Make Healthier Choices

Helping people Make Healthier Choices about real-food choices for optimal heath.

DIY Recipes

Homemade Toothpaste – Secret to the Right Consistency

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No More Plaque

Ralph Nadar exposed the Dirty Dozen in Cancer Prevention News, in the Fall 1995 issue. The toothpaste I used at the time, Crest Tartar Control, happened to be on that list. I quickly moved to better, more trusted toothpastes. I have only used homemade toothpaste for a few years. I’m glad I switched!

I’ll admit my surprise when my dental hygienist said, “you no longer have plaque on your teeth.” She also said, “you only have stain from drinking coffee or tea.” Then she asked, “Are you using baking soda?” I actually thought to myself, hmmm…it must be well-known at least in the dental community, that baking soda removes plaque, and Wow, if I gave up coffee, tea, and any stain-causing drinks, what would she do during my appointment?

 

Too Sloppy or Too Hard?

If you’ve ever made your own toothpaste, you know it’s usually too sloppy in the summer and too hard in the winter. I had to experiment to keep my toothpaste softer in the winter and more solid in the summer. Coconut oil is solid at 76° and stays liquid above that temperature.  Coconut oil and orange essential oil are both known teeth whiteners.

The Right Consistency

My secrets to keeping the right consistency:  In winter, I add fractionated coconut oil (FCO) or MOM (Milk of Magnesia) In the summer, I omit the FCO and add more baking soda. I keep adding baking soda until it’s the consistency I want. To make adjustments in temperatures under 76°, it needs to be heated until melted or added to a food processor (I use this mini-processor). I sometimes use a bigger processor to make more at once. Since we all keep our homes at different temperatures, we’ll all use different amounts of FCO and baking soda. Start with my basic recipe and go from there—adding either more FCO, MOM, or more baking soda.

Each Family Member Should Have Their Own Jar

You’ll need to dip your toothbrush into the jar. Please give each family member a jar of their own toothpaste. It’s not a good idea to spit this toothpaste out into your sink. CAUTION: Coconut oil is great at clogging drains. I always use organic coconut oil as my base, but for making do-it-yourself recipes like this one, I sometimes use the lesser expensive, organic refined coconut oil.

 

UPDATE

UPDATE: At my most recent cleaning appointment in March 2016, I again asked if I had any plaque. My hygienist said, “No, only stain from coffee.” She suggested I use a whitening mouth rinse and then added “they contain hydrogen peroxide.” Of course, I  won’t use chemical-laden mouth washes. I typically had a cavity every one to two years, but I’ve not had a cavity in the six years I’ve been drinking Zija International’s Supermix which is primarily moringa oleifera (a plant). Zija International was the company that brought moringa to the United States in an enzymatically alive, bioavailable, easy-to-re-hydrate packet. Zija has since been purchased by Isagenix. You can find it here: Isagenix Zija Supermix.

Please note: This is my experience; you might not have the same results.

 

 

Pumpkin Dog Bones (Biscuits)

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Rey-Rey’s Favorite Gluten-Free Dog Bones

Pumpkin Dog Bones Recipe Renegade

It would surprise me if your dog didn’t like these dog bones. My picky dog loves these nutritious treats. I feed nothing to my dog that I wouldn’t eat myself. Because I don’t eat propylene glycol, caramel color, or sodium nitrate—common ingredients found in many dog treats—I make my own. Weighing in at less than ten pounds, means I can afford to give her real food like: pumpkin; chicken; beef; carrots; green beans; sweet potatoes; valencia peanut butter; and Zija’s Supermix (moringa oleifera). I expect my veterinarian bills to be less, especially for her teeth. Dr. Weston Price traveled the world to learn what causes cavities; he found nutritional deficiencies to be the culprit (not bacteria).

All Real Food

These dog treats contain both nutritional yeast and brewer’s yeast. My father always gave our family dog brewer’s yeast to keep fleas away. I’ll assume it’s true, because I never saw one flea on that dog.

This recipe also contains garlic or onion powder. According to Dogs Naturally magazine, onions and garlic are okay in small amounts. In fact, a veterinarian told me the only real thing I need to worry about is Xylitol, which will quickly kill a dog. I’m also not so sure Xylitol is good for humans, either. Read more about Xylitol here: Xylitol.

Pumpkin Dog Bones
 
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Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Add all dry ingredients to mixing bowl (stand mixer works great)
  2. Mix thoroughly.
  3. Add pumpkin and egg.
  4. Mix.
  5. Add only enough liquid to make into a ball.
  6. Roll out onto floured pastry board.
  7. Use cookie cutter to cut into dog bones or cut into squares.
  8. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes.
  9. Flip bones over and bake for 25 more minutes.
  10. Reduce oven to 175° and bake for 6 to 8 hours or dry in a dehydrator overnight at 155° or until completely dry.
  11. Bake/dehydrate longer if necessary making certain bones are completely dry. (Moisture left in bones will cause them to spoil quicker.)
  12. Store in airtight container.
Notes
If you don't feel comfortable with the garlic or onion powder, it's okay to omit.
QUICKER-An even quicker way to make these is to roll out onto parchment paper and cut into small pieces after transferring paper/dough to jelly pan. It's not necessary to cut all the way through; they'll break apart easily.

Please Be Sure To Properly Dehydrate

As with any dry dog treat, beware that they can be a choking hazard, especially if they are too large. Please give them small, bite-size pieces appropriate for your size dog.

Did you know you can get a dog bone cookie cutter with your dog’s name personalized on it? Personalized Dog Bone Cookie Cutter.

When I don’t have time to make these, I purchase made-in-New-Hampshire Casey Jones Bones. In my local area they sell for about $5.99/box.

Source: How To Detox Your Dog

 

How to Remove a Baked-On Mess

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I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t tried it myself. I purchased a vintage, glass bread pan at my local thrift store. It was a baked-on mess, but I convinced myself I had the necessary cleaning supplies to get it sparkling in no time. Well, with a little elbow grease, of course! It turned out it took lots of elbow grease to accomplish nothing. Even using a magic foam eraser and my stove-top cleaner, I hadn’t made much progress. This is what it still looked like:

Vintage bread pan dirty

What a waste of my time! Into the outgoing thrift-store box it went. A month or two went by, the box still sat there waiting for me to drop it off, and a friend stopped by. The conversation somehow moved to: getting baked-on crud off baking pans. She said she knew a way to get them clean. I immediately thought of my cute little bread pan and retrieved it. Here’s what she told me: put it in a plastic bag with a tablespoon of ammonia and let it sit overnight. I said, “Okay, what do I have to lose except a tablespoon of ammonia and a plastic bag?” I tried and honestly, a little bit came off, but there wasn’t a whole lot of improvement.

So I decided maybe I hadn’t left it in the bag for long enough. Maybe overnight wasn’t enough. I’d try it again and leave it longer. Again, I  put ammonia in the pan, the pan into a large zipper bag and placed it in my garage.

IMG_5725

Hiding in my garage, I actually forgot about it for a couple weeks. I took it out and I have to say, I was surprised. After washing, rinsing, and without any elbow grease, this is what it looked like:

Vintage Bread Pan

Thanks, Sue!

PLEASE be careful when using ammonia—it’s EXPLOSIVE! Please wear gloves, eye protection, and protect yourself from breathing it!

Wood Conditioner – Great for Cutting Boards

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Wood Conditioner Recipe Renegade

 

I love this conditioner for my wooden cutting boards – three simple ingredients and easy to make. Even though the rosemary essential oil is antibacterial, I never use my wooden boards for meats. I also don’t use wooden cutting boards that I’ve treated with this conditioner for anything I plan to ferment, like cabbage for sauerkraut. Rosemary Essential Oil is antibacterial and can impede the fermentation process by killing the good bacteria.

Wood Conditioner
 
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Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In small stainless-steel pot, on low heat, warm walnut oil and beeswax until beeswax is melted.
  2. Remove from burner and add Améo rosemary essential oil.
  3. Pour into glass jar and let cool completely before using.
  4. With a soft cloth, rub a small amount into cutting board and let sit for 5 minutes.
  5. Polish with a second soft cloth.

Looking for clinical-grade essential oils (essential oils that contain the same constituents as those used in clinical studies)? Please check out Ameo.com. Email me with any questions at lynn at makehealthierchoices dot com.