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Oil pulling with coconut oil

Just a short note on my own experience with oil pulling. If you are not sure what it is I recommend a nice post on Simple Ula Blog. I have been oil pulling for a while but not on a regular basis. The reason is simple. I don’t have enough time in the morning. To do oil pulling properly you need to add another 15-20 minutes to your morning routine. Moreover, you should do it on empty stomach – before you eat or drink anything. When you finish you should rinse your mouth with a glass of warm water and a little bit of salt.

I use coconut oil although originally only sunflower oil or sesame oil was used. Moreover, coconut oil turns solid in cold temperature and that means when you spit it out it will harden and might clog your toilet. Therefore when you use coconut oil you should always spit it into the trash bin.

Now, my own experience. After oil pulling your teeth will be really sparkling and that is probably not a big surprise. What I really like is that it helps to close my bleeding gums and heals them. I usually need to do it for 3-4 days to get the desired result. The other time I use oil pulling is during flu season when I feel bit of a sore throat. It usually able stops any infections but I really have to do it early on. If I already have a full blown cold – it does not help. Coconut oil tastes lot better then other oils and oil pulling with it can be a very pleasant experience. Next time you feel little bit under the weather I recommend you try it 🙂

Update: 2019 – I am using coconut oil for oil puling especially when I feel that I am going down with flu or cold. Also when I have a sore throat or unwell.

Updated: 2026 – Coconut oil has been great for me over the years, although I do feel recently it helps more with calming the inflammation rather than with the healing. So yes, I still stand behind this post. Coconut oil helped me immensely. When I do it regularly, I am able to completely calm the inflammation, but the inflammation does tend to come back. I have added the ‘chewing of a clove’ that also helps with the gums. It is not for everyone, as cloves, unlike coconut oil, have a very strong taste.

I tried Cureend, as well. It did not help me much; I could not get the product dispensed properly. What I liked about it was that it was all natural. But, yeah, not carrying on with it.

Tried different toothpastes, Colgate’s Miracle, Listerine’s Gum MouthWash, and Xylitol mouthwash. All worked temporarily. Trying a Korean toothpaste at the moment.

Sometimes, rinsing with Celtic salt also helps.

If you are reading this, you probably have these issues. I hope you get some good results with any of those above 🙂

How is the business going

Well, I know that most people write about their business when they have achieved something…anyways here are some notes on my own experience so far. One thing I need to say – it is a slow process. And I mean really slow. My website is set up and I have sent out e-mails introducing my business. I have signed up with a countless websites and directories. After some hesitation I have started with social media, too. I have been avoiding Facebook for years and still did not give in. Instead I have opted for Instagram and Pinterest as I liked their vibe more.

Here is what I think about these two at the moment:

1. Instagram – I love, love Instagram. I have immediately got into it. Started to post, comment and like. The response was good and actually better than expected. I am slowly building following and loving it in the process. I give it an hour a day – just to like and comment. The comments won me most subscribers and interest. I post once a week. Sunday works best for me and on Monday morning I usually have a new group of subscribers waiting for me. I like the positive atmosphere, people comment in a very nice manner. I did not come across any haters or trolls like you will find on YouTube for example. People there are creative and supportive. I hope it stays that way! I have read some articles about how to get new subscribers on Instagram but I have not really use them. Advice like: “Post every day.” is not practical for me. My own advice for this social channel would be – make interesting photos of your product, be consistent, supportive with your comments, follow like minded people and things will start to snowball pretty quickly.

2. Pinterest – because I have taken to Instagram I thought let’s try Pinterest, too. I have read how great it will be for my business and how many sales I will get from Pinterest alone. However, at the moment I am just at the stage of the building some interesting boards. With regards to followers, my numbers are way way lower than from Instagram and no sales, yet. I will continue with it as I am told by numerous articles that it takes some time to build it up. At the moment I am lukewarm about it. I think it is great for inspiration or getting ideas or maybe browsing when having free time. In some ways I don’t see much difference from searching something by Google Images. I miss the personal connection with followers and ability to comment on boards. The connection is not so direct and instant as with the Instagram (or maybe I still have not figure out how to do it).

I will keep on going. Not giving up 🙂

Wonders of Baking Soda

In my notebook, I have about 50 ways how to use baking soda. Over the years I got to
try several of them. I always have a pack of baking soda at home as I use it for baking quite often. The other times I use it are as follows:

Getting rid of stains – I mix a teaspoon of baking soda with a teaspoon of water and then I put the mixture onto the stain. If the stain is bigger, I make a bigger amount and cover the stain completely. I keep it working for about an hour and then I wipe it with a damp cloth. If the stain is still there I repeat the process. This helped me to clean stains inside the bathtub and stains on some plastic toys. I am not sure if it will help you to get rid of the stains from some other materials.

Teeth whitening – again I mix a teaspoon of baking soda and a teaspoon of water to make a paste. Then I use it the same as I would toothpaste. When brushing I try to avoid gums as the baking soda can be abrasive and works like peeling. I have read that it may irritate gums if used too often. I did not have that experience but I don’t do this more often than once a month. I would therefore caution anybody with sensitive teeth/gums to do that more often. Also when brushing your teeth do not rub the teeth with great force. I used this technique when I was a student and did not have money to buy expensive whitening products. It is a great temporary solution.

Getting rid of odor – I use it for example after the place has been painted and I can still smell the fresh paint. I put a bowl filled with baking soda into the corner of the room and usually, it neutralizes the smell. Similarly with smells inside the fridge or cupboard.

Baking soda is very cheap, easy to get, and kinder to the environment than chemical products. There are many more uses but I have mentioned only those that worked for me 🙂

2025 – Just to confirm, I am still using it many years later 🙂

Give your immunity some extra help

In our region the winter is slowly easing off. It is a lovely time of the year. Air is fresher and fragrant and everybody seems to be relieved the cold days are over.
Recently the changes in weather were more obvious and changes in temperature more abrupt. I try to build my immunity as much as I can during this time. If I don’t have time for spring detox, I at least take several little steps. First, I up my Vitamin C intake. I have noticed that the vitamins I get from fruits at this time of the year are not sufficient. Therefore I supplement with Vitamin C. I choose any natural brand and take it whenever I feel I might come down with a cold. With that I take a tablet of Zinc. Again only when I feel bit weak.
The Zinc tablets were recommended to me long time ago by my favorite homeopath. When I told him I am on a vegetarian diet he recommended a course of Zinc in a liquid form. During those days I suffered from sore throats and colds and basically my immunity was very low. The Zinc really made me more resistant and since then I supplement it during the flu season. With Zinc and Vitamin C I also have some fruits with high Vitamin C content. I always loved strawberries and oranges but recently I have found that kiwis work best for me. When I am not well, I slice one or two ripe kiwis and eat them as a snack. I am convinced they help me to stay healthy! So that is my first line of defense. I also drink a lot’s warm or hot water sometimes with lemon or a teaspoon of Apple Vinegar. Usually this simple routine helps me to get through the spring without any cold. Let me know what works for you 🙂

When a little bit of oil goes a long way

I have been always ambivalent about oil. Is it good or bad for me? I have heard so many answers but till today I don’t know the truth. One time I tried to cut out fat out of my diet all together. That did not last long. I missed it. Salads did not taste the same. My skin was dry and did not lose weight as I hoped for. So I went back to using it and did not think much about it. However, when my daughter tried the HCLF vegan diet I did find that there are some oil free recipes that can fill me up and are tasty at the same time. These days I am aiming for small amount of fat when I am cooking. I used to automatically think that if I am making a stir-fry it is healthy for me. But I have overlooked the puddle of oil I used to fry my vegetables in. I am bit more focused now. A big help has been an oil in a spray. Instead of pouring the oil onto the pan I just spray it lightly. The effect is the same. Food gets fried and is tasty while I save on calories from fat. If needed I add bit of water – trick that I learned from HCLF fans. More over the bottle of oil lasts lot longer.

There is one negative I have to mention here. The oils in spray seems to be more expensive. I don’t know why we have to pay more for it. The only difference from a normal bottle of oil is the nozzle. If I could refill the spray then I would not mind as much but the spray I have been using cannot be refilled. If anybody knows where to get spray bottles made from dark glass I would be grateful 🙂

Rescue remedy

One of the remedies I have been leaning on for years are drops from Dr. Bach called Rescue remedy. I have come across them long time ago. Ten years ago to be precise. What I liked straight away was the fact that the mixture was made completely from plants. Moreover it contained some plants I already knew as I always loved botany and leafing through my old plant atlas. The idea that these plants bring help and relieve appealed to me. I have decided to try the power of plants on myself out of curiosity. Nothing to loose right?

The instructions said to use the drops for emergencies and crises. So I did. The result was unexpected…I felt better, calmer and more balanced. I was surprised. Since then I would always reach for the remedy when I felt under exceptional pressure. I do not use it when I face the ‘ordinary’ daily stress as the remedy is meant for more serious crises. At least that is how I understand it. When I take it I always imagine the healing power of plants working through my body and calming me down. So yes, the more sceptical minds might think that it is all mental. However, over the years I have also used it on my kids. When they were little they did not know what are the drops for. The result was same. They felt better. When they were bigger, I used to give them the drops during their exams. On those days I was really happy to be able to give them something to calm their nerves. When I asked them how they felt, they said that they were nervous but it was not a big deal and once the exam started they felt calm and focused.

I have used the Rescue remedy successfully on my family members for the following situations: grief, night terrors, anxiety, panicky feeling and pre-exam nerves. I would always use it only for several days three or four times daily. Sometime I use the drops, sometimes the spray. The results seem to be same but for some reason I prefer the drops.

Update: 2019 – I love, love this product. I am using it for my kids during the exam period. They love it and makes them feel more calm. This product is now available in our local chemist – amazing! It took me years to discover it. I recommend it to everyone who suffers for anxiety and panic attacks. Give it a go 🙂

Supplements that were recommended to my mum

I realized that when I was writing about my mum I forgot to mention two supplements that were recommended to her. One she used and one she didn’t.

The one she did not use is called Ovosan. We did find positive reviews for it but at the end my mum decided not to buy it. The main reason was the price. Also you need to talk to the consultant about the dosage. She was hesitant about that. And last but not least, she found that the product was made from chicken embryos which she did not like. I would never push her into something she is not completely comfortable so we abandoned the idea. Having said that, I think if you don’t mind the price and the other things it might be worth checking out.

Later on, another friend pointed us towards different supplement – Penoxal. It is not cheap either but it is made from mushrooms and the dosage is more straightforward. She did not use it right from the start but during her chemotherapy as her immunity suffered lot more than expected. Once she started taking it she seemed to have more resistance.

Update: 2019 – Most doctors don’t want to hear about supplements. If you can, choose an open minded doctor. Check also my other post: https://wordpress.com/post/youdonthavetolikethis.com/138

Earaches, stomach aches and PMS

I thought I am done writing about Homeopathy but yesterday when I opened my drawer I discovered 2 more remedies that I should mention. Simply because I used them a lot when kids were little and they were a great help. We used to travel several times a year over several time zones to countries with very different climates and cuisines. I was always bit worried about the flight because kids used to get earaches on landing and I did not know how to help them. It was always worse if they had bit of cold. I did have some medicines from my doctor but they never worked. I turned to Homeopathy like few times before and found Earache tablets from Hyland’s. I gave them to kids one day before travel and then during the flight. It did not take the pressure and uncomfortable feeling away but it did ease the pain. I was delighted when they did not burst into tears and happy for the surrounding passengers, too 🙂 After this experience I used these tablets on the fist sign of earache especially when I knew that I will not be able to take kids to the doctor until morning. It helped many times but I do need to point out that there were couple of times when we could not stop the infection.

The second remedy is Allergy Relief from NatraBio which are homeopathic drops. They are not completely tasteless but they are so mild that kids never complained. I always used them when they had an upset stomach or felt heavy after eating some new kind of food. The drops worked really well and I always had them with me when I traveled. Thanks to Allergy Relief kids tried many new foods, went to many restaurants and had some naughty food without any consequences. Not mentioning that it made my life lot easier during holidays. I also used to add some Probiotics but they deserve a separate post.

And last but not least are PMS tablets from Hyland’s. I think that was the first Homeopathic medicine I tried. It was long before I had kids. I was just too desperate and was searching for something that will take away that unpleasant tension. Finally I did come across tablets for PMS from Hyland’s. I knew I had nothing to loose and tried it. It helped. I was thrilled. Finally I could use something that was not chemical. I used it for years. Unfortunately I do not have a photo of it because when I tried to buy it last time in my favorite shop they told me they will not stock it anymore. I tried online but could not find a shop that would ship to my country. Actually I did find one and they told me that they will let me know when they will get a new stock. That was six months ago… Anyway I think that is all I can share about my experience with Homeopathy. I am aware that it might not be for everyone but as I said: “I am a fan.”

Update: 2019 – Yes, I still stand by this fabulous trio!

Beat the flu

And one more post on homeopathy 🙂 It is about a remedy I use regularly now and I am convinced about it’s effectivness. First time I have heard about it was in one book about natural cures and prevention. Unfortunately I do not remember the title or author but what he said intrigued me. He recommended to use Oscillococcinum, a homeopathic mixture from Boiron as a prevention from flu. I have decided to follow his instruction and used one dose once a week for one month. I did not get any flu. Was it a luck or was the remedy working? I am convinced it is the remedy.

I have been using it every fall and spring and I did not have a flu for years. Same with my children. Not mentioning they love it’s slight sweet. I use it when I feel that there might be a cold coming. If I give it to kids early enough I am able to stop the infection. If it is at a later stage then it at least lessen the symptoms and shortens the duration. When they have an infection I give them one dose in the morning and one in the evening. I also use it when we travel by plane. It usually protects us really well and I don’t have to worry about people sneezing and coughing around me 🙂

The name of it is bit strange and I am never able to pronounce it correctly. A bigger drawback is it’s price. It is expensive and I always think long and hard before buying it. At the end I always do – because I know it will do the trick 🙂

Update: 2019 – I am still using this product and to my great delight it sold in our local chemist!

The thing about homeopathy

Just few days ago my husband told me a big news. He read somewhere on BBC website that some studies that were done on Homeopathy finally proved that it does not work. My reaction was something like this:”Wow, that is interesting…” I did not want to hurt his feelings but he obviously forgot one thing…

When my son was seven he got a really bad cough. He had it for ages and could not get rid of it. It was bit strange because he usually got over infections very quickly. Our GP said that it might be an onset of asthma. We live in a city and the air pollution can get pretty bad. After some tests the doctor said that my son will need an inhaler. It was his diagnosis and I respected it, however during that time I have already had some experience with alternative methods particularly with Homeopathy. I had a small Homeopathy kit which I used for fevers and stomach upsets. The small tablets were slightly sweet and dissolved easily. Kids preferred them to herbs that of had strong smell or taste. I made me think that I should see a homeopathic specialist and ask him about my son’s persistent cough. Nothing to loose right? I was very lucky and found a very good one with great references. At that point I did not have any expectations. I just wanted to try it before starting my son on the inhaler. The homeopath explained to me that he will give him some tablets which he has to take exactly as prescribed for a duration of 3 months. He also made some recommendations with regards to his diet and lifestyle. He wrote down everything in detail and explained that this is a process of “desentization”.

We did everything to the letter. To our great surprise, my son’s cough eased away and finally disappeared completely. I was stunned. Our GP was surprised, too. He gave me an inhaler just in case but needles to say my son never needed it. It is a long time ago so no wonder my husband forgot this little story. My son does not remember it either. But I do. That’s how I started to use homeopathy on regular basis. Basically I knew it works and did not question it. I know there will be studies done, things written and things said but to me my experience means more.

I do have to mention that years later my favorite homeopath moved abroad and I had to find a new one. Finally I did find one but I was deeply disappointed. Not so much because the remedy did not work but because the treatment was incredibly expensive. I was shocked. He charged about 5x more than my old homeopath. I did not go back there ever again.

Therefore I would advise to choose your homeopath wisely. Go for good references. Usually the best one are from friends and from people who were helped and seen improvements. I think everybody can make their own opinion but it is worth a try. I am definitely a fan 🙂

Update: 2019 – I don’t care what others things. I know there is a debate whether homeopathy works or not. For me it does – and that is that 🙂

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