National Gingerbread Day!

Did you know it's National Gingerbread Day?  Go figure!  We think it's a great time to remind you of Dr. Jorgensen's Cold-Busting Ginger-Ade.  Don't let a cold ruin your holiday.  Brew up a batch of this and keep those colds away!

Merry Christmas!
From the Total Care Dental Team
 

Baking Soda Test for Stomach Acid

Baking Soda Test for Stomach Acid

This is a fairly simple test to get an approximation of your stomach’s acidity so that it can be best treated.  Often, heartburn is treated as a condition of high stomach acidity (hyperchlorhydria), but it can also result when the stomach does not produce enough acid (hypochlorhydria).  Improperly treated, generally by medication that lessens acid production in the stomach, the cause of the problem worsens, and the stomach produces even less acid.

Stomach acid production commonly decreases with age, and can lead to many problems other than heartburn.  Hypochlorhydria can cause gas, bloating, diarrhea, malabsorption of nutrients, iron-deficiency anemia, dry and thin skin and hair, acne, dysbiosis (improper balance of gut bacteria), allergies, chronic fatigue, a weakened immune system and can aggravate arthritis and other inflammatory conditions.

Your stomach produces hydrochloric acid, which is involved in digesting your food.  The baking soda solution you will be drinking reacts with the acid to produce carbon dioxide gas.  The amount of gas produced depends upon the quantity of acid contained in your stomach.

                               Carry out the following steps to determine your stomach’s acidity:

1.      Perform this test first thing in the morning on an empty stomach (before eating or drinking)

2.      Dissolve ¼ teaspoon of baking soda into an 8 oz glass of cold water

3.      Drink the solution and start timing

4.      Record the time until you first burp up gas

5.      Perform this test for five consecutive days (or longer) at the same time each day to give a better estimation of your stomach’s acidity

Day	Time Until First Burp
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

                                          

·         2 minutes:  indicates normal acidity

·         2-5 minutes:  indicates low-normal acidity

·         5 minutes:  possible hypochlorhydria

If results show low levels of acid in the stomach, natural supplement options include apple cider vinegar and digestive bitters.

Thoughts on Being Prepared for an Emergency

WHAT United States Virgin Island RESIDENTS ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING:
This was posted by family members who were hit by the hurricanes in St. Croix. It is "spot on", stated other residents. We copied it and re-posted it here for our readers. This is good education on what the aftermath of a disaster is like and help us be better prepared.
1. You no longer ask "How are you?", but "How did you make out?" And you’re not sure if you want to know the answer.
2. You start to go to bed at 7:30 pm because island curfew starts at 6pm and it's so dark there's nothing else to do but sleep.
3. Your poop and shower sessions now revolve around the generator schedule.
4. If you own a generator you also need a security guard to go with it.
5. Ice cubes have more value than gold and you either get up at the crack of dawn to wait in line for 1 rationed bag or you make an exchange of some sort in the back alley, on the down low out of your car, like a drug dealer.
6. If you have a "generator time" if you’re truly blessed. You now have 10 new best friends that show up at "generator time".
7. The statement that "Cash is King" is an understatement. How to get it, when all the banks are closed, is a mystery.
8. You travel with chainsaws, and other debris removal and construction equipment, in the event that there happens to be a roof or telephone pole in the road, or a friend that needs to clear a path to their home.
9. You fill up your car and every container with gas, even after you drive only a half mile, as you’re not sure there will be gas tomorrow (or ever).
10. Whenever it rains or the winds blow? You start to get serious anxiety, panic attacks and start to look for the closest shelter. You think “Do I have PTSD”?
11. You are now an expert “yoga cell service professional”, able to bend and hold positions for hours at a time, while attempting to get signal for one conversation with the outside world.
12. Instead of "chasing the sun" you now spend hours "chasing the WIFI."
13. Your most hated dance is the “mosquito dance”. And while you spend a lot of your time on “mosquito security”, there's always that one little bastard that finds a way.
14. You never want to see another freaking peanut butter n jelly sandwich again.
15. You find yourself searching for "normal" in just about anything.
16. You realize Hurricane mosquitoes are a mutated species, immune to the highest level of Deet bug spray and Skin So Soft combined.
17. When driving around, you now know every corner where there is a roof, tree or power line in the road….. and exactly how tall your car is to get under them.
18. You figured out that the flashlight feature on your phone is the best life saving invention ever. You’re now very aware of exactly how much battery life is sucked up by every application on your phone.
19. You have made a path in your house for the “new river and waterfall” display that runs from your ceiling through your living room.
20. You feel guilty if you’re driving a car that still has all of its windows intact.
21. Fresh produce at the grocery store causes a frenzy, much like a “Black Friday” sale on the hot new "it" toy in the States.
22. The previously fantastic ocean views are now even more spectacular. This is because most of the trees and vegetation have been blown away. You’re able to see parts of the island that you’ve never seen before.
23. You have learned to bath, do your dishes, clean your house, flush your toilet and wash your clothes (Not in that order) all with one bucket of water drawn from your cistern.
24. Most everyone you know now has open air sky lights in the roofs of their houses.
25. You notice every bit of green, and every bit of new life that shows up on island.
26. The sound of reggae music has been replaced with the sounds of generators and mosquitoes buzzing.
27. You have learned to say goodbye to lifelong friends in 10 minutes, before they jump on an evacuation boat or plane. It’s a surreal experience….. like it's a “see you tomorrow” goodbye, but you feel like you may not ever see them again.
28. If you have a cold drink and a place to charge your phone….. you are living like a King.
29. You have lost 10 pounds on the “Irma diet”. This weight loss plan consists of candy bars, Doritoes, PB n J sandwiches and all the “debris removal exercise workouts” that you’re doing.
30. You are excited to go to bed to forget, and bummed when you wake up and remember.
31. Your concept of history and time is now referred to as "Before Irma", "After Maria", "Between Irma and Maria" which has now replaced "After Marilyn".
32. Your expectation level of “when food has spoiled” has changed. And now you wait for the aftermath to figure out if you misjudged it.
33. A head lamp is part of your normal daily ensemble, and dry socks are a prized commodity.
34. You realize that some technology is overrated when your old school flip phone or outdated iPhone works better than your new fancy IPhone 7.
35. You realize you must have a destiny of greatness ahead of you, and you that you might be superhuman, as you have once again skipped over death ... and for those in the US Virgin Islands... We Have Skipped Twice!

Are You Afraid of the Dentist?

Learning the Hard Way

Learning the Hard Way

Every year I have a garden, and every year I learn a thing or two I will never forget.  I’m always so grateful that I’m learning these things in times of plenty - when my mistakes won’t lead to hard and hungry times for my family.

• There was the year I fried all of my plants with compost that was too hot - not even my radishes would grow, and radishes always grow!
• Another year I thought I was being so clever and put all of my green tomatoes in my root cellar to ripen.  I left them there over Fall Break, not realizing they were going moldy.  I returned to a root cellar FULL of mold that quickly destroyed all the food I had so carefully stored that year.
• Then there was the year of the volunteer plants.  My compost had been made from all of the plants from the year previous, and those wonderful non-hybrid seeds were still alive and thriving.  I had volunteer tomatoes, squash and tomatillos coming up all over the place.  Thinking these were wonderful bonus plants, I let them grow.  Big mistake!  They took over the garden and crowded out the things I really did plant and want to grow.

And now this year...the lessons of the dogs, birds and greenhouse monster!  

• We got a new dog that quickly grew into a large dog!  Being a puppy, he was very eager to dig.  He and his buddy found my potato patch and dug up half of the potatoes and ate them.  They also found the bean patch to be a particularly lovely place to take a nap.  No beans from those plants survived either.
• They were not nearly as destructive as the birds though.  These little birds have taken up year long residence in my garden.  There have to be at least 100 of them this year.  They destroyed all of my grapes and nearly all of my tomatoes.  Yes tomatoes.  They fly into the plants and peck the tomatoes until they are shriveled, moldy messes hanging on the plants.  They have also covered all of my eggplants with poop - they roost on the cages around the plants.  A shotgun is still on my list of options right now…
• And the last lesson of the year - tend the greenhouse!  The tomatoes I planted in the greenhouse were my scrawny extras, and they were actually behind the tomato plants outside.  I kind of forgot about them for awhile.  Soon you could see the plants peeking out the door of the greenhouse.  With the heat and moisture inside, the plants had quickly overgrown into monsters!  No one could go into the greenhouse without a machete to cut their way in...except the birds.  They were very happy to roost in there and munch on those tomatoes too!

Thankfully my family is a much smaller version of itself this year, and no one is going hungry.  We had a particularly plentiful broccoli and cauliflower harvest, and the purple sweet potatoes we dug yesterday will be delightful for a few months.  I’m learning lessons the hard way, but at the right time.

Learning Everywhere

That is what is happening in the office as well.  I’m certainly learning lessons, and some of those I’m learning the hard way because of things I’ve not known.  For example, we are learning about the relationship between root canals and heart disease.  New research shows that if you have a root canal, you are three times more likely to have a heart attack.  Wow!  And gum disease - when we diagnose it, we are now telling patients what Stage of disease they have.  Why?  Because gum disease contributes to arthritis, diabetes, autoimmune problems, kidney and lung disease and much more.  It can be treated and we are getting very serious about treating it NOW before it manifests as disease somewhere else.  These are things we are learning to help you with your health, and we can’t wait to share!

We have also had some new friends join our practice:

• Lightwalker TwinLight laser - We can now often fix your cavities without getting you numb.  We can disinfect diseased gums and bone, disinfect after removing teeth and use BioStim to help you heal six times faster.
• Frequency Specific Microcurrent Machine - This machine can find the exact frequency of energy you need to heal and deliver that right to where you are having problems.  Chronic pain, inflammation, joint and muscle problems all disappear with this treatment.
• Ozone - we use ozone to disinfect all cavities, infected gums, infected teeth and jaw bone cavitations.  This really is a wonder treatment!
• Piezotome- with vibrational energy, we are able to do surgery faster and with less after effects that ever before.  This makes a huge difference in healing.
• Laser for cavity diagnosis - We have rediscovered this old friend, and are finding cavities while they are still small and easy to treat without numbing.
• Platelet Rich Fibrin- we use your own fibrin to help any surgical area heal.  This speeds up healing and reduces any post operative pain.
• Volt Meter - Metals in your mouth may be sapping your energy.  With this voltmeter we can determine exactly the voltage of your metals fillings or crowns, and whether they are affecting your health.

Come visit us to see how these things can help you and your HEALTH.

I’m so grateful to be continually learning, and hope you will be too.  Often we are scared of new things, or embarrassed that we didn’t know them before.  All I can say is let yourself off the hook!  We are all learning and growing and changing, and if we aren’t, something is wrong.  My favorite analogy is that life is like a treadmill.  If you aren’t moving forward, you are going to fall off the back end- life is moving forward, with or without you.  You can walk slowly, but keep moving.  Keep learning and living and loving life!  What an adventure!  

Have a great week!

Love,

Dr. Michelle Jorgensen

HOW TO PREVENT DENTAL PROBLEMS - STRAIGHT FROM HAWAII

How to Prevent Dental Problems - straight from Hawaii

My husband and I are on our 25th anniversary trip in Kauai, Hawaii this week.  We decided 25 years was something that needed celebrating, and since we didn’t do anything for 20 or 15 or 10 yrs...it was time!  

We booked the condo, airline and car, but didn’t have time for much other planning.  Wendy, one of my great hygienists, loves to plan trips.   She spent the two weeks before we left giving us ideas of where to go, what to do and what to eat.  She had great tips, but we both wanted to do a whole lot of nothing on this trip!  We landed with not one thing planned or scheduled.  That was a big change for us!

Hikes and Drives

The first day we were up early, thanks to jet lag.  We decided to tackle a big hike, not realizing quite how big it was.  Eight very difficult miles and five hours later we were done - barely limping back to the car!  We enjoyed it, but it certainly wasn’t relaxing!  We vowed to take it a little more easy the next few days.

The following day was Sunday.  We attended church with a tiny congregation on the North end of the island then set out for a drive to see what beauties Kauai had in store.  On our drive we found a little Farmer’s Market, and I am a sucker for those.  We had to stop.  There were some great local products and foods, but the sign across the street caught our attention.

Come on Over

There was a run down home across the street from the market that was capitalizing on their location.  The sign said “Mango Bread and Pickled Mangoes - come on over.”  Now how do you resist that??  I’ve never had mango bread or pickled mangoes, so of course I needed some.  

The house had seen better days, and the yard was full of interesting things.  We noticed some big bottles of who-knows-what sitting in the sun, and I felt an instant connection.  I always have bottles of who-knows-what sitting around!  There was an older gentleman sitting at a folding table in front of the home.  He was reading and enjoying a lazy Sunday afternoon, waiting for people to “come on over” to see what the “girls” had made this week.

The “girls” (I’m guessing his wife and/or daughters - we didn’t ask) made mango, guava, coconut and banana bread to sell.  We bought some of the mango bread and the coconut bread - both looked delicious, and he gave us free guava to try.  As we were leaving I asked about the strange bottles.  He told us he was making noni juice in them.  Intrigued, I asked if he sold that too.  

You Don’t Sell Medicine

He looked at me disapprovingly and scolded, “you don’t sell medicine - medicine is free.”  I instantly loved this guy!  We asked where he got the Noni fruit, and he said it grows wild in Hawaii.  I asked if there were any Noni trees around so I could see what one looked like.  He had three trees in his yard, and went over to show us the fruit and what he did with it after it was ripe.  

This is not the Tahitian Noni, but a Hawaiian Noni.  It looks a bit like a very fat, very light yellow piece of ginger root.  When the fruit is ripe, he picks it, then puts it on a screen in his yard to ripen further.  He leaves it there for about 10 days until it feels like jelly.  Then he puts the fruit in the big jars and leaves it in the sun.  The sun pulls the juice out of the fruit, and starts to ferment it.  After another 10 days, he strains the fruit out and keeps the juice.

He said is it a natural cure for cancer, and that it’s better than the Tahitian kind because he doesn't add sugar.  He told me medicine that works doesn’t taste good (and I think it’s safe to say this fermented liquid wouldn’t taste very good).

Free Dental Medicine

We thanked him for sharing, and for the delicious bread, and headed back across the road to the car.  As we drove around the island, his words continued ringing in my head.  “Medicine is free.”  I can’t tell you how often I’ve wished dentistry was free as well.  There is nothing more fun than just working to improve someone’s health and not worry for a moment about whether they will be able to afford it or not.  As I thought about it, I realized the more I learn about Whole-Body Health, the more free medicine I have been giving.

I want you to HEAL your teeth!  I want you to PREVENT cavities and gum disease.  I want you to NEVER need dental treatment other than preventative visits. There are enough existing dental problems in this world to keep me busy forever - I really want to help you prevent having more.  

Today I want to share some REAL things you can do to prevent dental problems:

1. Lay off the sugar.  I know...you’ve never heard this from a dentist before right!  But I’m telling you this not just to prevent cavities.  Sugar changes your metabolism, digestion, blood chemistry, etc.  Eating sugar changes your hormones and makes your mouth and teeth more PRONE to disease.  This is literal.  The more sugar you consume, the less your body is able to fight disease of any kind.
2. If you have cavities or are “cavity-prone”, supplement with Vitamin K2, Vitamin D3 and Calcium.  Now, you can’t use Calcium without the first two.  Let me explain why.  Vitamin D3 allows the Calcium to be absorbed from the blood.  Vit K2 allows the calcium to be taken into the cells.  Without both of these vitamins, you can eat calcium all day and it won’t get into your cells.  
3. Provide your body with the energy it needs to heal.  I’ve been learning a lot about energy in cells and in bodies, and I’m realizing we don’t talk about these things.  Our bodies are electric (that’s why they “shock” a heart to jump start it).  If you don’t have enough energy in your body, you can not heal, and you will get more disease.  Get more energy from walking outside barefoot, Vitamin C and fresh fruits and veggies.

In Hawaiian fashion, I want to share this useful information with you, my Ohana.  Nothing makes me happier than to visit with you every 6 months and tell you you have NO DISEASE!  It means you are doing things that will make ensure your HEALTH.  Have a great week!

Love, Dr. Michelle Jorgensen

Change Your Food, Change Your Life – My Son Luke’s Story

One of my BIGGEST pet peeves is when people say “I try to help my family get healthy, but they just won’t eat that kind of food.”  Hold me back… You aren’t punishing them by giving them healthy food to eat.  You are giving them a gift.  I have personal experience with a child that was literally “starving” on the typical kid diet of chicken nuggets, mac n cheese, french fries and white bread.  This child is my son Luke.  We adopted him when he was 2 1/2 years old.  He could barely walk, he couldn’t talk- not even one word, and doctors thought he was autistic.  When we first brought him home I had him tested by an early intervention center, and he tested at a 8 month old level on everything.  Remember – he was 2 1/2 years old.  He was so tiny.  In fact, the first night I had to bathe him in the sink at our hotel because he was too little for the shower.
He’s Hispanic, so most people ask what country we adopted him from.  Well, Luke was from Las Vegas, Nevada.  Last I knew, that wasn’t a third world country!  He did have a rough start to life – he was born severely premature at 25 weeks.  His birth mother was single, with very little money, and very little help.  I think it’s a miracle that he lived that first year- feeding tubes, oxygen at night, surgeries…  He is a fighter.

But the prematurity wasn’t the only thing to blame.  In fact, most kids catch up from a premature birth by 3 years old.  Luke was no where near catching up.  In the short few hours I had with his birth mom, I found out what they had been eating.  Things food stamps would buy – bread, crackers, cereal, bananas, peanut butter.  Add in chicken nuggets and french fries and you have his entire food chart.  Our first meal with him made me cry.  He shoved the food in with two hands, as fast as he could eat (there was no way he was swallowing), until he was sick from eating so much. This continued for many months.  He wanted what he was used to – crackers, bread, anything carb-loaded and white.  He was eating so much food, and was still so tiny, and so hungry.
That first night I also noticed a strange sound in his belly.   We scheduled to see a pediatric digestive system doctor.  He found that one of Luke’s early surgeries had failed and his stomach had moved up to where his lungs should be.  He had to have major surgery to put everything back where it belonged.  After the surgery, they told us his diet would be restricted.  He couldn’t eat all those simple carbs anymore – they would go straight through.
This was right about the time I was having some health challenges and was contemplating some serious family diet changes, so the timing was perfect.  We added green smoothies every morning, and he liked them.  We also started eating more and more vegetables at every meal.  He still ate ravenously, but it changed to anything green!  He couldn’t get enough broccoli, green beans, asparagus, peas, lettuce… he loved them all.  He started avoiding the carbs on his own – he would leave the bread uneaten on his plate.  Other things started changing too.  He started using sign language, then finally words!  He started to grow – not a lot but a little.  His motor skills improved and his behavior seemed to mellow some.  Something was making a difference. 
Luke still has his challenges, but food is no longer one of them.  Now he is a thriving 11 year old that LOVES  anything green and will eat veggies over anything else he’s offered.  He turns down sweets, carbs and most meat.  He is small, but he is growing, and I know that it is because he is actually getting fuel, rather than just food.  He does well academically, and is not autistic.  He is coordinated and has excellent motor skills.  He is a different boy than the one eating the standard diet of most American kids.

If I had let Luke “not eat” the food that his body needed, who knows where he would be today.  We owe it to our families to help them get the things that they need to be as happy and healthy as they are able, and they deserve.  Be tough – it’s worth it!  And this is coming from someone who knows.

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