By the ‘Beet’ of Your Heart MANAGE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE WITH BEET JUICE There’s an epidemic sweeping the United States, and, no, we aren’t talking about a virus. High blood pressure (aka hypertension) is a huge problem in America. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that nearly 45% of adults are living with high blood pressure, which can lead to numerous other problems if not treated, including heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. Because of the extent of the problem, researchers have been searching for possible solutions. Many medications help reduce high blood pressure, and exercise also helps, but some studies are providing evidence of another solution you may not have heard of: beet juice. One major study published in the February 2015 issue of Hypertension looked into the effectiveness of beet juice in lowering elevated blood pressure. Going into the study, researchers knew beets were high in nitrates, which are converted into nitric oxide when digested. When nitric oxide enters your bloodstream, it relaxes and widens blood vessels, which lowers blood pressure. In the 2015 study, researchers monitored subjects who drank a cup of beet juice. They saw the subjects’ systolic blood pressure drop by an average of 7.7 points and their diastolic blood pressure drop by an average of 2.4 points. On top of that, the study also found that beet juice is relatively quick in lowering blood pressure. It does so within a matter of hours, which is a lot faster than a lot of common blood pressure medications, like Lisinopril. (Though Lisinopril, an ACE inhibitor, works very differently than beet juice.)
If you suffer from high blood pressure, should you incorporate beet juice into your daily diet? It may be worth considering, but before you do, consult with your primary health care provider, especially if you’re already taking blood pressure medication. You don’t want to consume anything that will impact your blood pressure further without professional guidance. If your blood pressure is moderately or occasionally high, beet juice may be a way to normalize it without medication. If you decide to drink beet juice, keep two things in mind: It will turn your feces and urine red — this is called beeturia and is perfectly normal — and it can stain your teeth over time. Always drink it with a straw and rinse your mouth afterward!
Don’t Try This at Home! 3 DANGEROUS DENTAL ‘HACKS’ ON TIKTOK
TikTok, the popular smartphone app for making short videos, has become life‑hack central. You can find
serious damage to their teeth. Filing wears down enamel and can even damage the dentine layer under the enamel, leading to painful sensitivity and infection.
Teeth Whitening With Hydrogen Peroxide Teeth whitening is a very common procedure that can be done at home or at the office when using approved products and following instructions. However, TikTok users are applying hydrogen peroxide directly to their gum tissue, which can do serious damage. Hydrogen peroxide destroys living cells, which can include the cells in gum tissue, and damages enamel. While most stores sell highly diluted hydrogen peroxide, TikTok users are buying higher concentrations online. Do not do this! Always consult your dentist before whitening your teeth. Removing Plaque and Tartar Buildup Dental scrapers are readily available online and at the supermarket, but they should not be used at home. In recent months, TikTok users have been showing viewers how to use these tools at home to scrape away the buildup that can accumulate around the gumline and between teeth. Without proper training, doing this at home can result in injury or damage to teeth and gums. The bottom line is that, in a vast majority of cases, people can simply avoid plaque and tartar buildup by brushing and flossing their teeth twice a day and visiting their dentist every six months. It doesn’t get any easier — or safer — than that.
all kinds of videos showing you how to make your life a little easier, including clever makeup and fitness tutorials. However, there are also life hacks that are downright dangerous, especially
when it comes to dental care. If you want whiter teeth, buildup removed, or chips fixed, talk to your dentist and see what options are available for you — and don’t try these methods at home! Tooth Filing On its own, that sounds downright horrifying, but some TikTok users have created videos showing people how to “repair” chipped or broken teeth at home. The videos feature teens using nail files on their teeth, though some have used metal files, which is even worse. Many of these videos are not faked and have spawned copycats that further spread misinformation. As a result, people do
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