Not all sugar is created equal - the power of xylitol
Dr. Shaklee knew that swallowing fluoride is detrimental to our health. That’s why he produced an organic toothpaste without fluoride or artificial sweetners. But it doesn’t end there, our toothpaste is a leader in organic toothpastes: it was rated as one of the best organic toothpastes on the market, by Dr. Thomas McGuire, DDS, The Tooth Trip, tested at Forsyth University. It’s nonabrasive formula is outstanding at removing plaque - just try it and you’ll notice the difference!
Dr. Shaklee also knew that not all sugar is created equal. His organic toothpaste contains xylitol, a natural sweetner that inhibits bacterial growth - exactly what we want to ward off plaque buildup! Turns out this might also help reduce the rate of ear infections. Here’s a bit from a review by Dr. Alan Greene on the subject.
Ear Infections and Xylitol
[Parents need to know about this gentle, effective solution – especially if their children get ear infections. Xylitol (pronounced zie-lit-tall) is a sweet substance found naturally in raspberries and plums. What is it, exactly, and what does it do? The xylophone is a percussion instrument consisting of a series of wooden bars of increasing lengths, which when struck makes sounds of the musical scale. The “xyl” in xylophone comes from the Greek word xylan, meaning wood. A xylophone makes sound from wood; xylitol is a sugar made from wood.
Xylitol, also called wood sugar, can be made from the cell walls of most land plants. Xylan, the naturally occurring substance that yields xylitol when refined, is found most commonly in straw, corncobs, oat hulls, cottonseed hulls, and wood. Xylitol is a common food sweetener. Unlike most sugars which have 6 carbon atoms, this naturally sweet substance has only five.
While other sugars tend to promote the growth of bacteria, xylitol has been proven to inhibit the growth of bacteria. In particular it has been shown to be effective in preventing dental cavities by inhibiting Strep mutans, the main bacteria responsible for cavities.
Since the major cause of ear infections is Strep pneumo, a species of bacteria closely related to Strep mutans, perhaps xylitol would prove effective in preventing ear infections. Researchers from
Finland tested this hypothesis and published the results of their investigation in the British Medical Journal (November 1996). The study included 306 children in day care nurseries, most of whom had a history of repeated ear infections. Half of the children chewed xylitol-sweetened gum (2 pieces, 5 times a day — after all meals and snacks); the other half chewed ordinary gum at the same frequency. During the 2 months of the study, 21% of the regular gum chewers, but only 12% of the xylitol group, had one or more ear infections. Gum chewing by itself, by promoting swallowing and thus clearance of the middle ear, probably prevents some ear infections. The sugar in the regular-sugar-sweetened gum may have offset this effect by promoting bacterial growth in the children who chewed this ordinary gum. By contrast, in this study, xylitol dropped the incidence of ear infections by almost half!]
[This Finnish study, making use of the natural, gentle antibiotic properties of plants, is an exciting development. A similar study conducted by the same authors in 1998 (Journal of Pediatrics) confirmed the results found. While much research remains to be done (e.g. the optimal amounts and delivery systems), xylitol seems to be a safe and effective way to reduce the number of ear infections. I suspect it will also prove useful in preventing sinus infections, because the same bacteria are involved.]
Reviewed by Alan Greene M.D., F.A.A.P. & Khanh-Van Le-Bucklin M.D. September 2002. click here to read full article.
Lisa and David Tambellini
Independent Shaklee Distributors
www.BelliniHealth.com
