HealthMaster Recipes: Cream of Asparagus Soup

Ingredients

1 bunch of cleaned asparagus

half a small diced onion

half a small diced shallot

one medium potato (quartered)

1 cup of chicken stock

half cup of milk

pepper and sea salt to taste

The first step before you start using your HealthMaster is to sauté your onions, shallots, and quartered potato in olive oil using medium heat for 5 minutes. The next step is to add chicken stock and asparagus. Bring your sauté back to the stove, bring it to a boil, then turn down to simmer for 5 more minutes. Once you have done all of this, its time to bring to the HealthMaster. Add a half cup of milk and pepper and sea salt to taste. Secure the lid, press the on button, then press the run button increasing the speed to 4 or 5 until fully pureed. I love cream of asparagus soup, and it is very healthy for you. It is a great source of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and fiber. It is also super low in calories! Bon appetit! and stay healthy!

The Inner Richmond Neighborhood: A Multicultural Gem!

Dr. Josh Berd, San Francisco’s Cosmetic Dentist reviews his favorite places to visit around his office in the Inner Richmond.

The Inner Richmond has sprouted from an overlooked quaint neighborhood to a bustling multicultural center for inexpensive eateries, unique shops and hangouts. Here you’ll find popular Burmese and Vietnamese restaurants, Chinese dim sum bakeries, and one of SF’s best bookstores, just to name a few.

So the next time you’re headed over to see us for a dental visit, check out some of these restaurants and shops:

Good Luck Dim Sum: If you see locals and regulars lining up to grab fresh shrimp dumplings and BBQ pork buns then you’re in the right place. This spot is a great bargain bite. Grab some to go and head to park Presidio for a stroll.

Grocery Stores: Here you can find a large selection of exotic fruits such as mangos, dragon fruit, papaya, jackfruit, lychee, kumquat, and durian. Sort through mounds of oranges to find the ripe and delicious ones.

Green Apple Books: Enter here and you’re greeted by a gnome and a large selection of popular and hard to find fiction, magazines, and music. The staff writes personal reviews of their favorite books to help peak your interest in some new literature.

Toy Boat Desert Cafe: In addition to your favorite childhood ice creams flavors, this shop also crafts great sandwiches and smoothies, and sells Pez dispensers! They’ve recently added low-fat frozen yogurt (which contains cavity-fighting probiotics).

Park Life: It’s a store of innovative design, apparel and books. It’s also a revolving gallery of local artists. If you’re searching for a one of a kind gift for a dear friend, this is the place to find it.

Burma Superstar: This popular local restaurant offers unique flavors of Burmese cuisine. Try Burma’s Rainbow salad which features 22 distinct ingredients…your taste buds will thank you.

Q Restaurant: Made famous when featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Q’s truly serves up delicious American food.

Enjoy!

www.joshthedentist.com

Are Dental Amalgam Fillings Safe?

Dr. Josh Berd, San Francisco’s Cosmetic Dentist discusses the facts and fiction surrounding the amalgam filling toxicity debate.

The issue of safety of dental amalgam fillings has been a controversial topic in the news for quite some time. I’d like to shed some light on this heated debate and address common questions and misconceptions.

What is dental amalgam, and why does it contain mercury?

Dental amalgam is a material used to fill cavities in teeth broken down by bacterial decay. Amalgam is an alloy of silver, copper, tin, zinc and mercury. Mercury’s unique properties (it is the only metal that is liquid at room temp) allow it to bind the other metal particles to form a strong and durable solid filling.

Is dental amalgam toxic to the human body?

The California Dental Association states that dental amalgam ‘shows no toxicity and causes no adverse health reactions.’ Amalgam fillings are known to emit mercury vapor, although the amounts fall well within levels considered safe by the FDA.

Is it true that some illnesses or allergies can be caused/ associated with dental amalgam fillings?

The FDA, World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention have all reviewed the best available scientific evidence and determined that dental amalgam fillings are safe. This well-studied area has no connection to the development of any known neurologic or systemic disorders. People with known allergies or sensitivity to metals such silver, copper, tin or mercury should not get amalgam fillings. If you are allergic, dental amalgam might cause oral lesions or other contact reactions.

Can I have old dental amalgams safely removed/replaced?

The FDA does not recommend replacing amalgam fillings strictly for cosmetic reasons. Removing old fillings may result in loss of healthy tooth structure and trauma to the tooth’s pulp. However, dental amalgam can be safely removed by a dentist using a technique that isolates the offending tooth from the oral cavity.

I don’t like the dark color of dental amalgam, what are my other options?

A great alternative is a composite resin filling. This ‘tooth-colored’, body-friendly type of special plastic can be customized to match the shade of your natural tooth. It blends in with surrounding teeth and requires minimal removal of healthy tooth structure. Advancements in dental materials allow dentists to place composite resin fillings that are increasingly more durable and aesthetic.

Your choice!

Know that you have a better understanding of dental amalgam; you have the power to choose. Remember, your choice needs to be based on facts, and also take your cosmetic issues into consideration. It is important to have the right dentist who will explain your options and listen to your concerns.

Sources: FDA, ADA, CDA. Image: AACD

HealthMaster Recipe: Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche

Ingredients (Pie Crust)

 Cup and a half of whole wheat flour

Cup and a half of white flour

One cup of butter

Quarter of a cup of water

Teaspoon of salt

Add flour and butter to your HealthMaster. Next add the cold butter. Make sure you secure your lid, and press the on button. Set your speed to 1, and start pulsing repeatedly while using the tamper stick through the top of the lid. Next add water and salt. Now keep pulsing repeatedly while using the tamper again until dough is fully mixed. Dust rolling surface with flour for the dough before emptying the dough out onto the counter, so that it does not stick. Do the same to the rolling pin that your using. Remove the dough from the HealthMaster and dust it with a bit of flour so that it keeps a good consistency and does not fall apart. Now with the rolling pin roll the dough into a circle that is about 12 inches in diameter. For easier transfer of the dough onto your baking dish roll the dough over the rolling pin gently, and roll it onto your dish using the rolling pin. Press the dough so that there is no cracks or holes, and make sure to flute, or crimp the edges (like a pie).

Ingredients (Filling)

Half bunch of broccoli

5 eggs

2 cups of milk

cup of cheddar cheese

pinch of salt

pinch of pepper

cayenne pepper and onion powder (optional)

Add all of the above ingredients into the HealthMaster and secure the lid. Press the on button and pulse until the broccoli is all in chunks. Now pour the quiche batter into the pie crust. Stick quiche in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown. There you have it! Great and healthy quiche using all natural ingredients and it is very tasty!

HealthMaster Recipe: Ham and Cheddar Omelette

Ingredients

4 fresh egg whites

2 whole eggs and a quarter cup of water

2 scallions

4 ounce chunk of ham

4 ounce chunk of cheddar cheese

add sea salt and pepper to taste (this can be done afterwards)

Add all of the above ingredients into your HealthMaster. Make sure you secure the lid. Turn on the machine, and increase the speed to 4. Now press the pulse button repeatedly until it looks like it has blended enough. Make sure not to over blend, unless thats how you like your omelette. Now go get a skillet and spray it with a non-stick spray like Pam. After you have prepared the skillet pour the omelette into it, and cook it with a medium heat. When you are done with cooking the ham omelette, slide the omelette from the skillet on to a plate that is garnished with some fresh fruits! This is a great and healthy way to start your day!

HealthMaster Recipes: Puréed Peas or Baby Food

Ingredients

2 cups of steamed fresh or frozen peas

half cup of the remaining water from steaming (or just water for frozen peas)

First thing you need to do is add all of the above ingredients into the HealthMaster food emulsifier. Next important step is to make sure the lid is secured and closed. Now press the on button and then press the run button. Increase the speed to 6 until well blended. Make sure the peas are well pureed for babies. Here is a tip if you are interested fill up an ice tray with the result and freeze it for storing the baby food. These peas are loaded with vitamins and minerals to keep your baby healthy!

A NEW YEAR, A NEW SMILE

Dr. Josh Berd, San Francisco’s Cosmetic Dentist talks about using porcelain veneers, his own artistic eye and a personalized approach to dental care to transform a smile.

Have you ever seen a business woman walking to her penthouse office downtown in a perfectly fitted Dior suit, Louboutin shoes, Cartier watch…and gapped teeth? This woman puts immense emphasis on looks, but overlooks the one thing people see first – her teeth! It has been noted that in today’s culture, the appearance of your teeth and oral hygiene indicate your overall health, self-esteem and even status.

In the world of dentistry however, Veneers are mostly done for purely cosmetic reasons – they are an elective treatment. To most people that ask me if they need veneers, as a doctor, my answer is “No.” The reason for veneers is that you yourself don’t like how things look. In this particular case, the woman was unhappy with the diastima (large gap) between her central teeth and wished to have Veneers placed. Let me take you through the Four Step process…

First Dental Visit: Consultation

This is actually the longest of the four visits; it is the consultation that may require the most time since addressing the patient’s concerns and wishes are highly personalized. This visit also includes taking impressions, radiographic images and photos of the teeth to analyze the health and appearance of the smile. Next, I use the information gathered to work closely with a professional lab technician designing Veneers with the appropriate shape, size and color.

Second Dental Visit: Temporary Veneers Fitted

The patient’s teeth are minimally shaped and temporary Veneers are fitted. This step allows for adjustments to be made and for the patient to ‘test drive’ their new smile. Any revisions of the temp Veneers are incorporated into creating the final Veneers.

Third Dental Visit: Permanent Veneers Fitted

During this exciting visit, the final Veneers are placed and the patient walks out with a new smile.

Fourth Dental Visit: Follow-up

This appointment is for the finishing touches, including slight re-contouring, adjustments in bite, and photos of the brand new smile.

Feel free to contact Dr. Berd with questions regarding this procedure. www.joshthedentist.com

Note: During the consultation the patient is also informed that Veneers are a non-reversible procedure, they need to be maintained like regular teeth to remain free of cavities, and that the wearing of a Nightguard is highly recommended to safeguard and ensure the longevity of the porcelain.