Cancer & Carnivore Diet
– My Experiment –

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

January 6, 2020

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Cancer & Carnivore Diet

I am making a major change in my diet. As with my entire unconventional cancer journey, I continue to experiment and think “outside of the box”. My current research is suggesting that there are potential benefits to replacing my Paleo-type diet with the Carnivore Diet in my Daily Cancer Protocols. While there is no peer-reviewed published trials which I could find where the Carnivore Diet has been designed to treat cancer patients, there are anecdotal reports and case studies that are impressive. The Carnivore Diet is similar to a ketogenic diet but with all fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds removed.

A ketogenic diet reduces carbohydrates and increases healthy fats to a level where the body’s metabolism shifts away from burning carbs to burning fat and ketones for energy. The Carnivore Diet requires eating only wild-caught and pastured animals from nose-to-tail. Since the Carnivore Diet completely eliminates all plants, it importantly avoids the abundance of antinutrients (i.e. lectins and oxalates) found in plants.

 

Lectins

Lectins are proteins, which plants produce to defend themselves against animals trying to eat them. Lectins will cause digestive upset, particularly when eaten raw. These proteins are found in roots, stems, leaves, and especially in the seeds of many plants.

After we eat lectins, they bind to the sugar portions of our intestinal wall where they interfere with digestion and nutrient uptake. However, after edible seeds are cooked using moist heat, some of the damaging effects of many lectins may be reduced. Yet, the danger of lectins is real.[1]

 

Oxalates

Oxalates, which are tiny molecules found in a variety of seeds, nuts and many vegetables, will bind minerals like calcium and form crystals. Oxalates also can cause kidney stones and are responsible for a wide variety of other health problems related to inflammation, autoimmunity, mitochondrial dysfunction, mineral balance, connective tissue integrity, urinary tract issues and poor gut function.

Sally K. Norton wrote an excellent article about the health hazards of oxalates.[2] Medical research also has shown that oxalates promote the transformation of normal breast cells into highly malignant and undifferentiated tumors.[3] Specifically, oxalates have been shown to damage mitochondria.[4] And mitochondrial dysfunction is a primary component in the development of cancer.[5]

 

My Research

In 2016, a case study was published of a 60-year old patient who had a malignant myoepithelial tumor of the soft palate. The patient refused conventional chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Instead, the patient started a paleolithic-ketogenic (paleo/keto) diet in December 2014. For the first six months, the patient followed a strict meat and fat only diet (Carnivore Diet). From July 2015 on, she was allowed to eat small amounts of vegetables less than two times a week. Surprisingly, the cancer progression was halted as evidenced by imaging follow-up. After 20 months and the conclusion of the case report, the patient had no symptoms or side effects from the originally diagnosed cancer.[6]

During my research, I also came upon another cancer patient. Andrew Scarborough was diagnosed with an aggressive and incurable brain tumor (Grade 3 Anaplastic Astrocytoma) at the age of 27. He elected to treat his cancer with a strict paleo/keto diet, which he modified into a strict Carnivore Diet. Two years after his diagnosis, his cancer was in remission. And his protocol and results are being studied by Hammersford Hospital in Australia.[7]

In a 2018 review of medical papers, the authors found a ketogenic diet reduced the production and growth of most cancer tumors. However, in some isolated types of cancer, a ketogenic diet apparently supported the growth of tumor cells.[8]

Mark Sisson[9] and Chris Kresser[10], two people for whom I have great respect, recently wrote about the pros and cons of the Carnivore Diet.

If you google “Carnivore Diet”, you’ll find many anecdotal reports on the Internet describing the benefits of this lifestyle change. For more in-depth discussions of the medical benefits of the Carnivore Diet, I recommend Dr. Paul Saladino’s website (https://carnivoremd.com/the-carnivore-diet-start-here/). He is an MD who highly recommends and personally follows a strict Carnivore Diet.

 

My Experiment

So, I am connecting some of the medical dots that I am researching. I believe the benefits of a Carnivore Diet will assist my body’s challenge to heal from IgA Kappa Light Chain Multiple Myeloma. As you may recall, my original prognosis at the time of my diagnosis in September 2018 was that I could be dead by the end of 2018. I’ve surprised a lot of people!

Let me be very clear though. I am not recommending that cancer patients should be on the Carnivore Diet. I will experiment with it and will describe below exactly what I will be doing for my personal use. Again, there is no published proof that what I am including in my 10 Unconventional Cancer Protocols is going to treat my cancer or anyone’s cancer. But all my research has proven to me that what you eat and what you eliminate from your diet are vital for overall health.

 

Potential Benefits of Carnivore Diet

  1. Restricts calories and mimics fasting: Protein is filling, so you eat less. Eating less reduces caloric intake. Reducing caloric intake will decrease insulin production, insulin-like growth factor, and growth hormone. Fasting (which restricts caloric intake for a period of time) triggers autophagy where old cells die and damaged cells repair. The end result is reduced inflammation as well as reduced symptoms of chronic and autoimmune diseases.
  2. Provides low residue in gut: This diet is basically protein and fat – all of which are absorbed in the upper part of the gut. So, there is little leftover residue to irritate or inflame the lower portions of the gut. Less residue in the lower gut reduces diarrhea, bloating, gas, and abdominal pain while helping prevent inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome. Also, the Carnivore Diet avoids oxalates and lectins that could be damaging to the body.
  3. Alters the gut microbiome: A healthy gut microbiome is vital for optimum immune health and reduction of inflammatory diseases.[11] However, altering the gut microbiome may have positive as well as negative effects.[12] Microbial diversity and homeostasis are key to a healthy microbiome.
  4. Supplies pre-digested nutrients: Eating an animal from nose-to-tail provides all the nutrients that support that animal’s health. The nutrients that are consumed by the animal are present in their muscles, fat, cartilage and collagenous parts, and their organs. Eating wild caught or pastured animals from nose-to-tail provides us with all these nutrients, which may be in sufficient quantity and quality for us to thrive.[13]
  5. Creates ketones: A Carnivore Diet will put the body into a state of ketosis. Ketosis will shift the body to burning fat or ketones for energy instead of burning glucose. Cancer cells cannot utilize ketones, but our remaining healthy cells can. As I mentioned above, cancer patients might have significant results from being in a state of ketosis even though there are no controlled, long-term human studies to support this.[14]

 

My Updated Unconventional Cancer Protocol

I’m going to tweak my 10 Unconventional Cancer Protocols by replacing my current diet program with the Carnivore Diet along with a few of my modifications. I will follow this eating program for at least 1-2 months to see how my biomarkers react and how I feel. This experiment may become the way I will eat forever going forward. It should be no surprise to you that my ultimate decision maker or breaker will be how I feel. Of course, I will continue with my other integrated cancer protocols daily.

I’ll eat when I’m hungry and drink when I’m thirsty. Although I purchase most of my pastured and wild-caught animal products from neighborhood grocers and local farmers’ markets, I purchase what I can’t find from White Oak Pastures[15] in Georgia or VitalChoice[16] in Washington.

 

My Carnivore Diet

  • Intermittent fasting, which is part of my current diet – probably easier to do on a Carnivore Diet because proteins and fats are more satiating
  • Pastured animal meats and their healthy fats (including organs like pork and chicken liver, sweetbreads, skin, cartilage and collagenous parts)
  • Wild caught seafood – especially sardines, salmon, shrimp, mussels, and salmon roe
  • Butter or ghee from grass-fed and pastured cattle
  • Raw cheeses
  • Pastured chicken eggs
  • Homemade bone broth
  • Spices, sea salt, and herbs for flavor
  • One cup of organic coffee with raw heavy cream in the morning
  • Freeze-dried Organ Complex[17] and Freeze-Dried Bone Marrow[18] (supplied by Enviromedica from grass-fed cattle in New Zealand)

My Daily Cancer Protocols

  1. To support my gut: I take 2 caps of Megasporebiotic, 2 caps of HU58, 2 caps of RestorFlora, 8 caps of MegaIgG2000, and 1 scoop of MegaPrebiotic mixed with 1 scoop of MegaMucosa in cold water (all products from Microbiome Labs). I also take 2 caps of TerraFlora (from Enviromedica).
  2. To support my bone: I take 6 caps of OsteoVegan (from NuMedica), 4 caps of Megaquinone K2-7 (from Microbiome Labs), and 25,000 IU of Vitamin D3 (from Nutrigold).
  3. To assist killing cancer cells: I take 6 caps of Salvestrol Platinum 2000 (from Salvestrol).
  4. To support my immune system: I take 3 herbal liquid extracts from MediHerb: 5.0 ml of Echinacea Premium 1:2; 2.5 ml of Korean Ginseng 1:2; and 5.0 ml of Astragalus 1:2. Also from MediHerb, I add 5.0 ml of Marshmallow Root 1:5 Glycetract to the 3 herbal liquid extracts for mucous membrane support and as a “sweetener” for the other 3 “bitter” elixirs.
  5. To help repair my mitochondria: I use PEMF (Pulsed Electromagnetic Field) Therapy using the PureWave full-body mat[19] first thing in the morning for 8-minutes at setting “Vital – 10”, afternoon session for 8-minutes at setting “Basis – 10”, in early evening for 8-minutes at setting “Relax – 4”, and at bedtime for 24-minutes at setting “Relax – 1”.
  6. To control pain: I take 600-800mg of ibuprofen only when necessary.
  7. To target specific proteins involved in my cancer, I take 2 human-derived monoclonal antibody immunotherapies: XGEVA injections attack a protein that causes my bones to weaken and inactivates this protein. Darzalex infusions attack a specific protein on the surface of malignant plasma cells and kills them. Along with the Darzalex, I am given premeds (Tylenol, Benadryl, and Decadron) just before the infusion to limit any side effects.
  8. To help prevent colds and flu: I use a Bee Propolis Mouth Spray 4 times a day if I feel any “scratchiness” in my throat (from Beekeeper’s Naturals).
  9. To strengthen my body: Based on the condition of my skeleton, I perform appropriate upper body and lower body exercises several days a week at home. It’s essential for me to avoid any “twisting” motions because of my risk for additional pathological fractures. Also, I walk about one mile outside a few days a week. As my body strengthens, I’ll incorporate a more challenging routine.

That’s it for now. I started the Carnivore Diet on January 1, 2020. My Unconventional Cancer Journey is taking a turn to more experimentation, which is my New Year’s Resolution. This is how I roll.

Up until now, I have had success maintaining my quality of life. Maybe my bone marrow cancer will go into remission, or maybe I can cure this malignancy. Who knows? Certainly, conventional oncologists don’t know. By checking my cancer biomarkers as I progress with the Carnivore Diet, I will know for sure. I’m prepared for all outcomes.

 

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6603809/

[2] https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/5875/48f7a3e96e9173be688689d5e0b013791a07.pdf

[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4618885/

[4] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213231717307565

[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4950268/

[6] http://pubs.sciepub.com/ajmcr/4/8/8/

[7] https://www.openfuture.biz/expertise/AndrewScarborough.html

[8] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5842847/

[9] https://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-carnivore-diet-pros-cons-and-suggestions/

[10] https://chriskresser.com/the-carnivore-diet-is-it-really-healthy/

[11] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23618829

[12] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3957428/

[13] https://carnivoremd.com/what-to-eat-on-a-carnivore-diet-your-carnivore-diet-meal-plan/

[14] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5450454/

[15] https://www.whiteoakpastures.com/

[16] https://www.vitalchoice.com/

[17] https://shop.enviromedica.com/pastured-organ-complex

[18] https://shop.enviromedica.com/pastured-bone-marrow

[19] https://www.purewavenow.com/product/pemf-home-system/

 

 

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Periodontal Disease
Could Be Killing You

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

December 30, 2019

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Periodontal Disease Could be Killing You

 

Periodontal disease could be killing you. It is often considered a causal factor for many chronic diseases. But you need to know the complete story – not just part of it. While periodontal disease could be a nidus for chronic systemic inflammation and spread of infection, this is only part of the story. The story has a Beginning, a Middle, and an Ending. Let’s start in The Middle.

 

 

The Middle

Dental plaque is healthy until it’s not healthy.[1]

 

Periodontal disease develops from unhealthy dental plaque. Unhealthy plaque results when healthy plaque is transformed into unhealthy dental plaque because of an underlying compromised immune system and unhealthy food choices. It’s fundamental for you to appreciate that a compromised immune system has its roots in unhealthy changes in the gut (i.e. gut dysbiosis) [2],[3], which causes chronic systemic inflammation.

 

A compromised immune system and unhealthy food choices could allow the hundreds of bacteria in dental plaque to get out of balance and become unhealthy.[4],[5] Then, unhealthy bacteria could proliferate and cause the progression of advanced gum disease[6].

 

One of the most virulent bacteria in periodontal disease is Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis).[7],[8] Among other self-protective measures, this bacterium produces a biofilm, which is resistant to the body’s immune defenses.[9] As the body continues to fight the resistant P. gingivalis, additional chronic inflammation results. This chronic inflammation can cause the tissues surrounding the infected gum spaces to break down allowing their toxic elements to leak into the general circulation. Additionally, autoimmunity may play a role in the progression of periodontal disease.[10]

 

It is important to remove unhealthy plaque through an efficient personal oral hygiene protocol performed daily. However, it is also critical to understand that gut dysbiosis leads to pathological changes in the healthy community of bacteria in the mouth. Therefore, gut dysbiosis must be treated to restore oral health, along with removing unhealthy dental plaque. I must emphasize that it is unhealthy to indiscriminately kill bad bacteria as well as good bacteria in the mouth by using antimicrobial mouthwashes or antibiotics on a daily basis.[11]

 

It also is vital to be aware of periodontal disease because its prevalence is at epidemic proportions. In 2010, a published paper demonstrated that 93.9% of adults in the United States had some form of gingivitis.[12] And in 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published their results in the Journal of Dental Research. The report was recently updated in 2015 in the Journal of Periodontology.[13] It showed the prevalence of periodontitis was estimated to be 47.2% for American adults (approximately 64.7 million people). For adults 65 years old and older, the prevalence jumped to 70.1%. These findings were the result of the most comprehensive periodontal evaluation performed ever in the US.

 

So, statically you most likely have some form of periodontal disease, and it must be treated completely. Otherwise, once periodontal disease is established in the mouth, its pathological byproducts can seep into the bloodstream, lymph fluid, and bone structures to cause spread of infection and inflammation to all areas of the body. This mechanism of seeping into the body’s circulation is similar to the way that an unhealthy gut causes leakage of toxic elements into the bloodstream (i.e. leaky gut) – both creating chronic systemic inflammation.

 

The eventual result of chronic systemic inflammation is chronic disease.[14],[15],[16] The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that 60% of Americans live with at least one chronic disease, and chronic diseases are responsible for 70% of deaths each year in the United States.[17] Therefore, periodontal disease could be a source of degenerative chronic diseases originating from chronic systemic inflammation.

 

 

 

The Beginning

Interestingly, there are three human research studies that showed a healthy diet alone can improve the health of the mouth. These studies also determined that removing dental plaque by brushing and flossing was not essential to improve oral health as long as diet was corrected. Specifically, the investigators demonstrated that changing from a diet abundant in high-processed-carbohydrate and inflammatory foods to a diet excluding high-processed-carbohydrate and inflammatory foods will decrease signs of gum inflammation.[18],[19],[20] However, active periodontal treatment will be necessary if gum inflammation progresses into periodontitis, which destroys the jawbone surrounding the teeth.

 

In February 2019, a medical research article was published in Biomedical Journal[21] entitled, “Association between periodontal pathogens and systemic disease”. The authors describe the correlation between periodontal disease and various chronic diseases and outcomes such as cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal and colorectal cancer, diabetes and insulin resistance, Alzheimer’s disease, respiratory tract infections, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. The authors go on to state that there are conflicting studies, which try to prove causal relationships. However, there is significant research to show a strong correlation.

 

In another article published in August 2019 by Hashioka et al[22], the authors reviewed medical research that indicates a causal relationship between periodontal disease and various neuropsychiatric disorders including Alzheimer’s disease, major depression, Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, as well as the neurological event of ischemic stroke. The initiating cause of these neurological diseases is neuroinflammation, which is induced by chronic systemic inflammation. Periodontal disease causes chronic systemic inflammation by the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the invasion of periodontitis bacteria (specifically P. gingivalis) along with their inflammatory components (lipopolysaccharide or LPS) into the systemic circulation. Chronic systemic inflammation will activate the microglia, the immune cells in the brain, creating neuroinflammation.

 

But I want to emphasize again that systemic chronic inflammation is the result of a leaky gut from gut dysbiosis in most cases.

 

In essence, my research suggests that periodontal disease is not the seed of all systemic disease. As I suggested above, periodontal disease is just one of many chronic diseases occurring on the continuum of the spread of chronic systemic inflammation that starts in the gut. Since the mouth is visible and easy to examine, the mouth may be the first clinical area where disease is diagnosed. And as I mentioned earlier, the prevalence of periodontal disease is at epidemic proportions.

 

Once systemic disease spreads, a vicious cycle begins because all tissues affect all other tissues in the human body. All mucosal tissues use “crosstalk” to communicate with other tissues.[23],[24],[25]

 

I should point out that unhealthy bacteria in the mouth in turn can interact further with unhealthy bacteria in the gut, and vice versa.[26]  In the case of periodontal disease, treatment for cascading chronic diseases must include healing both the unhealthy gut and the unhealthy mouth. But for the most part, the origination of mouth disease is in the gut before becoming visible in the mouth and other areas of the body.

 

 

The Ending

To stop periodontal disease and prevent this infection from entering the systemic circulation, the infection must be treated efficiently. Treatment may often consist of a dentist, hygienist, or periodontist removing irritants that have become lodged under the gum tissues and initiating inflammation and infection. Removing these irritants will assist the body in healing.[27] In more advanced stages, surgical procedures may be necessary to arrest this disease. Whatever treatment is necessary, an effective oral hygiene program should be instituted at a frequency based on the patient’s ability to take care of his or her mouth. The individual also must have a personal oral hygiene protocol to maintain a healthy mouth.

 

But whatever periodontal treatment is required, complete treatment must include repairing the gut, restoring the healthy balance of bacteria in the gut, and avoiding unhealthy processed foods and inflammatory foods.

 

 

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4132376/

[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5892391/

[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5937375/

[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28476771

[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5126660/

[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3653317/

[7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4744328/

[8] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4276050/

[9] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4925967/

[10] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=10.1016%2Fj.autrev.2016.09.013

[11] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28353075

[12] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=20437720

[13] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4460825/

[14] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5520251/

[15] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5359961/

[16] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28835673

[17] https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/center/index.htm

[18] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19405829

[19] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4962497/pdf/12903_2016_Article_257.pdf

[20] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=10.1111%2Fjcpe.13094

[21] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2319417018302634?via%3Dihub

[22] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6695849/

[23] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/cea.12723

[24] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=10.1016%2Fj.cyto.2017.01.016

[25] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6266996/

[26] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5028810/

[27] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31849397

 

 

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Manuka Honey & Mouth Health

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

December 16, 2019

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Manuka Honey & Mouth Health

It’s not just anecdotal; it’s medical science. Raw honey, especially manuka honey, has unique qualities that make it an amazing medicament for the mouth – not to mention the rest of the body.[1] Several recent peer-reviewed articles describe the newest research and come to the same conclusion: manuka honey is at least an adjunctive medicine for the mouth.[2]

Manuka honey wears many hats, especially for wound healing.[3] It can be a toothpaste, an antibiotic, an antiviral, an antifungal, a regenerative agent, an anti-cancer substance, an antioxidant, a prebiotic, an anti-inflammatory, and so much more. I’ll discuss what it is, how it works in the mouth, how to use it, and brands to buy (including the one I use personally).

 

What is Manuka Honey

Manuka honey is a single flower honey, which comes from the manuka tree. It is native to New Zealand and southeastern Australia. To make manuka honey, beekeepers introduce European honeybees to areas that have a large concentration of wild growing manuka trees during their 6-week blooming period. Manuka trees are grown in a relatively pollution-free environment without exposure to industrial chemicals or pesticides.

Manuka honey looks and tastes differently than other honeys. It is thicker than other honeys because of high levels of specific types of proteins. Typically, it has a dark cream or dark brown color, and the flavor is considered to be “more earthy” than other raw honeys.

As with almost all honeys, Manuka honey is roughly 80% sugars and 17% water, with the last bit being comprised of minerals, organic acids, enzymes, etc. Its sugar content is made up of about 31% glucose, 38% fructose, and a mixture of more complex sugars that are harder for the body to breakdown.  Honey contains 4% to 5% fructo-oligosaccharides, which are excellent prebiotics to feed beneficial bacteria in the gut.

All honeys contain about 200 biologically active chemicals. These raw and unfiltered honeys are a good source of amino acids, B vitamins, zinc, potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous, but Manuka honey has up to four times the nutritional content of all other flower honeys. Most of the pharmacological effects of honey come from polyphenols, which are found in large concentrations in honey.

But Manuka honey has concentrations of a unique compound. Manuka has non-peroxide bacteriostatic properties that are the result of methylglyoxal (MGO).[4] This biologically active compound is not present to any great extent in other honeys, and it enhances wound healing and tissue regeneration by its immunomodulatory properties.

In 2017, Niaz et al published a review of the tissue regenerating effects of manuka honey.[5] The authors stated that their research showed, “Manuka honey can inhibit the process of carcinogenesis by controlling different molecular processes and progression of cancer cells.”

 

Oral Benefits

More than 100 systemic diseases and more than 500 medications have oral manifestations, with 145 commonly prescribed drugs causing dry mouth. And honey, especially manuka honey, can have beneficial effects on these oral manifestations.

For those of you who are fact-checkers, here are a few peer-reviewed papers proving honey has significant medical applications when used in the mouth:

  • Honey exerts antibacterial effects on nearly 60 species and prevents the development of resistant strains of bacteria. [6],[7],[8]
  • Manuka honey is effective in preventing growth of biofilm organisms, reducing the production of acids, and reducing gingivitis.[9]
  • Randomized controlled trials indicate honey helps prevent dental caries and gingivitis following orthodontic treatment.[10]
  • A double-blind, randomized controlled trial demonstrates that manuka honey and raw honey are as effective as chlorhexidine as a mouthwash.[11]
  • Manuka honey controls odor and inflammation in wounds secondary to squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity.[12]
  • Tualang honey has cytotoxic effects on cultured oral squamous cell carcinomas.[13]
  • Multiple reports indicate honey is beneficial in the treatment of radiation induced mucositis in people undergoing curative radiotherapy for their head and neck cancer.[14]
  • Honey is helpful in treating radiation induced xerostomia in people undergoing curative radiotherapy for their head and neck cancer.[15]
  • Honey enhances wound healing in non-healing or recurrent wounds in the head and neck area after radiotherapy.[16]

 

Practical Applications

Because Manuka Honey is thicker than regular honeys, you probably will use smaller amounts.

Toothpaste: Put about 1/2 teaspoon of manuka honey in your mouth and spread it around all your teeth using your tongue. Then use an electric toothbrush as you would normally brush.

Healing oral soft tissue lesions: Swish 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of honey around your mouth for a minute or so, and then swallow. Use as often as necessary.

Lips and corner of mouth: Apply manuka honey to dry lips and sore corners of mouth as needed.

Systemic benefits: Eat about 1/2 teaspoon of honey 2-3 times a day for systemic benefits like improving a cough and cold symptoms from upper respiratory infections, preventing gastric ulcers, and improving digestive symptoms.

A mouthwash: If you feel you need to “freshen” your mouth, swish with 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of honey and then swallow.

Dry mouth: If you have dry mouth or xerostomia, swish with 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of honey as needed and then swallow.

 

Purchasing Options

The New Zealand government’s Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) created the first global standard and scientific definition for manuka honey in early 2018.[17] This is the only government-regulated and approved standard for manuka honey in the world.

As of February 5, 2018, all honey labeled as manuka honey and exported from New Zealand is now required to be tested to show that it meets the MPI standard before it can lawfully be exported. The test results from the certifying lab must accompany the export documents for the manuka honey ensuring that product packed in New Zealand is genuine.

 

Brands of Manuka Honey

(NOTE: I do not receive any compensation from any company whose products I recommend.)

My favorite is “Manuka Honey KFactor16” from Wedderspoon[18], which I use personally.

There are other manuka honeys that I have not personally tried but are highly rated by others. They are:

  • Kiva Raw
  • Manuka Doctor Bio Active
  • Comvita Premium
  • Happy Valley Honey
  • Manuka Health 100% Pure
  • Pacific Resources Fancy Grade

Raw honey – especially manuka honey – has been shown to be an effective adjunctive medicament for the mouth. It seems that Mother Nature may know best. Give it a try. I have, and I have been very pleased with the results.

 

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4837971/

[2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1349007918300975?via%3Dihub

[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28901255

[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18210383

[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28901255

[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Honey%E2%80%93a+remedy+rediscovered+and+its+therapeutic+utility

[7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=The+antimycobacterial+effect+of+honey%3A+an+in+vitro+study

[8] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6034044/

[9] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3220139/

[10] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1013905214000327

[11] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5855267/

[12] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25734464

[13] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2949736/

[14] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Topical+application+of+honey+in+the+management+of+chemo%2Fradiotherapy-induced+oral+mucositis%3A+A+systematic+review+and+network+meta-analysis

[15] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=The+effectiveness+of+thyme+honey+for+the+management+of+treatment-induced+xerostomia+in+head+and+neck+cancer+patients%3A+a+feasibility+randomized+control+trial

[16] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=The+treatment+of+chronic+wounds+in+the+head+and+neck+area+after+radiotherapy+with+medical+honey

[17] https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/17374-manuka-honey-science-definition-infographic

[18] https://wedderspoon.com/pages/frequently-asked-questions

 

 

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Put the Brakes on Dental Disease

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

November 11, 2019

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Put the Brakes on Dental Disease

 

In my Blog that I posted on 11/5/19, I described how dental disease starts in the gut. I suggested that readers email me for my detailed Protocols to eat a healthy diet, to restore healthy gut bacteria, and to clean your mouth efficiently. I am providing those Protocols as my way of “giving back” and “paying it forward”.

 

In this article, I help you understand exactly what you and your family are eating and how to make healthier choices as necessary.

 

 

Then & Now

Our primal ancestors rarely had dental diseases. In fact, primal societies living today in various parts of the world rarely have dental diseases and rarely have chronic systemic diseases. So, what changed for us in this modern world?

 

Processed foods increasingly have replaced real, organic foods. We eat foods made from processed sugars and processed grains at almost every meal. We also frequently drink beverages like soft drinks and sports drinks, which are extremely sweet and acidic. Sugars, grains, acidic drinks, and the chemicals that have been added to these foods have changed the biology of our mouth and our gut. These “foods” have encouraged pathogenic bacteria in the gut and in the mouth to overgrow and cause tooth decay, gum disease, and various chronic diseases.

 

 

Unhealthy Food choices

  • Free-sugars[1] are sugars that are added to foods plus sugars that are concentrated in the form of processed honey, syrups, and fruit juices. These allow unhealthy bacteria to grow in the gut as well as the mouth. Pathogenic bacteria can produce acid levels below pH 5.5 around the tooth surface, causing tooth decay and gum disease.[2],[3]
  • Grain products have compounds (called phytates) that bind to nutrients in the saliva and on the tooth surface thereby increasing the potential for tooth decay.[4],[5] They also contain lectins and other proteins that can cause an increase in pathogenic bacteria in the gut, irritation to the gut lining, and chronic inflammation throughout the body. All these changes can compromise the body’s immune system and the health of the mouth.[6]
  • Sodas are very acidic – well below a pH of 5.5 – and also feed decay-producing bacteria with free-sugars.[7] Sugar-free sodas do not have added sugars but do contain artificial sweeteners, which can irritate the gut and create unhealthy types of bacteria.[8] Be aware that many “healthy drinks” include added sugars or artificial sweeteners and would be just as unhealthy or acidic as traditional sodas.

 

 

Healthy Food Choices

Specific nutrients present in foods support a healthy mouth as well as a healthy body. Examples are:

  • Omega-3 fatty acids (ex. healthy fish like salmon, herring, sardines, anchovies, shellfish)
  • Vitamin C (ex. citrus, dark leafy greens, bell peppers, broccoli)
  • Vitamin D (ex. cod liver oil, herring, rainbow trout, pastured eggs, wild caught sockeye salmon, shiitake mushrooms)
  • Vitamin A (ex. liver, cod liver oil, king mackerel, salmon)
  • Vitamin K2 (ex. natto, raw cheese, butter from grass-fed cows, egg yolks, dark chicken meat)
  • Antioxidants (ex. dark chocolate, berries)
  • Fiber (ex. fruits, vegetables)
  • Magnesium (ex. dark chocolate, avocados, nuts, seeds)

 

 

 

Organic is Important

Ideally, foods should be organic. For a product to be certified organic, it’s required to meet these requirements:

  • Organic crops cannot be grown with synthetic fertilizers, synthetic pesticides or sewage sludge.
  • Organic crops cannot be genetically engineered or irradiated.
  • Animals must eat only organically grown feed (without animal byproducts) and can’t be treated with synthetic hormones or antibiotics.
  • Animals must have access to the outdoors, and ruminants (hoofed animals, including cows) must have access to pasture.
  • Animals cannot be cloned.

 

 

Organic is important for three main reasons:

  1. Non-organic foods contain residues of pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals, and you eat them. These toxic substances could cause unhealthy changes in your gut and your immune system, which ultimately would affect your mouth.
  2. When a plant is not exposed to bugs and stressors in its environment, the plant’s internal immune system will have no reason to strengthen. The result is that the plant is rendered weaker. The immune system of the plant (phytonutrients) is what makes the plant a healthy food source for us. So, plants that are exposed to chemicals to ward off bugs and other environmental stressors will be less nutritious than plants that are grown organically.
  3. When animals eat plants that are tainted with chemicals, the toxic elements in the plants are incorporated in the animals’ tissues. When we eat animal products that have eaten these toxic-laden plants, we eat those toxic elements that have been concentrated in the animals’ meat, fat, and other tissues.

 

 

3-Day Food Journal

Removing unhealthy food choices and substituting healthier foods can reduce current dental disease and prevent future dental decay and gum disease. So, to help YOU learn what you and your family are eating, I suggest that each member of your family complete a 3-Day Food Journal. In this simple daily journal, you and each of your family members will be able to see exactly what you are eating and what you are not eating. Then, you could make decisions to replace unhealthy food choices with healthier ones as well as add foods that you should be eating but presently are not.

 

If you would like, I will send you a PDF of my 3-Day Food Journal with instructions including how to fill it out, how to decipher it, and a table of recommendations to replace unhealthy choices with healthier selections. Email your request to me: DrDanenberg@iCloud.com

 

 

 

[1] https://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/92/11/14-031114.pdf

[2] https://cjdr.quintessenz.de/cjdr_2017_04_s0193.pdf

[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29190114

[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7042578

[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9062561

[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3705319/pdf/nutrients-05-00771.pdf

[7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29063383

[8] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25231862

 

 

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3 Failures in Dentistry

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

May 6, 2019

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3 Failures in Dentistry

 

Dentists help repair or remove broken, damaged, and diseased teeth. Dentists also help replace missing teeth, correct bite and airway problems, and create beautiful smiles. And dentists help treat the results of many acute and chronic infections in the mouth. Unfortunately, dentistry fails the public in several other critical areas.

 

Here is my take on 3 Failures in Dentistry:

 

  1. Not informing patients of potentially toxic elements that are used in dental treatment and their potential consequences in the body.
  2. Not educating patients adequately and in-depth about the obscure and underlying causes of dental diseases.
  3. Not emphasizing the causal relationships between the gut, the mouth, and the overall health of patients.

 

I know I will get quite a bit of blowback from my comments in this blog. My intention is to bring to the forefront the weaknesses of my profession so that dental professionals and dental educators can improve the delivery of oral healthcare, which ultimately affects overall health. Also, my intention is to help the public understand the failures I’ve stated and ask intelligent questions to their healthcare professionals.

 

 

STATS

If dentists were successfully treating and preventing dental diseases, then the prevalence of periodontal disease and tooth decay should be very low. However, dental diseases are at epidemic levels.

 

 

Prevalence of Periodontal Disease Today

In 2010, a published paper revealed that 93.9% of adults in the United States had some form of gingivitis.[1]

 

In 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published their results in the Journal of Dental Research. The report was recently updated in 2015 in the Journal of Periodontology.[2] It showed the prevalence of periodontitis was estimated to be 47.2% for American adults (approximately 64.7 million people). For adults 65 years old and older, the prevalence jumped to 70.1%. These findings were the result of the most comprehensive periodontal evaluation performed ever in the US.

 

 

Prevalence of Tooth Decay Today

The CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics reported from its most recent data approximately 91% of U.S. adults aged 20–64 had dental caries in permanent teeth.[3] The prevalence increases to 93% for those above 65 years old.[4]

 

The World Health Organization has stated that dental decay is one of the most infectious, non-communicable diseases globally.[5]

 

 

Addressing the 3 Failures

1: Understand potential toxicities

Many dental materials, medicaments, and procedures are used routinely in the dental office. And many of them have been shown to be potentially toxic to human cells. Of course, toxicity usually depends on the dose and the frequency of exposure. But if a toxic element is in the mouth 24/7, then its presence could be potentially harmful.

 

As you may know, I am treating my aggressive form of multiple myeloma through various unconventional protocols. I believe my bone marrow cancer was directly related to my excessive exposure to various toxic elements in dentistry – especially my continued exposure to mercury and ionizing dental radiation while in dental school and during my early years in practice. Yet, there is no way I can prove this.

 

I’ve listed a few of the substances and procedures that are frequently used in the dental office that might be toxic for some patients and the dental team. I also have provided links to peer-reviewed articles that go into detail about their toxicities:

 

  • Methacrylate[6]
  • Mercury amalgams[7]
  • BPA in some composite materials[8]
  • Fluoride products[9]
  • Titanium[10]
  • Nitrous oxide[11]
  • Chlorhexidine[12]
  • Antimicrobial mouthwashes[13]
  • Peroxide at-home bleaching[14]
  • Ionizing dental radiation[15]

 

 

2: Learn about obscure causes of dental diseases

Three human studies clearly show that nutrition is the critical element to a healthy mouth – Baumgartner (2009)[16], Woelber (2016)[17], Woelber (2019)[18]. I have described these results many times. Each of these studies determined that removing dental plaque by brushing and flossing was not critical to improve oral health as long as diet was corrected. Specifically, the researchers demonstrated that changing from a diet abundant in high-processed-carbohydrate and inflammatory foods to a diet excluding high-processed-carbohydrate and inflammatory foods will decrease signs of gum disease.

 

In a paper published in the Journal of Dental Research in 2015, Aubrey Sheiham summarized many peer-reviewed research articles, which clearly showed that free-sugars were required to cause tooth decay.[19] And the removal of free-sugars from the diet greatly reduced or eliminated tooth decay.

 

 

3: Study the causal relationships within the body

Detrimental lifestyle, toxic elements in the environment, toxic substances accumulating in the body, and inflammatory foods are major factors that can damage the gut and create unhealthy gut bacteria (gut dysbiosis). Leakage from a damaged gut into the bloodstream and into the lymph fluid can cause systemic chronic inflammation and a compromised immune system. Both systemic chronic inflammation and a compromised immune system can cause havoc in other body tissues including the mouth.

 

In the mouth, these may cause an overgrowth of pathological bacteria. Unhealthy food choices will continue to feed the pathological bacteria. As you know, unhealthy bacteria will cause periodontal disease and tooth decay. Dental diseases potentially could affect all other areas in the body causing a vicious back-and-forth cycle between the mouth, the gut, and other tissues of the body.

 

 

Summary

The 3 failures in dentistry should be addressed and corrected. Dentists need to (1) inform patients about potential toxicity from dental procedures and only use the most biocompatible materials, (2) learn about the obscure causes of dental diseases, and (3) become knowledgeable about causal relationships within the body.

 

 

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=20437720

[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4460825/

[3] http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/DataStatistics/FindDataByTopic/DentalCaries/DentalCariesAdults20to64.htm

[4] http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/DataStatistics/FindDataByTopic/DentalCaries/DentalCariesSeniors65older.htm

[5] http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/149782/1/9789241549028_eng.pdf

[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30099197

[7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6466133/

[8] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25813067

[9] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27199224

[10] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5216395/

[11] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29859645

[12] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28510277

[13] https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11906-017-0725-2

[14] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27091347

[15] https://fb.cuni.cz/file/5700/FB2013A0027.pdf

[16] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19405829

[17] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4962497/pdf/12903_2016_Article_257.pdf

[18] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=10.1111%2Fjcpe.13094

[19] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Diet+and+Dental+Caries%3A+The+Pivotal+Role+of+Free+Sugars+Reemphasized

 

 

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Cancer Tx Complications
– Gut Health, Mouth Ulcers, & Honey –

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

April 1, 2019

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Cancer Treatment Complications

 

I’m dealing with my personal, unconventional journey to treat bone marrow cancer. While in the Cancer Clinic waiting for my scheduled appointment, I met a young man dealing with an aggressive form of mouth cancer. He already had extensive chemotherapy and is now having radiation treatment for his oral malignancy. His treatment may have damaged his healthy gut bacteria, but now he is dealing with painful lesions in his mouth called oral mucositis[1].

 

Cancer treatment can damage the gut, the overall immune system, and the oral microbiome[2]. It also can create serious and painful mouth ulcers[3]. However, there are a couple of natural protocols that could be helpful.

 

Spore-based probiotics may be an effective systemic answer to repair the gut microbiome[4], and raw honey may be an effective medicinal answer to assist the healing of mouth ulcers[5].

 

He and I had a discussion about the relationships of some types of cancer treatment and the potential effects to his gut and to his mouth. I shared some of the research I have read and some methods I believe could help him heal his gut and mouth.

 

 

Oral Mucositis

Oral mucositis is a lesion in the soft tissues of the mouth. These sores can become infected and extremely painful. Mucositis is one of the most common, debilitating complications of cancer treatments, particularly chemotherapy and radiation. Oral mucositis can make it very difficult to eat and can affect the patient’s quality of life.

 

 

Healing the Gut and Mouth

Two natural food substances that may be able to prevent and also heal damage to the gut and mouth are spore-based probiotics and raw honey.

 

 

Spore-Based Probiotics

Medical research has shown that chemotherapy and radiation therapy can damage the healthy balance of the bacteria in the gut. Once this balance is disturbed, unhealthy populations of pathologic bacteria in the gut can decrease the health of the immune system and create chronic systemic inflammation. When the immune system is compromised and systemic inflammation becomes chronic, ulcers can develop in other mucosal tissues. These include the soft tissues in the mouth.

 

Spore-based probiotics, unlike regular probiotics, are resistant to the acids in the stomach. So, these healthy spores can survive stomach acids and can germinate and repopulate in the intestines. In addition, they can increase the diversity and quantity of other necessary gut bacteria. A well-established balance of friendly bacteria in the gut can improve the gut lining and the immune system. Since there is “crosstalk” between various microbiomes and mucosal tissues throughout the body, repairing the gut may help other mucosal tissues to heal.

 

 

Raw Honey

The use of raw honey has been studied and reported for healing wounds since ancient times[6]. It is a powerful medicine chest of biologically active compounds[7]. Honey applied to sores in the mouth is highly beneficial in healing the lesions of oral mucositis[8]. Also, honey acts as a prebiotic. It contains oligosaccharides that are used by healthy oral and gut bacteria as a food source.[9]

 

 

Protocol for Prevention & Healing

My recommendation to help prevent and heal the lesions of oral mucositis would be to incorporate a regimen of taking spore-based probiotics daily as well as rinsing with raw honey as needed and swallowing it.

 

Two spore-based probiotics that I recommend are Megasporebiotic from Microbiome Labs and Terraflora from Enviromedica.

 

For honey, I recommend local raw honey. Rinsing with and swallowing about 1 teaspoon of honey several times a day could be soothing and healing to the oral tissues and also promote the healthy growth of oral and gut bacteria. Be sure you purchase raw honey ideally from a local bee keeper. I get my local raw honey from various Farmers’ Markets in my area.

 

[1] https://oralcancerfoundation.org/complications/mucositis/

[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=10.1080%2F17474124.2019.1595586

[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=10.1080%2F17474124.2019.1595586

[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5561432/

[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=10.1007%2Fs12098-018-2733-x

[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=10.1007%2Fs40257-016-0247-8

[7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6268297/

[8] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30919153

[9] https://academic.oup.com/fqs/article/1/2/107/3860141

 

 

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I Eat Meat!

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist
March 4, 2019

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I Eat Meat

I eat meat. I never excluded meat from my diet. However, the only meat I eat is from pastured or wild-caught animals who consume their natural diets with no chemicals added. In addition to meat, I eat their organs and consume their bone broth – nose to tail. (As an aside, the farmer I visit at my Farmers’ Market every Saturday morning provides grass-fed, grass-finished ground beef mixed with ground kidney, liver, and heart in one-pound packages: 70% ground beef; 30% ground organ meats.)

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However, now that I am on a journey to fight my incurable aggressive bone marrow cancer, I have been asked by many, “Why do you eat meat or animal protein? Don’t you know they cause cancer?”

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Well, healthy animal protein as part of a diet containing plant-based foods does not cause cancer. And healthy meat and organs are critical for humans to eat.[1] Healthy humans are omnivores![2]

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Let’s get into it.

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Essential Amino Acids

Humans require 20 amino acids to create all the proteins that life requires. This includes 9 essential amino acids (which cannot be made by the body) and another 11 non-essential amino acids (which can be made by the body). The 9 essential amino acids are easily supplied by animal protein.

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Animal protein provides the best and most biologically complete source for these building blocks. Amino acids are critical for proper immune function, muscle integrity, DNA manufacturing of the body’s necessary proteins, and gene expression.

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Vegans can mix various plants to get all the essential amino acids, but the quantity of legumes required to get the right mix also provides too many grams of carbohydrate to the diet. Too many carbohydrates in the diet creates excess glucose, which feeds cancer cell growth.

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Acid Environment

Some critics of animal products state that animal protein is acidic, which they claim encourages cancer growth. However, that is not entirely correct. Cancer cells actually create their own acidic environment by way of their production of energy.

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Healthy mitochondria are responsible for efficient energy production. However, the mitochondria in cancer cells are dysfunctional. Therefore, cancer cells must use fermentation to create the energy they require. Cancer cells use a tremendous amount of glucose and some glutamine to produce energy by this inefficient method. A by-product of the fermentation process is the production of a large quantity of lactic acid. In turn, lactic acid bathes the cancer cells making the environment acidic around tumors.

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Observational Studies

Other critics of eating meat cite studies showing the consumers of meat have a higher risk of cancer. However, these studies are mostly flawed.

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These studies are basically observational. They only look at the consumption of meat and the incidence of cancer. This can demonstrate a “correlation” but not a “causation”. The problem is that observational studies cannot eliminate the many other factors (some known and some unknown), which could significantly affect the outcome of the study.

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Another problem is that most studies do not control the quality of meat. There is a difference between pastured animals and conventionally raised animals. There is a difference between animals grazing on organic grasses and animals fed chemically produced grains. There is a difference between processed meats and unprocessed meats.

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Also, other studies show many people who eat large quantities of red meat have unhealthy habits and unhealthy lifestyles. Examples are smoking; consuming excess alcohol; eating large quantities of processed foods made from grain flours, sugars, and unhealthy fats; ingesting very few fruits and vegetables; and living relatively sedentary lives. These confounding factors significantly increase the risk of cancer in their own ways.

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Gut Microbiome

Different research shows that an unhealthy gut microbiome might increase the risk of cancer when large quantities of meat make up the diet. Refined-carbohydrate and low-fat diets can cause gut dysbiosis, which in turn could create metabolites from meat that might be carcinogenic. However, a healthy gut microbiome may prevent the production of unhealthy metabolites from meat. And, a diet including a large percentage of organic plant foods along with healthy meats will improve the health of the gut microbiome and may thereby decrease the risk of cancer.

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Necessary Nutrients

And then there are the biologically active nutrients that are abundantly supplied by animal proteins. These nutrients are necessary for healthy bodily function but are not readily available in a vegan diet. Some of these missing nutrients of a vegan diet include vitamin B12, vitamin D, zinc, heme iron, retinol (preformed vitamin A), and DHA.

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My Thoughts

Basically, a limited amount of unprocessed and pastured meat is healthy and doesn’t promote cancer.[3] A proportioned diet (less than 25% naturally-sourced animal proteins including all their healthy fats AND more than 75% non-starchy vegetables, berries, and seeds) may be the ideal diet for cancer patients. That is the diet I incorporate in my extensive Protocol to treat my IgA Kappa Light Chain Multiple Myeloma.

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For more information, I recommend two excellent books. The Metabolic Approach to Cancer by Dr. Nasha Winters and Cancer as a Metabolic Disease by Dr. Thomas Seyfried.

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[1] https://academic.oup.com/af/article/8/3/5/5048762

[2] https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2016/12/23/how-humans-evolved-to-be-natural-omnivores/#671a630b7af5

[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4549221/

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Kathryn Won the Battle
But Not the War

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist
February 4, 2019

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Kathryn contacted me for a second opinion. Her problems are not unusual. She told me what she had gone through so far.

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It started when her dentist told her, “You have a gum infection, which is due to bacteria living under your gum tissues. Let’s kill these bacteria, and we’ll cure your disease.” So, her dentist prescribed an antimicrobial mouth gel to place around her teeth to kill these bacteria. After several weeks, the gum bleeding was gone. Kathryn thought her disease was cured.

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Then, several months went by, and she returned to her dentist for a dental cleaning. The hygienist told her, “Do you know you have active gum disease?” The dentist came into the room and confirmed that she had active infection. He recommended another round of antimicrobial gel.

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Kathryn realized something didn’t seem right, so she contacted me for a second opinion. I told her, “It sounds like you won the battle but not the war.”

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The Battle; The War

The “battle” Kathryn won was to end the acute infection in her gum tissues. Killing the bacteria stopped her gums from bleeding. Yet, she lost the war.

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The “war” she lost was to identify the various causes of her gum disease and to treat the hidden sources of her infection.

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The causes of periodontal disease are multifold. They relate to dysbiosis in the gut, chronic systemic inflammation, and a significant decrease in the immune response.  Stopping gum infection by killing oral bacteria is not a cure. It is not an effective means to restore overall health. It may be the first step when there is acute infection, but there is more to it. Indiscriminate killing of microbes is detrimental to the balance of bacteria throughout the mouth and the body. Indiscriminate killing of microbes can cause serious systemic problems.

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To win the war, acute infection in the mouth needs to be treated first as I stated. In addition, all other factors need to be discovered and dealt with effectively and in a timely manner.

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Most people don’t understand the importance of the gut and its relationship to disease. The gut needs to be treated and the resulting spread of chronic disease needs to be addressed. (I wrote a paper titled, Big Bang Theory of Chronic Disease. I’ll send the PDF article to you at no charge if you are interested. Please, send your request to my email: Dr.Danenberg@icloud.com)

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Two Niduses of Infection

I explained to Kathryn that she has two separate niduses of infection – one in her mouth and one in her gut.

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Her original nidus of infection started in her gut, which she is completely unaware of because she has no obvious gut symptoms. However, her gut problems created chronic systemic inflammation, which led to various chronic diseases. Gum (or periodontal) disease is just one manifestation of chronic disease.

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Once she developed periodontal disease, which is an imbalance in the overall oral microbiome, the infection established itself deep under the gum tissues. This became Kathryn’s second nidus of infection. The infection and inflammation around her teeth could spread through capillaries under the gum and eventually enter the blood system. As they course through her circulation, they could affect other organs.

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To treat this complicated disease, both the mouth and the gut must be treated to regain health. If only the mouth were treated, then out-of-balance bacteria in the gut would continue to be the culprit for further bouts of active periodontal disease and more.

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My Action Steps for Kathryn

After I explained my opinion of what was going on, I made specific recommendations and provided action steps for Kathryn to consider.

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  1. Do what is necessary to stop acute infection.x
  2. The dentist or the hygienist needs to do a deep cleaning under the gum tissues to remove tartar, which is irritating and acting like a splinter.x
  3. The dentist needs to treat decay, repair any broken or irritating tooth fillings, remove any toxic dental fillings or restorations, and extract any non-treatable teeth.x
  4. The dentist or the hygienist needs to demonstrate efficient tooth brushing, interdental cleaning, and tongue scraping. (How to Clean Your Mouth)x
  5. Kathryn needs to repair her gut by taking spore-based probiotics and specific prebiotics. (Protocol to Restore Normal Gut Bacteria)x
  6. Kathryn needs to change her diet to include nutritious foods that are anti-inflammatory and to remove foods that are inflammatory. (30-Day Reset Diet)

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If you want the 3 Protocols I recommended to Kathryn (underlined above), send your request to my email: Dr.Danenberg@icloud.com

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Dental Nutritional Counseling Program
Evidenced-Based

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist
January 14, 2019

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I have been asked to share my in-office Dental Nutritional Counseling Program. I developed this evidence-based Program to be a continuing education course for dentists and hygienists. However, this Program is perfect for any healthcare facility. Also, any staff member could be trained to apply this Program. In fact, my Program could be effective for a family to institute in their home. It really is appropriate for anyone who desires to have a practical plan for their patients and family.

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I never published my Dental Nutritional Counseling Program for a variety of reasons. Yet, many people who have heard about my Program have contacted me via social media and email. They wanted me to share it. So, I am offering it for FREE. This is one way for me to “give back” and “pay it forward”.

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I prepared the Program in the form of a PDF. If you are interested in the PDF, send me a personal email requesting it, and I will send it to you: Dr.Danenberg@icloud.com I only request that you give me credit for my Program.

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I believe I wrote my Program to be easy to follow and understand. But if you have some questions, I will respond by email, or we could arrange a Skype consultation to go into it in more detail if necessary. Just let me know.

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Summary of my Program

In my Dental Nutritional Counseling Program, you will learn…

  1. Why your dental office is the perfect platform to educate patients about nutrition
  2. Current peer-reviewed research that demonstrates the effects of nutrition on dental decay and periodontal disease in human studies
  3. My “In-Office Nutritional Counseling Program”
  4. Marketing tools to get the message out

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I deal in facts. Peer-reviewed medical evidence shows that nutrition is the way to regain dental health and maintain dental health. My personal results and my patients’ results are proof positive. My ongoing research continues to show this approach is remarkable.

x

In this program, I first discuss four basic facts supported by peer-reviewed research:

  1. Extremely high prevalence of gum disease and tooth decay today
  2. Why these diseases are out of control
  3. Unhealthy food choices
  4. Healthy food choices

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Then I go into details of my unique nutritional counseling program that can be instituted in the dental office or other healthcare facilities. This Dental Nutritional Counseling Program includes:

  1. Scheduling specific appointments for your patient
  2. Providing a 3-Day Food Journal for your patient to complete
  3. Understanding how to decipher the 3-Day Food Journal and identifying unhealthy food choices
  4. Offering healthier food substitutions for the patient’s current unhealthy food choices

x

Finally, I offer some suggestions for marketing your Dental Nutritional Counseling Program to patients, your community, and other referring doctors in your immediate area.

x

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My Thoughts

So, this is my unique way to help my patients get on the right track to own their personal health outcomes. Read through my Program and let me know what you think. Then, educate your staff about how to institute this Program. Finally, offer it to patients.

x

Your patients will begin to get a practical handle on their nutrition, dental health, and overall health. You will have provided a necessary and unique aspect of health that is sorely needed in our modern world of eating habits. Patient by patient, you will make a tremendous difference, which will go much further than you might imagine.

 x

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My Mortality

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist
September 17, 2018

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My Mortality

 

Recently, I was introduced to my mortality. Welcome to my world.

 

As you know, I have been spouting off about all kinds of healthy facts and anecdotal comments to make the quality of your life as best as it can be. For the last few years, you have read my thoughts – maybe ad nauseam. I have talked about the amazing interactions between the gut, the mouth, and the rest of the body. Our nutrition, our lifestyle, and how we deal with our environment all play critical roles in our journey for well-being.

 

 

My Story

Most of you have heard my story. I came back from a stroke at the age of 59, but I didn’t learn about ancestral nutrition and lifestyle until I was 66. Starting at the age of 66, I personally incorporated this healthy way of living 100%. Now, I am 71 years old.

 

Until two weeks ago, I exclaimed to anyone who would listen that I was feeling the healthiest I have ever felt – plenty of energy, curiosity, and creativity. My blood work, blood pressure, and weight were impressively improving from my age of 66 until a few weeks ago. However, a couple of weeks ago something appeared to change abruptly. My world was turned upside-down. A life can be altered in an instant.

 

 

My Mortality

Two weeks ago, I was diagnosed with a malignancy that brought me to the reality of my mortality.

 

Interestingly, my oncologist told me that I had been doing so well until now because my ancestral diet and lifestyle most likely created an ideal environment for a strong immune system. In fact, my current blood chemistries and other blood work still represented a relatively strong immune system. However, the once-hidden and previously-undiagnosed cancer within my bone marrow has started to manifest symptoms.

 

Moving forward, I will continue to pursue my healthy lifestyle to help heal my body. I will do everything I can to maintain my quality of life and dignity until the end, whenever that might be.

 

Mark Sisson is quoted as saying, “Live long; Drop dead!” I completely subscribe to Mark’s way of thinking. Quality of life is everything! I will continue to write, perform research, and be a spokesperson for the causes and cures of chronic diseases.

 

 

I Am Blessed

With all this unfolding, I believe I am truly blessed. Starting with my gut, my game plan is to continue to enhance my strong immune system.

 

However, knowing the reality of my mortality provides me time to set things straight. It allows me to say “goodbye” to people who have influenced my life. It gives me the opportunity to make amends. I can prepare my family for what will happen, and I can take care of the legal and material necessities that must be put in order. Too often a person dies with many loose ends and unexpressed emotional feelings. Not me! I will clear my plate and dive into my bucket list.

 

In November 2016, I wrote a blog titled, My Legacy. How prescient was that?

 

For all who are reading this, I want to thank you. I also want to tell you that I am honored that you find my writings worthy of your time. Keep reading my blogs; I will stay active. My promise is to make you proud.

 

 

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Crazy-Good Living