All Natural Tooth Paste

I ABSOLUTELY love my new toothpaste. My “Tom’s of Maine” was in the trash before it was even finished. (I'm not even going to go into all the things that are in toothpaste that we don't want inside our bodies, I'm sure we've all heard the stories.) I LOVE how clean my teeth feel after brushing, sooooo much cleaner than any tooth paste except Arm and Hammer’s Baking Soda tooth paste. I believe I was the only one that liked that toothpaste. All my guests were disappointed I didn’t have a paste with foamers in it. Why do we need foaming toothpaste, its not like shampoo? The other think I LOVE about this toothpaste is the taste! I get excited when I think, “Oh, I should brush my teeth, they feel a little dirty.” I am brushing my teeth several times a day, just because I want to.

You may want your paste thicker, sweeter or thinner, so you will need to adjust the recipe according to your tastes. You may even start with ½ the recipe and then complete it when you know how you like it. Some people have put it in travel squeeze bottles or baby jars.

I will give my version of the toothpaste, which you will love, if you like to “dump and pour” like I do! I have also included a version for those of you that like precise measurements. J I ♥ you!

Dump and Pour Recipe
Coconut Oil – if you’re not cooking with this oil yet, stay tuned for some articles about why you may want to start.
Baking Soda
Xylitol (you can use stevia, but Xylitol is REALLY good for you teeth)
Flavoring (optional, I didn’t use any because I LOVE the taste of the coconut oil): Cinnamon powder (natural tooth whitener), mint essential oil (I recommend Winter Green, as it’s the only one that tastes pleasant) or mint extract. You could also use Coconut Extract to enhance that plaver even more.

All Natural Toothpaste
2 T coconut oil (you may want to gently melt it to make it liquid (80 degrees should do it)
1 T Baking soda
1 T Xylitol
Flavoring extract of your choice – optional

You can scoop out a bit and put it on your brush, many say with the antibacterial proporties of the coconut oil, you don’t need to worry about dipping your brush into small batches of the paste. You know what you’re comfortable doing.

I will be adding some more recipes with Essential Oils to combat bacteria, tooth aches, mouth rinses, etc….

Some nice essential oils to try in your toothpaste: Cinnamon, Wintergreen, Lemon, Clove, Lavender, Peppermint, Orange. http://thecenterofpower.com/store/index.php?cPath=2_19

Automatic Dishwasher Detergents:

Lavender Lift

2 cups washing soda
2 cups borax
20 drops lavender essential oil

Blend all ingredients together, making sure to incorporate the oil into the powders and store. Use 2 T per load of dishes for a heavenly smelling, natural kitchen for just pennies.

Super Easy 2 cups washing soda
1 cup borax
1 cup baking soda

This stores well, so you can double or triple it. Use 2 T per load and reduce it to 1 ½ T if you find residue on your glasses.

Citrus Sparkle

2 cups washing soda
2 cups borax
6 T citrus acid poweder (also known as “sour salt”)
25 drops grapefruit essential oil

Combine well and store. Use 2 T per load of dishes.

Borax is a combination of water, oxygen, sodium, and boron. It is a powder sold in the laundry aisle of grocery stores. 20 Mule Team is a popular brand.

Washing soda is sodium carbonate, and is also known as soda ash. Arm & Hammer sells it in the laundry aisle.

(Guess I shouldn’t have dropped out of Miss Zerkel’s Chemistry class in High School – who knew how I’d be using chemistry, on the Internet, in a blog or facebook!)

Citrus Acid is available in a powdered form in health food stores; in stores that cater to soap makers as well as home brewers and even vitamin stores.

http://thecenterofpower.com/store/index.php?cPath=2_19

Helpful Hint for the Bathroom:

To maintain a fresh scent in the bathroom, place a few drops of your favorite essential oil on the cardboard tube supporting the toilet paper. Each time the roll is used, the fragrance is released. Reapply as necessary.

Some favorite bathroom scents to try: Rosemary or Eucalyptus, Lavender, Cinnamon. Check out even more here: http://thecenterofpower.com/store/index.php?cPath=2_19

Make Your Own Dishwashing Liquid

Do you want to get the chemicals OUT of your house or just bring more natural in? Here’s an easy way to start with wonderful natural ingredients that degrease while lifting your spirits!

Start with Castile Soap:  
A truly luxurient, extra mild and gentle liquid soap made from certified organic ingredients.
No harsh chemicals, additives, colorants, sudsing agents or other ingredients, just pure derivatives from plant sources.
Great for the face, body, as an all purpose wash, and it makes a wonderful base ingredient for your own soaps and shampoos. Enjoy the cleaning power of pure liquid castille soap that suds beautifully, without leaving a residue. It usually contains: Water, Saponified Organic Coconut, Sunflower and Castor oils, Citric Acid, and Rosemary extract.

In a squeeze bottle or pump add castile soap and then essential oils to your taste. (Dilute accoroding to directions if using a concentrate.)  Below are a few suggestions.

Fruity Dishwashing Blend
15 drops of lemon or lemongrass oil
6 drops of lavender oil
5 drops of bergamot oil

Herbal Handwashing blend
10 drops of lavender oil
8 drops of rosemary oil
4 drops of eucalyptus oil

Dishwashing Blues Blend
Try this recipe for an uplifting washing experience
10 drops lemon oil
6 drops of bergamot oil
4 drops of lavender oil
2 drops of grapefruit oil

Looking to build your Essential Oil Arsenal? Check out the link below: http://thecenterofpower.com/store/index.php?cPath=2_19

Practical uses for your Grapefruit Seed Extract

Grapefruit seed extract is a marvelous creation from Mother Nature that is in need of more respect and is an underrated treasure. It cleans us, protects us, preserves our delicate foods, and so much more. Outlined here are some of the greatest uses for grapefruit seed extract and a list of very simple to administer recipes. GSE is also added to all natural, handmade lotions, balms and creams to help preserve and extend their shelf-life.

Facial Cleanser
Thoroughly splash, or moisten face with water (either cool or warm is fine).
With hands still wet apply 1-2 drops of extract to your fingertips and massage into skin using a circular motion. Rinse thoroughly after use and pat dry. You may notice a minor tingling sensation afterwards. This is the deep cleansing properties of the grapefruit seed extract.

Skin Rinse (For very minor skin irritations)
Dilute extract with water (about 1-2 drops per tablespoon). Apply this solution directly to irritated area of the skin twice daily. If additional irritation continues discontinue immediately and seek the advice of your physician.

Nail Treatment
Dilute extract with water or alcohol (1-3 drops per tablespoon).
Apply this solution directly on the surface of the nail along the cuticle and underneath the front of the nail. Or soak nails twice daily for as long as needed

Scalp Treatment
Add 2-3 drops of extract to each shampooing. Massage into scalp and leave on for a minimum of 2 minutes. Rinse of thoroughly and be cautious not to get in eyes.
This may also be used without shampoo.

Toothbrush Cleaner
Stir 2-4 drops of extract into a glass of water. Immerse toothbrush for 15 minutes. Be sure to rinse toothbrush before using. Change water and remix every 2-3 days.

Fruit and Veggie Wash
Add 20 drops per 32oz bottle of water with sprayer pump. Shake thoroughly and spray on any vegetables, meats, fruits, or poultry. Rinse when done.

Cutting Board Cleaner
Apply 5-10 drops of extract to cutting board and work into entire board with a wet sponge or dishcloth. Leave on for at least 30 minutes. Rinse with water before using.

All Purpose Cleaner
Add 15-30 drops of extract to any 32 oz pump sprayer filled with your favorite cleanser or this can be added just to water. Use on all surfaces of the house.

Don't own any GSE? You can easily purchase of a 5 ml bottle for $5, and since a few drops is all you need, it will last a very long time!

Visit us @ http://thecenterofpower.com/store/index.php?osCsid=u94cubomrcpdcjsbrj9b1vmeo2 or call Mr. Don @ 702-272-1098.

Sunflower Oil

Here's a nice little tidbit... Another Oil to Consider when making some of the items that help make for more Healthy and Natural Lotions, Massage Oils or Facial Washes for instance, is:
Sunflower Oil (high oleic, Expeller pressed, Helianthus annuus): High oleic sunflower oil is very high in oleic (monounsaturated) acid and oil is usually defined as having a minimum 80 percent oleic acid. Sunflower oil has a light texture and is pleasant to use. It contains vitamins A, C, ...D, and E, a high linoleic acid content, and few saturated fatty acids. This oil is easily absorbed and can be used on all skin types. Its high vitamin E content makes it especially helpful for delicate and dry skin. It has a protective effect on the skin and is healing when applied to leg ulcers, bruises and skin diseases. Many soapmakers use sunflower oil as a less expensive alternative to olive oil. 1 pound $8, 2 pounds $13 and 4 pounds $23!
For more information, contact us at: info@thecenterofpower.com

BLEACH ALTERNATIVE

I "clean green" most of the time, however, I have not found a good bleach alternative to Comet. After scouring the web and books, I found this home made answer!

LEMON JUICE: Cuts through grease and removes perspiration and other stains from clothing. A bleach alternative.
BORAX (sodium borate): A natural mineral that kills mold and bacteria. An alternative to bleach, it deodorizes, removes stains and boosts the cleaning power of soap. Please note to keep this away from children and pets.

To make a Non-Abrasive Soft Scrub:
1/4 cup borax
Vegetable-oil based liquid soap (such as Castile Soap or Murphy's Oil Soap)
1/2 teaspoon lemon essential oil

In a bowl mix the borax with enough soap to form a creamy paste. Add lemon oil and blend well. Scoop a small amount of the mixture onto a sponge, wash the surface, then rinse well.

This is the most divine scouring product I've ever used. It smelled wonderful and left my hands smelling like lemon, instead of bleach! It was a joy to clean my sink.

To learn even more about Essential Oils, attend the class March 27 @ 7pm. Email Free for more information, info@thecenterofpower.com.