PCP Cavities

I went to the dentist this week for a cleaning and to get my wisdom teeth checked up, and I found out that I had two cavities! TWO! I couldn't believe it. I haven't had very many cavities since I was a little kid, so I was surprised that two popped up after improving my diet so drastically.

My dentist asked me if I had been eating a lot of sticky foods or candy, but I have mostly given up sugar since last fall. She then asked if I had been snacking a lot. At first I was going to say no, just because I think of "snacking" as a negative thing... like stuffing your face with junky food all day long. But in reality, I do snack a lot. The PCP regimen has us eating small meals and snacks throughout the day. I asked her, even if it's healthy food, if snacking is bad for your teeth. The answer was Yes.

It turns out that eating many small meals throughout the day provides a lot of opportunities for food to get stuck in your teeth, for long periods, before we brush our teeth at night. And the longer the food sits between your teeth, the more likely you are to get cavities. YIKES! So I asked my dentist what the best solution was, and she said to drink water while you eat, and to brush your teeth some time in the middle of the day if possible. I guess I coulda anticipated that one, but it really makes sense. Too bad I had to figure that out after I already needed fillings.

Hope there won't be any next time... I hate novicane shots!

So drink that water all day long! It's good for you anyway.

Until next week!
Emiko

Stocked, not Stuffed

I finally began to break my lazy eating habits yesterday by going to the grocery store and stocking up on good food. That is the key for me -- keeping the fridge stocked. I believe I mentioned this back on my PCP blog, but it's worth repeating. Keep your fridge stocked with healthy food!

This is yet another thing that I know but seem to neglect. When my fridge is empty I think, "I can just walk down the street and get something to eat quickly; and I don't have to prepare it! Woot!" But here's the dumb thing: it's not quicker in the end. For one, I don't have a car right now, so I have to walk or bus everywhere. It takes longer to get around, but it does feel good getting outside for a walk, so no complaints here. But when you count walking there, ordering, waiting, eating, and walking back compared to hitting the grocery store every week or two plus the convenience of walking to the fridge, it's really not faster! In my stupid head I know this. In my stomach I don't.

I also love how I don't feel stuffed after eating healthy food. I feel that I ate an adequate amount without feeling bloated. Gwen iterated this perfectly in a comment on Patrick's post on America. It's about feeling satiated, not stuffed.

It's sad that it's taken me long into the PCC to get serious about my eating habits again, but at least I'm taking a step forward. I refuse to admit failure unless I give up, and that's not happening. The encroaching warm weather is highly motivating in addition to looking good for the opposite sex. It's incredible how motivating that last one is.

-David