Bad Breath

Lately, I've noticed a lot of bad breath. And just yesterday, it was my own! From what I know about it, mine could easily be a direct result of the detox I started 3 days ago. When the body is detoxifying, temporary halitosis can be one of the results. But thinking about it, it's not an issue that I've seen addressed much in the holistic blogosphere. So here goes. Bad breath can be caused by imbalanced bacteria on your tongue, in your mouth, or in your digestive tract. It can also be caused by inflamed sinuses, liver disease, or other health issues.

Most holistic health care professionals agree that the majority of cases are due to intestinal problems (Trivieri 991). So, the first step for battling bad breath is to help your body digest.

- Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
- Try to eat raw foods as much as possible.
- Limit sugar, dairy, yeast, alcohol, and refined grains.
- Get adequate fiber (oat bran, rice bran, psyllium).
- Take a probiotic and/or digestive enzymes.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Add lemon juice to a glass of water twice a day.

Once your system is effectively digesting your food, your bad breath should get better.

It is important to avoid alcohol based mouth washes since the alcohol kills off both good and bad bacteria.

Order Fennel seeds and other spices from Mountain Rose Herbs. Click above.

There are other ways to alleviate bad breath.

- Chew fennel seeds, cloves, coriander, cardamom, and/or anise. The oils in these spices will freshen breath (and taste delicious).
- Drink peppermint tea (and add a bit of any of the above spices).
- Clean your tongue regularly (tongue scrapers are recommended).
- Chew parsley, basil, or cilantro (chlorophyll rich herbs).
- Take homeopathic supplements (Arnica, Merc sol., Nux vom., Kali phos., Chelidonium)
- Professional intestinal cleansing.
- Herbal rinses (sage tea or black tea as the base, peppermint oil, anise oil, spearmint oil, raw honey).

So, now you can breathe easy. ;)

The Dangers of Fluoride

Fluoride is a chemical additive found in most city water (tap water), and in multitudes of toothpastes and other dental products. As I kid, I remember coming home from the dentist with a bottle full of fluoride and being told to brush with it alone once per day.

I've heard things here and there about the dangers of fluoride, but I think that more and more research is coming out proving that it really is no good at all- especially for what it's used for (making enamel stronger). Both the Center for Disease Control and the American Dental Association have claimed that fluoride, especially when given to infants and toddlers, can cause major problems.

Fluorosis causes white and brown spots on the teeth (and presumably the bones). Over exposure to fluoride disrupts the growth process of bones and teeth, causing visible malformations. While many pro-fluoride groups claim that these defects are simply cosmetic, common sense tells us that visible flaws in the protective layers of teeth will certainly lead to other, deeper, problems.

Since most toothpaste, mouth wash, and other dental products contain fluoride, this is a very important issue. Choose toothpastes that are fluoride-free, and drink only water that has been filtered (activated charcoal and ozonated are best). This is especially important for infants and children. Research is coming out in droves about the ill effects of feeding babies formula that has been reconstituted with fluoride containing water. If you do feed your infant formula, use filtered, fluoride-free water. This is also important for children learning to brush their teeth. While fluoride containing toothpaste shouldn't be used at any age, according to many studies, it especially should not be swallowed. So for young children who haven't quite learned the rinsing technique, be certain that the toothpaste you give them is fluoride-free.

The dangers of fluoride, according to the article linked above, include:

• Disrupts synthesis of collagen
• Increased lead absorption
  
• Hyperactivity and/or lethargy
• Muscle disorders
• Brain damage, and lowered IQ
• Arthritis
• Bone fractures
• Lowered thyroid function
• Bone cancer
  
• Dementia
• Inactivates 62 enzymes
• Inhibits formation of antibodies
• Genetic damage and cell death
• Increases tumor and cancer rate
• Disrupts immune system
• Damages sperm and increases infertility

This is enough to push us into a greater awareness of what we are putting into our bodies. My vote: go fluoride-free. It can't hurt.