A Little Sugar

During a recent conversation, I was made aware of our lack of understanding about sugar that left my head spinning.  The person I was speaking to had dental decay and was concerned about the amount of money it was going to cost for all the repairs.  I asked him if he knew what was causing his problem?  After a short pause, he came up with not coming to the dentist for a while, then added probably that he drinks coffee.  Hmmm…

Why do you think coffee is causing your problem? I probed.  He explained that all he put in his coffee was “a little” sugar.  That was the only thing he could think of that had sugar in it. I asked how much was “a little.”  “Only a packet and a half in a medium sized cup,” he explained. He followed up with the fact he only had about two of those a day. Interesting, I thought.  Wow, that’s a lot of cavities for only “a little” sugar. 

A bit later, he told me his girlfriend has started drinking green tea, and he had been doing the same. Apparently, it helps him to replace the Coke he usually drinks while he’s a work.  WHAT??  Oh, you drink Coke?  “Oh, yes. It’s by go to drink.”  Okay, clearly there is a missing informational gap here.  It’s not a diet Coke he’s drinking either.  Full fledged sugar!  I asked him if he knew how much sugar was in those Cokes? He had no idea.  Then he followed up with the question: “Does Gatorade and Powerade have sugar too, because I drink those too?”

There is so much to learn from conversations with the ability to just stop talking and listen.  Over the course of this conversation, this person was able to better understand the cause of his problem without my having to go into a long triad of science and disease.  I simply asked questions, paused, and inquired a bit more.  Too often, we think of sugar as something WE’VE added, not what food manufactures have already put into their products.  The accumulation of sugar in our system causes disease.  Research after research has confirmed this to be the case.  One study in particular, was completed in 2009 (11 years ago) that demonstrates the role of sugar on the oral cavity even in the absence of daily oral hygiene.  This study showed that what we eat directly effects our dental health, and we know our mouth is not a separate entity from our body.  Reading this study gave me an even better understanding of how the role of sugar plays in our overall health.  By changing the foods we eat, our body will adapt to either health or disease. We get to choose.

 If we were given a jar of the amount of sugar we consume on a given day, we would look at it and say, “No way do I eat that much sugar.”  But when it’s added to other ingredients, it’s easy to lose track.  Sugar is addicting and what’s worse, is the powers in charge continue to minimize the destructive effects it has on our body.  Most people can identify diabetes as a disease affected by sugar consumption, but so is cancer, autoimmune disorders, IBS, eczema, heart disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, and the list goes on.  While it’s true that people are living longer due to prescription medications, that quality of life is questionable.  

Today, why not challenge yourself to avoid eating sugar?  I suggest first, you document the amount of sugar you consume in a week.  Document what is happening during that moment when you reach for sugar.  What emotion or feeling do you have?  The next week, try to avoid added sugars all together.  It will be necessary to prepare your kitchen with fresh vegetables, proteins and healthy fat to help with the cravings.  It takes a mindset to do something so profound, however, I promise it will be worth it. I will warn you though that the withdrawal effects are not easy, but by day five, you will feel so much better. You will have more energy and a clearer mind. Sleeping improves along with mood. Let me know if you are up for the challenge.

Health Bite: Take a sugar detox to live better, longer.

Why Xylitol For Tooth Decay?

Oh no, not another artificial sweetener!  Don't we have enough already?  Sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, what's next?

While most other artificial sweeteners have zero calories, xylitol has 2.4 calories per gram.  That's 40% less calories than other carbohydrates.  Discovered in 1891, the benefits of xylitol remained quiet for decades.  In 1960, it was approved for use with diabetics, and in 1970 for cavity prevention.

This isn't like all the other sugar substitutes. Xylitol is found in tree bark, plants, fruits and vegetables.  Our own body makes 5-10 grams of xylitol every day.  Today, manufacturers produce xylitol from corn cobs and corn stalks (the products themselves don't contain corn). The down side of ingesting too much at once, is gastric upset.  Since it is digested as a fiber, it pulls water from the tissues and can cause diarrhea.  But, if ingested over a period of time, xylitol will not cause this side effect.

With a glycemic level of 7, xylitol does not raise insulin levels, making it safe for diabetics. So how does this sugar work?  Well its a 5-carbon sugar instead of a 6 (like sorbitol, mannitol, and maltitol.)  Because it's a 5-carbon sugar, it passes through the bacterial membrane and can not be metabolized.  While the bacteria uses up its energy trying to pump out the molecule, it uses up all its energy. The bacteria is unable to stick to one another, because it's used up the acid and is unable to make more. The bacterial communication becomes disrupted and the biofilm structure breaks apart.  The bacteria then slide down the digestive and nasal tracks and exits the body!  Cool, right?

The reason I'm so excited about xylitol is the effects with the teeth. It actually helps to fight tooth decay.  A 1989 study by the University of Michigan took 1,277 students and divided them into four groups.  Over a 40-month period, students were given 100% xylitol gum several times a day.  Over the period of 40 months, students were monitored for tooth decay.  The study revealed a dramatic decrease in decay.  Five years later, a follow-up study by the University of Washington showed a 70% reduction in tooth decay, even though the students were no longer using the xylitol. Thus, the conclusion is xylitol changes the oral micro-flora.

For those who do not  have a problem with tooth decay, the oral micro-flora is healthy. But, for those who have the bacteria that is causing cavities, xylitol may be able to eliminate those bad guys! Because bacteria works hard to grow every minute of the day, frequency is the key. Using gum and/or mints, getting five exposures throughout the day works best.  While good is three exposures a day, it's  best to strive for five. The gum is not a recreation gum, meaning, chewing only for five minutes will give the exposure needed. Once the flavor is gone, all the xylitol has been released.

So to break it down:

• after breakfast--chew gum or mint
• mid-morning--have a mint or gum
• after lunch--chew gum or mint
• mid-afternoon--have a mint or gum
• after supper--have a mint or gum

Some gum manufacturers market gum as having xylitol, but it's so far down on the list of ingredients, it has little benefit.  Look for gum or mints that contain 100% xylitol.  I find mine at our local health food store. Spry is the leading manufacturer of xylitol.  I have included the link to their website.  European countries have been recommending xylitol for years to prevent tooth decay, but we are still recommending fluoride.  Fluoride is found in water, toothpastes, and mouth rinses, yet I continue to see tooth decay.  Isn't it time to try something new? It reminds me of what I heard about the definition of insanity: "Doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different outcome."

health-bite:  xylitol for tooth decay