Gary Solomon DDS MAGD

I read an article today in a dental journal that really resonated with me for several reasons.  Here’s a little excerpt from the technical talk that got me to thinking:

“Today we know that periodontitis is an oral disease that is not limited to local tissue destruction.  Escalating evidence over 20 years of research suggests there are various inflammatory pathways that link periodontitis to systemic damage…”

Basically, what this means is that we dental folk suspect that when you have an infection like gingivitis or gum disease, your gums are an open window to your bloodstream for any number of supremely destructive and toxic bacteria.  The increase in the amount of scary bacteria in the blood can lead to inflammation pretty much everywhere your blood flows.  Sounds pretty bad, doesn’t it?

It’s this mild inflammation in the blood stream all through your body that increases on-going inflammation in distant organ systems, raising your risk for many of the debilitating diseases that doctors now believe are associated with chronic inflammation.  Heart disease, stroke, diabetes, pre-term and low birth-weight babies, respiratory diseases, certain forms of cancer, Alzheimer’s and other degenerative neurological conditions, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic kidney disease, and autoimmune diseases such as lupus…  Wow.  Scary stuff.

So… What I want to know is this:  What can I do about it?

First, I have to broaden my view of “oral health”, meaning that I have to realize that my body is a complete system.  The blood that circulates through my heart goes right through my gums and my brain and my left pinky toe, as well.  Okay, since I’m a dental professional, I should have my gums covered.   Brush and floss a bazillion times a day, exams and cleanings every 3-6 months.  Done.  What else?

How about nutrition?  Stress, lack of exercise, genetic predisposition, and exposure to toxins like secondhand smoke can all contribute to chronic inflammation, but how and what we choose to eat plays a big role as well. We’ve known for a very long time that nutrition plays a major part in living with the heavy-weights like heart disease and diabetes.

But is there such a thing as an anti-inflammatory diet?  Can we help balance our body’s pH balance and tame internal inflammation in our blood, lymph, and organs by paying attention to how and what we eat?

Many doctors and nutrition experts say, “Yep.”  In a nutshell, an anti-inflammatory diet, or “clean eating,” means increasing fresh vegetables and fruits, decreasing trans fats and unhealthy saturated fat; reducing/eliminating processed or refined foods, high sugar foods, and fast food; choosing lean sources of protein and whole grains; increasing dietary fiber and water, and including spices such as ginger, curry, and turmeric, which have excellent inflammation reducing properties.   It’s “abundantly enjoying whole foods” – that is, foods as close to their natural state as you can get them.

Sounds like a major pantry/refrigerator-overhaul, doesn’t it?  You can do it that way, certainly, but for me, it was baby steps.  I started by (sadly) eliminating sugar from my daily diet, buying whole-grain breads and pastas, and making sure to read labels on everything – staying away from artificial ingredients, preservatives, and chemically charged foods.  As I made the transition from traditional American pre-packaged, processed preservatives, it became easier to choose the healthier option – and I found that I honestly didn’t want that box of Cap’n Crunch ‘cause my steel cut oatmeal with honey and fresh fruit just tasted so much better (and kept me full and physically feeling great).

For more information on the concept of an anti-inflammatory diet, check out Dr. Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Diet website. Also, read about the 5 steps to eating clean on livestrong.com  and find amazing recipes for dinner tonight on the Clean Eating Magazine website!

We welcome your feedback on this topic and invite you to post your thoughts and questions.

Bon Appétit!
Lori