Natural Alternatives (Toothpaste)

This is a recipe for an amazing natural toothpaste. I saw a number of these recipes elsewhere on the internet, and I made a few adjustments...

Coconut Oil Toothpaste

1/2 cup coconut oil
2 tblsp baking soda
1 tblsp xylitol ground into fine powder (optional)*
10 drops flavoring oil (optional) (e.g. citrus, peppermint)

So a couple of things. Xylitol can be used to sweeten this toothpaste up a bit. It also provides some benefit for dental care innately!

The essential oil addition is also just for flavoring.

1. Place the coconut oil into your 2oz glass jar.  Melt the oil by placing the glass jar into a pan of water simmering on low heat
2. Once melted, stir in baking soda
3. Mix in xylitol
4. Add essential oils
5. Let mixture solidify then stir well

Links to things I bought:
Coconut oil
2oz glass jar with lid
Xylitol
Citrus essential oil

Natural Alternatives (Chigger repellent)

Ok, I already posted about tick repellent in my prior post. This solution is similarly themed.

This recipe works extremely well at repelling chiggers and other bugs. For chiggers you need to spray on ankles and legs. For others, you can spray anywhere, even on clothing! It works great and smells fantastic!

Chigger+ Repellent Spray

1/3 cup distilled water
1 tblsp witch hazel
1/2 tsp lavender essential oil
10 drops eucalyptus essential oil


Mix these ingredients and pour into glass spray bottle.

Links to items I used:

Glass spray bottles
Lavender oil
Eucalyptus oil

Natural Alternatives (Tick repellant spray for dogs & people)

Healthy.
Environmentally conscious.

I am striving to consider more and more natural approaches to day to day life and ongoing health.

[rant] Our food supply is tainted by harsh and harmful chemicals; drug companies are motivated by money to develop chemical solutions to illnesses and conditions; and (we should know) that under-informed political watchdogs don't always make the best choices...so...

I have started off with a couple of things that I will share here!

Tick repellent spray for dogs (and people)

1/3 cup of distilled water
1 tblsp witch hazel
1/2 tsp rose geranium oil*

Mix together in a glass spray bottle.

Apply to dog's shoulder blades, base of tail (and I usually apply a spritz to each paw).

This works really well. I have been using Frontline, but want to get away from using the harmful chemicals on my pups.

*Now the thing you need to know about this solution, is there are two kinds of rose geranium oil; for ticks, you need the one with the botanical name pelargonium capitatum x radens.

Links to items I used:

Glass spray bottles
Rose geranium oil