My mouth has always been a disaster. No matter how often I brushed or avoided every trace of sugar as a child, I kept having cavities — often as many as a dozen at a time. I dreaded going to the dentist because I felt helpless and discouraged. And I was afraid I'd lose my teeth just like my mother.
My parents made sure I saw a dentist every few months to have my teeth cleaned professionally. Even so, I always had a lot of plaque. And whenever I brushed my teeth, my gums bled so much I could taste the blood. I was never treated for the cause of my problems — just for its symptoms.
This was my pattern all my life … until recently. My gums no longer bleed and the inflammation is gone. What's more, I have almost no plaque. The exciting part of this story is that it took less than two weeks to get these amazing results. It involves an ingredient you're probably already taking.
I discovered a new use for this ingredient with my dentist, Dr. Mary Ellen Chalmers. We were searching for an answer to my bleeding gums and deep pockets.
We began with the fact that I was healthy (a recent medical workup proved it) and that I shouldn't have bleeding gums and so much plaque. But I did. The question was why?
We both knew that plaque is formed by bacteria. And bacteria also cause bleeding gums and inflammation. So we had to find a way to reduce the amount of bacteria around my teeth. If I could do this, the result should be little or no bleeding and shallower pockets.
I was already brushing and flossing, but they weren't enough. By working together, we came upon a solution to my oral problems. They can help you, just as much as they helped me
In the past I had used herbal antibacterial mouthwashes. I also brush and floss my teeth faithfully, which is the first step in any oral-health regimen. All of these helped some, but not enough. In fact, nothing worked well enough for me — or for Dr. Chalmers' other difficult patients — until Dr. Chalmers came up with an ingenious idea.
It obviously worked. At my next cleaning appointment, the results weren't ordinary at all. My dentist found almost no plaque. The pockets around my teeth were shallower than ever (the 5s became 2s and 3s). My red, inflamed gums were a light, healthy pink. And there was no more bleeding. None. Here's the solution we discovered.
Reduce bacteria
We both knew that we had to reduce the bacteria around my teeth. Mouthwashes, brushing, and flossing are always vital first steps — but they just weren't getting the job done. The pathogenic (bad) bacteria were still multiplying and causing problems. So what could we do?
I've talked a lot in the past about using friendly bacteria (probiotics) to keep pathogenic bacteria levels down in your digestive tract. But most people don't realize that your mouth is a major part of your digestive tract. In fact, the saliva in your mouth begins to break down your food before you swallow. So an overgrowth of bad bacteria in your mouth should be treated the same way you treat them in your gut — with probiotics.
In the past, Dr. Chalmers and I found that Dr. Ohhira's Probiotics 12 Plus was extremely effective in reversing a serious infection in my mouth within a week. We decided to put this probiotic around each tooth. It worked!
Here's how to do this: Take one or two capsules of Dr. Ohhira's and hold them in your mouth until they're soft. Then bite them enough to squeeze out a little of the probiotic paste. Move some of the paste with your tongue to the base of your teeth, both inside and outside. Be sure to get paste around any painful or inflamed teeth. Don't rinse. Allow the paste to dissolve. After you swallow it, you'll also have the beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract. If you have trouble finding this probiotic, call Healthy by Nature (877-262-7843) and mention this newsletter for a discount.
Can you use other probiotics? Sure. Dr. Ohhira's is just the strongest one I've found. It works quickly and effectively. You can try brushing with a probiotic powder like our Advanced Probiotic Formula (800-728-2288). It's much less expensive and we've found the potency is far better than advertised.
I suggest you use Dr. Ohhira's if you have serious dental problems. Then, once your mouth is healthy, switch to the less expensive Advanced Probiotic Formula. You'll need to poke the capsule with a pin to release the powder. Then you can mix it in a little water and apply around your teeth with your toothbrush.
If you don't have serious dental problems, the Advanced Probiotic Formula is more than enough to keep the good bacteria working in your mouth. And it will help you continue to fend off the bad bacteria.
This simple secret does more than save your teeth. Your mouth is close to your brain. And when you have an overgrowth of bacteria in your mouth, they have a direct pathway to your brain. There they can cause more serious problems, such as nerve diseases. And we know that periodontal disease is linked to heart problems. So fighting off bad bacteria in your mouth is a key to terrific overall health.
For the first time in my life, I have a healthy mouth and know how to keep it healthy. I can stop worrying about losing my teeth. Tooth loss is frequently the result of tooth decay and gum disease.
If you have inflammation or bleeding in your gums, try this simple solution. And be sure to let me know how well it works for you.
Edgar, W.M. "Sugar substitutes, chewing gum and dental caries – a review," Br Dent J, 1998.
Hayes, C. "The effect of non-cariogenic sweeteners on the prevention of dental caries: a review of the evidence," J Dent Educ, 2001
Hot Peppers Cause Ulcers and Other Stomach Problems, Right? Wrong! Here's How They Fight Irritants, Inflammation, and Even H. Pylori
When we were kids, my brother Hal and I would play a little game at picnics or other gatherings. One of us would take a hot chili pepper out of a jar and eat it as if it was an olive. Then the other would follow suit. We'd keep eating them until someone asked us, "Aren't those peppers hot?"
"Oh no," we'd reply, reaching for another. We were prepared to finish the whole jar if necessary. But it wasn't. Invariably, someone at our table would reach over, take out a pepper, and eat it.
Tongue burning and tears pouring out of their eyes, they'd reach for a glass of water — which only made it hotter. Hal and I would laugh … and eat another hot chili pepper.
You would think eating all those peppers would have caused a hole in our stomachs, or at least severe irritation. But they didn't. We didn't know then that spicy chili peppers actually have anti-inflammatory activity and heal stomach and duodenal ulcers.
While others have told you to stay away from peppers, I've told you about their incredible healing powers. In the past, I've talked about using creams made from chili peppers for arthritis and other pain. The active ingredient, capsaicin, is used in many topical products. But now I want to tell you about the good reasons to use capsaicin or chili powder (cayenne) internally for inflammation and ulcers.
Inflammation
Originally, capsaicin was found to protect the stomach mucosa in animals. Then a study conducted in Singapore found it had the same effect on people. In fact, it showed that gastric ulcers are three times more common in the Chinese, who eat small amounts of chilies, than in Malaysians and Indians who eat much larger amounts.
In this study, volunteers with normal stomach linings (no irritation or ulcers) drank 20 grams of chili powder in water. Then they took 600 mg of aspirin (a regular dose of aspirin is 325 mg). The control group took only the aspirin. The aspirin alone caused more than twice the amount of injury to stomach mucosa as the chili powder plus aspirin. The capsaicin was protective.
Other studies showed that chili powder protects against damage in the stomach lining caused by aspirin, alcohol, and even indomethacin, an anti-inflammatory drug. Don't be surprised to hear that anti-inflammatory drugs contribute to ulcers. Ulcers are common in people who take NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory substances) who also have H. pylori, a bacterium I'm going to talk about in a minute.
Ulcers
Most people with ulcers look for the most soothing foods they can find. Not Tabasco sauce or cayenne pepper. However, they might be just the ticket. Instead of irritating ulcers, capsaicin actually helps them heal.
In addition, capsaicin seems to reduce the incidents of stomach ulcers. This may be due to its effect in eradicating the bacterium linked to ulcers: Helicobactor pylori (H. pylori).
H. Pylori
While many people have believed for decades that hot peppers contribute to gastric ulcers, the bacterium H. pylori actually cause most of them. Capsaicin kills off H. pylori, which is so common, more than half the population has it.
Researchers have also identified H. pylori as a potent carcinogen that can contribute to stomach cancer. It can also trigger inflammation. One problem is that many people with high quantities of H. pylori have no symptoms, so their condition goes untreated. If you suspect you have H. pylori, or want to rule it out, your doctor can order a simple blood test or breath test.
Numerous studies have shown that capsaicin inhibits the growth of H. pylori. In one study, it worked within four hours, even when used in small amounts on antibiotic-resistant strains. The researchers of this study concluded that "small doses of capsaicin can help in treatment of gastric and duodenum ulcers."
Hot chilies can work quickly on pathogenic bacteria. Various strains of H. pylori were tested with a chili extract. There was antibacterial activity in 100% of the strains tested after only 30 minutes!
Capsaicin dosage
Chili peppers, cayenne pepper, and capsaicin supplements all work to help heal the stomach. But how much do you need?
The late herbalist, Dr. John R. Christopher, had his ulcer patients drink a glass of water with one teaspoon of cayenne pepper three times a day. You may prefer taking four to six capsules with food instead. Or you could try a few drops of cayenne tincture in water or food.
For protection, the amount researchers used in studies varied greatly — from 5 to 1,000 mg. One study suggested using the amount in a Thai diet. That's around 200 mg per day — pretty spicy for most people.
You may want to take capsaicin or cayenne pepper capsules instead. Begin with 30-50 mg two or three times a day and work your way up to a comfortable amount. Like Hal and me, you may be able to tolerate higher quantities. But don't overdo it. Hot peppers can cause allergic reactions or pain.
There are always people who are sensitive to any herb or plant. Chilies are a member of the nightshade family (tomatoes, potatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, etc.). If you have a reason to avoid them, chilies or capsaicin may not be for you.
But if, like me, you have no sensitivity to peppers of any kind, capsaicin could be a simple, inexpensive way to either avoid or treat ulcers and reduce inflammation.
Hal and I will continue to eat them just because we love their taste … and the burning.
Fadile, V.Z., and O. Elif. "In vitro activity of capsaicin against Helicobacter pylori," Annals of microbiology, 2005.
Jones, N.L., et al. "Capsaicin as an inhibitor of the growth of the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori," FEMS Microbiol Lett, January 15, 1997.
O'Mahoney, R., et al. "Bactericidal and anti-adhesive properties of culinary and medicinal plants against Helicobacter pylori," World J Gastroenterol, Dec 21 2005.
Satyanarayana, M.N., "Capsaicin and gastric ulcers," Crit Rev FoodSci Nutr, 2006.
Forget Cutting Salt Intake for High Blood Pressure – Here's a Better Reason to Limit It
You may have heard that cutting your salt intake can lower your blood pressure. But you probably didn't know this recommendation doesn't help you as much as the American Heart Association says it will. In fact, there are many conflicting studies on this subject. Some research says that eating less salt reduces blood pressure, while other studies say it doesn't. Often, when low-sodium diets reduced blood pressure it was only by a small amount at best.
Does that mean you should eat all the salt you want? No way! A new study shows an even better reason to cut your salt intake. According to this new study, simply cutting your salt intake can reduce your risk for heart disease – and heart attacks – by a full 25%.
And this study is the first and only study that was both large enough and long enough to draw this conclusion.
In this study, the researchers followed nearly 2,500 people with high normal blood pressure (that's 130-139 over 85-89). They had some of them lower their salt intake by a quarter. The other participants stayed on their previous diet, eating the same amount of salt.
The researchers found that the people who reduced salt in their diets had a 25% lower risk of having heart problems over the next 10-15 years.
But the news gets even better. People who ate less sodium had a 20% lower death rate. So here's the bottom line: If you reduce your salt today, you'll reduce your long-term risk of heart disease and death in the future.
The average person eats between 4,000 and 6,000 milligrams of salt a day. The National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences recommends between 1,100 and 3,300 mg of sodium a day for adults. I suggest you limit yourself to no more than 2,400 milligrams a day. That's a whole teaspoonful!
Lowering sodium may leave you with foods that taste dull at first. But keep eating less salt. You'll eventually taste the flavors that salt masks. As hard as it is to believe this, even if you're a salt lover, you may find that it's easy to stay on a lower-salt diet. That's what the study participants found.
Be patient with your taste buds. They were originally taught to enjoy salty foods. Cut back on your sodium and they'll get used to the change. Perhaps not overnight, but within a few weeks or months.
What about salt substitutes?
Some salt substitutes contain potassium chloride. If you need extra potassium – and most people with heart problems do – this could be an excellent choice. But if you have kidneys that can't excrete excessive potassium, you could be causing a risky situation. Check with your doctor before dousing your foods with a salt substitute. Using it sparingly should be fine.
By the way, if you tend to retain fluids, you may find that salt is the culprit. Before your body can use sodium, it needs to be diluted with water. The result is often water retention. Salt substitutes don't have this same effect.
I prefer savory foods to sweet foods, and savory foods are both salty and spicy. In the past, I could easily eat a medium-sized bag of potato chips at one sitting. Then I cut back on salty foods and ate some potato chips. My tongue felt swollen and burned. I can vouch that once you lower your salt intake, it's a dietary change that's easy to maintain. And it could save your life. No, I don't eat potato chips any more. Nor do I miss them. They're too salty and too greasy.
Cook, N.R., et al. "Long-term effects of dietary sodium reduction on cardiovascular disease outcomes: observational follow-up of the trials of hypertension prevention," British Medical Journal, April 20, 2007.
Health Detective
Deciding Breast Cancer Treatment
Your decision to have a mastectomy rather than a lumpectomy for early-stage breast cancer may be influenced by your doctor's sex. At least that's what Dr. Elizabeth M. Cyran from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver says. She was part of a team that surveyed nearly 200 women over age 65 who have stage I or II breast cancer. Although nearly half had mastectomies, only 22 of them had clinical indications for this surgery.
Lumpectomies were the treatment of choice made by better-educated women over 75. Their female doctors gave them additional information to help them make their decision. That's right! Female doctors helped their patients understand that lumpectomies were safe and effective treatments for their breast cancer, and that it was unnecessary to cut off their breasts. And the additional information they gave their patients reduced the patients' fear enough for them to make a decision for a more conservative form of surgery.
The doctors who conducted this survey found that doctors recommended mastectomies to 45% of women who could have been treated successfully and safely with lumpectomies. The lesson in this study applies to numerous conditions. If you are given any diagnosis with frightening implications, ask your doctor to spend enough time to explain your options to you and take your time to understand them. If other women get additional information, you can too.
Arch Surg, 2001;136:185-191.
Get Rid of Cold Sores in Two Days or Less
If you suffer from cold sores, you know how painful and unsightly these lesions are. Unfortunately, there's no way to completely stop cold sores. That's because they're caused by a virus, the herpes simplex virus HSV-1. And you probably know you can't eradicate any virus (you can only keep it in remission). But I've got great news for you...
I've found an easy way to reduce the painful, blistering effects of a cold sore. And this remedy can do so in just one or two days. Since it usually takes 7 to 10 days for cold sores to run their course, that's a huge improvement.
HSV-1, which is related to Epstein-Barr and cytomegaloviruse (CMV), is not a benign virus that just causes cold sores. It can also lead to serious eye infections. And while it's different from genital herpes (HSV-2), these two viruses are so closely related that one can actually trigger the other. So if you are able to prevent cold sores, or even shorten their duration, you could be preventing more dangerous viral infections.
Most doctors will tell you Acyclovir (Zovirax) or a number of popular pharmaceutical topical anti-virals can treat herpes. They may reduce its pain and itching, and promote healing. However, they don't prevent cold sores. But my favorite natural remedy does.
I'm talking about the extract of Melissa officinalis, also known as the herb lemon balm. Researchers tested this herb in a 1999 study. They found it effectively reduced the duration of cold sores when applied topically four times a day as soon as they appeared. I use it at the first sign of a prodrome, that little tingling that precedes a blister. And I rarely get an outbreak any more.
You should be able to find topical creams with Melissa extract in your local health food store. I have successfully used Cold Sore Relief, formerly called Herpalieve, made by PhytoPharmica, both for myself and for my patients. If you can't find it, call 800-376-7889.
Want even more protection? The amino acid l-lysine is anti-viral and often prevents cold sores when you take 500 mg every day. Then, at the first sign of an outbreak, increase the dosage to 1,000 mg (1 gram) three times a day in between meals.
Mackowiak, E.D., PhD. "Prevention and treatment of cold sores," U.S. Pharmacist, December 2003.
Ask Dr. Nan
Q: I am 58 and in very good health. Recently, I purchased a removable retainer from my dentist to help straighten my lower teeth. The retainer is made of acrylic; the wires are stainless steel covered in nickel. Are these materials harmful to my health? Could my recent mild headaches be a result? And can this retainer lead to other health problems? — B.B., e-mail
A: Lots of people are allergic to nickel and some are sensitive to acrylic. Your headaches could be a result of contact with these materials, or they could be caused by stress. I doubt that they would lead to other more serious health problems.
Here's what you can do to avoid an allergic reaction: Get a night guard made from non-reactive plastic that covers the edges of your teeth. It stays in place and doesn't contain any materials that could cause reactions. Your retainer should fit over it without any trouble. And, if your headaches are stress-related, the night guard could help them, also.
Q: What causes brown spots on my skin? What can I do to stop getting them? I started seeing them when I was 47. Now I'm 63 and they're all over my arms and legs. I don't think they come from exposure to the sun because my legs are always covered — P.B., e-mail
A: These "age spots" have two causes. The first is ultraviolet rays. I've got bad news for you — these rays can get through your clothing. So your best defense is to use sunscreen on your face, arms, and legs every day. Even when it's overcast. Ultraviolet rays are not only present when the sun is shining.
Second, these spots are caused by aging — thus the name, "age spots." As we get older, our skin regenerates itself more slowly, leaving these spots behind. You can go to a dermatologist for laser therapy. That will remove them, but they're likely to come back. I view mine as "battle scars" that I've won over time. When I think of them in this way, they don't bother me.
Q: How does the PectaSol Chelation Complex formula know what I need and what I don't need? I know, for example, that I need copper. Do I have to back off from taking this formula at times to avoid a copper deficiency? — R.W., Olympia WA
A: The size, shape, and nature of the modified citrus pectin (MCP) and modified alginate molecules attach themselves to toxic heavy metals and carry them out of your body. The strong chelator in these substances is known to be specific to lead and other heavy metals. They don't bind to calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, or copper. In fact, there are studies to prove this.
According to an article published in Phytotherapy Research (October 2006), modified citrus pectin removed lead, but left other minerals alone. So you don't have to stop taking it at any time.
In fact, the longer you use it, the more heavy metals, pharmaceutical drugs, and contaminants (such as pesticides) are removed. I take one capsule twice a day every day. In my opinion, the first step in regaining or maintaining health is an effective detoxifying program, and I've seen this formula work time and again in patients and myself.
For best absorption, take this formula on an empty stomach two hours before or after taking your vitamins or minerals. This ensures it won't bind to any vitamins and minerals in the digestive tract.