Guest Blogger! Becca Kaian from The Natural Dentist

I am so excited to announce our SECOND guest blogger!!! Her name is Becca Kaian and she is a blogger on the Natural Dentist! I am so excited she asked to be a guest blogger. She has some fantastic ideas and I hope you enjoy reading not only her blog, but will stop by The Natural Dentist and see what else you may learn! I love natural and I am SURE you will too! xoxo



It’s been said that the best accessory anyone could ever wear is their smile. But what if that smile isn’t as bright as you want it to be? What if you’re embarrassed or nervous someone will see the stains and plaque buildup on your teeth? Try these at home remedies for teeth whitening and follow the suggested tips for maintenance and you’re smile will be radiating in no time! Whitening: Achieving whiter teeth is often a large task on everyone’s to-do list, but busy parent’s don’t have time to schedule and attend regular whitening appointments. Try any of these quick and easy at-home remedies for a whiter smile:

• Baking soda can be used as a whitener in a number of ways. Try combining a table spoon of baking soda with a quarter cup of peroxide, applying the mix to your teeth, letting it sit for one minute before rinsing, and repeating daily for a week. Even simpler, you can put a bit of baking soda on your tooth brush, wet it lightly, and brush normally in the morning. Then at night, rinse your mouth with a cap full of peroxide. Both remedies will help in the whitening process.
• Make your own whitening tooth paste by mixing a tablespoon of standard toothpaste with one teaspoon of mouth wash, half a teaspoon of baking soda, and a dash of salt. Though very safe, it is important to only brush with this paste every two days, as baking soda will wear down the enamel of your teeth with repeated use.
• Another whitening mixture to try is half a teaspoon of baking soda with a full teaspoon of lemon juice. Use this to brush the surface of your teeth for one to two minutes, once every two weeks, and your smile will be whiter and brighter in no time.
• A natural at-home whitening solution is to rub the inside of a banana or orange peel over your teeth at least once a day. Doing so releases the peels’ natural minerals which include potassium, manganese, and magnesium. Those minerals are then absorbed into the teeth, helping them to look brighter and healthier. Similarly, mashing strawberries with a bit of baking soda and smearing the mix on your teeth allows the fruits’ acids to polish and whiten!

Daily Oral Care: Taking care of your mouth should already be part of your routine. Below are some reminders of proper oral hygiene:

• Thoroughly brushing your teeth at least twice a day will help to prevent plaque buildup, lessen stains, and ultimately maintain a cleaner, healthier mouth. In addition, flossing is important to remove plaque from those hard to reach places.

These at home remedies and general maintenance tips are the simplest ways to ensure a white smile that lasts. Remember, you only get one set of teeth, so take care of them properly! BYLINE: Becca absolutely loves finding natural and healthy remedies! When she’s not cooking or pinning new ideas, you can find Becca at The Natural Dentist, where she handles blogging.

Guilt Free cookies

The title isn't totally right...HOWEVER, when I make them I don't care what is in them. To me they really are guilt free. This is the only food I think my husband and I fight over. They are soooooooo yummy.

Yes I took this with my iPhone and yes those are my pajamas you see. Don't judge me!

I know you only see three...If I told you how many we (I really me I) ate you would make a fat joke. I wont even tell you.

When I find a recipe I like or my family likes I save it in my recipe book. I am NOT smart enough to make things up on my own and then remember them. I am a dumper of spices. I couldn't tell you a recipe if I make something yummy...AND it may never happen again the same. sooooo.....here goes.

Oh so delicious, chewy chocolate cookies.

(did I mention they are delicious?)

You'll need a good 10 minutes to put these together and another 10 minutes to cook them. Whether you cook the entire batch is up to you.

Preheat oven 325

Bowl 1.

2 and 1/4th cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 and 1/2 tsp cornstarch (trust me you need it)

1/2 tsp salt

Bowl 2.

3/4 cup melted butter (please don't use margarine)

3/4 cup light brown sugar, loosely packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg + 1 egg yoke

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup chocolate chips (or more. more is better)

After butters and sugars are creamed together add the flour mixture.

Take a tablespoon (you know those big fat tablespoons you never use...that one) and dump the dough on a greased cookie sheet. (don't roll them. Don't squish them down. Eat the cookie dough if you want...but cookies don't like to be played with folks! They just want to be dumped on the cookie sheet, baked and eaten with milk)

This is going to go beyond everything you were ever taught about cookies are you ready...cook these for TEN MINUTES! Not one second longer. I am serious. They will look like they aren't done. TRUST ME THEY ARE! Then before they are cooled down you want to take a fork and eat them as FAST as you possibly can. The moment someone else finds out about these cookies...they.will.be.gone.

Let me know what you think.

Side note: I will not be responsible for extra weight one might gain from eating these cookies. sorry.



Why Herbs?

The dream team for the "Cough and Sore Throat be gone". Some time soon I will explain how these bad boys work.

That is a really good question. I know a lot of people are asking the same thing. Using herbs when we are sick is like giving the little soldiers, who are fighting those germs in our bodies, extra weapons to fight with. Depending on how big the battle is depends on how long our fight is and how many doses of the herbs we need to take.  

Hear me out.

MOST prescription drugs have crazy side effects. Have you read them? Yikes. If I have a woman reading this I know if you have taken an antibiotic (which means antilife) chances are you have gotten a yeast infection. Am I right? If I bring an antibiotic into this house I swear my body revolts and I get a yeast infection before I even take it. I am serious. If I was ever prescribed antibiotics I ALWAYS had him write me a yeast infection script. Might as well. Chances are its going to happen. The reason I bring this up is because Herbs don't KILL anything. They are helpers in the fight. (As a general rule. They are antibacterial, but not in a sense we are used to seeing.) I have yet to take an herb that has given me a crazy miserable yeast infection.

Is there a place for antibiotics? YES.

When our immune systems have gotten so weak that we can't get better we do need a little bit of help. However not allowing our bodies to fight infection itself is part of the reason society stays sick. We need to get sick every once in a while so that our bodies build immunities to germs. Think of it as a video game. (I know everyone has played one or two in your lifetime.) What happens when you first start a level you've never seen or done before? You die fast right? Well we don't "die" when we get a virus or a germ, but we do get sick. Depending on how weak our immune system is really depends on how long we stay sick. I am NOT suggesting you stay sick for weeks or months. Not saying that at all. I am saying give your body enough time to win a battle.

Fevers aren't necessarily BAD things.

We have been programed to fear the fever. I know I have. The very first Dr appointment we went to with our son were told to watch out for fevers. If he has one bring him in. If you want to get into the Dr fast with a newborn tell them you have a fever and they will see the baby right away. We have been programed to think.. Fever...Bad. Am I right?? When we need to be treating the symptoms and not the fever.

The fever is the result of something. NOT the problem. If you fail a test at school is it the tests fault? No....Its because you didn't study. If you don't have enough money to pay the bills is it the moneys fault? No its because you either spent it all or need to earn more.

Are  you following me?

Fevers are a sign that your bodies immune system is working! To kill germs our bodies HEAT UP! That is an AWESOME sign! That means our bodies are doing EXACTLY as it is suppose to do.

Side Note: Prolonged High fevers are dangerous.

Obviously you need to watch the temp. Most children when they have a low grade fever are still active. I know mine is. Treating the patient seems to be out of the question. We treat the Fever and then well...we have even sicker babies because we keep putting the soldiers who are fighting the germs to sleep.

Ok I am off my soap box.

 Do herbs take longer to work? Yes. Why?

Well really this depends on how weak (or sluggish) your immune system is. Have you relied most of your life on OTC drugs and prescription drugs? Then chances are your body has forgotten how to fight. It may take a little longer. Herbs aren't a crutch. Its like adding more weapons to your soldiers already fighting the battle in your body. Does that make sense? When we give our bodies herbs to fight it does take longer because our bodies are doing the work. We aren't sending "hired" help...We ARE the help! Be patient with yourself and your bodies. We need to take care of them. It starts with the food we eat.

How come the herbs I am taking aren't working?

That's a great question. Couple of things you need to remember. 1. You need to take less and more frequently. Modern Medicine is the exactly opposite. Lets bombard your bodies and then we will go from there. Herbs are the exact opposite. A little at a time but in a few hours or even an hour later you take more. Sometimes you take the herbs every 20 minutes. 2. What works for me may or may not work for you. What works for my 3 year old son may or may not work for me. I think a lot of the time people get frustrated and give up.

There are some germs you probably need help fighting...like one recently in the news...the Ebola...

But seriously...the common flu or cold? Come on folks...start taking care of your bodies and your bodies will take care of you.