Healthy Aging: How to Help Your Aging Teeth

A big part of healthy aging is keeping your aging teeth healthy. After all, if you can't chew your food well, you can't live a healthy lifestyle and achieve everything you want to � like learning to water-ski at age 99 (and there is a man who does water ski at age 99 -- look it up in a past issue of National Geographic)! While many adults are under the misconception that they no longer have to worry about cavities as they age, they are operating under a misunderstanding. The fact is that aging teeth are more susceptible to damage, such as cavities, as time passes.

Other signs of aging teeth include:

• cavities in the tooth root (due to gum erosion)
• sensitivity to hot or cold
• oral cancer
• bone loss
• receding gums
• loose teeth

Healthy Aging Tips for Your Aging Teeth
Don't let the list of symptoms above scare you! Aging happens to all of us, whether we want it to or not. At the same time, there are practical steps you can take to support your aging teeth and keep them healthy as long as possible. In addition to visiting your dentist every six months, check out these natural solutions that support not just the health of your teeth, but your overall health as well! We are not kidding.

For instance, according to the American Academy of Periodontology, people who have periodontal disease are almost twice as likely to have heart disease. From the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine, this isn't surprising since the heart governs gum health, and the tongue is considered the "root of the heart." So oral and heart health are obviously related. Therefore, by supporting your oral health you will also be supporting your heart health!

Tip #1: Prevent Acid Erosion
If you eat a lot of sugary or starchy foods, or drink carbonated beverages, then you are setting up your aging teeth for acid erosion. These types of foods and beverages tend to cause the bacteria in your mouth to produce acid, which in turn eats away at the enamel of your teeth. Once the enamel on your teeth becomes thin or pitted, tooth decay starts to occur. Not good. How do you prevent this process from happening? Try these simple tips:

• avoid sugary or starchy foods and carbonated beverages if possible
• brush and floss at least twice daily (but wait 30 minutes if you have just eaten acidic food)
• avoid snacking all day long, which causes mouth acid to remain high all day
• if you can't brush and floss for a while, swish with water and chew sugar free gum
• swish with mouthwash or chew gum with xylitol -- the bacteria in your mouth thinks xylitol is food and will focus on that rather than attacking your teeth

Tip #2: Support Gum and Heart Health
Did you know that the tissues of your gum and the tissues of your heart are very similar? That's why heart and gum health are so closely related. What's more, both your heart and your gums benefit from supplementation of an enzyme called co-enzyme Q10, of CoQ10 for short. CoQ10 is not only key to cellular health and energy production, but is extremely supportive of heart health and immunity. For instance, multiple studies have revealed that supplementation of CoQ10 has remarkable results on cardiovascular health, immunity, and rejuvenation of energy-producing processes.

Supplementation with CoQ10 is especially important for healthy aging, since our bodies reduce production of CoQ10 as we age. Taking extra Q10 is also important because a stressful lifestyle can deplete our natural supplies of CoQ10. In addition, most manufacturing processes (such as the refinement of grains) remove most of the CoQ10 that naturally occurs in the foods we eat. So if you want to support your gum and heart health, add CoQ10 to your daily regimen. Studies also show that omega-3 fatty acids can support gum health, and eating foods high in omega-3's (such as AFA blue-green algae and leafy greens) can reduce gum inflammation.

Tip #3: Prevent Dry Mouth
One of the biggest signs of aging is dry mouth. Dry mouth is often caused by certain medications. In fact, there are at least 800 known medications often taken by mature adults that list "dry mouth" as a side effect. Dry mouth can really harm aging teeth because of the reduction of the flow of saliva in the mouth. A healthy flow of saliva helps keep your teeth clean and also neutralizes mouth acid. To prevent dry mouth, chew sugarless gum (especially those fortified with xylitol) or swish with a mouthwash created specifically to prevent dry mouth.

There you have it � three simple natural solutions to support aging teeth so you can continue on the path of healthy aging. You can't stop time, but by taking practical steps to ensure oral health you can slow the effects of time on your body!

Photo Credit: http://pinterest.com/highlanddental/

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Three Reasons Getting Healthy is Like Gardening

Getting healthy is like gardening. You have to learn how to prepare the soil, take the time to nurture and protect yourself.

Do you love to plant your garden each spring but get frustrated when the harvest does not live up to expectations? Putting in all those new plants in freshly worked soil is so rewarding. The spring weather is cool and rain usually comes regularly and the plants grow beautifully. But then summer comes and suddenly the garden needs watering, weeding and pest control. Harvests decrease and plants start suffering if they don't get regular care.

My gardening pattern has always looked like the above scenario but I am determined this year is going to be different. I have made the commitment to learn how to garden as I have learned how to keep myself healthy. There are three reasons I have been successful at getting healthy and I am sure if I apply the same principles to gardening I can have a wonderful harvest.

Three reasons for success in getting healthy:

Learning all you can about staying healthy and applying that knowledge
Taking the time to nurture your health and get all the nutrition you need
Doing what is needed to combat external influences and attacks on your health

My gardening success plan:

Learn all I can about the soil and needs of individual plants
Take the time needed to weed and water my garden
Protect my plants from severe weather and pest attacks
Learning
There is so much information on health and gardening. Much of my knowledge about natural health and how to get healthy has come from the health care professionals I know through the network marketing companies I work with. I have found great value from having these professionals explain how specific nutritional products work to help support and heal the body. My health has improved so much and I can deal in a natural way with almost all routine illnesses and injuries.

I found a similar source of gardening information at my local Geo Growers. The staff at Geo Growers is able to guide me as to what types of soil are best for different plants or gardening styles. I have a few good natural gardening books but it is nice to be able to have an experienced person to ask why apple cider vinegar should be used instead of seaweed or what type soil strawberries like. Slowly but surely, I am learning.

Taking the time
Finding the time to take care of myself is always a challenge but applying preventive nutrition has been time well spent. In addition to my regular support of my digestion with Simplexity probiotics and enzymes, I also take Simplexity Omega Sun algae to support my nervous system.

Protection
Farming and working with horses keeps me out in the elements and barn chores sometimes stress my body to the max. I can always reach for extra Simplexity Immusun if I feel a cold coming on or drink a little extra Xango juice when I am stiff and sore. Extra Simplexity Super Q10 will fix me up if my gums need extra attention or Sprouts and Algae if I get too much sun.

I am looking forward to having this same kind of ability to support my garden during hard times. I am starting with healthy soil. I have already taken steps to keep the chickens away from my plants and will use sun and wind screens if needed. Hopefully we won't have a drought this year but even if we do I plan to have a wonderful harvest.



Photo Credit: http://pinterest.com/jroessler/

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Ready to Get a Daily Energy Boost and Fight Fatigue?

Are you among the 14% to 27% of people who suffer from chronic fatigue? Or are you among the women who are 3 times as likely to have fatigue as men?

If so, then you'll be interested to know that a recent study in the "Canadian Medical Association Journal" showed that taking an oral iron supplement reduced fatigue in almost 50% of women who were low in iron but not anemic. In case you're wondering, if you have anemia it means you have a low level of red blood cells, which causes a lack of oxygen reaching your cells. Anemia can definitely cause a drop in your daily energy. Apparently, so can a deficiency of iron.

Boosting Daily Energy with Iron Supplements
In this study, women who were iron-deficient but not anemic took 80 milligrams of prolonged-release iron (ferrous sulfate) for 12 weeks. The study was double blind and placebo-controlled, which is among the highest quality types of studies. The fact that almost 50% of the women receiving the iron supplement felt decreased fatigue led researchers to conclude that iron-deficiency could cause fatigue in women. Thus taking an oral iron supplement or eating iron-rich foods can provide daily energy to women with fatigue due to low iron.

But ...
There's always a but to every supplement, right? The "but" in this case is that some people have difficulty absorbing iron, so taking iron supplements can lead to iron toxicity rather than providing the needed daily energy boost. The main way to discover whether you have a problem absorbing iron is with hair analysis. Hair analysis can reveal high levels of iron in the body, even toxic levels, which means your body isn't using the iron you take.

One other way to get a daily energy boost without the possible poor-absorption problem is to look at other sources of physical energy. CoEnzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is one of the nutrients your body naturally makes that helps with steady daily energy. CoQ10 is used by every cell in your body, yet your body produces decreasing amounts of this enzyme around mid-life. Taking CoQ10 can help with your daily energy.

But even then your body can have a problem with making use of CoQ10, although less so than with iron. If you have poor digestion, absorption of any nutrients can be a problem. To get the most bang from your buck spent on supplemental nutrients, consider taking probiotics like acidophilus and bifidus, both of which increase your body's ability to absorb nutrients, from both supplements and the food you eat.

Happy eating for good nutrition!

Photo Credit: http://classiccartoons.blogspot.com/2007/08/popeye-sailor-1933.html

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What Can Lower Blood Pressure? CoEnzyme Q10 and Melatonin

When it comes to keeping blood pressure at a healthy level, there are literally hundreds of pharmaceuticals on the market available. Yet when it comes to the question of what can lower blood pressure, many people seek natural solutions because pharmaceuticals can have undesirable side effects.

Of course, depending on your health and how much you need to lower your blood pressure, natural solutions may or may not be the answer for you. However, the fact remains that there are natural solutions and nutrients out there known to keep blood pressure at healthy levels. In this article, we take a look at CoEnzyme Q10 (also known as CoQ10) and melatonin. Are these natural solutions effective when it comes to the question of what can lower blood pressure? Let's find out.

What Can Lower Blood Pressure: Natural Solutions
Two natural nutrients most commonly used to support healthy blood pressure are melatonin and CoQ10. Let's take a look at the effectiveness of each of these.

Melatonin
If you are at all familiar with the nutrient melatonin, you probably think of it as a sleep aid. That's because it is a hormone, produced in the pineal gland, and released into the body mostly during the evening hours. Many people who suffer from jet lag or other temporary sleep disturbances take melatonin to regulate their sleep cycles. And just as melatonin is released in the evening hours for most people, blood pressure (both systolic and diastolic) drops during the evening hours, especially during sleep. However, this isn't true for nearly 50% of people who have high blood pressure. For this group of people, blood pressure does not drop naturally during sleep hours.

Thus, researchers have focused on melatonin to find out whether it is effective at lowering blood pressure when given as a nutritional supplement. Studies reported in the Doctors Health Press indicate that only controlled-release melatonin has a noticeable effect on lowering both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Fast-release melatonin has no noticeable effect at all. So what can lower blood pressure naturally? Controlled-release melatonin only. Now let's take a look at the effect of the nutrient CoQ10.

CoQ10
CoQ10 is a nutrient that is present in every single cell of our bodies, and is particularly concentrated in the heart muscles and gum tissues. This nutrient is essential to a youthful, healthy and vigorous lifestyle. According to studies reported in the Doctors Health Press, when the body stops producing as much CoQ10 later in life, the results can lead to aging, heart disease, and high blood pressure. A number of studies (randomized, crossover, and open label), again reported in the Doctors Health Press, have shown that patients with high blood pressure given supplemental CoQ10 showed significant decreases in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

So what can lower blood pressure? CoQ10 has certainly been shown in studies to be an effective natural supplement for this common health issue.

 How to Take Supplements
Although the supplements we describe in this article occur naturally in the body, it's important to take them under the guidance and direction of a health professional. Don't worry. Health professionals are becoming more and more aware of the importance and effectiveness of natural supplements. If your current doctor does not advocate natural solutions for your health issues and you truly want to try some natural solutions, seek a second or third opinion until you find a healthcare professional willing to work with you on a program you desire. That's the goal of patient-centered care and, after all, you ARE the patient! Be a strong advocate for your own health and you will find that the results will keep you healthy and happy!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader. Also, check out the free health resources or order blue-green algae products at wholesale prices on our website.

Get Your Skin in Shape for Summer

Summertime comes before you know it and it's never too soon to get your skin in shape for the beach! As you probably already know, great skin starts from the inside out. Skin is the largest organ of the body, and it reflects our general health. If you're body is functioning well, your skin will glow. If your body isn't healthy, your skin will reflect that poor health. So how can you have great skin? Here are three easy tips:

Drink Water
You need at least 64 ounces of water a day to have really glowing skin. Water flushes out toxins, increases circulation and refreshes your whole body (including your skin).

Sweat
Sweat is how your skin "breathes" and refreshes itself. Drinking plenty of water helps, but you actually have to sweat to move the water through your skin. So, get out there on the beach and run, jog, and play. Your skin will thank you for it.

Antioxidants
If your skin has wrinkles, sagging or poor tone, you probably need antioxidants. Antioxidants prevent free radicals and other toxins from building up in your skin, allowing your skin to look fresh and young. Try Super Sprouts and Algae, CoQ10 and ImmuSun from Simplexity (formerly Cell Tech) for great antioxidant protection.

Photo credit: beauty girl in towel with rose after shower

Help with Natural Health: Help for Bleeding Gums

Dear Alan,

I recently visited my dentist and discovered that my gums are in very bad shape. My dentist told me that my gingivitis is very advanced and I notice that every time I floss my gums bleed. My dentist wants to put me on antibiotics for several months, but I would like to try a more natural approach. Antibiotics make me sick to my stomach. Any suggestions?

-- Bleeding Badly, Lubbock, TX

Dear Bleeding Badly,

The poor condition of your gums is actually quite common and not something that you necessarily have to treat with antibiotics. Gums can bleed for two reasons:

1. Receding from teeth: if your gums are receding away from your teeth then they are easily irritated when you brush or floss. The extra space between the gum and the teeth also allows bacteria to collect, which causes further irritation and bleeding.

2. If you there is bacteria between your gum line and your teeth, your gums tend to become inflamed, which causes bleeding and further irritation.

In either case, it is possible to restore your gum health with some natural products rather than using antibiotics. In fact, some people who have pockets in their gums measuring 7 and 8 (a measurement used by dentists) have used these products to reduce those pockets to size 2. Here are some natural approaches that help with bleeding gums:

- CoQ10 (or Coenzyme Q10): this natural supplement helps rebuild both gum and heart tissue, as well as rejuvenate the metabolic function for every cell in the body. Our bodies need more CoQ10 as we get older, and especially if we suffer from gum or heart conditions.

- Acidophilus: this probiotic is a naturally-occurring bacteria in our intestines and has a similar action to antibiotics without the side-effects. Taking acidophilus with CoQ10 can help restore gum health and prevent bacterial growth between the gums and teeth.

- Ipsab: This Edgar Cayce product helps contract the gums, removes the bacteria and neutralizes the acids that erode enamel. Ingredients include salt, soda, prickly ash bark, and peppermint.

In addition to using these products, avoid brushing with toothbrushes that have stiff bristles, as this can further inflamed irritated gums. You might also try using a water pick appliance to remove particles of food between the gums and teeth after every meal. Finally, avoid brushing your teeth directly after eating anything acidic, as this tends to wear the enamel off your teeth. If you eat or drink something acidic, wait 30 minutes and then brush. Be patient with these natural approaches. It may take up to 3 months to notice a difference, but at least with a natural approach you are boosting rather than suppressing your body's natural immune response.

Photo Credit: Teeth