. Another of fall’s notable culprits is mold, which grows in cool and damp areas. It can develop in the air ducts of your home, and especially in piles of wet leaves and the like.
Though the weather may be cooling off, it may still be a good idea to keep windows closed. Especially between 10 am and 3 pm, this is when pollen counts are usually at their peak. It’s also a good practice to have all the vents and air ducts in your home cleaned out prior to firing up the furnace for the first time of the season. Mold and dust mites that can build up in them over the summer will easily get stirred up and spread around the home.
Eating more foods like citrus, apples, onions, tomatoes, lettuce and broccoli can help supply your body with a natural antihistamine, quercetin. It stabilizes cells to prevent histamine release, and is also a natural antioxidant. Most people will not be able to obtain the recommended daily value of it from food sources though, so a supplement may also be necessary. However, people who have liver disease shouldn’t take quercetin, so be sure to consult your doctor or allergist first.
Inflammation is a major contributor not only to arthritis, but also Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, and even some forms of cancer. A number of people have seen promise by switching to more of an anti-inflammatory diet. Most are able to prevent the pain of arthritis by avoiding excess inflammatory foods like wheat, corn, eggs, milk and dairy, red meat, salt, white rice, and alcohol. This is more a way of choosing foods based on the knowledge of how then can help your body, rather than the popular definition of diets, which are designed to help lose weight. However, many people do lose weight as they are consuming less processed and fast foods.
Studies have shown that a more active lifestyle can help fend off inflammation that can lead to arthritis. Whether it’s aerobic exercise like walking or flexibility based exercises, even 15 minutes a day can make a big difference. Yoga and Tai Chi are good examples of flexibility exercises that can keep joints healthy. People who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis often experience more pain or stiffness in the hands and fingers, so small hand exercises like making a fist and opening your hands wide, or touching your finger tips can be quite beneficial.
Athletes use heat and cold therapies to ease pain and shorten recovery time, so why can’t you use it for those aching joints? You can, and in most cases, to a great degree. Try using a heat therapy for 15 minutes prior to any exercises like we mentioned above. This can be from heat patches, warm water bottles, or even a hot shower or bath. Heat works by dilating the blood vessels and stimulating circulation. Cold therapy works conversely by constricting blood vessels and reducing swelling. It may be uncomfortable at first, but deep pain can often be numbed by cold treatment.
Antioxidants protect your brain from forming free radicals, or unstable atoms in your brain. Loading up on foods with naturally occurring antioxidants will help prevent these from forming. Green vegetables like broccoli, brussels sprouts, and spinach as well as other dark skinned fruits like grapes, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, and cranberries are all great sources of natural antioxidants that will help keep from incurring cell damage from free radicals.
Take the time to plan out what you’re going to be packing for your children’s lunches. If they have some say in what they’ll have to eat, they’ll be much more likely to actually eat it. Set some guidelines and options at the same time and you’ll be able to rest much easier knowing they’re eating healthy. 
Fruits and vegetables make the best snacks, but they’re not all good for your teeth. Try to avoid things like raisins, dried figs, or apricots as they are sticky or chewy and will stick to the teeth. When this happens, saliva won’t be able to wash away the sugars. These sugars combine with bacteria in the mouth and will contribute to forming excess plaque. This leads to acid production which attacks the teeth and can cause decay.
The best fruits to send are those that are higher in water content like apples, pears, grapes, and melons like cantaloupe. Vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots are the best choices for snacks/sides. Remember though, just because you pack it doesn’t mean they’ll eat it. A small cup of ranch dressing can make all the difference in the world to a child’s taste buds.
If you’re not packing your child’s lunch, ask the school for a list of available items in the cafeteria and vending machines. In most cases, they’ll even provide the menu for you. If what’s being offered isn’t up to your standards, consult the school administrator to express your concerns. You may be able to make a difference in the food choices the school offers.
Companies that produce foods that come in boxed or microwavable form use over 6,000 chemical ingredients to make it look and taste like the real thing. By doing this, your body is robbed of any real nutrition your body needs. Processed foods increase the level of toxins in your blood stream which your liver will have to deal with, and since diabetics are usually more prone to liver disease, this is of vital importance.
Artificial sweeteners have so many negative connotations that it would be pointless to try and address even a fraction of them here. Aspartame alone has led to over 10,000 complaints filed with the FDA, yet it’s still on the market. A healthy alternative is Stevia. Found in the supplement section of your grocery rather than with other sweeteners, the white extract form is much sweeter than sugar and still doesn’t raise blood glucose levels.
Organic or unrefined fats are actually very important to overall health for diabetics. Without them you’d be missing out on essential fatty acids like omega 3, which your body cannot get elsewhere. Consuming healthy fats and oils will help you feel satisfied when you eat, thus preventing over eating and weight gain. 
Insulin resistance can be reduced for up to 48 hours after even a half hour of walking. Lightening the work load of the pancreas will let it handle the processing of glucose like it should. Losing even a few pounds can reduce the strain your body is under, and lower both blood sugar and blood pressure.
