December 2005 | Whole Health
Music that scientifically soothes...Vitamin D to fight gum disease... Omega-3s provide infection protection
by Elizabeth Barker
D Is for Dentist
One good reason to let the sunshine in: Vitamin D, the production of which is stimulated by sun exposure, may help prevent gum disease. Looking at data on 6,700 teenagers and adults, researchers from Tufts and Boston Universities found that subjects with the highest blood levels of the sunshine vitamin were 20 percent less likely to show signs of gingivitis than those with the lowest D levels. “The anti-inflammatory effects of vitamin D may play a preventative role in gingivitis,” says Steven Pratt, MD, the La Jolla-based author of SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life. To build up your body’s D-supply, soak up 10 to 15 minutes of sunlight three times a week without sunscreen. For the sun-sensitive, Pratt suggests supplementing with 800 to 1,000 international units of vitamin D3 daily. “Look for supplements that list fish liver oil as the source,” Pratt recommends. “They contain vitamin D3, which is the most active form.”
Breathe to the Rhythm
Turns out The Clash knew what they were talking about when they told us to “let that raga drop” in 1982’s “Rock the Casbah.” Listening to Indian classical music could slow your heart rate, suggests a recent study from the University of Pavia in Italy. For the study, 24 men and women listened to two-minute excerpts of different musical genres (raga, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Vivaldi, a techno track by Italian DJ Gigi D’Agostino and classical composer Anton Webern), followed by four-minute excerpts of the same pieces played in a different order. Fast tempos from the Chili Peppers, D’Agostino and Webern (representing “fast classical”) incited quicker breathing in the participants, but raga and Beethoven’s “slow classical” had a calming physiological effect. The study’s authors suggest that taking in the tunes could make for “an alternative technique of relaxation or meditation,” since a randomly inserted pause between tracks found heart rate and blood pressure levels even lower than at the start of the experiment.
Infection Protection
Already beloved for their heart-healthy, mood-boosting, skin-clearing benefits, omega-3 fatty acids may also offer some infection protection. In a recent American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study of more than 38,000 adult men, researchers linked high intake of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) with lowered risk for community-acquired pneumonia. “We’re not sure how [fatty acids lower pneumonia infection risk], but it may be due to their ability to improve glucose metabolism and reduce inflammation,” says lead study author Anwar Merchant. The best ALA food source is flaxseed or walnuts according to Beverly Hills consulting nutritionist Erin Naimi, RD. “The body can’t break down whole seeds that are intact, as they are insoluble in nature,” she notes, so grind up your flax seeds in a coffee grinder and sprinkle onto cereal, yogurt or smoothies. But just to be sure you get your fix, Naimi highly encourages “supplementing with 2,000 to 3,000 milligrams of flaxseed oil or fish oil daily.” Choose a supplement that includes about 1,000 milligrams of omega-3s per capsule. Cautions Naimi, “EFA’s are best absorbed if taken with meals. Be sure to check with a physician if you are on any blood thinning medications.”
Elizabeth Barker is a freelance writer living in Echo Park.
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