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The common factor that makes gum disease as dangerous as diabetes, obesity and heart disease
Is it any secret by now that sugar is bad for your health?
There are more than 100 adverse health effects of sugar documented in scientific literature.
Sugar is bad for your heart, and it causes fatty liver disease.
Of course, overindulging in sweets sets you on the road that goes from insulin resistance to metabolic syndrome to diabetes.
And, we all know what sugar can do to your teeth.
But did you know that it also destroys your gums and that periodontal disease bears a direct connection to kidney disease, cancer, and arthritis?
A recent “research retrospective” from Denmark really drives home the point about sugar, gum disease and its strong connection to a unifying theory of disease…
Sugar, gum disease, and inflammation
Dr. Bente Nyvad from the Department of Dentistry and Oral Health at Aarhus University conducted a review of the scientific literature on sugar and disease, spanning the last fifty years.
She re-discovered a hypothesis that had been put forth in the 1970s.
While sugar was never specifically implicated in the development of periodontal disease, a diet high in carbohydrates was found to be a common risk factor for dental diseases and other inflammatory diseases.
Dr. Nyvad concluded that periodontal disease, when caused by sugar, is a disease of inflammation and, as such, can and should be grouped with diabetes, obesity and heart disease in terms of how hard we work to prevent it.
Related: How a common gum infection and a vitamin deficiency adds up to diabetes
We already know that the bacteria from the mouth can travel to the lungs and cause them harm. And, one particular bacteria that causes periodontitis has been identified in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease.
When sugar is added to the bacterial deposits already on your gums, the chemical interactions that happen are the same as those that cause cavities. Thank goodness, these chemical reactions don’t cause holes in your gums… but they do cause gum disease.
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And again, the research on this is clear: if you have diseased gums, there’s a really good chance you also have low-grade, chronic inflammation throughout your body, and that it’s making you very sick.
Three ways to keep inflammation under control
By now it should be clear that eating sugar is at the top of the chain of events that leads to inflammation, disease, and disability.
For those of us over 40 years of age, inflammation is progressing, despite our best efforts. Inflammaging is a term used for the fact that, as we age, our bodies become progressively more inflamed.
The ‘army’ of your immune system has been fighting disease for all these years, and it’s left some ‘destruction’ (inflammation) behind in its wake.
Fortunately, a few simple lifestyle ‘tweaks’ can slow inflammaging down or delay its onset…
1. Eat an anti-inflammatory diet
Levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood are a good gauge of how much inflammation there is in your body. Studies have shown that diets like the Mediterranean diet can lower CRP levels by as much as 20 percent.
Other research has revealed that foods high in polyphenols including green tea are powerful inflammation fighters. Just don’t counteract them by adding sugar.
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2. Take fish oil
The fatty acids in fish oil can curb chronic inflammation. In fact, studies show taking 960 mg per day of EPA and 600 mg per day of DHA can lower CRP significantly.
3. Use anti-inflammatory spices
Turmeric and ginger are two of these. Use them liberally in your cooking (if you like Indian food, you’re one step ahead already!)
And here are eight more spices that can not only make every meal more interesting but will ensure that you’re fighting inflammation with every bite!
Editor’s note: Did you know that when you take your body from acid to alkaline you can boost your energy, lose weight, soothe digestion, avoid illness and achieve wellness? Click here to discover The Alkaline Secret to Ultimate Vitality and revive your life today!
Sources:
- Your gums reveal your diet — EurekAlert
- Relationship of the Adherence to a Mediterranean Diet and Its Main Components with CRP Levels in the Spanish Population — Nutrients
- Fish oil supplementation lowers C-reactive protein levels independent of triglyceride reduction in patients with end-stage renal disease — Nutrition in Clinical Practice
- CRP and Inflammation – This Blog Post Could Save Your Life — Thorne
By Joyce Hollman
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