DIY toothpaste with ingredients, lemon, coconut oil, turmeric, baking soda, Xylitol and bamboo toothbrush
If you’re shopping for an all natural toothpaste, the list of ingredients to avoid includes diethanolamine, propylene glycol, fluoride, aspartame, saccharine, sodium lauryl sulfate, Triclosan, glycerin, sorbitol, and microbeads. After careful examination of the ingredients, the discerning shopper will see the similarities between food products and other body care products. There are a lot of toothpaste companies that are merely pretending to be healthy.
Finding a toothpaste that is actually good for you, in other words, one that actually helps improve oral health, can be challenging. So why not make your own?
All you need is a formula that you can brush into the teeth and gums that helps to scrub away and kill bacteria and other microbes while it polishes the teeth lightly without acidifying the mouth with toxins that damage tissue and leach calcium from the teeth. It’s actually not so hard when you forgo the chemicals! Here are four recipes for oral health that you can use to mix and match and come up with your own regimen. You’ll save some money and extend the life of your yappers.
If you like the earthy shampoos and soaps, then this toothpaste formula is right up your alley:
Ingredients
4 Tbsp bentonite clay
Distilled water
5 drops tea tree oil
1 drop liquid stevia
10 drops peppermint essential oil
2 Tsp unrefined sea salt
Instructions
Combine 2 tablespoons of water with the bentonite clay in a glass bowl and mix well using a non-metal spoon (the clay shouldn’t come in contact with metal)
Add tea tree oil, stevia, and peppermint essential oils
Add salt, mix well
Add water to taste and texture
Store toothpaste in a glass with a lid (the toothpaste will dry out over time if left uncovered)
Homemade Remineralizing and Whitening Toothpaste Recipe
Make your own remineralizing toothpaste with calcium, magnesium, stevia, coconut oil, and essential oils to help your teeth stay strong and your gums stay healthy.
5 parts calcium/magnesium powder (the best calcium for this can be obtained with this homemade calcium recipe)
2 parts baking soda
1 part unrefined sea salt, finely ground
3-5 parts coconut oil to get desired texture
Optional ingredients: Essential oils for flavor and/or kill germs (mint, cinnamon, tea tree, peppermint, orange), and stevia (takes very little)
Instructions
Mix calcium, salt, and baking soda in a bowl
Add coconut oil, one part at a time until you reach the desired consistency
Add any optional ingredients
Store in small glass container
Hydrogen peroxide is added to many homemade toothpastes, especially those formulated for whitening. But hydrogen peroxide is one of those ingredients you are not supposed to swallow and it can irritate the gums. It is not a good idea for kids or for anyone with sensitive, damaged, or diseased gums.
Shillington’s Tooth and Gum Formula
If you suffer from oral health issues such as gingivitis or cavities, add oil pulling, chewing on garlic, and also add Shillington’s Tooth and Gum recipe to your homemade toothpaste.
Dr. Shillington’s Tooth and Gum Formula Recipe (or purchase here)
(Use Organic ingredients where ever possible).
10 oz Echinacea tincture
1/4 cup of tea tree oil
4 oz. bayberry tincture
2 oz. oak gall (or 3X oak bark) tincture
2 TBS. Cayenne tincture
2 1/2 dropperfuls of peppermint oil
2 1/2 dropperfuls of clove oil
A “part” is a measurement by volume, not weight. Blend all ingredients together and make into a tincture using a 50/50 blend of alcohol and distilled water. For more, see How to Make a Tincture.
We also highly recommend addressing gut health when ever oral health problems are present.
(Dr. Mercola) Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are prescribed extensively throughout the world. In the U.S., nearly 70 million prescriptions are written and 30 billion doses are consumed each year when over-the-counter NSAIDs are included.1
In many cases NSAIDs are prescribed to treat back pain, headaches, menstrual pain and arthritis. While most consider the medication innocuous, the truth is that by conservative estimates over 105,000 people are hospitalized each year from the side effects of NSAIDs and over 16,000 of those die.2
Side effects from long-term use of NSAIDs range from hearing loss to gastrointestinal bleeding. Unfortunately, there is no specific antidote for NSAID poisoning, which may lead to metabolic acidosis, multisystem organ failure and death.3
Research has now discovered side effects from NSAIDs may occur even with short-term use, increasing your risk of a heart attack in the first week to month if you take the medication consistently.4 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recognized the risks associated with NSAIDs since 2004.5
In order to review all studies involving NSAIDs, the FDA also recommended limiting use of over-the-counter NSAIDs. This review order came on the heels of rofecoxib’s (Vioxx) withdrawal from the market due to an increase in cardiovascular risk.6 Shortly after the withdrawal of Vioxx, another NSAID, valdecoxib (Bextra), was pulled from the shelves due to increased risk of heart, stomach and skin problems that outweighed the benefits of using the drug.7
Your heart requires a supply of oxygen and nutrients to enable the muscle to continue to pump. You have two large coronary arteries that branch off your aorta, the right and left coronary arteries. These arteries branch further to feed your heart the oxygen and nutrients it needs.
If one of the larger arteries or branches becomes blocked the portion of the heart that artery feeds is starved of oxygen. If the situation continues for too long that area of heart muscle will die. This is the conventional description of a myocardial infarction (MI), or literally “death of heart muscle.”8
In either case, the signs of a heart attack are not always straightforward. There are several early signs that may not even seem related to your heart. Although chest pain is the most common, you may experience other symptoms and women may have a heart attack without feeling pressure in their chest.9
Even though heart disease is still the No. 1 killer in women in the U.S., women may attribute the symptoms to less serious conditions such as acid reflux, the flu or aging. Even when the symptoms are subtle, the consequences may be deadly. If you or a loved one experience any of these symptoms10,11,12,13 do not wait. Call your local emergency number — 911 in the U.S. — to get help. Activating your emergency system early may reduce the risk of permanent heart damage and death.
Chest pressure described as an elephant sitting on your chest
Fullness or pain in the center of the chest that may come and go
Pain in the arm, back, neck, jaw or stomach
Toothache that comes and goes
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Cold sweat, lightheadedness or nausea
Indigestion or “choking” feeling
Extreme weakness or anxiety
Rapid or irregular heartbeat
Pain that spreads to the arm
Unusual fatigue that may last days
General malaise or a vague uneasy feeling of illness
NSAIDs May Raise Your Risk of Heart Attack in the First Week
The objective of the most recent study was to evaluate the risk of an MI associated with NSAID use in real-world situations using a statistical model (Bayesian) that turns the results of testing into a real probability the event may occur.14
The researchers used studies that pulled information from European and Canadian health care databases, gathering information from eight studies that met the criteria and over 440,000 individuals.15 The researchers evaluated the probability of an MI in the first through seven days that an individual took specific NSAIDs.
They found increasing probability an individual may experience an MI in the first seven days for celecoxib (Celebrex), ibuprofen, diclofenac (Voltaren), naproxen (Naprosyn) and rofecoxib (Vioxx). This only adds to mounting evidence linking NSAIDs to cardiovascular symptoms.
The risk of heart attack increased 24 percent with celecoxib (Celebrex), 48 percent with ibuprofen, 50 percent with diclofenac (Voltaren), 53 percent for naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn) and 58 percent for rofecoxib (Vioxx), which was removed from the market due to increased cardiovascular risks.16
The researchers determined there was a higher risk associated with higher doses. Over-the-counter doses are commonly lower than prescription doses of NSAIDs. Mounting evidence of cardiovascular risks with all NSAIDs triggered the FDA to strengthen their warning in 2015.17 The warning was based on the FDA review of the literature since the order in 2004, and included information such as:18
NSAIDs increased the risk of heart attack and stroke, especially at higher doses
NSAIDs can increase the risk of heart attack in individuals with or without a history of heart attack or risk of heart disease
Patients treated in the first year after a heart attack with NSAIDs were more likely to die than those who were not treated with NSAIDs
There is an increased risk of heart failure in those using NSAIDs
Myocardial Risk Differences Between NSAIDs
In this video, Dr. Partha Nandi, creator and host of the medical lifestyle television show, “Ask Dr. Nandi,” describes the results of another study evaluating the use of NSAIDs during an upper respiratory infection. The results were similar to the recent study evaluating MI and NSAIDs in the European and Canadian health care databases.
The researchers noted the recent study was observational, so drawing conclusions as to cause and effect would not be possible from their results.19 Others criticized the study, saying other factors may have been the cause of the increased MIs in the study.20 However, the researchers studied over 60,000 cases of MI before concluding current use of NSAIDs were associated with a significant increased risk of an acute MI.21 Use of NSAIDs exhibited a quick onset of MI risk in the first week that leveled by Day 30.
Celecoxib and diclofenac showed a single wave of increased risk in the first week, while ibuprofen, naproxen and rofecoxib exhibited an additional increased risk during eight to 30 days of consuming the drug. The researchers speculated the differences between NSAIDs may be related to the drugs’ effect on renal function.22
The findings also suggested MI risk associated with rofecoxib was greater than those of other NSAIDs included in the study. This aligns with results from past studies that prompted the removal of rofecoxib from the market.
NSAIDs Carry Further Risks
NSAIDs also increase your risk of other health conditions, some of which may be lethal. For example, researchers have determined women who took NSAIDs in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy had a significantly higher risk of miscarriage.23 The study evaluated the health records of over 50,000 Canadian women and found those who took NSAIDs early in their pregnancy had a 2.4 times higher risk of miscarriage.
The researchers hypothesize NSAIDs’ effect on hormone-like prostaglandins that support pregnancy may be the trigger. NSAID use is also associated with atrial fibrillation in patients who previously had an MI.24 While you may believe you can discount this particular risk factor, it is important to note research demonstrates up to 45 percent of heart attacks are clinically silent or without symptoms.25
Many of these silent heart attacks are discovered during a routine physical examination or electrocardiogram where the physician notes damage to the heart muscle.
NSAID use also increases your risk of upper and lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract bleeding. Upper GI bleeding is more commonly reported, and occurs with all formulations of NSAIDs.26 Up to 15 percent of upper GI bleeding reported in a single county of Denmark may be attributed to NSAID use.
Lower GI bleeding occurs with most NSAID drugs, as does increased mucosal permeability and inflammation of the lower GI tract.27Other findings associated with lower GI bleeding include anemia, occult blood loss, protein loss and malabsorption.
Painkillers Are a Bitter Pill
Use of over-the-counter pain relievers, including ibuprofen, have been associated with hearing loss in men28 and women.29 Prescription strength or long-term use of NSAIDs and aspirin are associated with interstitial nephritis,30 a type of kidney damage that may be permanent, leading to kidney failure.31
NSAID use may also induce other renal function abnormalities, including fluid retention, electrolyte complications and deterioration of renal function.32 It’s also worth remembering that even short-term consistent use of pain control medications may increase your risk of further injury as these drugs help to mask pain, enabling you to continue your activities. Further injury or pain may lead to use of stronger pain medications.
Pain and discomfort are the common triggers for opioid prescriptions, which have risen over 100 percent between 2000 and 2010,33while treatment modalities for injuries have improved. I believe the drastic increase in these numbers play a major role in the global epidemic addiction to opioids.
After just one month on morphine, patients showed demonstrable changes in brain volume.34 The number of deaths from overdoses rose from a little over 10,000 a year in 2002 to nearly 35,000 in 2015.35 Now, some states are fighting back,36 trying to hold manufacturers accountable for the epidemic of addiction that resulted from deceptive marketing.37
Drug-Free Pain Control
Pain control without addressing the underlying physical issue may increase your risk of experiencing side effects from medications you’re taking, or lead you to resort to even stronger medications that have more dangerous side effects. I strongly recommend you exhaust other options before resorting to consistent use of painkillers, even in the short term. The truth is that many drugs used to treat pain may increase your risk of heart attack, change your brain chemistry and possibly your behavior.
Sleep, for example, is one important factor in how you perceive pain. Getting eight hours of quality sleep on a nightly basis may help you cope with the discomfort you experience.38 Your pain experience is affected by several factors, of which sleep may be the most important. Sleep, pain and depression are a strongly interconnected triad where a change in one impacts the other two.
(Mercola.com – Dr. Mercola) In the U.S., water fluoridation has been widespread for the last 70 years. Despite the fact that clear-cut evidence suggests consuming fluoride is dangerous to human health and does little to protect teeth from cavities, it continues to be supported and recommended by nearly all public health and academic institutions.
This includes the American Dental Association (ADA), the American Academy of Pediatrics, U.S. Public Health Service and the World Health Organization (WHO). The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) even went so far as to name water fluoridation as one of the top 10 public health achievements of the 20th century.
Meanwhile, the evidence continues to stack up against this archaic practice, with federal data now showing more than half of U.S. kids may be suffering ill effects from consuming too much fluoride.
Most US Kids Have Fluoride-Damaged Teeth
According to research presented at the April 2017 National Oral Health Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, 57 percent of youth between the ages of 6 and 19 years have dental fluorosis, a condition in which your tooth enamel becomes progressively discolored and mottled, according to data from 2011 to 2012.1
The statistic represents an increase from 37 percent reported from 1999 to 2004. Further, the author stated, “There was a significant increase in caries experience …” When Fluoride Action Network (FAN) researchers analyzed the same set of data, they found “The 2011 to 2012 NHANES survey found dental fluorosis in 58.3 percent of the surveyed adolescents, including an astonishing 21.2 percent with moderate fluorosis and 2 percent with severe.”2
According to FAN, “The data suggests that up to 24 million adolescents now have some form of dental fluorosis, with over 8 million adolescents having moderate fluorosis, and 840,000 having severe fluorosis.”
In stark contrast, when fluoridation was first started in the U.S. in 1945, it was promised that only 10 percent of people would suffer from mild dental fluorosis.3 Public health officials often brush off fluorosis as a purely aesthetic issue, one they believe is a good trade-off for the supposed benefits of fluoride but, in reality, fluorosis is an outward sign that fluoride is damaging the body.
Research has found impairment in cognitive abilities among children with fluorosis (even mild fluorosis) compared to children with no fluorosis. And some studies have even found that children with higher levels of fluorosis have increased rates of cavities.4,5
US Lowered Fluoride Levels in Drinking Water, but Risks Still Remain
With all the fanfare over water fluoridation, you may be surprised to learn that in 2011, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced plans to lower the recommended level of fluoride in drinking water for the first time in 50 years. This meant the level of fluoride in drinking water was reduced to 0.7 mg/L from a previously recommended range of between 0.7 to 1.2 mg/L.
This was a significant reduction in fluoride exposure for some U.S. communities, but it’s important to understand that at doses ranging from 0.7 to 2.3 mg/L of fluoride per day, adverse effects including reduced IQ, behavioral alterations, neurochemical changes, hypothyroidism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have been demonstrated.
Also noteworthy, reduced IQ has been seen in study participants with higher urinary fluoride concentrations, even when no dental fluorosis was present, which suggests that the doses of fluoride that impair cognitive ability are lower than those that cause severe dental fluorosis.6
FAN is among a coalition of environmental, medical and health groups urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ban the addition of fluoride to public drinking water supplies.
In a petition toward this end, they highlighted several other studies that also demonstrated “fluoride’s ability to cause neurotoxic effects at low levels,” including one that found just 0.5 uM of fluoride (.009 mg/L) caused lipid peroxidation after 48 hours of exposure. “Most individuals living in fluoridated areas in the United States have fluoride levels in their blood that exceed this level,” they wrote.
National Cancer Institute Researcher Warned Against Fluoride in the 1960s
Chemist Dean Burk, Ph.D., co-founded the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) in 1937 and headed its cytochemistry department for over 30 years. In the taped interview, he equates water fluoridation to “public murder,”7 referring to a study that had been done on the 10 largest U.S. cities with fluoridation compared to the 10 largest without it.
The study clearly demonstrated that deaths from cancer abruptly rose in as little as a year or two after fluoridation began. This and other studies linking fluoride to cancer were government-ordered but were quickly buried once fluoride was found to be linked to dramatic increases in cancer.
Since then, a 2012 study found a link between fluoride exposure and osteosarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer.8 A 2006 study also found a link between fluoride exposure in drinking water during childhood and the incidence of osteosarcoma among men.9 Such a link is biologically plausible, according to FAN, because of the following:10
“The plausibility of a fluoride/osteosarcoma connection is grounded in the three considerations:
Bone is the principal site of fluoride accumulation, particularly during the growth spurts of childhood;
Fluoride is a mutagen when present at sufficient concentrations; and
Fluoride stimulates the proliferation of bone-forming cells (osteoblasts), which may increase the risk for some of the dividing cells to become malignant.”
In addition, the inhalation of airborne fluoride has been found to be a potential cause of bladder cancer and lung cancer among fluoride-exposed workers.11
‘If It’s Not Effective, Why Do It?’
Retired journalist Jack Crowther of Rutland, Vermont, wrote an opinion piece for news outlet VT Digger that brings up a very important point: “Regardless of the other objections to fluoridation, if it’s not effective, why do it?”12
He presents graphs of data prepared by FAN showing that tooth decay in countries that fluoridate most or some of their water (or salt) has been on the decline from 1970 to 2010. Likewise, another graph shows that tooth decay has also been on decline in countries with no water (or salt) fluoridation during the same period, including Italy, Sweden, Finland, Japan, Norway and Belgium.
If you’re surprised that so many countries do not fluoridate their water, you should know that the U.S. is in the minority when it comes to water fluoridation. In fact, the vast majority (97 percent) of Western Europe has rejected water fluoridation, whereas in the U.S. 200 million Americans live in areas where water is fluoridated.
Tooth decay in 12-year-olds is coming down as fast, if not faster, in nonfluoridated countries as it is in fluoridated countries. In one Lithuanian study, for instance, it was shown that dental caries did not vary according to the level of fluoride in the water.
Regardless of the concentration of fluoride in the drinking water, the prevalence of past and present caries was high,” the researchers noted,13 showing once again that subjecting entire populations to a form of mass medication without informed consent is highly questionable and dangerous, especially considering its unnecessary and ineffective.
Leading Fluoride Supporter Changed His Position When Confronted With the Evidence
Crowther also features data from the late New Zealand dentist John Colquhoun, who was a leading fluoridation supporter until he delved into the research in 1980.
His international tour showed no difference between rates of tooth decay in the nonfluoridated versus fluoridated areas he visited, causing him to change his position and become a fluoridation opponent. “For the remainder of his life, Colquhoun sought to end fluoridation, a program he had helped create,” Crowther said.14 An interview with Colquhoun is above and well worth watching. FAN added:15
The most obvious reason to end fluoridation is that it is now known that fluoride’s main benefit comes from topical contact with the teeth, not from ingestion. Even the CDC’s Oral Health Division now acknowledges this.
There is simply no need, therefore, to swallow fluoride, whether in the water, toothpaste or any other form. Further, despite early claims that fluoridated water would reduce cavities by 65 percent, modern large-scale studies show no consistent or meaningful difference in the cavity rates of fluoridated and nonfluoridated areas.”
Fortunately, the word that fluoridation is not a suitable means for keeping teeth healthy is spreading, including in Meadville, Pennsylvania. The city was considering adding fluoride to their water, necessitating a fluoride forum held May 4, 2017.
Fourteen speakers spoke in opposition of fluoridation while 11 spoke in favor of it, trying to sway the Meadville Area Water Authority board’s decision. Board member Hal Tubbs, who voted against fluoridation, pointed out that most of those in favor were affiliated with the pro-fluoridation Meadville Smiles group, leaving only perhaps one independent voice.
This tells me that actual customers are against fluoridated water by a count of 14 to one,” Tubbs wrote in an email to The Meadville Tribune. “What I took away from the presentation is that our customers want to decide and control what they put into their bodies … They don’t want a fluoride additive forced on them.”16
Protecting Your Oral Health Has Nothing to Do With Fluoride
When it comes to good oral hygiene and preventing cavities, please remember, drinking fluoridated water and brushing your teeth with fluoridated toothpaste is not the answer. Rather, it’s about your diet and proper dental care: brushing and flossing. By avoiding sugars and processed foods, you prevent the proliferation of the bacteria that cause decay in the first place.
Following up with proper brushing and flossing and getting regular cleanings with a mercury-free biological dentist will ensure that your teeth and gums stay healthy naturally.
Your toothbrush and natural fluoride-free toothpaste are important, but don’t be misled by thinking they’re the only options for sound dental health. Many natural substances, like the foods you eat, also have the power to drastically improve the health of your teeth and gums, and thereby the health of the rest of your body, too.
Recommendations released by The University of Calgary School of Public Policy championed the use of prevention and education to prevent early childhood cavities, noting water fluoridation wouldn’t be needed if such measures were effectively practiced.
The paper’s authors even pointed out that water fluoridation is not preventing tooth decay, as areas with water fluoridation still have a high rate of early childhood cavities. The recommendations call for increased education for parents on the importance of proper feeding and dental hygiene for infants, as well as for health care professionals to discuss these issues with patients.17
Help End the Practice of Fluoridation
There’s no doubt about it: Fluoride should not be ingested. Even scientists from the EPA’s National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory have classified fluoride as a “chemical having substantial evidence of developmental neurotoxicity.”
Furthermore, according to the CDC, 41 percent of American adolescents now have dental fluorosis — unattractive discoloration and mottling of the teeth that indicate overexposure to fluoride. Clearly, children are being overexposed, and their health and development put in jeopardy. Why? The only real solution is to stop the archaic practice of water fluoridation in the first place.
Fortunately, the Fluoride Action Network has a game plan to END water fluoridation worldwide. Clean pure water is a prerequisite to optimal health. Industrial chemicals, drugs, and other toxic additives really have no place in our water supplies. So please, protect your drinking water and support the fluoride-free movement by making a tax-deductible donation to the Fluoride Action Network today.
Internet Resources Where You Can Learn More
I encourage you to visit the website of the Fluoride Action Network (FAN) and visit the links below:
10 Facts About Fluoride: Attorney Michael Connett summarizes 10 basic facts about fluoride that should be considered in any discussion about whether to fluoridate water. Also see 10 Facts Handout (PDF).
Health Effects Database: FAN’s database sets forth the scientific basis for concerns regarding the safety and effectiveness of ingesting fluorides. They also have a Study Tracker with the most up-to-date and comprehensive source for studies on fluoride’s effects on human health.
Together, Let’s Help FAN Get the Funding They Deserve
In my opinion, there are very few NGOs that are as effective and efficient as FAN. Its small team has led the charge to end fluoridation and will continue to do so with our help! Please make a donation today to help FAN end the absurdity of fluoridation.
Without an adequate intake of protein and minerals, your body begins to malfunction. Meat provides minerals and is known as the best source of protein, while dairy products are known as a great source of protein and calcium. But having a glass of milk with your steak dinner is not the healthiest way to ensure that you are getting protein and minerals in your diet.
IGF-1, mTOR, Insulin, and Cancer
Dairy and animal products contain an abundance of protein, with all the amino acids (the building blocks of protein) that your body needs to heal, grow, and function properly. When you consume dairy or animal protein, your body responds by releasing a hormone called insulin and activating two pathways called IGF-1 and mTOR so that you can utilize the protein to promote the growth of your cells. In other words, insulin, IGF-1, and mTOR cater a party for your cells to celebrate the abundance, but as we age cancerous cells start to crash the party.
When we are children, and even after we finish an intense workout, the amino acids from the animal and dairy proteins we consume tend to aid in the growth of cells necessary for our health like the cells in our bones, muscles, blood, and organs. However, when we are fully grown, rarely workout, and consume many servings of meat per day, cancer cells begin feeding and thriving off of the catering that IGF-1, mTOR, and insulin provide.
One particular amino acid, leucine, is known to be a potent stimulator of the secretion of insulin and activation of the IGF-1 and mTOR pathways. Animal and dairy proteins tend to be high in leucine, which is why things like whey protein and chocolate milk tend to be heavily marketed as “muscle builders”, but they also stimulate the growth and proliferation of cancer cells and disease as well.
Another amino acid that can cause problems when consumed in high amounts is methionine. This amino acid is abundant in dairy and meat proteins, and it leads to an increase in homocysteine levels in the blood. Homocysteine is a significant risk factor for serious diseases like heart disease, stroke, and mental illness.
What About Vegan Sources of Protein?
Protein from beans and vegetables has been found to stimulate little to no increase in IGF-1, mTOR, insulin or homocysteine, which partially explains why a plant-based diet is known for its cancer and disease preventing power.
But when it comes to minerals, many vegetables contain oxalates which can inhibit the absorption of minerals like calcium. Plus many find it difficult to maintain adequate protein intake and a healthy lifestyle with a vegan diet. However, for non-vegans, there is something that you can make at home that comes with all of the benefits of animal protein without the risk, a good dose of minerals, and many other benefits that you won’t get from a steak dinner.
Bone broth is a savory liquid consisting of the water in which the bones and cartilage of meat or fish have been simmered. The nutritional content of each bone broth varies based on the bones used, cooking time, and cooking method, but you can almost guarantee that you will find these nutrients to some degree in every bone broth (and experience their health benefits).
Collagen and Gelatin
Collagen makes up about 30 percent of the protein in your body and is the main component of connective tissues like cartilage, ligaments, tendons, bone, and skin. Gelatin forms when the collagen is simmered during the process of making bone broth, which gives the broth a Jell-O like consistency when it is cooled.
Although this technically is an animal protein, it has much less leucine than the protein found in meat and dairy. It also has less leucine than common vegan sources of protein like soy. Even without the extra leucine, collagen still supports the growth of muscle tissue, so you may not need the whey protein after all.
Bone broth also contains high amounts other amino acids that maintain health and prevent disease of many organ systems in the body.
Glycine
Collagen contains high amounts of the amino acid glycine, which helps control blood sugar levels and prevents the negative effects caused by having too much methionine that we talked about earlier in this article. Glycine is also important for the production of myoglobin and hemoglobin for oxygen transport in the muscle and blood respectively. This means that it improves your exercise performance and your ability to recover from those exercises.
Glycine aids in digestion by protecting us from gastric ulcers, stimulating stomach acid production, and as a component of bile acid to help us digest fats. The effects of glycine are also felt in almost every cell in the body because it restores the body’s master antioxidant, glutathione.
Proline
About seventeen percent of collagen is made up of the amino acid proline. It helps regulate mTOR, aiding in cell growth and proliferation, while it clears up waste products and free radicals from cells. This makes it less likely that the activation of the mTOR pathway will lead to cancer growth.
Glutamine
Glutamine is abundant in the blood and is one of the few amino acids that can cross the blood-brain barrier. It is essential for the health of the intestinal barrier of our gut and the function of our immune cells because these cells prefer to consume glutamine for energy.
Minerals
Earlier in this article, we mentioned that milk contains many essential minerals for our health. Bone contains almost all of the minerals found in milk and then some. Calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and zinc are all found in bone. Each mineral serves its own essential role for the health and function of your body while providing the raw materials you need to build strong bones.
Glycosaminoglycans
When you make bone broth using bones with the tendons, ligaments, and cartilage still attached you will guarantee that you are getting natural sources glycosaminoglycans.
Not familiar with the term?
How about the popular joint support supplement called chondroitin sulfate? This is a glycosaminoglycan that is found in the cartilage, and it protects our joints from wear and tear.
Glycosaminoglycans are complex carbohydrates that attach to proteins to form parts of your connective tissue and synovial fluid, the lubricant that surrounds the joint. They also play an important role in skin health by promoting skin hydration and wound repair. Combine this with the beneficial effects that collagen has on reducing cellulite and protecting the skin from UV damage, and you have a skin health supplement in your bone broth that actually works.
Specific glycosaminoglycans serve other important roles in the body. The glycosaminoglycan called heparin sulfate has been shown to help regulate immune system function, and the most well-known glycosaminoglycan, chondroitin sulfate, plays an important role in boosting our cognitive abilities.
Order Out or Make Your Own?
Now you know that bone broth contains nutrients essential for the health of every cell in the body, and it can be a valuable addition to any diet, but how do you get it?
It is best to get your bone broth from people that source their bones from healthy animals. Here are some high-quality bone broth sources that will ship to directly to your place:
But if you’re feeling ambitious and want to guarantee that you will get all of the benefits from the bone, tendon, cartilage, and ligaments, I suggest making your own bone broth.
The Simplest Bone Broth Recipe
Making bone broth is easier than you think. All it takes is high-quality bones, water, heat, and patience.
Step 1
Save the bones and cartilage from something you already ate, or purchase bones from a quality source like U.S Wellness Meats or White Oak Pastures.
For example, you can use the bones from a chicken, duck, or lamb leg that you just ate from dinner.
Bonus Tip: The best broth that I’ve ever made was from two pig feet. It was filled with so much gelatin and glycosaminoglycans that it became completely gelatinous at room temperature. Using parts of the animal that have very little meat, but a lot of cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and skin is the best way to make bone broth that is filled with gelatin and glycosaminoglycans. Fish heads, chicken feet, and pig feet are all perfect examples of this and make the healthiest broths.
Step 2
Put the bones in a pot, a slow cooker, or a pressure cooker and cover them with water.
If you’re using a pot, bring the water to a simmer and cook the bones for 8-24 hours.
If you’re using a slow cooker, cook the bones on the low setting for 8-24 hours.
If you’re using a pressure cooker, you only need to cook the bones for 2-3 hours.
Bonus Tip: Add 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to the water and let the bones soak for 30 minutes to modestly increase the mineral content of your bone broth.
Flavor Tip: Add a small onion, a couple carrots, a stalk of celery, and a pinch of sea salt to improve the flavor of your broth.
Step 3
Sift out all solid particles by using a mesh strainer, so that you have a liquid broth with no solid particles floating in it.
Step 4
Use the broth as a base for soups, add the broth to smoothies, drink it as a hot beverage, store it in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze it.
When looking for a garden building or shed, many people just care about the size, the price, and how much stuff they can fit inside. Many of us want to make sure the garden building we are buying is ethically made and won’t cause lasting damage to the environment. There are some things to look for to make sure your garden building is made in a way that sits right with you.
Check For The FSC Logo!
The easiest way to make sure that your wooden shed or garden building comes from a sustainable source is to look for an FSC logo on the product. The FSC is the Forest Stewardship Council. Their aim is for any product approved by them to have 70 percent of its wood to come from forests that are well managed. It is quite tricky to know exactly what the FSC logo on a garden building means, but it is something that many shed merchants will display with pride. Some even go so far as to have sections dedicated to garden buildings that are made with FSC approved wood. We think this is great, and it should be the first thing you look for.
One thing that is worth noting is that some garden building retailers don’t display the FSC logo, but they make mention of it in their shed description. So if you do not see the logo, be sure to read the description. Of course, you can always directly ask the merchant or even shoot the folks at FSC an email to ensure the merchant you are looking at is on the up and up.
Look Into The Treatment That Is Used
Most sheds these days come with just a basic basecoat treatment. You will have to give it a coating of wood treatment once it is installed. Some people are a little bit nervous about things like this as they are worried about what kind of chemicals are in the treatment they are using. We have looked, looked again, and then looked some more and we cannot find a retailer who actually tells you exactly what is in the treatment they offer. Usually it will be a case of them just saying something like, “Buy a 2 L tub of golden brown wood treatment.” If you look, you will most likely see the brand, but that is all the information you are likely to find.
Most of the time, wood treatment will be fine. It is made to look after wood so it really should not have any harmful chemicals in it. But you can always just take a look at the brand of wood treatment the retailer offers and do your own little bit of detective work to see if the treatment is environmentally sound.
Is The Wood The Garden Building Is Made From Sustainable?
This is not really something that many shed retailers are going to be talking a whole lot about, but as someone who cares about the environment, you will want to make sure that the wood they are using is from trees that grow fast. Just have a look at the kind of wood the shed you are interested in is made from and then you can do your own little bit of homework.
What Kind Of Labour Was Used To Make The Shed?
Was the shed made by people who were treated right and paid a fair wage? Of course, this is not something that is just out in the open on most retailers sites. But for the most part, you can easily find information about a retailer and the different brands of garden buildings online. You can then find out a little about the manufacturing processes that are used. Many sheds that are sold in the UK are actually made in the UK, but it really does not hurt to do a little bit of homework to find out exactly how the shed was made.
Do Not Be Scared To Ask Questions
You will have noticed that a few times we have said that you will have to get in touch with a retailer to make sure the shed, bike shed, summerhouse, or whatever it is you are looking at is made in a way that you feel is right. Here we have a checklist of questions that you should ask to make sure the shed or garden building you are looking at is right for you.
Was the shed made with FSC approved wood?
Who makes the shed and was it made in a fair way? (no slave labour)
What is in the wood treatment?
What kind of wood was used, and how quickly does it grow?
These are simple and basic questions, but if you get the answer to these you will know for sure if the shed was made ethically and from sustainable sources.
If you want to look more in depth at how to be sure your future garden building is ethically manufactured, check out the following guide here.
