Turmeric for your Teeth!

Turmeric...the bright yellow spice used in Asian recipes, and is the basis for almost all Indian dishes, might stain everything it comes in contact with -- but surprisingly it will WHITEN your teeth! Swear to God.

 

Turmeric amazes me. Not only do I love to use it in cooking (legumes should be cooked with turmeric to make them easier to digest), but I have used it as a supplement for years. This golden root has helped me to combat joint pain since I was a kid. And on days that I feel particularly uncomfortable I will make myself "turmeric tea" putting a teaspoon of organic turmeric powder in hot water with a squeeze of lemon juice and sometimes a chunk or two of ginger. In Laos I would make a paste of ground turmeric root and some water, massaging it into my joints before entering the steam hut. And now I am using this potent-bit-of-goodness to whiten my teeth. In Ayurveda it is recommended to gargle with salt water in the morning mixed with a scoop of turmeric, which is anti-fungal and anti-bacterial. In India there is turmeric is so many products that you buy....from hair shampoo, lotion and toothpaste. The more that I educate myself about health, healing and our environment, the more I turn into one of those people. I threw out all of my lotions and potions, cleaning products, and toiletries. My cabinet now consists of a few essential oils, Coconut Oil, turmeric and baking soda. I use these to wash my body, my face, and my counters. I moisturize my body, my face, and my lips with coconut oil. I have added "oil pulling" to my morning routine, and in addition to cleansing my nasal passageways with the Neti pot, I gargle with a turmeric/salt/water concoction. And yep - I brush my teeth with a sprinkle of turmeric. The thought of putting chemical strips in my mouth to whiten my teeth is frightening. Putting chemicals on my skin to get it "clean" is terrifying. Afterall, our skin absorbs everything on the exterior and it enters our bloodstream. Go ahead, read the back of your lotion bottle right now...can you pronounce more than half of the ingredients? Probably not. And each of those is going into your body. You will save your money, save your environment and save your health by simplifying your cupboard. I promise.

Eat Your Eggs!

Hard boiled eggs...one of my staples.

YAY AMAZON!! So pumped on my box of goodies that arrived today!!

LUNCH. 80% Veggies, 20% protein. Boom.

DECADENT. Seriously though - this stuff is crack. WOODSTOCKS Smooth Raw Almond Butter is the BEST almond butter that I have ever tasted (like a landslide win against any nut butter you've ever had). And Artisana's Coconut Butter is simply the best thing I've ever had in my life. Hands down. Put it in smoothies or shakes, raw treats or for cooking - but my favorite, just eat it with a spoon.

Eggs have gotten a bad rap somewhere along the line. And though I love every*single*page of Donna Gates lifechanging book, "The Body Ecology", I am most excited about what she says about my beloved eggs....

"Eggs help strengthen the thyroid. ...the cooked egg white has less nutritional value. Contrary to popular belief, it is the egg yolk that is most healthy. Eggs have cholesterol, but this is an important fat. The yolk contains lechtin, which aids in fat assimilation. Eggs actively raise the level of HDL, which is the good cholestorol, and they have the most perfect protein components of any food."

Curing Candida.

Curing candida. It's not going to be easy, but as far as I am concerned - there is no other option. I am particularly inspired after reading Paul Pitchfords "Healing with Whole Foods" (a HUGE thank you to Erika Sal for sharing this book with me...and a huge thanks to everyone out there who has offered up love, support, supplements and information with me as well!). Pitchford writes...

"Candidiasis is the overgrowth of Candida yeast-like fungi in the body. Candida exists in high levels in individuals with weak immune systems, although it is normal to have some candida present. A healthy digestive system has ample Lactobacillus acidophilus and other intestinal microorganisms which are indispensable to proper nutrient absorption. Candida has an opposite effect in the digestive tract, inhibiting proper assimilation of essential amino acids and other nutrients. What follows in cadidiasis is the weakening of immunity as well as the entire organism.

The yeast does not always confine itself to the digestive tract. It slips through weakened areas in the gut lining, or can be spread from the body into the sexual organs (especially in women), and from those areas into the blood and other body tissues. Such migrations of candida through the entire system, usually termed "systematic candidiasis", is life-threatening if untreated, and is though by some to be the cause of death in Aids and various other viral-related degenerative illnesses. Candidiasis is the root cause of all major diseases. 

Serious yeast infestations tax the immune system to the point where it cannot respond to invading viruses or other harmful substances. Immunity ultimately breaks down, which opens the way for autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and lupus, as well as diseases of immune devastation including AIDS and cancer."

 My Dad was one of ten. He died of a brain tumor, he has two sisters suffering from MS, one sister with breast cancer, one sister with Chrons, another with fibromyalgia....and the list goes on. Now a days we hear more and more about people having cancer...and I believe this is because sugar is in absolutely EVERYTHING that we eat. Even if we are just eating carbs, those carbohydrates break down into sugar. Many people are curing themselves by going on a plant based diet -- and being on a plant based diet is a diet similar to the candida cleanse, one which strips any and all foods that would feed yeast. It all makes too much sense to me to NOT continue on this path for the next two years - and then ultimately maintain this major lifestyle change as far as my eating and drinking habits. The most common response that I have gotten from people when they hear about my diet is...

"ARE YOU CRAZY?!"
"I give you a week before you're over it..."
"You'll never be able to do it!"
"Isn't there just a pill you can take or something?"

Now, maybe it's my liver cleanse speaking (I was told that doing a liver cleanse can make one a bit angry and irritable) but I would really love to kick you assholes in the shin when you respond with those statements. I'm not crazy! Yes it's one of the hardest things I've ever done! No, it's not convenient! No it's not cheap! Yes, it is stressful and exhausting! But what is the alternative? To live in deteroriating health as I age? Or to have a life cut short? Absolutely not. I love my life WAY to much to have any days that are less than perfect or anything but full. So, if you were one of those people who made one of those statements, you're forgiven. But a little bit of support would be much appreciated. It's not easy giving up all of your favorite things simultaneously - and not only that, but I've also been quite ill as the candida dies-off. I have gotten horrible rashes, insane headaches, horrible fatigue all over my body, and the most recent is breaking out into cold clammy sweats. But it's worth it, I'M worth it, and I thank you for your support on this journey ahead. And look at it on the bright side...my cooking has been and will continue to be getting more and more creative as I look for ways to keep this healthy cleanse interesting...the recipes all of which I will share. To the many people who have been reaching out to me since my first blog post about it, stay strong and stay tuned. I'll be updating with lots of recipes and insights as I go to help you along as well.