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michaelandy101-blog · 5 years ago

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Why Overworking Is Bad For Your Health (and Your Career)

New Post has been published on https://tiptopreview.com/why-overworking-is-bad-for-your-health-and-your-career/

Why Overworking Is Bad For Your Health (and Your Career)

There’s no doubt that technology has simplified the way we carry out our day-to-day routines. Computers help us do things faster, emails and text messages let us always be in touch, and the internet makes it easy to find the answer to any question with just a quick Google search.

While being constantly plugged in can make us feel safe, connected, and in-the-know — both at work and at home — it also means we never really clock out.

It’s one thing to pull a long day every once in a while to finish a project or deal with a crisis, but it’s another to routinely stay late at the office or work into the night. That’s chronic overwork — and it can have extremely negative impacts on your health, happiness, and overall quality of life.

But working overtime has become the norm for most people. And, now that multiple offices have embraced remote work, the lines between the end of the work day and the start of personal time can get even blurrier.

It’s one of those things everyone knows is bad for us, but no one really listens. Trouble is, failure to prioritize a healthy balance isn’t just bad for the employees — it’s actually bad for employers, too.

There are numerous research studies out there showing how overwork — and its resulting stress — can lead to many health problems. But, it also impacts your brand’s bigger business too. Read on to learn exactly why it’s bad for health and our performance at work.

Why Overworking is Bad For Your Health

1. It prevents sleep.

Study after study shows that working too much or too late in the day can negatively impact your sleep — whether it’s the resulting stress, the staring at the computer screen, or just not having enough time to unwind before hitting the hay.

Avoiding sleep can cause us to build up “sleep debt.” Essentially, it feels like your energy is overdrawn for days at a time until you get a proper eight hours of sleep.

Chronic sleep debt raises the risk of obesity, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. In the short-term, lack of sleep can have significant effects on the hippocampus, an area of the brain involved in memory creation and consolidation.

Think you’re one of those “lucky people” who can get by fine with only five or six hours of sleep? You probably aren’t. While researchers have found genes in people that enable them to be well rested after less than eight hours of sleep, they also say incidence of either is incredibly rare.

2. Overworking gets in the way of good habits.

Working too much can take a toll on the body and brain in two ways — by boosting stress and by getting in the way of exercise, healthy eating, and other good habits.

For example, when you’re overtired, you rely more on caffeine to get you through the day, you tend to make unhealthy food choices and working out becomes a thing of the past.

Cleveland Clinic reports that stress due to overworking or lack of sleep can cause you to overreat or make poor diet choices. But how does this happen?

First, overworking and lack of sleep slows activity in the areas of our brains responsible for ranking different foods based on what we want and need.

Second, little sleep also causes an increase in the brain’s amygdala, which is responsible for controlling the salience of food. Over time, poor food choices can lead to weight gain and even obesity.

3. Overworking is bad for your heart.

A long-running study of more than 10,000 civil servants in London found that white-collar workers who worked three or more hours longer than a normal, seven-hour day had a 60% higher risk of heart-related problems than white-collar workers who didn’t work overtime. Examples of heart-related problems included death due to heart disease, non-fatal heart attacks, and angina, a condition caused by low blood supply to the heart.

A follow-up study of over 22,000 participants found that people who worked long hours were 40% more likely to suffer from coronary heart disease than those who worked standard hours.

And even after that, reports from health sites like WebMD still tell stories of people who developed heart conditions through overworking.

What about overworking might be causing heart disease, specifically?

The link between overworking and heart disease might have something to do with your personality. In fact, the “Type A vs. Type B” personality test was originally aimed to determine how likely it was that a person would develop coronary heart disease. Considering Type A folks tend to be more competitive, tense, time-oriented, and stressed out — which is often intensified by overworking — their personality type is often associated with a higher risk.

4. It leads to bad habits.

Aside from health risks, research done in the last decade has shown how overworking links to bad habits that are also unhealthy.

Even back in 2015, the Finish Institute of Occupational Health published the largest ever study of the correlation between working patterns and alcohol consumption. In the study, a group of researchers put together a dataset of over 330,000 workers across 14 different countries.

They found that 48 hours of work per week was the magic number: When people worked more than 48 hours per week, they were more likely to engage in “increased risky alcohol use.” Risky alcohol use was defined as more than 14 drinks per week for women and more than 21 drinks per week for men.

Aside from alcohol consumption, researchers have also found that long hours link to bad smoking habits.

And a 2018 paper from Welltory added to the list of bad habits by showing that overworking can also lead to more social media consumption, which can danger your level of stress recover when you’re not working.

5. It causes higher risks for low-income workers.

Way back in 2015, a group of researchers investigated the role of long working hours as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. They found that the link between longer working hours and type 2 diabetes is apparent in individuals in the low socioeconomic status groups. This was true regardless of age, sex, obesity, and physical activity, and remained even when they excluded shift workers from the analysis. Shortly after, another study showed an association between long hours and type 2 diabetes in low-income workers.

Overall, these findings show how strong of a relationship a person’s mental state can have on physical health.

Why Overworking is Bad for Business

If better health and happiness isn’t enough of an incentive to do something about chronic overwork, it turns out overworking can have a legitimately negative impact on a business’ bottom line. Sarah Green Carmichael of Harvard Business Review calls the story of overwork “the story of diminishing returns”: keep overworking, and you’ll keep making avoidable mistakes and getting lost in the weeds — all while not actually producing more.

6. More input doesn’t necessarily mean more output.

Do longer work hours equate to more work getting done? From time to time, yes — but not when “overtime” becomes “all the time.”

Research by the Business Roundtable found employees saw short-term gains when they pushed their workweek to 60 or 70 hours for a few weeks at a time if, for example, they needed to meet a critical production deadline. But increasing the number of hours worked in the office from 40 to 60 hours doesn’t result in more output: “In fact, the numbers may typically be something closer to 25–30% more work in 50% more time,” writes Sara Robinson for Salon.

Why? Robinson explains that most people do their best work between hours two and six of working in a given day. By the end of an eight-hour day, their best work tends to be behind them — and by hour nine, fatigue begins to set in and productivity levels drop. They won’t be able to deliver to their full potential — especially if they aren’t invigorated by something like a rare, critical deadline — and they’ll end the day completely exhausted.

Interestingly, one study out of Boston University’s Questrom School of Business found that managers actually couldn’t tell the difference between employees who actually worked 80 hours per week and those who just pretended to. What’s more, managers tended to punish employees who were transparent about working less — but there was no evidence that those employees actually accomplished less, nor were there any signs that the overworking employees accomplished more.

7. You’re more likely to make mistakes.

Speaking of exhaustion, researchers have found that overwork — and the resulting stress and exhaustion — can make it far more difficult to do everything that a modern office requires, including interpersonal communication, making judgment calls, reading people, or managing one’s own emotional reactions. Aside from small office slip ups, research from NCBI even shows that overworking can lead to physical injuries in the workplace.

8. You lose sight of the bigger picture.

Have you ever worked on a project so long that you began to obsess over it and forget about everything else related to your role or personal life? Many marketers have been there.

The breaks we take to recharge, eat meals, or spend time with the people we love help us step back from our work and stay mindful of how our work contributes to our goals.

9. Overworking hinders creativity.

As marketers, we’re sought after for our creative and colorful ideas, messaging, and content. But, this type of work takes a lot of time, energy, and open-mindedness.

Unfortunately, lack of sleep, stress, and other issues caused by overworking can drain your energy, motivation, and, ultimately, your level of creativity.

If you want to stay fresh and creative, it’s important to limit your work hours, get a good night’s sleep, and take time off when you feel like your mind is being drained of creative thoughts.

When you do take time off, be sure to keep a notepad or a phone recording app nearby. Sometimes, creative ideas can strike when you’re most relaxed — and you’ll want to take them down somewhere.

10. It makes multitasking harder.

As we mentioned above, overworking raises the risk of making silly mistakes. This risk gets even higher when you’re working on multiple projects all at once.

Multitasking is one of the commodities of a modern marketing role. Each day, we might send out an email, update social media, write a long-form blog post, attend multiple video meetings, and monitor the analytics of what we’re doing.

When you’re tired, low on energy, and not primed to pay attention to detail, it will be harder to complete all of your tasks correctly — let alone one of them.

Who’s to Blame?

Chronically overworking isn’t fun. It doesn’t feelgood;to realize you have to work through yet another family dinner or relaxing weekend.

So why do people do it? Is it because our bosses told us to? Or because we want to make more money? Or do we have some deep-seated psychological need? In her article for Harvard Business Review, Carmichael asks, “who’s to blame?”

Over-ambitious managers?

In many cultures, bosses want and expect employees to put in long days, make themselves available on email 24/7, and work nights, weekends, and during vacation without protest. In this version, writes Carmichael, we overwork because we’re told to.

This is especially evident in the three countries in which employees work the longest hours of all advanced countries in the world: America, South Korea, and Japan.

… Or ourselves?

Some of us overwork even when our managers don’t want us too, And, truthfully, most of us can’t put all the blame on others.

More often than not, working long hours is a way for us to prove something to ourselves. Maybe working late makes us feel ambitious or important. Maybe it’s because we think it’s the only way to get a promotion, make more money, or avoid falling behind. Maybe we straight up feel guilty when we get up and leave at 5 P.M. Several studies have even shown some of us consider work a safe haven — a place in which we feel confident and in control as compared with stresses outside the office.

And who could blame us? More and more, working beyond normal business hours has become something people brag about. In some cases, it becomes an addiction.

“We live in a competitive society,” writes Laura Vanderkam for The Wall Street Journal, “and so by lamenting our overwork and sleep deprivation — even if that requires workweek inflation and claiming our worst nights are typical — we show that we are dedicated to our jobs and our families.”

Know When It’s Time to Log Off

Sometimes, working long hours can feel rewarding — even invigorating. Other times, especially when we make a habit out of it, it can make us feel stressed, mad, lonely, and generally unhealthy.

The key is paying attention to how it makes you feel. If it’s interfering with your mental, physical, or emotional help, it may be time to reprioritize.

Editor’s Note: This blog post was originally published in June 2016, but was updated for comprehensiveness and freshness in October 2020.

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i-am-very-very-tired · 8 years ago

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March 9, 2015 8:13 PM I brush, floss, and rinse with fluoride twice daily. Why do I always get cavities? I am asking a question for which it seems science has no answer. All my life I have had a problem with cavities. Most of my family has this problem (both immediate and extended) so it seems like it has to be at least a little bit genetic. However dentists always want to interrogate me on the lifestyle factors, so I always feel like I have to bring a character witness with me to affirm: *I brush twice daily with the Sonicare toothbrush. I use Pronamel toothpaste. I know the proper "technique" for brushing. I have a subscription for new toothbrush heads so they are changed on schedule. *I use ACT fluoride rinse twice daily. I do not eat or drink for at least 30 minutes thereafter, but usually longer. *I floss with the Reach wand each evening. Like most people, if I eat something where things conspicuously get stuck in my teeth, I will floss additionally. *I drink a can of soda probably about 3 times a week. Otherwise I drink water and unsweetened herbal and black teas (the latter of which leads to a lot of staining, but that is a different issue). I don't drink juice on any kind of routine basis. *I do not smoke or drink coffee. *My diet is diverse, but skews toward Mediterranean due to my heritage. So I eat a lot of vegetables, salad, fish, pasta, etc. I also like Asian and Indian food, and will indulge in the occasional hotdog or unhealthy snack. But overall most would characterize me as a healthy eater. I do not generally eat very crunchy foods. I have been on this regimen for at least over a decade. I have always brushed my teeth and taken basic care, but at the same time have always gotten cavities. This would result in the dentist giving me The Lecture and saying, "Now, I understand you are already using an electric toothbrush, but CLEARLY it is not as good as the Sonicare otherwise you would not be getting all these cavities..." So I kept ramping up my efforts until I landed where I am, to no positive effect. Six months ago I was at the dentist. They didn't do an x-ray and said my teeth looked okay. This time, though, they did the x-ray and found that I have SEVEN cavities in between my teeth and one may need a crown. This is the worst diagnosis I have ever gotten. They said they will probably want to do x-rays on me every six months now in order to keep a track of things. This is my third dentist. I like him, but he has no compelling ideas of why this happens or how to prevent it. I was quoted $1500 to fix all the cavities (more if I do need the crown), but he mentioned that I might just need all of this work again in no time since we cannot ascertain why this continues to happen. Pretty much any time I go to the dentist they report that I have at least one or two cavities. I consider those "good" trips to the dentist. Once the dentist works his way to the bottom of the interrogation list then we get to diet, and suggestions skew towards "Well, instead of 3 cans of pop a week, how about you never drink soda again?" My diet is great in terms of my health, so if it is to the point where I have to change it just for my teeth, then who even needs teeth? It's not like I'm eating bags of Jolly Ranchers or anything crazy. I feel like they get hung up on this because there is nothing left to try. I am not sure what else to do. It seems like I must just stop using my mouth for eating and drinking and go on an intravenous diet and see what happens. As far as I can tell there are no compelling theories for this phenomenon. This latest dentist even thought of a few off the script questions to ask me (i.e. "Did you ever live anywhere else [in case the tap water there was horrible]?"). He says saliva that is intrinsically too acidic is not a possibility. Has anyone ever had this problem and come up with a miracle solution? Are there emerging scientific theories and treatments? I feel so disinclined to spend all that money for something that just seems to be a chronic condition. posted by Angel de Lune to Health & Fitness (65 answers total) 15 users marked this as a favorite Xylitol is clinically proven to reduce cavities - try sugar free gum after meals? posted by bq at 8:22 PM on March 9, 2015 A huge part of it is genetic. If you have crappy teeth, good oral hygiene will only minimise the effects of that :( posted by DarlingBri at 8:22 PM on March 9, 2015 Do you happen to be on hormonal birth control? I had constant cavity issues that resolved when I went off the pill and came back during pregnancy. My dentist at the time, a dental school professor, said it wasn't an unusual side effect of increased female hormones. Another thing that seems to have helped is that my insurance now pays for three cleanings per year instead of two. Might be worth an extra $100 per year to pay for an additional cleaning out of pocket. posted by Cecilia Rose at 8:23 PM on March 9, 2015 Man I'm sorry your dentists have been so lecturey. Here are things that have contributed to cavities in my family: 1) Genetics. My brother & sister are both genetically disposed to excess buildup (I want to say tartar buildup but I don't think that's right). Their dentist often commented on the fact that they were just plain genetically predisposed to lots of cavities, and they both have to be extra careful 2) Bad previous dental care. I had a bad dentist who did a bad job putting sealants on my teeth as a child and I got cavities under every single one. I have also gotten several cavities under existing fillings, just because they were badly done (future dentists were pissed about this). What to do: Only thing I can recommend is post-lunch brushing (or post-any meal). And get a dentist who's not a jerk. posted by brainmouse at 8:24 PM on March 9, 2015 Did you grow up in a place without flouridated water? I did and my teeth are cavity-prone. My sister, however, grew up with me and has very few cavities. Also dental technology has improved over the past decade so that dentists can see mini-cavities that didn't even show up before and they're getting more proactive about handling them sooner. So a combination of - genetics maybe - upbringing maybe - proactive dentists maybe And it may be also that you are sensitive to the dentist's questions because at some level when you're doing everything you can you just have to laugh and say "Yeah, teeth, huh?" Some dental offices are more judgey than others. posted by jessamyn at 8:24 PM on March 9, 2015 I've gotten cavities even though I brush at least twice a day and floss at least once a day (usually more). I don't smoke or drink soda. My dentist told me I'm doing the right things, and it's probably just genetic. posted by John Cohen at 8:25 PM on March 9, 2015 I agree with brainmouse. It couldn't hurt to start brushing after lunch. posted by Kevtaro at 8:27 PM on March 9, 2015 How old are you ? I had tons of cavities and such when I was younger - and level of hygiene just never seemed to matter. As I got into my 30s, I started getting problem teeth replaced with crowns and it's made a world of difference. It's expensive, so start saving now, but those man made teeth hold up way better than my natural ones ever did - and as a bonus they are nowhere near as temperature sensitive. posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 8:27 PM on March 9, 2015 I got cavities until I stopped flossing and started using the water-pik things. Not a single cavity since. YMMV. posted by H. Roark at 8:36 PM on March 9, 2015 Pasta, bread, rice and other carbs will cause cavities. posted by Nevin at 8:37 PM on March 9, 2015 I am 29 years old. I have lived in Chicago my whole life so always had fluoride in the water. I went to the same dentist until I was in my 20s and they were always accusatory jerks, so the take home message was always "this will hurt and be expensive and YOU could have prevented this if only..." I then went to a different dentist who was crazy expensive, they wanted like $800 just for a consultation and told me that marks left by my long-removed braces were cavities that needed to be filled. We didn't even get as far as x-rays. Finally I went to my latest dentist who dispelled the notion that my braces marks were anything to worry about, but he did give me all of this other bad news. He did suggest that my first dentist might have given me low quality fillings, resulting in many recurrences. The thing about the "start brushing after lunch" idea is it is just another way to ramp up my efforts when it seems like it is just a teardrop in the ocean of all the changes I've already made that created no difference. It's not like that's the divide between me and people that don't get cavities. I am feeling really cynical about further lifestyle changes at this point, when I've been so compliant for years and gotten nothing out of it. posted by Angel de Lune at 8:40 PM on March 9, 2015 Do you sip your soda over a long time period? I know that a continuous wash of sugar can be hard on your teeth. This would be true of fruit juices, too. Also, carbs, like bread, that stay in contact with your teeth for a long time (as they get stuck in the crevices of your teeth) are also more like to cause cavities. Brushing more often after meals could help. posted by dawg-proud at 8:40 PM on March 9, 2015 Okay, I posted after your update, and I know you are frustrated with changes that don't seem to help, but I really recommend that you not give up. It is absolutely true that you can be genetically prone to cavities. I am sure that my mother was. However, she gave up and made the situation for her teeth so much worse, and so much more expensive. Brushing after lunch for six months and evaluating then is so much less costly than crowns and root canals. I am absolutely not preaching, I am very sympathetic, and hope you find something that works. posted by dawg-proud at 8:45 PM on March 9, 2015 Could it be an issue with saliva production/dry mouth? Has any dentist suggested daily flouride trays? I wonder if they are seeing tartar buildup in addition to cavities, which is why they're asking about lifestyle stuff. But yes, my understanding, as someone with lots of fillings, is that badly done fillings can leave places for bacteria to collect that brushing can't reach. posted by muddgirl at 8:46 PM on March 9, 2015 I DON'T floss and I don't do a fluoride rinse, but I have literally never had a cavity. Literally never! I'm 34. I grew up super poor and had pretty inconsistent dental care in the first 20-ish years of my life. Your problem (and my tremendous good fortune) is 100% genetic. I do agree that your dentist sounds like kind of a jerk. posted by kate blank at 8:47 PM on March 9, 2015 I've had similar issues with my teeth, and the culprit turned out to be a bad case of dry mouth (caused by a combination of nightly CPAP use and various prescription medications). Might be something to look into. Xylitol mints and Biotene mouth spray have helped, and I have far fewer cavities these days. posted by Vervain at 8:47 PM on March 9, 2015 Are you getting enough calcium? posted by brujita at 8:51 PM on March 9, 2015 Not sure what you mean by fluoride tray? I do rinse with the ACT fluoride rinse twice daily. This latest dentist did ask about dry mouth, but it's not really a problem I've noticed. I told him I've had sinus problems and asked if the post nasal drip could be related, but he said no. I've been told that I don't have a tartar problem, my enamel is not thin, and my gums are good. In fact it is extra infuriating because at first glance hygienists and dentists have given me compliments on how good my teeth and gums look but then when they get into it and find all the cavities they change their tune. posted by Angel de Lune at 8:51 PM on March 9, 2015 I've pretty much been you. I do most of what you already do--the Sonicare, mouthwash, etc. Two things occur to me: (a) How often do you go to your dentist for a cleaning? Because in addition to all of what you're doing, I go four times a year because I have to get the plaque/whatever cleaned off more frequently. And I've managed to go years without a cavity now. (b) GET ANOTHER DENTIST. I've seen a lot of dentists who had no effing idea what to do with me and my problem mouth, and it sounds like yours is the same way. Try to find someone else who doesn't just nag you to get another Sonicare and throws up his hands. posted by jenfullmoon at 8:55 PM on March 9, 2015 I also have genetically bad teeth and my latest hygienist strongly encouraged me to at least rinse my mouth with water after lunch. I haven't gotten up the fortitude to make it a habit yet, but I do see women brushing their teeth and rinsing with mouthwash in the bathroom after lunch. If you do start brushing midday though, keep in mind that you can't have anything acidic (e.g. soda) in the 30 minutes beforehand. That will destroy your already weak enamel. posted by serelliya at 8:55 PM on March 9, 2015 Do you/could you drink your sodas through a straw? posted by tomboko at 8:57 PM on March 9, 2015 It can definitely be genetic. I am kind of the opposite of you in that I am not very careful with my teeth at all, ate tons of sugar for most of my life, and never flossed until I was in my late twenties. I have never had a cavity at all. Same with all my genetic relatives. I think you just got unlucky, and should do what you can, and then tell your dentist to stop lecturing or you'll change practices. posted by lollusc at 9:08 PM on March 9, 2015 (Dentist practices, that is, not your tooth-brushing practices.) posted by lollusc at 9:08 PM on March 9, 2015 I don't know if I would brush any more than you already are. My mom used to be a 3-a-day brusher until the dentist pointed out it was wearing down her enamel and making her more prone to cavities. posted by schroedinger at 9:09 PM on March 9, 2015 Well I have changed dental practices at last. I am hoping since this new dentist was talking smack about my last dentist's filling capabilities that he will do a much better job and maybe this will make a difference to my life (and be worth the money). And yes, that is another reason I am skeptical about brushing more than twice daily (wearing down the enamel). My mom tried that route and was told that it was making things worse for her. She also goes in for cleanings every 3 months but still has a mouth full of crowns and cavities. However she is a chain smoker and a chain coffee drinker, so I am not sure how much comparison between us is relevant. ;) posted by Angel de Lune at 9:15 PM on March 9, 2015 Another religious brusher/flosser with terrible mouth genetics here. Sometimes it's just the luck of the draw. My teeth are actually not cavity-prone--it's that my gums just hate my teeth, and vice versa, and therefore want to die. No matter what. All of my relatives are the same. Honestly? We all just get dentures at alarmingly young ages. Full-mouth implants eventually became MORE cost-effective for my mother than the endless root canal/gum grafting/bone grafting circus that was otherwise going to be the entire rest of her life. It's still really really expensive, but I imagine that will change in the next couple of decades. posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 9:16 PM on March 9, 2015 I'm sorta like you... If I do *All The Things* I can decrease (but not eliminate) cavities. My super nice dentist said my teeth and gums look great, some people are just prone. I'm with Jessamyn though... My siblings and husband were all exposed to fluoride as infants (oral drops, water supply) and none of them have ever had a cavity. I didn't get fluoride until I was a toddler. posted by jrobin276 at 9:19 PM on March 9, 2015 I took my three kids to the dentist today and he recommended a prescription flouride toothpaste for one of them. Maybe when you get a non-asshole dentist you could ask them about it? Also want to add to the pile that it's way more genetics than you thought. My husband takes care of his teeth so well and always gets a 'so-so' at the dentist. I have horrible, horrible, horrible habits and the same dentist says 'looks good!'. Genes. posted by 58 at 9:20 PM on March 9, 2015 Get another dentist. Ask older folks you know (50s/60s, who take care of their teeth) for recommendations. I love going to the dentist. It's like a spa treatment to me. But dentists do have to sell the services to you more than other health care providers, and one of their sales tactics is to make you feel bad about yourself. If you are left questioning your hygiene, you might not be thinking too critically about all the treatments being pushed. And I say this as a person who loves dentistry. Find a new dentist whom you trust and like. Also - all your efforts are not for nothing - you sound very kissable! Keep it up! posted by stowaway at 9:23 PM on March 9, 2015 [Hey there, Angel de Lune, just to let you know, AskMe isn't a venue for a back-and-forth discussion. You've asked your question; now people will answer, and you can mark the ones you find most helpful. Thanks.] posted by LobsterMitten at 9:30 PM on March 9, 2015 While genetics probably play a part in it, there's truth in what Nevin says above. This is an e-book, but you don't need to read it, just scroll down to the pictures of people and you'll get the idea. Keep scrolling, there's a lot of them. The basic point, though, is that eating "modern" foods, like processed carbs and sugar, is what causes dental problems. There's case after case offered as examples. If you seriously want to keep from getting cavities, why not avoid processed food for 6 months and see what happens? posted by MexicanYenta at 9:31 PM on March 9, 2015 I've never been a sweets person, I'm a bread person. Seconding bread, pasta, and other carbs, per my dentist. All those carbs stuck in you teeth until the next time you brush break down into sugars pretty quickly. posted by Room 641-A at 9:37 PM on March 9, 2015 I mentioned upthread that pasta, bread, rice and other carbs can cause cavities. Also how frequently you eat will cause cavitieisas well. If you are snacking (rather than eating 2 or 3 meals a day) you may be more prone to cavities. Brushing one's teeth and flossing kind of helps, but what you eat, and when you eat is more important. posted by Nevin at 9:48 PM on March 9, 2015 2nding brainmouse that if you had bad work done in the past, it can have a knock-on effect. A dentist might not recognize this because they're not thinking too deeply or because they're not experienced enough to have seen this pattern over a number of patients. (Or more uncharitably, they might be loathe to undermine a colleague's work/their profession.) Keep looking for a dentist; agree with getting a dentist at least in mid-career. Ask for recs. posted by cotton dress sock at 10:01 PM on March 9, 2015 Oh sorry. Seconding your current dentist also. posted by cotton dress sock at 10:06 PM on March 9, 2015 Do you have a dry mouth? Some medications will have a dry mouth as a side effect and some people just have a dry mouth naturally, but I've been told by two dentists now and a vet that a dry mouth is the #1 cause of cavities in humans and animals. I'm on high-flow oxygen and even though it's blowing into my nose and not into my mouth, it hits the inside of my mouth continously and my teeth are just about gone now; in fact, I'm getting what's left of them extracted in the next few weeks and dentures to replace them, which is not exactly thrilling me. But when I wailed to the dentist that I work SO hard to keep my teeth in good repair and they just disintegrate anyway, he said it's because of the dry mouth caused by the oxygen. And he said that many people are on meds that cause the same problem. I'm sorry - I feel your pain. posted by aryma at 10:07 PM on March 9, 2015 Oh, and I forgot to mention that GERD - acid reflux - can be a quiet source of tooth decay also. posted by aryma at 10:08 PM on March 9, 2015 My partners mom is a dental hygienist with moving up on several decades of experience. Any question like this, she'll instantly shut down the discussion saying it's just genetics and luck of the draw. Some people never get cavities and are more prone to gum disease, and some people get cavities but almost never get gum disease. It's a give and take. All the dentists she's worked with agreed with that. Two siblings can grow up in the same family, in exact the same conditions, eating the same food and everything and one will get tons of cavities and the other wont. I've seen it happen in several families, and she's seen it happen in hundreds. I've even seen it move to the sibling that constantly has problems getting really methodical and having a regimented care routine and still just having endless decay, while the other sibling stops brushing their teeth more than once a week and never has any problems despite that. I have a feeling this is one of those things like the gut bacteria-obesity link where in 20 years or less it'll have just been definitively proven. It sucks, but it really seems like for a non zero number of people you can do everything right and still just have endless problems with this. posted by emptythought at 10:37 PM on March 9, 2015 I have pretty poor oral hygiene, and only recently have brushed more often than not at night. there was a period when I would wake up from hunger in the middle of the night for a sugary snack and go back to bed without brushing. I'm pretty sure I don't have cavities. The one thing that sets me apart is that I drink a ton of water, key element: sipping throughout the day. Water neutralizes acidity to a certain extent, and drinking is like rinsing, which is a poor substitute for brushing. So, get used to drinking water and my favorite -sipping on cups of artificially sweetened tea. Hope this helps! posted by kinoeye at 10:44 PM on March 9, 2015 I hear you, this is frustrating. I have crappy teeth and take more diligent care of them than anyone I know. Now my 13-month-old daughter, who we hold down to brush her teeth every night, and who has never had juice or a bottle in her life, is getting cavities, too. It's maddening. I think it's a combination of different things: To a certain extent, cavities are subjective. In my experience, dentists with digital x-rays pick up more and earlier cavities. Some dentists are more conservative, willing to wait and see if a cavity progresses to something. Others are more aggressive and want to fill and drill everything. I drive 2 hours to see my childhood dentist, who is extremely old school and conservative and doesn't want to put in fillings if it's not absolutely necessary because that can cause problems down the line. Dental work can lead to more dental work. Fillings--both composite and amalgam--fail over time, necessitating drilling deeper to repair. Composite fillings can mess up your bite. Sometimes food gets trapped under a poorly-smoothed filling and causes decay. And any time you go in there and drill, you risk inflaming the nerve, which is how I ended up with two abscesses and two root canals right after I got fillings in teeth that had never bothered me before. This nasty asshole. S. mutans is an infectious disease. Not everyone has the right bacteria in their mouth to cause cavities in the first place. Bruxism/grinding. This is a big one for me. I've had dentists casually mention that my wear on my back teeth looked like it was from grinding but no one ever suggested that it might be the cause of my decay, which has only ever been in my molars, often over and over again in the same teeth. I recently did some research and it turns out that bruxism can cause cavities. Whoops. I don't grind my teeth to my knowledge, but I do clench and it's only recently, after a period of stress and an aching jaw, that I've realized how bad it is. Diet. You can go down a long rabbit hole of the Weston A. Price diet/holistic dentistry and curing tooth decay naturally. Vitamins K2 and D are especially important. I'm adding fermented cod liver oil and grass fed butter to my diet and my daughter's diet, because I figure it can't hurt. I've definitely been d-deficient during times in my life and apparently people who don't eat a lot of animal proteins (vegans) sometimes have worse teeth. There are things you can do for some of this: finding a conservative dentist who you trust is key, you can get a custom mouthguard off amazon for pretty cheap if you grind your teeth, you can take supplements, make dietary changes, get prescription toothpastes like gel kam and try something like mi paste to remineralize your teeth. But it's a balance, I think. I wouldn't be happy if I were going to never eat another clementine or handful of jelly beans as a snack, if I were to brush 4x a day instead of two, and I doubt it would help that much, anyway. posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 10:45 PM on March 9, 2015 Oh! Also, look into your diet. I think it's pretty conclusive that diets rich in animal fat and protein prevent cavities, while diets rich in refined carbs promote them. IIRC, they did a study on a a traditional style hunter gatherer population, and the people didn't brush their teeth yet had amazing teeth. It was only the introduction of refined carbs to these societies (including a population in Japan I think?) that coincided with cavities. posted by kinoeye at 10:49 PM on March 9, 2015 Find a dentist who trusts you about home care. Look into the hormonal issue if you are a woman; I too have chronically bad teeth and when I was pregnant I was getting cavities and infections EVERYWHERE and especially along the gumline. My hygienist said this is absolutely typical for pregnant woman who I guess get all kinds of swelling and for some people this causes serious problems. Get cleanings every 3 months instead of 6. You're doing enough. Keep at it. A lot of people are like this and you're not alone. I have great home care too and every tooth in my mouth has a cavity. I've even lost a tooth. It sucks, but it's what I got. I just have to keep up with my home care and let the dentist fix what gets through the cracks. posted by annekate at 11:00 PM on March 9, 2015 Looks like they're still working on the caries vaccine, but keep your eye out for it! posted by aniola at 12:29 AM on March 10, 2015 Hello, fellow cavity sufferer. Like you, I take religious care of my teeth, and I still get cavities on a fairly frequent basis. It wasn't until I moved to the UK and talked to a private (and awesome!) dentist there that I got the following information: Cavities can be very genetic. It might have to do with the pH of you saliva or the composition of bacteria in your mouth. You can brush your teeth three times a day, floss, and not eat any sweets and still get cavities. This doesn't mean that you might as well give up, but it does mean that some people, like us, just have to be a Perfect 10 on dental hygiene if we want to keep our teeth. I use a special prescription toothpaste. If you're in the US, it's likely that your toothpaste has a lower concentration of fluoride than the average that you find in the UK. To really prevent cavities in those of us who are high risk, you have to get a super-fluorided toothpaste. I get Colgate's Duraphat 5000 (that's 5000ppm of fluoride). It's pricier than normal toothpaste, but I've been on it for a year now and I think it's kept the level of cavity decay down. I've also changed my brushing and flossing habits. I used to rinse my mouth with water after brushing, then floss, then rinse with a fluoride mouthwash. It turns out that all this rinsing was washing out all the fluoride from my toothpaste, thus making my hygienic routine useless. Nowadays I rinse first with water (to get out the chunks of food between my teeth), then I floss, then finally I brush with Duraphat. I don't rinse with anything (no more fluoride mouthwash, because the fluoride concentration is lower than that of my toothpaste) , and I try to make sure the toothpaste doesn't bubble or foam in my mouth at all when I brush. That means no wetting your toothbrush pre-brushing. I just spit out the toothpaste afterward, so I can feel a thin film of toothpaste on my teeth when I'm done. I also brush with regular toothpaste right after lunch, and floss if I feel that there is food stuck. If I can't reach a toothbrush, I chew Xylitol gum for about half and hour. I drink my coffee without sugar and artificial sweeteners, so it's just milk and coffee (the milk makes it less acidic). I don't have any soda at all, and I try to minimize snacking. Snacking without brushing is one of those things that also puts you into a higher risk category for cavities. Apparently fruits are also high acid and can cause enamel erosion, so it's recommended that you wait for 20 mins after eating fruits or drinking acidic drinks (like soda, wine and coffee) before you brush. Otherwise, you're actually brushing when your enamel is being softened by the acid, which can exacerbate your cavity-prone situation. Anyways, that's what I do, and that's what I was told. I know it seems unfair, my wife can eat and snack on whatever she wants and she's only ever had one cavity in her life, whereas I get about one per year now. Some of us just have to deal with the fact that we're naturally a higher risk category, and we have to keep up or change our routines. Maybe try a better toothpaste and changing your ritual? If you are a foamy brusher or if you rinse afterward, don't! Making those changes has made a difference in the amount of cavities I have. posted by the_wintry_mizzenmast at 2:39 AM on March 10, 2015 I hope your current dentist is less judgy and lecturey! Dentists, of all people, ought to know that whether you have perfect teeth or a mouthful of cavities has a lot to do with the luck of the genetic draw. Don't give up on finding a dentist who believes in customer service! Have you been checked for GERD/acid reflux? My dad had a lot of problems with gum disease and tooth decay, and once he got his severe GERD and ulcers treated, his teeth became much healthier too. The acid backwash in his mouth was eating away at his teeth. posted by Rosie M. Banks at 4:38 AM on March 10, 2015 I didn't notice any posts while skimming mention this... Calcium bicarbonate. A toothpaste with a decent amount added(arm & hammer maximum baking soda is what i use) will bond to the calcium in your teeth and even repair minor cavities. It's miracle stuff. Toms makes a baking soda mouth wash too. Also flourosis. This is what happens when too much flouride is put on the enamel on teeth. It actually starts to eat it away and will significantly reduce the shine of enamel and leave you prone to cavities. Google it. Also flouride was originally used after the discovery of "Texas teeth" which was caused by Calcium-Flouride. If you check the ingredients on your toothpaste and mouthwash you will see it is not this chemical compound and is either sodium flouride or the other long name one i forget. I do not doubt that flouride bonds to enamel and helps. The effectiveness of the chemicals used today in water and toothpaste i do doubt how effective they are. Also genetics is huge. Also my mom said she started taking vitamin d3 and this helped her teeth. It helps with the absorption of calcium immensely. The same as the suns Rays which also contain the true vitamin d we need for this process. 50% of organ failure is caused by calcium build up in organs caused by the lack of vitamin d.. just a side note. I do use fluoridated toothpaste and alcohol based rinses. I switch them up daily with more natural products as well, like Toms baking soda wash and neem toothpaste(sans-flouride). Please use baking soda somewhere in your regimens. Good luck with your teeth!. Flouride rinse twice a day is probably over kill with regular toothpaste use. Those little new floss tooth picks are awesome and water picks are cool too. Get the softer picks also, not the hard plastic ones. posted by bfease at 4:40 AM on March 10, 2015 Novamin is a compound that helps remineralize and rebuild enamel. It's in toothpastes in Europe but hasn't made it through for approval in the US yet. It's available imported from Europe via Amazon. I got it for my husband who is very prone to cavities and grew up just east of where you are now, along with a Sonicare he is religious about using at least once per day. He's been cavity free for a year now. We also moved to the eastern seaboard so the water etc. are different, but it might help you too. posted by bookdragoness at 6:38 AM on March 10, 2015 There is a theory espoused by Dr. Gerald Judd that there is a continuous cycle of demineralization and remineralization of teeth. He believes that the glycerine in toothpaste blocks the remineralization. He recommends brushing with soap, not toothpaste. Also, he thinks flouride is terrible. For decades I had terrible tooth sensitivity. Even though I used sensitivity toothpaste, if I ate anything acidic (fruit, pickles) I could not even brush my teeth because of the intense pain. I heard about tooth soap and after 3 weeks I can eat fruit, pickles, sauerkraut. I do not know if it would help with your cavities, but it seems like more remineralization might mean fewer cavities. I have not had any cavities in the 5 years that I have been using soap (just deteriorating existing fillings and crowns). Also, my gums seem to be getting better. This is a tooth soap I like. I like the mint and hate the clove. posted by H21 at 7:21 AM on March 10, 2015 Just wanted to offer my sympathies. I am also 29 and while I have excellent dental hygiene, I also constantly get new cavities. It's so unfair. Things I've been told to do: sip water while eating ANYTHING sweet, EVEN FRUIT. Brush after lunch. Use prescription fluoride toothpaste. Use "MI PASTE" calcium and fluoride paste. Never, ever eat sweets or drink soda. posted by Cygnet at 7:34 AM on March 10, 2015 Do you have your wisdom teeth? I have three wisdom teeth and decided not to get them removed because they all came in pretty much without a problem. I am now finding that they are causing my other teeth to move a bit, mostly closer together. I eat healthy and while I haven't always been the best about flossing, I never developed a cavity until my wisdom teeth came in. My dentist, whom I trust and who has not led me astray before, says the cavities are caused by my teeth cracking due to the pressure of the wisdom teeth shoving them around. posted by Urban Winter at 7:49 AM on March 10, 2015 I also sympathize. Things that have reduced my cavity train from 5 in a visit to 1 in 10 years: - bite guard for night - I have a custom one because it's more comfortable to me, but a cheapo one you kind of mold to your mouth works, too - very, very little soda - very little fruit outside of meals - lots of water - prescription toothpaste - this has worked better than act fluoride rinse did posted by Ms Vegetable at 7:55 AM on March 10, 2015 Here's how to choose a dentist: are there big, glossy ads for them all over town/TV with headshots showing their perfect white teeth and taglines like "We're in the SMILES business!"...? They are not your dentist. When you go in does the lobby look like a set in a Kubrick film? They are not your dentist. Do they discover that they need to do another crown every single time you go in there? THEY ARE NOT YOUR DENTIST. I lost one tooth to a crown-happy freakshow like this and fled after she discovered another molar in dire need of crowning. Never again. This was like five years ago and the needful molar is still in my head, unmolested, because I switched to university faculty practice. They operate out of a secret lair deep in the dental school that nobody knows about. They don't advertise. They don't have a massive office staff that gives you an appointment card and then mails out reminders--you have to remember, yourself, because they aren't paying anybody to remember for you. The lobby is a room with some unassuming lobby chairs in it and a poster or two from 1986 and 10-year-old carpet. They don't need to flog teethwhitening or do unnecessary crowns in order to pay for billboards. Consequently, I spend a whole lot less money, I have many more of the teeth I was born with, and my dentists are the same people teaching dentistry to the next crop of dentists to come out of the school, so I'm pretty sure they're on top of any new dentistry developments. If you don't happen to live in a community with a big university dental school, visit several dentists before you let anybody drill. Find the most conservative one in town. posted by Don Pepino at 7:56 AM on March 10, 2015 Adding my sympathies. Nthing perhaps it is genetic. I have never had a cavity at 46 years old. Believe me, it's not super oral care -- sure I brush (with a regular brush) and floss (most of the time) but I am not super careful about it. My dentist has told me I am just lucky and it's my genetics. (I do have a major crown -- since I chipped a tooth in half -- so not super lucky.) My partner -- who is a much better flosser -- and uses a Sonicare all the time -- gets cavities. posted by Lescha at 7:59 AM on March 10, 2015 Happens to me too. I have soft teeth, always have, always will. I do all those things you talk about. posted by Jewel98 at 8:46 AM on March 10, 2015 nth-ing genetics. Not your fault. Also, another vote here for MI Paste Plus fluoridated toothpaste. It's like a mini-fluoride treatment at every brushing, plus correctly balanced bio-available calcium/phosphate for your tooth enamel. It's been incredibly helpful to me, I get it from my dentist. Even available on Amazon. posted by k8oglyph at 9:06 AM on March 10, 2015 My sister and I never, ever got cavities but my little brother gets them all the time. Our dentist guessed that it was because he had had a fever at some certain age when he was a baby (my mom confirmed.). Apparently a badly timed fever can spoil your enamel for life. posted by BusyBusyBusy at 9:28 AM on March 10, 2015 oh man, seconding Don Pepino's advice on choosing a dentist. I tend to go to dentists whose degrees are from impressive programs but whose offices are, like, a couple of rooms above a CVS. Sure, I'm still probably paying for the dentist's boat, or their kids' college funds, but somehow those don't necessitate the high-intervention hard sell that recurring ad costs and skyrocketing rent seem to. The first thing I say to any dentist: I have never had cosmetic dentistry, and I don't want it; I just want my teeth to chew food and not hurt. If they seem even the slightest bit grumpy about that, I bail. My current dentist and I joke about how we both grew up poor, and she readily admits that while she does a lot of adult braces, they would likely be a pointless intervention at my age (whereas every. other. dentist. I've been to has tried to sell me on cosmetic braces). I don't even think she does veneers or any of that stuff. And my teeth and gums are doing better under her care than they ever have before...not least because I actually GO to see her. posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 10:05 AM on March 10, 2015 I haven't had a chance to read all of the responses, but I wanted to suggest something that has completely changed my life (well, my dental life anyway): the gum stimulator. My dentist gave me one of these about a year ago, to clean a specific section of one of my molars where there was some recession (and therefore a tiny hole that food was getting into). After a few weeks, I started using it after flossing/brushing to gently wipe along the gum line of all my teeth. My dentist hadn't suggested this use, but I just started doing it one day. I couldn't believe how much thick sticky clear gunk was coming up as I used it. I just run the tap and rinse this stuff off of the stimulator after it accumulates a bit on the tip. At any rate, when I went for my first dental cleaning after starting this regimen, the hygienist couldn't believe how clean my teeth were. I guess using this thing before your plaque hardens makes a huge difference. I didn't really have a problem with cavities before, but there used to be a bunch of hardened plaque for the hygienist to clean off..... now there is hardly anything. So it could help you if you tried using it. It usually only takes me about 2-3 minutes extra in the evening. I actually find it really satisfying to get all that gross stuff off my teeth. I thought I was getting my teeth clean before, since I floss and brush properly every night. But I was surprised at how much gunk is still left on the teeth afterwards. posted by barnoley at 10:36 AM on March 10, 2015 Some ideas. Do you have sinus problems or mouth breath when you sleep? Your mouth drying out at night can increase cavities? Do you grind your teeth at all? Are you sure? I would have sworn black & blue I didn't tooth grind but it turns out when I'm stressed I do in my sleep. While it hasn't done huge direct amounts of damage with direct grinding wear and tear it does weaken/crack the enamel so I am more prone to cavities. You can get at home fluoride treatments & also sealers put on your teeth which may help. posted by wwax at 10:41 AM on March 10, 2015 Has anyone mentioned Sjogren's Syndrome to you, yet? It's a not exactly rare autoimmune disease in young women (Venus Williams has it) -- your body attacks moisture producing glands, usually saliva and tears are what people notice (in my case I didn't feel like I had a dry mouth but my saliva had turned acidic). The road to my diagnosis was bumpy because of shaming about oral health care. I went from having no cavities at age 27 to what my dentist called (not to my face!) "meth mouth" at 28. It was totally insane; my teeth began sort of slow motion crumbling and my dentist just smirked and smirked and smirked. I only got to the root of the problem when I went to my rheumatologist (MD). They do blood tests and salivary gland biopsies to diagnose this. The Sjogren's Foundation has a list of friendly dentists available via their hotline - I bet that would be a resource to you regardless. Those dentists tend to be health focused. What helps Sjogren's people is toothpaste, mouth wash and artificial saliva for dry mouth (dentist words: Xerostemia or Sicca Syndrome -- but don't quote me on that). Plus deep (periodontal) cleanings every three months. Lately I've been going in ~once a week to try to stay ahead, after avoiding stuff for a long time. I hope this isn't your problem but a nurse telling me about it probably saved my teeth! posted by sweltering at 11:16 AM on March 10, 2015 I would also like to suggest xylitol. It actually inhibits bacteria growth by staving it, which cuts down on plaque. When I use it regularly it keeps my mouth feeling so much cleaner. I use a toothpaste with xylitol and fluoride and eat xylitol mints after meals. Sometimes I also add a tablespoon of granulated xylitol to a big jug of water which I drink through out the day. 6-10 grams per day is the suggested amount for dental uses. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xylitol#Dental_care posted by Shanda at 11:28 AM on March 10, 2015 Oh and there are absolutely medications to help! I take Salagen which does exactly what it sounds like. My now-dentist is really impressed by how it's improved my dry mouth as well as keeping the saliva better balanced. The first week you drool but this is a small tradeoff. I have been told it works for anybody with dry mouth, saliva not right somehow or Sjogren's. I know there are two others but they interact with my medications somehow undesirable. I'd really suggest going to an MD, re: sicca syndrome, dry mouth (xerostemia - Also? I denied that my eyes were dry when they tested me for that and it turned out I had no tear production) or Sjogren's. Mine got so bad I got a jaw infection and lost three teeth. Don't be avoidant like me. This could be your whole system. Oh, and the oral surgeon I ended up with, a specialist in these things, was able to bill my medical insurance because it was systemic. That was huge and I got better care. posted by sweltering at 11:33 AM on March 10, 2015 Have you tried drinking more water? Since I was a baby, I've always required much more than average drinking water, which in turn keeps my teeth strong. Drinking more water keeps the saliva flowing, and saliva has calcium and other minerals that keep teeth strong. Can't hurt to try. Keep a water bottle next to you and make sure you are sipping it in addition to your normal liquid consumption. posted by Neekee at 12:50 PM on March 10, 2015 Just nthing what emptythought said - my sister and I grew up in the same household, eating the same things, brushing/flossing/mouthwashing consistently, and I've never had a cavity in my life. She came back from the dentist two weeks ago with twelve cavities. That's the worst it's ever gotten for her, but she almost always has at least one cavity if not several at her six month dental check ups. She and I both also have issues with drymouth, due to medications we take. And we both use drymouth-specific dental hygiene products to combat it. So, no guarantee that even if you have dry mouth (as an explanation for the continued cavities) it can be 100% resolved with something like Biotene or Therabreath. My recommendation would be, if you can afford it or if you have dental insurance that covers it, go to the dentist 3 times a year. My dentist has recommended this for me and has said it really should be the standard of care. In addition to everything else you're doing, a little extra monitoring from the dentist may go the distance in keeping this at bay. (Oh, and shop around for another dentist, of course, because yours sounds a little too judgmental - and unhelpful - to be seeing three times a year!). posted by nightrecordings at 7:31 PM on March 10, 2015 Mostly here to sympathize. I have excellent teeth but my gums have been inexplicably melting away for the past decade, starting in my mid-30s. So I may eventually have no teeth anyway. My dentist extolls the virtues of the proxibrush, which is part of my daily routine along with flossing, of course, and the sonicare (sensitive brush!) I also use the MI Paste mentioned above, as recommended by my dentist and periodontist. And the Pronamel, not the whitening kind of course. Waterpik with salt water to rinse. My bedtime brushing routine takes about 20 minutes, morning is faster, just brushing and waterpik. I go for professional cleanings every three months. Good diet, I exercise, I'm in good shape. Your basic boring healthy lifestyle. This is keeping my gums healthy-ish for the moment, though the recession marches on and the gaps between my teeth are pretty horrendous. I, like you, spent lots of time feeling really bad and judged and like I wasn't doing anything right. No one in my family but me has these shitty gums. But at this point, after almost a decade where I have never once missed a day flossing or brushing, where I have semi-routine scaling and root planing and I've experienced the delights of gum grafts I have mostly given up and realized that if my teeth fall out I've done all I can. I'll probably be happy to move on to dentures even at a relatively young age. You can only do so much. Hang in there. posted by Cuke at 7:42 PM on March 10, 2015

#Notes to my dentist

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lindafrancois · 5 years ago

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5 Hacks to Effortlessly Build Healthy Habits in 2020

At some point in the past week (or five minutes ago after a Google search), you’ve made a resolution to change your life.

Maybe you decided to exercise every day. Perhaps it’s time to start eating better.

Or maybe you decided to stop wearing jorts.

Well my friend, I’m excited for you, and I want you to know you’ve arrived at the right place!

We help folks build healthy habits as part of our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program, so you’ve come to the right place to fulfill your resolution.

We can teach you how to build habits the right way! Learn more about our Online Coaching Program:

Here’s what we’ll cover in our Guide to Build Healthy Habits in 2020:

Why do we suck at building healthy habits?

The first step of building healthy habits (Know your “Big Why”)

How to build healthy habits (The three parts)

The key to sustainable healthy habits (Use systems)

5 hacks for effortless healthy habit building

The secret to fulfilling your resolution (Do less)

Pick your habit and GO (Next steps)

Let’s get right to it so you can start rocking 2020!

Why do we suck At Building Healthy Habits?

“I know what I’m supposed to do, I just can’t get myself to do it!” Welcome to the club – we all know what we need to do, but we just can’t get ourselves to make the important changes.

We know how to get in shape: move more and eat less!

We know how to exercise: get your heart rate up, do some push-ups, get stronger.

We know how to eat healthy: more vegetables and less sugar.

And yet, we can’t get ourselves to stick with ANY of these things for longer than a few weeks.

Why?

Simple: Building new healthy habits is tough, our lizard brains crave instant gratification, we don’t fully understand how habits are built, life gets busy, and our default behavior is often as unhealthy as it is easy.

As a result, we don’t put the right systems in place in order to make changes stick.

We also rely wayyyyy too much on willpower and motivation.

We tend to bite off more than we can chew, go too fast too soon, and then get overwhelmed too quickly.

Does this sound familiar?

I’m going to eat 100% Paleo/Keto AND

I’m going to run 5 miles a day AND

I’m going to work out in a gym five times a week.

If you’re somebody that eats a typically poor diet, never runs, and hasn’t set foot in a gym since grade-school dodgeball with Mr. Wazowski, changing alllll of these at once is almost a surefire way to succeed at precisely NONE of them.

We’re conditioned these days to expect and receive instant gratification. If we want food we can get it from a drive-through, stick a frozen meal in a microwave, or sit down at a restaurant that’s open 24 hours. If we want a game we can download it to our computers/phones/PS4s within a matter of seconds. If we want to watch a TV show, it’s a few clicks away.

Hell, Netflix even starts the next episode for you without any action required!

We expect getting in shape to go the same way.

And this is why we suck at building healthy habits that stick.

We tell ourselves “Hey, I’ve been dedicated for a whole two weeks, why don’t I look like Ryan Reynolds yet?”, not remembering that it took us decades of unhealthy living to get where we are, which means it’s going to take more than a few weeks to reverse the trend.

And then we miss a workout because life was busy or our kid got sick. And we get disheartened that exercise or giving up candy is not nearly as fun as Netflix and video games and Peanut M&M’s.

This is where everybody gives up:

They try to change too many habits too soon

They get impatient the results don’t come more quickly

They slip up when life gets busy

And they go back to square one

It’s why we are doomed to stay overweight and suck at building habits. It’s the videogame equivalent of attacking too many bad guys at once: game over.

We’ll cover the specific healthy habits and resolutions you SHOULD be picking later in this article, but I have a big damn question to ask you first: “But why though?”

The First Step of Building Healthy Habits (Know Your “Big Why”)

Before we do ANYTHING with actually building habits, you need a damn good reason as to why you want to build them in the first place or the changes will never stick.

This whole “change who I am” stuff needs to be at the center of your decision making moving forward.

And if you don’t have a good reason, you’re dead in the water:

If you’re here because you decided you “should” get in shape, you’re going to fail the second life gets busy.

If you are dragging yourself to the gym because you think you “should” run on a treadmill five days a week even though you hate it, you’re screwed!

As you’re determining the habits or resolutions you’re trying to set, make the habit part of a bigger cause that’s worth the struggle.

You’re not just going to the gym, you’re building a new body that you’re not ashamed of so you can start dating again.

You’re not just learning to like vegetables, you’re losing weight so you can fit into your dream wedding dress.

You’re not just dragging yourself out of bed early, you’re getting up earlier so you can work on your side business before your kids get up so you can set money aside for their college education.

In our 1-on-1 Coaching Program and our online courses, we refer to this as your “Big Why.” Without it, you’re just forcing yourself to do things you don’t like to do – that’ll never last.

Tie it to a greater cause and you’re infinitely more likely to push through the muck and mire to get it done.

So dig 3 levels deep and ask “why” until you get to the root cause of WHY you want to build a new healthy habit or change a bad one. Write it down. And hang it up somewhere you can see it every day.

Got your reason? Great.

Now let’s get into the science of habits.

How to Build Healthy Habits (The Three Parts)

THERE ARE 3 PARTS TO A HABIT:

#1) Cue (what triggers the action): It can be a feeling: I’m tired, I’m hungry, I’m bored, I’m sad. Or it can be a time of day: it’s Monday at 9am, work is done, etc.

#2) Routine (the action itself): This can either be a negative action you want to cut back: I drink soda, I eat cake, I snack, I drink alcohol, I smoke cigarettes, I watch TV – or a positive one: I go to the gym, I go for a run, I do push-ups, I read a book.

#3) Reward (the positive result because of the action): I’m now awake. I am temporarily happy. My hands/mind are occupied. I can forget the bad day I had. I feel energized. I feel good about myself.

Depending on your routine/action above, habits can either be empowering and amazing, or part of a negative downward spiral. Your body isn’t smart enough to KNOW what it needs to do: it just wants to fix the pain or chase the pleasure of the cue, and whichever way you choose to respond will become the habit when it’s done enough times.

Factor in genius marketing, behavioral psychology, bad genetics, and an environment set up for us to fail – and bad habits rule us.

It’s why we crave certain foods, why we can’t help but check our phone every time it vibrates, and why we can’t keep ourselves from watching one more episode or grinding one more level in World of Warcraft.

As Charles Duhigg points out in The Power Of Habit:

“There is nothing programmed into our brains that makes us see a box of doughnuts and automatically want a sugary treat.

But once our brain learns that a doughnut box contains yummy sugar and other carbohydrates, it will start anticipating the sugar high. Our brains will push us toward the box. Then, if we don’t eat the doughnut, we’ll feel disappointed.”

Picture this:

We have trained your brain to take a cue (you see a doughnut), anticipate a reward (a sugar high), and make the behavior automatic (nom nom that donut).

Compare that to a cue (you see your running shoes), anticipate a reward (a runner’s high), and make the behavior automatic (go for a run!).

The Dark Knight himself said it best: “It’s not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me.”

Let’s take a look at each part of the habit-building process and start to hack the sh** out of it!

Learn Your Cues: Recognize the triggers.

Whether you are trying to change an old habit, stop an unhealthy habit, or begin a healthy habit, it starts with the first step in the process:

“The Cue.”

If you want to stop drinking soda, but feel like you need it every afternoon to get through work, your brain has been wired to think SODA after the cue:

Cue: I’m tired, thirsty, and have no energy.

Routine: I drink a soda around 3pm.

Reward: Weeeeee caffeine! Sugar! Happy! My life has meaning!

When identifying bad habits to avoid, it starts by becoming aware of the cue that sets the habit in motion. Simply being aware of the cue is a great start to breaking the cycle:

When I get bored (cue), I eat snacks (routine), and it fills the void with a happy stomach (reward).

When I come home from work (cue), I plop down on the couch and play video games (routine), and it helps me forget about work (reward).

When I get nervous (cue), I start to bite my nails (routine), to take my mind off the awkwardness (reward).

So if you are looking to break a bad habit, it begins by identifying what the cues are that make you take the action that you’re trying to stop.

At the same time, you can mentally train yourself, just like Pavlov’s dog, to build a new healthy habit by identifying the habit you want to build and the cue you want to use to proceed it:

When I wake up (cue), I will go for a walk (routine), and reward myself with an audiobook on the walk (reward)

When I get tired (cue), I will drink black coffee instead of soda (routine), and along with the caffeine boost (reward), I’ll get new running shoes after 30 soda-free days (reward), and satisfaction from the weight loss thanks to fewer calories (reward).

When I come home from work (cue), I will walk straight to my computer to work on my novel for 30 minutes (routine), and reward myself with Netflix after i have written 500 words (reward).

So, whether you’re breaking a bad habit or starting a new one, it begins by recognizing the cue that triggers the habit.

Once you recognize or pick the cue, you can start working on fixing the routine (action).

The Key to Sustainable Healthy Habits (Use Systems)

“Steve, I get it, but I still struggle with the ‘building the routine’ part…for some reason I just can’t bring myself to do it.”

Yup – welcome to the toughest part of a habit:

The Routine (the action itself!).

This is where we’re going to start thinking and acting like nerds and scientists. Whether we’re trying to stop a negative routine (stop drinking soda) or start doing a healthy routine (start running), both need to be addressed with a different plan of attack.

For starters, we’re going to stop relying on two things:

Willpower: if you have to get yourself to exercise, you’ll give up when you get too busy or it’s too cold.

Motivation: if you need to be motivated, you’re going to give up and then beat yourself up for not being more motivated!

Both motivation and willpower are finite and fickle resources that will abandon you when you need them most. Suckers and chumps hope and pray that they have enough motivation and willpower to build a habit.

Not us though! We’re going to remove both from the equation and use systems and outside forces to make the routine even easier to build (or tougher to build if it’s a bad habit you’re trying to swap!).

This can be done in a few ways:

Environmental hacks: making the routine easier by removing steps needed to complete it, or adding steps between you and a bad habit.

Programming hacks: add your habit to your daily calendar, track your progress daily with a journal, and make it part of your day.

We are products of our environment. We can use this information to our advantage and make the process of building a new habit or changing a bad habit easier by modifying our environment. I dig into this more fully in our article: “Build your Batcave for Habit Change,” but I’ll cover the basics here.

Look at the places you spend your time. Reduce the steps between you and a good habit, and increase the steps between you and a bad habit. You’ll be less reliant on willpower and motivation and more likely to do the healthy habit or skip the bad habit.

Here are five examples of environmental hacks you can use:

RUN EVERY MORNING: Go to sleep with your running shoes at the foot of your bed, with your running uniform laid out already. Hell, you can sleep in your running/workout clothes. Put your alarm clock on the other side of the room so you HAVE to get out of bed to turn it off.

GO TO THE GYM AFTER WORK: Pack your gym bag BEFORE going to sleep the night before. That way, every morning you already have a bag to throw in your car or bring with you. As soon as 5pm hits, you are in your car on your way to the gym.

EAT HEALTHIER: Don’t give yourself the option of not eating healthy – throw out the junk food in your house and start preparing meals the night before. Put a lock on your web browser from ordering pizza online (yes you can do that now), and don’t drive down the street full of fast food places.

WATCH LESS TV/PLAY FEWER GAMES: Use your laziness in your favor. Unplug the TV/system. Increase the steps between you and watching the TV. Put parental controls on your own system and have your friend set the time limit and the password. I knew somebody who put his TV in his closet and cut his TV viewing by close to 100%. Don’t rely on willpower – make it more difficult!

CHECK YOUR PHONE LESS: Turn off your notifications and uninstall the apps that waste your time. Put your phone in Do Not Disturb mode when you are at work, and put it in your desk drawer. Don’t rely on willpower to get yourself to not check your phone when it buzzes – get rid of the buzz.

You can also use programming hacks to help build NEW healthy habits:

EXERCISE: If you want to exercise more, set calendar alerts at the beginning of your week so that every day at 8AM you receive a cue (ding! on your phone) and a reminder to do the activity. You’re much more likely to stay on target when the activity has been scheduled ahead of time.

HEALTHY EATING: Consider batch cooking! If cooking healthy meals every night sounds like way too much work (I hear you on that), consider doing it all on ONE day – it’s a significant time savings, and it also will reduce the steps between you and healthy eating because the meal is already cooked and in the fridge!

WRITING: If you want to write a book, tell yourself you have to write 500 crappy words every day. Buy a calendar, and draw a big red X on every day you complete your task. Make your singular focus every day continuing the streak[1].

Make the Reward Momentum Building

And we are finally at the third part of the habit:

“The Reward.”

When looking to replace bad habits, do some reward analysis on your bad habits:

Soda gives you a caffeine kick and a burst of energy in the afternoon when you’re tired. Can you replicate that energy boost for your body in a healthier way? Switch to black coffee and go for a walk.

You find you spend too much time watching TV because you love escaping into worlds, and it’s affecting your health. Can you listen to your favorite audiobook but only while walking?

This will require some analysis and digging into the reward you’re trying to recreate without the negative action. This can lead your brain to some tough places, but it’s healthy to dig into it.

If you find that you want to start drinking way less (or give up drinking completely), you might discover that the reward you’re chasing is actually “escape from a job I hate” and “avoiding social anxiety in bar situations.”

Dig into your reward and what your brain is craving, and then see if you can reverse engineer a healthier routine with the same reward.

And then use outright bribery to get yourself to actually do the new healthier and choose the better action/routine.

What works for science and physics also holds true to building habits: inertia and momentum will work against you when it comes to building habits…until it starts to work for you as the habit becomes automatic.

We can fix the third part of the habit-building loop, the reward, with momentum-building prizes or results to bribe ourselves to continue. With each healthy and positive reward, with each completed routine, we make the habit sliiiiightly more likely to become more automatic the next time.

In other words, create rewards that reward you back!

DON’T reward your routine (running!) with an unhealthy reward (cake!). That’s “one step forward, two steps back.” And nutrition is 90% of the equation when it comes to weight loss anyways!

DO reward your routine (running for 5 minutes every day for 30 days straight) with a reward that makes you want to keep running (a snazzy new pair of running shoes).

5 Hacks for Effortless Healthy Habit building

Your life will get busy.

There will be days when you don’t want to do your new habit. Or you want to backslide and go back to old habits. Actually, that will pretty much be every day, especially early on.

So don’t leave it up to yourself!!

Stop relying on yourself and start relying on outside forces. Here are the best tips you can use to get yourself to actually follow through with a habit:

1) RECRUIT ALLIES: find a friend or group of friends to build the habits with you. A recent study [2] showed that:

Among the weight loss patients recruited alone and given behavioral therapy, 24% maintained their weight loss in full from Months 4 to 10.

Among those recruited with friends and given therapy plus social support, 95% completed treatment and 66% maintained their weight loss in full.

You do not have to go on this habit-building journey alone. Building a guild or recruiting a group of people to support you and help you and make you better could be the difference-maker in building habits!

When your friend is already at the gym waiting for you, you HAVE to go. If it was up to you, skipping out and watching Netflix has no negative consequences. Recruit friends and allies!

Don’t have that support group at home? Consider joining ours 🙂

Remember, those first few weeks are the toughest, which means they’ll require the most effort to get started.

2) CULTIVATE DISCIPLINE WITH ACCOUNTABILITY: When you can’t get yourself to follow through on a new healthy habit you’re desperately trying to build, make the pain of skipping the habit more severe than the satisfaction you get from skipping it.

Allow me to introduce some BRUTAL consequences:

Every time I skip ______________ this month, I will pay $50 to my wife/husband/friend who will donate my money to a cause I HATE.

Every time I decide not to _______________ this month, I have to run around my house naked.

Every time I do ____________ when I shouldn’t, I will let my three-year old do my makeup before work.

Do any of these results sound like fun? If you can’t afford to pay your friend $50, if running naked around your house might get you arrested, and if you’ll get fired looking like a drunk clown thanks to your kid’s makeup skills…maybe you just do what you know you need to do. The more painful it is to skip something, the more likely you’ll be to actually suck it up and do it.

3) NEVER MISS TWO IN A ROW. What happens if you miss a day? Who cares! One day won’t ruin you – but two days will, because 2 becomes 30 in the blink of an eye.

As pointed out in a research summary: “Missing the occasional opportunity to perform the behavior did not seriously impair the habit formation process: automaticity gains soon resumed after one missed performance.[3].

4) DON’T PICK HABITS YOU HATE: “Steve I know I should run so I’m trying to build a running habit even though I hate running.” Stop. Can you get the same results with a different habit, like rock climbing or hiking or swing dancing? Pick a habit that isn’t miserable and you’re more likely to follow through on it.

At the same time, we have tons of success stories of people who went from hating exercise to loving how it feels.

It’s because they made the habit part of a bigger picture: “I am exercising at the gym because I am building a kickass body so I can start dating again!”

It’s because they had a BIG enough why to overcome their initial dislike of exercise until they learned to love how exercise made them feel.

5) TRY TEMPTATION BUNDLING: Consider combining a habit you dislike with something you LOVE, and you’ll be more likely to build the habit.

If you hate cleaning your apartment, only allow yourself to listen to your favorite podcast when you are cleaning or doing the dishes.

Want to go to the gym more? Allow yourself an hour of watching Netflix, but ONLY while you’re on the Elliptical.

This is called temptation bundling, and it can be a powerful change.

The Secret to Fulfilling Your Resolution (Do Less)

Now that you’re educated like a boss on the different parts of a habit, it’s time to build one!

I’ll leave you with a final bit of advice: if you decide that you want to run a marathon or save the world or lose hundreds of pounds, you’re going to screw up unless you internalize the following information:

DO WAY LESS.

Or in the immortal words of Kunu from Forgetting Sarah Marshall: “The less you do, the more you do”:

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Pick ONE habit, make it small, and make it binary. Something that at the end of every day you can say “yes I did it” or “no I didn’t.”

Habits that are nebulous like “I am going to exercise more” or “I’m going to start eating better” are more useless than a Soulcycle membership for Jabba the Hutt.

Here are big examples. Be specific. Be small. And track it:

Want to start exercising more? Awesome. For that first week, ONLY go for a walk for just 5 minutes every morning. Literally 5 minutes.

Want to start cooking your own healthy meals? Just aim for one meal per day or one meal per week. Whatever works for you and your schedule.

Want to stop drinking a 2 liter of Mountain Dew every day? Scale it back to 1.9 liters a day for a week. Then 1.8 for a week. Then 1.7…

Want to get out of debt and build the habit of frugality? Start by saving an extra five bucks a day, or finding a way to earn an extra 5 bucks a day.

Want to learn a new language? Speak your new language out loud for 10 minutes per day. That’s it!

Keep your goals SMALL and simple. The smaller and simpler they are, the more likely you are to keep them. And the habit itself pales in comparison to the momentum you build from actually creating a new habit.

I don’t care how many calories you burn in a 5 minute walk, just that you can prove to the new YOU that you can build the habit of walking, and only then can you up the difficulty.

We’re thinking in terms of years and decades here! So think small.

My real-life example: I wanted to build the habit of learning the violin at age 31, but couldn’t get myself to do it because I told myself I was too busy, which is a lie (“I only have 25 minutes; I need 30 minutes to practice…might as well not practice at all”), and thus I never played!

Once I lowered the threshold to “I have to only play for 5 minutes per day,” it gave me permission to pick it up here and there – and I ended up practicing WAY more frequently, and got better much faster.

I still suck, mind you, but I’m lightyears ahead of where I was before!

And please: DON’T BUILD ALL THE HABITS AT THE SAME TIME.

If you’re new to building habits, or you have never stuck with anything long enough to make it automatic, it’s because you did too much. Habits are compound interest.

As you build a new habit, it bleeds over to other parts of your life and makes future habits easier to build too – momentum!

As Mark Manson lays out in his guide on Habits:

“Willpower is like a muscle. It can be exercised and practiced and built up. It can also be forgotten, weakened and atrophied.

Just like going to the gym and building up strength and endurance, you can build up your discipline and willpower over a long period of time by setting and accomplishing a series of tasks on a consistent basis.”

You’ve probably tried the whole “build all the habits at once” and it doesn’t work. So try building ONE habit for 30 days. And then pick a habit that stacks on top of that one and helps you build more and more progress and more and more momentum.

Start today: Pick Your Habit and Go

I’ll leave you with a final quote from The Power of Habit:

“If you believe you can change – if you make it a habit – the change becomes real. This is the real power of habit: the insight that your habits are what you chose them to be. Once that choice occurs – and becomes automatic – it’s not only real, it starts to seem inevitable, the thing…that bears us irresistibly toward our destiny, whatever the latter may be.”

You’ll need more brain power initially, until your default behavior becomes the automatic habit building you’re chasing.

With each day of you building your new habit, you’re overcoming any self-limiting belief, building momentum, and becoming a habit-building badass! And then those habits become automatic.

So today, I want you to look at just ONE habit you want to change:

Identify the cue that spurs it on – Is it the time of day? Boredom? Hunger? After work? Stress?

Identify the potential rewards – Happiness? Energy? Satisfaction?

Identify a new routine you’d like to establish that results in the same “reward” from the negative behavior…but in a more productive and healthy way.

And I know this journey is tough – it’s the reason I’ve been working with a coach myself for the past 4 years. Having somebody else to help me pick the right habits and focus, somebody to keep me accountable, and somebody to learn from has been HUGE!

If want expert guidance on your healthy habit building in 2019, let’s make it happen! You can sign up for a free call with our coaching team in the box below to learn more about the program and see if it’s the right fit:

Our coaching program changes lives! Learn more here.

I want you to leave a comment below: pick ONE habit that you’re going to build this month and identify the three portions of the habit you’re looking to build.

Good luck – now go build some momentum.

And ONE habit.

-Steve

PS: If your habit is getting healthier/stronger/weight loss focused, we have some premium resources here at Nerd Fitness that dig into the habit building psychology of this article:

NF Coaching – 1-on-1 customized instruction from our coaches, including handcrafted workout plans, personalized nutritional guidance, and expert accountability. Your coach will know you better than you know yourself!

NF Academy – Our self-paced online course with workouts, boss battles, nutrition levels, and a private online community.

Join The NF Rebellion Newsletter! Our bi-weekly email full of success stories, actionable tips, tricks, and fun info to help you level up your life!

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gif source: dog jorts, game over, lazy Homer, Lizzie cookies, Yoda, bad idea, level up, Seinfeld, walking, Home Alone, Final Fantasy

photo source: mouse on wheel, homer fail whale, storm trooper ladder, level up club, lego R2D2, storm trooper mirror, start, jigsaw, victory, rubik’s cube, , fred_v Evolution – Alternative, visiting friends

Footnotes ( returns to text)

This is called the Seinfeld Technique, from Jerry Seinfeld who talked about writing new jokes every single day

Weight loss associated with social support: a study

You can learn more about that study here

5 Hacks to Effortlessly Build Healthy Habits in 2020 published first on https://dietariouspage.tumblr.com/

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pail18buffet-blog · 5 years ago

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Points to find out about porcelain veneers as well as dental implants

Whether you have missing out on teeth because of dental caries, infection, or an crash, dental implants offer a great service that really feel as well as look like your natural teeth. Dental implants or porcelain veneers are currently a conventional method of remedying or changing chipped or missing out on teeth, and with proper treatment, they can last for decades.

Benefits of Dental Implants

You can solve numerous missing out on teeth issues with dental implants, as the implants function as an synthetic tooth root when they are dental implanted directly right into the jawbone. Any kind of clients that are experiencing missing out on teeth must think about dental implants as a long-term solution, as they provide numerous advantages.

One of the benefits of dental implants is that they have been made to stay strongly in position and stagnate, unlike dentures. For that reason, the implants will certainly act simply as all-natural teeth and not shift in your mouth when eating, drinking, or talking.

Unlike dentures, implants are very easy to preserve or clean, there is no demand to undergo any type of additional actions as you look after them equally as you do the remainder of your all-natural teeth. Clients would certainly just require to go via their daily cleaning and also flossing regular, no included steps or time necessary.

Bone deterioration is prevented with making use of dental implants, shielding the quality of your jawbone and stopping potential future troubles from showing up or reoccuring issues.

Phases of Dental Implants

Each individual's precise program of treatment will be different, however generally, right here is what you can anticipate from dental implants:

● The process begins with an first assessment, where we check how suitable you are for dental implants, and also if it is fine to proceed, we after that develop a therapy plan.

● One or even more titanium dental implants are inserted right into your jawbone.

● There is a period of remainder, where the dental implant or implants are entrusted to fuse with your jawbone and also recover

● We connect a crown to the implant. This crown is custom-made made so it matches in form and also shade to the rest of your teeth.

● You appreciate the results!

Advantages of Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers are a wonderful therapy for any type of individuals that have actually misshapen, misaligned, gapped, damaged, or tarnish teeth. The veneers will cover your teeth and also make them make over, supplying an better look, shape, as well as shade.

Our technique can fix your porcelain veneers in just a couple of visits, so if you are trying to find a brighter, whiter, as well as more appealing smile make an visit so we can speak with the treatment with you can offer you precisely what you require.

Stages of Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers are also specially designed to match your teeth, as they are developed in a research laboratory.

● Just like dental implants, the procedure begins with a diagnosis of your mouth and also a personalized therapy plan. At this stage we begin with examining your teeth, making certain you are a appropriate person for porcelain veneers.

● Your teeth are then planned for the veneers, as we will certainly reshape the surface area of your teeth. We will likewise make an perception or design of your tooth and also send it to a research laboratory to be created.

● The last action is the bonding process, where we use special cement to the veneer to bond it to your teeth. Your tooth or teeth are etched, polished, and washed, and after that a unique light is used in order to activate the cement and bond the veneer to your teeth.

● You will then come in for a follow-up go to, where we will inspect to see exactly how your mouth as well as periodontals are replying to the veneer, and also examine the placement to guarantee that it has actually correctly bound and properly protected in place as well as completely fitted.

● Appreciate your smile!

Are the treatments unpleasant?

We've learnt through a great deal of clients thinking about dental implants as well as porcelain veneers that they are stressed regarding the quantity of pain they will certainly need to endure in order to get the procedure. However, the treatment is a lot less agonizing than the majority of people imagine, as there are very few nerves running with your jawbone. Your mouth is the part of your body that heals the fastest, so there's truly no requirement to stress over discomfort. We will make use of a basic neighborhood anesthetic to numb the area during the treatment, so you will not feel anything while going through the treatment.

Recovery

Even though the treatment itself is not painful, some of our people really feel unhealthy for a day or 2 later. For that reason, we motivate you to have someone take you residence after the procedure as well as spend the following 24 hr kicking back in your house, so your body can appropriately recover. We will offer you all the needed guidelines for aftercare, and give you a fluid diet regimen which you will require to adhere to for the first week, as you allow your mouth time to recover. You can take over the counter pain relievers if you call for any discomfort management.

Finest Prospects for Dental Implants

If they have any missing out on teeth that require to be changed, the majority of grownups with healthy periodontals and also excellent general wellness are good prospects for dental implants. There are some variables that will restrain you from being a excellent candidate, such as gum tissue illness, mishandled diabetes, radiotherapy to your jaw, or cigarette smoking might prevent you from changing teeth with dental implants.

Only a dental expert can let you recognize if you are a good prospect for the treatment, and also as every patient is various, we advise you to come in for a examination as well as discover if dental implants are right for you.

Best Candidates for Porcelain Veneers

As with dental implants, the majority of grown-up individuals are able to obtain this therapy. If you are looking to take care of a cosmetic flaw in your teeth yet do not want or need dental implants or dental braces, come in for a examination.

Looking after Your Dental Implants and also Porcelain Veneers

When the final dental implants or porcelain veneers have been inserted or fitted, you need to look after them similarly you would look after your teeth. You need to practice great daily dental hygiene, by cleaning making use of nonabrasive toothpaste, flossing at the very least daily, and making use of an antibacterial mouthwash twice daily after brushing. You should additionally know bruxism or grinding your teeth while resting. If you think that you do this, allow us know, as well as we can work with you on a service, such as a nighttime mouthguard. An additional good pointer to deal with your new dental implants of veneers is to be careful with what you place in your mouth. You will be able to consume and also chew as typical, but take care with ice, nails, or pens. We likewise advise people to stay clear of tarnishing representatives as long as possible, such as soy sauce, black tea, dark sodas, merlot, and coffee. And naturally, you should quit smoking if you still do so, as it will certainly enhance your wellness in general, while also assistance in keeping your smile brilliant and white . Lastly, make certain to see us frequently for a routine dental examination, so we can resolve any kind of prospective problems.

We've listened to from a lot of patients interested in dental implants and porcelain veneers that they are fretted regarding the quantity of discomfort they will certainly have to withstand in order to obtain the procedure. As with dental implants, the majority of grown-up clients are able to get this therapy. If you are looking to deal with a cosmetic imperfection in your teeth but do not desire or require dental implants or braces, come in for a appointment. Once the final dental implants or porcelain veneers have been put or fitted, you require to take treatment of them in the very same method you would certainly take treatment of your teeth. Another excellent suggestion to take treatment of your new dental implants of veneers is to be careful with what you put in your mouth.

Newport Center Dental Group

1401 Avocado Ave Suite 404

Newport Beach, CA 92660

United States

(949) 942-8884

For more information on Cosmetic Dentists Near Me Newport Beach CA

Cosmetic Dentists Near Me Newport Beach CA

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healthywealthywiselife · 5 years ago

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Naturopathic Treatments For Men’s Fertility

We don’t talk about male reproductive health as often as we should, considering how crucial it is for a man's emotional and physical well-being.

Thankfully, there are naturopathic treatments for men that work to improve your fertility by ensuring the overall health of your reproductive system.

But what are common male fertility issues, and what steps can you take from home to improve your fertility?

Let's dive into all there is to know about men's fertility, and the naturopathic solutions for your reproductive well-being.

Male Infertility By The Numbers

Infertility is known to affect approximately 15% of couples worldwide, with male infertility contributing to about 50% of cases.

Some of the important factors we look at when it comes to men's fertility include sperm quality and quantity.

Overall sperm counts are reported to have fallen almost 50% since the 1930s – although the exact number is impossible to know for sure, it's accepted that sperm counts have declined over the past few decades.

Potential Causes Of Fertility Issues In Men

Infertility can be a frustrating issue to solve, due to its emotional (and sometimes physical) toll.

In general, if your overall health is lacking, then your reproductive health may be lacking too.

Let's look at some of the most common causes of fertility issues in men.

1. A Thyroid Disorder

Thyroid disorders are indeed more common in women, but they can also affect men – and may be the cause of your issues with fertility.

The thyroid gland, located at the base of your neck, is responsible for producing the hormones that control your metabolism.

Hyperthyroidism (too much thyroid hormone) and hypothyroidism (too little thyroid hormone) are two common thyroid malfunctions, but there are other conditions that affect how your thyroid gland produces and regulates hormones.

In fact, one third of all hypothyroidism cases are male patients, and can lead to male infertility if left untreated.

Hypothyroidism can lead to infertility because of how it affects your semen quality and sperm count; plus, it can cause erectile dysfunction and reduced testicular function.

Typical symptoms of hypothyroidism include weight gain, mood and energy level issues, fatigue, hair loss, dry skin, cold sensitivity, insomnia, and constipation.

On the other hand, hyperthyroidism manifests in similar yet different ways: symptoms of an overactive thyroid gland often cause anxiety, increased appetite, rapid heart rate, heat sensitivity, and weight loss.

If you think you may have a thyroid condition impacting your infertility and your overall well-being, consider talking to your health provider about getting your hormone levels checked.

2. Low Sperm Count

Sperm count, or the average number of sperm per semen sample, is an important factor for male fertility

The World Health Organization states a healthy sperm count is 15 million sperm per millilitre of semen, or at least 39 million sperm per semen sample.

The reason why experts believe sperm counts are drastically declining across the world is ultimately unknown, but we do know some factors that impact sperm count and quality.

3. Certain Prescription Drugs

Some prescription drugs can affect how your body produces sperm, from quantity to quality.

These effects are not necessarily permanent, however – once you stop taking the drug in question, your sperm counts may go back to normal.

Some of these drugs include: • Anti-androgens • Anti-inflammatories • Some antibiotics • Anabolic steroids • Antipsychotics • Methadone • Corticosteroids

If you are currently taking one of these drugs, it may be the culprit causing your fertility issues – make sure to consult with your doctor if you are having issues conceiving.

4. Poor Nutrition

Nutrition is another big factor that can interfere with healthy sperm production.

If you aren't eating a balanced diet of whole foods, your reproductive health may suffer the consequences.

Unhealthy fats are important to avoid – this 2014 study shows how the consumption of unhealthy fatty acids is linked to a proportionate decrease in sperm count.

Also, you should consider avoiding foods high in phytoestrogens such as soy products. These may reduce sperm production and testosterone bonding.

Plastics and canned foods are often high in synthetic estrogen, so eating a healthy diet of whole foods and avoiding prepackaged foods is a great way to set yourself up for success.

5. Emotional Stress

There are countless benefits to reducing stress, and fertility is no exception.

Stress causes your body to act defensively and direct energy away from reproduction.

You can reduce stress by exercising, sleeping well and enough, and participating in mindfulness techniques – but in general, how you manage your stress is up to you.

For natural tips on stress relief, talk to your naturopathic doctor.

Lifestyle Changes For Male Fertility

Some of the most important steps you can take to improve your fertility can be taken at home.

Simple lifestyle changes can make a big difference when you're struggling to conceive.

1. Eat A Healthier Diet

Proper nutrition is incredibly important for your overall health, and it will have an impact on your reproductive health.

It's especially important to consume antioxidants because they help remove toxins, slow tissue damage, and have an effect on your sperm quantity and quality.

To ensure your sperm is bountiful and healthy, consider adding some of these antioxidant-rich foods to your diet: • Fish and seafood • Nuts and seeds • Foods high in vitamin C (citrus, leafy greens, nightshades) • Foods high in vitamin E (nuts, vegetable oils) • Cruciferous vegetables

Healthy fats are also a great addition to your diet, including omega-3 and omega-6 fats.

They have a very positive effect on sperm development, and healthy fats actually contribute to the healthy development of the sperm membrane.

Other foods known to improve sperm count include: • Dark chocolate • Whole wheat and grains • Bananas • Vitamin D enhanced milk products • Aromatics such as ginseng and turmeric • Fermented nuts and seeds

2. Start Exercising

From stress relief to weight loss, exercise can positively affect your fertility in a number of ways.

Plus, regular exercise will help improve your sleep quality, which contributes to overall health and well-being.

Even light exercise, like walking instead of driving to work one day a week, can work to improve your sperm count and quality.

3. Supplement With Vitamin D

Approximately 32% of Canadians are deficient in vitamin D, and men typically have less vitamin D in their blood than women.

These numbers get even lower in the winter, when you're spending much less time outside in the sun.

There are a number of factors that contribute to our country-wide deficiency, from skin colour to dietary habits to sun position.

This deficiency is especially problematic if you’re trying to conceive, because low vitamin D intake affects healthy sperm development.

Although we know vitamin D is responsible for bone health, it also plays a big role in fertility.

This 2012 study shows the importance of vitamin D for reproductive health, highlighting the immense diversity of how this vitamin impacts your body.

4. Avoid Alcohol And Tobacco

We all know alcohol and tobacco are substances that can have negative impacts on our health.

However, those impacts can be easier to ignore if you aren't trying to conceive.

Cutting out smoking and drinking (or drinking in moderation) can have a great impact on your sperm count.

Alcohol in particular can affect your reproductive health in a number of ways, from a lowered libido to sperm quality to impotence.

Smoking is obviously terrible for your body in countless ways, but it’s especially damaging when it comes to fertility.

Talk to your medical provider for tips on how to cut these habits from your lifestyle at least a couple of months before trying to conceive.

5. Address The Root Cause Of Your Fertility Issues

The struggle for conception can be immensely frustrating when you don't know what is causing your fertility issues.

However, there are natural solutions that can help improve your fertility and give you a positive start on the path to fatherhood.

For more information and resources on men's fertility, contact us at Annex Naturopathic.

Our experienced naturopathic doctors will work with you to determine any potential causes or factors that may be impacting your ability to conceive.

If you have any questions about how naturopathic medicine can be a powerful tool in your quest to conceive, we would love to hear from you.

Contact Annex Naturopathic today.

If you’re curious to learn more about this subject or would like to consult with one of our NDs feel free to book a visit or contact us.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Marnie Luck, N.D

Annex Naturopathic Clinic 572 Bloor St W #201, Toronto, ON M6G 1K1 -https://goo.gl/maps/uVRBvcyoUa62

Annex Naturopathic Clinic is a clinic in Toronto that offers integrative healthcare solutions from Drs. Marnie Luck, ND, and Tanya Lee, ND

Discover more tips about health, wellness, naturopathy, and medicine at: naturopathic clinic Toronto

#annexclinic

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pitz182 · 6 years ago

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Am I Still in AA If I'm Not Going to Meetings?

Hi, I’m Helaina, my sobriety date is November 12th, 2011, and right now, I’m in the grey when it comes to “the program.”Here’s what that means.A lot is being written lately about leaving 12-step programs. The alternative, of course, being staying in 12-step programs. For some people, the decision likely is clear. Maybe you’ve realized you do need more meetings, sponsorship, step-work, and fellowship for your own betterment. Great! Do it. Or you definitely need to leave everything you associate with AA behind, because it really is just not for you, and it’s not helpful. Great! Do it.If you have some solid recovery time, you may be somewhere in the middle, in a place where certain aspects of the program are likely no longer useful or necessary, while others are. If you’re not giving the program the same all-or-nothing you always have before, you may be feeling pressure to stay and change your behavior, get back to your former state of enthusiasm and action. Others may be giving you subtle or not-so-subtle suggestions to leave, especially if you can’t fake it til you make it anymore and you’re clearly over it.Finding the Grey Area in 12-Step ProgramsThe groupthink can be intimidating, but you may not even have to make the decision to stay or go.Ironically, we spend a lot of time un-learning that kind of black and white thinking in recovery, opting instead to find peace of mind by living in the grey.In the grey, we can recognize that what we need and what works for us within the 12-step models can change, and that’s normal. As humans, we’re in a constant state of evolution, which is why we don’t spend our entire lives in Kindergarten (hopefully).For me, part of becoming a sober woman in recovery has been learning to trust that I know what’s right for me, and what works for me, while blocking out the opinions of everyone else; namely, the scare tactics, the fear of judgment, and the people who think they know what’s best for everyone. That isn’t easy.For a while, I kept going to meetings because I was afraid that I’d disappoint someone, maybe a sponsor, if I didn’t. I went because I didn’t want people to think I was a “bad AA.” Or I worried that people would think that I must have relapsed if I stopped going. There is a confusing contradiction in the program about how one size doesn’t fit all and everything is just a suggestion, but also that you’re headed for a miserable death if you reduce or stop going to meetings. So meetings weren’t really a useful part of my toolkit anymore, but I still carried them around until they almost became a burden instead of a cushion. But without the meetings—or with only occasional meetings—am I still in AA?Over time, as they say, we find a bridge back to life, and thinking in black and white is the very thing that can freeze you up while trying to walk across your bridge. So, I walk across my bridge “in the grey.”In the grey, you don’t have to pressure yourself to make a decision or overthink whether you’re “really” doing well. If you feel like you’re doing well, you’re probably doing well. It’s not a trap. If you haven’t spoken to your sponsor in a few months, or if you don’t have one, or if you don’t go to meetings…have you “left” AA? More grey matter coming up: you don’t have to decide to cut off everything and everyone, or do all or nothing when it comes to the program.Healing and Trusting MyselfI’ve done a ton of hard work—including 12-step work —that has changed my life and allowed me to remedy what drove me to drink in the first place. I have this great life because of those early years of incredibly hard work, diligence, taking all of those suggestions as seriously as possible and doing step work over and over again, and therapy, and all the good things we do to create meaningful change in our lives.I finally trust that I know what’s best for myself, and I know that I always get to change my mind. It’s taken me almost half a decade to feel comfortable knowing that I don’t need to drag myself to meetings just to be a “good AA.” I don’t need the same level of therapy for PTSD with the same frequency as I did ten years ago. What I need to stay sober, physically and emotionally, has also changed over time.Deep down, I think that if we’re honest with ourselves at any stage in our recovery, we all know what we need to do in order to not drink—and furthermore, to be good people, kind people, honest people, considerate, thoughtful, loyal.Whatever your values are, identify what you need to do to keep them close and act accordingly.Going to a certain number of meetings, making coffee, talking to a sponsor every day is not necessarily the answer for everyone, even if it is the answer for many. I respect that the same way I hope people will respect the rest of us walking our own path with the tools we need.As the book says, what we learn becomes a natural working part of the mind, and so what we did during our first three years may not be what we need to do after six years, and we can trust our own thinking again. When I feel that maybe my thinking is murky here and there, I usually know to reach out to bounce those thoughts off someone else.But the idea of knowing yourself well enough to change your program-related behavior is not preached nearly as often warnings against it.Sweeping Generalizations as Scare Tactics in AA"I thought, ‘I got this’ and then I relapsed.”Or “I stopped going to meetings, and I relapsed.”Of course, there’s also the F word: “I forgot that I was an alcoholic and couldn’t drink normally. “It is important to honor people’s experiences, but it becomes dangerous when we assume that all alcoholics everywhere need to do the same thing or they risk the same fate. Using that kind of sweeping generalization as a scare tactic can be enough to cause someone to want to reject the program altogether and leave or keep doing something that just isn’t right for them anymore and stay against their better judgement.Relapse is not part of my story (common belief is that if I don’t say “yet” I’m also doing something dangerous, so I’m sticking that word in the grey area of these parenthesis), but I’d be willing to bet that folks who have relapsed didn’t “forget” anything. They probably didn’t forget that their drinking had serious consequences the way that one forgets to turn the light off in the kitchen or take out the trash before leaving for vacation.They likely made conscious choices to engage in some unhealthy behaviors again, despite knowing what they knew about themselves; what they forgot was to put into practice all the things they’d learned in the program along the way.For me, forgetting my inner struggles would be like forgetting that I’m a woman, or that I’m a human, or that I need to eat and sleep. I’m well aware. I'm also not walking around saying, “Darn, I’m an alcoholic!” or “I am a womannnn!” every day.To an extent, there is actually a level of “forgetting” that feels great. I rarely think about drinking or smoking weed. I don’t think every day about how I can’t drink. I just don’t drink anymore.I know that if I become complacent, I may not get to keep it all, so it’s up to me to do what I need to do in order not to get to that place. Doing something to keep up the new life we’ve created is a great idea, but for me that something isn’t to keep me from forgetting that I’m an alcoholic, but rather to keep me from forgetting what I’ve learned, how far I’ve come, and what I did to get to where I am now.Social support in some form is such a crucial part of any kind of recovery, but you can decide what that looks like. I’ve made amazing friends in sobriety and as sober women, we understand each other and connect on a deep level that creates a special bond and provides a unique support system. And when you have just one alcoholic talking to another, as they say, you have a meeting.Self-Empowerment in RecoveryWe have to give ourselves permission to feel confident that after a certain period of time, having put in the years of work, we can start to know what’s best for ourselves. That breathing room is nice. Enjoy it.I also know that in a year, or in five years, something in me might change again, and it may feel right to go to meetings again. I’m not digging my heels in. I’ll be grateful they’re there, because despite all of the personalities and the disappointments and frustrations that we don’t like finding “in the rooms,” it’s still a beautiful place that is home to a program that works for a lot of people. It’s something we can always count on.Luckily, the world of wellness has opened up. Principles and concepts that were once exclusive to 12-step are now everywhere, in books, on podcasts, on Instagram and elsewhere. Reminders to keep our side of the street clean, take things one day at a time, think about our personal boundaries, speak (and text, and email) kindly and honestly, pause before acting, meditate, forgive, practice self-care, volunteer, focus on putting good into the world and not just taking from it, are everywhere.We learn that to keep it, we have to give it away and for me, that’s still true. Ironically, I spent years raising my hand to offer myself as a sponsor in meetings, I gave out my number, I spoke to newcomers, and I even served as “sponsorship chair.” Yet, I never had a sponsee. Instead, I’ve carried the message through personal interactions and to people who message me after reading something I wrote. I tried carrying the message and helping other alcoholics “the traditional” way for years, and didn’t get the chance to do it that way, so I figured out the ways in which I can.If you don’t know where you stand around that line in the sand that separates “leaving” or “staying” then lay your blanket down, sprawl out across it, and forget about the line altogether.How has your 12-step participation changed over time? Do you believe people can reduce their involvement and still be okay? Sound off in the comments.

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alexdmorgan30 · 6 years ago

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Am I Still in AA If I'm Not Going to Meetings?

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8241841 http://bit.ly/2InK74j

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emlydunstan · 6 years ago

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Am I Still in AA If I'm Not Going to Meetings?

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8241841 https://www.thefix.com/am-i-still-aa-if-im-not-going-meetings

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