Brushing Your Teeth Is Good For Your Heart

How could your dental and heart health ever be connected? Well, according to new research conducted in England, there is a rather strong connection between the ways you care for your pearly whites and your chance of suffering a heart attack.

The study, conducted by the Scottish Health Survey, examined over 11,000 individuals of all ages to identify a possible correlation between dental and heart health. Along with information on their dental bill of health, the subjects were asked to provide information about their other lifestyle habits, such as smoking, physical activity, and health routines. 

 

Of the group, about 62 percent said they visited the dentist every six months, and another 71 percent said that they brushed their teeth twice a day. This information lead the researchers to conclude that those that admitted to brushing their teeth less frequently had an extra 70 percent risk of heart disease or heart attack.

"Our results confirmed and further strengthened the suggested association between oral hygiene and the risk of cardiovascular disease," says Richard Watt DDS from the University College London. According to the researchers, the results of the study were not entirely surprising, but rather confirmation of a decade-long hypothesis on the connection between dental diseases and cardiovascular health. 

 

In yet another study conducted in the United States, it was found that as people's gum health decreased, so did the rate at which plaque built up in their arteries. This study showed that the chances of contracting a dangerous condition called atherosclerosis, or the narrowing of the arteries around the heart, decreased when subjects brushed their teeth and had a clean bill of gum and oral health.

But scientifically, how are gum disease and heart disease connected? The bacteria that develops in your mouth when you have gum disease contributes to atherosclerosis in that it adds to the level of inflammation of the arteries and triggering a biological reaction that narrows space these important passage ways. Once you have atherosclerosis, your chances mild to certain that you will experience a heart attack and possibly even stroke. 

 

So the next time you worry about your visit to the dentist, or need a reason to floss your teeth, remember that caring for your oral and gum health properly could dramatically decrease your chances of heart disease and other serious conditions. Make brushing and flossing a regular habit, and you are sure to be on the way to a heart-healthy and happy self!

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

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Understanding Mindful Walking Practice & Its Many Benefits

With stress, fear, and anxiety reaching an all-time high because of the ongoing pandemic situation, various mental health professionals have suggested practicing mediation as one of the ways to cope with your emotions. However, seated meditation isn’t convenient for everyone; especially those who are constantly on the move. For such people, the process of mindful walking would be more useful.

Mindful walking, also known as walking meditation, provides you with the physical benefits of walking (such as a healthier heart and calorie burning), along with active meditation, and mindfulness.

 

 What is mindful walking?  

Walking meditation originates from Buddhist teachings and it has been used as a technique for mindful meditation for years.

Mindful walking is a simple and comfortable form of meditation that can be particularly useful for those who struggle to perform general meditation and for those who don’t like sitting in one place quietly. Walking meditation basically means walking while being mindful of each of your steps and breath. For many people, this works better rather than practicing meditation while sitting with their eyes closed. 

 

The best thing about walking meditation is that it can be done indoors or outside in nature – in your garden, hallway, terrace, your balcony, a large room, the nearby park, or even the beach. The lane you choose to walk on doesn’t need to be too long as you are not focused on reaching a specific destination through this approach.

To practice mindful walking, first, take slow 10-15 steps along the lane you’ve chosen. Then, pause and breathe for as long as you feel comfortable. Once you feel ready, you have to turn and walk back in the opposite direction – the other end of the lane. When you reach the other end, pause and breathe again. Keep repeating this method for at least 15 minutes. Remember, when you are walking you must focus your attention on one or more sensations that you would generally ignore, like the movement of your hands and legs and the breath coming in and out of your body. Then, you can divert your attention away from your body to what is around you. It may be the simplest thing like the temperature of the wind, the smell of the air, or the feeling of the ground under your feet. Acknowledge each experience and savor it without engaging with it too much. Take in everything in front of you with your eyes and your mind until you start feeling relaxed. 

 

Walking meditation is a slow process and involves taking small steps. Thus, you shouldn’t walk too briskly. The most essential part here is to feel natural with your walking and not to make it exaggerated or stylized. 

 

By integrating walking meditation into your daily life, you can turn an everyday action into a tool for mindfulness and stress reduction. It is an acquired taste that requires plenty of patience and won’t come easily. But if you keep practicing it, even for short intervals in a day, you will slowly get used to it. Furthermore, mindful breathing or walking meditation can lead to various benefits. Here is a look at a few of them.

 

Benefits of mindful walking 

1. It helps you connect more profoundly with the environment

Mindful walking meditation allows you to be completely involved in the experience of walking. Through this approach, you will be able to connect with the earth beneath your feet, the air you are breathing in and out and the myriad sights and sounds around you at a deeper level. You will also feel more connected with the environment and sense you are an integral part of it. As you continue making walking meditation a part of your daily life, you will gradually realize that you are nurturing situational awareness from within. Rather than simply walking aimlessly, you will be able to develop your focus to be on your surroundings and on the experience of walking. 

 

2. It enables you to reach a sense of calm and being relaxed 

While walking is obviously helpful some can get bored with it after a while. Mindful walking, however, allows you to enjoy the pleasure of walking. If done properly, you can increase your oxygen intake by walking meditation while also reinvigorating yourself when you are down. 

 

While walking, you can chant “OM” or use some other positive phrases like "I am happy" or "I'm healthy" in short intervals. This may feel awkward initially for those who are doing it for the first time. But once you begin walking meditation every day, and follow the above-mentioned steps, you feel a sense of relaxation and calm from within. Once you are done with the exercise, you will realize you are fresh and more upbeat. 

 

3. You will understand your body better

A lot of us today are so involved with our day-to-day affairs that we have become alienated from our own bodies. Walking mindfully helps us stay connected with our physical selves and allows us to nurture a deeper connection between our mind and body. You will have a greater awareness and understanding of how you carry yourself as you walk. Furthermore, you will realize that your balance, stride, and posture express their own unique stories in the manner you walk. With this information, you will understand your body better and appreciate it more.

4. It bolsters concentration

One of the toughest things to achieve through meditation is to get rid of all distractions. With seated meditation, distractions are lesser as it is generally practiced in a quiet surrounding. However, mindful walking doesn’t have that luxury as you are likely to be in an environment filled with constant distractions. The sounds of traffic, people walking close by, the weather, birds, insects, and animals will all be posing a challenge to your mindful walking. Focusing on your regular thoughts and avoiding all the external distractions won’t be easy. However, once you get the hang of it, you will have greater control over your concentration. 

 

As you are hit with each distraction, you will force them away, bring yourself to the present moment, and shift your focus to your walking. Once this process is repeated several times, over and over, your mind’s ability to stay focused will be bolstered. The more you incorporate this approach into your regular routine, the more you will end up building your mental muscles. Gradually, over time, you will realize that your attention is better and you can be in the present moment much quicker despite the distractions. 

 

5. It widens everyday mindfulness 

While walking meditation may sound easy on paper, it is a tough skill to acquire. With continual practice, it will soon become a part of your being. Once that happens, you will find that mindfulness becomes integrated into other areas of your life as well and will permeate them with greater awareness. Remember that meditation walk can be performed anywhere and at any time of the day. Practicing it routinely will make it easier for mindfulness to become a part of everything you do. 

 

6. It helps you to slow down

One of the biggest benefits of mindful walking is that it enables you to pause and slow down. With this technique, you will be moving mindfully and with purpose. To achieve meditation walking, you will have to focus on your movements and each step must be taken with great awareness. In time, your movements will become more measured and graceful. You will soon realize that not everything is a race and you shouldn’t be in this constant hurry to reach your destination. Mindful walking is about being in the present moment; your breath, the environment, and each step you take are what require the most attention. Take your time and relish the prospect of not having the goal to reach any destination. You don’t need to move fast. All you need is to feel deeply about your present. 

 

7. It allows you to achieve the purpose of meditation

As mentioned earlier, mindful walking works perfectly for those who aren’t comfortable with seated meditation. This technique helps you to achieve the purpose of meditation while walking in a park, a beach, or even on the street. When you start this process, your goal must be walking for the sole purpose of meditation. Initially, your mind will inevitably wander. And that is perfectly okay. You cannot be frustrated as mindful walking requires dedication. Be aware of all the physical sensations or feelings and focus on them. Your understanding of your intentions will increase eventually as each walk will begin with a focused intention. Also, your ability to stay connected with the present moment will become better when you practice walking with clarity. Through conscious movement, one step at a time, you can slowly achieve the true benefits of meditation and make it a conscious part of your life.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

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Avoid Overindulging in These 6 Teas

People are well-aware of the potent health benefits of both herbal and traditional teas. But only a small minority of regular tea drinkers are conscious of the fact that some brews are not meant to be consumed in large quantities. Moreover, several of the teas we list below are not suitable for regular use, so be mindful of what you drink and how much. When it comes to these 6 teas, a “less is more” approach is the best way to go.

1. Licorice Tea 

The natural sweetness and pleasant herbal aroma of licorice tea make it easy to down two or three cups every day. The added cardiovascular, anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, and lung health benefits make this delicious tea a healthy choice for many. 

 

But overindulging in this delicious tea or even licorice candy is not a good idea for some, because drinking more than 1 cup (240 ml) of licorice tea a day may increase one’s blood pressure and meddle with blood pressure medication. A 54-year-old man from Massachusetts sadly passed away in 2020 after eating too much licorice candy, a case we describe in detail in the article The Most Bizarre Medical Cases of 2020. 

 

If you have cardiovascular issues or other pre-existing conditions, ask a health professional if licorice tea is safe for you. 

 

2. Lemon-Flavored Tea

This one may have caught you by surprise, but it’s true - drinking too much lemon-flavored tea can affect your health. No, we’re not talking about the squeeze of lemon juice you’re adding to your tea, but rather the tea packets labeled to be “lemon-flavored”. 

 

The reason why you should opt for natural lemon juice rather than artificial lemon flavors is that the tea leaves used in these flavored teas are usually of very poor quality. According to Magdalena Jeszka-Skowron, Ph.D., of the Poznan University of Technology in Poland, these tea varieties contain "higher amounts of noxious metal than tea infusions made from whole leaves." 

 

Among these metals is lead, which is extremely toxic. Drinking powdered and liquid iced tea is also not a good idea, as studies show that these often contain too much fluoride and acids, which promote tooth decay and canker sores.  

 

3. Comfrey Tea 

Some teas are just ill-advised altogether, and comfrey tea seems to be one of such herbal teas. This may come as a surprise to many since this herbal tea has been used in traditional medicine to treat joint pain and heal wounds for a long time. However, research has found that taking comfrey tea through the mouth can cause liver damage, and can be carcinogenic. 

 

Compounds called pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which are naturally-present in comfrey leaves and roots were found to damage the liver, cause cancer, and could even be fatal. In consequence, selling comfrey tea was banned by several countries in the European Union and the FDA. Some experts also believe that topical creams and ointments containing comfrey should never be used on open wounds.

 

4. Black Tea 

Those in favor of a cup of strong black tea over the much milder taste of green tea need to know this. Drinking lots of black tea every day can be bad for your health in a few different ways. Firstly, black tea contains a high amount of oxalates, which build up in the body over time and can contribute to kidney and bladder stones, as well as joint pain. 

 

Secondly, drinking glasses and glasses of strong black tea every day can weaken the bones. According to one case study, a 47-year-old woman drank a gallon of tea (with 100 tea bags in each) every day for 20 years. She was hospitalized with severe bone pain and had all of her teeth removed because the excessive fluoride in the tea weakened her bones so much. 

 

Lastly, black tea can be quite high in caffeine, and so drinking it in excess may make you jittery or anxious, especially if you drink both coffee and tea every day. 

 

5. Senna Tea

Have you ever heard of senna tea? Many people haven’t, but you may have actually had some already if you ever tried a tea detox or weight-loss tea. This is because senna leaves are often the main ingredient in these teas due to their laxative effect. The main problem with senna is that the long-term use of it may cause laxative dependence. 

 

Needless to say, this can be quite dangerous, especially for people who already struggle with constipation. According to a recent study that included over 10,000 women, those who used laxatives for weight loss were 6 times more likely to develop an eating disorder. Therefore, it’s essential to stay away from all the “skinny teas” and “teatoxes” that have become increasingly common online. 

 

6. Tea that was steeped for too long

This last part doesn’t refer to a particular type of tea, but rather to the method of preparation. Many people prepare tea in the following way: they place some loose leaf tea or a tea bag into a cup, pour hot water over it, and then let the tea steep as you enjoy your brew. 

 

This method isn’t optimal, unfortunately. For one, this method will render the last few sips of your tea overly bitter, so much so that it could cause nausea or vomiting. So, if you were wondering why drinking tea was making you sick to your stomach, this can be one reason why. 

 

Brewing tea for too long can also be harmful to the body in the long-term. Certain regions of the world where tea is grown, such as China, contain high levels of metals, particularly lead and aluminum, in the soil. The longer brewing times will make more of these metals seep into your cup, which is why doctors recommend brewing tea for 3 minutes or even less. 

 

Shorter brewing times also decrease the amount of fluoride extracted from tea leaves, so this method will also help keep your bones and teeth strong, even if you drink a lot of tea.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement