This post will relate to an encounter with one of my patients that recently made me very happy. When most patients come to me, they often assume that I am just like any other dentist. However, what they don't realize is that my practice is unique. I specialize in treating the root cause of gum disease, tooth decay, and facial development issues, taking a holistic approach that considers the entire body. This approach, which is often new and intriguing to them, sets my practice apart. Despite my recommendations, my free-range patients often continue with their unhealthy lifestyles. But I'm used to it. After all, people should be free to live their lives as they see fit. However, many of my patients implement my recommendations and transform their health. When I hear their stories, I am overjoyed.
Read MoreIn the past, lead aprons were commonly used in dental X-rays as a way to protect against radiation. In 2017, the ADA said it was no longer appropriate to use lead aprons when taking radiographs. However, recent research suggests that thyroid collars are also not necessary due to advancements in dental X-ray equipment and practices. According to a detailed review, modern technology significantly reduces stray radiation exposure, making lead aprons and thyroid collars sometimes unnecessary. The American Dental Association (ADA) has updated their guidelines to reflect these findings and to avoid repeated X-rays and increased radiation exposure caused by the use of unnecessary protective gear.
Read MoreThis post will discuss six dental care basics that your dentist may not be aware of but you should know about. I want to start by saying that if it was just about brushing twice daily, flossing, having two cleanings per year, and adding fluoride, why do so many patients suffer from cavities, gum disease, crooked teeth, no room for wisdom teeth, breathing problems, obesity, high blood pressure, and GERD? This post will explain it all.
Read MoreThis post takes a closer look at the world of pharmaceutical advertising, which is often intricate and controversial. It exposes the multi-billion dollar campaigns that may have an influence on more than just consumer choices. The promotions often prioritize lesser drugs and there is potential for conflicts of interest to arise within media relationships. This article sheds light on the profound impact of pharmaceutical advertising on both public perception and healthcare practices. It raises critical questions about the intentions behind these advertisements and examines the ethical dimensions of such heavy investments. By tracing the flow of money from pharmaceutical companies into media outlets, this discussion explores how this influx of capital could be shaping the news and information that reaches the public, possibly at the cost of unbiased reporting and the broader public health. Ultimately, this overview sets the stage for a deeper investigation into whether these advertising dollars are merely driving sales or also buying silence and compliance within the media and beyond.
Read MoreThe association between senior citizens falling and shorter life spans has been well-established for years. What is less well-known is that one of the most important factors in preventing falls is toe strength. This post will cover recent research on older adults that has brought attention to the importance of toe flexor strength as a predictor of falls, specifically in the dominant foot.
Read MoreQuite often, I speak about human nutrition in very specific ways. While potentially helpful, the overall impact of my message can get lost in the details. However, I do have a basic stance on the basic human diet that is one sentence long and aimed at encapsulating my core beliefs. This post will let you know what it is and give you the information it is based on.
Read MoreWhen I started out as a dentist, I believed that if people would simply avoid sugar, brush twice daily, floss once a day, come in every six months for their cleaning and check-up, and use fluoride, they would be fine. I was wrong. I had good company; many dentists believe that the problems our patients suffer are their fault. There is much more to understand, and it has been omitted from dental education curriculums, leaving dentists and their patients bewildered. This post will explain why this is so, why it happened, and what we can do to solve the problem.
Read MoreRecent studies have shown that insulin is not only important for regulating glucose levels, but also plays a significant role in maintaining healthy mitochondria, particularly in terms of fission. New research suggests that insulin spikes, which often occur after consuming processed carbohydrates, can increase the activity of two substances, RalA and Drp1, leading to the fragmentation of mitochondria. This process highlights a key mechanism through which dietary choices can impact metabolic health and the risk of obesity. This post will cover the mechanism and what we can do to avoid damaging our mitochondria.
Read MoreA 2017 paper by Dan M. Kahan of Yale University explains identity-protective cognition. In his paper, he explores how people's political, cultural, sexual, and social identities have a major influence on their beliefs. Kahan originally termed this phenomenon "identity-protective cognition." Intelligence evolved more as a tool to enhance personal well-being, social status, and group belonging than a means of determining objective truth. He explains that intelligent individuals can reject scientifically accurate data in favor of information that aligns with the beliefs of their cultural, political, or social groups. As a result, we should expect individuals to acquire habits of mind that guide them to form and persist in beliefs that express their membership in and loyalty to a particular identity-defining affinity group. For example, Ketanji Brown Jackson was asked what defines a woman during her hearing to become a Supreme Court justice. She said she could not give the definition as she is not a biologist. A person uninvolved in gender ideology culture can easily describe a woman. Identity-protective cognition goes a long way in explaining how insanely polarizing things get when it comes to health, diet, medication, Covid, and most other current science, politics, and community standards. This post will help explain Kahan's perspectives.
Read MoreNobel Prize-winning physicist Murray Gell-Mann discovered the quark and noticed that when he read a news article about his area of expertise, he found the information to be erroneous. He then wondered whether the other articles he read in the same publication that were beyond his area of expertise were also false. In essence, we turn the page and forget the lies we just read and find credibility in the rest of what we read. Murray's friend and famous author, Michael Chrichton, coined the term Gell-Mann Amnesia to explain the phenomenon. If one news item is wrong, why believe the others are true? As we will see with The New England Journal of Medicine’s dismissal of the importance of vitamin D, why should we believe anything they print?
Read MoreFor many years, the prevailing wisdom has been that vegetarian and vegan diets offer superior health benefits compared to diets that include animal products. This perspective is usually coupled with unfounded concerns over the health impacts of consuming meat, eggs, and animal fats and legitimate ethical considerations about animal welfare. When I inform people that I am on the carnivore diet and choose not to eat many fruits, nuts, and vegetables, the question I get asked most often is, " How do you get all of your nutrients, then?" The reality is that question should be posed to those who choose vegan and vegetarian diets because, as we will see, plant-based foods don't contain all of our required nutrients. However, animal-based diets do. This post will cover the misguided belief that plants provide complete nutrition and cover which nutrients are the most likely to be missing or deficient.
Read MoreMany of us in the health community are stuck when it comes to get-togethers, especially informal parties where alcohol is the expected agent for breaking loose. It's hard enough sometimes to refuse offers to try some of the processed foods hosts and guests offer, but refusing alcohol seems to kill the mood outright when refused. As a result, I usually drink alcohol at such times so as not to be a killjoy, and I always regret it the next day. Additionally, drinking can kick us out of ketosis and mess with our metabolism. I am happy to report that there is an alternative that gives you the feeling of alcohol with none of the toxic effects or hangovers associated with alcohol. This post will cover what it is and how you can experience it.
Read MoreA very close family member was recently diagnosed with osteoporosis and was not keen on taking medication. They approached me for advice. I was inspired to write this post on what osteoporosis is, how to avoid it, and how to live with it, hopefully without medication if possible. It includes both dietary and lifestyle suggestions.
Read MoreBecause I have seen over and over again the poor outcomes of non-treatment, I know many people will regret their decision not to receive treatment. The reasons people don't seek healthcare treatment are innumerable. If they were taking good care of themselves at the same time, things would not be so bad for them. But most people, through no fault of their own, have been fed a veritable pack of lies when it comes to aspects of self-care. So even when they put in an effort to be healthy, the results are minimal. The combination of lack of professional care coupled with lack of self-care is a powerful one-two punch for America. This post will cover the reasons why people don't seek care, refuse treatment when they do, and don’t care for themselves properly.
Read MoreIn today’s post, I will discuss how the mouth plays a significant role in the production of nitric oxide (NO) through a process called the enterosalivary cycle of nitrate. This process involves friendly nitrate-reducing bacteria in the oral cavity, predominantly on the tongue, which reduce dietary nitrate (NO3) from vegetables, meat, and drinking water to nitrite (NO2). The nitrite is then further reduced to NO, which helps regulate systemic blood pressure. This pathway highlights how important oral health is to cardiovascular health. But can mouthwash damage this process?
Read MoreLectins are a type of protein found in various plants, especially grains and legumes, that can bind to cell membranes. They serve a protective function for plants as they grow but can also have negative effects on human health when consumed in large amounts. Despite their natural origins, dietary lectins can be damaging and unhealthy due to their resistance to human digestion and their ability to bind to the cells lining the digestive tract. This post covers the reasons behind the potential harm caused by dietary lectins and provides advice on how to minimize their negative impact on our health.
Read MoreI just watched the documentary "Bad Surgeon," which is available on Netflix. It details the privileged lifestyle and works of a physician, Paolo Macchiarini, who appeared to be pioneering groundbreaking surgeries that could help save the lives of people who otherwise would die. In the end, it is revealed that he skipped critical research, hid his devastating outcomes, used faulty techniques, and did not truly care for his patients, colleagues, family, or friends. In short, he was a sociopath only concerned with his reputation and lifestyle. He used the excuse that the people were going to die, so he thought his "experimental" procedures were an acceptable means of saving lives. His actions were no different than those imposed on us during the height of COVID by most of the governing bodies of the globe. They all tried to justify their ethical misconduct by telling us they were only trying to save us. This post will cover some aspects of medical ethics as they relate to the documentary and the COVID pandemic.
Read MoreYou may have heard of oxalate because it is infamously implicated in kidney stone formation. Oxalate is damaging in higher concentrations, cannot be metabolized, and needs to be excreted. Given their direct role in oxalate excretion, the kidneys often sustain the most severe damage in states of oxalate excess, but other tissues can suffer as well. This post will cover oxalate, what foods contain it, the problems it can cause, and what to do about reducing oxalate if you are experiencing a problem.
Read MoreIn our complex modern society, many of us overlook the interdependence that sustains our daily lives. The intricate web of connections involved in bringing food to our supermarkets, from farmers to transportation, illustrates our profound reliance on one another. Yet the web is so complex that we can't see the interdependence. Instead, we take for granted that the food appears ready for purchase as if by magic. Instead of actively participating in our very survival, we are left to pursue activities that have nothing to do with our survival. We don't even have to look each other in the eye as we purchase our food for the week. Our current lives are a far cry from the self-sufficiency of hunter-gatherer societies, where immediate survival needs drove relationships. Contrasting starkly with ancestral relationships that were once primarily familial and community-based, contemporary society fosters a diversity of connections, including friendships, romantic partnerships, and professional alliances, that don't have any connection to immediate or long-term survival. This disconnect can lead to problems in modern society. This post will cover why and what we can do to improve things.
Read MoreIn the world of nutrition and fitness, protein's role has been the subject of much debate. Common beliefs suggest that post-exercise protein intake only offers a temporary boost in muscle growth, with any surplus amino acids being rapidly expelled by the body. Consequently, many muscle-building enthusiasts opt for multiple small, protein-rich meals throughout the day to optimize muscle development and minimize protein loss.
However, recent findings from a study published in Cell Reports Medicine challenge these established views on protein digestion, particularly post-meal. The research unveils groundbreaking insights with far-reaching implications for those focused on health and wellness. Let's delve into the study's key discoveries and their potential impact.
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