alkaline vs acidic diet
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Acidic Diet – Destruction From the Inside

Acidic Diet & Disease Risk

Science has shown that an acidic diet leads to all sorts of diseases in the body. In the mouth, an acidic diet leads to premature destruction of the enamel at best and to severe dental disease at worst. We, the dentists, have always promoted a diet that is low on the acidity scale for the sake of helping you protect your teeth. Turns out that an acidic diet (foods, drinks, medications, etc.) sets the ground for developing disease in other body parts as well. To better understand the impact of our diet on our health, let’s first look at what happens when there is a disease in any tissue.

Disease & Acidity

There are so many diseases that we cannot talk about each single one of them. So we’ll look at them as a whole and ask the following question. What do all diseases have in common? The answer is an acidic environment. You see, any time there is a disease in any of our bodily tissues and organs, the organ and the surrounding environment become more acidic. Research has shown that disease can only be present in an acidic environment. This acidic environment is highly toxic to our tissue and organs. So much so that our tissues begin to change at the cellular level. These changes have detrimental effects depending on what tissue or organ is involved.

So if any disease needs an “acidic” environment to thrive, it follows that an anti-acidic (e.g. alkaline) or at least neutral pH environment is best to prevent the disease from forming. Now that we see the link between acidity and disease, let’s look at our diet and our body’s pH.

Diet & pH – Alkaline vs Acidic

Any food or beverage or medication has a certain pH associated with it. “pH” is simply a measurement of how acidic or alkaline something is. The scale goes from 1-14 with high numbers representing an alkaline state and low numbers an acidic environment. Neutral is at the midway point or 7 meaning not acidic or basic. Certain foods and beverage measure very acidic on this scale. Some examples of acidic beverages are sodas, energy drinks and alcohol. A similar analogy can be made for foods and vegetables. Steaks, tomatoes, and oranges are some examples of acidic foods and vegetables. We also have foods and beverages that are alkaline.

picture of spinach leaves containing oxalic acid

Avocadoes, nuts, fish, and cheese are examples of alkaline foods. Alkaline drinks can include milk, soy products, some low-sugar yogurts, and of course, alkaline water. And by the way, not all alkaline waters are the same. Learn about “ionized” alkaline water versus bottled alkaline water.

We’ve all heard the expression “You are what you eat.” To a certain extent, this is very true. But it doesn’t take into account “what you do” after you eat. However, everything else being equal, it is accepted that food that is high in calories leads to weight gain compared to food low in calories. Also, foods high in cholesterol like certain sea foods result in a high cholesterol level in our body. Using these commonly accepted correlations, it follows that an acidic diet leads to an increase in the acidity level in our body.

Healthy Diet & Water

Eating the right foods and water will keep our bodies in a more alkaline condition. The alkalinity will also reduce the likelihood of disease and ailments in our body. Since this is an “additive” effect, the longer we eat and drink healthy, the more the benefits. Conversely, a lifelong diet of acidic foods and beverages will result in all sorts of ailments as we age. If you want to stay out of doctor’s offices when you hit your golden years, it’s best to start on a healthy diet journey while you are still young.

Our diet has a tremendous impact on our long-term health. The sooner we accept this fact the better we can protect ourselves from the detrimental effects of an acidic diet on our health.

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What Foods Reduce Anxiety

Foods to Reduce Anxiety

Let’s face it. These are highly anxious times for most people. As if we didn’t have enough normal anxiety to deal with on a regular basis, the current environment lends itself to anxiety overload. And “anxiety” is considered a medical disorder, similar to for example, high blood pressure being a medical disorder. And while there is no definitive cure, there are steps that can be taken to minimize and reduce our anxiety level. So what we decided to do is put together a short list of foods that help reduce anxiety, for everyone to benefit from during these times and beyond.

Anxiety – Prevalence and Symptoms

Foods can help reduce our stress and anxiety levels

Anxiety is currently classified as a mental illness. And that is probably because people in medicine haven’t figured out any other organ or physiologic function which can cause this disease. Now whether you (or I) agree with this classification or not, one thing is clear. Anxiety is for sure a medical condition, but a mental disorder?  Nevertheless, it affects almost 20% of the population. Given its prevalence though, only about 60% of these patients seek care, meaning there a lot of people with un-diagnosed anxiety walking around and dealing with it on their own. One reason for this maybe due to the fact that people may not want to be diagnosed with mental illness of any nature because of external or internal beliefs. Another reason is people have come to accept feeling anxious as a normal feeling.

Anxiety can cause symptoms like: chest tightness, muscle tension, heart palpitations, elevated heart rate, increased body temperature, tremors, difficulty concentrating, fear, tension and irritability.  If you have been dealing with anxiety you know these symptoms well. Some level of anxiety is healthy (i.e. feeling anxious when taking a test), but too much anxiety can be detrimental to our immune system and health.

Treating Anxiety

If you have been diagnosed with anxiety disorder chances are you have been given some exercises and possibly even some medications to combat this disease. Valium (or Xanax) is a common anti-anxiety drug which is prescribed for people with anxiety. There are also a number of other drugs with rather serious side effects which are prescribed as well. The problem with this approach is that it primarily focuses on relieving the symptoms by synthetic pills and drugs with side effects which make one wonder, is this a medication or a poison?

Our body responds to the environment and surroundings daily. When it’s hot, we sweat. When it’s cold we shiver. It also responds to what we put in it. This applies to both what we ingest and what is artificially introduced into our system (i.e. injections like flu shots or other medications, or a cut that serves as an open door for bugs to enter). You eat a high salt diet and chances are you’ll develop hypertension over time. You love seafood? Chances are your body will have elevated mercury levels as well as high cholesterol. By the same token, when we eat good foods, we do not develop these kinds of issues. So the question is do foods have an impact on our anxiety? And the answer is yes. Eating more of these foods  will help reduce your anxiety level naturally, with none of the harmful side effects of synthetic medications.

Foods Help Reduce Anxiety

If you still don’t agree with the concept of our diet having a long term impact on our health, at least consider its proven short term impact. If you eat something that has gone bad without realizing it, your body will respond by rejecting it (along with a lot of fluids and such) out of any possible orifice. If you are allergic to peanuts and unknowingly eat something that contains peanuts, then once again your body reacts by an allergic reaction. So let’s focus on this as if the benefits of the following anxiety-relief-foods were only short term. The following foods are listed in no particular order.

  1. Dark Chocolate – dark chocolateAside from tasting great, dark chocolate is rich in anti-oxidants (which help reduce aging). In some studies it has been shown to reduce the level of “stress” hormone in our body. Not only does it taste good, it’s good for you. Just watch the quantity and the sugar content. Invest in good quality dark chocolate to truly reap its health benefits.
  2. Carbohydrates & Fibers – Carbohydrate is a fancy word that covers a wide group of foods such as rice, bread, pasta, cookies, etc. Fibers are also carbohydrates, but a large percentage of their content is not absorbed into our body. That is why anyone with digestive health issues (especially bowel movements) are placed on a high fiber diet to help things move along. The trick here is to eat more “complex carbohydrates”. Meaning avoid simple carbohydrates like sugar and cookies. Instead opt for non-processed, non-refined forms. Some examples are: brown rice, sweet potatoes and whole grain bread. It’s been shown that consuming carbs helps our body release “serotonin” which is a stress-reducing hormone. Fiber is necessary for a healthy functioning digestive system as discussed. And research has shown that a healthy digestion helps reduce the stress on our body at a physiological level (e.g. reduction in oxidative stress).
  3. Avocados –This fruit contains an amazing amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Avocados have been shown to boost concentration, decrease stress and improve the mood. No matter how you eat it (guacamole or sliced), it’s full of good stuff. And it tastes good too.
  4. Fish – Fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids along w/ the healthy oil that our body needs. If you don’t like fish there are other foods that you can substitute. Seaweed, chia seeds, walnuts, flax seed and fish-oil supplements are some examples. Not all forms of fish are healthy though. Fatty fish like Herring, Salmon, Tuna top the healthy fish list while Shark and Swordfish may contain higher levels of mercury and should be avoided.
  5. Milk – The main ingredient here is calcium. Not only is a calcium rich diet good for the health of our bone, it also helps reduce depression. If you don’t like milk or are lactose intolerant, there are other substitutes like: yogurt, cheese, canned salmon, almonds, sunflower seeds and green leafy vegetables.
  6. Nuts – Not only are nuts like almonds, pistachios and walnuts rich in Vitamin B, they also contain high levels of good oil/fat that our body needs. Nuts are also high in magnesium which has been linked to reduced anxiety.
  7. Citrus – Studies have shown that high levels of vitamin C help ease stress. Not only are they good for your immune system, they help reduce anxiety too. Examples are strawberries, oranges and grape fruits.
  8. Probiotics – We need these for healthy functioning guts. Probiotics help our gut (digestive system) in many ways. And research has also shown that improved digestive health helps reduce stress and anxiety. Probiotics can be taken in pill form or from foods like yogurt, fermented yogurt drinks and kombucha.
In Closing

So there you have it. A good list of natural and healthy foods that can help our body in many ways and reduce our stress and anxiety levels. Mix these in with your regular diet and start improving your stress and anxiety level. Less stress and anxiety helps our immune system remain stronger and we can all use a stronger immune system, especially now-a-days.

 

 

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10 Healthy Summer Snacks

Healthy summer time snacks
Healthy summer time snacks

Summer is upon us. Days are longer and hotter. We are out and about doing our thing. It’s easy to miss a meal or even go longer without food in between meals. Hello snacks!

Snacks are a great way for us to keep our energy level up and get thru our days. Having sufficient energy throughout the day not only helps us get thru our chores and tasks, but it also helps our immune system to keep us from falling ill.  But not all snacks are created equal. And what’s more, people are generally drawn to snacks that are not 100% healthy. Do you ever get home after work all tired and hungry and before your dinner you dig in the bag of potato chips? Before you know it the bag is half gone (especially if it’s Doritos in my case!) If you had a snack around 4 pm or so, you’d be able to pass the chips and wait for dinner.

With that said, we have put together 10 healthy snacks for you to munch on during the hot summer months.

  1. Lightly salted apple slices – Get your favorite kind of apple. Chop it into slices (do not peel). Soak the cut slices in cold water for 30 minutes. Take out and pat dry. Sprinkle a very small amount of salt (very small amount). Put these in a zip lock bag and stick them in the fridge. This is a perfectly healthy snack that tastes good and also doesn’t ruin your teeth (or your waist line!).
  2. Carrots dipped in guacamole or hummus – Baby carrots are the best. They come all ready to eat. Pair these up with some guacamole or hummus and voila.
  3. Ants on a log – Take a few celery sticks. Cut off the leafy part. Smear peanut butter on one side and sprinkle some raisins on top. While raisins are sticky and sweet and not so good for teeth, the celery sticks will help in removing these bits and pieces. Peanut butter is a great source of protein as well. Apples also go really well with peanut butter, plus you need no raisins.
  4. Frozen yogurt – Instead of that scoop of ice cream, have some frozen yogurt. There are very easy delicious recipes for making homemade froyo.
  5. Yogurt with fruit – Take plain (or vanilla yogurt) and add in a handful of blue berries. Quick, simple and delicious. Try different fruits to see what you like the most.
  6. Whole grain crackers and cheese – Fulfilling and healthy. You can substitute apples for the crackers. Apple and cheese slices. Yum.
  7. Trail mix – Make your own or buy from the store. Just don’t buy the one with all the “m & m’s” in there. Solid snack to keep you going.
  8. Fruit salad – Making a small container the night before and sticking it in the fridge will give you an excellent snack the next day. Plus, you really cannot pick an unhealthy fruit.
  9. Milk – Excellent source of calcium. Good for the teeth and the bones. Plus tastes good to drink without adding chocolate. Pair the milk with half a banana. Tasty and healthy.
  10. Chia seeds – They make healthy delicious snacks that everyone can enjoy. The texture might need a little getting used to. But a great healthy snack.

Follow these suggestions for snacking not just for the sake of eating healthy snacks, but also snacks that are good for your teeth.

Happy summer.

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Watermelon Anyone?

Watermelons have amazing benefits
Watermelons have amazing benefits

Summer is around the corner. Days are getting longer and the temperature is rising steadily. Staying hydrated during the hot summer months is crucial to your health, especially for the younger and the older populations. And while most people are content on filling up on pure water, sometimes you need a change of pace. But instead of a Gatorade or any number of flavored beverages you can get, consider sinking your teeth into a slice of watermelon.

Growing up in a place where the summer is pretty hot, my family was used to having watermelon on a regular basis. I remember having a bowl of fresh watermelons served with our dinner routinely.  And while they are sweet, delicious and refreshing to bite into, they are full of health benefits that most of us are unaware of. Not only are watermelons full of health benefits, they also help us fight periodontal disease (gum disease).

Watermelons are full of Vitamin C which is very helpful in fighting “free radicals”. We are not talking about overly political figures running around trying to change policy. NO! We are talking about precursors to cancer and other inflammatory diseases like heart disease. Vitamin C helps keep these free radicals in check, making them less likely to cause damage to our body. The same Vitamin C is instrumental in helping keep periodontal disease under control. That’s not to say you don’t need to brush or floss. But it says that watermelons make our bodies stronger in fighting the damage caused by periodontal disease. Another benefit of vitamin C is in reduction of asthma (both frequency and severity of asthma attacks).

Watermelons are alkaline (opposite of acidic). Our bodies operate at a slightly alkaline level. However, most foods we eat are acidic and ingesting them leads to imbalances in our bodies. Watermelons help neutralize other acidic foods and help keep our body in its optimal pH range.

Watermelons are also great for weight loss. Yes they are. Watermelon is mostly water and fiber. Eating a bowl of watermelon will leave you filling full and satisfied compared to a sugary snack! Plus, it will leave your body after your body has absorbed what it needs, letting the fiber clean up our insides as well.

Watermelons are 40% water and they have minerals our body needs desperately to operate smoothly. What better water substitute than watermelons. Plus, they contain an amino acid which makes our muscles recover faster. This is important for any athlete as their recovery time decreases with consumption of watermelons. What the professional athletes need to be consuming during their timeouts or half time is watermelons. Maybe this is a stretch, but you get the point.

As you can see there are more than a few benefits to this red yummy fruit. And we’ve only listed a few of them. An internet search will show you many more amazing benefits of watermelons. Watermelons are not only tasty, but they are also good for you. This summer make a point of picking up a watermelon a week and incorporating it into your diet.  Stay healthy and be strong.