Natural Oral Hygiene

oral hygiene CanadaProper care of your teeth is essential, but if you are a person who appreciates the ethics of natural living, you are probably more interested in how natural products and organic matter can aid the health of your teeth rather than mainstream store bought items. In fact, there are a number of things in nature and in your raw foods cabinet that have very positive effects on the health of your mouth and teeth, including:

  • Baking soda is one of the most beneficial active ingredients in toothpaste. Baking soda is a safe, natural cleaning agent that dentists and oral hygienists recommend you keep handy for oral hygiene purposes. Baking soda can even be used in place of toothpaste for a time.
  • Salt water naturally draws out bacteria and infection from teeth when it is swished around in the mouth. This can be very good for teeth when they are irritated by too much sugar or white flour, or if you have a tooth infection.
  • Hydrogen peroxide is another recommendation from dentists and oral hygienists, and something they use frequently in their practices. Swishing a spoonful of this around the mouth can kill bacteria and prevent infection.
  • Tea bags can be pressed to the gums while they are still warm for the benefit of the soothing warmth, and because the freshly awakened organic matter in them can draw bacteria and infection out of gums.
  • Honey has natural antibacterial properties and is excellent for the health of your teeth when pressed against them. Just be sure to rinse afterward because the sugar in honey can harm teeth if not cleaned off.
  • Kale, broccoli, dairy products and calcium fortified dairy replacements contain the calcium you need to maintain strong teeth, so be sure to include these items in your diet regularly.

None of this should be considered a replacement for a knowledgeable dentist, but it can greatly assist the strength of your teeth and your oral hygiene. If you are a Canadian in need of a quality dentist in your area, do not settle for anything but the best Fort McMurray dentist, Toronto dentist, Vancouver dentist or Kelowna dentist. Healthy teeth are a worthwhile investment!

Read More at Bestfortmcmurraydentist.com

Sober Lifestyle

life of sobrietyAddiction in North American society is prevalent for a number of reasons. The availability of addictive substances and activities is strong, but the sense of responsibility to control our cravings is weak. We are a culture of extremes, and we have a taste for immersion and escapism. It is also a facet of our culture to endorse addiction because it coincides with capitalism. The fact of the matter is, addiction is corrosive to our souls and represents everything that works against good health, both mentally and physically. Substance abuse health concerns are legitimate as disease and physical deterioration are often the effects.

Those who struggle with real addiction problems should seek treatment in the form of rehabilitation or counseling. It can be difficult to know when an addiction has developed, but through research and conversations with medical and mental health professionals, one can receive ample support in determining whether or not they have an addiction. Frequently, addiction is observed to have symptoms such as the deterioration of relationships, work performance and general responsibility, as well as negative changes in behavior and physical symptoms.

The healthiest lifestyle one can maintain is one of sobriety or devout moderation. If addiction to a substance or activity is a reoccurring problem in a person’s life, full sobriety is the best choice they can make for themselves. If a person is not addicted, responsible moderation can be achieved so long as the substance or activity never endangers or hurts the user or anyone they encounter.

If you or someone you care about is struggling with addiction, it is highly possible that the services of a professional rehabilitation center are necessary. In Canada, one can find a drug rehab in Vancouver, a sex addiction rehab in Toronto or an alcoholism rehab Scarborough. Addiction treatment centers are everywhere, likely in your own city, so do not hesitate to reach out for help today.

Mental Health

mentally healthyMental health may seem like a hard thing to conceptualize, but actually, there are several very clear facets to good mental health. These include managing and eliminating negative thinking, building strong relationships and support systems, finding ways to fill your life with purpose and enjoyment, and seeing that you nurture your inner life, or your spirituality.

The first step to achieving good mental health is by eliminating the negative thought patterns that hold you back. This may be as simple as strengthening your time, stress and anger management skills, or it may be as critical as seeking treatment for a mental disorder, such as depression or anxiety. Either way, you cannot achieve mental health without first addressing the barriers that keep you from it.

Because we are social creatures, good relationships, social skills and support systems are important to our mental health. This is not merely for extroverts. Introverts need strong relationships as well, but ones that respect their need for space. Finding like-minded, compatible people whose company we enjoy and values we respect is very beneficial to good mental health.

We have all hear the old adage “work hard / play harder,” which actually does address the human need for purpose and enjoyment. In the work we do, we want to be inspired and use our talents in order to be effective in our work and make a difference. In the recreational activities we engage in, we crave the purest, healthiest enjoyment possible. Both of these things are essential to good mental health. 

And finally, in what is arguably the most important aspect of mental health, we have a need to nurture our inner life of spirituality and intuition. This can be a complicated matter as it deals with matters we do not fully understand or agree on, yet exploring these ideas and coming to an understanding of how we feel about them creates a noted sense of wholeness within us, making it the glue that holds our mental health together, so to speak.

Sober Lifestyle

 

Exercise and Fitness

fitness exerciseWorking out and staying fit is beneficial on many levels. Not only does it allow a person to stay slim and look their best, but it also keeps them healthy, energetic and happy. With as much as fifteen-minutes a day devoted to athletic activity, a person can greatly increase their quality of life.

Most people work out to keep their figures, which has been proven effective. Regular exercise is very beneficial to weight management and muscle toning, which keeps a person’s figure trim and sculpted. This is done through the burning of calories and the building of muscle mass.

Exercise is very important to a person’s health as it is integral to metabolism, strength, mobility and flexibility. Metabolic functions are aided by athletic activity and can restore the body’s natural functions. It also keeps the body limber and able to perform more functions.

Staying energetic is very important to the pace we keep. Most of us lead very busy lives and cannot afford to lose time to lethargy or exhaustion. Regular exercise is a sure way to prevent these productivity killers, as it has been proven that the more energy we expend, the more we acquire.

Perhaps the most important benefit of exercise is that it helps our bodies release endorphins, which are responsible for our happy moods. Athletic activity has been proven to help brain function, increasing our cognition, problem solving abilities and memory function.

Mental Health

Diet and Weight Loss

weight loss dietFad diets, calorie counting, infomercial diet scams… There are a number of unproven diet methods that people will try in order to slim down. A majority of them produce no results at all, or temporary results that immediately fade when the person resumes their usual habits. The only tried and true method of eating to lose weight is to emulate what people in their element have been doing for thousands of years: eating natural foods in controlled portions.

A truly balanced diet can be hard to conceive in a world of fast-food, processed meals and preservatives, but reevaluating our personal food habits is actually completely manageable. There is ample reading material on what a balanced diet looks like, and how it can help a person lose weight. Natural foods are good for our health on many levels. They promote a proper intake of vitamins, nutrients, antioxidants, probiotics, healthy proteins and good carbohydrates. They help all our organs function better to facilitate weight loss and healthy weight management.

A natural diet is one made up of unaltered foods that come from nature, such as fruits, nuts, vegetables and animals, although some people prefer not to use animals as a food source. Every meal should consist of a large portion of vegetables, and smaller portions of healthy protein, good carbohydrates and fruits. A healthy protein may be a piece of fish or turkey breast. Vegetables can be served raw  in a salad or cooked in water or olive oil. Fruit is simply a beneficial source of natural sugars and fibers, and good carbohydrates such as potatoes have health benefits as well. These foods should be supplemented with other beneficial edibles, such as yogurt for probiotics or herbs for medicinal qualities.

Exercise and Fitness

Taking into account portion control and proper meal scheduling, these methods are the best dietary ways of losing weight.