More commonly known as canker sores, recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) can be quite a nuisance. Because the sores are associated with systemic inflammation, I believe that they can be preventable, and I have seen this first-hand in patients. Today I want to cover three important ways you can help prevent them. I also want to tell you about a surprising at-home treatment that has proven to be more effective than prescriotion medication.
Read MoreWhen tested, masks actually look very effective. The website called Smartairfilters.com is a treasure trove of information about air filtration systems and masks. They clearly show the effectiveness of masks, even the cloth home-made ones. Some of the better masks filter out 99.7 percent of all particles. With such convincing results, why do masks seem to be failing us? The paper entitled Masks Don't Work: A Review of Science Relevant to COVID-19 Social Policy may have the answer. They list numerous studies that all conclude that masks don't protect against contracting a whole host of illnesses. We will find out why in this post.
Read Morewe all absorb news hoping that we will have a better understanding of the subject when we finish reading or hearing the facts. Journalism has taken on an air of entertainment as well. Many of us enjoy reading and listening to the news. I have no problem with that. The payoff after hearing news is that we feel entertained (sometimes) and smarter. Little do we suspect that the "payoff" in many instances depends on us not understanding the entire complex subject. I don’t go so far as to use the term fake news often. It’s usually just faulty. What might also be faulty is our belief that The author is an expert who did all of the required research into the matter, and we are now experts in the subject he spoke about in his article as a result of his exhaustive digging.
Today I am going to highlight some commonly used knowledge gaps in a recent New York Times article entitled, "Manure, Belching Cows, And All Those Feedlots."
Read MoreAre there people who just don’t chew enough to absorb enough nutrients to be healthy, even though they could if they wanted to? How do we know when we have safely masticated food enough to safely swallow? Are all of the recommendations to chew more based on legitimate science? Let’s find out…
Read MoreAt our grocery stores and dinner tables, even the most thoughtful consumers are overwhelmed by the number of considerations to weigh when choosing what to eat—especially when it comes to meat. Guided by the noble principle of least harm, many responsible citizens resolve the ethical, environmental, and nutritional conundrum by quitting meat entirely. But can a healthy, sustainable, and conscientious food system exist without animals? Sacred Cow probes the fundamental moral, environmental, and nutritional quandaries we face in raising and eating animals, especially the most maligned of farmed animals, the cow.
Read MoreIn the history of the human race, eating was regarded with the highest priority. The taste was unimportant. Today, overly tasty foods act on the brain the same way alcohol, meth, cocaine, heroin, and many other drugs do. They cause a dopamine hit that will stimulate reward-seeking behaviors that are difficult to control. Flavorful foods are hijacking our brains. Drugs and hyper-palatable/highly processed foods are precisely the same. In both cases, the immediate short-term pleasure overtakes long-term health and wellness. I will cover this unfortunate shift and what we can do about it in this post.
Read MoreI am a proponent of using botanicals to help treat numerous conditions. Allicin from garlic and sulforaphane from cruciferous are two great examples of botanicals that are effective in treating a variety of illnesses. Many websites cite them as home cures for dental abscesses. I did a quick search on the web and found 27 home cures for dental infections. I searched PubMed for studies supporting claims that any of the 27 could cure dental infections. The research, sadly, did not support these claims. Today I am going to give a short primer on the three types of dental infections to explain why I was not surprised by the fact that, in most instances, they will have little to no effect.
Read MoreObesity and metabolic syndrome parameters have a very negative impact on immunity and pathogen defense. Scientists are starting to take note that obesity is a risk factor for more severe Covid-19 symptoms, including death. There is something we can do about it…
Read MoreThe discussions around mTOR have been on the rise lately. I believe this is due to the numerous documentaries on streaming services like “Game Changers” and “For the Health of It”. It has suffered some bad press, so I thought I should do a post on it.
Read MoreI started eating the carnivore diet on January first of this year. So far the results have been very positive. I have decided to do periodic updates as the improvements become permanent. I have great news about my chronic medial epicondylitis…
Read MorePrevalence of metabolic health in American adults is alarmingly low, even in normal weight individuals. The large number of people not achieving optimal levels of risk factors, even in low-risk groups, has serious implications for public health. In this post I discuss the poor state of our health, why it is so bad, and what to do about it.
Read MoreVitamin B3 is needed for 400 functions in the body, making it the most useful one. It has a special place in human history according to the authors of a journal article. Today I am going to talk about what it is, what foods contain it, what it does, and its place in shaping human history.
Read MoreI have been researching the carnivore diet for the last seven months and have decided to give it a try. The more I learned about it, the more I liked the idea of it as an elimination diet. The one thing I can say with confidence is that it is a very healthy choice when it comes to avoiding tooth decay and gum disease.
Read MoreAlthough there are several ways our diets have diverged from our ancient ancestors, today, I want to especially touch upon the two primary ingredients in our food supply, causing untold havoc on our health and well-being.
Read MoreAlthough virtually every physician agrees that regular physical activity, weight loss, adequate nutrition, and quitting smoking all result in health benefits, their business model does not allow the integration of these lifestyle modifications due to the short duration of the average visit, reliance on pharmaceuticals and lack of integrative care. Functional Medicin, on the other hand, focuses more on lifestyle changes than medication. A new study shows that this is a superior approach.
Read MoreDental insurance, although a benefit is more limited than it appears. The amount of money insurance companies are willing to pay in any given calendar year does not go very far. To that end, I am dedicating today’s post to the ins and outs of insurance, the typical indemnity-style ones, and the traditional insurance our ancestors all benefited from.
Read MoreTraditionally, humans have always eaten fats and oils that were predominantly saturated and animal-based. New industrial seed oils have replaced the traditional fats like butter, tallow, and lard. These oils contain large amounts of omega-6 oils which are problematic for our health. We utilize fats for a variety of uses including building blocks for cell membranes, and energy storage. This high omega-6 substitution has had a dramatic effect on our health which I will discuss in today’s post.
Read MoreI had the pleasure of speaking with the creator and owner of Primal Life Organics Trina Felber this week live on FaceBook. We spoke about a number of topics near and dear to my heart such as how the introduction of “dense acellular carbohydrates” into our diets has been disastrous not only for our teeth, but for the rest of our bodies as well. We also spoke about the dangers of fluoridated water to our health. I also stressed how important it is to have a dentist trained in how to safely remove mercury containing fillings using the non-toxic SMART technique. I hope it is helpful and enjoyable!
Read MoreI spoke about how processed carbs ruin our teeth and health, and I get into the specific mechanisms of tooth decay and gum disease. I hope you enjoy the video and more importantly I hope it can help you better understand how processed carbs work in insidious ways to harm our health.
Read MoreThousands of studies have shown that xylitol can help prevent tooth decay and many dental professionals recommend it. While it can definitely help, there are some negatives. Today, I will discuss the pros and cons so you can decide if it is right for you.
Read More