Diet Quotes

To obtain adequate dietary calcium without using dairy foods, dentist Melvin Page recommended eating: salmon, oysters, clams, shrimp, other sea-foods, broccoli, beet greens, nuts, beans, cauliflower, figs and olives. Green vegetables that are very high in calcium come from the brassica family and include: broccoli, kale, bok choy, cabbage, mustard and turnip greens. Seaweed is another excellent source of calcium. Other sources of calcium could be taro root, and herbs. Canned fish with bones is high in calcium, but fresh fish will be much lower because the bones are not consumed. [2011] - Ramiel Nagel

Avoid or greatly limit highly sweet fruits like dates, peaches, pineapples, dried fruit, blueberries, oranges, grapes and bananas until you don't have tooth decay anymore. Examples of less sweet fruits are: sour berries such as raspberries, as well as kiwi, and green apples. If you have bad cavities or want to immediately stop the rapid process of tooth decay, avoid all sweets and fruits and completely. [2011] - Ramiel Nagel

Soak beans overnight and cook with kombu (sea vegetable) to soften them aid digestion. Beans should be very soft and easy to digest when cooked. Choose smaller sized beans over large ones. [2011] - Ramiel Nagel

If you have a small cavity, the non invasive dentist would advise you about the cavity curing power of cod liver oil. "Take two teaspoons per day, and come back next week." Most cavities can be demineralized by diet alone. [2011] - Ramiel Nagel

Throughout life, all the products we consume affect our teeth. Sometimes, acidic apple juice, sports drinks, sodas, coffee, and beer harm our teeth. At other times, our teeth may benefit from mineral-rich drinking water, vegetable juices, dairy products, xylitol, and alkaline soups and broths. [2010] - Ellie Phillips

Avoid mouth acidity as much as possible and encourage healthy plaque by consuming sufficient 100% xylitol each day, especially after meals and beverages. At least 6-10 grams of xylitol per day is recommended in (at least 5-6) divided doses. Mints, gum, breath sprays or granular xylitol are all acceptable. My general recommendation is to dissolve one teaspoon (4 grams) of granulated xylitol in 6-8 ounces of water and drink this each morning. This can be repeated again in the afternoon, or mints and gum can be eaten at the end of snacks or meals. Frequency is believed to play a major role in reducing plaque. [2010] - Ellie Phillips

To prevent gum disease, watch for the first signs of infection (bleeding gums) and take action immediately. When you prevent or stop gum disease at the early stage, you avoid all the problems that aggressive periodontal bacteria can inflict on your gums, bones, and health. When your teeth have multiple exposures to xylitol each day, totaling at least 6.5 and 10 grams of xylitol, studies show that you can radically change the kind of bacteria in your mouth within one year. The next thing to do is visit a dentist as soon as possible to have an evaluation to learn about remedies that can help return your mouth to health. [2010] - Ellie Phillips

Sweeteners like stevia and xylitol are derived from natural sources and are healthy and safe sugar substitutes, despite the fact that they have such off-putting and chemical-sounding names. Artificial sweeteners, on the other hand, often have alluring names like Splenda, Sweet'N Low, and Equal. There are great differences for teeth between the effects of consuming the natural and dentally beneficial sugar substitute xylitol and xylitol's ugly stepsister, the artificial sugarless sweetener called sorbitol. Sorbitol can cause gastric problems like bloating and stomach cramps at low dosage. Many people who consume sorbitol find they develop acid reflux symptoms. Don't believe that when a product says it's sugar free it means it's "safe or good for teeth." Sugar-free products, especially chewing gum and diet drinks, may contain sorbitol. [2010] - Ellie Phillips

Few mineral waters are alkaline, and even tap water may be acidic. As a generalization, the more expensive bottled waters, originating from various regions of the world, seem to be alkaline. Evian is a brand of bottled water and is mildly alkaline, with a pH of 7.2, and Fiji water from the island of Fiji, has a pH of 7.4. People who wake and need a drink during the night, people with a dry mouth, or those who are dehydrated or sick may want to take particular interest in the pH value of the water they are consuming. [2010] - Ellie Phillips

Citric acid is damaging in any mouth, and in a dry mouth, where it is not diluted or washed off teeth by saliva, the damage will be more extreme. Many fruits contain citric acid, as do the drinks made from them: grapefruit, oranges, limes, or lemons. Other foods, such as bananas, almonds, potatoes, vegetables of all kinds, fresh apples, and even pineapple, can make the mouth alkaline. [2010] - Ellie Phillips

Several foods are not only safe for teeth but also have tooth-protective or anti-cavity features: 1) Cow's milk; 2) Cheese; 3) Dark chocolate; 4) Certain plant fibers and leaves (sugarcane, fresh apples, tea, etc.); 5) Intense sweeteners (glycyrrhizin from licorice root, thaumatin, miraculin, etc.); 6) Propolis. Finishing a meal or a snack with something dentally healthy can alter the chemistry of your mouth and leave it safe for teeth. Know at least one or two foods that you like and which are safe for teeth so that you can eat these to complete any meal or snack made up of foods that are damaging. [2010] - Ellie Phillips

Citrus fruits and juices are very acidic. Alcohol also causes the esophageal valves to relax and cause reflux at night. Beer and white wine are particularly bad for reflux. The best things for a refluxer to drink? Water! Certain mild herbal teas are fine (such as chamomile), along with non-acidic smoothies, or low-fat and lactose-free milk. [2010] - Jamie Koufman

Theoretically, dark chocolate isn't as bad as high-fat milk chocolate, but let's face it. All chocolate is bad for reflux. [2010] - Jamie Koufman

One cup of coffee or espresso a day is fine, but people who drink coffee all day long are courting reflux if they don't have it already. We recommend switching to herbal teas such as chamomile. Green tea is okay if lightly brewed. [2010] - Jamie Koufman

Higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to be protective against a wide range of cancers, cognitive degeneration such as Alzheimer's, heart disease, and a wide range of other conditions. High levels of omega-3s moderate symptoms of depression, decrease impulsiveness, and boost our daily mood. The consumption of omega-3s also decreases inflammation (pain), asthma, diabetes, and arthritis. [2010] - Tom Rath

The twenty-five foods that do the most to support immunity are apples, berries, broccoli family vegetables, carrots, citrus fruits, dark leafy greens, green food powders (chlorella, barley grass, wheatgrass), figs, dates, garlic, flaxseed, legumes, oats, olives, herbs and spices, mushrooms, potatoes, sea vegetables, squash, tomatoes, soy foods, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and yogurt. [2009] - Frances Sheridan Goulart

The older you get, the less heart-essential coenzyme Q10 you have. Not so good, since 95% of the energy produced by the body depends on this electron transport chemical, making it important to eat more energy-producing greens, grains, and beans. [2009] - Frances Sheridan Goulart

A cup of the ancient grain quinoa supplies as much as protein as a glass of milk - and more calcium. [2009] - Frances Sheridan Goulart

Eating an apple a day is the same as taking a megadose of natural vitamin C in terms of antioxidants and flavonoids. Apples are even more "fruitful" if you eat the peel, which contains triterpenoids - compounds that have anticancer activity. Buy organic whenever possible (if it's not organic, it could be lowering, not raising, your immunity). Most apples will keep two weeks refrigerated (Fujis and Granny Smiths have a longer life). [2009] - Frances Sheridan Goulart

Vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, and zucchini reserve or even boost their antioxidant power when cooked. Cooked carrots give you more antioxidants than do raw carrots. Steam for 5 minutes produces the most vitamin A and beta-carotene. Never microwave your cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli. Zapping broccoli caused a 97% loss of nutrients. Steaming (5 minutes or less) trumps all other cooking methods. [2009] - Frances Sheridan Goulart