I have been gum free for the past six months!
This might sound funny but I was rarely without a pack of gum.
When I worked with my mum in her restaurant I used to chew it constantly to avoid snacking all day. From there I just got accostomed to chewing something. Also I would constantly blow bubbles which is also a pretty irritating (apparently).
What’s the harm in chewing gum you might ask?
Here are some of the reasons why I decided to kick the habit.
1. It May Trigger TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder) in Your Jaw
This is an isuue I see appear for many of my massage clients. Chewing gum can cause jaw muscle imbalance (if you have a tendency to chew on one side) and even TMJ. TMJ is a chronic painful condition in the jaw. Anytime you overuse a certain set of muscles, it can lead to tense muscles and possible pain, including headaches, ear aches, and toothaches over time.
2.Gastrointestinal Problems
Chewing gum causes you to swallow excess air, which can contribute to abdominal pain and bloating like with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). When you chew gum you send your body physical signals that food is about to enter your body. The body begins to release enzymes and acids prepairing to digest the food that never arrives. Not good for the belly.
This can cause bloating, an overproduction of stomach acid, and canmake it difficult to produce enough digestive secretions when you actually do eat food. It may even cause diarrhea, from the artificial sweeteners that are commonly found in chewing gum.
3. Most Chewing Gum Contains Artificial Sweeteners
The ingredients of chewing gum although it is not swallowed do enter your body, directly through the walls of your mouth.
In a similar to toxic ingredients in personal care products, which are absorbed directly through your skin and into your bloodstream, the ingredients in gum also get absorbed by your body quickly and directly, bypassing the digestive system that would ordinarily help to filter some of the toxins away.
Artificial sweetners are the worst which is most gu, sugar-free does not equal healthier. these are not in any way healthier. And even non-sugar-free gums may contain some sort of artificial sweetener.
One of the most commonly used artificial sweeteners in chewing gum is aspartame. Aspartame this nasty has been been linked to birth defects, cancers, brain tumors, and weight gain.
Sucralose (Splenda), another common artificial sweetener used in chewing gum sweetener is associated with decreased red blood cells (a sign of anemia), male infertility and enlarged kidneys.
Studies looking at this issue show that artificial sweeteners may actually cause more weight gain than sugar by activating your hunger pangs and stimulating fat storage.
4. Environmental factor
80–90% of chewing gum is not disposed of in the proper way and it’s the second most common form of litter after cigarette butts. Chewing gum is made from polymers which are synthetic plastics that do not biodegrade. It looks pretty awful and people stick it in the most disgusting places. How awful it i to place your hand under a table and feel someones disgaurded sticky already been chewed gum.
My dad used to always wish that they would ban gum because of how difficult and often costly it is to remove.
Top tip for quiting gum:
If you are looking for a nice alternative to freshen your breath in between meals why not try a sprig of fresh mint in your water, it tastes great and it is so much better for you.
Let me know what habits you have that you are trying to kick.
Feel at ease
Ana Maria