To celebrate Making Love In The Kitchen’s first birthday, the bestest posts of the last year are getting another turn in the spotlight. These were selected either because they had the most traffic or should have. While together we stroll down memory lane, I will be away on a farm with no computer! We’ll chat when I get back.
Brush Up: First Published: April 16th, 2009
As I am promoting my healthy bottom off for the Green Smoothie Cleanse starting on Sunday, I keep being asked why I would need a cleanse if I eat such a clean diet. As I outlined in the reasons why we cleanse, we are exposed to all sorts of toxins in our daily life and one of the worst sources is in our bathroom cupboards. This is where we will find tons of chemical laden products that we use in our mouths, on our eyes, our skin (the second kidney and largest organ), and inhale. Hello toxic.
Now tell me you can read the ingredient labels on your cosmetic products and know exactly what everything is. The same rule that applies to our food should apply to the cosmetic products we use. If we don’t know what it is, should we be using it? What starts on the outside, will eventually be absorbed and circulate.
The most recent addition to my homemade beauty and hygiene routine is homemade toothpaste. There are certain things I don’t want in my toothpaste. One is sodium lauryl sulfates. This is what makes toothpaste foamy and is also what is used to clean garage floors. The second would be saccharine, an artificial sweetener and known cancer causing agent.
I will also gladly pass on fluoride. This one is controversial I know, but fluoride has been associated with increase cancer risk, birth defects, impaired immune function, changes in bone structure and strength, inhibits key enzymes, suppressed thyroid function and is also banned in many countries. As my friend Jay says, “When there’s doubt, there is no doubt”. Here is more on fluoride.
As a child I used this bright blue toothpaste that tasted like bubble gum and had blue sparkles in it. Why should toothpaste ever need to have sparkles?
So I’ll pass on any potential carcinogens in my daily routine. Instead I make my own products and this Sunday (in addition to starting the cleanse) I will be sharing my favourite recipes for homemade products in my Cooking Cosmetics: Natural Body Care Workshop, which will be running from The Making Love In The Kitchen’s Headquarters in downtown Toronto from 2:00 – 4:00pm.
If you are in the Toronto area, I hope you’ll consider coming by. This is a great addition to the 3-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse (have you signed up yet?). Why cleanse the inside if we’re just going to put bad stuff on the outside?
In this workshop I’ll be doing a demos and providing recipes for Deodorant, Toothpaste Shampoo, Conditioner, Face Masks, Scrubs, Bath salts, Shaving cream and lip balms. Click here for the details or register here.
Now get brushing with my All Natural Toothpaste Recipe
1/4 cup Vegetable Glycerin
1/4 cup Baking Soda
10-15 drops peppermint essential oil (Ensure it is food grade. I recommend Young Living Essential Oils: Customer number 1062980 if you want to order some)
1 Tbs CoQ10 (optional- if prone to bleeding gums)
Mix together and you are ready to brush!
[...] Up Collected by Megtelpner 36 mins ago from meghantelpnerblog.com // Event.onDOMReady(function() { // sizeText($(‘video_title’), 475); // }) collect this [...]
Cute video! I remember being horrified when I read the ingredients on my Tom’s of Maine toothpaste–and it’s supposed to be all-natural!
Glad I’m not the only one who multi-tasks while brushing their teeth. I tend to roam around, check email, gaze out windows or read. Conversations with my husband go like this:
“Where are you?”
“In the computer room.”
“I thought you were brushing your teeth.”
“I am!”
Good thing he appreciates crazy!
Yeah, I should stop being so lazy and just make my own toothpaste, too… another great flavouring ingredient, if you can figure it out, is cinnamon. Not sure that you could add it in powdered form, but I’m sure there’s some kind of oil out there. Also, when I asked my dentist about fluoride, he said that tiny doses of it can be helpful when you’re a kid and your teeth are growing, but when you’re an adult there’s no need for it whatsoever. I always go fluoride-free…
How long will this toothpaste keep before I have to toss it?
Also, will any of these fun recipes be available on your blog? I’d love to go to the class but am many, many miles away!
I love this post! Thanks for the toothpaste recipe!
Great recipe! Thank you!
Unrelated: I would love the do a 3 day cleanse but I feel so limited by my lifestyle right now. I work full time, am a student full time, and have an active family and social life. I have a goal of doing a multiple day cleanse before the year is through but I’m wondering if a one day cleanse would have any benefit… I know multiple days is ideal but, for those of us who (for example) have a birthday party to attend on Sunday and have class Monday night and have dinner plans with the boyfriend’s parents on Tuesday, could a one day juice feast have benefits?
Thanks Meghan!
That’s adorable. You have a mini trampoline/rebounder! I want to make my own toothpaste now!
Instead of peppermint oil I might use the Thieves. It’s tasty* and anti-bacterial, etc!
(Though my 23 year old nephew hates it and cringes when my mother recommends it for colds.)
Forgot that you had a workshop this Sunday. I should sign up. I could bring my own Young Living oils.
Of course, I still have to figure out when/if I’m going to the Total Health Show. I’m thinking not, since it’s the same year after year.
Also re. flouride: Many jurisdictions are in ongoing debate about whether or not to continue flouridating their water. I read up on this a lot when I was working for the Ministry of Health Promotion.
I should have edited that better before I hit “submit”. The content in parentheses was the note attached to the asterisk.
But will there be pushing and shoving?
Actually, I think I will register. The info is still up in another Firefox tab from earlier.
Oh my gosh! You are so cute!! I love your bright bedspread!
I had a fight with my dentist about fluoride!! I should send him this link
I was sooo angry when I went for my checkup and had to get NINE, yes nine, fillings. I think it was due to malabsorption but my dentist told me I needed to start using toothpaste with fluoride in it. 2 questions:
How long have you been fluoride free and have you had any cavities?
Where can I get CoQ10 and what is it?
<3
Registered for Sunday.
[...] vitamin A.) Also high in B6 and B12, as well as iron, potassium and fluorine (very different from flouride). Unlike other seaweeds, it is relatively low in sodium. Seaweed in general is also a superior [...]
Of all the fabulous sites that I’ve found recently as I try to make some healthy life changes, yours, Meghan, is without a doubt my absolute fave! I love your energy, your spirit, and your approach to all things happy and healthy! The Play it Again Week has been fabulous for me–being quite new to your site still. I have to say that I find I’m suddenly incredibly envious of all those who live near enough that they can attend your workshops. Someday, fingers crossed! Your toothpaste post has me intrigued by your cooking cosmetics. Perchance another e-tutorial in the future?
With lots of thanks and happy thoughts!
Jeana
[...] Toothpaste [...]
Thanks Ricki- and I’m sure over the years you have learned, as I have, that ‘All Natural’ and “Organic” and “Made With Natural Ingredients” are tricky little terms.
Ashley- the toothpaste will last some time. I wouldn’t mix up a huge batch of it but a 1/4 cup each of the baking soda and glycerin lasts me a few weeks. The real challenge is with the essential oils. The longer they are left around the less fragrant they become.
Gettinggreen- Been flouride free and cavity free for a long time. You can totally get cinnamon extract and use that in the toothpaste. You can get fancy and drop some greentea extract in there too.
Laurie- Have never been able to stand still brushing.
Amandamoo – every bit helps. No health regime has to be an all or nothing venture. And even if you had an many meals as you could as smoothies and as for the birthday/dinner plans simply went for the clean whole foods- salads with lemon juice, pureed whole veggie soups and fruits you would still gain benefits.
You should come to the workshop! Then we could meet in person at last. Will be way more informative than the health show. I won’t be shouting at you to buy stuff
(But you can register here:https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=4779221) That was a whisper.
Coconutgal – Dental issues are primarily a result of nutrient issues (dentists? go ahead…) Some people are obviously more prone than others. I believe I have been flouride free for about three or four years. I always refused it at the dentist cause the little trays they used to sit in your mouth (before they had the rinse) made me gag. I have never had a cavity in my life. No filling here. Should I suddenly get one, I suppose I’ll know why. CoQ10 is a supplement you can buy them at a health food store. SImply open the capsule and the powder will come out. Again- though, for you it is likely malabsorption as bleeding gums are often a symptom of vitamin C deficiency.
Here is an article to the work of Westin A Price, a dentist that studied the correlation between dental issues and diet around the world: http://www.westonaprice.org/tour/index.html (lots of other great resources here too)