“You are what you eat.” Don’t you hear that quite often? But how often do you hear it regarding your teeth, gums and your smile? Your mouth is no different than the rest of your body. After all, your mouth is the initial source of digestion and it is the primary pathway towards nutrition (good or bad). The foods listed pretty much could be made into a pretty great stir-fry; but don’t hesitate to put your own spin on it:
Broccoli is a great source of fiber, can help prevent cataracts, heart disease, and various cancers. Pretty cool, right? But on top of all that, it creates a biofilm over enamel to help prevent acid erosion. Erosion is one of the main villains to teeth these days due to all the juice and soda consumption.
Basil can help reduce stress and clear your skin, but did you know it can help reduce bacteria in your mouth?
Carrots and its consumption have been shown to help increase vision (Vitamin A), and help prevent lung cancer. The high levels of beta carotene can even help the aging and damage of cells. This crunchy alternative to chips can help clean your gums making them healthier.
The calcium in cheese can help make your dental enamel strong extending your smile for many years and help prevent osteoporosis. Furthermore, the lactic acid can help prevent dental decay.
Celery equalizes the body’s pH and is incredibly important to peak health. Did you know that it also helps in increasing salivary content which will dilute sugars and acids in the mouth? This crunchy veggie as well will help in cleaning gums.
Green Tea has had a multitude of benefits from reducing blood pressure to preventing cancers. It can regulate spikes in insulin, thereby regulating glucose (Diabetes patients please take note!!). But it also contains an antioxidant called catechin which reduces bacterial growth that causes gingivitis.
So here you go people! Mix and match this all up. A healthier you is a better you! A better you makes someone who can be a better mom, dad, girlfriend, boyfriend, or just plain happier :)!
Ok… After this blog post, time for me to grab a donut.
