Phytochemicals for Your Immune Health

My mom used to dress the dinner plate in full matching regalia; yellow squash nestled next to green asparagus. Red and yellow peppers tossed around the salad added spectacular color. Now dear mom knew these foods were healthy and she loved to decorate my plate with the colors of the season; but did she know that these wholesome foods contain phytochemicals?
Phytochemicals are the active substances in plants that give them their color, flavor, odor, and protection against plant diseases. Phytochemicals work as powerful antioxidants, which can increase our resistance to disease and boost immunity.
While most research focuses on the anti-carcinogen effects of phytochemicals, the results are equally important to those who just want to boost their immune system or help reverse the aging clock.
Scientists at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRC) rated 60 fruits and vegetables for potency of antioxidants, which stabilize cells and help fight the damaging effects of free radicals, which are molecules that weaken the immune system. Antioxidants can help keep cancer, heart disease and other degenerative conditions at bay.
The top scoring fruit in the HNRC study was blueberries followed by strawberries, prunes, black currants and boysenberries. The deeper the color, the better for you. Many of these antioxidants also have anti-inflammatory properties, and some naturally reduce blood cholesterol.
It's important to fill your diet with all the colors of the food rainbow. Eat the blues, reds, purples, oranges, yellows, and greens.
Fresh or Frozen Produce?
It's okay if you don't have time to steam your own fresh veggies, studies by the FDA and the University of Illinois show that frozen fruits and vegetables are nearly as nutritious because they can wait to be picked until they're at the peak of freshness.
Fresh produce is usually picked early, before it's ripe and fully nutritious, so that it ships well.
But if you're lucky enough to grow your own fruits or vegetables, or you can buy straight from a farm - then that's where you'll find the most nutritious fruits and vegetables!!!
What about supplements:
The value of most supplements is, at best, ineffective. The power of phytochemicals seem to be lost when removed from food. Except if you're fortunate enough to find a high quality 'greens drink'.
Click Here to get more info on our green drinks and other supplements!!!
Drinking one glass of a quality 'greens drink' supplies more than 5 servings of powerful, phytochemical rich nutrition.
Other Phyto Foods :
Phyto foods come in many varieties and for all palates. Among the most common sources are:
FRUITS: Apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, berries, cherries, citrus fruits, grapes, kiwi fruit, lemons, mangoes, melons, nectarines, oranges, papayas, peaches, pears, plums. GRAINS: Barley, cornmeal, whole grain, quinoa, brown rice, wheat germ. NUTS and SEEDS: Flaxseed (a small brown seed used in cooking), macadamia, pecans, sesame seeds, walnuts. VEGETABLES: Asparagus, beans, beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, celery, cauliflower, corn, eggplant, dark leafy greens and lettuces, mushrooms, onions, green and dried peas, sweet and hot peppers, white and sweet potatoes, pumpkin, soybeans, watercress, winter squash, tomatoes. And a host of others.

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Keep Good Oral Health

Oral Health is basically the overall health of your mouth. How your gums, teeth and breath are. If you do not perform correct and appropriate dental hygiene, you may end up developing an oral mouth disease. Some cases are severe, while others have ointments that can easily treat the more mild cases. The condition that you keep your mouth in will determine what your Oral Health is like, and what it will be like for future reference.
In order to keep a good dental hygiene you must follow all of the basic steps that are recommended by probably every single dentist that you have come across. Every time you set up an appointment, you always hear them ask you how many times you brush your teeth a day.
If your reply is once, you can expect them to raise an eyebrow at you and tell you to bump it up to three times a day. If you do not brush your teeth very often you are possibly at risk of developing serious oral diseases.
There is a possibility that you can develop Halitosis, Gingivitis, Gum Disease, Tartar, Plaque and other diseases that may even be more severe such as rotting teeth (you would really have to be against brushing your teeth for that one) if you do not brush your teeth. Also use other hygienic methods such as flossing and using mouthwash, anything you can do to help your mouth will just take you one step further away from having to worry about any sort of risky Oral Health.

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Contact Lens Thermal Cleaner

Hand washing contact lenses is not the only way to go. You can use a contact lens thermal cleaner to achieve the same effect. Or at least to do part of the job. You should still use a cleaner to remove dirt and protein deposits from your contacts, and you must rinse them thoroughly afterwards, but a thermal unit can be used to disinfect the lenses afterwards.
The procedure for cleaning your lenses using a contact lens thermal cleaner is as follows.
1. Clean your hand thoroughly with a non perfumed soap, before removing your lenses.
2. Remove one lens at a time and put it in the palm of your hand, so that the rounded part that actually covers your eye is facing upwards. Pour a few drops of your cleaner over the lens, and using one finger, rub the lens gently.
3. Rinse the lens thoroughly using your saline rinsing solution.
4. Fill your lens case with the recommended solution. Put the lens in its case, and repeat these steps with the other lens. Screw the caps on and put the case into the heating unit. Plug in the unit, and then switch it on.
5. Read the thermal cleaner's instructions, regarding how long you should allow it to heat in order to disinfect the lenses, and also how long it needs to cool down before you can remove the lenses. Once this procedure has been followed, you can put your lenses in your eyes.
6. Rinse the case thoroughly with water, and allow it to dry. Be careful that you do not use dirty or oily cloths to dry the case, because some of this matter could end up in your eyes.
Remember that the thermal cleaner is just a tool to use, and that you should continue to take care and responsibility for your lenses.

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Take The Low Approach

Not only are rock hard abs a symbol of fitness, but strong and flexible abdominal muscles help trim your waist and end back pain. Two very important health goals of many who enter an exercise facility. It allows you to move from side to side with stability and control. Men and women want to walk on the beach and show off all their hard work by exposing their abs. From what has been seen in gym and health facilities, it is most worked on muscle group or it is the most neglected. What category do you end up falling into? There are many ways in which you can work you abdominal muscles. There is scientific sequence to effectively shaping and creating great abs.
Most people are stronger in their upper to middle abdominals compared to their lower abdominal muscles. It is recommended that you work your lower abs first since you are freshest and have the most energy to get the most out of your stomach. The abdominal muscles react and provide optimal results visually when performed to failure. Failure occurs when the muscle is thoroughly exhausted and the exercise can no longer be executed. This means you can not do one more painful repetition. Your mid-section should be worked in this manner all the time.
Some examples for lower abs are as follows:
The reverse crunch (using the slant board) - with your hand holding the bars and your legs straight on the floor, raise your knees to your face, while bending your knees, until the fetal position. Then slowly drop your rear end until you touch the board and repeat the exercise.
Leg lifts (performed on the Roman Chair) - Start with your back on the back support and lift your knees/legs to its highest point. Feet should not be allowed to swing behind your rear end at its lowest point for safety and momentum purposes.
Hanging leg raises (performed on the cable machines) - Start by hanging from the middle pull up bar on the cable machines. The hanging leg raise is probably the most result producing stomach exercise since it is generated from the lower abs and then incorporated the upper abs at its peak. It begins by having your feet lift over and above your waist until it reached approximately where your hands are holding on. Remember to keep you body from swinging back and forth. This will cause you to use more stomach muscles and less momentum.
Then proceed to your upper/middle abs to get that desired burn.
The Ab Roller, which is great for upper abdominals and obliques, is great to start with since it promotes safety and immediate results. Exercises utilizing the ball and floor mats are great ways to end a stomach workout. The utility ball allows for maximum stretching to hit all areas of the mid-section.
Since your stomach is considered your smallest muscle, you are able - and recommended to - train them up to 6 days per week. A cardiovascular work out which consist of constant aerobic activity which last for more than 30 minutes at your 80% target heart rate is extremely beneficial and necessary to achieve that ever desired six pack.
Great abs are only obtained through hard work, perseverance and proper form. They are the central point in which your motion begins and ends. In the end, great abs will give you the needed support for your workout and your life.

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Adjustable Dumbells Are Part Of Any Balanced Fitness plan

Dumbbell exercise is a key component of every balanced
exercise and fitness regime. Finding the right dumbbells
for your own specific fitness program is important and that
is why adjustable dumbbells are ideal.

Adjustable dumbbells allow you to save space and time
during weight training sessions meaning that you can
purchase a set for your own personal dumbbell exercizes at
home or you can find a set at the gym and use those.

Adjustable dumbbells are even more desirable because you
don't have to purchase a large set of dumbbells in order to
change weight increments so your weights can change as your
increase your strength.

With adjustable dumbbells you can adjust the dumbbells in
five pound increments to increase or decrease the weight
according to the dumbbell workouts you need to do.

To make the increase or decrease in the dumbbell weights
for your dumbbell workout, you merely need to turn a dial
that is situated on the side of the dumbbells.

In order to add or release weight plates in adjustable
dumbbells in the correct way, you should position the bar
and weight plates in the tray where you can then position
the dial to the contoured end of the tray.

This ensures that you are changing the weights safely and
effectively so when you are actually using the dumbbells,
you are able to turn the dial counter-clockwise to release
weights and clockwise to increase weights during your
workout.

This is ideal because it means that you can adjust your
workout according to what kind of challenge level you are
looking for in your workout. The real benefit comes with
the fact that you can change these dumbbells every day if
you want to.

Adjustable dumbbells are widely available for purchase from
fitness stores in your local area or from online catalogs
over the Internet. Online companies and fitness stores that
have their own website will quite often offer fitness
equipment at well below retail.

Sometimes you can even have your dumbbell system sent
directly to your home with free shipping, depending on how
much you spend.

Two of the best brands of adjustable dumbbells are ProBell
and Hex. ProBell offers a dumbbell system that sits on a
high-impact nylon storage tray. Its plates are zinc dye
cast and are coated to deliver long term durability. Hex
dumbbells are also made from high quality iron casting that
is very durable over time.

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Proper Elimination

When life began for us, our system was clean and efficient in the way that it processed what we ate. As we entered our teens and our hormones started kicking in, the way that our digestive system reacted to the foods we consumed changed. As we pass our teens and enter into adulthood our enzyme production changes. And as we enter every stage of life the way that our body reacts to food changes. Doesn't it make sense that our eating habits should also change. Has it? If you're like 99% of Americans, the answers is, no.
You see, each time our body goes through a change, no matter how big of small, the consistency and the concentration of enzymes in our systems also change. Meaning that we must either change the way that we eat, or continuously clean out our digestive tracts. The latter is much easier! Changing the way that we eat would entail: first monitoring our cyclical tendencies, to show when we needed to change, and then testing out how different foods affected us. By the time that we tested out all of the foods thoroughly enough, our body's would most likely have entered into another stage, and it would be time to start the whole process over again. Rather than going through all that, you could easily keep your digestive system clean by fasting once per week.
When the human body is given the wrong foods on a regular basis it tends to build up matter on the walls of it's colon and lower bowels. If this matter is allowed to remain - it ferments. This fermentation causes smells to emanate either from the skin or the mouth. This matter is responsible for something even worse than fermentation, it is the main cause of any blockage in the bowels. This blockage can, at it's worst case, cause illness and eventually death.
Throughout the years, this matter forms layers which are virtually glued to the walls of your digestive tract, the longer they are left alone, the higher up they can venture. Usually starting within your colon and traveling up your lower bowels. The real danger here. There is a protective valve that is responsible for only allowing substances to pass down from your digestive tract into your elimination tract. When this matter eventually reaches this valve, it will hinder it's performance, allowing this poisonous, fermenting matter up into your digestive system. Which will process it like it were a food and unfortunately assimilate it into pieces so small that they will enter your blood stream an! d cause some type of toxic poisoning.
But before this whole process begins, our body's have a sort of warning mechanism that will signal. The warning is usually, yes you guessed it, constipation. Something that we have all experienced at one time or another. Although constipation is always bad, getting constipated does not always mean that we are in danger of toxic poisoning. People who are constantly constipated or plagued with frequent spurts of constipation are the ones that this is aimed at.
Cleaning out the entire elimination tract and re-energizing the entire digestive tract once per week is recommended for everyone. This process will scrape away at the built up matter and eventually flush all of it out, allowing your entire system a chance to really function the way that it was meant to. The benefits that you can expect from this are many-fold, including: better sleeping patterns, stronger concentration and focus, much less stress, stronger muscle contractions, better absorption of nutrients into your muscles organs and bones, and much more energy.

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9 Simple Ways to Keep Your Eyes Healthy

Do you eyes feel tired and sore by the end of the day? Modern life puts a lot of stress on our bodies and eyes are among the first things to suffer. But it doesn't have to be this way. Learn simple things you can do for your eye health and your eyes will feel and look much better in only a few days.

Have your eyes checked every 12 month

Uncorrected vision problems can progress, and wearing corrective contact lenses or glasses that are no longer right for you can cause vision problems and severe headaches.

If your contacts don't feel right in your eyes, it is probably time to visit an eye doctor, even if it hasn't been a year since your last visit.

Go for the best quality contact lenses

Not all contact lenses are equal. Some are safe for you, while others put you at risk of damaging your eyes.

See reviews of quality contact lenses. Knowing what the modern contact lens industry has to offer will help you make an educated choice, not just blindly follow what your doctor says.

In summer, always wear sunglasses

It is proven that UV rays can seriously damage your eyes, but good sunglasses can prevent this damage. When buying sunglasses, make sure that they block at least 98% of UV radiation. Contrary to popular belief, light sunglasses can block UV as well as very dark ones, even though dark glasses usually offer more protection against bright sunlight.

By the way, did you know that you need sunglasses on cloudy days as well? Clouds might provide shade, but they are no barrier for UV light. Clouds are basically water, and water is UV-transparent.

Finally, remember that you would need sunglasses even if your contact lenses offer UV protection. Even a very high quality lens can only protect the area it covers, but the entire surface of your eye needs protection.

Eat what is good for you and your eyes

The good news is that there are no foods that would be harmful for your eyes. Most foods don't affect your eyesight at all, although the right vitamins and minerals are helpful. Recent studies have shown that vitamins of the antioxidant group can prevent, or at least slow down, age-related conditions like macular degeneration and the development of cataracts. So a healthy diet won't restore eyesight that is already lost, but it can definitely slow down the process of the disease, or prevent one from starting.

Vitamins C, A and E, folic acid, selenium and zinc are definitely beneficial for the health of your eyes. The effects of the other vitamins and minerals aren't determined yet, but it seems likely that they affect your eyesight as well. Thousand-page books have been written on the topic of nutrition for eye health but, to summarize, it is known that whatever is good for your body is good for your eyes, too. So put a carrot and a bunch of grapes into your lunch box.

When you read or work on the computer make sure that the light is right

It is a common knowledge that working with poor light can cause eyestrain, but light that is too bright can do as much damage.

Keep your blinds down on sunny days and switch off half of the household lights, if possible. The best lighting for working on the computer is a soft desk light, coming from the side. Also, you can try decreasing the brightness of your monitor. The colors won't be so vivid, but your eyes will feel much better by the end of the day

Give your eyes a health break

The great invention of the 20th century - computers - is not so great from the point of view of health. Almost everybody feels discomfort in their eyes after peering at a computer screen all day long. This is because people blink about 25% less often then usual, while working at the computer, which causes eye dryness.

I won't advise you to blink more often - it is almost impossible to control natural reflexes. One thing you can do, though, is close your eyes and count to 5 before opening them, whenever your computer decides to take its sweet time doing something. Another thing is to look away from the screen and focus on some faraway object, as often as possible. If you train yourself into the habit, your eyes should feel much better at the end of your working day.

If you wear contact lenses, take proper care of them

Contact lenses don't require a lot or fuss, but you can't neglect their cleanliness. Every time you put your lenses in or take them out, rinse them. You should also take care to change the solution, when you are putting your lenses to rest for the night.

Wear your contact lenses to the recommended schedule

Daily disposable lenses should be replaced daily, two weeks replacement lenses should be replaced every two weeks, and so on. Some people try to save money by wearing their lenses for much longer than is intended. This isn't a good idea. Even though the quality of the lens itself might not decline, protein build-up will make your vision less clear. Another thing to consider is that the longer you wear your lenses, the higher is your risk of eye infections.

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New Evidence Shows

A new study suggests that moderate exposure to pesticides could yield long-term negative results to the people exposed to them. These findings should serve as warning to those who indiscriminately spray pesticides around the house, exposing their children, pets and other loved ones.
This new research shows that farmers who used agricultural insecticides experienced increased neurological symptoms, even when they were no longer using the products. Data from 18,782 North Carolina and Iowa farmers linked use of insecticides, including organophosphates and organochlorines, to reports of reoccurring headaches, fatigue, insomnia, dizziness, nausea, hand tremors, numbness and other neurological symptoms. Some of the insecticides addressed by the study are still on the market, but some, including DDT, have been banned or restricted.
These findings will be available online in April, and published in the June issue of Environmental Health Perspectives. The research is part of the ongoing Agricultural Health Study funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Cancer Institute, two of the National Institutes of Health, and the Environmental Protection Agency.
"This research is really important because it evaluated the health effects of agricultural chemicals as they were commonly used by farmers. It's different from previous studies that focused on pesticide poisoning or high dose exposures, for example when large amounts of a chemical were accidentally spilled on the skin," said Freya Kamel, Ph.D., a researcher for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).
Researchers found that nearly 3,000 participants had a high lifetime exposure to insecticides--that is, they used insecticides more than 500 days in their lifetime. Nearly 800 of these farmers reported more than 10 neurological symptoms compared to those using insecticides fewer than 50 days. The researchers found no significant association between neurological symptoms and other chemicals, including herbicides or fungicides, and only a weak association between fumigant exposure and neurological symptoms.
Researchers found that nearly 3,000 participants had a high lifetime exposure to insecticides--that is, they used insecticides more than 500 days in their lifetime. Nearly 800 of these farmers reported more than 10 neurological symptoms compared to those using insecticides fewer than 50 days. The researchers found no significant association between neurological symptoms and other chemicals, including herbicides or fungicides, and only a weak association between fumigant exposure and neurological symptoms.
Some of the insecticides used by the licensed farmers over the past 25 years are no longer available commercially. DDT, a well known example of an organochlorine, has been banned for use in the US since 1972. Organophosphates, such as malathion, chlorypyrifos, and diazinon, have been banned or restricted for home and garden use in the US. However, some of the pesticides examined, including carbaryl and some pyrethroids, are available to home gardeners, although in different formulations and in lower concentrations, which may make them less hazardous.
"Because the participants in this study are telling us they have never been previously diagnosed with pesticide poisoning or medically treated for any exposure to any pesticide, we are led to conclude that their symptoms are related to moderate lifetime exposure," said Dr. Kamel.
Organophosphate insecticides, such as diazinon, disulfoton, azinphos-methyl, and fonofos, are used widely in agriculture and around the house. With over 25,000 brands of pesticides available in the United States, the use of organophosphates is probably more common than most people suspect. Many toxic nerve agents, used in milary applications are also also organophosphates.
Organochlorines are named as organic molecules bound with chlorine atoms. These include PCBs and DDT. Some organochlorines are also known as xenoestrogens because of their ability to mimic estrogen in the body. These compounds have been theorized to be at the root of a variety of estrogen-dominate illnesses in woman, like endometriosis and in wide spread genetic defects in wildlife like the three-legged frogs reported in Florida.
While this report does focus on farmers whose "moderate exposure" is likely higher than most people in the home, this report should serve as a caution to indiscriminate use of such products in the house and especially in the presence of children and those with weakened immune systems. Many of these compounds were initially popular because of their hardiness in the environment, meaning the compounds last longer to provide more killing effectiveness. This may be a good feature for the economics of agriculture and warfare, but at what consequence?

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The Best Results ALWAYS Occur 1 Step Past

I'm not sure about you guys, but getting to the gym is sometimes a pain in the butt, but we all have to do some things we don't want to do, right...: }

At the gym I was doing bicep exercises and my goal was
12 reps each set.

Each set I did, I tried to increase the weight and make it a bit tougher.

It got much tougher.

So much, that by the 8th rep, I wanted to 'throw in the towel'...but I didn't!!!

I wanted to stop so badly, but I didn't.

What I did instead was give just 5% more effort and I didn't stop at 12 reps, I went to 15.
You see, we need to be reminded that the MAGIC doesn't happen on the 1st mile, it happens when you go the EXTRA mile for yourself and for others.

Anybody who knows anything about weight training or dieting will tell you that you get most of your results from those last 2-3 reps you don't want to do, or from those last few weeks that you really don't want to diet.

But here's the catch.

Most people quit on themselves and their dreams, right when it gets tough.

Unfortunately, they then never get to taste the MAGIC that could have taken place for them. That same magic that could have transformed their body from ordinary to extraordinary.

And that TASTE is so sweet, it really is unfortunate that more people don't give themselves the gift of going the extra mile, so they too can enjoy living life in the body of their dreams.

(Shameless plug: Some of the best feedback I get from my 'Living Health - Weight Loss Audio Program', is that it shows you how to easily go that extra 5% and win.)

I've said it over and over again, but I'll repeat it here one more time...you don't have to be 50% or 100% better then everyone else when you diet or exercise.

5% is it.

Yes, that's it.

Persist past your desire to stop dieting or exercising. Do a little bit more today.

Do one more rep.

Workout 15 minutes longer.

Drink one more glass of plain, fresh water.

Eat one more large bowel of salad (without a lot of dressing).

And encourage one more person to exercise with you.

Are YOU ready to give 5% more today?

I can't tell for sure, but I really feel that you are ready.

Am I right?

Make your move.

P.S. In the last 30 days, over 1,012 individuals have used my Living Health Audio Program to quickly and easily add that 5% - 500% extra motivation into your life. Would you like to be next?

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Stop Fluoridation to Preserve Teeth

Tooth decay declined substantially in prevalence and severity when Hong Kong children consumed less fluoride, indicative of a world-wide scientific trend revealing, with fluoride, less is best; none is better.

In 1988, Hong Kong reduced water fluoride levels from 0.7 parts per million (ppm) to 0.5 ppm. By 1995, 31% fewer 11-year-olds had cavities with a 42% reduction in average cavity rates, according to the Hong Kong Public Health Bulletin (1). Similar reductions occurred in 1978 when Hong Kong's fluoridation rates were first cut from 1 ppm to 0.7 ppm (2).

Hong Kong's dental health is superior to the United States' (3), even though U.S. children consume 1 ppm fluoridated water and brush with 1,000 ppm fluoridated toothpaste. And Hong Kong children use lower concentrated (500 ppm) fluoridated toothpaste (4).

Evidence that eliminating fluoridation lessens decay:

* Seven years after fluoridation ended in LaSalud, Cuba, cavities remained low in 6- to 9-year-olds, decreased in 10- to 11-year-olds, and significantly decreased in 12- to 13-year-olds, while caries-free children increased dramatically, according to Caries Research (5).

* East German scientists report, "following the cessation of water fluoridation in the cities Chemnitz . . . and Plauen, a significant fall in caries prevalence was observed," according to Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology (6) . . . Surveys in the formerly-fluoridated towns of Spremberg and Zittau found "caries levels for the 12-year-olds of both towns significantly decreased... following the cessation of water fluoridation."

* In British Columbia, Canada, "the prevalence of caries decreased over time in the fluoridation-ended community while remaining unchanged in the fluoridated community," reported in Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology (7).

* In 1973, the Dutch town of Tiel stopped fluoridation. Researchers counted decayed, missing, and filled permanent tooth surfaces (DMFS) of Tiel's 15-year olds, then collected identical data from never-fluoridated Culemborg. DMFS rates initially increased in Tiel then dipped to 11% of baseline from 1968/69 to 1987/88 while never-fluoridated Culemborg's 15-year-olds had 72% less cavities over the same period, reports Caries Research (8).

In New York State, cavities and tooth loss are greater in fluoridated rather than in non-fluoridated counties (9). In fact, tooth decay crises exist in most, if not all, large fluoridated U.S. cities (10).

Sometimes stopping fluoridation has no effect as in Kuopio, Finland (11), and Durham, North Carolina (12).

Some countries show lower decay rates in less fluoridated villages when compared to higher fluoridated villages such as in Uganda (13, 14), the Sudan (15) and Ethiopia (15a).

In South Australia, dental examinations of 4800 ten- to fifteen-year-olds' permanent teeth reveal unexpected results - similar cavity rates whether they drink fluoridated water or not (16).

In the United States, despite living without fluoridated water, rural children's cavity rates equal those of urban children, who are more likely to drink fluoridated water, according to a large national government study of over 24,000 U.S. children (17).

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