Foods To Avoid That Cause Bad Breath

Did you know that there are specific foods that may lead to bad breath? This is because of volatile sulfur compounds - the culprit in causing bad breath!
For example, if food sits out too long it will spoil. That spoiling action is due to anaerobic bacteria breaking down proteins in that particular food. In milk, the odor of sour milk is caused by relatives of the bugs that create bad breath when they break down proteins in the milk (and basically in all dairy foods). A reaction takes place where 'the bad breath bugs' extract sulfur compounds from the amino acids in these proteins. Specifically, the amino acid Cysteine is converted to Hydrogen Sulfide (which has a rotten egg smell) and Methionine becomes Methyl Mercaptan (which smells like a cross between old socks and garlic). The same analogy applies to meat if it sits out too long.
Everyone knows that onions and garlic will create bad breath. But do you know why? It's because the odorous molecules in onions and garlic are actually sulfur compounds themselves called Mercaptans. Sulfur is nature's way of creating odors. You're all familiar with the skunk. Its odor is created by a defense and/or attack mechanism. Skunk odor is made up of skatoles, which are naturally occurring sulfur compounds. In a similar fashion, bacteria in your mouth creates the volatile sulfur compounds of bad breath and taste disorders.
There are 4 food categories that will result in an increase of sulfur production because these categories have a stimulating affect on the bacteria that cause bad breath:

1. Drying Agents
2. Dense Protein Foods
3. Sugars
4. Acidic Foods
   

Let's look closely at each of these food categories and how they stimulate bad breath!
DRYING AGENTS
The most common drying agent in food is alcohol. Alcohol of course, is the basis of all "adult" beverages such as beer, wine, and hard liquor. It is also used, unfortunately, in many mouthwashes you find in the grocery stores, which only makes a bad breath problem worse.
Alcohol, known chemically as a desiccant, is used quite often in laboratories to "dry out" hard to reach areas in test tubes and beakers. The same end result takes place in the oral cavity.
Although cigarettes are not really food, smoking is probably the quickest way to dry out your mouth, with alcohol being the second. If you smoke, you are bound to have bad breath!
DENSE PROTEIN FOODS
Dairy foods are notorious for creating bad breath. An article that appeared in the "Los Angeles Times" once noted that over 50% of the population in Southern California was "lactose intolerant". With regards to bad breath, many of these people (numbering in the tens of millions) end up with more dense proteins available as bad breath fuel for the bacteria than those who have no problem with dairy foods like milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, etc. The end result is a buildup of amino acids, which are easily converted into volatile sulfur compounds by the anaerobic bacteria found within the surface of your tongue and throat.
To a lesser extent, people have the same problem with other types of food that are considered to be dense in protein such as beef, chicken, and fish.
Another problem, thankfully rare, has to do with people who have an inability to break down certain proteins found in beans. This condition is called TMA (Trimethylaminuria) and is sometimes known as the "Fish Odor Syndrome," because the odor produced is similar to decaying fish. The odor consists of sulfur compounds, plus nitrogen compounds (amines). People with this condition must abstain from beans and other types of food that are dense in protein.
SUGARS
Wouldn't it be great if we could get rid of bad breath by chewing on M&Ms? Or what if the cure for bad breath were Hershey Kisses?
That's what the makers of Altoids would have you believe. Altoids, and other products of the same ilk, are trying to fool the public into believing that a strong "good" taste in your mouth is equivalent to the "freshness" of your breath. This is so anti-scientific it's absurd! If you think about it for a minute, it really doesn't make any sense.
By using concentrated mint flavorings, your taste buds pick up mint as a taste. However, Altoids contains two types of sugar which again, are a fuel for the bacteria to reproduce and create more sulfur compounds - thus bad breath. In addition, the frightening part is that other bacteria can take the sugars and produce glycan strands, which in turn end up causing thick layers of plaque on the enamel of your teeth and around your gums. This leads to tooth decay and gum disease - and you guessed it - worse breath than you started with!
Since you can't smell your own breath, you just go merrily along with that great strong mint taste in your mouth, while others close to you are backing away - backing away from your increased bad breath, decayed teeth, and gross, swollen, bleeding gums!
Stay away from candies, mints, and chewing gum if they contain sugar! Instead, let me recommend an alternative created by TheraBreath called the TheraBreath Oxygenating Chewing Gum (www.therabreath.com/products.asp?CAT=5). It releases Oxygen molecules directly into your mouth and also contains the antibacterial agent, Zinc Gluconate. This agent is found in many cold medications. In addition it contains Xylitol, which is a natural sweetening agent with an anti-decay compound.
ACIDIC FOODS
Foods with a high acidic content are a problem as well. pH is a term used to describe the acidity of an environment. The oral cavity has a normal pH of 6.5 (7 is considered neutral). Some of the foods you should watch out for are coffee and many citrus juices. Both decaffeinated and regular coffee contain acids. However, tea is okay. Among the citrus juices the ones with the highest acidic content include tomato juice, orange juice, pineapple juice, and grapefruit juice.
We know that acids make the bacteria reproduce much faster. In order to decrease the production of odorous sulfur compounds, the acid environment needs to be neutralized.
What can you learn from all this? Avoiding foods that contribute to, if not cause, bad breath is vital if you want to have clean fresh breath. While this is a difficult task, being aware of these bad breath causing elements is the first step in developing confidence in your breath. In addition, it is important to use oral care products that are free of alcohol, sugar, and that also have a high pH level.

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by: Dr. Harold Katz

Dr. Harold Katz is the worldwide expert on the topics of bad breath, halitosis, and dry mouth. Searching for a bad breath solution? To receive your FREE copy of his easy-to-read "Bad Breath Bible" visit: http://www.TheraBreath.com/web/art/L-FTCBB.asp

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Finally, A Breath Mint That Does What It's Supposed To

One weekend you get together with friends for dinner at a delectable restaurant that serves cheese fondue, and you have a martini to cap it off. You want to make sure you have fresh breath, so after dinner you pop in an Altoids or other similar breath mint. Although you may now have a cinnamon-like taste in your mouth, what you've really done is made your bad breath problem much worse. Let me explain...
All the "breath mint candies" that you're used to seeing in the stores (Altoids, Tic-Tacs, Certs, Ice Breakers, etc...) all commit some kind of fatal mistake in the documented science of creating fresh breath. You see, by now the academic halitosis community knows the causes of bad breath...and we also know the exact conditions that create an oral environment in your mouth that is more likely to produce bad breath.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SITUATIONAL BAD BREATH AND WHAT TRIGGERS IT
A common type of bad breath that occurs in 99.9% of the world population, at one time or another, is situational bad breath. It happens when someone activates what is called a "trigger" which causes the oral environment in their mouth to become more likely for the anaerobic bacteria to begin creating the volatile sulfur compounds (VSC's) that cause bad breath.
In scientific terms, when your mouth encounters one of these triggers, it creates an oral environment that encourages the anaerobic bacteria to begin extracting sulfur compounds from specific amino acids. One amino acid called Cysteine, turns into Hydrogen Sulfide, which has a rotten-egg smell. Another amino acid, Methionine, becomes Methyl Mercaptan which smells sort of like dirty socks. What are the common bad breath triggers? They include foods that are high in protein, alcohol, medication with dry mouth side effects, smoking, garlic, onions, coffee, citrus juice, and sugar.
WHY DID THE 'BREATH MINT CANDY' AFTER DINNER NOT WORK AT REFRESHING YOUR BREATH?
During dinner you introduced two "triggers" to your mouth (protein and alcohol) that weren't previously there. These triggers make your oral environment very eager to begin creating foul-smelling VSC's (volatile sulfur compounds). Thus, the process of producing bad breath began.
Wouldn't you think that a breath mint would contain ingredients that make this oral environment less likely to happen? At the very least, there shouldn't be anything in a breath mint that would make that oral environment worse right?
SO, WHAT MAKES A BREATH MINT ACTUALLY NEUTRALIZE BAD BREATH PRODUCTION?
First, you need a breath mint that does not contain sugar - your breath mint should NEVER have sugar as an ingredient. Rather, the ingredient xylitol should be used. Xylitol is a NATURAL sweetener and has also been proven to have tremendous anti-decay properties.
Next your breath mint should also contain zinc gluconate. This ingredient literally puts a "straight-jacket" around those bad breath producing anaerobic bacteria. Specifically, it blocks the receptors on the anaerobic bacteria so that they don't bind with the amino acids thus preventing the production of VSC's (volatile sulfur compounds), which causes bad breath!
Remember, your breath mint should be free of aspartame, saccharin, and artificial colors or flavors. Do you see where I'm getting at? The top breath mint fresheners on the market ALL contain either sugar, or an artificial flavor that is designed to cover up rather than prevent bad breath and taste.
WHAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE? WHAT BREATH MINTS DO I RECOMMEND?
One such breath mint that contains none of these ineffective ingredients but does contain all of the good ones, are ZOX breath lozenges. With their patented combination of Zinc, Oxygen, and Xylitol they are literally the most effective breath mint available.

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by: Dr. Harold Katz

Dr. Harold Katz is the worldwide expert on the topics of bad breath, halitosis, and dry mouth. Are you searching for a solution to stop bad breath? Receive his Fresh Breath Sample Package for FREE visit: http://www.TheraBreath.com/web/art/L-Mint.asp

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Senseo Coffee Maker Magic

The Senseo coffee maker combines a unique brewing method from Philips with convenient Senseo coffee pods from Douwe Egberts. Senseo was one of the first to introduce pod coffee makers a few years ago.
Today, Senseo coffee makers have become one of the most popular pod coffee makers sold. One of the reasons is each individual cup is freshly brewed, so you're always sure of a pure and smooth taste.
To add a European touch, each cup is topped off with a frothy coffee layer, adding depth to your coffee experience.
Because the machine uses pre-measured coffee pods, the system is hassle-free and guarantees a flavorful, fresh brew each time.
The Senseo coffee maker is easy and simple to clean because all of the parts of the pod coffee maker are detachable and can be conveniently cleaned in a dishwasher.
The pod coffee maker quickly brews one 4-oz. cup in 30 seconds, or 2 cups or one mug in 60 seconds. To make coffee you use Senseo coffee pods from Douwe Egberts containing gourmet coffees, specialty coffees and espresso.
An exceptional cup of coffee doesn't need to be an occasional treat anymore because it can easily be a part of your daily routine with this Senseo coffee maker.
You get the very best in flavor and aroma plus a frothy coffee layer that is rich and smooth. A Senseo coffee maker allows you to enjoy a perfect cup of coffee whenever you feel like it.
Copyright © 2005 PerfectCoffees.com. All Rights Reserved.

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by: Gary Gresham

This article is supplied by http://www.perfectcoffees.com where you can purchase quality coffee online, tea, cups, mugs, coffee makers, delicious desserts and sugar free desserts online. For a free monthly coffee newsletter with articles like these go to: http://www.perfectcoffees.com/newsletter.html

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Back to Basics - Preparing Vegetables

Broccoli
With broccoli the trick is to have the stems and the florets cook at the same rate. You can do this by removing the tough outer skin of the stalks. Simply peel the skin up from the base of the broccoli stalk.
Asparagus
The tender tips will cook more quickly than the stems. Avoid this by peeling the thickest part of the stems with a sharp knife.
Cauliflower
The stem and leaves of the cauliflower are edible but they are tougher and take longer to cook than the tender florets. After removing and discarding the outer leaves, rinse the cauliflower and remove the leaves and stem. Using a sharp knife carefully core the cauliflower. The leaves, stem and core can be reserved for use in soups, stock or stews if you wish.
Gently seperate the cauliflower crown into evenly sized florets - large or small depending on the recipe.
Leek
A relative of garlic, onion and shallot, the leek is a versatile and healthy vegetable which adds flavour without overpowering the other ingredients of a dish. Both the white root section and the green leaves of a leek are edible. The root tip should be trimmed , the top of the leaves cut off and discarded along with the toughest outer leaves.
You will be amazed at how much dirt and grit finds its way between the outer layers of a leek. And also how deeply within the layers you will still find traces of soil. If you are intending to use the green leaves then the easiest way to ensure that the leek is thouroghly clean is to run a slit up the length of the leek and open out the layers under running cold water.

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by: Hammia

This article provided by http://www.foodcourtrecipes.com.
info@foodcourtrecipes.com

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Thicken That Sauce!

With most sauces and nearly all types of gravy you will need to use a thickening agent at some stage. This may be one of any number of things.
The most commonly used are starches of some kind, because they all have the quality of swelling up in any liquid to which they are introduced. But it’s important to note that they also tend to behave differently.
Arrowroot, for example, has an interesting property. It tends to clarify any liquid into which it is introduced.
This is great for fruit sauces but may not be quite so effective with meat based gravy. It gives it an artificial appearance in my view, although you may quite like it and if you do, use it.
Starch compounds such as arrowroot, corn starch and potato flour need to be mixed with a cold liquid before being added to anything hot. They should be added a little at a time and allowed to cook for a while after each batch.
This needs to be done at the end of the preparation, because the thickening effect doesn’t always last that well. Kept on the heat, liquids thickened by starch tended to thin out again after a time.
Using flour
Don't worry that flour will make your gravy lumpy! Providing there is a fat present, flour will behave itself, and even if it doesn’t it will still whisk into the gravy or sauce.
The best way to use it is either as a roux, or as a beurre manié. These are basically the same thing but used in a slightly different way.
Both are a mixture of half flour and half butter (or other fat if you prefer) and both produce the same result – they thicken liquids.
To make a roux
Put an ounce of butter in a small saucepan and bring it to cooking heat, then add an ounce of plain flour and cook it while stirring. The length of cooking time will depend entirely on the color you wish to achieve.
The flour will darken with prolonged cooking, giving you a browner sauce as a result.
Once your mix is the color you wanted to be, take the pan off the heat and add half a pint of stock while whisking vigorously.
Please forget everything you have ever read about this process. The stock does not have to be cold, or hot, or added a little at a time. Just slosh it all in and whisk away. Then return the pan to the heat and bring it to the boil.
The resulting gravy will need to be cooked for at least a further two minutes, otherwise it will tend to have a raw finish, thanks to some uncooked starch. Just leave it on a low heat, but cover it to prevent a skin forming.
Even if one does form, you can usually whisk it back in and if not, strain it before serving.
Beurre Manié
Named for the chef who invented it, no one really knows how or why this works, but it does and it’s very effective if you need to thicken a large quantity of liquid, or one that already has food cooking in it.
Using the same measurements as for the roux, the trick is to slightly soften the butter and mix it with the flour. You then drop little nuggets of this mixture into the liquid to be thickened and bring it to the boil while stirring.
As the flour cooks, so it will blend into the liquid and thicken it.
Sweet sauces
Much depends on the base of your sauce in the first place and whether you intend it to be hot or cold. Fruit juices, for example, can be reduced while adding liquid glucose. This will produce a shiny sauce that is very stable when cold.
By stable, I mean that it won't separate and it won't move around the plate much, which is advantageous if you are trying to produce a particular effect.
Hot sauces are usually thickened with cornstarch or arrowroot. The latter will be clear while cornstarch produces a generally cloudy effect. Both need to be added with caution. Overdoing it can produce a sauce which is practically inedible.
The golden rule is to add a little at a time, and if the mixture becomes too thick add some more liquid.
Egg yolks, gelatin and even cream can all be used as thickening agents. Eggs, for example, are used as the base for all types of custard, including things like lemon meringue pie.
Once again you need to experiment and see what suits you. A sauce which is very runny when hot, may nevertheless become thick and clingy as it cools down.
Toffee sauce is a good example of this. It’s simply a reduction of sugar and water into which cream is stirred just as it starts to go brown. Left to cool it will look like, behave like, and taste a lot better than bottled caramel topping.
Vanilla sauce is somewhat similar. I make mine from three egg yolks whisked with 2 ounces of sugar, onto which I pour 250 milliliters of hot cream. This is then cooked to the required consistency, without boiling, and a few drops of vanilla essence added.
For special events I use a vanilla pod instead of the essence. A classic example of egg yolks being used as a thickening agent.
Be inventive
As time goes by and you become more experienced, you will find yourself developing your own techniques.
Try to think outside the box. For example, why not thicken a sauce for lamb with red currant jelly? Or even a mixture of mint sauce and gelatin (yes, that really does work).
Remember, whatever you are trying to do only you know whether or not you have achieved it. So the consistency of the sauce you serve is exactly how it should be as far as your guests are concerned. Don’t make yourself feel a failure by apologizing for it.
If it looks good, tastes good and complements the food it is served with you have done your job brilliantly. Who cares if it’s a bit thin, or you can cut it with a knife? There will be people who like it either way and both ways.
The secret is not to let on. Cook it with flair – serve it with panache.
Copyright © Tingira Publishing 2004 All Rights Reserved

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by: Michael Sheridan

Michael Sheridan is an acknowledged authority and published writer on cooking matters. His website at http://thecoolcook.com contains a wealth of information, hints, tips and recipes for busy home cooks.
tingirablue@optusnet.com.au

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Is Eating a Raw Food Diet Actually Healthy for You?

Whatever diet you choose to live by, the food you eat has to provide your body with the nourishment to properly balance your body's chemistry. If you have health challenges, are overweight or obese, chances are you are not in balance at all. The typical North American diet is woefully out of balance. Even what are commonly considered as healthy diets, such as low fat, vegetarien and vegan diets can be improperly balanced.
The good news is you can forget counting ... cholesterol, calories, fat grams, carbohydrates, etc, if you eat a properly balanced diet. But, just what does a properly balanced diet consist of?
At this time, it is important to remember a quick lesson in chemistry. Many people know about acids. We used to often hear about acid rain and almost everyone knows that acids are dangerous. The opposite of acids are bases, or alkaloids. These alkaline substances will neutralize acids. In fact, if you mix an acid and a base of equal strength, you will get a new liquid that is close to being neutral. The way of measuring how acidic or alkaline a substance is a scale called pH.
It turns out that the body has a set level of pH that it likes to function in. Just as we all have a normal body temperature, we also have a normal pH for our tissues. Different tissues have different pH levels. One of the most important ones is the pH of your blood. The pH of your blood is slightly alkaline. The body will go to great lengths to keep that pH level fixed. It will do this at the expense of other tissues or systems.
The goal of any healthy eating regimen is to provide the body with the necessary building blocks in the proper pH such that the pH balance can be maintained easily. When this happens, the body will detoxify itself naturally. In addition, weight loss is a side effect of being properly balanced. When one is out of balance, or overly acidic, weight gain, chronic illness, allergies, cancer, heart disease and even diabetes can result. This chronic overacidity of the blood corrodes the tissues of the body. It can also be said that the main cause of all sickness and disease is the disruption of the balance in the body.
With that in mind, how does one get in balance?
In order to get in balance, one needs to consume about 80 percent of your diet as alkaline foods. Green leafy vegetables are a great example of alkaline foods. So are sprouts, broccoli and many other green vegetables. A great way to get started on this new way of life is to pick up a copy of "The pH Miracle" from your local or online bookstore. Inside you will learn how to jumpstart your way into a lifestyle of balanced eating that promotes long term health. In addition you will discover all the foods you should avoid and the ones that you can eat as much as you like. This book is written by Dr. Robert O. Young and his wife Shelley provides recipes in the book too. All in all, an alkaline way of life is both healthy and safe when done properly.

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By Glen Jansen

A raw food diet that is rich in alkaline foods is the fastest way to health. We help spread the word of this amazing way of life at our Raw Food Diet web site. There you will find many items related to eating a raw food diet, getting enough antioxidants and even how to pick the best electric juicer.

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Alcoholism as a Disease, Not a Weakness

Alcoholism is a disease in which drinkers have lost the ability to control their drinking, leading to physical and mental harm and loss of ability to behave in a socially acceptable manner. Alcoholism is a chronic, progressive, pathological condition that affects the nervous and digestive system, caused by the inability to stop drinking despite adverse consequences such as loss of job, family, and health. The disease is potentially fatal, however the most disturbing and debilitating part of alcoholism is the loss of self-respect, the possible job loss, and the toll it takes on the alcoholics family. There is also indication that there may be a genetic component with alcoholism.
The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence defines alcoholism as characterized by “impaired control over dinking…and distortions in thinking, most notably denial.” This means that for many alcoholics, they are unable to make a decision to stop drinking without the help of others.
Symptoms of the disease include but are not limited to sneaking drinks, lying about the amount consumed, irritability when alcohol is not available, mood swings, loss of appetite, a puffiness of the face, job loss and a high number of traffic tickets.
Family members need to develop an awareness of the disease and talk with the alcoholic. Most alcoholics are in denial and talking to the person about their disease can be very difficult. Choose a time when the person is sober. In addition, talking to the person after an alcoholic problem as occurred, such as a family argument, or a drunken driving ticket, for example, may be a good time to talk. Unfortunately waiting for a problem to occur from alcoholic behaviors can have serious consequences.
Family members coping with an alcoholic or addict can cause a great deal of stress in the family life. Therefore, there are support groups for Al-Alteen for children and teenagers. Al-Anon is for the spouse or loved one that has to cope with an alcoholic. These groups teach family members on how to cope with the alcoholic and process their emotions.
There are studies that want you to believe that alcoholism is not a disease. They are wrong. Alcoholism is a disease and while there is no cure, it is treatable. If it were not a disease, insurance companies would not pay for treatment.

Keywords: Alcoholism, chronic, progressive, pathological condition, dinking

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by: David Chandler

For more information, visit: http://www.AlcoholismInfoCenter.com

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