By Sarah A LoBisco, ND
I just posted my August 2013 Holistic Health Top Reads. In it, I give an easy-to-skim guide of
this month’s headliners on the topics of natural health, nutrigenomic medicine,
and drug updates.
Some of the not to miss reads
include: information on using food as medicine in NYC, the “gluten
free” label definition, women’s health updates, the many benefits of fish oil,
and the super-bug scare.
Below, are some more excerpts
that I felt needed a special blog. They are on the importance of oral health. By
now, most are familiar that the gut is a powerful player in our immune function,
but don’t realize that the gut starts in the mouth! Therefore, I am
always educating my clients on how the health of their oral cavity affects
their whole body. After all, it’s the first contact point for our assimilation,
digestion, and starts the process of signaling for immune activation.
This means that chronic mouth
inflammation from fillings, cavities, or gum disease can create health issues through
the whole body. In other words, one could be swallowing and absorbing little,
nasty, harmful, bacteria and spreading them through their circulation. The
result could be a chronic inflammatory processes as these bugs find
residence in distant areas.
Below are excerpts on the
connection between periodontal disease with arthritis and cancer. Still, no
fears…I’ll also provide some tips to assist with better oral health to empower your toward wellness and away from mouth fear! (Emphasis mine).
(For more information on this
topic, read my blog on “What
Your Dentist Won’t Tell You About Root Canals” on my homepage).
Inflamed Mouth and Arthritis
(Note: PD stands for “periodontal disease”)
Patients
with new-onset RA exhibited a high prevalence of PD at disease onset, despite
their young age and paucity of smoking history. The subgingival microbiota
profile in patients with new-onset RA was similar to that in patients with
chronic RA and healthy subjects whose PD was of comparable severity. Although
colonization with P gingivalis correlated with the severity of PD, overall
exposure to P gingivalis was similar among the groups. The role of A geminatus
and Prevotella/Leptotrichia species in this process merits further study
Scher
JU, et al Periodontal disease and the oral microbiota in new-onset rheumatoid
arthritis.Arthritis Rheum. 2012 Oct;64(10):3083-94. doi: 10.1002/art.34539.
Is Bad Breath Connected to
Cancer?
Gut
microbes have recently been linked to colorectal cancer, but it has not been
clear whether and how they might cause tumors to form in the first place. Two
studies published by Cell Press on August 14th in the journal Cell Host
& Microbe reveal how gut
microbes known as fusobacteria, which are found in the mouth, stimulate bad
immune responses and turn on cancer growth genes to generate colorectal tumors.
The findings could lead to more effective strategies for the early
diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of colorectal cancer.
…
In
one of the new studies, Garrett, Matthew Meyerson of the Dana-Farber Cancer
Institute, and their collaborators found that fusobacteria are prevalent in
human adenomas — benign tumors that can become malignant over time —
suggesting that these microbes contribute to early stages of tumor formation.
In a mouse model of colorectal cancer, these bacteria accelerated the formation
of tumors by attracting immune cells called myeloid cells, which invade tumors
and stimulate inflammatory responses that can cause cancer.
In
the second study, Yiping Han of Case Western Reserve University School of
Dental Medicine and her collaborators discovered that fusobacteria rely on a
molecule called Fusobacterium adhesin A (FadA), which is found on the surface
of these bacterial cells, to attach to and invade human colorectal cancer
cells. FadA then turns on cancer growth genes and stimulates inflammatory
responses in these cells and promotes tumor formation.
Science
Daily. How Bacteria Found in Mouth May Cause Colorectal Cancer. Sciencedaily.com.
August 14, 2013.
Some Good News
The Power of Tea Tree Oil
for Skin and Gums
Tea
tree oil (TTO) is an essential oil, steam-distilled from the Australian native
plant, Melaleuca alternifolia. It has a minimum content of terpinen-4-ol and a
maximum content of 1, 8-cineole. Terpinen-4-ol is a major TTO component which
exhibits strong antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Tea tree oil
exerts antioxidant activity and has been reported to have broad-spectrum
antimicrobial activity against bacterial, viral, fungal, and protozoal
infections affecting skin and mucosa. Several
studies have suggested the uses of TTO for the treatment of acne vulgaris,
seborrheic dermatitis, and chronic gingivitis. It also accelerates the wound
healing process and exhibits anti-skin cancer activity. This review opens
up new horizons for dermatologists in the use of this herbal agent.
Pazya,
N. et al. A review of applications of tea tree oil in dermatology (abstract).
International Journal of Dermatology. 52(7): 784-790. July 2013.
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2012.05654.x
The Power of Cherries for
Inflammation
If you are among the millions of Americans suffering from joint pain and arthritis, there’s good news about a favorite summer treat. According to research from Oregon Health & Science University, tart cherries help reduce the chronic inflammation that leads to pain.[1]
A 2001 cell study found that anthocyanins from cherries were as effective as ibuprofen and naproxen at suppressing the COX enzymes associated with inflammation.
In this study, 20 women aged 40 to 70 with inflammatory osteoarthritis drank tart cherry juice twice a day for three weeks. At the end of the trial, researchers found significant reductions in important inflammation markers – especially for women who had the highest inflammation levels at the start of the study.
The study authors noted that the results were promising for cherries as a natural pain reliever without the side effects associated with arthritis medications.
In a prior study, the same researchers found that people who drank tart cherry juice while training for a long distance run reported significantly less pain after exercise. The Sports Nutrition Department at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center for Sports Medicine has incorporated tart cherries into the training menu of professional athletes and active clients as a natural and easy way to manage pain.
…
According to study from the University of Michigan Health System, tart cherries provide the same cardiovascular benefits as a class of drugs called PPAR agonists which help regulate fat and glucose. PPAR agonists are prescribed for patients with metabolic syndrome – a constellation of risk factors linked to heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
But here’s the best part. Tart cherries don’t increase heart disease and stroke risk as PPARs can. Studies show that long-term use of PPAR agonists increase stroke risk so much that many of the drugs have failed to get FDA approval. But some have.
King,
M. Tart Cherries Relieve Osteoarthritis Pain. GreenMedInfo.com. July 31, 2013.
Other Oral Health Hints:
1. A mouth full of mercury?
Magnesium may help with binding this metal that is released as a vapor every time you bite. Mercury is linked to anemia (affects red blood cell formation), heart issues, mood imbalances, inflammation, and compromised digestive function.
2. Chronic mouth inflammation?
Try a whole food diet and consume lots of
foods with vitamin C for healthy gums (cherries, citrus fruits, apples, and red peppers). You can also use therapeutic essential oils or colloidal silver to get rid of nasty
microbes that are contributing to the inflammation.
3. Dental Pain?
Clove essential oil has wonderful analgesic properties for tooth pain.
And don’t forget your oral hygiene!
Be sure to read more about
nutrigenomic health tips on my homepage this week!
