LegendaryLife Blog

A sick mouth makes for a very sick body.

It’s a proven fact that a dirty mouth affects not just your love life but your overall health as well.

ABC News Interviews Dr. Nancy Rosen

ABC News had an interesting video with a dentist’s top 5 industry secrets based on a Readers Digest article that was rather tame in my opinion, they were:

1. You cannot mask smoker’s breath, no amount of mints can hide the smell or its oral effects such as stains and white precancerous marks.
2. A mother can pass cavity producing bacteria to their child (and by extension, others) by sharing cutlery or kissing.
3. You need to brush your teeth for 2-3 minutes and floss for 1-2 minutes – electric toothbrushes are the best
4. Whiten your teeth only once every six months, MAX! It can damage your enamel and burn your gums
5. Don’t skip cleanings as they are necessary to maintain proper oral health, you can do a great job.

What they left out

I have written this several times, but the biggest dental industry secret is

• YOU DO NOT NEED TO BUY TOOTHPASTE NOR MOUTHWASH!

I believe we already ingest way too many chemicals, why add some new ones first thing in the morning? Want to kill ALL the bacteria in your mouth? Put a tablespoon of salt in a warm class with 50ml of water and sprinkle some baking soda in it. Use this to rinse your mouth, then brush it with a good electric toothbrush and repeat till you have no more water. The salt will kill everything, the baking soda, acting as a base, will neutralize all the acid build-up which causes cavities. Cost? Next to nothing.

Why a clean mouth is so vitally important!

Imagine living your life with an open wound on your arm, it would be bleeding, get infected and essentially make your life miserable. This is exactly what you are doing to your body when you don’t take proper care of your oral hygiene! Your gums are a wonderful access point straight into your bloodstream, you don’t have thick skin there, just a nice warm place, loaded with bacteria, that is hard to keep clean… constantly being invaded by germs of all stripes and motives!

Why oral health is especially important when you get older

When we are young, the tissues throughout our body “refresh” themselves at a very fast rate, many children don’t have a chance to get many cavities and their gums are nice and pink because the gums are replenishing new cells continually. The bad news is that as we age, this process slows down, so the older you get, the longer it takes for the body to rejuvenate itself, as such, you become more susceptible to injuries, degradation (bones, muscles, cartilage) and guess what, the same holds true for your teeth and gums. Oral health is important when you are young but increasing so as the years pass you by.

The Bottom Line

You are never too old to recover from neglected oral hygiene.

See also: Gateway to health begins with your mouth!

Buzvia: Things your dentist isn’t telling you

Most peoples bodies look like this building by middle-age... it doesn't need to be this way!

I realize that the word “disease” is thrown around all to easily in this world, usually in order to give people a reason to take yet more pills and medication but I truly believe that aging is actually a disease that is acquired through lifestyle… let me explain.

What is aging and its cause?

Aging is slow, progressive process, caused by cellular degradation, DNA replication errors (mutations) and general “damage” however you wish to define it within a living organism. It cannot be stopped nor reversed but it can be slowed down with proper lifestyle choices. Let me repeat, aging CANNOT be stopped or reversed regardless of how many products out there state otherwise.

What are factors that increase the rate of aging?

There are a number of things one can do to avoid “getting old before your time” and here is a quick list, there are many more but this should give you an idea of what needs modifying in your life to prevent the acquisition of this aging disease.

Stress

Having a crazy, burn the candle at two ends lifestyle is one of the quickest manners to age yourself. Now, there is good stress and bad stress, worrying about your finances is BAD stress while putting stress on your body physically (within reason) is GOOD stress. I have seen numerous studies directly linking stress and aging… this is probably the biggest thing you need to get a handle on within your life… luckily, it’s also the easiest to change in your life. Other things you can do which stress your body include drinking alcoholic beverages, smoking (pick your poison), taking drugs (legal or otherwise within reason) and a host of other mental, physical choices we put ourselves through on a daily basis.

Food

A typical western diet heavy on meats and low on vegetables / fruits is a great way to not only increase your incidence of bowel related conditions but also a great way to stress all your internal organs (BAD stress) leading to pre-mature aging. You ARE what you eat, no if, ands or buts about it and the sooner you realize that every little piece of food you shove in your mouth plays a very active role in your bodies ability to fight disease, stay healthy and do as you tell it to, the better you will be.

Genetics

Genetics is the ONE factor you have relatively little control over, but as Dean Ornish has found, you can actually, through lifestyle, change to a certain extent, your genetic predispositions. Let me repeat, the genes you where born with aren’t necessarily the ones you end up dying with, thanks to lifestyle choices. This is a MAJOR discovery and one that really got me excited, the body renews itself completely every 7 years, take every opportunity to make sure that while this process is occurring that you are smarter, stronger and healthier than the day before.

(see previous article: TEDTalks: Dean Ornish – activity leads to longer, healthier life!)

Acquired Diseases, Viruses and Infections

A very quick way to age and possibly die way before your time is the acquisition of diseases, viruses and infections, no matter how benign, they will play a role in your lifespan. There are extreme virus like the Ebola Virus which has a very bad survival rate once acquired but viruses like AIDS (HIV-1, HIV-2), with proper medication and genetic profile, mean a shortened but not as dramatic “hitting of the brick wall”. You can get a (bacterial) staph infection which quickly goes away with proper antibiotics or get it on your joints (arthritis) which limit your mobility. Basically, acquiring any common or otherwise diseases, viruses or infections do play a role, so try to avoid them if you can.

So why is aging a disease that is acquired?

I think aging is a disease that is acquired through lifestyle choices in that there are two types of aging, natural and unnatural. Natural is the general process of aging, unnatural is doing such things as watching TV all day on the couch drinking beer and eating potato chips. There is nothing natural in eating artificial foods, our bodies are NOT made for it anymore than living a sedentary life is… these are completely unnatural things for us to do and this is how we acquire unnatural aging along with the diseases they play a very large role in developing. The only reason many people are able to live such a long time while abusing their bodies is due to the medical advances that have come with living in a modern civilization… otherwise, I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of older folks keeled over on a more regular basis. Our bodies are made to run, hunt, seek and discover, not sit around waiting for our next meal to come out of microwave.

The Bottom Line

Aging is a disease if brought upon by bad lifestyle choices.

Drug addicts all seem to develop specific physical and habitual characteristics as they spiral down into the hole of addition; Meth addicts seem to show these traits in an especially ugly form! I believe knowledge is power, I may dedicate my life towards my passion but I also try to educate myself about those who dedicate theirs towards self-destruction. Why? If you don’t know how bad things can become, they you cannot fully appreciate the gift of not living that type of life can be!

What is Meth?

Meth is a nervous system stimulant which gives its users an instant rush of energy, they feel like they are 10ft tall and can do anything. It is also goes by the name “ice”, “crystal” and “glass” for its smokable forms while the pill forms go by “billy whizz”, “speed”, “sulphate”, “fast”, “uppers”, “powder” and “crank”. It is made up of mix of commonly available, hazardous chemicals, as such it can be mass produced relatively easily and requires no importation such as other hard drugs.

How is Meth taken?

Meth can be taken in various forms such as powder, pill, injectables and I am sure there are other creative ways addicts have found in order to receive a high from this awful drug.

Why do people take Meth?

When the dangerous mix of peer pressure, low self-esteem and easy availability come together, the perfect storm begins. I can easily say that these are the same pressures that create many other types of addicts from nicotine to alcoholics.

What happens after a user stops use?

Well, the reason they took the drugs was to feel 10ft tall, once off, they receive the opposite effect and feel like they belong 6ft under. With prolonged use, Meth addicts become extremely paranoid and develop a host of traits that would make a schizophrenic appear normal. Like other drugs, there is also an adaptation that the body does to cope, meaning more regular and higher doses are required to achieve the same effect.

What do meth addicts look like?

These aren’t pretty pictures, it shows you what drugs can do to you in their extremes. Note that cigarettes and alcohol have the same effects but they are to a lesser extreme and more internalized.

Governments “War on Drugs” commercials: The Montana Meth Project Ads

I may be wrong, but I believe these commercials where actually produced by a concerned individual who had enough with seeing the government do little in the face of the Meth epidemic that was happening in his city. Hopefully these scare the shit out of you… if they don’t, you have deeper problems.

The ugly physical effects of Meth

Like other hard drugs, Meth has a profound effect on the physical body. As the substance is completely toxic to the body, it tries to excrete these substances through the skin’s pores, which tend to get infected. This specific trait seems to be specific to Meth users. In addition, many Meth users end up with mouths that would make even the local dentist freak-out! The internal organs are also taxed beyond recovery most of the time with prolonged use, which means that you don’t only age much faster, but you are really screwing yourself internally as well. Any type of drug use leads to malnutrition, lack of exercise and the usual culprits that don’t have any positive impact on living a long, healthy life.

The Bottom Line

Drugs, of any kind, produce nothing of any positive value to a life.

Buzvia: Documentary Review -> The Meth Epidemic, Amphetamines/Methamphetamines on myfoodcount.com drug listing

Montel Williams has accomplished a heck of a lot in his life and continues to be a force to be reckoned with in both the entertainment and health care industries. He doesn’t fear going against convention, fights for what he believes is right and is an incredibly intelligent man willing to debate issues that others wouldn’t ever touch. His live can be summed up using his favorite quote by Winston Churchill:

“We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.”

Montel Williams Early Years

Montel Williams was born in Baltimore, Maryland on July 3rd, 1956. He enlisted into the United States Marine Corps in 1974 and progressed into the United States Naval Academy, graduating with a degree in Engineering and International Security Affairs. He was awarded a number of honors during his 22 years of military service which include the Meritorious Service Medals (2), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Humanitarian Service Medals (2), Naval Achievement Medal, Navy Expeditionary Medals (2) and the Navy Commendation Medals (2). He had a distinguished career and retired as a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy Reserve.

Montel Williams Changes Television

Although he was known for his lack of hair among talk show hosts, he fought incredibly hard to garner the attention and loyal viewers that made him a household name. He began “The Montel Williams Show” in 1992 putting him head-to-head against heavy hitters such as Geraldo, Phil Donahue and the Goddess of talk show hosts, Oprah Winfrey. He successfully mixed the strengths of his competition and thrived. He has also appeared in a number of very popular television shows such as “Jag”, “All My Children”, “Wheel of Fortune”, produced a number of television series, directed and acted through a very broad spectrum of entertainment media. He changed the face of entertainment, as a result, both Montel Williams and “The Montel Williams Show” where nominated for “Outstanding Talk Show Host” by the Daytime Emmy Awards four times, winning them once.

Montel turning challenges into opportunities

Montel has had three wives through his career in an industry known to be extremely difficult on relationships and has four children. By far, the most difficult issue he has had to deal with is his personal bout with Multiple Sclerosis, being diagnosed with MS in 1999. That same year, he was honored with the PRISM Award and Inspiration Award by the Entertainment Industries Council for his incredible leadership and role model status within the entertainment industry. He has, ever since his MS diagnosis, faced this incredibly challenging disease head-on by spreading awareness about this auto-immune disease on country-wide tours, his talk show and creating “The Montel Williams MS Foundation” to help raise funds to fight this horrible disease. His tireless activities garnered “The Montel Williams Show” the “Beacon Award” by the New York State Psychological Association (NYSPA). He was also awarded the AFTRA Disability Awareness Award by News & Broadcasting in 2003. He is also a published author of several books including “Mountain, Get Out Of My Way”, “Life Lessons and Reflections”, A Dozen Ways to Sunday”, “The 21 Day Fitness Program for Changing Your Body and Changing Your Life” and “Climbing Higher” and helps bring influential pieces to life through “Mountain Movers Press”. Montel Williams is also a national spokesman for the “Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA)” which helps those who can least afford to be sick an affordable mechanism to get the drugs they need to remain healthy.

The Bottom Line

The doors of new opportunities in life are always opened by the keys of unforeseen challenge.

Buzvia: The Montel Williams MS Foundation, Montel Williams on Wikipedia, The Montel Williams Show

I must admit, being paid to walk around with a big gun, driving rather unique and powerful vehicles does sound like a fun until you realize that your main purpose is to be an efficient killing machine.

Documentary Summary

You should watch this video but here is a summary if you don’t have time.

• war doesn’t only cause physical scars but also mental ones that remain with soldiers for a lifetime, hidden from sight
• solders, when they first entered Iraq, needed verification from their buddies that what they where seeing wasn’t just in their imagination, from destroyed vehicles to dead bodies laying along the road
• reports of suicide bombers where rampant as soldiers first entered Bagdad so they where very fearful as everybody looked like a potential enemy
• solders opened up fire with over 15 weapons against a woman in a black burka that didn’t obey their commands, slowly approaching them only to discover she was trying to pull out a white flag to show the soldiers
• soldier who initiated the first shots decided to hide this experience from others but it began to have a mental toll on him
• there is no protection during war for the mind as you are constantly witnessing death by the hands of others and yourself
• once soldiers return from the battlefield, they begin to regain their emotions and realizing, replaying, the tragedy that they had witnessed
• returning veterans have frequent troubling dreams, feelings and thoughts
• nobody comes back from combat unchanged
• depression, anger and emotional turmoil take their toll and the army re-enforces these thoughts by telling them that their lives are already over and not to worry about their mortality as it don’t make things better
• on any given day, there are more psychological casualties then physical ones during war
• psychological trauma was referred to as shell-shocked in WW1 and battle fatigue in WW2
• 1/3 of returning Vietnam vets suffered from psychological problems upon returning, referred to as post-Vietnam Syndrome
• after Vietnam, the medical community called this problem Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• military focuses too much on physical abilities at the cost of being able to mentally handle the ramifications of an action
• solders are not suppose to show any weakness
• there is a huge stigma towards receiving psychological help, it’s even career ending for soldiers
• Iraq was the first time that psychologists where introduced onto the battlefield to help soldiers cope with what they where experiencing, referred to as Combat Stress Control Teams by the Pentagon
• after a soldier asked for help from the Combat Stress Control Teams, they where mentally abused by the command structure and later discharged for cowardice
• military heavily frowns upon soldiers who refuse to fight or fear dying
• Veterans Affairs is not part of the military and any information given to them is strictly confidential
• resilience treatments are being performed by the military in order to help soldiers cope with their mental problems, ironically, once they are “cured”, they are sent right back into the environment that caused the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
• few studies have been made on sending somebody with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder back into a battlefield, military states that combat is their job, regardless of the impact on the mental or physical costs
• purpose of the military is to win wars, people with mental or physical problems are of no use to them
• in January 2005, the Department of Defense slowly began to take steps towards dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in it’s ranks

The Bottom Line

War is the ultimate failure for both diplomats and the soldiers tasked with fighting them.

Frontline Documentary: The Soldier’s Heart