{Drawer Party cont.}

First item I wanted to share....toothpaste!! This was my first step in going all-natural.

Originally, I tried to make my own toothpaste with baking soda, peppermint, and water. I checked with my dentist's office to see if this was an ok option, and they said that it's ok! But it left a gritty feeling in my mouth and my breathe wasn't fresh enough. {As my sweetheart emphatically pointed out, and I can't blame him.}

So here's my first tip, try all natural toothpaste! I chose Tom's of Maine sensitive winter mint version, because my teeth are pretty sensitive. 

Here's what is in Tom's toothpaste:

Sorbitol: is a type of sugar alcohol, found in fiber filled fruits like apples, pears, peaches, and prunes. As such, it may have a laxative effect. So don't eat it, just brush your teeth silly!

 

Water: is self explanatory. 

 

Hydrated Silicas: is a form of silicon dioxide. It's also known as silicic acid, which is an Opal when found naturally. It's grainy texture helps clean the surface of your teeth, particularly dental plaque.

 

Zylitol: is a type of alcohol sweetener. It has been shown to reduce tooth decay.

 

Glycerin:  is an ingredient that decreases how thick the final paste is. Tom's uses vegetable based, not animal. 

Organic Aloe leaf juice: as shared here, Aloe Vera helps freshen breathe.

Natural Flavors: are all natural! Such as herbs, fruits or flowers.

 

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate: is a type/derived from salt. It helps water and oil mix so they can be rinsed away. It works as a cleaning agent to clean bacteria and food off of teeth. However, it looks like cankers sores are more common with this ingredient.

 

Cocamidopropyl Betaine: is probably used for it's antiseptic properties. It is made from coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamin.  Dimethylaminopropylamin is used in most detergents and soaps, but that is all I know.

 

Xanthan gum: is purified version of a bacterial coat of plant diseases. Sound ridiculous, but is an ingredient that keeps all of the product mixed thoroughly.

 

Titanium Dioxide: {from what I have read} appears to be a natural mineral, used for it's white color probably.

 

Potassium nitrate: is the main desensitizing ingredient. The layer under the tooth, dentin, is usually the main cause of sensitivity and potassium nitrate helps calm the nerves and inhibits the activity of the nerve endings.

 

Also, I'm not using a fluoride toothpaste. Although fluoride is natural, it's found to be a toxin when ingested. I'd rather just avoid it. 

Hey, this isn't medical advice. Most of my information comes from LiveStrong.com and Tom of Maine's website, as well as other various sources. Maybe there is a better alternative, and I'd love to hear it!

{green life & organizing}

plenty to do...

I really love organization. It's one of the things I do when I'm stressed, if I'm not able to garden.

By the way, a good friend of mine gave me a cute little book called The Little Green Book of Health, 250 Tips for an ECO Lifestyle. She gave it to me for Christmas a few years ago, and I pull it out every once in a while for a few green lifestyle tips. It's a small book but I love having it in our collection of books. I've learned quite a bit from her, and I'm even interested in composting now. {Don't worry, I haven't even thought to try that in an apartment...}
Here are my top two favorites this time, and I included what I learned {again}:

15. Garden Away Stress. "There are even claims that a harmless bacteria normally found in dirt, Mycobacteriam vaccae, has been found to boost the production of a mood-regulating brain chemical."

35. Freshen Breath with Aloe Vera. "Daily gargling with Aloe Vera juice will help reduce toxins in the digestive system {that can lead to bad breath} as well as relieving any inflammation.  Look out for an organic variety, to ensure it is toxin-free & kind to the environment."

Just another reason why my dear friend Aloe Vera should stay alive! He is doing quite well, by the way. I guess my Ode to Aloe perked him up.

Onto organizing!! I saw this on one of my new favorite blogs and pinterest, and just had to share mine! I plan on changing the background to a pale photo as soon as I can. I also want to buy a few more markers, but I just happened to have one from back when my roommates and I would keep track of our "to do" stuff. At first I started reading this new blog just because of the name, but now I love it! http://montrealnest.blogspot.com/

how to make a dry erase board

If you make one, let me know how it worked out!