Weight Loss Information

Study Finds Healthy Mouth - Healthy Body Relationship


According to a new study appearing in the American Journal of Periodontology, researchers have found a significant correlation between healthy eating and healthy gums. Specifically, those people who were not overweight, consumed a nutritious diet, and regularly exercised with moderate intensity were 40% less likely to suffer from gum disease.

Of the over-12,000 people surveyed, only 3% of the people possessed all three traits (not being overweight, eating a nutritious diet, and exercising regularly), but its interesting to note that as people added more of these traits to their arsenal, their periodontal health improved as well. Those people who possessed two of the traits were 29% less likely to suffer gum disease, and those who possessed only one of the three key traits were 16% less likely to suffer gum disease.

In statistics, there is a saying that goes like this: "Correlation is not necessarily causation." This means that, while the correlation is statistically significant, one must decide whether it is the healthy behavior that is the cause of the healthy mouth, or the healthy mouth the cause of the healthy behavior.

Researchers pointed out that there were a few possible factors contributing to this statistical relationship. Eating healthy foods (such as lots of fresh fruits and vegetables) tends to help scrub the plaque off of teeth before it can turn into tartar, which causes pockets in the gums where bacteria can take root. Also, it has been suggested that the increased circulation that comes from exercise may help to reduce inflammation.

The bottom line is that, whether the mouth is the window into the body or the body is the window into the mouth, it's just one other weapon to help you win the battle of the bulge. One measure of one's self is weight. We can step onto a scale once a day and see if we have gained, lost, or maintained weight in comparison to the previous day.

A scale can be "out of sight, out of mind," but your mouth never leaves you. The health of your teeth and gums, the lack of plaque and debris, and the freshness of your breath can be a constant reminder of the status of your overall health.

There are other dental health-related weight loss tips that you can use in conjunction with this periodontal health study.

1. Brush and floss your teeth immediately following each meal. Doing so will give you a clean mouth and fresh breath and you will be less likely to mess up your clean mouth by snacking on food prior to your next meal.

2. Use a strong, mint-flavored toothpaste, mouthwash, or both. The mint flavor does not mix well with many foods and flavors. Remember the last time you brushed your teeth and then finished off the glass of orange juice before rushing off to work? The very thought of that after-taste is enough to keep you from eating before your next meal.

An executive at the California Dental Association told me several years ago that, in his opinion, the biggest health crisis in this country was related to people not realizing that their oral health was so strongly related to their overall health. This new study seems to confirm his understanding of that relationship. The well-armed warrior will use this knowledge to his or her benefit in order to gain an advantage in fighting the "Battle of the Bulge."

References:
http://www.perio.org/
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/110/109676.htm

Michael Callen is the author of the Weekly Weightloss Tips Newsletter (http://www.weeklyweightlosstips.com) and the Chief Technology Officer for WellnessPartners.com (http://www.WellnessPartners.com), an online retailer of dozens of health and wellness products such as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), r+ alpha lipoic acid (R+ ALA), and green tea extract.


MORE RESOURCES:

For weight loss, cutting back on calories matters most | Gustafson
Auburn Reporter
There is no real evidence that low-carb, low-fat or high-protein diets make as big a difference as overall calorie reduction when it comes to weight loss, according to Dr. George Bray who worked on the study. "Earlier research had found that certain ...
Cut Calories For Weight Loss: ReportHuffington Post

all 6 news articles »


Weight Loss Success: Linda Goff Ditched Fad Diets And Lost 150 Pounds
Huffington Post
For almost two decades, I tried to buy my way out of obesity, spending thousands of dollars on fad diets, weight-loss shakes and pills. I learned from experience that all those drugs could do was turn a 300-pound woman into a 300-pound woman with the ...

and more »


Sydney Morning Herald (blog)

A smarter weight loss workout
Sydney Morning Herald (blog)
It's a message that anyone grappling with weight loss needs to hear, especially if trimming down is proving frustratingly slow – often a clue there's an underlying problem with insulin resistance that makes it genuinely difficult to lose weight.

and more »


PsychCentral.com

Weight Loss Programs In Church May Be More Effective
PsychCentral.com
In a new study, investigators determined that the location of the program, and the level of experience attempting a weight loss program, may influence an individual's success. In the study, published in The Journal of Black Psychology, ...
For Successful Weight Loss Don't Separate Church and WeighteMaxHealth
Weight-Loss Programmes Most Effective When Hosted In A ChurchHuffington Post UK
Weight loss program for African-American women in a church may become more ...News-Medical.net

all 6 news articles »


PR Web

Best Weight Loss Apps
Mobiles Please Blog (blog)
What better weight-loss buddy than your smartphone? It never leaves your side and it can play your favourite music to keep you motivated throughout your workout. Many apps are available to help keep you on track during your diet and exercise plan and ...
HCG Weight Loss Plan by Slim Again With Something New in ItSBWire (press release)
Diet Doc Weight Loss Introduces Artery Clearing Foods as Part of Their Overall ...PR Web (press release)
Super Bowl Temptations Derail hCG DietersSan Francisco Chronicle (press release)
DigitalJournal.com (press release) -Houston Chronicle -ReporterNews.com
all 16 news articles »


Weight Loss Impacts Leg Muscle, Strength in Knee OA
Doctors Lounge
Marius Henriksen, PT, Ph.D., of the Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark, and colleagues used dual X-ray absorptiometry and isometric muscle strength testing to evaluate the effects of a 16-week low-energy diet-induced weight loss program on knee ...

and more »


Daily Mail

Weight-loss clinics are handing out dangerous slimming drugs with lethal side ...
Daily Mail
By Sophie Borland Patients are being put at risk by doctors selling them potentially dangerous weight-loss pills at private slimming clinics. A number of centres in England were found to be handing out drugs which could have lethal side effects, ...

and more »


mobihealthnews

American Medical Association offers weight loss app
mobihealthnews
At the end of January the American Medical Association (AMA) offered up its second consumer facing smartphone app: Weigh What Matters. The free app, which is available for Apple iOS and Android devices, aims to help people work with their physicians to ...

and more »


SILive.com

Get extreme about weight loss with casting call on Saturday
SILive.com
By Staten Island Advance Those looking to make a lasting lifestyle change — and don't mind the entire country watching — can audition for season three of ABC's “Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition” this weekend. View full sizePhoto Courtesy of ...
Casting call: 'Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition'U-T San Diego
Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Michigan Casting CallUpNorthLive.com

all 3 news articles »


FDA needs stronger rules to ensure the safety of dietary supplements
Harvard Health Publications (blog)
Remember ephedra, a widely used weight-loss supplement that was banned after it was linked to deaths and adverse side effects? And solid clinical trials routinely knock down the effectiveness of dietary supplements for stopping the common cold (vitamin ...
Weight Loss Supplement May Contain Undeclared DrugNatural Standard Blog (blog)

all 25 news articles »

Google News

home | site map
© 2006