A Yummy "Fried" Fish Recipe for the Holiday Weekend

This is a really quick, easy and non-gluten version of "fish n chips" fish without the "chips."  I think that your entire family will enjoy the taste of this golden brown, crunchy fish that you can serve on non-gluten bread or a bed of lettuce.

Fish Sandwich

This is a non-gluten variation on the traditional “fish and chips” sandwich. I use Bob's Red Mill non-gluten flour to coat the fish and use low heat in a non-stick fry pan containing only a tablespoon of oil. The fish is tasty and the coating still gives the sandwich a wonderful crunch. This recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 pound of cod or other firm white fish, cut into 4 ounce equal-thickness pieces

2 small eggs with 1-2 Tbsp. of water

1 ½ cups of non-gluten flour

2 Tbsp. grape seed or avocado oil

salt and pepper to taste

4 Tbsp. mayonnaise, homemade if possible

2 Tbsp. organic ketchup

1 small dill pickle, diced

Directions:

Mix together the mayonnaise, ketchup and diced pickles in a small bowl and set aside.

Beat the eggs and water with some salt and pepper together in a 9 inch shallow bowl or pan. Place the flour with some salt and pepper into another 9 inch shallow bowl or pan. Put the oil into a fry pan set on medium low....just high enough to get the fish to sizzle, but not too high as to burn the floured fish. On my stove, I set the heat on number 4 out of a possible 10 setting that is high. Dredge the fish in the flour, then coat it with the egg, then, flour a second time. This gives you a resulting crispy coating on the fish. Test the oil with a pinch of flour to see if the oil is hot enough to give a sizzle to the flour. If so, you are ready to cook the fish; if not, wait a little and retest until the test flour sizzles. Place the fish in the fry pan and cook for 3-5 minutes a side, according to the thickness of the fish. Each side should be a lovely golden brown color.

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Drinking Lots of Coffee Shown to be Linked to Increased Death Risk

For our 25+ years of practice, we have been trying to educate our patients as to the potential risks of coffee drinking, especially for those who love those "extra big" cups from their favorite coffee shop.  A cup of coffee is only 4-5 ounces, not one of those 64 ounce sizes.  I still chuckle when I think of the patient who insisted that he only drank one cup of coffee a day....one 64 ounce cup.

The Mayo Clinic has published the results of a study about the effects of coffee on the health of those who really love to drink lots of it, everyday.  Past studies have shown no significant effects from drinking 1-2 cups of coffee a day, although that could be a problem if it were espresso coffee or one used lots of sugar.

You'll notice that the effects of coffee were noted in those who are under 55 years of age.  One does wonder why older people weren't studied, but I guess the researchers had to stop somewhere or, maybe, they figure that we who are over 55 aren't going to last that much longer, anyway.  Please note that the definition of "lots of coffee," is over 28 cups a week.

In a recent study, researchers analyzed data on 43,727 participants from the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study to assess the potential association between coffee consumption and risk of death from any cause as well as specific conditions.

Throughout the average 17-year follow-up period, 2,512 deaths were identified. Through data analyses, the researchers found that men who drank over 28 cups of coffee weekly had a higher risk of death from any cause. Furthermore, when analyzing the data by age and adjusting for certain factors such as fitness level, the researchers found that there was a significant link between high coffee consumption, 28 cups or more weekly, and death from any cause for both men and women who were under 55 years-old.

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Are Mercury Fillings Hazardous to the Health of Your Baby?

I came across the following article written by Alex Shvartsman, DDS about the connection between amalgam (mercury) fillings and possible health risks to unborn babies.  I thought this would be of interest to many of you.

During our years of practice, we have recommended the removal of mercury fillings to a number of our patients because of the significant symptoms they were experiencing.  Each person who was able to find a dentist both willing and able to safely remove the mercury from their teeth, almost immediately began experiencing relief from their long-standing problems.  It is extremely difficult to find a dentist who will agree to remove mercury and who is experienced in doing so.  Mercury is a poisonous heavy metal and has to be discarded as hazardous waste.  I was very surprised to read this article, as dentists have come under some very significant consequences from the ADA when they have been found to have removed amalgam from teeth that are intact.  The ADA admits to no problems from mercury and have actively and legally discouraged dentists who have removed mercury fillings, in the past.

Here is Dr. Shvartsman's article:

Long Island Holisitc Dentist discussed the possible dangers for their baby of mercury fillings in mothers' teeth.

     Dental amalgam fillings are the most common tooth filling material used today.  Many are unaware that “silver “ fillings are actually up to 55% mercury.  Mercury is considered the most toxic non-radioactive material on earth by toxicologists.  The mercury in dental fillings remains in its liquid state and binds the other metals in the filling together.  Liquid mercury vaporized easily even below room temperature and is highly ionizable.  It is the Ionized mercury vapor that cause numerous disruptions and misregulations in the human body.

     Numerous studies have confirmed that mercury vapor is being constantly released during chewing. Higher levels of mercury vapor is released during tooth grinding or eating hot foods and drinking hot beverages. In addition, tooth whitening releases extremely high amounts of mercury vapor as does polishing dental fillings during cleanings as well as drilling out old mercury dental fillings.   Mercury vapor is easily ionizable and quickly penetrates cell membranes, especially nerve cells.  Besides the brain, spinal chord and the nerves, most every organ in the body accumulates mercury.

     Constant low-level mercury exposure accumulation, as occurs from mercury dental fillings is cumulative over the years. Many health experts and researchers agree that chronic low-level mercury exposure has detrimental health effects on our bodies, especially after decades of exposure.

     No one can argue that as parents, protecting our children is our primary responsibility and duty.  Studies have confirmed that ionized mercury easily penetrates the placenta and is detectable in the breast milk of mothers.  While there are no studies on the effects of this mercury exposure to the developing baby and the nursing infant due to ethics of such experiments, concerned and responsible mothers should be informed of its probable dangers. 

     In addition, the FDA has advised the discontinuation of mercury containing fillings in “growing children” following several laws suits.  A ten year study, which followed children for the age of 8 to the age of 18 confirmed that children with  mercury-filled teeth have higher incidence of health problems. This same study helped to identify a gene variant that predisposes boys to mercury toxicity even at small levels.

     Women who are planning to get pregnant may want to consider removing mercury containing dental fillings from their teeth prior to conception and to evaluate themselves for mercury toxicity.  Since drilling out mercury fillings releases high amounts of ionizable mercury vapor, concerned mothers may want to protect themselves by having their dentist follow the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology’s (IAOMT) protocol for safe dental mercury filling removal. 

Unfortunately, few dentists are aware of this protocol and fewer still adhere to it strictly. 

     Dr. Alex Shvartsman of Long Island Center for Healthier Dentistry is the only accredited member of the IAOMT on Long Island. He has successfully passed the IOAMT written toxicology exam, as well as the oral presentation on his adherence to the protocol. He currently serves on the Educational Committee of the IAOMT.

Would You Like to Eat an Anti-Inflammatory Diet?

We've talked about the role diet plays in our health, such as eating foods that alkalize our blood rather than acidifying it and making sure that we have sufficient quantities of the right type of bacteria in our intestines in order to properly digest and assimilate nutrients.  I thought we might discuss specific foods that can help to ensure that we keep the levels of inflammation to a minimum in our bodies.  An anti-inflammatory diet has been shown to decrease the production of certain chemicals that cause inflammation and, therefore, tissue breakdown and the aging of our cells.

We need to remember that organically grown foods are reported to have 2-5 times more nutrients than their conventionally grown counterparts and contain no added pesticides...always a plus.  Your meals should consist of 55% carbohydrates (only 5-10% of which should be simple carbs, i.e. "white foods"), 25% protein and 20% healthy fats or essential fatty acids that we've talked about in past blogs.  These numbers are approximate but show the importance of vegetables, grains and legumes in the diet as opposed to meat-based foods.  Remember, you need fats together with vegetables in order for the nutrients to be assimilated more effectively.  As much as possible, I recommend you eat a non-gluten diet which also will decrease inflammation in the body.  Do not eat any one food more than 5 times a week.

Vegetables:
     Eat mostly lower carbohydrate vegetables, those containing only 3-6% carbohydrates.  You can find specific lists on the internet or check with me.   Steaming vegetables improves the availability of the nutrients in foods.  I don't recommend eating a large quantity of raw vegetables, except in salads.  Vegetables contain a very tough outer coating on the cell walls that are difficult to digest.

Grains:
     Include 1-2 cups of cooked grains per day.  I recommend quinoa grains instead of wheat or white grains because quinoa has a much lower glycemic index than traditional grains.  Also, I recommend only 1 piece of bread be eaten per day...non-gluten, if possible.  Wheat bread has a very high glycemic index and diabetics, those with hypertension or high cholesterol should beware.  Amaranth, barley, millet, oatmeal and basmati are all superior grains.

Legumes:
     Soak your legumes overnight and cook them slowly the next day.  Split peas, lentils, kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans and garbanzo beans are a few of the beans on the "suggested" list.

Seafood:
     Deep sea-ocean fish are an excellent source of essential fatty acids and should be eaten 3-4 times a week.  Avoid lobster, shrimp and crab because of what they eat.

Meat:
     Eating protein with every meal helps to maintain a steady blood sugar level and energy level.  I suggest you get at least 50% of your protein from non-meat sources.

Spices:
     There are no restrictions in this category.

Sweeteners:
     No artificial sweeteners of any kind and no table sugar (white sugar).  I have white sugar in the house to make my hummingbird nectar, only.

Butter and Oils:
     Use butter sparingly and not more than 1-2 Tbsp. in a week.  Butter is better than the artificial substitutes, but still organic oils are your best source of essential fatty acids.

Dairy:
     I recommend no dairy in the diet as it produces mucous in the gut, is a major source of allergic and adverse reactions.  Hard cheeses such as parmasean from Italy or goat's parm. as well as goat's feta and cheddar are fine.  No soft cheeses from cow's milk, at all.

Nuts and Seeds:
     There is a shorter list for "nuts to avoid," so I'll include those:  no peanuts or peanut butter.

Drinks:
     No coffee, soda, juice, caffeinated teas or alcohol.  Sorry, alcohol is extremely inflammatory, but one 2-3 ounce drink of wine a day is acceptable, if you have no chronic illnesses.

Misc:
     Organic eggs are fine.  I suggest no more than 5 a week.  No corn products, hydrogenated oils, processed foods or fried foods.

I hope this list is helpful.  Let me know if you have any specific questions about this.
                                                                                                                                                                                                

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Do you Have IBD? Here are Some Ideas That may Help

IBD or inflammatory bowel disease used to be known as IBS.  I guess the medical community decided that "inflammatory" was more descriptive than "irritable."  A rose by any other name, although there is little that is sweet about this problem.

Those suffering from this condition frequently suffer from chronic fatigue.  This is hardly surprising because this occurs when the body is unable to assimilate and utilize foods, an affect of inflammation.   We have discussed many of the problems that can result when the intestines are inflamed or unable to produce sufficient amounts of necessary bacteria in a number of previous blogs.

In this month's Journal of Alternative Complementary Medicine, researchers studied thiamine (B1) and its possible benefits for those with IBD who are suffering with chronic fatigue.  This was a very small study, only 16 people, but it appears that the positive effects of this vitamin were statistically significant. It certainly makes sense that any B vitamins would be of help because this classification of vitamins helps to calm nerves.  I'm not sure why only B1 was chosen as there is no food in nature that contains only one of the B vitamins without any other accompanying phytonutrients.  Also, we can be certain that the source of this vitamin is both fractionalized and laboratory-produced.  That being said, it is still of interest to me just how vitamin deficient many people must have been in this study to produce such a positive result from one course of 600-1500 mg. per day.

For those with this condition that have sought our help, we have been extremely successful in reducing the symptoms by changing their diet, adding probiotic and other nutrient supplementation and using cold laser. Certain food groups have been identified as major irritants, and once removed completely from the diet, people have found incredible relief.  We would occasionally add back the offending foods to the diet and, virtually without exception, the symptoms would return.  I'm not certain just how much relief one would get taking only one vitamin, but at least this study is a step in the right direction.
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Which Foods can Help Balance our Blood?

I've had a few questions about where to find lists containing the pH of foods.  After researching this, I have come to find that some sites list the actual pH of foods, while others take into consideration the pH after the food has been metabolized by the body.  This can lead to some confusion.  The list of foods that I give to interested patients contains the pH of foods once they have been metabolized.  The reason for this is that a food may contain a significant amount of acid, but once eaten, it becomes alkaline in the blood.  One such example is a lemon.  While acidic on the "plate," it is alkaline in the blood.

I thought I might include some examples of foods that might be thought of as "acidic," but, once metabolized, become alkaline and, therefore, food that should be eaten both frequently and in some quantity.  For a complete list of alkaline foods, I suggest you check the internet.

Mildly alkaline:
Almond milk, grapefruit, pomegranate, herbs, avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, hemp oil

Moderately alkaline:
Ginger, lemon, lime, rhubarb, hemp seeds, Quinoa

Highly alkaline:
Green drinks (Innate carries the best)
pH 9.5 water, Himalayan salt, avocados, cruciferous vegetables, tomato, spinach, sprouts, parsley, garlic, kale, cucumber, celery, turnip greens

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What Else can be Done for Chronic Dry Eye Besides Medication?

Research that has been published in the July issue of Cornea, suggests that essential fatty acids may be of benefit for those who suffer from chronic dry eyes.  I know that one of my patient's back some years ago suffered from this and it truly affected her quality of life.

Gamma linolenic acid (GLA) and Omega 3 fatty acids were the two specific fats chosen.  Foods such as fatty fish, nuts, hemp hearts and organic oils are all high in essential fatty acids and should be eaten, frequently.  In this study, the research team followed 38 post-menopausal women who were suffering from tear production dysfunction.  As this was a randomized trial, the subjects were assigned either to the fatty acid supplementation group or the placebo group for six months.  The women's progress was measured at 4, 12 and 24 weeks, respectively and the Ocular Surface Disease Index score was used to detect any changes.  The results showed a marked, statistically significant improvement in this Index score by the group taking the fatty acid supplement over the placebo group.  The women on the supplement reported an improvement in eye irritation, but did not see a significant improvement in tear production.  

The authors admit to needing additional research about the efficacy of essential fatty acid supplementation in tear production, but I believe that they might do well with using organic food sources of these and other essential fatty acids rather than a lab-produced supplement. That suggestion aside, I think it's really worth looking at what mechanisms are imbalanced to cause this problem in the first place.  Eating a diet high in phytonutrients, low in animal protein and balanced in acid/alkaline ratio will go a long way to preventing many of today's stress and inflammation-induced maladies.

Sheppard JD Jr, Singh R, McClellan AJ, et al. Long-term Supplementation With n-6 and n-3 PUFAs Improves Moderate-to-Severe Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca: A Randomized Double-Blind Clinical Trial. Cornea. 2013 Jul 23.

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A Warning About Pharmaceutical-Grade Supplements

Over the years, I have had people ask me about pharmaceutical-grade supplements.  Many of these folks have been told that since the vitamins were pharmaceutical-grade, they were of superior quality to all the other manufactured supplements.  I have always maintained that whole food supplements are the best type to purchase and that no supplement that is manufactured offers the body the quality of nutriceutical that whole food supplements offer.  All laboratory-constructed supplements contain no naturally-occurring phytonutrients that I believe are fundamental to optimum utilization by our bodies.
Therefore, one may imagine my interest in the following warning put out by the FDA concerning lab manufactured supplements:

FDA: Purity First Recalls Products Due To Undeclared Steroids

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that Purity First Health Products has recalled several of its Healthy Life Chemistry products.

These include two lots of Healthy Life Chemistry B-50 (100 capsules), one lot of Healthy Life Chemistry Multi-Mineral (200 capsules), and all lots of Healthy Life Chemistry Vitamin C (200 capsules). The products are marketed as dietary supplements and come in white plastic bottles.

The recall was issued after the B-50 capsules were found to contain the controlled substance methasterone and dimethazine, which are both potentially harmful steroids. The Multi-Mineral and Vitamin C capsules were found to contain dimethyltestosterone. These ingredients were undeclared and were not included on the product labels.

All of the products were available nationwide through retail and the internet, and through retail stores from July 2012 to June 2013.

The FDA has received reports of side effects associated with the use of Healthy Life Chemistry B-50, including fatigue, muscle cramps, and muscle pain, as well as changes in cholesterol levels and in liver and thyroid function. Some women reported unusual hair growth and missed periods, while some men reported impotence and low testosterone levels.

Warning signs that may be associated with the use of steroids or steroid-like substances may include blood clots, sudden blockage in the lung artery, liver or kidney problems, and stroke. The FDA advises consumers who experience symptoms to consult a health care professional and to submit a report to the FDA's MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program.

References

1. Natural Standard: The Authority on Integrative Medicine. www.naturalstandard.com
2. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). www.fda.gov

 

 I hope all of you had the opportunity to watch 60 Minutes last night concerning their story about the many compounding facilities around this country that are potentially manufacturing deadly medicines, including steroids, like the one located in Massachusetts.  Congress took away FDA oversight of the compounding facilities in 1998 and we are now potentially facing more deaths due to this lack of inspection power.  In my opinion, we are relying much too much on pharmaceuticals and not enough upon wholesome foods and supplements to maintain our health.

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Non-Gluten for Beginners

Getting started with switching from an all gluten to a non-gluten diet may be easier than you think. The first thing is to keep in mind is what foods contain gluten , and there are more than we think. Did you know that vanilla extract can contain gluten? That's why I always recommend the pure, organic extract. The less expensive brands use the gluten as a “carrier” or “filler.”

All wheat products, whether they are labeled as “whole wheat” or “white,” are a source of gluten. Make certain to read the labels on the products you buy to look for any hidden gluten. You can use the internet to find lists of foods and products containing gluten. That way there is never any doubt.

If you are a baker and want to continue to offer your family desserts and breads, it's much easier than you think. Bob's Red Mill offers a non-gluten flour mix that is superb. I don't recommend that you use non-gluten single flour sources such as tapioca or coconut flour as they don't give the same results as the flour mixes. Bob's products are available at any grocery store as well as online at Amazon.com. Another wonderful non-gluten flour baking mix is Pamela's Baking Mix. It already contains leavening and salt and offers a number of recipes on the bag. The best place to buy this is on Amazon.com...they offer fantastic prices and free shipping. I have mine on automatic delivery and receive a reduced price for that service. Many of you know that I am writing a cook book for those wishing to convert from gluten to non-gluten baking and cooking. I use Pamela's almost exclusively for all the cookies, cakes, muffins, cup cakes and sweet breads that I bake. I've successfully converted many “regular” recipes to non-gluten ones with this baking mix. There are a few tricks and changes that had to be made, but once you get the hang of it, this type of baking is no more difficult than regular baking.

If you like making entrees, then you will also find Amazon.com to be a good friend. Changing to quinoa grains and pasta is much easier using this source. Amazon offers a number of different organic brands of non-gluten pasta, so experimenting will help you to know which brand you like the best. I like “Ancient Harvest” quinoa pasta, especially the linguine. In order to buy that in bulk, you'll have to go on Ancient Harvest's website as Amazon doesn't offer that type of pasta anymore. Ancient Harvest uses some corn flour to help keep the quinoa pasta from sticking, so anyone allergic to corn, please take note. I simply rinse off the pasta after cooking and am able to get rid of virtually all the corn.

I have been able to make lasagna, stuffed shells, spaghetti, eggplant and chicken parmasean and other Italian dishes from non-gluten pastas, it just takes a bit of imagination, especially since I have yet to find a traditional lasagna noodle that's non-gluten.

If anyone has a favorite gluten-containing dish that they would like to have help converting into a non-gluten one, please write and let me know. I'm here to help and am always on the look out for new recipe possibilities.

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Non-Gluten is Going Mainstream

Steve Harvey, the comic and talk show host, announced that he has never felt more energetic in his life. Novac Djokovic  went from frequently not being able to finish out a 5 set tennis match and never being able to beat either Roger Federer or Rafa Nadal, to the world's number one player in less than a year. What do these two men have in common?  They both decided to go on a gluten-free diet resulting in experiencing much improved energy levels as well as performance levels.

Not so long ago, I was speaking to someone about decreasing the gluten content in her diet; her response was that she wasn't allergic to gluten and saw no reason to do that.  My response is that one doesn't need to have an allergic reaction to a food to be sensitive to it.  Some of the indicators that one has a sensitivity are:  lethargy, sleepiness after a full night's sleep, non-specific headaches, constipation or diarrhea, bloating and gas, even muscle aches.  The point is, one can be sensitive to a food, have symptoms and never connect the two.

Over two decades ago, our government saw fit to allow agricultural companies to develop a hybrid wheat grain that contained 50% more gluten than the wild grains.  As a result, we have all been eating more gluten than we ate when we were children.  While it is nearly impossible to determine a 1 to 1 relationship between the genetically modified wheat and the explosion of celiac disease, IBS, Chron's and a myriad of intestinal symptoms because we cannot cause disease in a scientific study, I believe there is a connection.  The reason I believe this is that it has been our experience that once a patient's diet no longer includes gluten, that patient's symptoms diminish or disappear.

Changing from a gluten based diet to a non-gluten based diet is easier and less expensive than one might think.  I believe this is something very important for us all as gluten is a substance that causes inflammation of the entire gut; we remember what happens to our bodies when this occurs....please check out previous blogs for details.... inflammatory changes affect the way we absorb and utilize nutrients, contribute to neurological imbalances, affect bacterial growth, contribute to anxiety and depression, cause antigen/antibody reactions and many more systemic problems.

I thought I might detail some ideas for those of you who would like to make either small, modest or complete changes in your gluten-containing diet in my next blog.  I'll also include some resources that I have found to be both reasonably priced and of very high quality.

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Supplements Help Cancer Patients to Recover More Quickly

The following information is contained within a study concerning the use of ginseng to help cancer patients in their recovery, especially when having to face the consequences of chemo or radiation therapy.  The study makes no distinction about the type of ginseng used.  It's good to remember that when using herbs, all of them are not necessarily created equally.  There is a science to planting and harvesting and even to the species of herbs used.  That is why there is such a cost difference among what appears to be the same herb.  There are very few herb manufacturers that understand the differences and even fewer that grow organic varieties.  The same is true for vitamin supplements. There is a world of difference between the lab-manufactured vitamins and the whole food varieties.

Ginseng May Improve Cancer-Related Fatigue

Supplementing with American ginseng daily for eight weeks may help improve fatigue in people with cancer, according to a study.

The term ginseng refers to several species of the genus Panax of the Araliaceae family. The two most commonly used ginseng species are Asian ginseng and American ginseng. The word "ginseng" is derived from ren-shen, the Chinese word for the plant, which means "essence of the earth in the form of a man" or "man-root," referring to the root's human-like shape. Ginseng has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for more than 2,000 years. Its diverse uses include increasing appetite and strength, enhancing memory and physical performance, reducing fatigue and stress, and improving overall quality of life.

In the current study, researchers set out to determine the potential effects of ginseng on cancer-related fatigue (CRF). They enrolled 364 cancer survivors and randomly assigned them to receive either 2,000 milligrams of American ginseng or placebo daily for eight weeks. They looked at changes in the subjects' level of fatigue after four weeks and eight weeks of treatment.

The results showed a significant difference after eight weeks of treatment in the group that had been given ginseng. People in the ginseng group had greater improvement in symptoms over the course of the study, compared to those who had been given placebo. The researchers found that greater benefit was reported in those who were receiving active cancer treatment, compared to those who had already completed treatment.

The authors concluded that American ginseng may benefit CRF when taken as a dose of 2,000 milligrams daily over an eight-week period. Further research is needed in order to confirm and better understand the role of ginseng in this population.

Many integrative therapies have been evaluated for possible benefit in relieving fatigue and related conditions. Among those that have been studied are homeopathy, iron, melatonin and vitamin B12. More research is needed to support the use of these treatments for fatigue.

References

1. Barton DL, Liu H, Dakhil SR, et al. Wisconsin Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) to Improve Cancer-Related Fatigue: A Randomized, Double-Blind Trial, N07C2. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2013 Jul 13. 

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How to Avoid Painful Visits to your Dentist

Recent research shows that regular supplementation with a full-spectrum probiotic may help avoid the development of dental caries.  Probiotics help to decrease the amounts of enamel-destroying bacteria in the mouth.  I am including a brief from the abstract describing the findings of the study:

Probiotics may help prevent the development of tooth decay by reducing a type of bacteria that is responsible, a study reports.

Taking good care of dental health can help prevent disease in the mouth and throughout the body. The health of the mouth can be an indicator of the individual's overall health. Many serious diseases, such as diabetes, human immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV), and some eating disorders (such as bulimia), show their first signs as symptoms in the mouth, such as oral thrush (an overgrowth of yeast in the mouth). It is for these reasons that healthcare professionals recommend complete, yearly oral exams.

Dental problems include dental cavities, gum diseases (such as gingivitis and periodontitis), canker sores (aphthous stomatitis), mucositis, fungal infections, oral leukoplakia, and oral cancer. The most common oral health problems are cavities and gum disease (including gingivitis and periodontitis). Most adults show signs of gum disease during their lifetime. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), gum disease affects about 14 percent of adults aged 45-54 years. Signs and symptoms of soft tissue diseases such as cold sores are common in adults and affect about 19 percent of those aged 25-44 years.

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria (sometimes referred to as "friendly germs") that help to maintain the health of the intestinal tract and aid in digestion. They also help keep potentially harmful organisms in the gut (harmful bacteria and yeasts) under control. Most probiotics come from food sources, especially cultured milk products. Probiotics can be consumed as capsules, tablets, beverages, powders, yogurts, and other foods.

Probiotics are thought to work by colonizing the small intestine and crowding out disease-causing organisms, thereby restoring proper balance to the intestinal flora. They compete with harmful organisms for nutrients and may also produce substances that inhibit growth of harmful organisms in the gut. Probiotic bacteria have been found to stimulate the body's immune system. They may also aid in several gastrointestinal illnesses such as inflammatory bowel diseases, antibiotic-related diarrhea, Clostridium difficile toxin-induced colitis, infectious diarrhea, hepatic encephalopathy, irritable bowel syndrome and allergies.

In the current study, researchers evaluated trials looking at the potential impact of probiotics on the development of tooth decay. They conducted a review of 66 papers, of which 23 fulfilled their criteria.

The trials suggested that probiotics may help reduce levels of a bacteria called mutans streptococci (MS), which is found in the mouth and may be a significant contributor to tooth decay. The researchers reported that about two-thirds of the papers they evaluated reported that probiotics may help prevent the spread of MS in saliva or plaque in the short term.

The authors concluded that although these results are promising; however, more high-quality studies are needed before firm conclusions can be made.

References

1. Cagetti MG, Mastroberardino S, Milia E, et al. The use of probiotic strains in caries prevention: a systematic review. Nutrients. 2013 Jul 5;5(7):2530-50. doi: 10.3390/nu5072530.

We carry an excellent, full spectrum probiotic at our office.

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