Try it Tuesday: Homemade Toothpaste
The Problem
Fluoride is a chemical put in most public water systems and is placed there because someone thought it would help prevent cavities. The metro area I live near was actually the very first city to put fluoride in their water.The concept is that experts were/are hoping that through regular fluoride consumption the rates of cavities in both young and old would be reduced.
Unfortunately, not only has it yet to be proven to be effective, it has also been shown to decrease fertility in many of the animal studies that have been done. Seems that it causes multiple problems with sperm quality. Chronic exposure to fluoride has also been linked to thyroid and neurological disorders, hormonal imbalances, and heart disease.
It’s in most every conventional toothpaste as ‘cavity prevention’.
Sodium Laurly Sulfate is an anionic surfactant (foaming agent) that used in many cleaning and hygiene products, both conventional and so called ‘natural’. It’s the ingredient that helps to cause the foaming in our toothpastes, shampoos, bubble baths, and shaving creams. It has been linked to greater risks of developing canker sores, and more importantly it has been shown to be an endocrine disruptor as well. Which means this; once it is absorbed into the body, it mimics the activity of the hormone Oestrogen causing the natural balance of your hormones to ……disrupt.¹
My First Solution
After deciding to rid my body of exposure to these particular 2 toxins from my toothpaste, I headed to the nearest health food store and browsed the shelves. I was completely surprised by how many ‘natural’ toothpastes had not one – but BOTH of the ingredients in their mix!!
Actually, not just surprised….appalled!
I mean, how many people had done the same thing I had in running out to find a better alternative for their families and were mislead by the ‘natural’ label?!
But, I finally found a toothpaste that I thought would meet my requirements:
- no fluoride
- no sodium lauryl sulfate
- no crazy sounding chemicals
Back to Square One
A couple months ago I actually noticed my teeth.
Don’t get me wrong – I brush every day, floss sometimes, but how often do you really get up close and notice your teeth? I knew I hadn’t been doing the greatest job in the world, but I seriously almost cried.
I had dark spots between, and along the gum line, of many of my teeth.
You see, I had started using a glycerin based toothpaste, and come to find out……glycerin prevents teeth from remineralizing as it actually stays on the teeth for days after brushing. While studies are hard to come by, different sources claim that it can take 20 – 30 rinses to get it completely off the teeth. I don’t rinse like that, and I doubt you do either!
Plus what happens when you use it twice a day? It seems in my case anyways, my teeth have not gotten a chance to remineralize at all. Basically rotting from underneath.
Solution Number Two
I had a lot of comments of a post last week in which I had mentioned trying an herbal tooth powder. It contained Horsetail Grass, Peppermint Leaf, White Oak Bark, Cloves, Prickly Ash Bark, Bayberry Bark, Slippery Elm Bark & Stevia Herb. In my experience it worked just fine, though really odd to get used to! It was all a complete powder and like I said….it worked. But it left me wanting more.
Finally Hit the Nail
A couple weeks into using the tooth powder, I decided to make my own toothpaste. I’ve been using it a month or better and while it did take some getting used to, I prefer it over the powder. I’ve also started to notice the spots on my teeth diminishing to which I am thrilled about and all over my teeth have started brightening up.
How to Make Homemade Toothpaste
- 2 teaspoons Dr. Bronners Castile Soap – liquid (the baby mild is recommended!)
- 5 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 Tablespoon aluminum free baking soda
- 10-20 drops essential oil (I used a mix of orange and mint)
- 1/2 teaspoon stevia
- 1 Tablespoon water
Place 2 teaspoons of Dr. Bronners into a small bowl.
Add in the 5 Tbsp of coconut oil
Then 1/2 tablespoon baking soda (you can leave this out if you’d like. Personally I won’t add this every time as I’ve also heard it can wear down enamel with long term use. You can also taste it so I leave it out of my sons toothpaste) and 1 tablespoon of water,
Then comes the 1/2 teaspoon stevia (helps to sweeten – but to much can leave it chalky feeling)
Place your mix of essential oils into the bowl (I used about 10 drops sweet orange and 5 drops spearmint)
Mix it all together and then revel at the crazy concoction you’ve just made.
Pour it into a small container and let set back up. (any container will do, I happened to have a very small mason jar on hand)
To use, just dab your toothbrush into the mix. Personally I mix it up per individual as I’d rather not have a community ‘tub’ of toothpaste!!
Also -
- When you first try it it won’t be as bad as you might think, but, after a few days it seems completely normal and you won’t mind it at all!!
- You could use any other type of oil, if you can’t use coconut oil for some reason, it would just stay in a liquid form. (you could use a hand pump instead if you’d like)
- The actual stevia herb is green – hence my mad scientist toothpaste! I prefer to use stevia this way as it’s not highly processed like it’s refined, white alternative.
So, what do you use for toothpaste?
I have a lot of new and exciting things coming up here this fall, so make sure you add my blog's RSS Feed to your reader or you can sign up for free updates by Email. I can also be found on Facebook and Twitter! **
Homemade Deodorant Tutorial
Learn how to make your own deodorant! Read more
Post Partum Herbal Sitz Bath
There are lots and lots of herbal sitz bath recipes on the web if you do a search for them. Some include only one herb, while others include a whole list of them. I decided to kind of make my own and use what I had on hand (or could easily get my hands on).
Here’s the “recipe” I used to make my post partum sitz baths.
1/2 gallon boiling water
1/2 cup sea salt (or epsom salt, but it doesn’t have the same healing properties)
1/2 cup comfrey leaves
1/4 cup uva ursi leaves
Mix together and let sit, covered, for at least a few hours to steep. Basically what you’re doing is making a really strong herbal tea. Strain into a clean container and keep in the fridge, or freeze in Ziploc bags if you make it ahead.
It can be used in the bath after delivery: just pour a couple of cups into a warm bath and soak for at least 15 minutes. This is my favorite!! Not only do I get a few minutes of “me time”, it has really helped relax my sore muscles.
Can be used in a squirt bottle to use after going to the bathroom.
Can also be used to make “ice packs”. Just pour a bit onto panty liners and freeze. Then place over a regular pad to help ice your perineum. They don’t stay cold for long though. Oh, and they don’t freeze solid since it’s salt water.
Not only does this sitz bath help promote healing because of the herbs and sea salt, it does wonders for sore and achy muscles. And after hours of contractions, you’re muscles are gonna be sore!
I sure wish I had known about herbal baths after my first delivery, I think it would have made a world of difference in how I felt!
I have a lot of new and exciting things coming up here this fall, so make sure you add my blog's RSS Feed to your reader or you can sign up for free updates by Email. I can also be found on Facebook and Twitter! **
Can Washing your Hands Lead to Infertility?
According to an article published in the December 2007 Journal Endocrinology it can.
You see, an ingredient within many antibacterial soaps has been shown to interfere with our endocrine system. This ingredient you ask? Triclocarbon (or triclosan, and in some products referred to as microban), a common ingredient in many products. By some accounts Triclosan is found in75 percent of liquid soaps and 30 percent of bar soaps, as well as in toothpastes, acne creams, deodorants and lotions. It can also be incorporated into a wide range of consumer products like toys, cutting boards, toothbrush handles, hot tubs and athletic clothing.
In a study on human cells in the lab, triclosan seemed to increase gene expression that was normally regulated by testosterone. In rat studies organs that are dependent on testosterone (like the prostate) were enlarged. Both studies were done by The University California-Davis, and researchers concluded that unlike normal endocrine disruptors that bind to cell receptors, Triclosan actually amplifies the response of our naturally occurring hormones. This can lead to depression of natural estrogen and androgen production.
Another study done by a molecular biologist at British Columbia’s University of Victoria, found that while triclosan isn’t in fact lethal in small doses, it can also affect the thyroid.
My advice: wash your hands with regular soap. Antibacterial soaps haven’t proven to be any more effective.
This post is linked to Katie’s Spring Cleaning Carnival (to which I am very late – it went up yesterday!) so if you’d like to read many other reasons why NOT to use antibacterial soaps, head over there to check them out by clicking on the picture above.
Also on the same note, if you haven’t read last weeks guest post “Sterilizing Life”, you should!
I have a lot of new and exciting things coming up here this fall, so make sure you add my blog's RSS Feed to your reader or you can sign up for free updates by Email. I can also be found on Facebook and Twitter! **
Baby Lotion That Works
Most everyone that has a newborn knows about the peeling skin. And this last week the topic has come up on twitter, I’ve been e-mailed, and it’s come up in real life. So I thought to myself, “Hmm, self, maybe this should be a blog post one day!”.
You see, that crazy pink stuff from Johnson is absolutely horrible on babies skin. Most moms I know don’t use it because it actually makes babies skin worse! And no wonder really. The EWG’s Skin Deep database shows it ranks an 8 out of 10. With 10 being the worst for toxins. And it’s marketed for babies!! It actually contains ingredients known to cause cancer, reproductive problems, and allergies. Not something a baby’s brand new body needs to deal with in my opinion.
So you wanna know how I deal with it and keep my baby from shedding skin all over?
Coconut Oil!
I absolutely love to use coconut oil on skin. It’s all I’ve been using for the last year on my own skin (face included-it helps prevent free radicals) so I figured, why not use it on baby? I don’t have to worry about her eating a bunch of crazy chemicals when I put it on her hands, and absorption isn’t an issue either. Plus she smells super yummy for a little while after I apply it!
If you’ve never bought coconut oil, it’s actually a solid (like butter consistency) but has a melting point of 75 degrees. So once it’s on skin, it spreads really easily. And it doesn’t leave your skin oily like something like olive oil would. As an added benefit, if you choose unrefined virgin coconut oil, it’s full of beneficial nutrients! I happen to buy mine online at Mountain Rose Herbs because they have the best price I’ve seen (a gallon for $37.00!), plus it has a great flavor and scent as well.
And it usually helps my little newborns skin by just the second application, so this totally works for us!
Crunchy Tuesday : Baby Products
Did you see baby products made it into the national news yesterday? If you haven’t heard, researchers are finding phthalates in baby lotions and soaps, which are then absorbed into the skin.
What are phthalates? Phthalates are synthetic chemicals found in many household items, including but not limited to; cosmetics, lotions that soak into the skin, shampoos, toys that babies chew on, fragrances and anything vinyl or pvc. They have been shown to have adverse effects on the growing baby’s reproductive system (especially for boys) endocrine system, and may contribute to allergies and eczema.
Problem is, manufacturers aren’t actually required to disclose if they use phthalates in their products. So how do you stay away from them? Try to use organic or natural soaps and lotions in which you can understand all the ingredients.(Personally I like homemade products) Or use conventional products very rarely. And remember too that these chemicals pass through from mom to the baby while pregnant and nursing.
Some other great links:
Here are two articles on the subject of babies and phthalates- click here and here.
*Plastics to avoid
*Safe bathtime fun
