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Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Paleo diet and Dental Health

And skin, and hair health as well!  It is strange, but true, that the overall health of your teeth and gums, along with other "ancillary" markers of health, are all related to diet.

I know this is not what we've been taught, and led to believe by the authority figures in our lives since we were little children-

"Just keep you teeth clean!  Brush and floss, brush and floss, and all will be well!"


Well, I'm here to tell you-  "It just ain't so!"


Weston A. Price, back in the 1930's, traveled the world, and found examples of the healthiest teeth and actual jaw formations he had ever seen... among primitive tribespeople who had never even heard of a toothbrush.  (His organization is still alive and well- Weston A. Price foundation )


You can have the cleanest, most debris-free mouth and teeth in the world, and if your diet is lacking in vital nutrients, you will have horrible teeth.  And, in addition, even if you wash your face and hair religiously, both your hair and your skin, given a bad, nutrient poor diet, will be unhealthy and unattractive as well.  BUT- given a nutrient dense diet, your body can actually remineralize bones and teeth!  And rejuvenate your hair and skin- it works both ways.


The reason for this is common sense, from your bodies point of view:  It has a whole body, vital processes and all, to run!  It also needs to "rebuild" parts that are broken down, but overall it just needs to keep the whole thing going- this is the human organisms ultimate job- to keep on keeping' on!


If you are eating a S.A.D American diet of say, cereal with skimmed milk and banana for breakfast (sugar, with sugar and more sugar from the bodies point of view), have a sandwich from a fast food place and fries and a soft drink for lunch (more sugar, trans fats, industrial seed oils and chemicals) not to mention the anti-nutrients from the cereal and bread that are busy punching holes in your gut lining),  and wrap it all up with a nice big pizza (more grains/anti-nutrients that supply your starving body with more sugar, along with tiny little bits of quasi-meat and vegetables), well-

You are starving your body of the vital nutrients it needs !  Your body goes into "survival mode"-

Pull minerals from the teeth and bones, from the skin, and from the hair!  
Nice to have, but who cares about looking good when actual survival is at stake??

It's kind of a natural triage decision:  Save the vital processes, save life itself!  Throw the "pretty baubles" overboard, and save the ship!!

The moral of the story?  Rule #1- eat a nutrient rich, paleo type diet!
                                       Rule #2- don't eat non-foods, like grains, sugars, and industrial seed oils

#1 ensures that you will have all the nutrients your body needs to protect all of itself.

#2 saves your gut lining so it can actually really digest these great foods well, and extract all of their crucial nutrients to use!

So, the next time you fire up your Vitamix, and make your Paleo Smoothie loaded with the most nutrient-dense super foods you can find

Look in a mirror as you drink it!

Your teeth, skin, and hair will all thank you!

J
"Thank you, thank you, thank you"!




2 comments:

Unknown said...

hello there. I am from Malaysia. I want to start getting on paleo diet for my dental health and also general health too.
for me who lives in villages, my staple food is rice. so what is ur advice for me to eat a diet closer to paelo diet. I am not from a well-to-do family . so definitely rice needs to be eaten .

PaleoJay said...

Hi nur tina!

The Paleo diet is the best one for your health, dental or otherwise! If you have access to coconut oil (I'm sure you do!) that is the BEST thing for dental health- just take a tablespoon or so by mouth, and swish it around in your mouth for about 5 minutes or so- I do it each day whilst I take my morning shower.

This will eliminate bacteria, and make a big improvement right away in and of itself. BUT, you also need adequate nutrients for your teeth to remineralize: be sure to eat lots of leafy green vegetables, cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli and cauliflower), and whatever vegetable is locally available to you... and you also need adequate protein!

Fish is wonderful, beef and chicken, and eggs are also good. You just need to get an ample amount- perhaps a pound or so per day.

Rice is fine, just keep it minimized. It won't hurt you, as long as you get enough of the other nutrients from vegetables and proteins.

You can eat fruit, but limit the amounts. Berries are the best form to take in.

Above all, don't eat sugar, sodas, or candies of any sort other than dark chocolate and wild honey in moderation.

Good luck!
PaleoJay