What do the numbers 3,4, 8, and 9 have to do with your health and wellness?

Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., DACBN, MS, CFMP

Do you know those little stickers on fruits and veggies? They’re called price look-up (PLU) codes, and they contain numbers that cashiers use to ring you up. But you can also use them to make sure you’re getting what you paid for. If you are interested in staying healthy, here’s what to look for:

• A five-digit number that starts with a 9  means the item is organic.Eating organically grown produce is paramount. This can be identified at the grocery store by a five-digit bar code starting with the number “9,” or purchased from your local organic grower.
• A four-digit code beginning with a 3 or a 4 means the produce is probably conventionally grown. For example, regular small lemons sold in the U.S. are labeled 4033, large are 4053; small organic lemons are coded 94033, large are 94053. We cannot emphasize enough the importance of food quality when it comes to the prevention of disease. Sure, a conventionally grown bell pepper (identified by a sticker with a four-digit bar code starting with the number “4”) will contain the healthy compound beta-cryptoxanthin, but it will also come with a whole host of cancer-causing chemicals on it.
• A five-digit code that starts with an 8 means the item is genetically modified (it has genes from other organisms). You won’t see many of those because only genetically modified versions of corn, soybeans, canola, cotton, papaya, and squash are now widely sold. And because PLU codes aren’t mandatory, companies can label those items as conventional.

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Introduction

There’s a children’s song, “Dry Bones” with lyrics that connect the bones of the skeleton:

The toe bone’s connected to the foot bone,
The foot bone’s connected to the ankle bone,
The ankle bone’s connected to the leg bone,
Now shake them skeleton bones!

Similarly, many other parts of the body are connected, some in surprising ways.

For example, did you know that the teeth are connected to the heart? Actually, your teeth (and gums) are connected to your overall systemic health.

The article below, “Periodontal Disease and C-Reactive Protein (CRP)” shows recent research linking gum disease to other inflammatory conditions.

“It is now evident that cardiac disorders are worsened by periodontitis*, both experimentally and in humans.”

Periodontitis: A common but preventable gum infection, usually caused by poor oral hygiene.

The good news? You can prevent and often improve gum disease yourself, just by brushing, flossing, and improving your diet.

Better news? Periodontitis (gum disease) leads to costly and uncomfortable dental work. You can improve your systemic health and avoid a $10,000 dental program all at the same time!

Signs You Need to Take Action:

• Swollen or puffy gums
• Bright red, dusky red, or purplish gums
• Gums that feel tender when touched
• Gums that bleed easily
• Pink-tinged toothbrush after brushing
• Spitting out blood when brushing or flossing your teeth
• Bad breath
• Pus between your teeth and gums
• Loose teeth or loss of teeth
• Painful chewing
• New spaces developing between your teeth
• Gums that pull away from your teeth (recede), making your teeth look longer than normal
• A change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite

Get Started Right Now

1: Throw away your toothbrush. Go get an inexpensive electric model that vibrates. Get several replacement brushes, and replace whenever you can see the brush is starting to “mush” a little.

2: Get a package of flossers. If you haven’t used these, you’ll be amazed at how fast and easy flossing is compared to the old “wrap around your fingers” technique.

3: Stop eating refined sugar, or reduce it in your diet as much as possible. This isn’t so much to save your teeth as to reduce inflammation and improve your immune response so your gums can heal. Read Sugar and Your Immune System to get a complete understanding.

4: Go to your dentist! The cheapest thing you can do for your dental health is getting your teeth professionally cleaned on a regular basis (your dentist will tell you how often you need to do it). Your dentist will also be able to tell you about your gum health and anything else you might need to do to get it under control.

Gum Disease can be a Symptom of Other Health Problems

Often I’ll talk to a patient who takes excellent care of their dental health but still has gum disease. Even more common are patients with gum disease that won’t improve no matter how much dental care they receive.

In this case, I could likely to help improve your health and ability to heal. This has often resulted in improved overall health and associated improvement in gum health.

Patient Stories:

When I went for my last appointment, the hygienist could not believe what she was seeing. She stopped cleaning and asked what in the world had I been doing to get my gums to do so well. No more deep pockets, and the gums were healthy enough to form new healthy tissue around the teeth. I just smiled and began telling her about Alternative Health Atlanta and the program. She again said, ‘I’ve never seen such improvement!’ –J.G.

After just a few weeks at Alternative Health Atlanta on an alternative health program, my next visit to the dentist was amazing. To the dentist’s surprise, the 6 probe measurement was now a 3! She asked me what I was doing, and I told her of my alternative health program. She stated that was good and that I should keep it up. And I didn’t need surgery. — W.G.

Find Out About Improving Your Health (and Dental Health)

Would you please take five minutes to fill out a health assessment survey and send it to me? I’ll call you for a phone consult and discuss what could be done about your health. It’s complimentary, no strings attached. Either I can help you or point you in the right direction to get help. Don’t give up! You can recover your health if you persist.

Periodontal Disease and C-Reactive Protein (CRP)

Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., DACBN, MS, CFMP

Periodontal (gum) disease is an infection of the tissues that hold your teeth in place. It’s typically caused by poor brushing and flossing habits that allow plaque—a sticky film of bacteria—to build up on the teeth and harden.

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease initiated by a bacterial biofilm called dental plaque, affecting both the periodontal ligaments and bone surrounding the teeth.

Signs and symptoms of periodontitis can include:

• Swollen or puffy gums
• Bright red, dusky red, or purplish gums
• Gums that feel tender when touched
• Gums that bleed easily
• Pink-tinged toothbrush after brushing
• Spitting out blood when brushing or flossing your teeth
• Bad breath
• Pus between your teeth and gums
• Loose teeth or loss of teeth
• Painful chewing
• New spaces developing between your teeth
• Gums that pull away from your teeth (recede), making your teeth look longer than normal
• A change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite

Relationship between periodontitis and C-Reactive Protein*

C-Reactive Protein (CRP): CRP increases in your blood when there’s inflammation in your body. It can be tested with a simple blood test. CRP shows if you have an infection and your risk of heart disease.

Many studies are showing an increase in CRP and periodontitis.

C-reactive protein (CRP) elevation is a part of the acute phase response to acute and chronic inflammation. Many clinical studies have shown that serum CRP levels were elevated in patients with chronic periodontitis. CRP levels increase to hundreds of μg/ml within hours following infection.

CRP and Increased Risk For Heart Disease (CVD) and Diabetes

In the last decades, several lines of evidence have supported the existence of a relationship between periodontitis and systemic health.

For instance, periodontitis acts within the same chronic inflammatory model seen in cardiovascular disease (CVD), or other disorders, such as diabetes.

It is now evident that cardiac disorders are worsened by periodontitis, both experimentally and in humans. For all these reasons, it is very plausible that preventing periodontitis impacts the onset or progression of CVD and diabetes.

It is recommended to be checked for periodontitis in the event you have an elevated CRP.

If you find you have periodontitis, it is necessary to see your dentist for immediate treatment.

The best way to prevent periodontitis is to follow a program of good oral hygiene.

• Good oral hygiene. That means brushing your teeth for two minutes at least twice daily — in the morning and before going to bed — and flossing at least once a day. Flossing before you brush allows you to clean away the loosened food particles and bacteria.
• Regular dental visits. See your dentist or dental hygienist regularly for cleanings, usually every six to 12 months.

Summary

If you have an elevated C-Reactive Protein, I recommend getting your teeth checked for periodontal (gum) disease.

6 Safe Grilling Tips– What You Need to Know

Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., DACBN, MS, CFMP

A popular pastime is the backyard grilling of our favorite meats.

Although millions enjoy grilling, this article will present some downsides and recommended action steps to ensure a good grilling experience.

The Downside of Grilling

Regularly eating grilled meats carries potential cancer risks.

Grilling causes meat to form carcinogenic compounds known as heterocyclic amines or HCAs. These are associated with increased cancer risk. The longer you cook the meat, the more HCAs are produced. Charred meat is a sign that a fair amount of HCAs has developed.

Grilling Strategies that can Reduce Your Cancer Risk

1: Cut meat into smaller portions, so they cook more quickly and have a shorter exposure to high cooking temperatures

2: Grilling leaner meats with less fat reduces the flames and smoke containing harmful hydrocarbons

3: Flip frequently. Fewer HCAs are formed if you turn the meat over frequently while grilling

4: Marinate! Marinating meat, poultry, or fish for at least 30 minutes before grilling can decrease the formation of HCAs by creating a barrier between the meat and the flames and smoke.

5: Control the temperature. To avoid cooking meats at high temperatures, light the outside burner(s) and leave the center burner off. Cook the food in the center of the grill.

6: If you’re cooking on charcoal, select hardwoods instead of softwoods. Types of wood can influence HCA formation. Hardwoods, such as hickory and maple, burn at lower temperatures than softwoods, such as pine. Cooking with wood that burns at a lower temperature is desirable.

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