Thursday, April 13, 2017

Holistic Dental Health



Dental health is an essential component of our overall physical wellness.  When farmers and ranchers are looking to invest in quality cattle and other livestock, they will check the prospective animal's teeth because healthy gums and teeth indicate healthy livestock.  The same is true for us as humans.  When our teeth and gums are fighting underlying infections, our immune systems can wear down, negatively impacting our health, especially those of us with chronic infections, illnesses, cancer, and/or autoimmune conditions.  Metal implants, silver amalgam mercury fillings, and root canals will also potentially compromise our bodies with neurotoxins and other problematic conditions.  Additionally, our commercial toothpastes carry potentially harmful toxins such as flouride, triclosan, and sulfates which can contribute to the problem.

My health began to decline about eleven years ago, shortly after having a metal implant procedure.  Four years later, while I was unknowingly infected with Lyme disease, I received an additional dental amalgam filling.  At that time, I was unaware that the filling carried harmful levels of mercury and the adverse impact it would have on my health.  The combination of autoimmune struggles, chronic Lyme, and extreme sensitivities to dental metal seemed to be the tipping scale for me with my health battle. After becoming aware of these issues, it took me a few years to save up money to pay for procedures to safely remove and replace all my metal fillings and implants from my teeth.  Meanwhile, I educated myself about natural holistic dental health.  Here are some important tips I learned through my own personal experiences.

FINDING THE RIGHT DENTIST

 There is considerable debate in the dental profession about the harmful effects of dental amalgams, metal implants, root canals, and other dental procedures.  It is important to find a dentist who is supportive of your desire for natural and holistic measures to care for your teeth and respects your concerns about these procedures.  Usually, the best option is to find a biological or holistic dentist.  There are also conventional dentists who are willing to work with you in this capacity, though they might be cautious about approaching the subject because of the controversy it entails.  Regardless, if you make the decision to have your amalgams removed, you must find a dentist who has the appropriate equipment to remove them with a rubber dam and to effectively remove mercury vapors in the air which can be dangerous for everyone involved in the procedure.  Mercury is a powerful neurotoxin.  When removing mercury fillings, you want to find an effective detox protocol to get the mercury out of your system.  Many detoxes will circulate the mercury through your body without safely eliminating it.    Those of us who have impaired detoxification pathways must especially be on alert about this. 

CHOOSING THE RIGHT DENTAL PRODUCTS

When we are battling chemical sensitivities, chronic migraines, illnesses, and autoimmune conditions, we should consider choosing a non-toxic fluoride-free toothpaste.  There are various natural toothpaste products available.  Many natural toothpaste brands contain chemicals that I personally am sensitive to so I prefer to make my own toothpaste and use natural dental care.  Here are a few natural dental care tips that I have found to be effective:

1.  Brush with pure baking soda and hydrogen peroxide.  Baking soda has an abrasive quality to scrub your teeth clean and hydrogen peroxide is a disinfectant for eliminating oral bacteria.  Just spread some of the baking soda on your tooth brush, pour a little peroxide on the baking soda, and you are ready to go. It is not recommended to brush daily with pure baking soda itself.  I typically use it about every other day.  

2.  Make your own toothpaste.  There are numerous recipes for homemade toothpaste.  The simplest way to make toothpaste is by placing about a 1/4 cup coconut oil in a small mason jar.  Then, add a little baking soda and filtered water until it is a paste consistency and put a few drops of peppermint essential oils for taste.  You can also add a dash of Himalayan sea salt to the mixture, which is optional.  

3.  Make your own mouthwash.  Natural chemical-free mouthwash is also easy to make.  Just take a pint mason jar (I prefer using an old coconut oil jar with a lid) and fill with a cup or two of filtered water.  Add a couple teaspoons of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide.  Shake to mix contents and use.  This simple mouthwash will sanitize your mouth and gums when rinsing. 





 OIL PULLING THERAPY

Oil pulling therapy is an excellent therapeutic and detoxification protocol for good dental health. Five years ago, my health condition made it impossible for me to make it to the dentist, and I knew I was struggling with some underlying dental infections.   As a result, I decided to try oil pulling therapy.  I started off doing the therapy three times a day and eventually reduced it to twice a day.   After completing all my necessary dental procedures, I continued oil pulling once a day.  Our mouths carry multiple types of bacteria, and when we swish with quality organic oil, it pulls the bacteria out of our teeth and gums, allowing our bodies to detoxify and heal.  The benefits of oil pulling therapy include general detoxification, decreased risk of cavities, reduction of infections in teeth and gums, and cleaner/whiter teeth.  

Coconut oil is highly recommended for this therapy because it contains lauric acid which has essential antibacterial components.  To get started, you take up to one tablespoon of organic cold pressed unprocessed coconut oil and swish it in your mouth.  Some people melt the oil on the stove as it is solid at room temperature.  I prefer to use it when it is solid and allow the heat of my mouth to melt the oil.  Start out for about 5 minutes and eventually work up to 10-20 minutes of swishing the oil in your mouth.  Try not to swallow it.  When done, simply spit it out and immediately brush your teeth.  Afterwards, the oil should be a milky white color.  Do not spit coconut oil in the sink as it will clog your pipes when it is in a solid state.  The coconut oil carries bacteria and is rank after use, so you will want to dispose it.  When first starting oil pulling, you may notice that you have cold symptoms, "herxing" reactions, and you might feel more tired than usual.  This is a sign of your body detoxifying and adjusting to the therapy.  It is normal and should subside after a week or two.   The best time of day to do oil pulling is first thing in the morning before you eat or just before bed.  When my dentist removed an infected metal crown a couple of years ago, he told me whatever I was doing seemed to work in keeping the infection at bay and said to keep it up.  That was confirmation for me that I was doing the right thing!

HOLISTIC DENTAL HEALTH

Quality dental care is a critical aspect of pure, simple, and whole living.  By consulting with a dental professional that is supportive of holistic health, taking good care of our teeth naturally, and avoiding metal implants and fillings as much as possible, we can give our physical wellness a healthy jump start!  In transitioning into holistic dental health, take it a step at a time and pray about the right timing to find a qualified dentist for removing/replacing any metal fillings and other implants.  A safe and effective detox program is also a critical factor in removing and replacing amalgam fillings.  Detoxing mercury has been one of the most difficult battles with my health struggles, as I was already battling a condition that was causing nerve damage.  The mercury in my body caused some unpleasant neurological side effects.  Despite my struggles with mercury detoxing and other  problems with metal implants, it was definitely worth it in the long run to have them all removed and replaced.  It is a big decision, but God sees us through!

To find a holistic or biological dentist in your area, visit this website: http://holisticdental.org/
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    JOYFUL TREASURES:  RESURRECTION POWER

Easter is one of my favorite times of year in which we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior!  Life emerges around us as the grass greens up, trees bud leaves, and bulb flowers unfold their beauty.  As we pull out last year's perennial stems and leaves to make room for new growth, remember that God does the same in our lives.  He prunes back the old and makes room for new life to spring forth in our hearts.  When the winter season has worn us down, our suffering becomes a conduit for the glory of God's power.  May his resurrection power renew our hearts with joy!

"God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power!"  1 Corinthians 6:14

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HOLISTIC DENTAL RESOURCES

I am not a doctor or an expert on dentistry.  The information in this article is based on my own personal experience and is not intended for diagnosis or treatment of dental problems or health conditions. For more information about holistic dental health, check out the following resources.










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Monday, April 3, 2017

Up Close and Personal: Simple Tips for Chemical Free Living





Spring is a perfect time to reflect on fresh mercies and reset our goals for pure, simple, and whole living.  Whole living permeates every part of us as we strive to simplify our lives and reduce our toxic load.  My last blog touched on the benefits of chemical free spring cleaning, and with it I took a poll on what products those in my social network preferred to achieve this goal.  Now, I would like to go a step farther and take an "up close and personal" look at chemical free living with our personal care products.  Our skin is the largest organ of the body and is constantly exposed to/absorbing toxins in the air and the products we use.  Soaps, shampoos, deodorants, lotions, perfumes, and cosmetics are loaded with toxic chemicals that we are lathering onto our bodies.  In using these common personal care products, we are unknowingly exposing ourselves to hormone disrupting endocrine inhibitors, skin/respiratory system irritants, possible carcinogens, and other potentially damaging chemicals.

CHEMICAL FREE PERSONAL PRODUCTS

With having severe chemical sensitivities and ongoing autoimmune challenges, I have transitioned into chemical free personal products over a number of years.  I purchase natural nontoxic glycerin soaps, body washes, and lotions to use for personal care.  Most of these products can be picked up at whole foods stores or online.  One of my favorite online shopping sites for these products is the Swanson Vitamins Website which sells products at a reduced cost and offers regular promotional sales.  When making personal care purchases, I look for "fragrance free" and "free and clear" products that have as few chemicals as possible.  I avoid artificial fragrances, sulfides, petroleum, mineral oil, and other toxic chemicals as much as I can.  I do admit that I occasionally use conditioner that is not chemical free, and I have yet to research safe nontoxic cosmetics, which is a future goal mine.  I keep cosmetic use to a minimum and have tried the hypoallergenic Physician's Formula makeup that can be bought at retail stores like Walmart or Target.

The industry is full of hypoallergenic and "free and clear" products, but I prefer to follow a simple and cost effective approach to personal care.  Here are some simple inexpensive tips for chemical free personal care with my favorite products that I have found to work well for my own hygiene needs.     

COCONUT OIL

Coconut oil is absolutely one of my favorite dietary and personal care products.  I always keep a bottle in the bathroom to use as a moisturizer, deodorant, and agent for oral care.  Coconut oil also makes a perfect sunscreen.  Coconut oil is a safe natural product full of anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties, not to mention it smells and tastes delicious!  I like to use coconut oil first thing in the morning for oil pulling therapy and massage my hands, feet, arms, and legs with it just before bed.  Most deodorant products contain aluminum and other toxins that can put us at risk for breast cancer.  I keep a small jelly-sized mason jar at my sink with a mixture of coconut oil and baking soda that I add by the teaspoon until the mixture is a paste consistency.  It makes a very effective homemade chemical free deodorant that keeps me feeling dry and clean all day.  You can also make your own toothpaste by mixing coconut oil, baking soda, and a little filtered water flavored with peppermint essential oils.  When purchasing coconut oil, be sure to look for unrefined organic oil.  We purchase inexpensive organic coconut oil at Aldi.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

Raw organic apple cider vinegar is also one of my favorite products to use in cooking, replenishment beverages, and personal care.  It makes a very effective detox bath and can be used in place of shampoo for shiny hair.  When having a vinegar detox bath, I add a few tablespoons to my bathwater.  For a chemical free a hair wash, take a jar or glass of water and wash with a tablespoon or two of baking soda (depending on the length of your hair), wash with a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar, and then rinse.  I like to rotate hair products between a mixture of baking soda with apple cider vinegar and a hypoallergenic nontoxic hair and body wash that I get from the whole foods store.  

HYDROGEN PEROXIDE

Hydrogen peroxide is another household favorite as a disinfectant, topical agent for sores and insect bites, as well as hand sanitizer and mouthwash.  I keep a small bottle of hydrogen peroxide in my purse in place of a hand sanitizer.  I also keep it at the sink for oral care, brushing teeth, and I make a homemade mouthwash adding a couple of teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda to a small mason jar of filtered water.  I have also noticed that hydrogen peroxide speeds up the healing processes for cuts and insect bites.  It is a must in my personal care package!

BAKING SODA

Baking soda is a necessity for any chemical free household to use in cleaning products, detox baths, deodorants, toothpastes, facial and hair scrubs, etc.  The uses of baking soda are almost limitless.  It can be soothing for skin rashes as well as insect bites.  I use baking soda for hair washing, deodorant, and oral care.  When I brush my teeth, I will sometimes add a little baking soda to my tooth brush and mix with hydrogen peroxide to get my teeth and gums nice and clean.  When I add a few tablespoons of baking soda to my detox bath, it is very soft and soothing to the skin.  It is my favorite product for this purpose.

ALOE VERA

Aloe vera is a popular product for skin care and digestive health.  Why take the time and expense to purchase chemically loaded aloe products when we have a large aloe plant in our house!  Aloe plants are perfect for absorbing toxins out of the air, and their leaves can be used to treat burns and other skin conditions.  Some people also consume aloe which is said to have healing properties for our intestines.  Aloe is very easy to grow and transfer shoots into new plantings.  This versatile low maintenance plant is perfect for any chemical free household.

CHEMICAL FREE WHOLE LIVING

 There is no need to go out and spend a boatload of money on personal care products when these basic tips can be used for a simple and inexpensive whole lifestyle.  Whole living is an ongoing process in which we can always improve upon and look at ways to reduce toxins in what we consume, breathe, and put on our bodies.  May we inspire and encourage each other to live well and live fully.  Our bodies will thank us!

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JOYFUL TREASURES:  PREPARING YOUR GARDEN

With spring finally here, it is time to plan for your summer garden!  I was a little late this year getting my flower seeds planted.  I like to get my flowers and garden vegetables started in my laundry room with peat pellets, a small enclosed "greenhouse" planter, and a bare light bulb.  There is nothing more thrilling than watching those fragile little seeds germinate into new life!

 "Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant."  -- Robert Louis Stevenson


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