#but i also have very bad acid reflux which is a risk factor too

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My country has the highest rates of cancer deaths in europe 😊

I accidently triggered my ocd earlier today so i'm terrified of getting cancer again and dead sure that i'm going to get it because of radiation like cts and xrays and that time i was in a waiting room and they told me go sit somewhere else because there was radiation in the hallway and i think i sat back later like an idiot. Please make up your fucking mind girl are you suicidal or scared of death

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Ten Signs You Do You Need Sex Makeover

Over the years I have experienced many products come and go. Never before have I seen such results as I have while doing the Sytropin HGH feedbacks. The amount of feedback from users is staggering and eating habits study are just amazing. You can also get their hands on the product for costless. The company is giving out free trials so that people can experience the results themselves. Chance to find the getting this risk demo version so one can find if it will now work personal body.

It is unfortunate that stories roughly a crazy libido have become fasionable and this is a problem. In case the libido just isn't as active as normal, worried will have a propensity to believe that something is wrong. There's really no truth to the of this, and people shouldn't even pay any attention Libido tips to the. Instead, it would be a lot conducive to find out the source of the underactive female libido and treat the. Low fat diets actually cause testosterone to plunge. Our body needs fat and demands a lot laptop or computer from food item. Saturated fat, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated fat, we need them! Trans fat will be the only fat we should avoid. Overlook the importance need cholesterol too since that can be a steroid hormone in the and our body, regardless of whether it produces 70% of that daily requirement still needs it from foods. Fat is what helps cell membranes function, helps hormones get regulated and just what keeps us alive. Stressor #1: Prescription Medication - Many prescription drugs have one side effect of decreasing one's sex drive,especially the commonly prescribed anti-depressant medication Prozac. Other classifications of drugs that have loss of libido as a side-effect include: chemotherapy, antihistamines, blood pressure medication (Lipitor) some oral contraceptives and ant-HIV prescriptions. Obesity yet another cause for decreased libido in males. If one is overweight, unfit and unhealthy then the body does not function to its optimum. It's very obvious to your house . is unfit and unenergetic then its quiet natural that his eagerness to have sex won't work. His energy levels and wish to have sex tend to be low. In order to rectify situation one should exercise regularly at least for 60 minutes. Some times it isn't feasible for all to go with gym. But rather than that newsletter can simply walk briskly, make use of the stairs instead of using the elevator. Person suffering from decreased libido should also maintain a normal diet and should try acquire some well balanced meals as almost as much ast possible and must avoid processed food. Are you stressed available? Women are more frustrated now than they've most people have struggled. We are not just responsible to have care with the house, kids, plants, dogs, and bills, now we now to check out pilates, get Botox, and manage a high-power career where have got more than likely using idiotic nincompoops that need to be micromanaged. Feeling sexy when you obtain home? Didn't think therefore ,. There have a of for holistic yeast infection symptoms. In ladies, these symptoms are simply recognizable. In men, however tough available. Regardless of that, in suggestions we're in order to be try spend all within the types of symptoms which usually are faced by both women and men. Digestive disorders are if you have got a Candida infection. Consists of how much abdominal gas, constipation and acid reflux. Then you might have a Men Libido and so it might pain during making love. There might also be other symptoms as migraines, headaches and OTT weakness. This fatigue occurs because the yeast eats away the and you're left simply no energy to function. Consequent to this you're afflicted by a bad state of mind. The DX Male Enhancement Pills sex drive is very, very simple. In contrast, the female sexual interest is completely complex. Hopes lot that goes into it, while the female sex drive is dependent upon both emotional and physical factors as a way to function. Ladies must eat well physically and DX Male Enhancement Pills Male Enhancement Reviews emotionally before her libido is going to function properly. However, all a man needs is for you to become physically functioning and his sex drive will maintain full cause. Stress control end up being another priority since stress can raise cortisol levels and in turn reduce androgenic hormone or testosterone. Take time to relax for yourself every big day. Go train, meditate, stretch or just sit down and to be able to your favourite music. Minimally 10 minutes a day does wonders for emotional tension! The best advice I can give deal with worry and stress can be a quote from Jack Lalanne (a man who was active physically and sexually well into his 90s). Remember this quote from him, and forgive me since it may not be the exact words: "If you can something on there then do something positive about it, if you can't do anything about after that it it's done, don't cherish it".

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Key Pieces of Coffee

If you attempt to skimp on the coffee portion merely to make your supply last a couple weeks, you will wind up with a weak batch at the end.  For you to be able to relish your teas k-cup, all you need to do is to punch holes on both the bottom and top faces of the cup.  As stated previously can do a couple of things to keep more water in your entire body, but drinking the ideal amount constantly is the ideal solution.

Ideas, Formulas and Shortcuts for Coffee

As people become health conscious, knowing the excellent side of a specific product is insufficient.  Having said, the significance of having the ideal machine may not be overstated.  There are a couple distinct paths out there for OCS.

What About Coffee? Dehydration, however is the principal problem because a body that is not correctly hydrated cannot detoxify itself. GCB Extract has no caffeine. You probably know the repercussions of caffeine on the body. Acid reflux may get very serious if it isn't appropriately treated and can even result in severe complications. Caffeine dependence can be difficult to break, but it isn't not possible. Caffeine is additionally a thermogenic. Getting the Best Coffee By bringing more complexity in the coffee monoculture, there's a chance to improve farmers' livelihood and reduce the pressure on the surroundings. XOWii Energy is a all-natural energy drink that is far healthier than energy drinks on the marketplace. Naturally, the shelf life is shorter if it isn't stored properly. What the In-Crowd Won't Tell You About Coffee Ultimately, it's almost always a wonderful idea to establish a coffee vending machine in hospitals. 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The wellness benefits of drinking pu-erh have been researched and evidence suggests it is particularly helpful in the decrease in cholesterol. Why Almost Everything You've Learned About Coffee Is Wrong Citrus fruits aren't advisable. There are various brands and a wide array of flavored coffees too. A lot of people think Chai tea comes from China like the majority of other forms of tea. Coffee - Is it a Scam? Adjust just one variable at one time so you may see a crystal clear cause and effect. Too little sleep or a succession of nights with short or impaired sleep, for instance, can result in a decrease in adipocyte (fat cell) insulin sensitivity. Thus, the tip is straightforward. What to Expect From Coffee? As it is not about the coffee. If that's the case, then you had coffee that didn't have the suitable proportion of coffee to water. How long you decide to utilize your coffee after the best by date really depends upon how particular you are about the flavor of your coffee. Honey processed coffees generally have fuller bodies than washed coffees and not as much ferment than naturals. Sumatra is most likely the best known of the Indonesian coffees. GeshaOriginal assortment of Arabica. The Downside Risk of Coffee Blending tea with rose has been in existence for many decades, but few businesses have created this blend successfully. Try out a thermos instead to be sure it stays warm and much better tasting for a couple of hours. Go brag that you're on month seven of no sugar. What to Expect From Coffee? Before that, it's a look at a couple coming together who aren't really in love together, but just delight in the thrill of it. The smell of it draws tons of attention and a lot of folks find it enables them to relax. A whole lot of individuals are so much very protective of their coffee and won't probably need to hear all the essential things they ought to understand on the health problems associated with that. Ok, I Think I Understand Coffee, Now Tell Me About Coffee! The original coffee flavour wheel was made by the Specialty Coffee Association of America in poster form. however, it appears in numerous places on the net. Selecting the very best coffee beans requires attention to detail and a superb understanding of the sort of coffee you need and it'll make buying easier. Creating an amazing espresso is genuinely an art along with a science. The Fight Against Coffee If you would like to reverse diabetes naturally, as well as avoiding sugary drinks and drinking lots of water, coffee could be the next best drink for you. Studious and quiet ambiance, even if it's crowded. Roses impart a great bouquet to tea, but in addition give it an extremely subtle and sophisticated floral taste that's wonderful alone or with various types of food. Who Else Wants to Learn About Coffee? There isn't a great deal of information out there about Spanish Latte so that it's really tricky to pinpoint where it first started. Variety Stunning debut Sends audiences from the theater thinking in a completely new way. After the item is a novelty on the industry and there's still a lot of unknown about its performance, brand videos are the obvious alternative. The 5-Minute Rule for Coffee Conventional teas come from the exact same plant. If you would rather visit a shop to buy your K cups, you can see them in many unique stores. Coffee contains a small quantity of naturally occurring sugars, along with an even smaller volume of oils. Coffee at a Glance Coffee aficionados around the world are aware that a shot of excellent espresso is essential to making an excellent cup of coffee. Sometimes home espresso brewing equipment can appear overwhelming and be hard to operate. If you've ever had espresso, then odds are that you understand how costly the beverage can be. So basically, cappuccino involves a significant part of foam and thus it's lighter in addition to less filling than other kinds of coffees. Same quantity of espresso but less milk, which permits the features of the coffee to carry through the milk simpler. Froth Your Milk There are lots of distinct procedures to frothing milk for the best latte. The Nuiances of Coffee Therefore, you may want to think about making it your favourite drink. Actually, in many areas of earth tea, not coffee is used as the wake-me-up at the beginning of the day. Whether there are 3 or 4 smaller shops close together then I'll think about the probability of being in a position to receive a seat in a minumum of one of them. It's not unusual to find lines out the door. All you would like to do is to snuggle in your bed, not get up until you really feel like it. If you're just seeking something which can help wake you up in the morning or concentrate on the job during the day, moka pot coffee will probably be the better choice. The Coffee Cover Up The great thing is the fact that it focuses on a nutritious fruit called banana for weight reduction. The place has quite effortless atmosphere, decent service and superior desserts. Who knows, maybe weed coffee is going to be the upcoming major thing! Coffee at a Glance Additionally, there are mentions about coffees with the exact recipe but distinct names like Havana Latte, Cuban Latte, you are likely to find a pattern here. Espresso and espresso ristretto are definitely the most well-known drinks. It is perhaps one of the most popular coffee variations worldwide. You don't need to be a coffee connoisseur to give it a go. Any bean can be employed to create decent espresso. It can be difficult to ascertain what kind of beans are in some well-known coffees. Who Else Wants to Learn About Coffee? Therefore, you may want to think about making it your favourite drink. One of the greatest regions to devote a coffee vending machine is in the workplace. If you're going to open a coffee shop this is a good way to promote grand opening specials. It's not unusual to find lines out the door. All you would like to do is to snuggle in your bed, not get up until you really feel like it. If you're just seeking something which can help wake you up in the morning or concentrate on the job during the day, moka pot coffee will probably be the better choice. Life, Death and Coffee That means you can start to comprehend why so many folks are keen to begin taking green tea tablets as a piece of their day-to-day wellness regime. So it's not surprising that we are interested in the wellness impacts of coffee. To the man or woman who only met him, they might not observe the subtle changes within him. All About Coffee With the expanding popularity, the range of cream charger brands is increasing in the marketplace. Also, with there being several varieties of machines, it's also critical for the self-respecting maker to understand the differences among different machines. It's really important to maintain a high degree of efficiency here. The Downside Risk of Coffee As people become health conscious, knowing the excellent side of a specific product is insufficient. So, actually it was not productive whatsoever. There are a couple distinct paths out there for OCS. Coffee Secrets In addition, it appears extremely stylish! Roasted beans cannot be stored for extended periods like when they are green except if they're frozen. Coffee contains a small quantity of naturally occurring sugars, along with an even smaller volume of oils. What Is So Fascinating About Coffee? If you attempt to skimp on the coffee portion merely to make your supply last a couple weeks, you will wind up with a weak batch at the end. Presently, only 2% of the additional price of every coffee grinders at Helix Coffee winds up in the pockets of coffee producers. As stated previously can do a couple of things to keep more water in your entire body, but drinking the ideal amount constantly is the ideal solution. What to Expect From Coffee? If you would like a sweeter espresso, halt the flow at about 17 seconds. A machine is quite important when you need to have some authentic classy cappuccino because it's not necessarily the best ingredients, it's also the machine that produces a cappuccino a `cappuccino'. You ought to have the ideal coffee machine as a way to earn a wonderful cup. So basically, cappuccino involves a significant part of foam and thus it's lighter in addition to less filling than other kinds of coffees. Same quantity of espresso but less milk, which permits the features of the coffee to carry through the milk simpler. The milk needs to be added to the black tea while it's still boiling. The Ultimate Coffee Trick Quality is everything in regards to making flavored teas. Coffee is grown in many regions of earth. Purchase only the sum you can use in a specific time. What You Need to Do About Coffee Beginning in the Next 6 Minutes Cheyenne Coffee Company has rounded up some of the greatest Arabica beans out there. It is very useful for a whole host of different things that you just would not think about. It is something that is meant to be shared and bonded over. The Tried and True Method for Coffee in Step by Step Detail Some of prefer a more powerful taste even though others want something a bit lighter. Regarding taste things did start to become repetitive after a while but when you find the results happening it's a bit much easier to get over. You won't save a great deal of money, but you are going to help save the earth. Who Else Wants to Learn About Coffee? The coffee membership is a flexible option which allows you to set your own shipping schedule. You may see a change in a week or two while others take a couple of months or more. For the press to do its job, you've got to have the ideal sort of bean. Type of Coffee Dehydration, however is the principal problem because a body that is not correctly hydrated cannot detoxify itself. A number of the indications of overuse of caffeine and PMS symptoms are extremely similar. It's impossible to get rid of caffeine from the body more quickly than normal. Aqua Ban, for instance, contains 200mg of caffeine in a typical dose. The chlorogenic acid is the actual compound compound that assists you to slim down. It is the main component of coffee. Ok, I Think I Understand Coffee, Now Tell Me About Coffee! Caffeine does not allow you to sleep, it keeps you awake for a lengthy time period, because of which it is suggested that you should not have it at least 3 hours before you wish to sleep. When you are finished with your coffee, you can get a trip wherever you desire. The days start early and frequently don't end until the little hours of the subsequent day. Getting the Best Coffee You ought to be creative, insightful, creating your own map and creating art. You need to take care of a whole lot of small specifics. You may even notice the number of coffee to select from is more of a mind baffeling 20 page booklet than a genuine menu! { The Key to Successful Coffee Aside from a falling metabolic pace, controlling hunger is a second hugely important component in long-term weight reduction success. The most important idea is to make it even more difficult for the fungus to completely break the tree's resistance. Thus, the tip is straightforward. Getting the Best Coffee Coffee drinking has since become a normal ritual among a lot of people and its popularity appears to grow larger and bigger everyday. Farmers should learn different functions of plants to understand which to intercrop with coffee. You still have to make wise food choices. The 5-Minute Rule for Coffee Conventional teas come from the exact same plant. Quality trail mix supplies a good mix of fiber, protein, and fats, all which will offer you lasting energy. The best Naturals can be unbelievably tasty. The Appeal of Coffee Some individuals also experience a headache whenever they don't get their regular dose. It's extremely hard to estimate the utmost sum of caffeine that someone may safely consume per day, due to differences in weight and sensitivity and the time that it requires for the caffeine to be excreted from the body. As soon as you've achieved that, you wish to prevent its recurrence, which is an excellent idea. Ideas, Formulas and Shortcuts for Coffee The end result is that not one of your contents are going to appear in search. So, actually it was not productive whatsoever. Previously, some people used coffee for a status symbol. The Coffee Cover Up With the expanding popularity, the range of cream charger brands is increasing in the marketplace. Also, with there being several varieties of machines, it's also critical for the self-respecting maker to understand the differences among different machines. It's really important to maintain a high degree of efficiency here. Key Pieces of Coffee There isn't a great deal of information out there about Spanish Latte so that it's really tricky to pinpoint where it first started. You need to take care of a whole lot of small specifics. A great deal of the merchandise are affordable, and the techniques are rather easy. A Secret Weapon for Coffee Gather the ideal Equipment To earn a professional-tasting latte, you require professional-grade coffee equipment. It can be served as it comes out of the espresso machine or it can be served in a variety of ways. So if you're searching for the very best coffee maker and wish to make that ideal cup. So basically, cappuccino involves a significant part of foam and thus it's lighter in addition to less filling than other kinds of coffees. It's undoubtedly a very special iced latte. You also need to mix the milk with the espresso also. The Pain of Coffee Cheyenne Coffee Company has rounded up some of the greatest Arabica beans out there. It is very useful for a whole host of different things that you just would not think about. It is one of the most popular caffeinated beverages. Top Choices of Coffee Or pretend for an instant your guests are in awe over the centerpiece which you've artfully created. Pronounced sweetness is not uncommon. Roses impart a great bouquet to tea, but in addition give it an extremely subtle and sophisticated floral taste that's wonderful alone or with various types of food. The Downside Risk of Coffee As an example, water is critical for life and most of us drink about 12 litres each day. When you are finished with your coffee, you can get a trip wherever you desire. The fantastic news about eggs is you can make them with the evening before and enjoy them just as much the following day. Why Almost Everything You've Learned About Coffee Is Wrong If you would like to drop some weight fast for the very best friend's wedding in regards to the next week and don't have enough time to prepare all the complicated diet meals or exercises, undoubtedly you're likely to say Yes! Farmers should learn different functions of plants to understand which to intercrop with coffee. Based on the kind of coffee you drink, you might be consuming a whole lot more than you think at the same time. Definitions of Coffee The point is it lets the person know that they're in your thoughts. If you'd prefer something simpler and simpler to look after, then a moka pot is an excellent choice. Fresh starts are a very good chance to nudge your users in a direction that's beneficial for them in addition to youyou can aim for a great win-win. Type of Coffee What you might not be alert to is potential difficulties with consuming an excessive amount of caffeine. Some people are extremely sensitive to caffeine. The second issue is alcohol. Acid reflux may get very serious if it isn't appropriately treated and can even result in severe complications. You complete the cigarette. Caffeine is additionally a thermogenic. Top Coffee Choices Traditionally, Pu-erh tea is compressed into various blocks for effortless storage. Individuals would just boil water, set the coffee into it, then await the coffee sink to the base of the pot. Water makes contact with the coffee grounds differently based on the brew kind and the products. Coffee - Is it a Scam? You have to start back at the start. Since that time, the country has accelerated its efforts to produce farmers grow Castillo. Therefore, though a compulsory coffee at each level would help save a great deal of money and level the playing field, a compulsory pre-qualifier coffee doesn't serve that purpose. The 30-Second Trick for Coffee A superb approach to make it less confusing is to understand what the fundamentals of coffee are. If you're one of those individuals who wants a cup of coffee to get going in the early hours, your world might be changing. So the proper coffee machine for your office will depend on the number of individuals are in the office and what number of cups each person drinks. It's not unusual to find lines out the door. There are 3 unique types of coffee trees within this lotfrom three distinct places. If you're just seeking something which can help wake you up in the morning or concentrate on the job during the day, moka pot coffee will probably be the better choice. The Coffee Stories The infusion does have a high degree of favorable agents and features a good deal of prospective health advantages. however, it should probably be enjoyed as a much healthier alternative to ordinary coffee and also an excellent supply of anti-oxidants such as green tea, much less a musthave dietary nutritional supplement destined to shed additional weight reduction. In the event the media stories must be believed, drinking coffee doubles the possibility of survival for folks who have HIV. Coffee interferes with your normal weight reduction program. Ideas, Formulas and Shortcuts for Coffee Quality is everything in regards to making flavored teas. Coffee is grown in many regions of earth. Purchase only the sum you can use in a specific time.

The Key to Successful Coffee

Greenwell Farms can supply you with premium excellent coffee beans, which will provide you with a good cup of coffee in every brew and at a fantastic price.  Coffee beans will probably contain abundant quantities of three big polysaccharides.  It is perhaps one of the most popular coffee variations worldwide.

You don't need to be a coffee connoisseur to give it a go.  Any bean can be employed to create decent espresso.  Obviously, it's due to best grown coffee beans that you purchase from outside.

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Oral Health & HygieneJul 6, 2011 More Likely to Get Cavities ©Vitstudio/Shutterstock.com Many people come into the dental school and tell us things like, “I just have bad teeth” and “My parents and grandparents all had soft teeth – and my teeth are soft too, so I get lots of cavities.” Cavity In a ToothWhile it may be true that some people do have teeth that are more susceptible to cavities, there is usually another reason that these people have cavities. As dentists, we can remove the tooth decay and make your tooth look shiny and new again, but we can’t prevent you from getting cavities in the future – that’s up to you. The tooth pictured probably doesn’t look too glamorous. Since most people don’t see what their dentist sees, I thought I’d put this picture up so you can see what an extensive cavity looks like. If you’ve had a lot of cavities and want to know why, the following list just might give you some answers! 25 Risk Factors for Getting Cavities 1 – Cavities I listed cavities first because if you’ve had cavities in the past, that’s usually one of the best predictors of whether or not you’ll get cavities in the future. It makes sense that if you already have lots of cavities, that you’re more likely to keep getting cavities until you make some changes. Also, if you have white spots on some of your teeth that have recently appeared, that could be the sign of a beginning cavity, which also puts you at risk for getting a cavity. 2 – Having Lots of Cavity-Causing Bacteria There are millions of little bacteria in your mouth that eat your food every time you eat. They make acid and smear it on your teeth. The acid eats away at your tooth until a cavity develops. Needless to say, if you have an abundant amount of cavity-causing bacteria in your mouth, you’re at a high risk for getting a cavity. 3 – Eating Sugar Frequently If you eat sugar a lot, you give the bacteria exactly what it wants to eat: fermentable carbohydrates. The more often you feed them, the more cavity-causing acid that they will produce. Learn more about What Happens In Your Mouth Every Time You Eat or Drink. 4 – Bad Crowns and/or Fillings If you have a poor quality filling or crown in your mouth, it may actually cause you to get a cavity by allowing plaque to hang out where you can’t reach it with routine brushing and flossing. 5 – Bad Oral Hygiene If you don’t brush away the bacteria often, you will allow them to grow and destroy your teeth. 6 – High Acidic Foods Intake Eating or drinking acidic foods can eat away at the hard, outer layer of your teeth known as the enamel. Since the enamel is the layer of your teeth that is most resistant to cavities, if you wear it down, you will be putting yourself at risk for cavities. Learn more about acidic drinks in the article, Nine Drinks that Can Dissolve Your Teeth. Another source of acid in your mouth is gastric reflux or even vomiting intentionally, which occurs in those with bulimia. 7 – Not Getting Enough Fluoride Fluoride makes the enamel of your teeth stronger. You can get it by brushing your teeth longer or using a fluoride mouthwash. Curious about how fluoride works? Learn about the three ways fluoride protects your teeth. 8 – Nursing Too Long (Bottle and Breast) If you weren’t weaned from the breast or bottle until you were a toddler, this could have put you at a higher risk for getting cavities. Most research points to the bottle, but I have heard conflicting reports regarding prolonged breastfeeding. 9 – Cavities Under Fillings Getting a cavity under a filling means that there was a problem with the filling (age, done incorrectly, fractured, etc.) or that you weren’t taking very good care of the filling. Either way, if you get a cavity under a filling, it puts you at high risk for getting cavities in other teeth. 10 – Bad Family Dental Health If your family has bad dental health, chances are that you will as well. This could be related to lack of oral hygiene being taught in the home, genetic abnormalities in the teeth, or high numbers of the bad bacteria in your mouth. 11 – Exposed Root Surfaces Receding gums will expose the root of the tooth, which does not have a protective enamel covering. Consequently, the dentin that makes up the roots of your teeth dissolves at a higher pH than the enamel. That means that weak acids that wouldn’t affect your enamel can eat away at the roots of your teeth and cause a cavity. 12 – Defect In Your Enamel If you have a defect in your enamel, it could make you more susceptible to cavities. Some examples might be enamel that didn���t form correctly, congenital defects like amelogenesis imperfecta, or a defect in enamel formation that can happen to a permanent tooth when its corresponding baby tooth gets knocked out. 13 – Having a Disability If you have a disability, it can be more difficult for you to take care of your teeth. Also, many caregivers may not pay very much attention to the oral hygiene of those under their care. 14 – Dry Mouth When you don’t have enough saliva in your mouth, it is known as dry mouth or xerostomia. Saliva helps your teeth in several ways. If you suffer from dry mouth, your dentist may be able to help by prescribing you medication to help increase your salivary flow. Are you taking one of these 348 medications that cause dry mouth? 15 – Genetic Abnormality of Your Teeth The anatomy of a tooth can vary greatly. Some people have deeper grooves in their biting surface that are hard to clean. Some people’s enamel may not completely cover the whole tooth. This can create pockets where bacteria can hide out and cause cavities. There are many other genetic abnormalities that can affect the teeth, such as localized microdontia, which can make some teeth smaller than others and possibly make them harder to clean. 16 – Having Lots of Large Fillings Many large fillings can put you at risk for developing cavities. Having lots of large fillings increases the amount of tooth:filling interfaces that are present in your mouth. If bacteria get in between the filling and the tooth, they can be nearly impossible to clean out and can cause cavities. 17 – Chemotherapy and Radiation Treatment Having chemotherapy or radiation treatment in the head and neck area can reduce salivary flow and cause other oral problems which increase the risk of getting a cavity. 18 – Eating Disorders Eating disorders can increase the risk of a cavity in a couple of ways. Those with eating disorders tend to not have a very balanced diet, which may contribute to cavities. Also, bulimics bathe their teeth in acid each time they purge. This wears away the tough enamel surface of the tooth which makes the tooth mores susceptible to cavities. 19 – Drug and/or Alcohol Abuse Those that abuse drugs and/or alcohol put themselves at a greater risk for developing cavities. Take a look at what drug abuse can do to your teeth. 20 – Irregular Dental Care By not going to the dentist regularly, you avoid learning about the condition of your mouth. The dentist can point out small problems before they turn into cavities. By avoiding your checkups, you lose out on the opportunity to take care of small problems before they become big. 21 – Not Knowing What Plaque Is Many people don’t know what plaque is. If you don’t know what’s happening inside of your mouth, you probably won’t do anything about it. Avoid this risk factor by reading: What Every Human Needs to Know About Plaque and How Plaque Disclosing Tablets Can Help You Brush Better. 22 – Not Knowing How to Remove Plaque Even if you know what plaque is, if you’re not removing it then you will probably end up getting some cavities. Learn about these 12 Weapons of Plaque Destruction. 23 – Being Poor People with a lower socioeconomic status tend to get more tooth decay. There are exceptions to this rule, but this is one of the main reasons that so many states provide free dental care to low-income children. Unfortunately, these programs haven’t eliminated the gap in dental health between the rich and the poor, and many poor parents simply don’t find the time to take their kids to the dentist. Interestingly, our computer software at my dental school tells us to ask each patient if they have a “low socioeconomic status.” It can be an awkward question, and almost everyone skips over it. 24 – Dental Anxiety If you have a dental phobia, chances are that you will neglect getting dental work done. If you want to try to understand your dental phobia, take a look at these 15 common reasons people are scared of the dentist. 25 – Braces Although braces can straighten your teeth and make them look great, they do increase the risk of getting cavities. Braces make it harder to brush your teeth and make it nearly impossible to floss. In order to floss with braces, you have to use a floss threader to get under the wire – I know I didn’t do that when I was a teenager! I hope you enjoyed the list and it helped you pinpoint the cause(s) of your cavities. I compiled the above list from my own experience as well as information from the following textbooks: Treatment Planning in Dentistryby Stefanac Dental Caries: The Disease and Its Clinical Managementby Fejerskov Sturdevant’s Art and Science of Operative Dentistry by Roberson Do You Have a Lot of Cavities? Did anything on this list ring a bell for you? Although I tried to include everything I could think of that would cause cavities, I may have missed something. I’d love to hear about what you think is causing your cavities whether it’s on the list or not. Feel free to leave a comment in the comments section below. Thanks for reading! TAGSBABY BOTTLE DECAYBRUSHINGCAVITIESFLOSSINGPEDIATRIC DENTISTRY SIMILAR ARTICLES What Happens to Extracted Teeth? What Happens to Your Tooth After It’s Extracted Jan 2, 2015 36 Keeping Extracted Teeth at the Dentist Can You Keep Your Extracted Teeth? Dec 30, 2014 58 17 COMMENTS gn Dec 4, 2011 at 2:47 PM Can kissing someone (etc) with rotted teeth increase the possibility of oral problems? Reply Jessica Aug 31, 2012 at 10:04 PM I’ve heard that if you were younger and ran a lot of high fevers that it could make you more prone to having tooth decay. Is this true? Reply Einstein Sep 8, 2012 at 8:15 AM Great post.. Thank you for the information you provided. Reply CandyM Jul 29, 2014 at 2:21 PM The dentist says I have a cavity in my filling, not between the filling and the tooth; on top of my filling. Is that possible??? I have white fillings not the old silver ones. Reply Stephie Smith Oct 14, 2015 at 9:27 AM I didn’t know that saliva helped your teeth. I knew that people needed to soak their dentures in a solution, but not that teeth needed to stay moist as well. It makes sense now that I think of it. I’ve also heard that a diet high in unrefined grains like white bread put you at a higher risk for cavities, but I’ll have to clarify with my family dentist next time I’m in. Reply Eliza Cranston Oct 15, 2015 at 10:15 AM This is some great information on risk factors for cavities. I have never had a cavity and most people in my family haven’t either. However, my cousin who had never had a cavity before started dating a guy that had cavities and now she’s gotten her first one. She’s convinced that she “caught” cavities from him. Do you know if it’s possible to get cavities from kissing someone with cavities? Reply HMainhart Nov 12, 2015 at 11:40 PM If a teenager is already at the point of large fillings,multiple root canals and crowns, is there still hope? Reply Vicki Apr 2, 2016 at 11:42 PM I’m 13, but I received my first root canal on my front teeth when I was 9, and my second next to my front teeth when I was 11. I was recently told that if I got another cavity, I would lose my other front teeth to another root canal. I do not have crowns done yet, but I can say, I have EXTREMELY soft teeth. Whenever I eat, I need to rinse and do all this stuff. My teeth is already suffering from at least one filling on EVERY SINGLE TOOTH and my front teeth had been redone, had huge, fillings on it. The fillings are already to my roots so I would need to have it root canals. NEVER GIVE UP! HMainahart, you suffer the same problems as me. I have come to conclusions that my teeth will never be perfect, and that I will need a root canal on my front. The most I can do is prevent, or reduce my cavities. I’m only 13, lost hope, but hearing how many others suffer like me, I have faith that my new best friend is dental implants. If all else turns bad, you can always live off writing books. Keep in touch, my Instagram name is ” Kunvoi” and my KIK is Amaryllis_Amaur. You are not alone! Reply denti-illiterate Dec 4, 2015 at 1:07 AM I went to a dentist who said that I had to have fillings due to the abrasions I caused to my teeth, so I had to pay them for the filling out of my own pocket because of their diagnosis since they know that insurance will not cover it. I am looking more into it now, but I feel that insurance should be able to cover for my fillings. we’ll see. what is your input on this? Reply Vishakha Jan 27, 2016 at 7:42 PM I have lot of cavities and I drink coffee for 3-4 times a day so does it cause cavity. Reply Jeff Curtis Mar 23, 2016 at 12:17 PM Thanks for the helpful information on how people get cavities. Hopefully by knowing the bad things I can avoid them and not get any cavities. I didn’t know that high acidic foods would damage your teeth. I will have to be more careful! Reply Lillian Schaeffer Apr 12, 2016 at 7:23 PM This is some great information, and I appreciate your point that dry mouth can cause cavities. I’ve noticed recently that my mouth is dry a lot of the time, and I didn’t realize that this could actually lead to tooth decay! I’ll definitely look into visiting a dentist to see if I can get that taken care of. Thanks for the great post! Reply Rose May 6, 2016 at 6:02 PM I found this an odd article, because it started out with “we can’t prevent you from getting cavities in the future – that’s up to you.” and then at least 14 of the things on the list really aren’t up to you. I have no button I can press to stop being disabled, nor to not have dentinogenesis imperfecta, nor can I snap my fingers and decide I’d rather not be poor. Others seemed at first glance as if there were something in my control. I was curious about numbers 4 & 9 (somewhat similar, one the cause, the other the effect), and thought I’d look up what I could do so I don’t fall into “not taking very good care of the filling”. So I looked up “Taking care of a filling” and the top 25 answers (yours may vary by geography and other factors) and ALL 25 only covered the first few hours or days – letting it set, not chewing the anaesthetised part of the mouth, that kind of thing. So what directions might “taking good care of a filling” include? Similarly, I rely on my dentist to be the one who can tell if I have problems under a filling. I can’t see in there, I can’t feel anything in there until things have progressed. I don’t have a home x-ray kit…I don’t know how this is up to me. And since I arrived at this site because I had Googled how to tell if my fillings have problems (because the dentist didn’t notice the hole in the filling 2 weeks ago at my check up where I said I had sensitivity in the tooth), that’s pretty circular. So what is the patient part in this? How do you know if you have trouble brewing under or around a filling? Reply Flemming Sep 6, 2016 at 1:02 PM Interesting article – I learned why I have had many cavities. I grow up in a poor family (23) having irregular dental care (20) and low knowledge about plaque (21) and about removing plaque (22) combined with bad family dental health (10) – all things lead to lots of cavities (1). Same factors were later leading to cavities under my fillings (9) resulting in the lots of large fillings (16) I have today. And now I am caught in a circle getting new cavities from gaps between tooth and filling because of large amounts of tooth/filling interfaces – and the fillings are just getting larger and larger Reply Lucy Nov 3, 2016 at 7:40 PM I just went to the dentist and he states that I have four more cavites. I just had a few filled 6 months ago and here I go again. He said to start brushing with fluoride toothpaste which he gave me. I’m hesitant to use it due to data that I have read. I do brush very well so don’t understand all of these cavities that are occuring at each 6 month check up. I drink soda pop but no more then anyone else. So, I’m worried about the flouride toothpaste, cavities. Don’t want to lose any more teeth. Any ideas. Reply Kathy Vesey Nov 21, 2016 at 9:36 AM I am 78 had 5 teeth pulled in my life and 4 fillings . 1 root canal 2 crowns. That’s it. Visit dentist about every 3 years . Healthy. Now a month ago I chipped front tooth. Went in got it filled. They found 4 more small cavities in my 4 front teeth. They have been hurting for 9 days now. And after having a filling checked thursday, I have started that next day to have too much saliva. 3 days now and my front tooth hurts. I think my bite is off as he added too much fill to bottom corner of. Teeth. But what the heck I am almost drooling. Infection? Reply Melidsa Jan 19, 2017 at 12:10 PM My daughter is 16 and took her to her routine dental visit. Apparantly she has 18 cavities. I don’t understand how this could even happen. I have always has terrible teeth and nothing but issues. However I have never heard of someone having 18 cavities in their mouth.

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Secrets To HOW TO STOP MY LOUD SNORING?

How to stop my loud snoring?

Loud Snoring Cure: Simple and Painless

Loud snoring affects your health, your relationships, and your life. You don’t need to suffer from loud snoring. Sleep deprivation is more than annoying – it is bad for your health. Scientists have found that people who are chronically sleep-deprived are more likely to be in a fatal accident – and they are also more likely to suffer from diseases such as heart disease, stroke, or diabetes. Getting enough sleep is vital to your health and welfare. Effecting a cure for snoring is easier than you would believe – once you know the cause of snoring.

Snoring has one simple cause – even though the exact reason varies. There are many ways people claim to cure snoring. You have probably seen or tried them all: , nose stripes, sprays, dental devices, even surgery. The bottom line is, there is a simple way to cure snoring forever. Loud snoring is caused by a narrowing of the airways during sleep. Find a way to keep the airway open – find a cure for loud snoring. The question is, how can you cure snoring by opening those airways while you are sleeping? This easy exercise program tightens the muscles around the throat and airways while releasing tension – painlessly curing snoring. Click here to see more now.

It seems too good to be true – but exercises are just what singers, speech therapists and other professionals use to strengthen the muscles that control breath and speech. Exercising these muscles isn’t difficult – you don’t need to build them up – just tone them for a silent night.

With a few easy exercises you can open your entire breathing passage, from your throat up to the nasal opening. By toning the airway, you can eliminate snoring. This is very fragile area so the exercises are fine tuned and do not demand much effort, only commitment for a short time. You’ll see, these exercises are so easy, you might believe they are impossibly simple. You’ll be shocked when you see how your

Releasing tension in your jaw will have you breathing easier almost immediately. The next step is also simple. You will learn to let the tension flow out of your shoulders and neck – a hidden source of tension in your head and throat. And finally, the throat exercises will strengthen the throat and firm up the soft palate.

How long does it take to cure snoring? These exercises will take just a few minutes a day – for faster results you can do 7-12 minutes every day.~a day}. Once you have the results you want, you won’t need to do the exercises any more.

Some people are able to stop snoring inside a few days. For most, the results take a few weeks or a couple of months. Since the program comes with an 8 week money-back guarantee, you’ll have plenty of time to see results or get a refund. 

With a few easy exercises, you can toss away those earplugs for snoring. Click here to try some of these simple cure for snoring exercises for free.

Loud Snoring Disrupting Sleep?

Snoring making it hard for you to sleep? Whether you are responsible for the loud snoring or if you just happen to be on the listening end, snoring can disrupt your health as well as your sleep. Soundly sleeping at least 7 hours per night is crucial for good health. If you are being interrupted many times during the night from your own or someone else’s snoring, you could be at increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and many other health problems. Check with your doctor to determine whether there is an underlying medical condition that is causing the snoring. If not, then you can start looking for other solutions.

Your doctor may recommend sleeping on your side, using a simple device that helps to stop snoring, or even surgery. While you may not be all that interested in the cause of snoring, I bet you really do want to know the cures for snoring.

Some devices attach to the nostrils, others are under the chin or even in the mouth. The simplest and most effective devices are designed to simply help hold the mouth and jaw at a good angle so there is maximum space in the throat - and a clear passageway for air to move in and out silently. Silently is the key – no one wants to have to use ear plugs for snoring.

Loud Snoring Health Risks

Loud snoring can be a real problem for the people who have to listen to it, but it can also be a problem for the person who snores. Often the snorer is completely unaware that they they suffer from loud snoring – until someone else complains about the noise.

That noise is caused by soft tissue in the throat partially blocking airflow. When the loud snoring sufferer breathes in and out, that tissue vibrates and makes noise. Whether it is loud snoring or not, snoring can lead to serious health risks. Even if the snorer is completely unaware, they may actually be wakening themselves many times a night.

Of course, those who listen to the loud snoring are also often wakened many times – even if they are not fully aware either. This constant wakening prevents the brain from going into the deep, restorative sleep that is necessary for good health, as well as moods and concentration. Often sufferers complain of being tired no matter how long they sleep or of feeling depressed or having difficulty focusing.

So, now you know the cause of snoring, what are the cures for snoring? While ear plugs for snoring seem like an answer, usually there is a better solution. Sometimes the solution is as simple as a device that widens the nostrils or keeps the mouth shut while sleeping. In other cases surgery is required. If you are overweight, losing weight is often a big help in reducing noise and improving sleep – as a bonus, weight loss can also help reduce acid reflux and other symptoms that accompany being overweight.

No matter what the solution is for you, you will want to talk to your doctor to rule out any potential diseases and to get help in finding the right solution for you.

Battling Loud Snoring

Battling loud snoring? Loud snoring is dangerous to your health and your sleep. Poor quality sleep has been linked to increased risk of heart disease, the potential for diabetes, and other serious health problems. Not to mention the feelings of exhaustion, depression and fuzzy thinking that result from constantly interrupted sleep. These dangers are not just a problem for the person who snores, they also affect those who live with the snoring-sufferer. In fact, the snorer may think that they sleep quite well – they are often shocked when the snoring is stopped and they realize just how much better they feel with a solid night of sleep. So, what is the cause of snoring?

Loud snoring is caused by the loose tissue in the back of the throat vibrating when you breathe. As the jaw relaxes and you fall asleep, the muscles in your throat relax and allow the tissues to go slack. Then, as you breathe in and out, the tissues obstruct the air flow, vibrating and causing the loud noiseswe know as snoring.

Loud snoring can also be a sign of sleep apnea, although sleep apnea can also be quiet. Sleep apnea is the medical term for when a person stops breathing during sleep. These brief interruptions of sleep can happen a few times to many hundreds of times during the night. Sufferers of sleep apnea waken exhausted, no matter how long they sleep, since they are constantly interrupted – keeping them from getting the deep, restorative sleep we all need. Sleep apnea can also occur without any loud snoring, though, so snoring is not always the only sign that there is a danger to your health.

Being overweight can be one cause of snoring – as well as other health issues. Excess weight can lead to more loose tissue in the throat, as well as the tendency to sleep in positions which can lead to snoring. Excess weight is also a risk factor for sleep apnea.

Another potential cause of snoring is allergies, as swelling in the nose and sinuses can lead to mouth-breathing. Sleeping with your mouth open can cause snoring. This is often an easy fix, as antihistamines can shrink nasal tissues and make it easier to breathe while you sleep.

Of course, if you have a sleep disorder of any kind, from snoring to sleep apnea, you should consult a doctor to make sure there are no underlying medical issues that are the cause of snoring. Your doctor can help you understand the specific reasons you are snoring.

Once you know whether there are other reasons for your snoring, you can look for solutions. There are simple devices that can put an instant stop to simple snoring, making a silent night a wonderful thing for you and those you love. Knowing that snoring can damage your health, endanger your work, and create so many other problems for you (and for those who have to listen to your snoring all night) finding a solution becomes a top priority. Sleep seems like such a simple thing, until you are not getting enough. Many people have found that they are happier, healthier and better able to handle almost everything in their lives when they are finally getting a good night’s sleep.

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Social Media Use By Teenagers And Lack Of Sleep

Social Media Use By Teenagers And Lack Of Sleep was initially published to www.ellymackay.com

There are so many things we worry about for our children. My high school age daughter just left for China on Wednesday for a live abroad program, and a thousand possibilities have run through my mind, most of them very positive, but a few caused me concern. One of them was social media use by teenagers and lack of sleep. I worry that her sleep may be impacted because of the time difference and her desire to stay connected with local friends in real-time. I know there are lots of things I can worry about, but as her dad and The Sleep Doctor, that was one of them!

As parents, we often worry that our children spend too much time on social media, New research indicates social media in and of itself isn’t a bad thing. The problem revolves around usage. 

Researchers found that teenagers who check their social media account three or more times a day were more likely to experience psychological distress. Girls were more likely to feel this distress than boys. 

The lead researcher on this study said that is was “biologically implausible for social media to negatively affect one gender and not the other.” This means that the psychological distress almost certainly comes from something related to social media and not from general social media use. 

Loss of sleep, not enough exercise and cyber-bullying were suspected as the likely sources of this distress, although more research is needed to be certain. 

I have previously written about how social media usage can disrupt sleep in teenagers and even adults. The most frequent users have nearly twice the risk of sleep disruptions and three times the risk of sleep disturbances that the least frequent users do. College students who check their social sites during the hours they would otherwise be sleeping suffer from cognitive impairment. There have also been previous links to anxiety and depression from heavy social media use.

My guide for social media and sleep balance is short, easy to use and effective. 

Phones should be charged outside the bedroom where the buzzing and the light cannot affect sleep

Your kids should be done using social media at least one hour before bed. If forming this habit proves complicated, slowly wean your kids off social media in five-minute increments. 

Instead of using electronic devices at night, try and get your kids to do some light reading or engage in other restful activities before bed. 

Keep your kids’ phones somewhere out of reach, so they can’t look at them if they get up to go to the bathroom. Adults too should avoid checking their phones if they want better sleep or at minimum, use blue light blocking glasses

What Your Sleep Position Says About You 

There are three kinds of people in this world: Those who sleep on their backs, those who sleep on their sides and those who sleep on their stomachs, according to an amusing survey. 

The survey examined the sleeping habits and personalities of 2,000 Americans and the results were pretty fun and surprising. 

Back Sleepers

Fell asleep the fastest, taking only 20 minutes on average

Sleep about 5.5 hours per night, getting the least amount of sleep 

Most likely to be introverted

Most likely to be an early bird

Predisposition toward enjoying the TV program “Modern Family”

Most likely to talk in sleep, sleepwalk and have vivid dreams and nightmares

Side Sleepers

Are the slowest to fall asleep (about 24 minutes) 

But sleeps the longest (almost 6 hours) 

Most likely to be outgoing

Most likely to stay up late

Preference for the classic TV show “Friends” 

Stomach Sleepers

The ‘middle child’ of sleepers 

They take about 23 minutes to fall asleep

They sleep for about 5.7 hours a night 

Most likely to be both a night owl and an early bird

Most likely to be an ambivert (a person who shows a balanced mix of introvert and extrovert traits)

Enjoys spooky and supernatural shows like the “Handmaid’s Tale,” “the Walking Dead” and “Stranger Things.”

The survey also covered the sleep habits of married couples. Did you know that 55% of married couples changed their sleep pattern once they began sleeping together regularly? Some expressed sleep-related frustration with their partner, usually due to snoring, tossing and turning or getting up in the middle of the night. Sound familiar? This might be one of the reasons that married people take about twenty-four minutes to fall asleep on average. 

Despite these frustrations, there seems to be benefits to sleeping next to your spouse. Seventy-five percent of married respondents said they prefer sharing a bed with their significant other. Those who slept in the spoon position reported fewer frustrations when compared to those partners who slept facing away.  

I’ve talked about sleep positions before. My attitude is that if you have a sleep preference, that’s the right one for you as long as you take any health issues into consideration. Even though I live in Los Angeles, I can’t criticize your choice of television shows though!

Say Cheese! You’re Being Diagnosed for Sleep Apnea 

Can you imagine seeing your sleep doctor and them taking a 3D picture to determine whether or not you have obstructive sleep apnea? How cool would that be? Researchers in Australia have done it and even shown it to be 90% effective in diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea! The researchers published their findings in a recent issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 

Prior studies have looked at the structure of the face, neck and head as a means to determine a person’s risk of sleep apnea. The new 3D technology uses those craniofacial markers to predict that risk. Diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea with 3D photography would allow doctors to fast track at-risk patients for referrals and treatments. This is critical as sleep apnea is a serious condition and worsens many conditions including heart disease, diabetes, stroke and more. The easier, faster, and more cost effective it becomes to diagnose, the more people we can help.

Until the technology is widely available, we’ll still have to diagnose sleep apnea the “old-fashioned” way. Here are a few warning signs and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea. 

Snoring

Choking, Gasping During Sleep

Morning Headaches

Tired After Sleeping a Full Night

Dry or Sore Throat in Morning

Morning Anxiety

Waking Up with Pain in Muscles or Joints

Brain Fog

Forgetfulness

High Blood Pressure

Reduce Interest in Sex 

If you experience any of these, especially snoring and choking or gasping for air during sleep, please see a sleep professional to find out if you have sleep apnea, it is easy to treat and can add years to your life while helping you feel and function better throughout the day.

The Truth About Eating Before Bedtime

Self did a rather fine article on the long-held belief that eating before bedtime can disrupt sleep. Just how long-held are these beliefs? Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol in 1843. That story has one of the best puns in all literature, and it is a pun about eating before going to bed. When Ebeneezer Scrooge first encounters Jacob Marley’s ghost he tells the ghost that he thinks that his late-night snack is the actual source of his troubles: 

“You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of an underdone potato. There’s more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are!”

If Scrooge was prone to bouts of indigestion, then he wasn’t totally wrong to suspect his ghostly visitor is a byproduct of a late-night snack. Indigestion is less likely to cause someone to hallucinate the ghost of their deceased business partner and more likely to cause pain, bloating or nausea, but it was a very good attempt by Scrooge to rationalize the inexplicable. 

Another problem late-night snackers may face is acid reflux. Some people have a valve in their esophagus that doesn’t close all the way. When they go to lie down for the night, stomach acid flows painfully back up, making it hard to sleep, 

However, if you do not suffer from either of those conditions, there aren’t really any other drawbacks to enjoying a bedtime snack. Some people worry that if they eat later in the day, they are more likely to gain weight. While mice studies show that eating counter to their circadian rhythm caused weight gain, the human study data is insufficient evidence to conclusively say the same holds true for humans who eat a balanced diet within their caloric needs range 

I think it is important to pay attention to what happens with your body if you eat late. If it works for you, go ahead and do it as long as it doesn’t aggravate any underlying health concerns or cause other negative issues.” That is to say that if you routinely enjoy a late-night snack and do not suffer from acid reflux or indigestion, you’re probably fine to continue with your nightly ritual. However, it is best to eat a light, low-fat snack and stay away from any foods that might upset your stomach like spicy bbq, hot sausages, jalapeno poppers and all alcohol. 

Q: Should My Sheets Be Tucked into the Mattress or Should the Sheets Be Left Untucked? Will It Affect My Sleep? 

Today’s question is ripped right from the headlines. Apparently, there was a debate on the Today Show about whether it was better to sleep with the sheets tucked under the bottom of the mattress or left untucked. 

My answer to this age-old conundrum might surprise you: Like your choice of sleep position, you should do what you prefer and allows for a good night of sleep. Back sleepers, for example, may not prefer tightly tucked sheets at the bottom of the bed because it pulls their toes down which may be annoying or uncomfortable. Whether you enjoy the constrained feeling of a tucked-in sheet or the billowy freedom of one that loosely draped over the mattress, what really matters is that you are as comfortable as possible. 

The two factors that are more important than the tucked or untucked state of your bedsheets are the fabrics that you sleep beneath and the temperature of where you are sleeping. I recommend natural fabrics like cotton, wool or flannel. They are all breathable and help you regulate your body temperature. 

Cooler temperatures are preferable for sleep with the optimum temperature being 65 degrees fahrenheit (18 degrees celsius). It’s easy to turn your thermostat down and call it a night, but when we’re beneath our sheets and comforters, we’re going to be warmer than the air around us, warm enough sometimes to disrupt sleep. 

I recommend the Chilipad to many of my patients. It’s a great way of regulating your body’s temperature and mattress’s temperature during the night. It’s also adjustable for individuals, so if your partner likes it cold and you need it warmer, then the Chilipad can be programmed to accommodate both sleepers, possibly saving marriages in the process. 

Sweet Dreams, Dr Michael Breus

The post Social Media Use By Teenagers And Lack Of Sleep appeared first on Your Guide to Better Sleep.

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How to Cure GERD without Medication

Instead of opting for PPIs, GERD can be reversed by managing gut health. This article will walk through how to replenish stomach acid and other digestive aids and how to restore the balance of good and bad GI bacteria through the Paleo diet, lifestyle changes, and possibly supplements. Keep reading to learn how to cure GERD without medication.

The Most Common Digestive Disorder in America

Almost everyone experiences occasional acid reflux when stomach acid manages to make its way up into the esophagus. However, if this happens frequently and causes uncomfortable symptoms or complications, you could receive a GERD diagnosis. Symptoms of GERD can include:

Heartburn

Regurgitation

Difficulty swallowing

Laryngitis

Chronic cough

Asthma

Dental erosions

As the most common digestive disorder in the United States, GERD affects an astonishingly large portion of Americans. Up to 40 percent experience symptoms once a month and 20 percent experience them once a week. (1, 2) That growing problem has been a boon for pharmaceutical companies, as Americans spend over $13 billion on acid-stopping medications each year. In 2010, sales of esomeprazole, a PPI prescribed to manage GERD, among other conditions, alone exceeded $5 billion in sales. (3)

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) causes uncomfortable, painful symptoms—but the health risks of the drugs used to treat it can be even more distressing. Check out this article for tips on how to cure GERD without PPIs, H2 blockers, and other medication.

Aside from an uncomfortable and frequent burning sensation, GERD also carries some long-term complications. Unlike the stomach, the esophagus doesn’t have a protective layer to prevent acid damage. As a result, GERD can lead to:

Scarring

Constriction

Ulceration

Cancer of the esophagus

In addition, research demonstrates a strong link between GERD and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which is now the second-leading cause of missed work in the nation.

While GERD is a growing problem, it’s possible to reverse the chronic disease without turning to medication. But an important step to learning how to cure GERD involves understanding what’s actually causing it.

What Causes GERD? It Isn’t What You Think

Too much stomach acid is not the driving cause of GERD. Don’t get me wrong; I agree that hydrochloric acid (HCl) in the esophagus is bad news. Stomach acid itself is a good thing, but only when it stays in the stomach. When it escapes upwards into the esophagus, something has gone awry.

However, instead of trying to figure out why acid isn’t properly staying in the stomach, pharmaceutical companies blame GERD on too much stomach acid and make billions from selling acid-suppressing drugs like PPIs, H2 blockers, and antacids. Meanwhile, the problem of why gastric acid reaches the esophagus is never addressed. That creates a lifelong dependency on medication for millions of Americans, which is incredibly profitable for the pharmaceutical industry.

Disproving the Stomach Acid Theory

When you look at the data, blaming GERD on too much stomach acid doesn’t make sense. Stomach acid actually tends to decline, not rise, with age, while GERD risk increases with age. (4) In fact, 40-year-olds, on average, generate about half as much as stomach acid as 20-year-olds do. (5) And, according to one study, over 40 percent of people age 80 and up may be producing almost no stomach acid at all. (6) What’s more, my patients with GERD or heartburn have responded very well to HCl supplementation, which actually increases their stomach acid. That’s the opposite of what we would expect if excess stomach acid were to blame for the problem.

You need adequate stomach acid to kill opportunistic pathogens, help properly digest food, and maintain optimal health. Reduced stomach acid correlates with a wide range of health problems, and PPIs can easily exacerbate the condition.

The Real Cause of GERD

So if “too much acid” isn’t the driving force behind heartburn, what is? The real cause of GERD is an increase in intra-abdominal pressure (IAP). (7, 8, 9)

Here’s how it normally works. A bundle of muscles at the end of the esophagus, called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), keeps your stomach contents from traveling up into your esophagus as acid reflux. Aside from swallowing and burping, the LES remains closed. However, if you’re experiencing changes in your IAP, the sphincter relaxes and opens at inappropriate times. That allows GERD to become a problem.

How Extra Pressure Builds in Your Abdomen

Several different factors could contribute to an increase in your IAP. According to current consensus, these include:

Overeating

Obesity

Bending over after eating

Lying down after eating

While these factors do play a role, I don’t believe they’re the primary drivers behind the increased pressure I see in patients with GERD. As microbiologist Dr. Norm Robillard argues in his book, Heartburn Cured: The Low Carb Miracle, carbohydrate malabsorption could be to blame. Malabsorption of carbs can cause bacterial overgrowth, which generates excess gas and increases IAP. That manifests as GERD.

The Surprising Role Stomach Acid Plays in GERD

If malabsorption of carbs can cause increased abdominal pressure—which leads to heartburn—what’s the reason for the absorption problem in the first place? Interestingly enough, this question brings us right back to healthy stomach acid levels.

Low stomach acid can cause malabsorption of carbs and bacterial overgrowth. In many cases, low stomach acid may be the driving force behind increased IAP and GERD. Let’s explore how.

How Low Stomach Acid Leads to Increased IAP and GERD

Stomach acid is part of the body’s innate immune system, the first line of defense against pathogens. Most bacteria can’t survive the stomach’s highly acidic environment. If you don’t have enough stomach acid, many of the pathogens that would normally be destroyed may survive the stomach and make their way into the rest of the GI tract. (10) This can lead to chronic gut infections, impaired digestion, and an increase in IAP and GERD.

Stomach acid also helps your body absorb many macro- and micronutrients. HCl stimulates the release of pancreatic enzymes and bile into the small intestine to help metabolize carbohydrates and fats. Without enough acid, your body can’t digest carbohydrates properly. Those undigested carbs are then fermented by bacteria in a process that generates excess hydrogen gas. Again, that excess gas increases IAP and contributes to GERD.

PPIs Suppress Heartburn Symptoms, but Worsen the Problem

Despite the dangers of PPIs, American filled over 170 million acid-blocker prescriptions in 2014. (11) When it comes to total cost expenditure, only statins beat out PPIs.

How Acid-Blockers Work

The parietal cells in your stomach normally release HCl through a proton potassium pump to maintain a very low pH. PPIs inhibit the enzyme required for the pump for up to three days after you take them. (12, 13) When that pump is inhibited, your stomach pH rises as less acid is released.

Since PPIs reduce the acid in your stomach, you feel fewer of the uncomfortable symptoms associated with GERD. However, despite that quick relief, the medication actually worsens the underlying problem. Your decreased stomach acid can lead to bacterial overgrowth and malabsorption of carbs, and so GERD perpetuates—and your reliance on PPIs continues.

Other acid-blockers are not much better. Histamine H2 receptor antagonists, or H2 blockers, block the histamine receptors in your parietal cells. The cells become less responsive to acid-promoting stimuli, and they release less stomach acid. Though they are less effective than PPIs, H2 blockers like cimetidine, ranitidine, and famotidine still lower stomach acid.

These Medications Can Affect the Whole Body

Although PPIs are designed specifically to target parietal cells in the stomach, accumulating evidence shows that they can impact the proton potassium pumps in other body tissues. (14)

So not only do PPIs perpetuate low stomach acid, which increases infection risk and disrupts proper nutrient absorption, they can actually affect multiple organ systems. As you might guess, these drugs carry serious health risks.

Are PPIs Putting Your Health at Risk?

When PPIs were first marketed, patients were advised to take them for a maximum of six to eight weeks. But now, it’s not uncommon for patients to be on PPIs for decades. (15) The outcome? Potentially dangerous health consequences.

Recently the FDA has issued several warnings concerning the long-term risks of PPIs, including bone fractures and even life-threatening infections. (16, 17, 18) New research articles pop up every few weeks with evidence linking PPIs to various health problems. I could write a whole book on the subject. But, as I want this article to focus on how to avoid PPIs altogether, I’ll only focus on some of the risks associated with acid-suppressing medications.

Increased Risk of Infection

As I discussed above, stomach acid serves as a first-line defense against pathogens. The ideal pH for the stomach can approach 1 but should be below 3, where most pathogens cannot survive. When the pH rises above 5, several dangerous bacterial species are able to survive.

Acid-blockers can increase the stomach’s pH and worsen the risk of a bacterial infection. In one study, Tagamet and Zantac, two H2 blockers, raised the stomach pH from 1–2 to 5.5 and 6.5, respectively. (19) PPIs can raise the pH even more. In one study, a 20- or 40-mg dose of Prilosec reduced stomach acid levels to almost zero—and increased the pH to almost 7—in 10 healthy men. (20)

Without stomach acid, pathogens can thrive. Oral bacteria such as the genus Rothia are over-represented in the gut microbiota of PPI users, indicating that bacteria entering the through mouth are better able to survive in the stomach. (21)

Compared to people on other medications, PPI users have a greater risk of acquiring infectious bacteria like: (22, 23, 24)

Clostridium difficile

Campylobacter

Salmonella

Shigella

Listeria

Gastroenteritis, which results in millions of lost work days each year, is also more likely in PPI users. (25, 26, 27)

Long-term PPI use also increases the risk of other infections, including:

Pneumonia (28)

Tuberculosis (29)

Typhoid (30)

Dysentery (31)

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, or SIBO, is another possible result of PPI usage. (32) SIBO can inhibit nutrient absorption, damage the bowel lining, and cause diarrhea and other GI symptoms. One research study found that 50 percent of PPI users tested positive for SIBO through the hydrogen breath test, compared to only 6 percent of non-users. (33) Meta-analyses have mostly confirmed this association. (34, 35)

PPIs not only increase the risks of infections, but they independently reduce the body’s ability to fight them. (36, 37)

Impaired Nutrient Absorption

Gastric acid increases after a meal to help with nutrient absorption in a number of ways. HCl activates proteases, which break apart the bonds between amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. An acidic environment also helps your body dissociate mineral ions from salts, such as magnesium and calcium. A low stomach pH also kills most bacteria, which can compete with the body for nutrients if the bacteria count is too high. (38)

In theory, low stomach acid could impair the absorption of many dietary nutrients—and that’s exactly what the research indicates. A growing number of studies show correlations between PPIs—and lower stomach acid—and lower nutrients status for many vitamins and minerals:

Vitamin B12 (39, 40, 41, 42)

Iron (43, 44, 45, 46)

Magnesium (47, 48, 49, 50)

Calcium (51, 52, 53)

Folate (54, 55)

Vitamin C (56)

Zinc (57)

Many health professionals believe that because deficiencies are relatively rare, they are not worth worrying about due to the health “benefits” of PPIs. The American Gastroenterological Association reported in 2017 that PPI users should not be routinely screened for bone mineral density, magnesium, or vitamin B12, which is mind-boggling to me. (58) Not all studies have confirmed correlations between nutrient deficiencies and acid-suppressing drugs, but patients need to be informed about the real risks of PPI use, especially as more and more take them for extended periods of time.

Bone Fractures

In 2010, the FDA changed PPI labeling to indicate bone fractures as a possible risk. (59) These drugs may impact bone health by reducing calcium absorption or by inhibiting bone resorption, a process that’s required for long-term bone integrity. (60) After the 2010 label change, even more large analyses found associations between PPI use and fractures. (61, 62, 63)

Cardiovascular Events

A number of studies from different countries show that PPIs are an independent risk factor for heart attack. (64, 65, 66, 67) In a retrospective cohort study of over 50,000 participants, those on PPIs had a 30 percent increased chance of cardiovascular death, recurrent heart attack, or stroke within the first month of discharge after a first-time myocardial infarction. (68) A 2018 article went so far as to call PPI a “cardiovascular bomb” for its associated heart risks. (69)

We don’t fully understand how PPIs are able to affect heart health. Some possible mechanisms might involve:

Hypomagnesemia

Lysosome inhibition

Reduced nitric oxide production (70, 71, 72, 73)

Kidney Disease

PPI metabolites may deposit in kidney cells, causing an immune response that ultimately can lead to kidney dysfunction. Proton pumps are present in kidney cells, although it’s unclear if these drugs can target kidney cells specifically. (74)

Compared to patients using H2 blockers, PPI users were almost two times as likely to develop end-stage renal disease over a five-year study period. (75) The risk of acute interstitial nephritis (a type of kidney inflammation) was two to five times higher in PPI users versus non-users in three large separate analyses from the United States, Canada, and New Zealand. (76, 77, 78)

Cognitive Decline

PPI users also have higher risks of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and general cognitive impairment compared to those not using these drugs. (79, 80, 81) PPIs could be interfering with the reuptake of neurotransmitters, and mouse models indicate that PPIs increase the production of amyloid beta, the protein that accumulates into the hallmark plaques of Alzheimer’s disease. (82, 83) A third mechanism may involve vitamin B12 deficiency, which is associated with cognitive decline and also PPI use.

Other Health Problems

The research concerning the dangers of PPIs could fill an entire book. I have only briefly covered some of the risks of PPIs, but other problems associated with low stomach acid or PPI use include the following:

Liver problems (84, 85, 86)

Stomach cancer (87, 88)

Asthma (89, 90)

Celiac disease (91)

It’s clear that the risks of taking these drugs don’t outweigh the temporary relief they provide. The better course of action? Learning how to cure GERD without PPIs, H2 blockers, and other acid-suppressing drugs.

How to Cure GERD without Medication

I hope I’ve convinced you that PPIs and other acid-blocking drugs are not going to cure GERD, will only perpetuate the symptoms, and may have serious health consequences. But, if you are willing to put in the work, you can cure GERD using this basic plan:

Reduce factors that promote bacterial overgrowth and low stomach acid

Replace stomach acid, enzymes, and nutrients that aid digestion and are necessary for health

Restore beneficial bacteria and the healthy mucosal lining of the gut

Increase Your Stomach Acid

As long as your low stomach acid levels are low, you’ll continue to experience acid reflux and other distressing GERD symptoms.

Supplement Your HCl

Because your acid reflux will continue if your low HCl isn’t fixed, I recommend HCl supplementation. While it’s possible to test the pH of your stomach, very few doctors have the equipment or are willing to do the test. However, my patients have great success increasing their stomach acid using iterative HCl supplementation. Here’s the general protocol:

Take one 650 mg capsule of HCl with pepsin at the beginning of each meal

After two or three days, increase to two capsules each meal

After two more days, increase your dosage to three capsules

Keep increasing until you feel a slight burning sensation (or until you reach five or six capsules; I don’t suggest taking more than this)

Dial back your dose by one capsule

One word of caution: never take HCl concurrently with any anti-inflammatory medication. The combination can damage the GI lining and increase the risk of gastric bleeding or ulcer.

Take Bitter Herbs

The next step is to take bitter herbs. Because herbs can’t be patented, they aren’t often studied in clinical trials without the cash incentive for pharmaceutical companies. But, in Chinese medicine, bitter herbs are known to increase the flow of digestive juices including HCl, bile, pepsin, gastrin, and pancreatic enzymes. (92, 93) Examples of bitters include:

Barberry bark

Caraway

Dandelion

Fennel

Gentian root

Ginger

Globe artichoke

Goldenseal root

Hops

Milk thistle

Peppermint

Wormwood

Yellow dock

Bitter herbs probably won’t help with nutrient absorption to the same extent as HCl supplementation will, so this route is better suited for someone who hasn’t been taking PPIs for long or hasn’t even started taking them.

Avoid Drinking Water While You Eat

It’s also important to avoid drinking water during meals. This literally dilutes stomach acid further, which will hinder your digestion and nutrient absorption.

Treat Your Bacterial Overgrowth

The next step in understanding how to cure GERD without drugs is addressing bacterial overgrowth. Low stomach acid allows bacteria to thrive in the stomach, compete for nutrients, and generate excess gas. Treating the problem can involve several steps, depending on your individual underlying issues.

Treat SIBO

As I mentioned, the data show strong correlations between GERD and SIBO. While this chronic disease can be particularly difficult to address, it’s essential that you treat SIBO. Antibiotics are somewhat successful, but recurrence develops in almost half of all patients within one year. (94) Studies using probiotics to treat SIBO have been mixed. Many commercial probiotics contain strains that produce D-lactic acid (like L. acidophilus), which might make the digestion problems even worse.

Because it’s so challenging to treat effectively, I deal with a lot of unanswered questions about SIBO in my practice. You do have several treatment options, including a low-FODMAP diet, a botanical antimicrobial protocol, a prokinetic agent supplement, and, in some cases, low-dose naltrexone. Often, diet alone is not enough to treat SIBO.

Take Probiotics

Probiotics are quite the buzzword lately, but not all probiotic foods and supplements are created equal. Quality probiotics have the potential to reduce bacterial overgrowth by protecting and competing against pathogenic strains. Yogurt and kefir generally have higher concentrations of beneficial microorganisms than probiotic supplements. For example, a glass of homemade kefir may have 5 trillion units versus the 5 billion per capsule claimed by many supplements. If dairy or the high carbohydrate density of dairy is an issue, water kefir may be a suitable alternative. Fermented vegetables like sauerkraut and kimchi are great options. Seed is my favorite probiotic for general use, as it’s backed by extensive research and a unique delivery system that allows the probiotics to reach the colon, where they are needed.

Treat H. pylori

An estimated 50 percent of the population harbors H. pylori in their GI tracts. H. pylori is inversely associated with GERD in many studies, possibly because of its acid-suppressing effect. (95, 96) However, it is also associated with gastric cancer and stomach ulcers, and in my clinic I’ve seen many patients with GERD improve after successful treatment of H. pylori. (97) Specific probiotics and mastic (a resin from the pistachio tree) are two possible treatment options. (98, 99)

Eat a Low-Carb Diet

If you have GERD, you probably don’t have enough stomach acid to fully digest carbs. By decreasing the carbs in your diet, you can reduce the amount of malabsorbed carbs left behind. Following a low-carb diet can help alleviate some of the gas and increased pressure associated with GERD. (100)

With so many low-carb diet options available, selecting the “best” one may involve a little trial and error. In any case, don’t buy low-carb processed foods that contain additives, preservatives, and other artificial ingredients that could make the gut situation worse. Instead, maximize your nutrient intake by preparing and eating nutrient-dense, real food that’s closer to what our ancestors would’ve eaten.

And, despite what you may have heard in recent news stories, eating a low-carb diet won’t shorten your life.

Very Low-Carb Diets

A very low-carb diet might be a good first option to alleviate your symptoms. This type of diet restricts carbohydrates to under 50 grams, and sometimes as low as 20 grams, per day. Under this basic plan, there are no restrictions on carbohydrate types.

You can also follow the keto diet. A full ketogenic diet restricts carbohydrates to the point where the body runs on ketones, and it can be helpful and even necessary for complete resolution in some cases.

The Low Fermentation Potential (FP) Diet

Pioneered by Dr. Norm Robillard of the Digestive Health Institute, a low-FP diet restricts the fiber and prebiotics that increase gas production in the gut.

About 15 to 20 percent of the starch we generally consume escapes absorption. Instead, it’s used as food for our gut bacteria or it’s excreted. (101) When bacterial overgrowth persists—as it does with GERD—excess fiber can do more harm than good.

Low-FODMAP Diets

If your digestive issues still aren’t resolved, try removing FODMAPs in addition to FP foods. FODMAPs are a particular type of fermentable carbs found in a long list of foods. Low-FODMAP diets can do wonders for improving digestive help, especially for IBS patients. (102)

It’s important to note that you don’t have to follow a low-carb diet forever. Once your gut is healed, your microbiota restored, and your stomach acid replenished, you can start a moderate-carb diet and reintroduce many restricted foods.

Heal the Gut Lining

Each section of the digestive tract is lined with a site-specific protective barrier. In the stomach, the lining prevents ulcers by protecting the stomach from its own acid. If your gut lining is damaged from stress, medications, or other factors, you might still feel the effects of GERD—even if you’ve taken steps to cure it.

As you may know, I’ve been a proponent of the benefits of bone broth for years. Due to its collagen and gelatin content, it’s highly beneficial for people with ulcers. (103) In animal studies, glutamine and proline, also abundant in bone broth, help restore the gut lining. (104) Deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) in the short term has helped treat gastric and duodenal ulcers and can help protect and heal the stomach lining. (105)

However, if you have a sensitivity to FODMAPs, you should avoid bone broth, DGL, and collagen.

Still Need Help Learning How to Cure GERD Without Drugs? Follow These Tips

If you’ve followed the tips above and you’re still experiencing heartburn symptoms, here are a few additional strategies to try.

Lose Weight

Although it’s usually not the primary impetus, excess weight—especially in the abdominal region—can contribute to increased IAP and GERD. For many of my patients, following a Paleo diet has helped them lose weight without trying.

Avoid Fructose and Artificial Sweeteners

Fructose and artificial sweeteners can increase bacterial overgrowth and worsen your GERD symptoms. Steering clear of sugary foods can help improve your condition.

Avoid NSAIDs

Ibuprofen, aspirin, and other NSAIDs increase the risk of acid-related disorders and can further damage the gut lining.

Share Your Thoughts on GERD

GERD can severely impact quality of life. Instead of taking medication to relieve symptoms, it is possible to cure GERD from the inside out. By optimizing all aspects of gut health, including the microbiome, acid content, gut lining, and digestion, my patients have learned how to cure GERD without the need for medication.

Now I’d like to hear from you. Did you know about the underlying causes of GERD? Have you had any success treating it with the strategies above? What else have you tried? Let me know in the comments.

The post How to Cure GERD without Medication appeared first on Chris Kresser.

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How to Cure GERD without Medication

Instead of opting for PPIs, GERD can be reversed by managing gut health. This article will walk through how to replenish stomach acid and other digestive aids and how to restore the balance of good and bad GI bacteria through the Paleo diet, lifestyle changes, and possibly supplements. Keep reading to learn how to cure GERD without medication.

The Most Common Digestive Disorder in America

Almost everyone experiences occasional acid reflux when stomach acid manages to make its way up into the esophagus. However, if this happens frequently and causes uncomfortable symptoms or complications, you could receive a GERD diagnosis. Symptoms of GERD can include:

Heartburn

Regurgitation

Difficulty swallowing

Laryngitis

Chronic cough

Asthma

Dental erosions

As the most common digestive disorder in the United States, GERD affects an astonishingly large portion of Americans. Up to 40 percent experience symptoms once a month and 20 percent experience them once a week. (1, 2) That growing problem has been a boon for pharmaceutical companies, as Americans spend over $13 billion on acid-stopping medications each year. In 2010, sales of esomeprazole, a PPI prescribed to manage GERD, among other conditions, alone exceeded $5 billion in sales. (3)

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) causes uncomfortable, painful symptoms—but the health risks of the drugs used to treat it can be even more distressing. Check out this article for tips on how to cure GERD without PPIs, H2 blockers, and other medication.

Aside from an uncomfortable and frequent burning sensation, GERD also carries some long-term complications. Unlike the stomach, the esophagus doesn’t have a protective layer to prevent acid damage. As a result, GERD can lead to:

Scarring

Constriction

Ulceration

Cancer of the esophagus

In addition, research demonstrates a strong link between GERD and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which is now the second-leading cause of missed work in the nation.

While GERD is a growing problem, it’s possible to reverse the chronic disease without turning to medication. But an important step to learning how to cure GERD involves understanding what’s actually causing it.

What Causes GERD? It Isn’t What You Think

Too much stomach acid is not the driving cause of GERD. Don’t get me wrong; I agree that hydrochloric acid (HCl) in the esophagus is bad news. Stomach acid itself is a good thing, but only when it stays in the stomach. When it escapes upwards into the esophagus, something has gone awry.

However, instead of trying to figure out why acid isn’t properly staying in the stomach, pharmaceutical companies blame GERD on too much stomach acid and make billions from selling acid-suppressing drugs like PPIs, H2 blockers, and antacids. Meanwhile, the problem of why gastric acid reaches the esophagus is never addressed. That creates a lifelong dependency on medication for millions of Americans, which is incredibly profitable for the pharmaceutical industry.

Disproving the Stomach Acid Theory

When you look at the data, blaming GERD on too much stomach acid doesn’t make sense. Stomach acid actually tends to decline, not rise, with age, while GERD risk increases with age. (4) In fact, 40-year-olds, on average, generate about half as much as stomach acid as 20-year-olds do. (5) And, according to one study, over 40 percent of people age 80 and up may be producing almost no stomach acid at all. (6) What’s more, my patients with GERD or heartburn have responded very well to HCl supplementation, which actually increases their stomach acid. That’s the opposite of what we would expect if excess stomach acid were to blame for the problem.

You need adequate stomach acid to kill opportunistic pathogens, help properly digest food, and maintain optimal health. Reduced stomach acid correlates with a wide range of health problems, and PPIs can easily exacerbate the condition.

The Real Cause of GERD

So if “too much acid” isn’t the driving force behind heartburn, what is? The real cause of GERD is an increase in intra-abdominal pressure (IAP). (7, 8, 9)

Here’s how it normally works. A bundle of muscles at the end of the esophagus, called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), keeps your stomach contents from traveling up into your esophagus as acid reflux. Aside from swallowing and burping, the LES remains closed. However, if you’re experiencing changes in your IAP, the sphincter relaxes and opens at inappropriate times. That allows GERD to become a problem.

How Extra Pressure Builds in Your Abdomen

Several different factors could contribute to an increase in your IAP. According to current consensus, these include:

Overeating

Obesity

Bending over after eating

Lying down after eating

While these factors do play a role, I don’t believe they’re the primary drivers behind the increased pressure I see in patients with GERD. As microbiologist Dr. Norm Robillard argues in his book, Heartburn Cured: The Low Carb Miracle, carbohydrate malabsorption could be to blame. Malabsorption of carbs can cause bacterial overgrowth, which generates excess gas and increases IAP. That manifests as GERD.

The Surprising Role Stomach Acid Plays in GERD

If malabsorption of carbs can cause increased abdominal pressure—which leads to heartburn—what’s the reason for the absorption problem in the first place? Interestingly enough, this question brings us right back to healthy stomach acid levels.

Low stomach acid can cause malabsorption of carbs and bacterial overgrowth. In many cases, low stomach acid may be the driving force behind increased IAP and GERD. Let’s explore how.

How Low Stomach Acid Leads to Increased IAP and GERD

Stomach acid is part of the body’s innate immune system, the first line of defense against pathogens. Most bacteria can’t survive the stomach’s highly acidic environment. If you don’t have enough stomach acid, many of the pathogens that would normally be destroyed may survive the stomach and make their way into the rest of the GI tract. (10) This can lead to chronic gut infections, impaired digestion, and an increase in IAP and GERD.

Stomach acid also helps your body absorb many macro- and micronutrients. HCl stimulates the release of pancreatic enzymes and bile into the small intestine to help metabolize carbohydrates and fats. Without enough acid, your body can’t digest carbohydrates properly. Those undigested carbs are then fermented by bacteria in a process that generates excess hydrogen gas. Again, that excess gas increases IAP and contributes to GERD.

PPIs Suppress Heartburn Symptoms, but Worsen the Problem

Despite the dangers of PPIs, American filled over 170 million acid-blocker prescriptions in 2014. (11) When it comes to total cost expenditure, only statins beat out PPIs.

How Acid-Blockers Work

The parietal cells in your stomach normally release HCl through a proton potassium pump to maintain a very low pH. PPIs inhibit the enzyme required for the pump for up to three days after you take them. (12, 13) When that pump is inhibited, your stomach pH rises as less acid is released.

Since PPIs reduce the acid in your stomach, you feel fewer of the uncomfortable symptoms associated with GERD. However, despite that quick relief, the medication actually worsens the underlying problem. Your decreased stomach acid can lead to bacterial overgrowth and malabsorption of carbs, and so GERD perpetuates—and your reliance on PPIs continues.

Other acid-blockers are not much better. Histamine H2 receptor antagonists, or H2 blockers, block the histamine receptors in your parietal cells. The cells become less responsive to acid-promoting stimuli, and they release less stomach acid. Though they are less effective than PPIs, H2 blockers like cimetidine, ranitidine, and famotidine still lower stomach acid.

These Medications Can Affect the Whole Body

Although PPIs are designed specifically to target parietal cells in the stomach, accumulating evidence shows that they can impact the proton potassium pumps in other body tissues. (14)

So not only do PPIs perpetuate low stomach acid, which increases infection risk and disrupts proper nutrient absorption, they can actually affect multiple organ systems. As you might guess, these drugs carry serious health risks.

Are PPIs Putting Your Health at Risk?

When PPIs were first marketed, patients were advised to take them for a maximum of six to eight weeks. But now, it’s not uncommon for patients to be on PPIs for decades. (15) The outcome? Potentially dangerous health consequences.

Recently the FDA has issued several warnings concerning the long-term risks of PPIs, including bone fractures and even life-threatening infections. (16, 17, 18) New research articles pop up every few weeks with evidence linking PPIs to various health problems. I could write a whole book on the subject. But, as I want this article to focus on how to avoid PPIs altogether, I’ll only focus on some of the risks associated with acid-suppressing medications.

Increased Risk of Infection

As I discussed above, stomach acid serves as a first-line defense against pathogens. The ideal pH for the stomach can approach 1 but should be below 3, where most pathogens cannot survive. When the pH rises above 5, several dangerous bacterial species are able to survive.

Acid-blockers can increase the stomach’s pH and worsen the risk of a bacterial infection. In one study, Tagamet and Zantac, two H2 blockers, raised the stomach pH from 1–2 to 5.5 and 6.5, respectively. (19) PPIs can raise the pH even more. In one study, a 20- or 40-mg dose of Prilosec reduced stomach acid levels to almost zero—and increased the pH to almost 7—in 10 healthy men. (20)

Without stomach acid, pathogens can thrive. Oral bacteria such as the genus Rothia are over-represented in the gut microbiota of PPI users, indicating that bacteria entering the through mouth are better able to survive in the stomach. (21)

Compared to people on other medications, PPI users have a greater risk of acquiring infectious bacteria like: (22, 23, 24)

Clostridium difficile

Campylobacter

Salmonella

Shigella

Listeria

Gastroenteritis, which results in millions of lost work days each year, is also more likely in PPI users. (25, 26, 27)

Long-term PPI use also increases the risk of other infections, including:

Pneumonia (28)

Tuberculosis (29)

Typhoid (30)

Dysentery (31)

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, or SIBO, is another possible result of PPI usage. (32) SIBO can inhibit nutrient absorption, damage the bowel lining, and cause diarrhea and other GI symptoms. One research study found that 50 percent of PPI users tested positive for SIBO through the hydrogen breath test, compared to only 6 percent of non-users. (33) Meta-analyses have mostly confirmed this association. (34, 35)

PPIs not only increase the risks of infections, but they independently reduce the body’s ability to fight them. (36, 37)

Impaired Nutrient Absorption

Gastric acid increases after a meal to help with nutrient absorption in a number of ways. HCl activates proteases, which break apart the bonds between amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. An acidic environment also helps your body dissociate mineral ions from salts, such as magnesium and calcium. A low stomach pH also kills most bacteria, which can compete with the body for nutrients if the bacteria count is too high. (38)

In theory, low stomach acid could impair the absorption of many dietary nutrients—and that’s exactly what the research indicates. A growing number of studies show correlations between PPIs—and lower stomach acid—and lower nutrients status for many vitamins and minerals:

Vitamin B12 (39, 40, 41, 42)

Iron (43, 44, 45, 46)

Magnesium (47, 48, 49, 50)

Calcium (51, 52, 53)

Folate (54, 55)

Vitamin C (56)

Zinc (57)

Many health professionals believe that because deficiencies are relatively rare, they are not worth worrying about due to the health “benefits” of PPIs. The American Gastroenterological Association reported in 2017 that PPI users should not be routinely screened for bone mineral density, magnesium, or vitamin B12, which is mind-boggling to me. (58) Not all studies have confirmed correlations between nutrient deficiencies and acid-suppressing drugs, but patients need to be informed about the real risks of PPI use, especially as more and more take them for extended periods of time.

Bone Fractures

In 2010, the FDA changed PPI labeling to indicate bone fractures as a possible risk. (59) These drugs may impact bone health by reducing calcium absorption or by inhibiting bone resorption, a process that’s required for long-term bone integrity. (60) After the 2010 label change, even more large analyses found associations between PPI use and fractures. (61, 62, 63)

Cardiovascular Events

A number of studies from different countries show that PPIs are an independent risk factor for heart attack. (64, 65, 66, 67) In a retrospective cohort study of over 50,000 participants, those on PPIs had a 30 percent increased chance of cardiovascular death, recurrent heart attack, or stroke within the first month of discharge after a first-time myocardial infarction. (68) A 2018 article went so far as to call PPI a “cardiovascular bomb” for its associated heart risks. (69)

We don’t fully understand how PPIs are able to affect heart health. Some possible mechanisms might involve:

Hypomagnesemia

Lysosome inhibition

Reduced nitric oxide production (70, 71, 72, 73)

Kidney Disease

PPI metabolites may deposit in kidney cells, causing an immune response that ultimately can lead to kidney dysfunction. Proton pumps are present in kidney cells, although it’s unclear if these drugs can target kidney cells specifically. (74)

Compared to patients using H2 blockers, PPI users were almost two times as likely to develop end-stage renal disease over a five-year study period. (75) The risk of acute interstitial nephritis (a type of kidney inflammation) was two to five times higher in PPI users versus non-users in three large separate analyses from the United States, Canada, and New Zealand. (76, 77, 78)

Cognitive Decline

PPI users also have higher risks of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and general cognitive impairment compared to those not using these drugs. (79, 80, 81) PPIs could be interfering with the reuptake of neurotransmitters, and mouse models indicate that PPIs increase the production of amyloid beta, the protein that accumulates into the hallmark plaques of Alzheimer’s disease. (82, 83) A third mechanism may involve vitamin B12 deficiency, which is associated with cognitive decline and also PPI use.

Other Health Problems

The research concerning the dangers of PPIs could fill an entire book. I have only briefly covered some of the risks of PPIs, but other problems associated with low stomach acid or PPI use include the following:

Liver problems (84, 85, 86)

Stomach cancer (87, 88)

Asthma (89, 90)

Celiac disease (91)

It’s clear that the risks of taking these drugs don’t outweigh the temporary relief they provide. The better course of action? Learning how to cure GERD without PPIs, H2 blockers, and other acid-suppressing drugs.

How to Cure GERD without Medication

I hope I’ve convinced you that PPIs and other acid-blocking drugs are not going to cure GERD, will only perpetuate the symptoms, and may have serious health consequences. But, if you are willing to put in the work, you can cure GERD using this basic plan:

Reduce factors that promote bacterial overgrowth and low stomach acid

Replace stomach acid, enzymes, and nutrients that aid digestion and are necessary for health

Restore beneficial bacteria and the healthy mucosal lining of the gut

Increase Your Stomach Acid

As long as your low stomach acid levels are low, you’ll continue to experience acid reflux and other distressing GERD symptoms.

Supplement Your HCl

Because your acid reflux will continue if your low HCl isn’t fixed, I recommend HCl supplementation. While it’s possible to test the pH of your stomach, very few doctors have the equipment or are willing to do the test. However, my patients have great success increasing their stomach acid using iterative HCl supplementation. Here’s the general protocol:

Take one 650 mg capsule of HCl with pepsin at the beginning of each meal

After two or three days, increase to two capsules each meal

After two more days, increase your dosage to three capsules

Keep increasing until you feel a slight burning sensation (or until you reach five or six capsules; I don’t suggest taking more than this)

Dial back your dose by one capsule

One word of caution: never take HCl concurrently with any anti-inflammatory medication. The combination can damage the GI lining and increase the risk of gastric bleeding or ulcer.

Take Bitter Herbs

The next step is to take bitter herbs. Because herbs can’t be patented, they aren’t often studied in clinical trials without the cash incentive for pharmaceutical companies. But, in Chinese medicine, bitter herbs are known to increase the flow of digestive juices including HCl, bile, pepsin, gastrin, and pancreatic enzymes. (92, 93) Examples of bitters include:

Barberry bark

Caraway

Dandelion

Fennel

Gentian root

Ginger

Globe artichoke

Goldenseal root

Hops

Milk thistle

Peppermint

Wormwood

Yellow dock

Bitter herbs probably won’t help with nutrient absorption to the same extent as HCl supplementation will, so this route is better suited for someone who hasn’t been taking PPIs for long or hasn’t even started taking them.

Avoid Drinking Water While You Eat

It’s also important to avoid drinking water during meals. This literally dilutes stomach acid further, which will hinder your digestion and nutrient absorption.

Treat Your Bacterial Overgrowth

The next step in understanding how to cure GERD without drugs is addressing bacterial overgrowth. Low stomach acid allows bacteria to thrive in the stomach, compete for nutrients, and generate excess gas. Treating the problem can involve several steps, depending on your individual underlying issues.

Treat SIBO

As I mentioned, the data show strong correlations between GERD and SIBO. While this chronic disease can be particularly difficult to address, it’s essential that you treat SIBO. Antibiotics are somewhat successful, but recurrence develops in almost half of all patients within one year. (94) Studies using probiotics to treat SIBO have been mixed. Many commercial probiotics contain strains that produce D-lactic acid (like L. acidophilus), which might make the digestion problems even worse.

Because it’s so challenging to treat effectively, I deal with a lot of unanswered questions about SIBO in my practice. You do have several treatment options, including a low-FODMAP diet, a botanical antimicrobial protocol, a prokinetic agent supplement, and, in some cases, low-dose naltrexone. Often, diet alone is not enough to treat SIBO.

Take Probiotics

Probiotics are quite the buzzword lately, but not all probiotic foods and supplements are created equal. Quality probiotics have the potential to reduce bacterial overgrowth by protecting and competing against pathogenic strains. Yogurt and kefir generally have higher concentrations of beneficial microorganisms than probiotic supplements. For example, a glass of homemade kefir may have 5 trillion units versus the 5 billion per capsule claimed by many supplements. If dairy or the high carbohydrate density of dairy is an issue, water kefir may be a suitable alternative. Fermented vegetables like sauerkraut and kimchi are great options. Seed is my favorite probiotic for general use, as it’s backed by extensive research and a unique delivery system that allows the probiotics to reach the colon, where they are needed.

Treat H. pylori

An estimated 50 percent of the population harbors H. pylori in their GI tracts. H. pylori is inversely associated with GERD in many studies, possibly because of its acid-suppressing effect. (95, 96) However, it is also associated with gastric cancer and stomach ulcers, and in my clinic I’ve seen many patients with GERD improve after successful treatment of H. pylori. (97) Specific probiotics and mastic (a resin from the pistachio tree) are two possible treatment options. (98, 99)

Eat a Low-Carb Diet

If you have GERD, you probably don’t have enough stomach acid to fully digest carbs. By decreasing the carbs in your diet, you can reduce the amount of malabsorbed carbs left behind. Following a low-carb diet can help alleviate some of the gas and increased pressure associated with GERD. (100)

With so many low-carb diet options available, selecting the “best” one may involve a little trial and error. In any case, don’t buy low-carb processed foods that contain additives, preservatives, and other artificial ingredients that could make the gut situation worse. Instead, maximize your nutrient intake by preparing and eating nutrient-dense, real food that’s closer to what our ancestors would’ve eaten.

And, despite what you may have heard in recent news stories, eating a low-carb diet won’t shorten your life.

Very Low-Carb Diets

A very low-carb diet might be a good first option to alleviate your symptoms. This type of diet restricts carbohydrates to under 50 grams, and sometimes as low as 20 grams, per day. Under this basic plan, there are no restrictions on carbohydrate types.

You can also follow the keto diet. A full ketogenic diet restricts carbohydrates to the point where the body runs on ketones, and it can be helpful and even necessary for complete resolution in some cases.

The Low Fermentation Potential (FP) Diet

Pioneered by Dr. Norm Robillard of the Digestive Health Institute, a low-FP diet restricts the fiber and prebiotics that increase gas production in the gut.

About 15 to 20 percent of the starch we generally consume escapes absorption. Instead, it’s used as food for our gut bacteria or it’s excreted. (101) When bacterial overgrowth persists—as it does with GERD—excess fiber can do more harm than good.

Low-FODMAP Diets

If your digestive issues still aren’t resolved, try removing FODMAPs in addition to FP foods. FODMAPs are a particular type of fermentable carbs found in a long list of foods. Low-FODMAP diets can do wonders for improving digestive help, especially for IBS patients. (102)

It’s important to note that you don’t have to follow a low-carb diet forever. Once your gut is healed, your microbiota restored, and your stomach acid replenished, you can start a moderate-carb diet and reintroduce many restricted foods.

Heal the Gut Lining

Each section of the digestive tract is lined with a site-specific protective barrier. In the stomach, the lining prevents ulcers by protecting the stomach from its own acid. If your gut lining is damaged from stress, medications, or other factors, you might still feel the effects of GERD—even if you’ve taken steps to cure it.

As you may know, I’ve been a proponent of the benefits of bone broth for years. Due to its collagen and gelatin content, it’s highly beneficial for people with ulcers. (103) In animal studies, glutamine and proline, also abundant in bone broth, help restore the gut lining. (104) Deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) in the short term has helped treat gastric and duodenal ulcers and can help protect and heal the stomach lining. (105)

However, if you have a sensitivity to FODMAPs, you should avoid bone broth, DGL, and collagen.

Still Need Help Learning How to Cure GERD Without Drugs? Follow These Tips

If you’ve followed the tips above and you’re still experiencing heartburn symptoms, here are a few additional strategies to try.

Lose Weight

Although it’s usually not the primary impetus, excess weight—especially in the abdominal region—can contribute to increased IAP and GERD. For many of my patients, following a Paleo diet has helped them lose weight without trying.

Avoid Fructose and Artificial Sweeteners

Fructose and artificial sweeteners can increase bacterial overgrowth and worsen your GERD symptoms. Steering clear of sugary foods can help improve your condition.

Avoid NSAIDs

Ibuprofen, aspirin, and other NSAIDs increase the risk of acid-related disorders and can further damage the gut lining.

Share Your Thoughts on GERD

GERD can severely impact quality of life. Instead of taking medication to relieve symptoms, it is possible to cure GERD from the inside out. By optimizing all aspects of gut health, including the microbiome, acid content, gut lining, and digestion, my patients have learned how to cure GERD without the need for medication.

Now I’d like to hear from you. Did you know about the underlying causes of GERD? Have you had any success treating it with the strategies above? What else have you tried? Let me know in the comments.

The post How to Cure GERD without Medication appeared first on Chris Kresser.

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Sugar-Free Diet Plan, Benefits & Best Foods

Sugar-Free Diet Plan, Benefits & Best Foods draxe.com | June 17, 2017 02:00 AM According to research done by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, although Americans appear to be consuming less sugar today than in the previous couple of decades, average sugar consumption in America is still around 94 grams per day, or 358 calories. ( 1 ) That’s a lot of sugar, but it doesn’t have to be this way. In fact, you can even follow a sugar-free diet to help lower this number greatly. A great deal of research has shown that removing sources of excess sugar from your diet not only helps with weight loss, but can also reduce your risk for common health problems like type 2 diabetes, digestive problems, autoimmune conditions and more. What can you eat that has no sugar in it but is still satisfying? Proteins — like grass-fed meat, eggs or fish, for example — lots of veggies, healthy fats, nuts, seeds and other detoxifying foods are where you’ll get the bulk of your calories when eating a low-sugar or sugar-free diet. While the transition away from eating lots of sugar might seem hard at first, provoking cravings and even other symptoms that can mimic a “withdrawal,” within a few weeks you’ll likely see your efforts start to pay off. High sugar consumption can increase inflammation, mess with hormone production, rob you of energy, and even interfere with your mood and sleep. That’s why  kicking your sugar addiction ,  replacing “empty”calories with nutrient-dense ones, will noticeably change you how you feel, both mentally and physically, in many ways. What Is a Sugar-Free Diet? A sugar-free diet is one that typically limits all sources of added sugar (like soda, snack bars and desserts, for example) and hidden sugar foods , and it sometimes also encourages a reduction in high-carbohydrate foods (like grains or fruits) that can still be healthy but do contain natural sugars . There isn’t just one way to eat a low-sugar diet, but rather a variety of different plans depending on your goals and preferences. You might choose to eliminate basically all sources of sugar from your diet, including things like fruit and even some veggies, or to only eliminate sweetened processed foods that are high in empty calories. ( 2 ) Either way, there are lots of benefits to consuming more satisfying, nourishing foods in sugar’s place, such as lean proteins and healthy fats. Another perk is that most low-sugar or sugar-free diets don’t require calorie counting , since eliminating processed foods is usually enough to produce results on its own. ( 3 ) Some of the benefits of reducing your sugar intake in place of eating more whole foods include: Help with losing weight and preventing obesity ( 4 ) Lowered risk for type 2 diabetes or prediabetes Gaining more energy Having more stabile moods Reduced risk for inflammatory digestive conditions, such as irritable bowel disease (IBD), Crohn’s disease, candida, IBS and intolerance to wheat/gluten or FODMAP foods  — many also notice less constipation, diarrhea, stomach bloating or acid reflux When sugar contributes to obesity, a sugar-free diet lowers risk for conditions related to metabolic syndrome , such atherosclerosis, hypertension and heart disease Possibly less risk for cancer Protection against fatty liver disease Better protection against other common conditions related to inflammation, weight gain and nutrient deficiencies like hemorrhoids,  kidney stones, peptic ulcer, PMS, autoimmune diseases, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and neurological diseases like dementia or Alzheimer’s disease In order to reduce your sugar intake and deal with cravings for sweets or refined carbohydrates — a very common problem among most people looking to lose weight or improve their eating habits — there are five main steps I recommend taking, which are discussed in more detail below: How A Low-Glycemic, Sugar-Free Diet Works Why is a high-sugar diet bad for you ? Sugar can change the gut microbiota in a way that increases intestinal permeability, increasing inflammation. It can also contribute to overeating and obesity, causing many negative changes in the body. Eating a low-sugar, low-glycemic index diet can help balance your blood sugar levels throughout the day, prevent insulin resistance (one long-term effect of a high-sugar diet), protect you from fatty liver disease and heart disease, control your appetite, and keep you fuller and energized for longer. A low-sugar or sugar-free diet is very similar to what’s called a “low-glycemic index diet.” The definition of the glycemic index (GI) is “a measure of the blood glucose-raising potential of the carbohydrate content of a food, compared to a reference food (generally pure glucose, or sugar).” A food’s GI number tells you how quickly the food is converted into sugar once you eat it; the higher the GI number, the more drastically the food will cause your blood sugar level to increase. All carbohydrates increase blood glucose (sugar), but this doesn’t mean that all carbohydrates are necessarily unhealthy and should be avoided. Sugary, processed foods impact blood glucose levels a lot more than whole, unprocessed foods. For example, table sugar, white bread, white rice, white potatoes, white flour and all other types of sweeteners have high GI values. ( 6 ) Factors that determine a food’s GI value include how much sugar the food contains, how processed it is, the fiber content and what other types of foods it’s paired with (this determines “the glycemic load”). The types of high-GI foods that contain lots of added sugar and/or refined grains that you should remove from your diet include: refined grain products made with white flours most breads, processed breakfast cereals, cookies, snack bars, cakes, desserts, etc. sweetened dairy products sweetened beverages, such as soda and bottled juices all types of table/cane sugar Sometimes all other natural sweeteners should be excluded too depending on the state of your health, like honey, syrups, molasses, etc., and in some cases, other sweet ingredients like dried fruits (raisins, craisins and dates) and starchy root vegetables (like white potatoes, beets or winter squash) need to be limited in order to see results. How does a sugar-free diet compare to the ketogenic diet and other low-carb diets? If you exclude all sources of sugar from your diet, you’re already on your way to eating a low-carb diet, since sugary foods provide the body with high amounts of glucose. Once glucose supply is reduced, the body burns fat for fuel instead of glucose from carbohydrates or sugar. When sugar is taken out of the equation, your carb intake then depends on how many grains, veggies, legumes and other sources of carbs you still eat in proportion to fats and protein. The ketogenic diet is a very low-carb diet that includes virtually no sugar and only about 20–50 grams of net carbs daily. The majority of calories on the keto diet come from fats, like coconut oil, butter or fattier cuts of meat. Sugary, high-carb foods are eliminated, including grains, fruit, dairy and beans. A sugar-free diet is one type of low-carb diet plan, among many different variations. How many carbs are typically in a low-carb diet ? It depends a lot on the individual plan being followed, but most moderate plans range from about 50–130 grams of net carbs daily. Usually the lower the carb intake, the faster that weight loss will happen. However, a very low-carb diet isn’t always sustainable for some people or realistic, so a moderate low-carb plan may be a better fit. What Natural Sugars Are Necessary for Health? If you’re looking to start a low-carb or sugar-free diet, you may be wondering if you’ll still eat enough “healthy carbohydrates” to keep your body functioning properly. While it’s true that we all need at least some carbohydrates in order to fuel physical activity, repair damaged tissue, and supply our bodies and brains with energy, the amount we need is less than most people typically consume. Here are some of the reasons that you’ll want to keep at least some carbohydrates in your diet, which may include some natural sugars found in things like fruits or veggies: Plant-based foods that contain carbohydrates, and sometimes natural sugars, also provider dietary fiber. Fiber does not actually get fully digested once consumed, which is why people following a low-carb diet usually don’t count grams of fiber toward their net carb intake. Net carbs are the grams of carbs left over when grams of fiber are subtracted from the total amount. Fiber is needed for digestive health, cardiovascular health and controlling appetite hormones. Fiber is also typically found in low-calorie foods that are high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. For example, high-fiber foods include leafy green veggies, berries, apples, beans, seeds avocados and sweet potatoes. Not all of these foods are “sugar-free,” but the sugar they do contain is naturally occurring and often not a problem considering all the other nutrients available in the food. The whole foods described above are low in calories but good sources of electrolytes, like potassium and magnesium, as well as antioxidants like carotenoids, beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamin E and vitamin C. Compared to a sugar-free diet, what foods would be included in a grain-free or wheat-free diet? A grain-free diet/gluten-free diet eliminates all grains, especially wheat, but this doesn’t mean it’s necessarily low in sugar. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. A gluten-free diet therefore removes all sources of these grains, including most baked goods, bread, rolls, desserts, cereal, etc. A grain-free diet takes things a step further and also removes ALL other grains, like quinoa, oats, buckwheat, etc. If sugar is also removed from these diets, then it’s basically the same thing as eating a low-carb diet. Best Low-Carb, Sugar-Free Foods Healthy Protein Foods : Grass-fed beef, lamb, venison or other game Free-range poultry like chicken or turkey High-quality protein powders, including bone broth, collagen, whey protein (ideally from raw goat milk) or pea protein Lentils, beans and other legumes (ideally soaked and sprouted to help with digestion) Wild fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, etc. Organic natto or tempeh (fermented soybean product) Raw milk and fermented dairy products like kefir or yogurt Free-range eggs Raw cheese High-Fiber Foods (may contain small amounts of natural sugars): Cruciferous veggies like cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, etc. Other veggies (aim for a combination of cooked and raw) like bell peppers, cucumber, carrots, green peas, okra, turnips, squash, zucchini, asparagus, tomatoes, mushrooms, artichokes, etc. Chia seeds and flaxseeds Avocados Coconut flakes Berries Beans like black beans, navy beans, adzuki, lentils, lima, split, mung, etc. In moderate amounts, whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, oats, amaranth, buckwheat, teff, farro, etc. In smaller amounts, other fruits that are a bit higher in sugar, like apples, bears, figs, prunes, oranges, grapefruit, melon or kiwi Healthy Fats: Coconut oil, milk, butter or cream Real virgin olive oil Grass-fed butter Nuts like walnuts, almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts, etc. Seeds like chia, flax, pumpkin, sunflower, etc. Avocado Other oils like MCT oil , palm fruit oil, hemp seed, flaxseed, avocado oil, etc. Sour Foods, Probiotic Foods & Other Detoxifying Ingredients: Cultured veggies like salted gherkin pickles, olives or kimchi Kombucha or coconut kefir Natto, tempeh or miso Kvass Raw cheese Lemon and lime juice Apple cider vinegar (use some in salad dressing or in water with some lemon juice) Bone broth All fresh herbs and spices, like ginger, garlic, parsley, oregano, turmeric, etc. Stevia (extract, green crystalized or drops). Stevia is a no-calorie, natural sweetener that makes a good sugar substitute in recipes. Use it in drinks or on foods in place of regular white table sugar. The Sugar-Free Diet Plan How to Cut Out Sugar (Sugar Detox Tips): Principles of a Sugar-Free Diet Avoid eating foods with the following types/names of sugar and sweeteners: white granulated sugar, dextrose, fructose, brown sugar, confectioner’s powdered sugar, corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup , invert sugar, lactose, malt syrup, maltose, molasses, nectars (for example, peach or pear nectar), raw sugar, sucrose and others. Aim to eat balanced meals that include a healthy source of protein, some veggies and some healthy fat. This combination will help keep you more satisfied, energized and focused throughout the day.   If you include some carbohydrates, try to make it a complex carb that has some fiber, and keep an eye on your portion sizes. Don’t drink your calories. Avoid soda, juice or  artificially sweetened drinks .  Instead of adding sugar to beverages, try consuming plain water, seltzer, herbal tea, bone broth or black coffee. In moderate amounts, unsweetened coconut milk or water can also be a good choice. Sugar-Free Meal Ideas: For breakfast — unsweetened oats with nuts, seeds, coconut milk, stevia and cinnamon; avocado toast with hard boiled eggs; unsweetened goat’s milk yogurt with grain-free granola; a homemade green smoothie . For lunch — a large salad with sliced chicken and avocado; some quiche with soup and a salad; a salmon or turkey burger; homemade brown rice bowl with veggies and beans. For dinner — a palm-sized serving of steak with veggies, and possibly some rice or quinoa; a piece of fish with salad, veggies and half a sweet potato; a burrito, tacos or empanadas made with chorizo and veggies; balsamic chicken with tomato and mozzarella; brown rice, broccoli and chicken stir-fry. Precautions When Following a Sugar-Free Diet Depending on how many carbohydrates you continue to consume once cutting out sugar, you may notice some side effects when changing your diet. Usually these will go away within one to three weeks as your body gets used to eating less processed foods and consuming more healthy fats and fiber. You may want to transition into a lower-carb, sugar-free diet gradually in order to help your digestive system and appetite adjust. While altering your diet, it isn’t unusual to temporarily experience some of the following side effects: Low energy or fatigue Digestive issues like bloating or gassiness Cravings Brain fog Changes in your sleep and appetite Final Thoughts on a Sugar-Free Diet A sugar-free diet is a diet that excludes added sugars and most processed foods. This type of diet is similar to a low-glycemic index diet and low-carb diet in that it helps reduce your body’s reliance on glucose (sugar) for energy. Benefits of a sugar-free diet include weight loss, helping  normalize blood sugar , preventing insulin resistance, reducing cravings, giving you more energy and keeping you feeling fuller for longer after eating. To reduce the amount of sugar in your diet, try focusing on making some of the following changes: Reduce or avoid sugary foods like cookies, cakes, candy and soft drinks; pair carbohydrates with proteins and healthy fats to make your meals more satisfying; consume unprocessed complex carbs instead of simple carbs; lower your intake of flour and white refined grains; eat more high-fiber foods like veggies, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds; and eat smaller amounts of starchy foods like white potatoes, white bread, rice, etc. Read Next:  Benefits and Risks of a Low-Carb Diet — and How Low Is Too Low? From the sound of it, you might think leaky gut only affects the digestive system, but in reality it can affect more. Because Leaky Gut is so common, and such an enigma, I’m offering a free webinar on all things leaky gut. Click here to learn more about the webinar. Original Page: https://draxe.com/sugar-free-diet/ Shared from Pocket