Dental Health and your Stomach

In the last blog we talked briefly about the digestive system.

Now I would like to break down that system a bit more and add in a few more details, as well as discuss a few common health issues associated with this system.

Let’s start at the top: Your Mouth

Did your mom ever scold you and tell you to not swallow your food whole?  Well, she was right…. Chewing is one of the first acts of the digestive process.  If it hurts to chew chances are you aren’t going to want to chew much, so dental health is an important part of digestive health.

I have an opportunity to get on a soap box here…however, I don’t want to give you the fish, I want you to go fishing and decide for yourself.  I want to encourage you to explore the different options you have regarding dental care.  YES!!!! You have options!  You have choices!  You have opportunity!

3 things to think about:

• Amalgam (which are more than 50% Mercury) fillings vs Tooth colored fillings
• Flouride toothpaste vs fluoride free
• Oil Pulling(adding in essential oils to boost the flavor factor and germ fighting)

Now let’s move down the pipeline a bit(LOL yes pun intended).

Your stomach.  Your stomach is a muscle, shaped like a kidney bean balloon with an entry and an exit point.  Remember we talked about Nexium last time.  Well, one of the main complaints in our American world is acid reflux.  Did you know this can come from actually not having ENOUGH acid?

We talked a lot about enzymes last time.  But I didn’t tell you this bit of information.  Enzymes in your stomach are activated only at a certain pH.  So if your acid level isn’t high enough, the enzymes won’t activate, and vis-versa, if it is too high, they won’t activate either.  Both will lead to undigested food, gas formation, pressure build up and acid reflux.  So once again we see the need for enzymes but now we add in the need for proper pH.

Nexium depresses acid formation in your stomach.  Now for someone who has an over production of acid, that might be the right choice.  However, for someone who has acid reflux that stems from poor food digestion, linked to improper enzyme activity, due to low acid…this just makes the pattern worse, and worsens the nutrition depletion in the body from lack of digestion.

So how can you support these two key areas of your digestive system?

Mouth:

•  Consider changes in your dental care.  Add in an essential oil infused toothpaste.  You could even make your own.  Or do as some do, brush with a drop of Thieves EO or try YL's Toothpaste.

• Do Oil Pulling a couple of times a week if you struggle with gum health.  Google this one.  Its pretty cool!

• Floss!  I only recently started this on a regular basis.  I’ve been told for years that it is important, but I didn’t listen.  So here is a challenge, floss everyday once a day for 10 days.  See how your teeth and gums feel.  Bet they will feel better!

• Chew your food!  Chew chew chew chew!  Your stomach will thank you.

Stomach:

• Chew your food!  Give your stomach a head start by giving it properly chewed food!

•  Eat some raw food, or living food at each meal, or take a digestive enzyme.

• If this is an area you really struggle in, you might consider intermittent fasting for a while to give your gut a break.  Try to go 12-17 hrs without eating once a week(some do this every day), or replace a meal with fresh green juice.  Ningxia Red is a great way to get a powerhouse of nutrients while not making your stomach work for it.

• Exercise!  Yes, this can help in many ways.  Stress can cause an over production of acid.  Find an activity that helps reduce the emotional stress load.  Productive exercise is the best!  

Finally, for those of you ready to make some major changes, we will start talking about the ‘leaky gut’ phenomenon and cleansing the digestive system in the next post.

Hiking is a great productive exercise for this time of year.  Not only are fewer people on the trail, the underbrush is idle too.  It's an aerobic activity that can be an exercise in thought too.  Tolkein said, "All who wander are not lost".  Each bend and hill promises new challenges and rewards--just like each day.  I love the feel of a well balanced and properly fitted pack on my back while the miles pass under my boots.  Hiking with the family is a fun afternoon memory to make too, enjoying Creation together.

What are your thoughts or experiences with fasting?