Natural Teeth Care

While the title of the post is “How To Make Natural Toothpaste” I prefer to make a tooth powder instead.  Although I will talk about making a paste also.

In doing a little research for this post I learned that there are some common ingredients that have been used for years and with good reason.  Pretty much all of the ingredients are common household items and if you don’t already have them in your house you can pick them up quite easily.

The most used ingredients are as follows and why:

Baking soda – Sodium Bicarbonate, it is mildly abrasive but more importantly, in solution, baking soda on contact, will kill the motile microorganisms that are commonly associated with periodontal infections.  I have to admit I had no idea what motile meant so just to clarify a bit, motile means self-propelled motion.  Another benefit of baking soda is that it neutralizes the bacterial acids that form in plaques.

Table salt – Sodium Chloride, although it feels highly abrasive it really isn’t.  Table salt like baking soda will aid in killing the motile microorganisms.  It has good anti bacterial properties but it isn’t as good as baking soda.  If salt is used in higher concentrations it will reduce edema (swelling caused by fluid retention) and improve circulation in the gingival tissues.

Sage – Sage is used in some natural mouthwashes because its tannins are thought to help kill the bacteria that cause gingivitis.  In addition, it also tastes great and has other healing properties as well.  I always dry some leaves from my garden and include it when making tooth powder.

If you would like to make the tooth powder all you have to do is mix the ingredients together and use the powder to brush your teeth with.  If you dry your own sage you will have to crumble it up before mixing it in with the other items.  I usually grind it a bit in my spice grinder (a coffee grinder that I use specifically for fresh spices).

Some people just don’t like the idea of a tooth powder because they are used to tooth pastes.  In this case you can make the powder into a paste with the addition of glycerin.

Glycerin – Although not well known, glycerin also has anti bacterial potential.  A drop is glycerin viewed through a microscope will stop the motility of living bacteria.

These few simple ingredients are all that you really need to keep your teeth and gums healthy and will extremely little expense.  If you would rather purchase a product you can check out Herbal Remedies for a great price and quality products.

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If You’re pressed for time go straight to the article here

I of course had no idea what xenoestrogens were so I turned to my best friend the “Big G”.  What I found out from Google was a bit disturbing.  It also helped to clear up at least a bit what is happening to our society.  More to the point to  what is considered the normal body shape of our society.  Where are all of the slender toned people?

So it turns out that xenoestrogens are chemicals that mimic female hormones. In case you didn’t know, estrogens and their mimics are growth stimulants and fat promoters, think rubber tire of fat around the waist, man breasts, and tumors.  Now of course this is a very simplistic explanation.  Feel free to get into the nitty gritty of how tos and whys on you own adventure  into Googleland.

Anyway they being endocrine disruptors, estrogen mimics, or homone imitators, can be potentially linked to breast cancer, fibroids, cysts, and endometrial cancers.  Hey guys this should concern us too.  Xenoestrogens have a direct corrolation to, are you ready, here it is…..declining male sexual performance.  The reduced quality and volume of seminal fluid and the decline of sperm counts.  I knew you knew there was a reason for all of the male enhancement and viagra ads.

The hard part about estrogen imitating chemicals is that they are literally everywhere.  Xenoestrogens are in a lot of conventionally raised meats and dairy products.  They are on pesticides used on our food, PVC plumbing pipes contain it, lawn weed and feed and on and on.  The one thing I really didn’t want to learn was that caffeine intake from coffee and so forth is also associated with higher estrogen levels.

Here are a few more items:

Solvents, glues, paints, varnishes, cleaning fluids, lotions, shampoos, sunscreens, makeup, perfume, hair spray, dishwasher/washer and dryer exhaust, car exhaust, car interiors, etc.

One of the most disturbing things I found out was that topical products like skin lotions that are absorbed into the skin are present in your body in higher concentrations because it did not get metabolized by the liver.

Not to make light of the situation but who knew that your skin lotion or coffee could be contributing to your belly fat?

So I think that the best thing we can do to combat xenoestrogen is to limit our exposure as much as possible and eat the 3 veggies to fight the fat promotion effects of them.  Oops I didn’t tell you about the veggies yet.  Instead of me getting extremely long winded here is the link to the site I found the information on it is a very quick read (there is a huge amount of information on other subjects on this site also):  Click though to learn about the 3 belly fat  fighting veggies.

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Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialist has written a great article that sums up how I feel about the supplement and weight loss industry in general.   Go ahead and check it out, also check out some of his other articles also.  Mike is very knowledgeable about a number of interesting topics:  check out his article Lose Fat Naturally Without Supplements ….

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My main focus of study on the subject are the writings of Dr. Herbert Shelton who has supervised the fasting of more that 40,000 people over a fifty year period. Dr. Shelton distinguishes between starvation and fasting by stating:

“So long as the body’s food reserves last, the individual abstaining from food is fasting. When this reserve has been consumed to the point where it is no longer able to sustain the functions of life, further abstinence becomes dangerous; starvation begins. It is only after this point is reached that any real damage is sustained by the vital organs and their funcitons. As a general rule, under proper conditions of environment, one may fast for weeks, and even months, before the starvation point is reached.”

Now let’s be clear….I am not saying to fast for the next month. I am however convinced that the restorative effects of fasting can have benefits to your health. There is documentation of fasting contributing or attributing to the disappearance of tumors, excess weight, restoring blood among other things.

1. Mental clarity
2. Balancing of the nervous system
3. Safe weight loss (without flabbiness)
4. Increased energy
5. Increased sensory perception
6. Revitalization of organs
7. Harmonizing of cellular biochemistry
8. Fuller breathing
9. Softer skin
10. Greater ease of movement

As a substitute to making a resolution for the new year I have decided to begin again in 2010 by resetting my body’s natural functions by doing a 5-10 day fast (with distilled water only being consumed). I don’t know exactly how difficult this will be but I am optimistic that I can last at least 5 days. I will start fasting at midnight on Dec. 31st and continue until at least Jan. 5th 2010 at midnight. I am confident that this will be an excellent exercise in restoring health.

If fasting for 5-10 days seems a bit excessive or difficult to you there is an alternative solution that you might want to take a look at: Alternative to longer fast if you do nothing else make sure to get the free report.

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As you know I started a water fast 1/1/10 at 12:01,the turn of the new year. This morning when I got up it was a bit weird not having coffee only for the simple fact that I love coffee. This is probably going to be one of the hardest things to give up during the fast. It’s funny I was just talking with a friend and I told him I couldn’t figure out why I was so tired…..duh, no coffee.

Another thing I am going to miss is chocolate. I don’t know if it is chocolate per se or the sugar. I do my best to eat healthy but I think I still have a bit of a sugar addiction.

So the effects so far are:

• tiredness (lack of caffeine)
• lightheaded feeling
• coldness
• food cravings

All in all the effects of the first day of fasting aren’t too bad. I am a bit worried about the second day though. During my fasting research I noticed that most people had the hardest time during the second or third day.

I can’t wait till I’m not craving bad food…I’ve read that it usually takes a couple of days till I won’t feel hungry. I kind of feel like a cartoon character you know when they show for instance Homer Simpson and he envisions food when he is looking at something else. Like when he sees a baby and thinks it is a ham, or a cheeseburger, or a candy bar or a chocolate Easter bunny…….oh no I had better stop now……mmmm chocolate.

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Lower Ab Exercise

I see this question posted quite a bit online “how can I get perfect abs in a week?” I think that people need to be realistic. I know that we are all used to having everything we want instantly. However getting a six pack doesn’t work that way.

So to answer the question, it is not possible to get perfect abs in a week. The key to showing off your abs is to decrease your overall body fat. Everybody has ab muscles but if you have above a 10% body fat level you probably won’t look ripped.

Genetics also play a role. Not everyone has the genetic make up to achieve the perfect six pack. That said it is still worth the effort to lower your body fat and become more fit by fueling your body with nutritious foods and by being physically active.

Oh and also as a side note, many people will have a difficult time getting down to a level of 8%-10% and also getting rid of the subcutaneous belly fat (the small layer of fat just under the skin). For some extra help you can look into doing a short term fast or doing intermittent fasting.

Permalink: http://easyfitnessandnutrition.info/fitness/abs/how-can-i-get-…is-it-possible/

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• The Effects of the First 24 Hours of Fasting

The past 24 hours have been quite challenging. I developed the common coating on the tongue, I still have dizziness (which I will talk about in just a bit), lack of energy, and last night felt quite nauseated .

I have been continuing my research into fasting and all of the symptoms that I am experiencing are quite normal. I have discovered however that people that are used to drinking coffee will usually experience these symptoms for up to 5 days. This is difficult to gauge because everybody’s body is different obviously. So it might take longer for these symptoms to diminish.

I have in the last 24 hours however gone quite beyond the dizzy feeling and have entered the realm of feeling intoxicated. Right now for instance I would not feel comfortable getting behind the wheel of my car. From what I have learned I know that these symptoms will pass once my body eliminates the toxins.

The issue that I am struggling with at the moment is I am supposed to start a contract job with an investment firm tomorrow and currently I can’t think clearly.

I am considering ending my fast before the minimum 5 days. However this doesn’t mean that I will not conduct a future fast. In fact I have learned that to achieve the maximum benefits of a fast you can’t put a time limit on it. You continue to fast until the coating on you tongue (if you develop it, not everyone does) or your true hunger comes back or both.

Just to clarify: Your true hunger is not the period feeling of hunger but a feeling of hunger that will not go away until you eat.

I will let you know what I decided in a future post.

Below is a video that I found of a gentleman that did a 21 day fast. The video is of his last day but you can check out his other videos that document almost every day.

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Overall I decided that the experience was not a total loss but rather I did shed 4 pounds which I gather was water weight since I rapidly gained it back again. But the one effect that is tending to stick with me is that I seem to be digesting food more easily and regularly.

As I mentioned in earlier posts, I have a tendency to crave sugar and that problem continues to exist. I heard it said that when you crave sweets, in reality it is your body telling you that you are really craving natural sugars like those found in fruits. Obviously this makes sense to me however my taste buds tend to win out over the logic of the matter.

As an alternative to the longer fast I am utilizing an intermittent fasting technique in which I fast for shorter periods of time. I do find that this method is easier to incorporate into my lifestyle but in the beginning it was a bit of a challenge not to overeat when coming off a 24 hour fast. As always the trick to maintain or lose weight is a simple correlation between calories consumed and calories burned.

Intermittent fasting is a great way of keeping your body guessing what is coming next so that you don’t fall into too much of a routine with your eating. This can be a great aid to you if you are trying to lose weight and have hit a wall or a plateau.

I still think a longer fast can provide a greater healing effect on the body but until I have a lengthier block of time (like 2 weeks on a beach somewhere tropical) I will continue utilizing the IF method.

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quinoa in nature

When it comes to nutrition, Quinoa is the mother of all the grains. What it lacks in beauty it makes up in nutrition.

A Bit Of Inca History

In the Inca language the word Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) is translated to mean “mother grain”. The use of Quinoa dates back 5000 years and was used to provide sustenance to the huge Inca empire spanning from the Peruvian Andes to the seacoast of Chile.

Quinoa Is A Complete Protein Source

Quinoa is in a class by itself when it comes to providing protein, an average of 16.2% (some varieties provide over 20%). Of all of the other grains Quinoa contains more high quality protein than any other. It provides all nine of the essential amino acids in a well balanced profile. Thus making it a great choice for vegans if you are concerned about getting enough quality protein.

If you stress your muscles regularly you might want to start incorporating a bit of Quinoa into your meal plan. It is a great source of the amino acid lysine, which is especially helpful with the repair and growth of tissue.

What About Minerals?

Quinoa is also a great source of magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus. I’ll also throw riboflavin in here (vitamin B2). Due to the characteristic of magnesium to help relax blood vessels, Quinoa can help reduce the frequency of headache/migraine episodes. Magnesium also aids in your overall cardiovascular health.

What About Gluten?

Quinoa is naturally gluten/wheat free it it one of the least allergenic grains. However it does contain oxalates so if you are on an oxalate restricted diet you might want to use caution.

Just as an aside here is a post on how to cook quinoa and also my favorite Southwestern Quinoa Stew.

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Southwestern Quinoa Stew

Cooking Quinoa is pretty straight forward.  You use a ratio of 2 cups of water or your favorite stock to 1 cup of Quinoa.  Bring the liquid to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and continue cooking covered until all of the water is absorbed or until the Quinoa is translucent and the germ ring is visible along the outside edge usually 10-15 minutes.

As a side note, although most of the processes used for commercial Quinoa remove most of the soapy saponins that coat the quinoa seeds, I still like to rinse them under cold water before cooking just to make sure there aren’t any residual bitter flavors that were left behind.

Although cooking quinoa is quite easy  I personally discovered that I am not a huge fan of quinoa by itself but would much rather prepare it is part of a dish.  Without a lot of thought you will be able to come up with many dishes that you can incorporate quinoa into.

I am a big fan of one pot meals so here is my favorite one pot Southwestern Quinoa Stew with Squash, Black Beans, and Corn recipe (unfortunately I don’t know where I acquired this recipe so I can’t give credit to the author, sorry).

Southwestern Quinoa Stew

1T olive oil

2 diced onions

1t dried oregano

2 diced garlic cloves

1 quart low sodium chicken stock (homemade is best)

1c quinoa

1t chipotle in adobo, mashed

1 package (10 oz.) frozen cooked winter squash

1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed (or you can soak and cook your own)

1c frozen corn

1/3 cup diced roasted red bell pepper (I usually toss the whole thing in since I took the time to roast it)

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

salt and black pepper to taste (at the end)

Method:

In a heavy 3 quart Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat.  Stir in the onion, oregano, and garlic, and cook for 10 seconds or so.

Add the broth and 2 cups of water.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Add the quinoa and boil uncovered over medium high heat for 10 min.

Stir in the chipotle in adobo, and add the block of squash.  Turn the heat to high, cover, and continue cooking until you can break up the squash and stir it into the stew, 3-4 minutes.

Stir in the beans.  Reduce the heat to medium.

Continue cooking until there is no solid white dot of starch at the center of the quinoa, 1-3 minutes longer.  Stir in the corn, roasted red pepper, cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook uncovered, just until the corn is defrosted another minute or so.

Ladle into soup bowls and add a bit of sour cream if you are so inclined.

Keep in mind that recipes are just guidelines, feel free to add or subtract items to suit your tastes.

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