What Your Teeth Say About Your Overall Health

KSBW reports:

"Some messages coming out of your mouth bypass the vocal chords. Turns out that your teeth, gums, and surrounding tissues also have plenty to say -- about your overall health."

Here are some of the signs to look for:

1. Flat, worn teeth and headache -- Sign of: Stress
   
   Many people are surprised to find out they're tooth-grinders. You might be doing it in your sleep.
   
2. Cracking, crumbling teeth -- Sign of: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
   
   Tooth erosion isn't a consequence of aging. Disintegrating teeth are usually caused by acid that's coming up from the stomach and dissolving them
   
3. Sores that won't go away -- Sign of: Oral cancer
   
   When an open sore in the mouth doesn't go away within a week or two, it always warrants showing to a dentist or doctor.
   
4. Gums growing over teeth -- Sign of: Medication problems
   
   This can be caused by medication for heart disease or seizures, or drugs that suppress your immune system.
   
5. Dry mouth -- Sign of: Sjogren's Syndrome and/or Diabetes
   
   Many things can cause dry mouth, but a lack of sufficient saliva can also be an early warning sign of two autoimmune diseases --  Sjogren's syndrome and diabetes.
   
6. White webbing inside cheeks -- Sign of: Lichen planus
   
   This mild skin disorder tends to strike both men and women between the ages 30 and 70.
   
7. Crusting dentures -- Sign of: Potential aspiration pneumonia
   
   Aspiration pneumonia, often caused by inhaling debris around the teeth and dentures, is a leading cause of death in older people.
   

Sources:

  KSBW November 11, 2010

Increase You Lifespan By Cutting Out Carbs

You may be able to extend your life and stay fit throughout your old age with a simple change of diet that switches on your "youth" gene.

Professor Cynthia Kenyon, whom many experts believe should win the Nobel Prize for her research into aging, has discovered that carbohydrates directly affect the genes that govern youthfulness and longevity.

By tweaking the genes of roundworms, she has been able to help them live up to six times longer than normal.
The genes that controlled aging in worms also do the same thing in rats and mice, probably monkeys, and there are signs they are active in humans, too. She found that turning down the gene that controls insulin in turn switches on another gene which acts like an elixir of life.

The Daily Mail reports:

"Discovering the ... [first] gene has prompted the professor to ­dramatically alter her own diet, cutting right back on carbohydrates. That's because carbs make your body produce more insulin (to mop up the extra blood sugar carbs ­produce) ... so the vital second gene, the 'elixir' one, won't get turned on."

Sources:

  Daily Mail October 26, 2010

Fructose Wrecks Your Health and Kills You Prematurely

Aside from grains, fructose, typically in the form of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), is perhaps the absolute worst dietary culprit as it:

• Destroys your insulin sensitivity
• Metabolizes into fat far more readily than other sugars
• Causes glycation and inflammation, which speeds up the aging process

We now know that fructose is a primary contributor to:

• Insulin resistance and obesity
• Elevated blood pressure, triglycerides, and LDL (bad cholesterol)
• Cardiovascular disease
• Liver disease
• Cancer
• Arthritis
• Gout

Are Organic Eggs Safer Than Regular Eggs?

Federal officials have matched the Salmonella responsible for current egg recalls to bacteria found in barns and chicken feed at two major Iowa egg producing facilities.

This has relaunched the debate over whether eggs from smaller, organic farms are safer.

Organic farmers argue that the conditions under which large agribusiness raises and houses chickens create an environment where bacteria can spread more easily. The birds are often kept in cages that are stacked closely next to and on top of each other

According to Live Science:

“‘The smaller the farm is, the lower the likeliness of Salmonella,’ said infectious disease specialist William Schaffner ... ‘The general thinking is that larger chicken farms are much more difficult to keep clean, and this makes it easier to transmit Salmonella.’”

Sources:

  Live Science August 27, 2010

Eat An Apple For Better Lung Health

Eating an apple a day is supposed to keep the doctor away, and now researchers have found one reason the old adage might be true. Men who eat five or more apples a week appear to have better lung function than men who do not eat the fruit. This finding is consistent with results from other large epidemiological studies which have reported positive associations between lung function and the consumption of fresh fruit. The study could not determine if the apples themselves are responsible for better lung function, or if apple-eaters had healthier lifestyles in general. 

However, apple consumption did not appear to protect against a decline in lung function during the study. Changes in lung function over the 5-year follow-up period were not associated with changes in diet of any kind, according to the report. The researchers determined that vitamin C was not related to lung function after they took into account other factors that affect the lungs. Instead, another antioxidant might be involved, according to the researchers. Apples contain a flavonoid called quercetin, which is also found in onions, tea, and red wine. This antioxidant may help to protect the lungs from the cellular damage caused by smoking and air pollution.

Avoid These Top 4 Causes Of Aging

1. Free radicals. Free radicals are chemically unstable molecules that attack your cells and damage your DNA. You can limit your exposure to them by avoiding cigarettes, trans fats, charred meats, and other sources.
   
   Organic fruits and vegetables will also limit your exposure to pesticides and herbicides, which contain the harmful molecules.
   
   
2. Inflammation. Inflammation is a major player in many diseases of aging, including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer's. One way to avoid it is to follow a Mediterranean-style diet.
   
   Other great anti-inflammatory foods include turmeric, dark chocolate, and the anti-aging chemical resveratrol. Exercise is another great way to lower inflammation.
   
   
3. Glycation. Glycation is what happens when sugar mixes with proteins and fats to form molecules that promote aging. Advanced glycation end products, or AGEs, are thought to accelerate your aging process by churning out free radicals and promoting inflammation. One way to avoid ingesting AGEs is to turn down the heat when you cook. The browning effect of high-heat cooking causes these molecules to form. Limiting your intake of sugar-filled foods in general will also help. 
4. Stress. Stress initiates the release of a variety of hormones that make your pulse race and cause your blood pressure to rise. The hormone cortisol, released to lessen these effects, also creates problems when it remains chronically elevated. Try practicing relaxation techniques to help manage stress, and get enough sleep every night.

Sources:

  U.S. News & World Report July 29, 2010

  The Guardian August 1, 2010

Green Tea and Vitamin D for Bone Health

Green tea polyphenols combined with a form of vitamin D called alfacalcidol could boost bone structure and strength, according to a new study in mice.

The mixture may reverse damage to bones caused by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced chronic inflammation, which could in turn reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

Chronic inflammation causes bone loss through oxidative stress and excessive production of pro-inflammatory molecules.

According to NutraIngredients:

"The researchers reported that both extracted green tea polyphenols and alfacalcidol supplementations reversed LPS-induced changes in bone structure, whilst a combination of both was shown to sustain bone micro-architecture and strength."

Sources:

  NutraIngredients November 2, 2010

  Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry October 29, 2010

PAP's Used In Fast Food And Popcorn Are Dangerous To Your Health

Perfluoroalkyls, which are chemicals used to keep grease from leaking through fast food wrappers, are being ingested by people through their food and showing up as contaminants in blood.

Perfluoroalkyls are stable, synthetic chemicals that repel oil, grease, and water. They are used in surface protection treatments and coatings for packages.

The specific chemicals studied were polyfluoroalkyl phosphate esters (PAPs), which are the breakdown products of the perfluorinated carboxylic acids used in coating the food wrappers.
Common Dreams reports:

"The researchers used the PAP concentrations previously observed in human blood together with the PAP and PFCA concentrations observed in the rats to calculate human exposure to the chemical perflurooctanoic acid, PFOA."

Sources:

  Common Dreams November 9, 2010

  Environmental Health Perspectives October 29, 2010 [Epub ahead of print]