"Life happens to US when WE happen to life in the NOW"
This oddly worded phrase can be better read as Things will happen if we stay in the moment. I never used to live in the moment. I lived in the past. I lived in the future. But I never lived in the current moment.
In the last seventeen years I have learned a lot about living. In order to live life to the fullest I have to stay in the moment. I grow, I learn, I progress when I stay in the moment. If I stay in the past I experinece things like anger, sadness, and resentment. There are of course also some good memories from the past that I conjure up and bring into the current moment. I have learned that if I live in the future [or project] I will only get disappointments. So I actively seek to live in the moment every day now.
There is a heart - mouth (teeth, gum) connection. I have seen this link in the last 15 years of clinical practice. As a I cardiologist I always focus on the mouth. You thought I would say the heart, but I didn't. There are studies to associate periodontal infections and heart disease.
As an integrative physician there are also good foods for dental health. You have always heard me talk about foods for your heart, but I want you to have the all-around approach.
The crunch foods like celery, carrots and apples act like tooth brushes as these are abrasive. The ADA (American Dental Association ) also talks about those foods for increasing saliva production.
One of the best vitamins is Vitamin C as it prevents gingivitis. I have always used Vitamin C in my clinical practice. I love it naturally-- in fruits and vegetables, but also recommend it in its supplement form and even intravenously.
Recently for some unknown reason, The FDA has banned intravenous Vitamin C. I couldn't believe my ears when I heard the FDA closed a reputable vitamin C supplier. An article in the Townsend Letter- June 2011 has all the facts. I was dumbfounded to learn that the FDA has recently classified Vitamin C for injection as "an unapproved drug". This is why medicine is failing in the United States. Since when can the FDA-- a federal agency, regulate the practice of medicine? We already have the pharmaceutical and insurance companies regulating how we as physicians practice, and now the FDA. I have helped hundreds of patients with diseases including cancer, MS, CFS, et al. with intravenous Vitamin C. Check the following website http://www.vitamincfoundation.org/ for more information. Join the online forum. I am glad I still have my Freedom of Speech!
So eat fruits like kiwi, papaya, red peppers, and strawberries for their richness in Vitamin C. The green herbs such as parsley, mint and thyme contain monterpenes which help the breath stay fresh and clean but also prevent the formation of bacteria in the gums which causes gingivitis.
IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR TEETH WHITE, cut a strawberry in half and start to rub the white pulp side on your teeth. Otherwise visit the cosmetic dentist for those pearly whites. I did!
We now know that periodontal disease is more prevalent than we once thought. We underestimated how many Americans have gum disease. Since there is an association between gum disease and heart disease as well as other diseases--TAKE care of your oral health--not just for your PRETTY SMILE.
Until tomorrow...
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