Integrative Health Blog

As the population of North America progresses through seasonal changes from summer to fall and then into winter our bodies also go through critical changes.   

The days get colder and shorter with decreased sunlight exposure promoting changes and alterations in our immune, cardiovascular and nervous systems (especially the brain) as well as lesser changes with the other body systems.  

These seasonal changes will bring illness unless our systems are healthy enough to adequately adapt.  Because a large percentage of our population is already unhealthy (huge numbers are obese, pre-diabetic or worse- highly stressed, immune compromised, or have chronic disease ) seasonal changes will add another level of stress which frequently results in illness.

Food poisoning is most common during the hot summer months when temperatures soar and foods made with creams or dairy can become breeding grounds for infecting microbes. Additionally, many foods and contaminated water can carry parasites. Under-cooked foods, sushi, ground beef and unwashed fruits and produce such as lettuce can also harbor bacteria.

Symptoms of Food Poisoning

The Surprising Secret About Salt

The health industry’s stance on salt since the 1950’s was that too much salt (sodium) caused hypertension (high blood pressure) and associated heart disease.   Doctors and nutritionists advised against salt consumption for hypertensives and cardiac patients. It was thought that excess salt would cause water retention leading to increased blood pressure and ultimately resulting in heart disease.  The reason for diuretic medication was to excrete more fluids to lower blood pressure.

But a new book questions the conventional thinking about salt.

For the first time in the United States, life expectancy is decreasing. (See recent article, A New Health Statistic to Worry About).  Many illnesses and diseases are on the rise despite more available health information to prevent, diagnose and treat these diseases.

There are many reasons for these ominous trends but at the top of the list of factors is the quality of our nutrition. So many foods contain unhealthy additives or are void of important nutrients.   Obesity and closely associated diabetes are becoming more common and are examples of what can happen due to deficient nutrition or the consumption of unhealthy, poor quality foods.

Life expectancy is one of those statistics we just knew would inch up every decade and with each generation.

We were sure we would live longer than our parents and our kids will live longer than us.   As health research improves, health challenges are identified and the population becomes more informed, so it makes sense that we would continue to live longer.  Until now, common sense would suggest that the odds of reaching 100 years old in great health would continue to steadily improve.

Sorry to break the news and dampen your life longevity celebration- but The National Bureau of statistics just revealed that life expectancy decreased for the first time ever. This means that we will not live longer than our parents and our children will not reach our life expectancy.

Dental Implants:  An Important Development

Teeth are critical for overall health, not just for aesthetics.   Teeth structure and alignment affect the nervous system, digestive system, immune system, structural alignment and so much more.

Teeth can be lost due to infection, decay, accident, orthodontics, a disrupted bite or even for aesthetic reasons.

Missing teeth that are not replaced can  negatively affect the overall bite, which in turn can affect structural alignment of the jaw and even our sleep.  Without replacing the missing tooth the neighboring teeth will move into that space, altering the way your teeth come together. That altered bite can change jaw alignment, blood flow to the brain as well as alter the nervous system function of the head and neck. Most of these missing teeth should be replaced to restore the bite for long term health and body  alignment.

Are you aware of the critical tooth-sinus connection?

While most of us welcome the beauty of spring, for many it may be the beginning of bothersome symptoms. The explosion of pollens may result in a host of sinus problems- a runny nose, sneezing, difficulty breathing, facial congestion, headaches and “tooth pain.”

Yes, I said tooth pain.  Your upper back teeth, the maxillary molars, actually project into your sinuses and are only separated by very thin bone and the sinus membrane.

When your sinus lining is inflamed in a sinus infection, not only are your sinuses irritated and painful but the nerves of the teeth projecting into your sinuses are irritated.

The tooth - sinus proximity is such that inflamed sinuses may result in painful teeth.  

According to National Cancer Institute:

1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women will develop cancer in their lifetime.

It is not surprising that cancer rates are rising to over 40% of the population given:

1. The exploding levels of environmental toxicity
2. Steadily increasing stresses
3. Unhealthy life styles
4. Critically deficient or imbalanced nutrients in our foods

The Brain Detoxes at Night

New research has recently revealed that the brain is protected via nightly cleansing. During deep sleep the brain shrinks about 40-50% to flush out toxins which would otherwise accumulate in the brain.  Altering this brain shrinkage results in toxic accumulation in the brain, which in turn may lead to brain degeneration e.g. Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, MS, ALS and dementia.

This action by the brain of squeezing out toxins is similar to squeezing out water in a sponge. Unfortunately, this self protective cleansing technique by the brain is compromised by several factors.

Understanding the “Great Health Challenge” to which 75% of the U.S. population is exposed

The story of fluoride is one of obfuscation and conflicting agendas that ultimately show how detrimental fluoride may be to the consumers of fluoride.   In the U.S. and several other countries, fluoride is added to the water, foods, toothpaste,  and many other sources.

Fluoride is a significant toxin with many unhealthy consequences.   The reason 70% of the U.S. population is unfortunately consuming fluoride in their water and food is due to agendas which are in conflict with respectable scientific health studies of fluoride since the 1930’s.

Many advanced European countries and scientists in other disciplines cannot believe the U.S. fluoridates its water. Because they know the health damage inflicted by active water fluoridation, only about 3% of Europe fluoridates its water.

When you understand the truth behind fluoride research and the history of water fluoridation, you will want to consider your exposure to fluoride and perhaps rid the fluoride from your body.

History of Fluoridation

To fully understand the problems with fluoride it is imperative to learn the brief history of fluoridation and how it erroneously became the “darling” of organized dentistry.  The first significant study of fluoride worthy of acknowledgement was performed by Dr. Kaj Eli Roholm, a Danish scientist who studied workers in Greenland tasked with manufacturing munitions from cryolite (which contained high levels of fluoride) during World War I.