Alvin H. Danenberg, DDS • Nutritional Periodontist
December 19, 2016
Over the last four years, my emphasis has been, “Get your health on”. Since changing my diet and lifestyle to Primal, I have gotten my health on.
Doable New Year’s Promise
It seems like most people start making unrealistic promises to change their life in one way or another starting the first day of the New Year. Well, New Year’s is coming, and my suggestion for you is to make a doable promise you can achieve. My suggestion for you is to get your heath on.
My patients hear this all the time from me. When I get my patients excited about, and committed to, changing their diet to a nutrient-rich diet, their mouths become healthier and their bodies become healthier.
My extensive research using PubMed.gov has uncovered many peer-reviewed medical articles that have opened my eyes and reframed the way I think about food. What you will read at the end of this post is practical and doable. Of course, implementing my suggestions will require change and commitment. Don’t get discouraged. Make the commitment. Make the change. Move at your own pace. The benefits will be unbelievable.
Pearls From Research
The research that has made the most impact on me can be boiled down to four articles, which I have written about many times in the past. (1, 2, 3, 4) I am not going to describe these papers again, but I am going to list the specific pearls I have distilled from these researchers. Changing your diet to include what I explain below will improve your dental health and the health of your overall body. I am suggesting you eat real food, not man-made supplements stuffed into a capsule or tablet. Try to select organic food choices, which would be better than conventionally grown products:
- DECREASE free sugars and processed grains from your diet as much as possible.
Free sugars include all sugars added to foods in any way. These sugars include white, brown, and raw sugars. All manufactured sweeteners, corn syrup, and high fructose corn syrup are free sugars. Free sugars also include those naturally occurring sugars in syrups, fruit juices, and concentrates. In addition, all processed honey falls into this category.
Processed grains include breads, pasta, cereal grains, cookies, crackers, muffins, bagels, popcorn, pizza, pretzels, rice cakes, etc.
- INCREASE foods high in DHA and EPA. These are critical long-chain omega-3 fatty acids that are available in small, oily fish like salmon, sardines, and anchovies.
- INCREASE foods high in vitamin C. Examples are citrus, bell peppers, and broccoli.
- INCREASE foods high in vitamin D. Examples are cod liver oil, pastured eggs, and mushrooms.
- INCREASE foods high in antioxidants. Excellent examples are raw and unprocessed cacao and fresh berries of any type.
- INCREASE foods high in fiber. Most vegetables and whole fruits can provide all the fiber your body needs.
Healthier Food Reference Guide
I have prepared a Healthier Food Reference Guide that includes many foods that you may want to remove from your diet along with their healthier replacements. This guide may help you with your resolution for the New Year. Keep your commitment. The benefits will be immense.
