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How to Fight Heart Disease with…Dental Floss?

I’m not at all opposed to playing jokes, but I’m actually serious here!  Flossing your teeth – all of them – on a daily basis can actually help prevent heart disease.  I know what you’re thinking, but I’m not making this up folks.  Dental floss is wicked stuff; MacGyver could do all sorts of crazy things with it.  Many of you may have already heard these reports, but for those of you that haven’t, just sit back and enjoy the ride.

Numerous studies have come to the same conclusion over the last few years:  there is growing evidence that periodontal disease actually does contribute to heart disease.  Apparently the nasty little bugs that cause your gums to bleed, swell and otherwise deteriorate also like to inflame your arteries (atherosclerosis).  It all goes downhill from there of course.

The good news is that now you can tell your kids with a straight face to floss or they could be in big trouble.  No more making stuff up with “if/then” statements.  But of course the best thing to do is lead by example, so pick your favorite dental floss and get to work!  Incidentally, if you can’t floss for whatever reason, they say to at least use disinfecting mouthwash, but only as a second option.

So if flossing prevents heart disease, then what kind of weird habits prevent cancer?  That’s what I want to know!  Maybe it’s cracking your knuckles.  If so, I’m all set because that’s one habit I’ve downright mastered.  Of course, I’ll be writhing in pain from arthritis instead, but hey, you can’t have everything…

What’s (hydrogenated) in Your Cupboard?

As promised, I said that I would mention some hydrogenated foods to watch out for in your home that may contain fully or partially  hydrogenated ingredients.  If after reading this article you find several of these items in your cupboards or refrigerator, I’m not necessarily advocating throwing them away.  Personally, I really dislike wasting food, so I would choose to plead the Fifth Amendment in my own case upon discovering the implications of hydrogenation some time ago.

Here are some common foods that often undergo the hydrogenation process:  Peanut butter, margarine, desserts of all kinds, enormous varieties of junk food, fried fast food such as chicken or French fries, baked goods (such as cookies, crackers and cakes), breads, non-dairy creamers, dips and even delicious ice cream.  Kinda scary, huh?  Well, if you’re learning something new here, take the knowledge and use it to empower yourself and your family to take the next step and change your eating habits.

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Lower Your Cholesterol WITHOUT Drugs

In recognition of National Cholesterol Month in September, there are several things that you can do to dramatically lower your total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and your triglycerides while raising your HDL cholesterol. The best part about this strategy is that for most people it can be extremely successful without the use of statins, or cholesterol lowering drugs. Statins are certainly effective, but I prefer to think of medication in general as a last resort. It is often used as a band aid, or as a treatment of a symptom instead of treating the cause.

For example, a run-of-the-mill headache can often be attributed to dehydration, but I have witnessed countless people just pop a few pills to dull the pain, rather than drink water instead of soda or alcohol. Likewise, statins shouldn’t be taken alongside foods laced with trans fats, saturated fats and cholesterol in an effort to ward off the harmful effects of such foods. Although I would never compromise my own health or recommend anyone else do the same just to avoid using prescription drugs, the side effects of prescription medication are of great concern to me.

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What is cholesterol, anyway?

An overly scientific explanation of cholesterol is needlessly complex, except perhaps for those of us interested in medical school. The definition that makes the most sense to me because it is easy to understand and remember is that cholesterol is simply a fatty substance produced in the liver and found in the blood and tissue of all animals. This means that not only can we consume cholesterol in meats, eggs, and fatty dairy products, but we also produce it in our own bodies regardless of what we eat. This can be a significant problem for certain people whose bodies are “production-happy”.

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Down to Business - What’s Killing Us?

Perhaps you’re worried about a terrorist attack, a lightning strike, a car accident, or a house fire as a way to meet your end. At times it seems like there are an infinite number of ways to die and that there is no way to survive. The media certainly doesn’t help matters with its sensationalistic reporting.

For example, many people are terrified to fly because of the way the media reports aviation accidents. We are repeatedly bombarded with horrific details of fiery crashes leaving a few survivors that would rather be dead. Come on here, let’s be realistic. Flying is vastly safer than getting in your car and driving to work, but the media capitalizes on our fears very successfully, and this is but one example of many.

I read an article recently that said in the months after September 11, 2001, there was a large spike in automobile fatalities as people jumped in their cars instead of airplanes for fear of a terrorist attack. So instead of rationally focusing on what we can control, many people died needlessly. How awful is that? We must be logical and look at the statistics of our current situation if we want to live a healthier and longer life. In other words, we have to know what’s killing us.

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