Does Flossing Really Reduce Gum Disease and Cavities?

For most of us, the importance of brushing and flossing has been deeply ingrained from a young age. Many of us feel guilty as adults for failing to floss every single day.

Flossing is one of the most common and accepted health recommendations. It is right up there with the importance of eating vegetables and drinking water.

Yet, how many of us have actually researched flossing?

We’ve been told to do it from such a young age that we assume its beneficial. But it it really as important as we’ve been told?

The internet is abuzz with debate after the recent publication of an AP article called “Medical Benefits of Floss Unproven.”

Surprised?

Despite the sensationalist headlines, the study didn’t conclude that flossing is bad, just that there may not be any scientific reason to do it. Let’s look at the actual research and see what science really says about flossing.

The Logic of Flossing

At first glance, flossing seems to make perfect sense.

Food gets stuck between teeth. Floss removes this food. Thus, flossing is good.

Unfortunately, it isn’t quite so simple. There is also the issue of bacteria in the mouth, between the teeth and in the gums. This bacteria is what actually causes cavities and gum disease. This is well-documented:

Streptococcus mutans is the main cause of dental decay. Various lactobacilli are associated with progression of the lesion. (source)

Bacteria Lead to Cavities and Gum Disease

It is generally understood that cavities and gum disease occur in this way:

1. Plaque forms in the mouth when we eat sugars and fermentable carbohydrates.
2. The plaque creates acid which leads to mineral loss on the surface of the tooth.
3. In a healthy mouth, the saliva will replenish the minerals on the teeth and teeth will remain strong. This is also why diet is important, as the body must have enough minerals to supply saliva.
4. If a person consumes sugars and simple carbohydrates regularly, the minerals on the tooth can’t be replenished each time. The plaque builds up and creates acid that maintains a low pH (acidic) environment in the mouth.
5. This creates an optimal environment for bacteria like S mutans and allows them to take hold, eventually leading to cavities and gum disease.

Does Flossing Help Reduce Bacteria in the Mouth?

This is the important question when it comes to flossing. If the acid>sugar>bacteria equation is the reason for cavities and gum disease, stopping these bacteria is very important to avoiding problems in the mouth.

But does flossing help?

According to dentist Dr. Reid Winick, flossing is not effective at removing this bacteria, and it may actually make things worse! He explains that these bacteria in the mouth affect the body in many ways:

If these pathogenic bacteria grows out of control and enter our blood stream, they can be transported through the body and cause inflammation. Chronic inflammation of any source leads to chronic disease. Failing to take care of your teeth may set you up for a range of serious medical issues such as heart disease, diabetes, preterm birth delivery, alzheimer’s and even inflammatory cancers like breast and pancreatic cancer.

But that flossing won’t fix the problem. In fact, he argues that the idea is laughable:

Don’t be fooled, flossing is not the answer! To me, it’s common sense. How can you kill an infection with a piece of string, especially if it can’t reach the bottom of the pocket where the infection lives?

The Stats About Flossing:

• Approximately 98.4% of adults report to their dentist that they floss regularly when asked.
• Approximately 60.5% of those people are lying.
• Also, 68% of statistics on the internet are made up, at least according to Abraham Lincoln.

All joking aside, when you actually start looking at the research, the “well-documented” benefits of flossing don’t stand up to scrutiny. This doesn’t necessarily mean that flossing is bad or not helpful, just that it deserves a closer look.

A Closer Look

The recent article that examines the evidence for flossing does so because the most recent American Dietary Guidelines make no mention of flossing. In the past, flossing has been part of their recommendations, but were noticeably missing in the most recent updates.

So what happened?

By law, these guidelines must be based on well-documented scientific evidence. About a year ago, the Associate Press requested documentation from the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture about the benefits of flossing.

Instead of responding, the recommendation to floss was simply removed from the guidelines this year.

In other words, the government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans no longer recommends flossing. 

Research about Flossing

The Associated Press examined the actual research about flossing. They looked at 25 studies that compared brushing alone or brushing+flossing and found that there was very little evidence for flossing with a large potential for bias.

The majority of available studies fail to demonstrate that flossing is generally effective in plaque removal,” said one review conducted last year. Another 2015 review cites “inconsistent/weak evidence” for flossing and a “lack of efficacy.”

In fact, in recent years, several reviews have looked at the available research about flossing and attempted to determine if there was a benefit or not:

Recent Studies & Reviews

1. The first review looked primarily at children up to age 13. This review determined that children who had their teeth flossed by a trained dental hygienist at least five times a week noticed a 40% reduction in cavities and gum disease. Unfortunately, this reduction was not present in kids who flossed on their own. Since most of us don’t have trained dental professionals floss our teeth for us daily, the study concluded that the benefit of flossing was undocumented or limited at best.
2. The second review out of Amsterdam looked at available studies and determined: “In light of the results of this comprehensive literature search and critical analysis, it is concluded that a routine instruction to use floss is not supported by scientific evidence.”
3. The third and final review in recent years was the biggest to date: “Twelve studies, encompassing nearly 1,100 subjects were deemed suitable. Flossing was found to yield statistically significant reductions in levels of gingivitis and plaque buildup, however the reductions were minuscule, almost to the point of being unnoticeable. And in regard to reducing plaque, the authors deemed the evidence to be “weak” and “very unreliable.”

So, if flossing isn’t all that beneficial for reducing bacteria, cavities or gum disease, what can we do to avoid these problems?

Beyond Flossing: Other Ways to Reduce Bacteria

Thankfully, while flossing may not be as helpful as we once thought, there are other ways to keep the mouth healthy. These are some of the current methods suggested as alternatives:

Oil Pulling

This is one method I’ve been personally doing for years. I have seen a definite reduction in plaque and tooth/gum sensitivity since adopting this practice.

What is it?

The name is a bit misleading, but it is essentially the process of using oil as a mouthwash. This post explains how to do oil pulling, but it involves swishing an oil such as sesame or coconut oil in the mouth for up to 20 minutes (sometimes with added essential oils).

This is beneficial, because it reaches between teeth. The oil may help penetrate and break down the plaque. Additionally, oils like coconut oil can kill the S mutans bacteria that leads to tooth decay. This makes oil pulling a great addition to an oral health routine.

Mouthwash

I’ve seen several articles since the AP article was published that were written by dentists suggesting mouthwash as an alternative. They point out that mouthwash (like oil in oil pulling) can reach between teeth and the edges of the gums. For this reason, mouthwash can reach bacteria that floss can’t and it is typically designed to kill bacteria in the mouth. (Here’s my own herbal mouthwash recipe if you’re interested in making it yourself.)

To be clear, most dentists still recommend flossing, but suggest adding mouthwash or another method to the mix as well.

Oral Irrigation

Oral Irrigation is another method that can help address bacteria in the gums and between teeth. My own dentists recommended when I was younger and I used a Water Pik for years. Like mouthwash, the idea is that the water can reach between teeth and into gums to address bacteria in the mouth.

Bottom Line: Does Flossing Matter?

Flossing may not be as important as we once thought, but it is still beneficial for food stuck between teeth. In light of the recent research, we can probably stop feeling guilty if we don’t floss every single day. It may also be a great idea to add oil pulling or mouthwash to specifically address bacteria like S mutans in the mouth.

Fess up… are you a daily flosser? What do you think of the recent news? 

Continue Reading...Does Flossing Really Reduce Gum Disease and Cavities?

source http://wellnessmama.com/124376/flossing/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=flossing

How to Make Pecan Milk (and Why)

Benefits of Avocado (and 25 Avocado Recipes)

There are many benefits of avocados and avocado oil and they have gained massive popularity in recent years…and for good reason!

Avocados are a decadent and versatile fruit that is great in many recipes. They have a delicious, creamy richness that really satisfies, whether in a dip, on a salad, or blended in a dessert. You can’t help but feel like you’re indulging!

Maybe what adds to the satisfaction is knowing you’re getting a great dose of nutrition to boot!

Nutrition and Benefits of Avocado

Avocados are somewhat unique in the fruit world. It could even be said that avocados are one of the fattiest foods out there…but in a good sense!

They make every calorie and fat gram worthwhile since they are extremely nutrient dense. An avocado contains over 20 vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin C, vitamin B-6, magnesium, and potassium. In fact, a cup of pureed avocado contains almost four times more potassium than a whole banana.

Avocado Nutrients

Even just 1/5th of an avocado contains:

• Vitamin K: 26% of the RDA
• Folate: 20% of the RDA
• Vitamin B5: 14% of the RDA
• Vitamin C: 17% of the RDA
• Potassium: 14% of the RDA
• Vitamin B6: 13% of the RDA
• Vitamin E: 10% of the RDA

Then it contains small amounts of Magnesium, Manganese, Copper, Iron, Zinc, Phosphorous, Vitamin A, B1 (Thiamine), B2 (Riboflavin) and B3 (Niacin). (1)

On top of this, studies show the healthy fats in avocado make the anti-inflammatory carotenoids found in brightly colored vegetables and fruits more bioavailable. So a little diced avocado on your salad both tastes good and helps you get the most nutrition out of your leafy greens, peppers, tomatoes, and other salad fixings!

But you might ask, won’t all that fat make me…fat?

To the contrary!

Avocado Calories

A single serving of avocado contains 50 calories and 4.5 grams of fat (and that’s just in 1/5th of an avocado). I’d say our family tends to eat more like ½ an avocado per individual serving, which makes it 130 calories and 15 grams of fat.

Although this may seem like a lot of fat and calories, studies show that avocado consumption can actually help control cholesterol and weight:

Avocados’ are a medium energy dense fruit because about 80% of the avocado edible fruit consists of water (72%) and dietary fiber (6.8%) and has been shown to have similar effects on weight control as low-fat fruits and vegetables (USDA, 2011; Bes-Rastrollo et al., 2008).

An analysis of adult data from the NHANES 2001–2006 suggests that avocado consumers have higher HDL-cholesterol, lower risk of metabolic syndrome, and lower weight, BMI, and waist circumference than nonconsumers (Fulgoni et al., 2010b). (2)

They can also help with food cravings by replacing that rich and creamy element you might be missing when eliminating dairy and other high calorie, low nutrient foods from your diet.

How to Prepare Avocado

If you haven’t tried avocado as part of your daily diet, it helps to know your way around one. Here’s how to pick and prepare the perfect avocado.

Check under the stem at the end of the avocado. It’s ripe and ready to eat if the skin under the stem is green. If it’s brown, it’s overripe. (And if the stem doesn’t come off easily, it isn’t ripe at all.)

There are kitchen tools designed to slice and dice avocado, but I’ve since learned it is just as easy to peel off the thick skin using your fingers. This video shows how to get perfect slices using this method:

The goal when peeling your avocado (instead of scooping it out) is to leave the dark green flesh just under the skin intact, as this is the part of the avocado that contains the most phytonutrients.

The Best Avocado Recipes

Here are some great recipes to whet your appetite for more avocado!

1. A Squeeze of Lemon or Lime + Salt!

This may not really be a recipe, but some folks don’t know about this quick and tasty way to serve up avocado. My kids love it this way for a snack. Serve with a side of veggies and avocado dip.

2. Choco-cado Smoothie

Use this go-to breakfast smoothie recipe from Authentic Simplicity as a base recipe and think up your own variations:
1 banana + ½ avocado + ¼ yogurt + 1 cup milk of choice + 1 tsp raw honey + 1 tsp cocoa powder.

3. Kale Avocado Salad

Mommypotamus creates a delicious kale and avocado salad. Toss together lemon, olive oil, avocado, kale, salt, and a sprinkle of cayenne, and mix with your hands. You’ll be amazed at how tender and tasty the kale becomes!

4. Honey Lime Chicken Wings with Avocado-Cilantro Dip

Sweet and tangy wings with this creamy dairy-free dip could be the solution to your comfort food cravings. Get the recipe from PaleOMG here.

5. Key Lime Pie Popsicles

Another great recipe from Mommypotamus: key lime pie popsicles! These popsicles bring together the nutritional benefits of coconut milk, gelatin, and avocado.

6. Egg-Free “Mayo”

This creamy egg-free mayo substitute is one of my favorite ways to use avocados. If you are avoiding eggs and soy, two common ingredients in regular mayo, this is a great alternative. (Though it isn’t technically a “mayo” without egg).

7. Classic Guacamole

Because I can’t have an avocado recipe roundup without a guacamole recipe! This is my family’s favorite!

8. Bacon Guacamole Bites

If you’re avoiding grains and want something other than veggies with your guacamole, try this appetizer recipe. Bacon and guacamole…mmmm.

9. Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Did you know avocado can be great in desserts? My kids literally beg for this, and I swear you can’t taste the avocado at all! It’s better than traditional pudding. My preference is to use dark chocolate cocoa powder. Here’s the recipe.

10. Snack Cake with Chocolate Avocado Frosting

If you’re still unsure about using avocado in sweet applications, I dare you to look at these pictures and tell me you aren’t tempted to try it!

11. Basil, Avocado, and Bacon Deviled Eggs

These deviled eggs are made creamy with avocado instead of mayonnaise. Add crumbled bacon, fresh basil, and some chopped green chiles for a zesty twist on a classic.

12. Portobello Mushroom Cap with Kale Pesto Guacamole

Baby kale, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, garlic, and olive oil combine with avocado in this unique pesto. Top a portabella mushroom cap and sprinkle with cotija cheese before baking. A vegetarian lunch that’s light and satisfying.

13. Caprese Avocado Salad

Summer in a bowl. The classic caprese salad gets a boost in nutrition and taste with arugula, basil, tomatoes, mozzarella, and avocado tossed in a simple homemade balsamic dressing.

14. Mint Chocolate Chip “Ice Cream”

I’ll admit I haven’t tried this recipe, but it looked so interesting I had to include it! Let me know how it is!

15. Dairy-Free Caesar Dressing

Nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, and dijon mustard give this creamy avocado-based caesar dressing its flavor.

16. Quinoa Taco Salad

Avocado and quinoa pair up in this protein and fiber packed salad. Substitute taco-seasoned chicken or beef for the quinoa to make a paleo version.

17. Chicken Salad

Serve my healthier version of chicken salad inside a halved avocado cup for a convenient lunch portion. In fact, most salad ingredients would work inside an avocado cup, so make your own creation from your leftovers!

18. Vietnamese Avocado Zoodle Bowl from Avocado Central

Have you ever had zucchini noodles? They are easy to make! All you need is this spiralizer. There’s also a Kitchenaid mixer attachment for spiralizing noodles. (I recommend doing this when zucchini is in season.) Turn these noodles into an awesome Vietnamese Avocado Zoodle bowl!

19. Lobster Salad with Avocado

Savory decadence! Experiment with fresh flavor combinations like citrus, parsley, and mint in this lobster avocado salad.

20. Slow-Cooker Carne Asada “Tacos”

Tender beef slow-cooked with cilantro, citrus, chiles, and garlic. Top with fresh avocados, of course!

21. Avocado Turkey Feta Burger

Avocado adds healthy fats to this lean and flavorful burger. Avocado tzatziki sauce tops it off. (Correction: Despite the title, the recipe leaves out feta…add along with the other ingredients and mix, or top with feta shortly after grilling.)

22. Avocado Breakfast Bake

Load up on protein and fiber first thing in the morning with this simple breakfast bake. Yes, this does involved cooked avocado…which isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But if you really love avocado give this a try! The key is to season it well with flavorful toppings.

23. Asparagus Avocado Soup

This simple 6-ingredient soup would be a snap in a Vitamix blender. Avocado makes it creamy without dairy!

24. Blueberry Spinach Avocado Smoothie

A fruity version of an avocado smoothie, and easily adaptable. Read here about why collagen powder is a healthy substitute for the protein powder called for in this recipe.

25. Triple Chocolate Avocado Muffins (yes, more chocolate!)

Another delicious indulgence using coconut flour, cacao powder, and avocado. These store and freeze well for a quick breakfast, snack, or dessert.

Do you eat avocados regularly? What are your favorite ways to use them?

Sources:
1. https://authoritynutrition.com/12-proven-benefits-of-avocado/
2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3664913/#R50
3. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference

Continue Reading...Benefits of Avocado (and 25 Avocado Recipes)

source http://wellnessmama.com/124329/benefits-of-avocado/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=benefits-of-avocado

Real Food Pineapple Whip Recipe (like Dole Whip)

Grove Collaborative: Great Source for Natural Home Products

I’ve been making my own cleaning products for years. When I first started, there weren’t any recipes or tutorials available online and there was a lot of trial and error… mostly error.

Natural Home Products that Work

Did you know, for instance, that vinegar and liquid castille soap together make a nasty slimy mess? Or that vinegar is better for making pickles than for cleaning many surfaces?

I didn’t, but I definitely found out the hard way!

Now, there are dozens of pre-made “green” cleaners available. Some are really good, but all of them are much more expensive than making your own.

Over the years, I’ve saved hundreds of dollars (and avoided putting dozens of plastic bottles in landfills) by making my own cleaners and you can too!

I found a company that shares my passion for natural cleaning products (pre-made and homemade) and you can get most of my natural cleaning supplies for free this week:

Get the Supplies for Free!

I’m so excited to partner with Grove Collaborative (formerly ePantry) this week to give you all of the ingredients you need to get started with natural cleaning for FREE! Click here to find out how!

One of the questions I get most often when I post DIY cleaning recipes is:

Where did you get that awesome spray bottle?

and I didn’t really have a reliable source for them. I’d ordered some online before but they hadn’t always been great quality and I refused to recommend a bottle that would stop working a few weeks after purchase.

When Grove Collaborative offered to create a limited edition Wellness Mama + Grove glass spray bottle (made in the USA) for homemade cleaners and print my cleaning recipe right on the back and send it to you for free, I jumped at the chance!

What is Grove Collaborative?

Great question. They used to be called ePantry and I had heard of them but never tried them until recently. Now, I order many of our household staples from them, including:

• Toilet paper
• My favorite razor ever
• Glass spray bottles
• Washing soda
• Bon Ami
• Wool dryer balls
• Laundry soap

The best part… this week, you can get several of my favorite things for free:

Never tried Grove Collaborative? You get all of this:

That is a value of over $30 at completely no cost when you try $20 of their products. In fact, when I ordered, I got $70 worth of products I already love and use for under $25 with the discounts and free products including:

• Glass spray bottle
• e-Cloth microfiber
• Orange essential oil
• Liquid Castille soap
• Apple cider vinegar
• Dish Soap
• Kitchen sponges
• Toothbrush
• Baking soda
• Bon Ami

Click here to lock in your free products and savings!

Already a Grove Member?

If you are already a Grove Collaborative customer, they’ll add a Wellness Mama + Grove glass spray bottle to your next order at no cost ($12 value). Just click here.

How it Works

1. Go to Grove Collaborative by clicking here.
2. Take a simple 4-question quiz to help them find your favorite products.
3. They will create a custom cart of products for you to try and add the spray bottle, microfiber cloth and essential oil for free. It will also apply free shipping.
4. Change or delete any products you don’t want (just keep at least $20 in there to get the free stuff!)
5. Check out, save tons of money and free stuff shows up at your house!
6. If you join their VIP program, you always get free shipping + 5 free gifts each year!

The things I ordered were substantially less expensive than the same things at our local store and I now get natural toilet paper and recycled razors (two things I ALWAYS forget at the store) delivered automatically.

Reasons I Like Grove Collaborative:

• Flexible delivery schedules — automatically receive monthly shipments or edit delivery dates to get products exactly when you need them
• Custom baskets — They make suggestions, but you can always make changes or add/remove products
• No surprises — you’ll get two reminder e-mails (one week and one day before a scheduled shipment) so you can make any necessary changes
• Great customer service — They have an entire Community Happiness team!
• Free Stuff Through Sunday– Until Sunday, you can get some of my favorite things for free! (Unfortunately, they can’t ship to Alaska, Hawaii or Canada).

With all the money you’ll save, grab some good coffee or herbal tea and spend 30 seconds making this simple homemade cleaner.

Important Disclaimer: I worked with Grove to create this spray bottle and free offer for you, but it is not a sponsored post. If you choose to grab these free products, I do receive a commission, which helps me keep the blog up and running. You receive discounted and free products and my thanks for supporting my website! See my full disclaimer here.

Ever tried Grove? What are you waiting for? Click here to grab the free stuff now!

Continue Reading...Grove Collaborative: Great Source for Natural Home Products

source http://wellnessmama.com/124250/grove-collaborative/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=grove-collaborative

Natural Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner (That Works!)

Once upon a time I was a single college student in a one-room dorm and it didn’t take much to keep it clean. Fast forward a few years and I was married to an amazing (but super neat and orderly) guy and had a couple of kids who weren’t so neat and orderly! I needed an all-purpose cleaner that worked stat!

(Psssstttt… Click here to see how to get the bottle and ingredients for free this week only!)

A Natural Way to Clean

As a mom, I soon learned that child is a synonym for “maker-of-dirt-and-messes-while-being-absolutely-adorable” and was amazed at the messes my toddlers could make.

I also realized that kids put everything in their mouths, so I started looking for natural cleaning options that could stand up to toddler messes but without accidentally poisoning them if (when) they licked the floor or counter.

I learned about all the chemicals that are contained in most commercial household cleaning products and found that I could make healthier ones at home. One of the hardest ones to create was a homemade all-purpose cleaner, but I finally found one that works well (and my kids have tested it hard!). In fact, I’ve calculated that over the years, I’ve saved over $200 making this myself!

Why Make Your Own Natural Cleaner?

Short answer:

It takes literally 30 seconds, saves money and works better!

Longer answer:

This all-purpose cleaner is so simple to make that those first couple of toddlers are now older kids who can make and use this cleaner on their own! And their younger siblings have happily filled the toddler mess-making shoes for them.

Also, it is free from the more toxic chemicals found in many cleaners and completely customizable to your taste. Plus, until Sunday, you can get all of the ingredients free! (Click here to find out how!)

Important note: There is some debate about borax and if it is safe to use in homemade cleaners or not. I personally feel it is safe to use and much safer than most cleaning products, but this article has a good breakdown of the information and my thoughts on it. Don’t agree? Just leave it out.

All Purpose Cleaner Ingredients

• 1 tsp borax
• 1/2 tsp washing soda
• 1 tsp liquid castille soap
• Essential oils of choice- I use 4 drops lemon, 4 drops lavender and 10 drops orange
• Glass spray bottle for storage (I get my glass bottles and all ingredients for this recipe here)

All-Purpose Cleaner Instructions

1. Place borax, washing soda and soap in a spray bottle (preferably glass).
2. Add 2 cups of warm water. Distilled is best, but any water that has been boiled will work. Cover bottle and shake well. Use as needed. I use as bathroom cleaner, floor pre-treater, kitchen cleaner and on toys to disinfect.

All-Purpose Cleaner FAQs:

Worried about the chemistry of making your own cleaners? Want to make a substitution? These are the most commonly asked questions about my homemade all-purpose cleaner:

Is Washing Soda the Same as Baking Soda?

No, They are similar but with some important differences. Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate and washing soda is just sodium carbonate. Washing soda is stronger and more effective in this recipe (but still non-toxic). Don’t have it? Make your own with baking soda using this tutorial.

Is this a disinfectant?

Technically no, but most home messes don’t need a disinfectant and using too many disinfectants can cause problems as well. I wouldn’t use this on food related messes, especially raw meat, but it works really well for other hard household surfaces like counters, floors and cabinets. The essential oils do have mild disinfectant properties in some studies, but I personally would stick to hydrogen peroxide or food grade alcohol and soap/water to disinfect raw meat messes.

Why Isn’t There Vinegar in this Recipe?

Vinegar actually isn’t the cleaning powerhouse it is made out to be. It does have its uses and shining moments, like cleaning windows, but isn’t an effective degreaser or disinfectant. Also, vinegar and washing soda (Acid and base) will cancel each other out and this whole recipe would be less effective if vinegar was added. Want to use vinegar in natural cleaning? Save your fresh lemon and orange peels, pour white vinegar over them and leave for a few weeks. This makes a great citrus-infused vinegar that cleans windows and most smooth surfaces.

Vinegar also un-saponifies the soap in this recipe, leaving a nasty stringy mess. Use vinegar if you want to, just don’t use it in this recipe!

Is Borax Dangerous?

There is a lot of debate about this. I talked about my opinion here, but I generally feel safe using it on non food surfaces. If you aren’t comfortable using it, just omit or use witch hazel or food grade alcohol in its place.

Does This Actually Work?

Yep. it works really well. But don’t take my word for it… a reader Anne, commented:

Ok, I’m a little slow, just found this. Good news – the gunk on the bathroom floor that no other cleaner in the world could get rid of (I have tried at least a dozen over the years) is now gone. I sprayed this, let it soak about 5 minutes and wiped it up with a microfiber cloth. I am astounded! Thanks so much for this!

Best Place to Get the Ingredients?

Like I said, I get all of the supplies for this recipe and the glass bottle to make it in from Grove Collaborative. Use this link and you can get the bottle, a microfiber cloth and essential oil for free this week!

I Don’t Like Lemon/Lavender/Orange Oil. Can I Use a Different One?

No way. Just kidding!

Use whatever scent you like in this recipe. Mint is lovely too and Geranium has a mild bug-repelling property if you have flies in the kitchen. You can even omit the oils entirely for an unscented version.

How Long Does This Last?

I haven’t personally had this last longer than 3 months because I use it up in less time than that. I can personally vouch for its shelf life of at least three months though.

Does this Need To Be Stored in Glass?

I always prefer glass personally. If you use the citrus essential oils, it is important to store in glass, as it can break down a plastic bottle over time, but glass is always a good idea!

Do you make any DIY cleaners? Share your favorite below!

Continue Reading...Natural Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner (That Works!)

source http://wellnessmama.com/756/homemade-all-purpose-cleaner/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=homemade-all-purpose-cleaner

How to Make Apple Cider Vinegar at Home

Every fall we take at least one trip to an apple orchard near us. They have family-friendly activities, wonderful local canned goods for sale, and of course, apples. So many apples! My kids love applesauce so I take advantage of the apple season to make homemade applesauce so that we can enjoy it throughout the year.

Don’t Waste Apple Cores and Peels!

I don’t always peel the apples when I make applesauce but if you do take the time to peel the apples (maybe you even prefer your applesauce that way), you can use the peels and the cores to make apple cider vinegar. This way you have virtually no waste!

It is also totally possible to make apple cider vinegar from the whole apple so don’t worry if you don’t have leftover peels and cores from anything.

When I make applesauce, I typically do large quantities at a time so I have enough peels and cores for a batch of apple cider vinegar. If you only occasionally use apples, you can store the peels and cores in the freezer until you have enough gathered to start a batch.

If you don’t have an apple orchard near by, farmer’s markets are another great place to get organically grown apples. Just check with the farmer. Organic apples are ideal for apple cider vinegar, especially if you will be using the peel. If you cannot find organic apples, peel them first. Discard the peel and just use the inside portion.

What Is So Special About Apple Cider Vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) has many healthy uses. It is made through the process of fermentation and is high in phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, and calcium. Hippocrates is believed to have prescribed ACV for a variety of ailments.

ACV for Digestion and Heartburn

ACV is the base of spicy cider which is a great remedy to help quickly knock out a cold.

Amazingly, and contrary to what seems logical, ACV also has a valuable role in preventing heartburn and aiding digestion. In most cases heartburn is actually caused by too little stomach acid which slows down digestion. Food and gasses put pressure on the stomach, causing stomach contents (including stomach acid) to leak back into the esophagus. When you remedy heartburn with ACV it increases stomach acid and helps the body digest the food more quickly. This prevents the build-up and subsequent leakage which causes heartburn. You can read more about natural heartburn relief here.

ACV Topically

In addition to its many benefits when taken internally, it is wonderful for the skin. When added to bathwater, it helps to naturally restore balance to the skin’s pH. It also helps kill bacteria and fungus on the skin which can lead to a host of problems, including eczema, dandruff, and other skin conditions.

Because of its great pH balancing benefits and dandruff preventing abilities, it makes a great hair rinse that replaces conditioner and can be used after shampooing with a natural shampoo.

Unfiltered, Unpasteurized, And With “The Mother”

Most of the ACV you find in the supermarket is pasteurized and highly filtered. These versions still work well for cleaning but they are not optimal for internal and culinary uses because most of the benefits are gone once the “mother” is filtered out and the vinegar is pasteurized.

There are a few available that are “with the Mother” which means they leave the beneficial bacteria that develops during the fermentation process in the vinegar. When you make your own ACV you can be sure that your vinegar retains this beneficial “mother.”

Important Notes:

• This recipe uses sugar. The sugar is necessary to “feed” the bacteria but most (if not all) of the sugar is fermented out. People often ask if they can use honey. The short answer is yes, but it really does not work as well and causes the whole process to take longer. And to be honest, because the sugar is broken down, there really isn’t anything to be concerned about as far as the effect it will have on blood sugar.
• Make sure all of your equipment and your jar are very clean. It is important to make sure you don’t introduce any bacteria other than what is naturally occurring in the process.
• My favorite apple variety to use for applesauce is Gala so my scraps are usually a majority Gala. However, you get the best flavor if you have a mix of varieties. I use mostly Gala, but I will throw in a mixture of other types for the rest. Some I have used are Fuji, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, and McIntosh. It just adds some complexity to the flavor.
• White scum is going to form on the top. This is normal. Mold, however, is not good and will spoil your ACV. Be sure that the apples stay submerged under the water. This will help prevent mold. You can use a fermentation weight or even just a smaller glass jar (thoroughly clean the outside) and set it on top of the apples to keep them submerged.
• Gnats and flies love ACV so you need to make sure your jar is well covered. However, it needs to be able to breath and release gasses created from the fermentation process so do not use a solid lid. Cheesecloth or a coffee filter work well.

How to Make Apple Cider Vinegar

Before starting to make ACV, there are a few things you’ll need to have on had first.

Supplies & Ingredients:

• Clean jar – you can use any size jar (I have used a wide mouth quart jar and a half gallon pickle jar.)
• Organic apple scraps – enough to fill your jar 3/4 of the way full
• Organic cane sugar
• Filtered water
• Fermentation weight or small glass jar
• Cheesecloth or coffee filter
• Rubberband

Directions:

1. Clean your jar very well and let air dry.
2. Fill jar 3/4 full with apple scraps. If you are using whole apples, roughly chop them up before you put them in the jar.
3. Dissolve 1 tablespoon cane sugar into 1 cup of water. You may need to double or triple this depending on the size of your jar. I would start with doubling this ratio for the quart jar and tripling it for the half gallon size. You need to use enough to completely cover the apples.
4. Pour sugar water over the apples until they are completely submerged.
5. Weigh down the apples with a fermentation weight or with the small glass jar. Any apples that are exposed to the air could mold.
6. Cover with the cheesecloth or coffee filter and secure with the rubber band.
7. Store in a dark place that stays pretty consistently at room temperature. I put mine in a cabinet in the kitchen.
8. Leave it for approximately 3 weeks. Check on it every few days to make sure the apples are staying under the water and to make sure no mold is growing.
9. After 3 weeks, it will still smell fairly sweet. Strain the apples pieces out and return the liquid to the jar. (Compost the scraps.)
10. Recover and put the jar back in a dark spot for another 3-4 weeks, stirring every few days.
11. When the ACV has reached the “tartness” you like you can put a lid on it or transfer it to a different jar with a lid and start using it!

Final Notes

At some point while making apple cider vinegar, you will probably notice a SCOBY-like “thing” that forms on the top. This is the “mother.” You can remove it or you can just leave it floating in your vinegar.

If you don’t want to make your own apple cider vinegar, it is becoming more common for grocery stores to carry organic ACV “with the mother.” Or you can buy it online.

How do you use apple cider vinegar? Will you try your hand at making your own?

Continue Reading...How to Make Apple Cider Vinegar at Home

source http://wellnessmama.com/124169/make-apple-cider-vinegar/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=make-apple-cider-vinegar