As I mentioned in my article last month, while this is not the flu season, it is the season of overindulgence in inflammatory foods and excitotoxins. Why would a dentist, specializing in TMJ, be concerned about what you eat? Unless things have changed, the head is still attached to the body, and unlike what insurance companies force upon us, what you do with your jaw to create TMJ problems is, many times, a result of problems elsewhere in your body.
One of the many bad side effects of increasing our intake of sugar, sugar substitutes and carbohydrates, is that a nasty little germ called candida, which thrives on these items, can take over as the ruling majority in one’s digestive system. The resulting symptoms can include fatigue, gerd, gas, bloating, depression, sleep loss, clenching/grinding the teeth and many more. These are not the kind of guests we want to invite over for the holidays. In addition, another side effect of this condition is severe weakening of the immune system, which thus invites other unwanted holiday guests like Mr. Cold and Mrs. Flu.
Aside from cutting back on our binges, what can be done to help our poor body make it through this season?
• Avoid processed foods. Go for the veggies and homemade dips. Take a look at the ingredients in a store-bought spinach dip.
Where in nature can you find all those chemicals? Well, certainly not in organic, unprocessed foods on which we evolved. Flavored chips tend to be very high in MSG as well.
• Try to avoid the non-complex carbohydrates, such as potatoes, bread and bakery goods. Keep candy and sweets to a minimum.
• Be aware of what foods are inflammatory, and avoid them. You can find lists of anti-inflammatory foods online. Seek out these anti-inflammatory foods.
• If you do binge, avoid milk and cereal for breakfast as well as any high carbohydrate breakfast, especially fruit juices, which further harm the liver.
• Take a high quality probiotic (30 billion CFU). This will help control the candida as well and help to protect your digestive system.
• A high quality multi nutrient supplement with chelated minerals can help make up for the empty calories associated with holiday food.
I love the holiday season and all the festivities and I wish a happy and healthy season to all. With a little effort we can give our bodies the best chance to survive this wonderful time of year, free from the flu. Hopefully the term “lose weight” need not be in our New Year’s resolutions.
Advanced Oral Diagnosis & Treatment Center is located in Danville. For more information please visit www.aodtc.com or call 925-837-8048.
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