Fluoride is the active ingredient in most mainstream toothpastes although it [...]]]> Yesterday I talked about the inactive ingredients in Crest toothpaste and I asked the question, do you still want to use this toothpaste? Today we will continue to look at the typical toothpaste ingredients by looking at the active ingredient fluoride.

Image from Korean Beacon

Fluoride is the active ingredient in most mainstream toothpastes although it is not present in many better ingredient/natural products. Is it essential for our healthy teeth? Is removing it from toothpaste a problem?

From a dental perspective “fluoride can protect teeth from demineralization that is caused by the acid. If teeth have already been damaged by acid, fluoride accumulates in the demineralized areas and begins strengthening the enamel – a process called remineralization. Fluoride is very useful for preventing cavities and strengthening teeth, but its effectiveness is thwarted if a cavity has already formed. ”

After reading many articles about fluoride I began to ask myself, if fluoride prevents cavities and I am receiving numerous daily sources from water (naturally or from it being added to our water system), toothpaste, and also from sources such as tea, eggs, meat,  fish or processed foods, then why do I still get cavities? (UPDATE: since this article I have been practicing veganism check out this article for more information on how I made that decision.)

Using fluoride in our toothpastes and water systems is a debatable issue and there are many concerns about whether it is as beneficial as toothpaste companies and dentists claim.

In one article written by Weston A. Price, (MS., D.D.S., F.A.G.D.) who also partook in Member Research Commission, American Dental Association, Member American Association of Physical Anthropologists and the Author of, “Dental Infections, Oral and Systemic” stated:

Too often overlooked is the evidence that tooth decay is associated with inadequate diets.

Perhaps we are using fluoride in our water systems and toothpaste as a quick band aid fix. Maybe we should be looking to prevent the cavities by examining what we are already putting into our bodies instead of adding fluoride.

Mark Diesendorf, Ph.D. also discusses the questionable value of adding fluoride for better oral care, he points to better diet as a means to prevent cavities.

A daily dose of several mg of fluoride per day is certainly not necessary for life, since most of the world’s population lives with much lower intakes. But, is it essential for sound teeth?

Before taking up Western type diets, which are high in sugars, people in the Third World (and Australian Aborigines) generally had very low levels of tooth decay. Most of these peoples also had levels of fluoride in their drinking water typically below one-fifth or one-tenth the level of about 1 ppm recommended by the proponents of fluoridation. Tooth decay was also low in Britain and continental Europe during World War II, when sugar was a scarce commodity, and in the 1950s at the Hopewood orphanage, near Bowral NSW Australia, where the children were fed on wholemeal bread and other “whole” foods. In Britain, continental Europe and Bowral, there was no fluoridation during those times. So, people can have excellent teeth without 1 ppm fluoride in drinking water.

Conversely, it is also true that some people can have highly decayed teeth when their drinking water is fluoridated. For example, some fringe-dwelling Aborigines, whose diet is high in sugars, have highly decayed teeth, even where their drinking water is naturally fluoridated from bores. Moreover, in non-Aborigines living in fluoridated cities, there are high levels of tooth decay in certain groups.

Thus, in the language of logic and of science, fluoridation is neither ‘necessary’ nor ‘sufficient’ for sound teeth.

Studies have also linked fluoride to a type of bone cancer in rats and mice when it is ingested in high amounts over a long period of time. The topic of fluoride is still being questioned and it may be wise to consider that a high amount of anything in your diet may be negative. Fluoride should be used in small doses when used topically as a toothpaste and does not need to be ingested for teeth care.

In conclusion, fluoride use is debatable in the science community. It is up to you to  make a decision on what is best for you.  One of the most important things you can do for your body is choosing a better diet that includes limited sugar which could also be a preventative measure to keep your teeth healthy.

• If you choose to use fluoride I would suggest staying away from using a product with harmful inactive ingredients such as dyes, sodium lauryl sulfate and artificial sweeteners.
• If you choose to avoid fluoride there are many other alternatives, especially in health food stores that omit fluoride and other harmful ingredients.
• If you choose to swap between the two, I think there is balance there as well.

Know that it is okay to question the products you use everyday. Just because it is on the shelves it doesn’t mean there is no debate about whether it is beneficial or even harmful to your health.

If you are interested in reading more about fluoride I have provided article links below to read.

Fluoride: Risks and Benefits? Disinformation in the service of big industry.

Fluoridated Water: Questions and Answers

Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies of Sodium Fluoride

What are the long-term effects of ingesting fluoride on our bones?

Paul McCartney

We are all a little weird, a little different.

Talking about natural products, healthy living, and beautiful things in life is often [...]]]>

I used to think anyone doing anything weird was weird. Now I know that it is the people that call others weird that are weird.

Paul McCartney

We are all a little weird, a little different.

Talking about natural products, healthy living, and beautiful things in life is often seen as different, and a little outside the box of reality for some.  The commonality of life is about: following the tracks of those before you, eat because that restaurant is there, shop because it is a holiday, and live as others live. Do not seek out alternatives and do not challenge tradition.

When you strive to do something different because you believe in it or enjoy it, especially when you notice the people around you don’t understand it, something different happens.You become happier. You don’t settle for what you have to do, but you make a decision to live a unique life.

Being weird and going outside of the box means you may not feel like the others around you. You may feel that you are swimming against the current. The benefit? When you tap into your weird you may end up finding your calling or being closer then ever to your passions.

The next time someone calls you weird or different make sure to thank them for the compliment.

I know some may get squeamish at the word vegan, but this cookie can benefit more then the people who avoid animal products. Let me explain.

Talc, also known as magnesium silicate, is made up of finely ground particles of stone. It originates in the ground, and is a mined product, which means it can be [...]]]> If you would like to be updated about new posts and follow Samvid Beauty you can subscribe to my RSS feed.

Talc, also known as magnesium silicate, is made up of finely ground particles of stone. It originates in the ground, and is a mined product, which means it can be contaminated with other substances. In its raw state, for instance, talc contains asbestos. There are many health concerns with talc and it is still used in dozens of personal products. You may not even know you are using it.

Accidental inhalations of talc in powder form has been linked to lung cancer and infant deaths. The ingredient has also shown evidence that it could contribute to ovarian cancer. The Ecologist states that “it has since been confirmed that talc, either placed on the perineum (or on the surface of underwear or sanitary towels), can reach the ovaries via ascent through the fallopian tubes. It is now estimated that women who frequently use talc on their genital area have three times the risk of developing ovarian cancer compared to non-users.”

You can find talc or magnesium silicate on the ingredient list in:

baby powder, eyeshadow, deodorant, chalk, soap, insulating material, paints, asphalt, paper, food processing, medicated powders, it is used in the pharmaceutical industry to manufacture medications and is a listed ingredient of some antacids, it can also be the principal ingredient in home and garden pesticides as well as flea and tick powders.

FYI: Do you know of the popular company that many women LOVE called  MAC? Have you ever tried to look up their ingredients? Well, don’t look on their website because it’s not there. I had to e-mail the company to ask for the ingredient list of their basic Carbon Black eyeshadow. The first ingredient listed is talc.

MAC Carbon Black

Date: 08/05/2011 16:14:42 EST
To: consumercare-us@gcc.maccosmetics.com
Subject: Carbon Eye Shadow

Hello,

What are the ingredients in your Carbon black eye shadow?

Thank you,
Kourtney L.

Date: 09/15/2011 3:11 PM

Dear Ms. Linebaugh,

Thank you for taking the time to contact M.A.C. I apologize for the delay in our response.

I have provided below the ingredient list that you requested. I trust this will answer your question, however, please do not hesitate to contact us at 1-800-387-6707 between the hours of 9AM to 5PM EST should you require additional information.

I appreciate the opportunity to respond to your question, and sincerely hope I was able to be of assistance.  You are valued as our consumer, and I hope you will continue to use and enjoy our products with confidence and satisfaction.

Sincerely,

Karen G.
Consumer Care Representative
Global Consumer Communications

SMALL EYE SHADOW (M250)
INGREDIENTS: TALC [] ZINC STEARATE [] OCTYLDODECYL STEAROYL STEARATE [] ISOSTEARYL NEOPENTANOATE [] TOCOPHERYL ACETATE [] CAPRYLYL GLYCOL [] HEXYLENE GLYCOL [] PHENOXYETHANOL [] [+/- SILICA [] MICA [] TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891) [] IRON OXIDES (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499) [] BISMUTH OXYCHLORIDE (CI 77163) [] BLUE 1 LAKE (CI 42090) [] CARMINE (CI 75470) [] CHROMIUM HYDROXIDE GREEN (CI 77289) [] CHROMIUM OXIDE GREENS (CI 77288) [] FERRIC FERROCYANIDE (CI 77510) [] MANGANESE VIOLET (CI 77742) [] RED 40 LAKE (CI 16035) [] ULTRAMARINES (CI 77007) [] YELLOW 5 LAKE (CI 19140)]

Is talc is your products? If so, replace your it with a better ingredient product that does not contain talc. An alternative to baby powder (if you must use it) could be corn starch. Check out your product labels at home and make sure you have good quality ingredients that are not harmful to your health.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People , written by Stephen R. Covey,  is a favorite book of my husbands. He, being a proactive person, cycling coach and [...]]]> If you would like to be updated about new posts and follow Samvid Beauty you can subscribe to my RSS feed.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People , written by Stephen R. Covey,  is a favorite book of my husbands. He, being a proactive person, cycling coach and teacher, enjoys recommending the book to important people around him.  I agree that 7 Habits is a book worth sharing.  It explains how the actions you take can either create positive or negative results. Ultimately it is a matter of whether you create stress, tension, unhappiness, or strength, enjoyment and positivity.

The message I took from reading 7 habits was a happy person is one who does not try to control the uncontrollable and who is proactive by being responsible for their own actions. Below is one of the noteworthy habits from the book.

Habit 1 : Be Proactive

Your life doesn’t just “happen.” Whether you know it or not, it is carefully designed by you. The choices, after all, are yours. You choose happiness. You choose sadness. You choose decisiveness. You choose ambivalence. You choose success. You choose failure. You choose courage. You choose fear. Just remember that every moment, every situation, provides a new choice. And in doing so, it gives you a perfect opportunity to do things differently to produce more positive results.

Be Proactive is about taking responsibility for your life. You can’t keep blaming everything on your parents or grandparents. Proactive people recognize that they are “response-able.” They don’t blame genetics, circumstances, conditions, or conditioning for their behavior. They know they choose their behavior. Reactive people, on the other hand, are often affected by their physical environment. They find external sources to blame for their behavior. If the weather is good, they feel good. If it isn’t, it affects their attitude and performance, and they blame the weather. All of these external forces act as stimuli that we respond to. Between the stimulus and the response is your greatest power–you have the freedom to choose your response. One of the most important things you choose is what you say. Your language is a good indicator of how you see yourself. A proactive person uses proactive language–I can, I will, I prefer, etc. A reactive person uses reactive language–I can’t, I have to, if only. Reactive people believe they are not responsible for what they say and do–they have no choice.

Instead of reacting to or worrying about conditions over which they have little or no control, proactive people focus their time and energy on things they can control. The problems, challenges, and opportunities we face fall into two areas–Circle of Concern and Circle of Influence.

Proactive people focus their efforts on their Circle of Influence. They work on the things they can do something about: health, children, problems at work. Reactive people focus their efforts in the Circle of Concern–things over which they have little or no control: the national debt, terrorism, the weather. Gaining an awareness of the areas in which we expend our energies in is a giant step in becoming proactive.

Here are the reminders I give myself often. These may not always be easy things to do, but they are the simple ways I live beautifully.

Eat fresh local [...]]]> If you would like to be updated about new posts and follow Samvid Beauty you can subscribe through my RSS feed!

Here are the reminders I give myself often. These may not always be easy things to do, but they are the simple ways I live beautifully.

Eat Healthy

Eat fresh local produce, eat new fruits, try new healthy recipes, and don’t skip out on meals. Nourish your body and your skin; it will thank you when you’re old.

Be Around Good People

Image from Dismount Creative

You are who your friends are. Be around people who influence you to be the best you. You need encouragement and positivity, limit time with people who surround you will negativity and unhealthy ways.

Be Kind To Myself and Others

Be kind, it is good for you. I think most people need the reminder: “be kind to yourself.” Give yourself a break to relax and renew. There is no replacement for you if you become broken and worn out, so take care of yourself.

Be Open

There are a gazillion ideas and thoughts out there, try to be open to them; they might surprise you.

Appreciate What I Have

Your life, your decisions, your dwellings, the people around you, your solitude, your day…

Do What Makes Me Happy

Do the things that make time fly when you do them.

By the end of the 2010 year we spent $12.8 billion on the spa industry. This made the spa/relaxation industry the 4th largest leisure industry in the US. What [...]]]>

If you would like to be updated about new posts and follow Samvid Beauty you can subscribe to my RSS feed.

By the end of the 2010 year we spent $12.8 billion on the spa industry. This made the spa/relaxation industry the 4th largest leisure industry in the US. What does this say to me? We all want a break! We all crave some individual attention and quiet time to renew. The statistics show that we are leaving our homes to pay  hundreds of dollars to escape to a different environment that rejuvenates us.

Instead of visiting and continually purchasing our peaceful places why don’t we have them in our own homes? We can have calm and serene places at our beck-and-call whenever we want. You can meditate, read, lay down, light some candles (preferable vegetable and essential oil based), write in a journal, listen to music, use your back massager, pray, or do yoga. Below is some inspiration for a peaceful place for you.

A peaceful corner in your bedroom.

A meditation corner from the blog Pushing Furniture.

A peaceful space from Natural Zest.

A reading space from Molly Steiner.

An at home spa sanctuary.

My husband and I enjoy the luxury of having an extra room; we have turned it into our guest/yoga/meditation room. I go there whenever I feel I need to renew and take a break. The best part is, I can make my own spa. I can add a water foundation, candles, plants, nature photos or whatever I want. Not to mention going there is completely free.

While having a massage is a nice treat, (which you can have your partner or a back massager do in your home) you can do good things for yourself without leaving your home.  Having a place to practice yoga or stretching can actually heal those tight backs and aching joints. Reading can entice your imagination. Soaking in your own Epsom salt bath can help alleviate pain and rid your body of toxins.  We all deserve a peaceful place to renew and be well. Where will your peaceful place be?

For the past 3 years or so I have told each member of my family that I am not participating in the gift giving or receiving [...]]]> If you would like to be updated about new posts and follow Samvid Beauty you can subscribe to my RSS feed.

For the past 3 years or so I have told each member of my family that I am not participating in the gift giving or receiving during Christmas. “Grinch!” is what my dad called me. You would think my family would just learn to live with it, but every year it is met with more and more resistance and struggle.

This year I thought it would be more helpful to send out an article that I really liked from zenhabits called The Case Against Buying Christmas Presents. I thought it would help explain some of my reasons why I still enjoy the holiday, but I don’t want to be a part of the gifts (by the way it didn’t help).

I love all the glitter, decorations, crafts and cookies of the holiday, but I think presents are unnecessary. It is a frivolous way to waste money, time and energy. Here are my top reasons why:

1. We already have everything we need.

I have: a family, a dog, a house, clothes, pots and pans, silverware, a laundry machine, a dishwasher, a car, two bikes, two outdoor hoses, a hairdryer, a curling iron, makeup, a computer, a couch, a flat screen TV, a Playstation 3, jewelry, a fridge full of food, and I could go on and on. I consider myself very lucky to have the things I do. I (and our family) have enough things. We have so many things we fill out entire houses full of them. What more could we need?

2. Gifts are wasteful.

Gift wrapping is usually not recyclable or recycled even if it is. We put our boxes in boxes and then we wrap it up in paper. Remind you, people do this all over the US, so it is not just you using up 10 boxes and 5 rolls of wrapping paper and 2 dispensers of scotch tape and 8 bows.

3. It is not environmentally friendly.

Think about all the places you drive to to get your presents. In Salem the “good shopping” is about an hour away in a city called Portland. So you are either driving to numerous places in town or numerous places out of town. If you aren’t driving then someone else is driving or flying to get you your gift from an online store thousands of miles away.

4. It’s not special.

Holiday gifts are not special and you may soon forget about the importance, if it had any. Since it is on Christmas (or Hanukkah,  or Kwanzaa, etc) it is a gift you expect. The buying is driven by ads, commercials and fads.  It is a gift that someone has to give you, it is not given to you because someone thought of you, or determined that you deserved something special on a random day. Holiday gifts may be well intentioned, but they are given out of a consumer driven holiday.

5. The focus is on buying, not the people around you.

As a child I had wonderful and elaborate Christmases. Although, for me, Christmas was centered around “When can we open presents?” At the time I learned that Christmas is a time when people buy you what you want.

All month long people are in a mad rush to shop for family and friends and it only takes a few minutes to rip open all the gifts and forget about who bought you what. During the holiday people ask “Have you got all your Christmas shopping done? What are you asking for for Christmas? What did you get for Christmas?” The holiday is obviously centered around shopping and buying. For many the month is a stressful blur.

Why not give to your family something they can’t buy for themselves like your: attention, time, help, home cooked meals, energy or love? The best way to spend the holidays is with family and friends. Have a good meal together, bake together, make something, play games, watch movies, go hiking, and enjoy the single most important thing around you, the people!