Page 123 - Natural Health (February 2020)

Q&A

ASK

THE EXPERTS

Don’t sufer in silence – our wellbeing wonder team
of experts is on hand to answer your health questions What’s the diference between
prebiotics and probiotics?

Why do my adult teeth have What should I eat to reduce Dr Carrie Ruxton from the Health
grooves along the edges? my diabetes risk? and Food Supplements Information
Service, says:
Anna Middleton, leading dental Nicola Moore, nutritional therapist Probiotics are healthy bacteria, such as
hygienist and founder of London (nicola-moore.com), says: lactobacillus and bifidobacteria species,
Hygienist, says: The aim is to limit the overall amount of that we take as powders, capsules or drinks.
These bumpy ridges or grooves are known insulin we produce in response to the food After surviving the pH extremes of the
as ‘mamelons’. They appear on newly we eat. Insulin is a hormone we secrete to stomach and small intestine, they take up
emerged adult incisors – the thin, straight manage blood glucose levels. High blood residence in our gut where they support
teeth at the front of the mouth that are used glucose is damaging, so insulin is our our natural defences by crowding out ‘bad’
mainly for biting and tearing off small pieces in-built mechanism for protection against bacteria and stimulating positive immune
of food – because of the way they develop. this. However, a state of ‘insulin resistance’ responses. Prebiotics, on the other hand,
Some say they resemble the serrations on occurs before diabetes. When this happens are fibres that feed and sustain the healthy
a steak knife. These little grooves of enamel our cells, which are supposed to take up bacteria. These include inulin, oligofructose
form during tooth development. This then glucose from the blood, become unresponsive. and galacto-oligosaccharide. Our bodies
helps poke the tooth through the gums so Insulin resistance is more likely to occur if can’t digest them, so they travel down the
the entire tooth can emerge. Mamelons we frequently eat refined carbohydrates and large intestine where the majority of our
don’t typically last long since they are sugars. Therefore, reducing these foods should gut bacteria live. Prebiotics can be found in
uneven and thin. They end up wearing be a focus. Instead, eat protein-rich meals garlic, onion, leeks, cabbage and chicory,
down as the teeth rub against each other with plenty of fibre from vegetables and some as well as an added ingredient to some food
when you eat. natural fats. and drink products.

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