Coming next week: Spring Cleaning, part II
Alex, friend of mine, recently shared with me a trick he has come across to help him curb his snacking habit: Brushing his teeth! Sounds too simple, huh?
I know we all brush in the morning and at night. Most of us also brush after a garlicky lunch. But my friend goes one step further. He brushes after every meal and after every snack, because the clean feeling dissuades him from eating. And let me tell you -- this guy has a terrific smile because of it!
Like many of us, Alex is overweight. But he smiles a lot and claims the flash of his pearly whites keeps his clients' attention off his girth and onto whatever it is he wants them to focus on. And when it's appropriate, he also chews sugarless gum between brushings. Before work meetings, when he knows there will be food like bagels, muffins and juice (things he needs to avoid) he takes the travel-sized bottle of mouthwash stashed in his desk and pops into the men's room for a quick refresher.
He tells me that at those times when the office doughnuts are looking just too good, a couple of silent inhales through his clean teeth remind him of his goal.
Apparently, my friend Alex is not the only one this clean mouth theory works for. Another friend, Karen, is a dental technician. She has patients who are also trying to resist temptation, and they swear that by getting their teeth cleaned every 2-3 months, it helps them to say no to some of the more sugary foods. Why this works, I'm not really sure -- but for some people it is a very healthy way to for them to avoid temptation.
Finally, out of the mouths of Babes: a friend of my daughter was staying with us recently, and she is just not a big breakfast fan (even when it happens after noon because they wake up at 11:30). Sometimes I actually have to remind her to eat before they tumble out of the house (imagine)! One day she turned to me and pleaded, “But I've already brushed my teeth and nothing will taste right! Couldn't I just eat a bigger lunch?”
Maybe there is something to this clean teeth thing after all.
This Week's Challenge
Set an appointment with your dentist for a cleaning and a check up while you are there.
Dr Garrison would agree that a healthy mouth is a part of the whole health puzzle. In fact, sometimes a dentist can spot certain health concerns before we are aware of them.
Tip of the Day
Make sure you always use a soft bristles toothbrush no matter your choice of shape or brand. Ask your dentist why!
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About Dr. Garrison
In founding the Garrison Center for Healthy Living, Dr. Garrison aims to do far more than perform surgery. "We understand the challenges of struggling with your weight, and we are pleased to be helping patients with the long-term transformation to a healthier lifestyle." To ensure success with this process, Dr. Garrison encourages patients to participate in the center's activities on an ongoing basis, including pre- and post-surgical support of all forms, nutritional counseling, healthy cooking parties, clothing exchanges, peer support groups, and other services.
Dr. Garrison is a board-certified general surgeon specializing in bariatric surgery. He performs minimally invasive Roux-en-Y and LapBand procedures at the Center for Weight Loss Surgery, St. Clare's Hospital, New Jersey.
Dr. Garrison is a board-certified general surgeon specializing in bariatric surgery. He performs minimally invasive Roux-en-Y and LapBand procedures at the Center for Weight Loss Surgery, St. Clare's Hospital, New Jersey.
Welcome to our new blogwriter, Toni Tripp!
Having spent most of her adult life living in California, Toni now lives in Michigan with her two teenagers, three dogs, one cat and various other strange life forms. Toni feels her family is proof that life is a journey.
Having spent most of her adult life living in California, Toni now lives in Michigan with her two teenagers, three dogs, one cat and various other strange life forms. Toni feels her family is proof that life is a journey.
This Issue’s Challenge
Chose two different kinds of drinks that you are most often drawn to, say soda pop or juice, and replace them with cool, clean tasting water. Remain diligent for 3 weeks. Then assess yourself and see if you haven’t been able to break your dependence on some of those less healthy alternatives.
Congratulate yourself!
Today's Tip
Fill your water bottle ½ way and place it in the freezer overnight. Before you head out the door in the morning, top it off with room temperature water. Now you have a cool drink you can easily refresh for most of the day! Please, be sure not to toss your bottle out at the end of the day. It will go straight to a landfill and sit there for years! Instead, reuse your bottle over and over and help your environment out, just a bit.
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