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Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Save Your Teeth


Most of us know by now how great the paleo type of diet and lifestyle is for your body- I mean, your fat stores shrink drastically as you become a “fat burner” as opposed to a “sugar burner”, and your health literally explodes as you provide your body with vital nutrients instead of harmful substances like processed foods, chemicals, and gluten.

Throw in a little exercise, good sleep, and harmonious tribal relationships with family and friends, and Mr. or Ms. Paleo is looking very healthy and happy indeed! I hope that this is you, and that you have most of your paleo routine figured out, and blended in with your everyday life.

But have you considered your dental health? Back in paleo times, the health of your mouth and teeth was pretty much a given, since the food available to you was so nutritious, and not harmful to your health, as is much of the stuff we label as food today. Even now, wild animals have excellent dental health, and I guarantee they don’t brush or floss.

Step one in modern dental health is to simply eat a paleo diet, leaving out semi-poisons like gluten containing bread, pasta, and sugar laden candy. This one step alone will improve your dental health to an amazing degree! And, of course, brushing your teeth is a wonderful idea, do it at least twice per day, especially just before bed. But, there are some things you should incorporate that you probably do not know about:

Flossing has been shown to be harmful. The floss actually has been shown to push bacteria into the bloodstream, where it can compromise the immune system. It is also rather easy to damage the gums and teeth with the floss- forget flossing!

Use an electric toothbrush, especially for that last nightly brushing. An electric brush is far more effective than manual brushing.

Don’t use conventional toothpastes. Most contain fluoride, which actually weakens tooth structure, and is toxic to boot. I mix baking soda with sea salt in a small jar, and use that. Sometimes I also mix in coconut oil, and turmeric powder- this is a very potent anti-inflammatory mixture, and very inexpensive.

And finally, do “oil pulling”. This is a timeless Aruvedic system of oral health that is probably the most important of all of my recommendations here, with the exception of eating a good paleo diet.

I keep a small jar of coconut oil in the bathroom. When I take my daily shower after my morning workout, I take a finger and dip out about a teaspoon worth of the oil and put it in my mouth. It immediately liquifies, and I begin swishing it around between my teeth and all around my mouth as I shower, and continue my morning routine.

After showering, I take another finger full of oil and, warming it between my palms, spread it over my face and body- the best moisturizer ever! I even shave using the oil. When I am done, I spit the coconut oil into the toilet (it would clog your sink pipes), and flush it away, along with the bacteria and toxins that is has leached out of my mouth.

The coconut oil actually smothers the bad bacteria like Streptococcus Mutans that causes decay and gum degeneration. So go ahead- make coconut oil a mainstay not only in your kitchen, but also in your bathroom!


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