Sweat Life Fitness, Inc.

Dental health is one of the most important, yet often most overlooked, aspects of a truly healthy body.  Think about it, everything you eat and drink enters your body through your mouth.  If it is in an unhealthy state – cavities, plaque, gingivitis, sores, etc. – imagine what is being passed to the food and drinks that you consume and then digest and send throughout the rest of your body.  Gross.  That is why I sat down with Dr. Richard A. Parent, D.M.D. and asked him how we can keep a clean and healthy dental environment.  So, go clean your teeth, grab your floss, and read along for a quick “brush-up” on proper dental health.

Dan:  How long have you been a dentist?

Rick:  Soon to be starting my 18^th year of practice!

Dan:  What type of initial evaluation or screening process do you use with your patients and/or prospective patients?

Rick:  All non-emergency adult patients receive a comprehensive screening (periodontal, functional, esthetic, oral cancer, and dental disease), digital X-rays, and digital photographs.  If indicated, digital impressions may be recorded.

Dan:  How does proper dental health impact/influence overall health?

Rick:  This question could be answered with enough information to fill a book!  To be succinct, it is known that dental disease (especially periodontal disease) is linked to exacerbations of several serious systemic diseases.  Two of American’s biggest diseases are heart disease and diabetes.  Long term studies have shown that these diseases are made worse by chronic inflammation and bacterial toxins that are inherent to periodontal disease.  Also, infections from caries (decay) and poor nutrition due to the inability to ingest a proper diet are serious dentally related health issues.  Also, five year survival rates from oral cancer are sadly around 50%; usually due to delayed diagnosis.

Dan:  What are the most common issues/ailments that you treat at your office?

Rick:  We treat a wide array of issues in our office – spanning the spectrum from esthetic concerns to crowns, to fillings, implant restoration, sleep apnea treatment, and more.  But, most commonly, we treat gum disease with periodontal maintenance and fixing or replacing teeth.

Dan:  What is something that everyone can begin doing today to improve their dental health?

Rick:  The thing that everyone can do today to improve their dental/oral health is to get a comprehensive exam and learn about the current status of their health, because most dental disease exists without symptoms, i.e. pain.  And, just like a goal in fitness, someone can set a goal to achieve the level of dental health they desire.

Dan:  Are their certain foods/drinks that can aide in good dental health?  Foods or drinks to avoid?

Rick:  Eating healthy effects the mouth just like the rest of the body.  The mouth and tongue can show us effects of anemia, xerostomia (dry mouth), and other problems.  Sugars, in too much frequency, are still the most significant things to avoid.  I would have to say that one of the biggest culprits today is soda (diet and regular).  The acidity and sugar in soda combines to be very detrimental to teeth.  For example, Diet Mountain Dew is known to have a very strong chelating ability (binds calcium); this pulls the minerals from the teeth – NOT HEALTHY!

Dan:  How do you incorporate a healthy lifestyle into your daily routine?

Rick:  Me?  Well, I am a creature of routine.  My diet is good: lean protein, a lot of raw veggies, and light on the processed carbohydrates.  I exercise and floss daily.  I probably brush my teeth about five times per day – mainly because I eat several small meals through the day.  But, life is short and you have to enjoy it, so on the weekends my diet is not perfect…but I still floss!

Dan:  That was great.  Very informative – thank you so much!

Dr. Richard A. Parent, D.M.D., P.A. is located at 7328 West University Avenue, Suite D.  He can be reached at 352-332-2588 for more information or to schedule an appointment.  Please visit his website at www.richardaparentdmd.com.

This is my most recent article featured in HOME Magazine October/November 2011 issue.  Be sure to pick up your copy. Enjoy!

S.W.E.A.T. Your Way to a Healthy Body

I often get asked “what can I do to get better results from my workouts?”

Well, that is a great question. There is no one-size-fits-all answer because everyone is different – people have different goals, different stresses in their lives, different training programs and access to different equipment. But, there are some universal principles that, when incorporated into your routine, can make a world of difference. I call them my S.W.E.A.T. Principles. Check them out below and then put them into practice. They might be just what you need to kick it up a gear and begin getting the results you want.

Here is how to put S.W.E.A.T. to work for you

Set a Goal: Anybody can work out or exercise. I see it every day. What I do not see every day is people making progress. They go to the gym and workout for an hour or two seven days a week and see minimal results. Why? Because they have not set goals that they are passionate about. I don’t allow the use of the words workout or exercise in my gym. Instead we use the word training. Training implies purpose. It means you are working towards a greater goal. You have a plan. So, take some time to set a few realistic goals for yourself – goals you are passionate about. Write them down, stuff them in your gym bag and bring them with you to your next training session.

Wear a Watch: Next time you are at the gym, take a look around. You will be amazed at how many exercisers are doing just about everything but exercising. If you are guilty of using the gym as your opportunity to catch up on who got kicked off Dancing With The Stars, then this tip is for you. One way to overcome the urge to turn your training time into social hour is to wear a watch. Determine ahead of time how long your training session will be, how much rest time you will get between sets, and then set your watch to keep you on track. If your session is 45 minutes, then set your watch for 45 minutes. If you are taking 60-second rest intervals, set the timer and stick to it. It is amazing how much work you can accomplish in a short amount of time if you avoid distraction and stay on the clock.

Extra Effort: I believe that you should approach everything in life with your best effort – work, school, family, sports, nutrition – and your training sessions. If you are taking the time out of your busy day to go to the gym, don’t short change yourself by giving a paltry effort. Get after it and attack your goals with a focused, driven, and determined mind-set. Make each training session your best. There is a saying that I have heard that goes – “strive to get 1 percent better every day.” Over time, that 1 percent can really add up.

Attention to Detail: Results are in the details. What do I mean by details? I mean be aware of all of the little things that go into creating a results-oriented training program and a healthy lifestyle. Some examples are prepare your meals ahead of time, lay out your training clothes the night before, keep a water bottle with you at all times and write down and track your goals. Doing the little things right is what separates good from great and success from mediocrity.

Triple Threat Training™: There are three main components to training – strength training, cardiovascular training and recovery training. It goes without saying that these three components must be complimented with proper nutrition, but for the scope of this article, I am sticking to the principles mentioned above. A well-rounded training program contains variety. Many people are great at incorporating one or even two of these components but rarely do they include all three. The one most often neglected is recovery training, and it just might be the most important. Think about it this way. How well would your car run if you drove it hard, used up all of the gas and never gave it a tune-up? Recovery is like a tune-up for your body. Through stretching, hydrating, resting and eating, you allow your body to recover and perform even better at your next session.

This list is not all inclusive. But it is a great starting point. If you put these principles into practice immediately, you will make the most effective and efficient use of your training time – which will ultimately lead to the path of greater results.

So, next time you lace up your sneakers for a run or grab the weights for a set of bench press, just remember to S.W.E.A.T.

Dan Griffin, BS, CSCS is the owner of Sweat Life Fitness in the Haile Plantation Village Center. Sweat Life Fitness is a full-service fitness center whose mission is to encourage the community to commit, train and live the Sweat Life. To learn more, go online to www.sweatlifefitness.com.