Does a whiff of your breath make Fido roll over and play dead?

If you're brushing and flossing twice a day but still sensing there might be a problem, try changing your diet. Your mouth is only the porthole for bad stomach odors. Think of it as a sewer main breaking: You may smell it aboveground, but the actual problem comes from underground. Here are common food culprits. (see below ↓)

 

 

Garlic, onions, cabbage, cheese, and coffee are common culprits in bad breath. So is anything your body has particular trouble digesting. As the bacteria in your stomach break down foods, they release odors into and out of your mouth.

More ways to fight bad breath:

• Brush, brush, brush! Bacteria in your mouth break down food particles and create volatile sulfide compounds (VSCs), which smell like rotten eggs. In addition to brushing, try a tongue scraper for a clean sweep. Brushing may help your arteries, too. Here's another RealAge tip that explains why.
• See your dentist. Cavities, gum disease, periodontal disease, dry mouth, or an abscessed tooth are just a few oral ailments that can contribute to mouth odor.
• Don't skip meals. Not only do certain foods cause bad breath, but so does not eating.
• Stop smoking. Do we really have to explain this one? Read this report on a new antismoking drug.
• See your doctor. Sinusitis, bronchitis, respiratory infections, kidney and liver conditions, and diabetes are just a few of the medical problems that can cause bad breath. Could you have diabetes? Take this assessment.
• Nibble on fresh parsley, mint, or ginger. These are natural breath fresheners.

How do you know if you have bad breath? Here's a quick test.

True or false: You can have a normal weight and BMI and still be "obese."

It's true. Even if you're no bigger than a minute, you could still be at risk for cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome if your fat mass is greater than 30 percent of your body weight. It's called "normal-weight obese syndrome." Here's how it works. (see below ↓)

 

Overall weight and BMI are a good start when estimating health risks, but they don't tell the whole story. What's more important is how much fat you have relative to your overall weight and where that fat is on your body.

The higher your percentage of fat mass -- and the more fat you have bunched around your middle -- the more proinflammatory cytokines you have racing around in your blood. What's so bad about that, you ask? These chemicals signal inflammation, and the more inflammation you have in your

What's metabolic syndrome? Here's a definition.

body, the greater your health risks. Cytokines also affect the way your body uses insulin and contribute to hardening of the arteries.

Once the inflammation ball gets rolling, your risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome go up. Which helps explain, in part, why skinny people can still get heart disease and may pack on pounds after a certain age.

To lower your percentage of body fat, use the triple threat: cardiovascular exercise, weight training, and a balanced diet. No time to exercise? Use these double-duty moves that blend exercise with everyday activities.

And don't throw out your scale or ignore your BMI altogether. They still provide important information about your overall health. Check your BMI and waist-to-height ratio with this online tool.

Get your waist back! Try YOU: On a Diet, a realistic waist-management plan from RealAge Drs. Mehmet Oz and Michael Roizen.