Wellness Wednesday - Eating your way to good dental health

Today I decided to chat about teeth! Most of us have them, in various stages of health, and we all take them a little for granted until they start to give us grief. Then we pop a hundred pills to avoid having to go to the dreaded dentist because, who actually LIKES the dentist!?

I've always been irrationally terrified of dentists. I think a lot of people are. The thought of that sharp metal tool scraping away at my teeth has my teeth curling! It's like nails down a chalkboard which also sets my teeth on edge.

We've all always been told we need to go to the dentist at least every 6 months for kids, and once a year for adults. And let's not forget the dental hygienist, which needs to happen every 6 months as well. My wife is one of those people who sticks to her appointments. She prefers to leave the health up to someone else because her time is precious to her and she doesn't have time to brush each individual tooth for 5 seconds;) (she DOES brush her teeth! But she does it the normal way) I have to admit, when I learnt that the best way to brush my teeth was to hold my electric toothbrush over each tooth (front and back) for 5 seconds and let the toothbrush do the work, I had no idea how long that would actually take! It takes looooong...

I've never been one to back down in the face of a challenge so I do it, every day and every night, despite how time consuming it is. On the days that I honestly just don't have the time, I make sure I only brush "down", and I move gently, so that I don't mess up my gums. That's really the motivation behind the 5 second rule with electric toothbrushes. Most people brush their teeth sideways, back and forth, pressing hard, while the toothbrush head is also swivelling around. That's how you expose nerves and get receding gums and eventually this...

... a very horsey smile! I try to avoid looking like a horse;)

The upside to the 5 second rule is that it basically achieves what a dental hygienist would achieve because it focuses very specifically on each tooth. I find that my teeth ALWAYS feel smooth and clean since I started doing it. No plaque in sight:)

I'll tell you a secret... I don't believe in going to dentists or dental hygienists. I used to think it was a necessary part of life but, in my quest for knowledge about health and nutrition, I have come to realise that, like any other part of your body, if you look after it the way it should be looked after, not only will it will be with you for a long, long time, but it won't need tune ups now and then either! You don't need to go for regular stomach tune ups do you? Well, why should your teeth be any different? Some of you are saying, "Well, it's best to avoid a tooth problem by going for regular check ups, isn't it?" Again I'll say, do you do the same with your stomach?

I will agree with regular dentist visits IF you are eating a nutritionally deficient diet and not looking after your teeth properly. Your health is directly determined by the fuel you are putting into your body. If the fuel is low grade, then ALL the parts are slowly but surely going to start giving out, and it often starts with the teeth. In fact, if your teeth are suffering it's a very sure sign that your nutritional intake needs to be addressed and I would also start checking other body parts because something else is going to start giving out soon! The sad thing is that MOST people are eating a nutritionally deficient diet and they don't even know it.

I've spoken before about how to prepare grains properly. It's so important that you really pay attention to that post because grains are LARGELY to blame for the world's dental problems. How can that be, you ask?! All the magazines and books and experts tell us to eat whole grains, in excess. Surely they can't all be wrong? Sadly, they are. There has been a shift in thinking over the last couple of years. It is a slow shift, but it's there, and, one by one, people are waking up to the fact that there is something to all of this and that we need to cut down on grains and eat protein and fats instead. The banting diet has been a huge help in this area.

We ALL eat a lot of bread. If not bread, then other wheat-based foods like pasta, cereals, rice, wraps, cakes etc. And if you thought that going with whole grain, as opposed to refined grains, was better for you, I have bad news. In a weird way, it's actually worse! Which is a disaster because nutritionists EVERYWHERE keep telling us to eat as many whole grains as possible! Let me run through a quick explanation about phytic acid and phosphorus in case you haven't read that blog post yet.

When we consume whole grains we are consuming the bran and the germ part of the plant. The bran is the part of the grain that contains all the good nutrition, BUT it also contains phytic acid. Phytic acid is found in most plants. It is their built in self-defence mechanism and it protects them from germinating until conditions are optimal. Phytic acid is bad for us because it binds with all those important minerals found in the bran and makes it impossible for our bodies to absorb them. Most importantly, phytic acid binds with phosphorous and makes it nutritionally unavailable for our bodies to use. Phosphorous is one of the most important minerals in our diet as far as dental health is concerned. It's actually even more important than calcium when it comes to bone growth and the health of your teeth.

The only way for us to be able to absorb the phosphorous and other minerals from the bran in whole grains, is to properly prepare them by soaking, sprouting, or fermenting them. It breaks them down and makes the nutrients bio-available to our bodies. The problem is, phytic acid is not only limited to wheat. ALL grains contain it and so ALL grains need to be prepared properly. That means oats, rice, quinoa, millet, rye etc. If you want to know how to prepare them properly, here's that link again.

Personally, I think that one of the best ways to avoid this problem is simply to cut down on grains significantly unless you prepare them properly. Humans weren't designed to eat so many grains. The scary thing is that it's pretty much the biggest part of everyone's diet and it's the real reason that dentists are in such great demand these days.

I'm not going to tell you the foods to avoid to prevent tooth decay because it goes without saying that sugary, processed foods are a no-no, for everyone, but ESPECIALLY for kids. So, what can you do, nutritionally, to make your teeth healthier?

• If you aren't soaking, sprouting or fermenting your grains, start now. If you can't properly prepare them, don't eat them. In the longterm, they will make a mess of your digestive system and ultimately deprive you of much needed nutrients and ruin your teeth. This especially applies to your kids because the teeth they start out with will be the teeth they are stuck with for life. Give them a good start.
• Eat bone broth - Bone broth is so good for your teeth because it's rich in minerals. These days, our bodies are extremely starved for minerals because of our excessive intake of whole grains, our depleted soils and our use of chemicals with agriculture. When you make your bone broth, always include marrow bones from pasture-fed animals. If you find a marrow bone in your lamb stew, scoop out the marrow and eat it. It's very rich in minerals and an excellent source of healthy fat. 
• Raw Milk - Raw milk and other raw dairy products are an excellent source of calcium and phosphorus which are crucial to dental health. Raw dairy has many health benefits, one of which is that it contains more bio-available calcium than pasteurised dairy products, which actually contain little to none. Find a farmer near you who sells it. You will often find it at farmer's markets. Not only is it delicious, but it's a superfood of note.
• Organ Meats - Organ meats are some of the most nutrient-dense parts of an animal. Traditional cultures always highly prized the organ meats of the animals they hunted and it was the first thing they ate from it. They are so important for dental health because of their high vitamin and mineral content, which includes the all-important phosphorous. It is, however, essential that you get your organ meats from pasture-fed, free range animals because the liver is the organ that processes toxins in the body. You don't want to be eating toxins! If you don't like liver, try and make yourself like it! It's actually quite easy! I used to hate liver. I couldn't bear the texture and taste. It literally made me gag. But I'm one of those people that, if I know something is exceptionally good for me, I'll force myself to eat it until it becomes the norm for me . It's a true story that if you give yourself 10 days with anything, your mind and body can adjust to it. Now, I actually LOVE liver. Go figure! But I'm glad because it's incredibly good for me. Now if I could just get GLM to try that... ;)
• Butter - It took me a while to get my head around the fact that butter was actually GOOD. I truly struggled because of years of conditioning telling me that saturated fats were bad. I'm not ashamed to admit I was wrong. But it MUST be butter from grass-fed cows. Our bodies need the fat from things like butter in order to assimilate the fat-soluble vitamins A,D,E, and K. Grass-fed butter is an excellent source of vitamin K and something called the “Wulzen factor”. The “Wulzen factor” is a hormone-like substance that can only be found in raw butter and cream and basically assists the body in getting calcium to the bones instead of the joints. It’s also called the “anti stiffness factor” because of its ability to help prevent arthritis.

So, that's what you can eat to help your teeth stay strong and healthy. Needless to say, it will also keep your body strong and healthy because all of the above foods are superfoods in terms of nutrients. You want to be eating all of them, all of the time.

Something else that has helped my teeth and my health immensely is oil-pulling. Since I already wrote a whole blog post on it, I won't go into all the details again, but read the post and give it a try! One by one my friends and family are getting into it which I'm really impressed with;) It's done WONDERS for my teeth. Once a day is all it takes. You CAN do it;)

Needless to say, the toothpaste you are using is likely NOT doing you any favours. Toothpaste is full of nasties, the worst one being flouride. And just because a toothpaste says its for kids, doesn't mean it's good for them. Kids and adults should be able to use the same toothpaste. Read my blog post and please consider moving over to a natural toothpaste. If you are eating right, and you are oil-pulling, you really don't need anything fancy. Even without those things, your teeth are actually just fine without fluoride. You could brush them with bicarbonate of soda and it would actually be good enough as long as you are doing all of the above to look after them.

Try only going to the dentist if it's really necessary and then, if you do go, go to a holistic dentist. Google to find one near you. The chemicals that conventional dentists use are horribly bad for you. In case you wonder why you feel a bit ill or out of sorts for a few days after a visit to a dental hygienist or dentist, chances are it's because of all the chemicals they have put in your mouth. That machine doesn't suck out everything! You usually need a few days to detox after a visit to one of them. Don't subject your body to them if it's not necessary. Oh, and if you have mercury fillings, consider visiting a holistic dentist and GET THEM OUT!!! I will blog on this next week. They are slowly poisoning your body and need to be removed, CAREFULLY.

That's my two-cents worth on dental health. It's actually easy to look after your teeth and it's definitely worth it!

Monday Mix-up - Natural Air Fresheners for your home

Most of us aren't even aware of it, but each house has it's own unique smell. It's a combination of our day to day lives, which includes the food we cook, the beauty products we use, the cleaning products clean our houses with, the pets we have etc. That combination means the smell can be anything from a light, fresh smell, to a musty dog kind of smell. The problem is that we get so used to the smell of our own house that we don't even notice it when we walk in the door. Unfortunately, our guests do!

In last week's post I brought up the issue of commercial air fresheners and just how toxic they are for you and your family (that includes furry children too!) The problem is, a lot of us have pets, and some of you are smokers as well. (I hope I don't need to tell you the dangers of THAT but, just in case, I blogged about how it affects your loved ones a short while ago) Pets and smoke make for a potentially, odorously offensive house. You certainly DON'T want to make it worse by adding chemicals to the mix, so what can you do to make sure your guests aren't looking for an excuse to leave shortly after they arrive?

You have a few options actually, and they are all natural options. Ideally, you don't want to just mask a smell, you want it to disappear. That means you need some kind of odour absorber. Here are a few weird and wonderful ones:

• Diatomaceous earth - This stuff has many, many uses. Aside from being an effective, healthy and natural solution to de-fleaing and de-worming your pets, it also absorbs odours. Diatomaceous earth absorbs moisture in the air which often contains germs and pests and smells. You can place a small container of it in your fridge, or leave small bowls in unobtrusive places around the house. Replace them once a week. You can sprinkle it at the bottom of your rubbish bin and it will get rid of the smells in there. It even works for smelly shoes;) Place some in a old stocking and tie a knot to keep the Diatomaceous earth in. Place the stocking in the offending shoes and leave overnight. If you sprinkle it into your cat's litter box it will help a lot with offensive smells. With 6 cats in our house, we are constantly paranoid about that.
• Coffee grounds - There are few better smells than the smell of coffee brewing but I'm actually talking about the coffee grounds themselves absorbing odours, much like Diatomaceous earth does. Place small bowls around the house in unobtrusive places and let it do its work. Used coffee grounds works just as well once they're dry so, instead of chucking them away, put them to work around your house!
• Plain old elbow grease - Air pollutants actually get trapped in house dust so a good vacuum and dusting with a damp cloth will go a long way to getting rid of odours. To avoid adding more chemicals to the mix, stick with natural cleaners or make your own with white vinegar, lemon juice and bicarb, all of which are also natural odour removers.
• Palms trees - I don't mean the kind lining a beautiful beachfront (although that would be a good way to escape odours;) I mean the small palm plants that a lot of people have in their gardens and houses. Palms are very effective air purifiers. They remove formaldehyde, which you'll find in paints, furniture varnish, and the glues used to hold laminate flooring together. (bet you didn't even think of that kind of stuff did you?) If you don't like palms, try one of these:

Aloe Vera

Gerbera Daisy

Dragon Tree

English Ivy

Boston Fern

Peace Lily

The beauty of using plants is that, not only do they absorb toxic chemicals and smells in your house, but they also add an element of beauty and peace to a house. I love walking into a house full of plants. I immediately feel peaceful and it's not just because they are beautiful, it's because they emanate health and vitality.

A lot of homes have what I call "signature scents". The minute I walk in the door the familiar smell awakens memories and associations and, depending on how much I like the smell, I will either feel immediately comfortable, or I'll be planning my escape route. The same applies to people. Everyone has a signature scent too. That's why perfume companies make so much money. Scents are powerful. They can take you back in time in a flash and they can influence your moods and your thoughts and emotions. Most people find bad body odour offensive. Bad house odour is no less offensive and, like body odour, it can be avoided, naturally.

Here is one way to make your house smell good enough to eat if you are expecting guests:

• 3/4 fill a pot with water and place on the stove on high heat
• Add a sliced up orange, a sliced up apple, a sliced up lemon, a few cinnamon sticks, (or a teaspoon of ground cinnamon) some fresh rosemary and a vanilla pod if you have one on hand
• Bring to the boil then turn down to simmer
• Leave it there for as long as you need to send a beautiful spicy, fruity scent travelling through your house, topping up water now and then when necessary to avoid a burnt fruit smell!

When you are done, turn it off and leave to cool, then pour all of it into a large jar and refrigerate. You can re-use it several times during the course of a week and then throw it into your compost heap when the week is up. Uncooked jars will last for about 2 weeks in the fridge.

You can make these jars beforehand and keep them in the fridge so they're ready to go in an emergency. Don't they look yummy!

Some other examples of spices that you can use are:

• Peppercorns
• Nutmeg
• Whole cloves

And herbs:

• Thyme
• Lemongrass
• Mint leaves
• Fresh basil
• Earl grey teabags
• Bay leaves

And fruits (citrus fruits will keep for longer):

• Apples
• Limes
• Cranberries
• Ginger

If you love the smell of pine trees, like I do, you can even get really adventurous and add pine needles to the pot, or whatever tree smells you like! Keep it REALLY natural;) Play around with combinations until you find some that work for you. You don't have to cut up whole fruits either. You can use the off cuts from your morning smoothie. Skins of fruits will smell just as good:)

Another option is to use a slow cooker instead of a pot on the stove. That way you can leave it on all day without worrying about it running out of water or using lots of electricity.

Make your own room spray

If you live a busy life and prefer to just keep a bottle of room spray on hand for emergencies, it's very easy to make your own:

• Find a clean spray bottle
• Fill with 3 parts water and 1 part vodka (just the cheap, plain kind) It helps break down the oils a bit so they travel easier.
• Add 10-20 drops of your favourite essential oil (or a combination of your favourites like lavender, eucalyptus, geranium, tea tree oil, sweet almond, cinnamon or orange)
• Shake and spray

Sometimes people are so busy trying to mask smells that they forget there is often a very effective, simple way to get rid of them. Never underestimate the power of fresh air. Often all it takes to get rid of an offensive odour is a good through-draft! Open the doors and windows and let mother nature dissipate the smell for you. Then add some of your homemade room spray to make it smell even better!

If you own an oil burner you can add your favourite essential oil to a little water, light a tealight candle underneath it and put them in bedrooms to make them smell good. If you have a large enough one you can even put some of your fruit and spice mix in instead. The heat from the candle will be enough to spread the scent through a bedroom.

There you have it! Simple and easy, effective ways to make your home smell good, naturally!