Holistic (Biological) Dentistry, Part 2

Mercury Amalgam Fillings. Conventional dentistry uses amalgam (silver fillings) in dental practice. After all, dental schools have been teaching students that amalgams are completely safe and pose no danger to the patient's health.

Now, holistic dentists no longer use silver mercury amalgam fillings because they know it is the most toxic element causing adverse health effects to humans.

Dr. Nelson Mari L. Gaba considers mercury as an acute neuro-toxin, its toxicity in humans taking a variety of forms. Mercury accumulates in nerve cells--those that run throughout the body (peripheral), those of the spinal cord and brain (central), and in organs and glands such as the kidney and the thyroid. As the body detoxifies itself from mercury, it pushes it out through the various bodily excretions. This includes hair, exhaled hair, urine, feces, sweat and milk (nursing mother). The damage it causes depends on where it accumulates and to what extent the person's body is able to detoxify and excrete it.

The most common symptoms of mercury toxicity in the peripheral nervous system are numbness, tingling, tremors in the fingers or toes and weakness of the limbs. The most common symptoms of mercury toxicity in the central nervous system are an inability to concentrate or form coherent thoughts, depression, blurred vision, and all forms of nervous instability. These include mood swings, insomnia, irritability, anxiety, paranoia, and the development of social phobias. Other common symptoms of mercury toxicity include a metallic taste, bad breath, loose gums or gum disease, trembling tongue, mouth ulcers or sores, loose teeth, and excessive salivation. Skin symptoms include ulcers, eruptions, skin rashes and eczema-like patches.

Metal-Free Dentistry. Dr Gaba acknowledges the biological significance of corrosive products used in dentistry. The electro corrosive processes change the surface structure and physical properties of the restoration involved. Such changes, as well as tarnish of course, can be easily seen, especially when low quality alloys are used. These changes enhance bacterial plaque accumulation and make the corrosive procedure go faster. Electro corrosive processes predispose to plaque accumulation not only on metal surfaces but also on the adjacent teeth.

The corrosion products formed in the mouth are absorbed by the tissues in the teeth, saliva, the soft tissues and body fluids. Some of the corrosion products taken up by saliva, the gingival and the dental pulp will be rapidly transported throughout the body and sometimes to specific target organs where they are accumulated.

Dr. Gaba also acknowledges that metals in our mouth has a strong electromagnetic field around it. This electromagnetic field present in metal crowns, metal fillings and metal bridges may cause an electromagnetic interference to our body's nervous system contributing to biophysical stress. It is imperative that a material compatibility test be rendered before any teeth restoration is to be performed. Your holistic dentist believes in the concept of metal-free dentistry.

[Holistic (Biological) Dentistry, Part 3 will appear in next week's posting]

Holistic (Biological) Dentistry, Part 1

You may not have heard of "Holistic or Biological Dentistry." Neither did I--until my wife and I met Dr. Nelson Mari L. Gaba who practices Holistic Dentistry in the Philippines. Dr. Gaba is a registered member of the Holistic Dental Association (HDA-USA), having taken a post-graduate course in Biologic Dentistry at the International Academy of Biologic Dentistry and Medicine in Carmel, California, U.S.A.

In our recent meeting with Dr. Gaba, he emphasized the importance of a healthy mouth and its overall impact on the total health of the individual. He offered the information that the accumulation of toxins in the body is the key factor underlying many health problems, and that dental substances can contribute to toxic build-up in the body. The holistic dentist recognizes the interconnection between the teeth and the rest of the body.

"A balanced, healthy body needs a balanced non-toxic dental treatment. This must be bio-compatible with the entire body and must not compromise general health and well-being. Hence, we do not use metals and all materials are specifically selected for you, with bio-compatibility in mind. We recognize and respect your uniqueness and aim to create a therapeutic environment that is conducive to relaxation achieved through the use of aromatherapy, meditation therapy and other relaxation techniques. Whenever possible homeopathic supplements and other natural products are used for treatment so that further build-up of toxins will be significantly reduced. Acknowledging the invasive nature of dental treatments, procedures should be kept to a minimum. Our focus is prevention. We try to achieve a caring wellness environment where your body can heal itself with the dental treatment being a significant part of the whole balance. We strive to work in harmony with the human body in its entirety, including mind and spirit," underscored Dr. Gaba.

More information that most of us may not have heard about--or realized as crucial to a healthy tooth--were shared by Dr. Gaba:

• The enamel is the tooth's most valuable protective tissue. Without it, the tooth will continue to decay.
  
  
• The better you care for your tooth enamel, the better off you will be.
  
  
• No dental treatment is permanent but damage to tooth structure is permanent.
  
  
• The first criterion that you should use in choosing a procedure to improve the appearance of your tooth is one which does the least damage to it for the greatest improvement.
  
  
• Extensive studies show that all the different parts of our body are interconnected: the oral cavity, the teeth and the dental materials inside it are very important components to the systemic whole; that the health of our mouth is vital to our general health since it is part of the whole body.
  
  
• Whatever dental treatment is performed must be bio-compatible with the whole body and must not compromise your general health and well-being.

[Holistic (Biological) Dentistry, Part 2 will be posted next week--J.P.]

Alcohol Causes Brain Damage, Part 2

The widespread belief that moderate taking of alcoholic drinks is harmless and even good for the health is blasted by the results of experiments conducted by an American medical team. The top findings are as follows:

• Any kind of alcohol drink destroys irreplaceable brain cells.
• Continuous years of drinking translate into the destruction of millions of such cells.
• Brain cell damage or loss is permanent, and the symptoms include advanced aging, recurrent loss of memory, impaired judgment, slowed wits, and reduced sensory acuity.

The team was led by Dr. Melvin H. Knisely, a professor of anatomy at Medical University of South Carolina and their findings were published in the Microvascular Research, a medical periodical of international circulation.

They said their experiments showed that even the first-ever or occasional drink may result in loss of brain cells. Such a loss relentlessly accumulates, affecting millions of cells "if drinking is continued successively five years."

The doctors stressed that the human body cannot replace brain cells, meaning such injury is of the permanent type.

The Knisely group said it discovered the effects of alcohol on the brain by studying the small arteries of the white of the eye under a microscope.

Eyes of 200 healthy non-drinking persons were examined by the team. Blood cells in the eyes of the non-drinking persons were observed to be separate from each other and flow through the narrow arteries easily and rapidly.

In the case of drinkers, their blood cells were found to clump together, forming wads which become larger and pass through the arteries more slowly as the percentage of alcohol in their blood increases, the team found out.

The research also showed that aside from the brain, other organs of the body, such as the liver, heart and kidneys, also are injured by alcohol in the blood.

The medical team reported that its experiments were built upon the foundations laid by the late Dr. C. B. Courville, an authority on neuropathology, who authored a book, Effect of Alcohol on the Nervous System of Man.

With detailed pictures, Dr. Courville proved that the cerebral cortex, the thinking center of the brain, and the cerebellum, responsible for muscle coordination and balance, are badly damaged as a result of drinking enough alcohol for many years.

In his studies, Dr. Courville also suggested that the brains of alcoholics hemorrhage more easily than those of non-drinkers, their lifespans shortened by 15 years after becoming problem drinkers.

"The only way to be safe from the dangers of alcohol is to quit it cold," advised Dr. Knisely.

Prostate Cancer Notes

"Prostate cancer is the third most common cause of death from cancer in men of all ages, and most common cause of death from cancer in men over 75," says pharmacist Suzy Cohen.

Ms. Cohen's research findings follow:

• MYTH. Having frequent sex causes prostate problems.
  
  
• FACT. A Harvard study showed that cancer risk was about 33% LOWER in men who had frequent sex (about 20 romps a month).
  
  
• Benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) is always the initial step towards cancer...and if you don't cure your BPH, then you are headed down a path that could lead to cancer. Some guys don't even realize that they have the symptoms of BPH, so here they are: straining to begin urination; a weak urinary stream; dribbling after urination; frequency of urination (sometimes every 2 hours or less); a recurrent, sudden, or uncontrolled urge to urinate; feeling the bladder has not completely emptied after urination; pain during urination; waking up at night to urinate.
  
  
• Testosterone is a hormone that BOTH men and women make from the basic molecule called cholesterol which can form many hormones in the body. Testosterone is one of THE most helpful hormones that men can have (even for women). It keeps men and women healthy, fertile, energetic and revs up their sex drives.
  
  
• Vitamin D is anti-cancer. It is the 'sunshine vitamin' because our skin converts it to an active healthy form called D3. If you are a man, do NOT let yourself become vitamin D deficient.
  
  
• Free radical damage can be reduced by: stopping smoking and eating greasy burgers, French fries, beer, foods with MSG, and artificial chemicals. Also, start taking antioxidants, such as resveratrol, pycnogenol, blueberry extract, vitamin C, vitamin D (taking a "sunbath" for 10 minutes in the early morning hours before 9 will supply you with adequate vitamin D for the day).
  
  
• Having enlarged prostate symptoms is a wake-call to change diet, take supplements, exercise and lose weight, and control your insulin levels (you can verify this with a blood test).
  
  
• Other supplements to take for BPH sufferers are: zinc (found in sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds); quercetin (found in apples and other fruits); curcumin (found in curry spice or turmeric); lycopene (found in tomatoes, watermelon); natural anti-fungals (grapeseed extract and aged garlic); also probiotic supplementation.
  
  
• Since prostate cancer is usually slow-growing, you have time to take care of yourself and get cured.

(Our thanks to Suzy Cohen, who graciously allowed us to quote directly from her article, "Prostate Cancer," at www.dearpharmacist.com/?p=251)

Nutritional Supplements

Many nutritionists believe that most people should take multiple vitamins the year round as supplements to their diets.

Today, there is a growing trend among health-conscious individuals to take a proactive approach to their own health by taking vitamins, minerals and antioxidants daily.

But why the keen interest in supplements?

There are many reasons: poor quality of food supply; loss of nutrients in cooked food; not eating a healthy diet; stressful lifestyle; and sickness. The supplements are also used by many to slow down the aging process and strengthen the immune system to prevent chronic diseases, like cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes.

A few years ago, California Institute of Technology, aided by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, offered proof that most people can benefit from extra vitamins the year round.

They tested a group of healthy men whose ordinary diet was as good as average. Each man was given tablets five days a week for a whole year. Half the men were given multivitamin tablets, while the other half were given placebo (fake tablets of no value).

For the first two months there was no observable difference between the two groups.

But during the following six months, the men who had been receiving vitamin tablets forged ahead. They were absent less and scored higher in merit-rating. The vitamin tablets seemed to have the greatest effect on the workers' emotional well-being. They seemed happier, more alert.

Tidbits. "Most of our dyspepsia or indigestion is simply the irritation due to too much food or drink. It is not a disease, and medicine only adds insult to injury," claims Dr. Peter P. Chase in his book, Your Wonderful Body.

Dr. Victor Heiser, in You're the Doctor, illustrates the dangers of overeating as follows:

"It is as though you owned a boiler designed to burn a ton of coal a day, the amount sufficient to generate steam enough to run your plant. Instead of following instructions, you constantly burn two tons daily. The safety valve is then always blowing off unused steam. You are not only wasting your coal but burning out the boiler. Something similar to this is taking place in the bodies of people who overeat."

Exercise of the week. Here is an excellent reliever for office workers who sit hunched over a desk all day:

Stand erect with both arms stretched out in front. Inhale as you stretch them out to your sides. Then exhale as you slowly swing them back together in front of you. Keep the hands relaxed and feel the pull and stretch from the chest area.

Tighten your abdominal muscles and your buttocks during the process and you will also do wonders for your posture.

Do 8 repetitions the first day, adding a few repetitions each day until you reach 20 reps.

Do the exercise every hour to relieve shoulder and neck tightness.

Lack of sleep can affect your mental abilities. In a series of studies on college students, Dr Robert A. Hicks, Ph.D. found that sleeping less than 6 hours a night can reduce your ability to think creatively, lessen your ability to cope with stress and erode your problem-solving talents.

Alcohol Causes Brain Damage

Alcohol can cause brain damage. If you are a heavy drinker of beer and been lately noticing some inefficiency in doing things you have been used to before, then don't be surprised because drinking only three glasses of beer a day is enough to damage the human brain. So claims Australian neurologist, Dr. Lesley Cala in a research project she has undertaken and published in HR, the management magazine.

"To stay young, drink plenty of water. The older one gets, the more important it is to drink water," said Dr. Bernhard Steinmann at a geriatric convention in Hamburg, Germany.

"Increasing one's liquid intake prevents dehydration and premature aging; nonetheless, older people become less thirsty than younger people,'' he added.

"Lack of water in the body results in exhaustion, heart trouble and other upsets. Older people should drink from one up to one-and-a-half liters of water a day,"

concluded Dr. Steinmann.

"To prolong life, stress is also necessary," said gerontologist Erhard Olbrich. Experiments with animals in Russia have shown that too little stress and too much of it, shortens one's life. Olbrich however did not explain how much stress a person can take. Moreover, persons react differently to stress. He cited the example of a couple undergoing divorce. One could come out of the tense divorce proceedings a better person, while the other may just crumble under the strain.

Another gerontologist, Erich Lang, reported that low blood pressure in elderly patients is just as dangerous as having high blood pressure. Both increase the risks of having a heart attack.

"When an elderly patient has high blood pressure, it must be lowered through medication gradually, not drastically," Lang added.

Tidbits. Do you know that "heartburn," blighting the life of many elders, is better controlled not with antacid but with acid--hydrochloric acid--which when deficient permits food to ferment and putrefy, producing those "burpy" acids that can bubble up in the throat?

Dr. Omar G. Arabia II, Integrative Oncologist

During my recent trip to Manila, I had the privilege to interview Omar G. Arabia II, M.D., who operates the Paracelsus Integrative Medical Clinic in Quezon City, Philippines.

Dr. Arabia has been practicing Family Health, Biological Medicine and Integrative Oncology for more than 20 years. Talking to him was educational, and the information that follows is an eye-opener.

"The human body, given the right conditions, has miraculous powers to renew itself...," so says the good doctor.

According to Dr. Arabia, the gentle art and science of healing is to provide biological, non-toxic, integrative health care through the maintenance of health and optimal wellness--and most important--the prevention, early detection and treatment of cancer and other chronic, degenerative diseases.

Talking about the present state of health of Filipinos, Dr. Arabia enumerated the following findings:

• Over a quarter of the Philippine population will develop some form of cancer in their lifetime, and one of five will die of it.

• While cancer has risen over the last four decades (even more drastically in the last 10 years) there has been scant overall improvement in treatment and survival.

• This recent 'cancer epidemic' has been paralleled by the phenomenal growth of the petrochemical industry and the resulting introduction of a wide range of synthetic carcinogens into the workplace and the environment, especially the food supply.

• Most independent experts now agree that the overwhelming majority of all human cancers are environmentally-induced or related--and just preventable.

On his method of treatment, Dr. Arabia shares his views:

"The longstanding, generally accepted medical approach to the treatment of cancer has been to destroy the cancer cells by radical methods. Cancer is regarded as a foreign body that has to be removed either by surgery, radiation or chemotherapy. Though some cancers may respond to this approach, many others do not. In fact, in a number of cases, this type of treatment does more harm than good because of the unpredictable, unwanted side effects. Although the standard treatment approaches might reduce the tumor burden, they would do nothing to change the underlying conditions that had encouraged this abnormal growth to occur and recur in the first place.

"There is a growing consensus in medicine today to investigate other approaches, like strengthening the immune system through nutrition, detoxification, biological medicine, meditation, and many others.

"Our approach rests on the assumption that cancer is a systemic, not a local disease, even before it reaches advanced stages. Our strategy is to support and enhance the body's defense functions, to mobilize internal healing forces--all to assist the body in neutralizing and/or breaking down the cancer. Patients with cancer may often survive for long periods of time beyond expectations, as long as their defense systems are kept nourished and strong."

Expect more cutting-edge preventive/holistic medicine "gems" from Dr. Arabia and other alternative doctors and health researchers from around the world. Stay healthy and fit!