It’s All About the Bugs…Or Is it?

Our bodies are brilliantly designed and they work very hard to maintain a state of balance. Health care for the past 250 years or so has tried to separate the parts of the body and “fix” them when they become diseased. The organs and systems of our bodies work together to create a healthy immune system. If we provide our bodies with the right nutrition, lifestyle and thoughts our bodies will be very efficient at preventing disease.

When we have an infection of some kind, be it a cavity, gum disease, cold, flu or otherwise, the bad bacteria and viruses are present in large concentrations trying to break down dead or diseased cells and tissues. The dead and diseased tissues arise from malnutrition, chemicals, stressful and poor lifestyle choices.

We are living creatures, creatures that are full of, and continually exposed to bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi. Sounds yucky right? Well many of those bacteria are beneficial. When we try to kill the “bugs” we end up killing all of them. Good and bad. The beneficial bacteria of our digestive system help to protect it, make B vitamins which in turn maintain the health of our red blood cells. When we try to kill the bugs we suppress our immune system. The “bugs” or microorganisms that live in us change depending on their environment. They also communicate with one another. For balanced health we need to create an environment within our bodies that is balanced and healthy.

Drinking and bathing in chlorinated water also sterilizes or kills the friendly bacteria in our bodies. Try to drink filtered or spring water.

How do we become malnourished in this day when we have access to so many wonderful foods from all over world? Easy - most of the foods we eat are not in their original state. The summer and fall are a wonderful time to make changes to your shopping and eating habits. Go to the farmers markets, ask the vendors where the food is grown and has it been sprayed with chemicals. Ask if the meats and cheeses are from grass-fed cows. Raw cheeses and raw butters help build strong teeth. Vitamin D from fermented cod liver oil helps bind the calcium back into the teeth. Eating fermented foods help us digest and absorb the nutrients from our foods.

An excellent source of information regarding tooth decay and gum disease, “Cure Tooth Decay” by Ramiel Nagel, shows extensive research into how cavities and gum disease happen. As the mouth is connected to the rest of the body, it appears that good oral health is directly connected to good body health. His research shows that our current nutrition and diet is generally very deficient in proper vitamins and minerals. Getting back to eating foods in their natural state will help our body become stronger so that the bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi do not take over our bodies.

As Hippocrates said a few years ago, “Let thy food be thy medicine, thy medicine shall be thy food”.

Any comments or questions please e-mail: info@barriedentalhygiene.ca. Tammy Gouweloos, RDH, Barrie Dental Hygiene, 705-722-0030

The Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) of nutrients is presented as a guideline to prevent nutritional diseases. For example to prevent Scurvy, they recommend 60 mg. of Vitamin C. Someone may feel great with 200mg of Vitamin C a day and the next person may need 2000 mg. of Vitamin C a day. Medications, habits, unhealthy food and drink choices change the amount of vitamins and minerals we need per day.

For Optimal Health and Prevention of diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancers we need to choose the healthiest food and supplements available. We are ultimately responsible for our own health and our families’ health. We can do much through preventing health problems. Go and check out your local health food store- Gaudaur’s in Orillia, Nature’s Best and Nutrition Plus in Barrie.

Doing your own research and working with a Naturopath or Holistic Nutritionist will help you determine your unique food and supplement needs. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we had vegetable gardens in our backyard, home-canned foods in our root cellars, livestock in our barns and fresh water springs? Sounds like life 100 years ago…

Tammy Gouweloos, RDH is owner of Barrie Dental Hygiene providing a “Whole Body Approach” and is a student in Holistic Nutrition. www.barriedentalhygiene.ca