Tag: dental health
I’ve been eating limes and tomatoes all summer long: guacamole, caprese salad, ceviche, bolognese sauce, margaritas, you name it. But I just learned something new: these two foods are acidic (that I knew) but did you know that the acids in them and other foods can weaken and erode tooth enamel?
Which is a concern since, well, we only get one set of adult teeth. And maintaining a strong enamel is very important because if you allow it to weaken, the entire tooth is more susceptible to decay. The good news is that you (and I!) can keep on eating these delicious foods (I refuse to give up guac, who’s with me on that?!) and minimize the wear on your enamel by using a toothpaste that includes baking soda, such as Arm & Hammer Baking Soda Toothpaste. This toothpaste differs from other toothpastes because the inclusion of the natural ingredient of baking soda neutralizes the plaque acids that can weaken tooth enamel and cause teeth to lose minerals. The baking soda and fluoride in A&H toothpaste actually helps to restore the minerals in your teeth, so in the long-term your teeth and gums are stronger and healthier.
And yes, other regular toothpastes will also help keep your teeth strong and healthy but not only do they lack in having the benefit of neutralizing baking soda, research findings show that Arm & Hammer toothpastes is better at removing more plaque in hard-to-reach areas around the tooth and gums compared to non-baking soda varieties.
Another nice feature about the baking soda in A&H toothpastes? It gently but effectively removes bacterial plaque, which can stain; hello brighter, whiter teeth! I know I’ve used baking soda and water to gently cleanse items from my kitchen (like coffee-stained mugs) so it works in a similar way brightening your teeth for a fresh smile.
So I’m definitely continuing to eat my fave foods, and have a new fave recipe from nutritionist Keri Glassman that’ll put that baking soda in A&H toothpaste to work: Cilantro Lime Avocado Yogurt Dip. It’s light and refreshing and loaded with antioxidants and vitamin C. Here’s the recipe because sharing is caring. Enjoy!
Cilantro Lime Avocado Yogurt Dip
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 medium avocado
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- ½ garlic clove
- Juice 1 lime
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon tahini
Directions:
- Add all ingredients in a blender or food processor.
- Blend until smooth.
- Serve and enjoy.
Happy eating (and brushing)!
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August 31, 2018
Getting older makes me nervous. Plain and simple. I’m going to assume I’m not alone in this. Ladies, are you a bit stressed about aging, too?
But a recent roundtable I attended with a group of very successful women helped to ease some of that anxiety about aging. Assembled by Procter & Gamble Canada, the group of inspiring women included fashion expert Jeanne Beker, lifestyle expert Lynn Spence, dermatologist Kucy Pon, dentist Janet Tamo, and wellness expert Tosca Reno. Jeanne, who’s just turned 65, shared that she’s finding this time of her life exhilarating. “So many years, it was all about pushing forward and having to survive and going out there and getting it, we all need that drive, but this stage of our lives where we can sit back and see the forest for the trees, it’s a sweet time,” she says.
That sounds pretty incredible, doesn’t it? A little bit of a waiting-to-exhale moment when it comes to life…Here are the other useful nuggets of inspo I gathered from this powerhouse of women when it comes to taking care of one’s health and beauty.
1. Look to your meals as a way to nourish your body. “Each meal, I see as an opportunity to load myself with nutrients. Not “is it going to be chicken or steak tonight?” I look at food differently, as a way to flood my cells with nutrients.” says Tosca. She added that according to the World Health Organization, wellness is the presence of three lifestyle practices. “Eating clean, whole. nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods, exercise and emotional wellness,” she says. And while she noted that keeping moving physically is important, so is keeping your digestive system moving things along is key, too. And her tip for making sure you’ve got that down pat? Adding Metamucil and a shelf-stable probiotic (just open the capsule and add the powder right in!) to your smoothie is a simple way to make your smoothie instantly better for you.
2. Feed your skin vitamins, too. Eighty percent of premature aging is due to sun damage, says Kucy. And while you can’t undo all the sun damage to your skin, you can make sure your skincare has vitamins that’ll benefit it. Such as vitamin B3 (niacinamide) — it moisturizes, it’s anti-inflammatory, helps pigmentation, and prevents irregular skin tone; vitamin A, which you should use in the evenings, which will help repair some sun damage; and vitamin C, as this antioxidant will help neutralizing damaging free radicals. Where to get these vitamins? Well, Olay Regenerist is, as Lynn points out, affordable and accessible to most women.
3. Give your hair some TLC. Have you ever watched Lynn on TV and admired her shiny, voluminous hair? I know I have. Lynn swears by Pantene 2-in-1 products and its Smart Technology, which targets the areas it needs to treat and then washes out, but still leaves the hair nice and hydrated. She also makes sure to limit her use of heat tools by using a hair dryer that works efficiently so she can minimize the time it’s blow dried, and she finishes off with velcro rollers to build volume.
4. Create a budget and regimen for your dental health. Discoloured teeth are seen as a sign of aging and your teeth will darken with years of smoking and drinking coffee and red wine. The strategies to maintain a healthy mouth, though, are simple. Start with planning a budget for your dental health. “People budget for their hair, but hair grows back, teeth don’t,” says Janet. That’s so true, and good oral health over your lifetime is so essential, it should have its own budget. As for how to use that budget? Crest Whitestrips will immediately make your teeth look healthier and more beautiful. Invest in an Oral-B electric toothbrush, as it has been proven to better remove plaque. And lastly, floss daily as it helps to remove bacteria from your mouth. Did you know most dental conditions are preventable?
5. Exercise can fit into even the busiest of schedules. People often ask Tosca if she spends hours at the gym and she tells them she doesn’t have hours to spend. Thirty minutes performed at 65 percent maximum heart rate is far more effective than spending hours at the gym, she says. Women in the baby boomer demo need to hit metabolic catalysts and target large muscle groups, that is the glutes, core and and quads, so that your burning fat at a faster rate all the time. Her fave? Rebounding. Fifteen minutes on this mini trampoline is the same as running 30 minutes on land, she says.
And when it comes to all of these lessons, it’s important to remember that taking care of yourself inside and out doesn’t have to be an all-consuming, overwhelming task. “Do the doable thing,” says Tosca. “Once you’ve done that thing, the next thing becomes easier. Do it 10 times in a row, and now that’s a new habit, and you can move onto the next one and commit to the next doable thing.”
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November 21, 2017
First things first: Products were provided to me by Colgate-Palmolive, but the opinions expressed here are my own.
** THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.**
Alright, alright, so in theory I generally aim to take better care of myself. But in reality, sometimes my healthy habits could use some improvement. I could drink more water. I should establish a consistent sleep schedule. And I could floss more, and I probably could brush for a longer period of time (I’m currently using a manual toothbrush that doesn’t have a built-in timer so it’s likely not the recommended two minutes. Who am I kidding? It’s definitely not the recommended two minutes!).
Why am I ‘fessing up on on what I could be doing more of to improve my health? Well, because I’ve partnered with Colgate to challenge myself to reveal the health upgrades I could be doing more of.
So yes, I slack on flossing. And on brushing time. I also don’t use mouthwash regularly. Geez, I’m not doing very well on this little personal evaluation, am I?
With my focus right now on healthy intentions, Colgate sent me the Colgate Total* Advanced Health* Daily Repair Toothpaste and Colgate* Slim Soft™ Toothbrush (oh yeah, changing my toothbrush every few months, something else I don’t do regularly, oops!). I was happy to break into them and add them to my daily routine because it helps pick up the slack since I’m now very clearly and very much aware that I’m not the greatest when it comes to good mouth health habits. Colgate Total* Advanced Health* Daily Repair Toothpaste contains a multi-active formula that helps not just maintain but repair early teeth and gum damage. It does this by remineralizing weakened enamel (so this means your teeth become stronger), preventing cavities, and boosting gum health thanks to how it fights plaque- and gingivitis-causing bacteria.
So while it certainly doesn’t entirely make up for those areas of healthy dental habits where I’m failing somewhat, it does put me a little more on team healthy.
Now, don’t let me do all this on my own, folks! Confess what you could be doing better when it comes to your health and you’ll be entered into my giveaway with Colgate with the prize being one $250 CAD giftcard to Fairmont Hotels. (You can find rules and regulations here.)
Need more incentive? Well, share your #ColgateDailyRepair confession here via Rafflecopter and you’ll be entered into my giveaway courtesy of Colgate of a $250 CAD giftcard to Fairmont Hotels.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This giveaway is sponsored by Colgate-Palmolive.
No purchase necessary. The Contest is open to legal residents of Canada, excluding Quebec, who have reached the age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence as of the date of entry. Must correctly answer, unaided, a mathematical skill testing question to be declared a winner. Entries for the contest must be received between July 25, 2016 and August 1, 2016. For a complete list of rules and regulations, please click here.
**CONGRATULATIONS TO DONNA TROWBRIDGE OF ONTARIO, THE WINNER OF THIS COLGATE TOTAL ADVANCED HEALTH DAILY REPAIR GIVEAWAY! **
July 25, 2016
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