I’m not a fan of raw cauliflower, but roasting it is a game-changer. I can eat a whole bowl of this in an afternoon! Add in our anti-inflammatory friend turmeric and some black pepper to boost the absorption of curcumin (read more about that here) and you have a snack that doubles as a healing superfood! Continue reading “Meal Prep Monday – Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower”
Author: Emily Adams The Planking Traveler
Meal Prep Monday – Breakfast Frittata
I never seem to get up early enough to make breakfast in the mornings, so I always opt for recipes I can make the night before. The versatile frittata has quickly become one of my staple breakfasts for this reason. If you’re not familiar, a frittata is similar to a quiche but without the crust. I usually have plenty of eggs on hand and use whatever combination of fresh veggies we get from our CSA that week. You can modify it based on your dietary needs (vegetarian, paleo, dairy free, etc ) and it’s pretty hard to mess up (important for me!). You can use whatever veggies you prefer, but here are some possibilities: Continue reading “Meal Prep Monday – Breakfast Frittata”
Helping The Homeless – How To Make A Blessing Bag
Often we encounter those who are homeless or may just be struggling to make ends meet. When you see someone holding a sign asking for help on the street corner or laying on a bench in a park, what’s the best way to help them? I’m sure everyone has their own opinion on that, but I wanted to share an easy way to lend a helping hand called a blessing bag. It’s not my own idea – I saw it on social media a few years back, but have enjoyed being able to bless others this way.
Continue reading “Helping The Homeless – How To Make A Blessing Bag”
Toothy Tuesday – Review Of Dental Probiotics And Toothtapping
Recently Breathealer sent me their breath freshening gel and bamboo toothtappers to try and review. I’m thankful for the opportunity to share my honest thoughts with you in this post.
I haven’t always focused on my dental health as much as I should, but when I was diagnosed with a benign heart murmur in college, my dentist informed me of how important it was to maintain good oral health in order to protect my heart. I didn’t realize that some people with heart murmurs must premedicate with antibiotics before any dental cleanings or procedures to prevent bacteria from traveling to their heart and ultimately causing endocarditis. Luckily my dentist did not feel this step was necessary for me but encouraged me to be thorough with my dental care to avoid inflammation that would put me at risk for cardiovascular disease.
Considering how much probiotic foods have helped me in my gut healing journey, I was completely open to trying probiotics in a dental product. After hearing about the probiotic breath freshening gel from Breathealer, I was intrigued. To use, you dispense 1-2 pumps into your mouth, swish for 60 seconds, then swallow. I will say it was a little different swallowing the gel since I’m accustomed to spitting out toothpaste and mouthwash, but I got used to it quickly. I like the natural ingredients including peppermint oil, coconut oil, and Vitamin D3, and the gel definitely kept my breath fresh for quite a few hours. Unlike mints and gum, it felt like a deep clean instead of a temporary cover-up.
I also tried the Breathealer bamboo toothtapper pictured below. The technique involves (surprise!) tapping the bristles at an angle on your teeth and gums instead of brushing with toothpaste. You can find the detailed how-to video and more details about the “why” behind toothtapping here. I like the eco-friendly bamboo and easy grip design of the brush but it isn’t something I’d feel comfortable doing in place of brushing with toothpaste. This may be due to me not perfecting the technique, and I certainly am not ruling out its potential for being effective for others, but it’s just not for me.
So Breathealer, batting 500 isn’t too shabby. Though I won’t be toothtapping, I will definitely be keeping the gel in my purse to keep my breath fresh while on the go! A big thank you to Dr. Derek Golding for creating this product without artificial sweeteners or harmful additives.
I’d love to hear about your favorite non-toxic dental care products!
Emily
The Planking Traveler
Small Business Spotlight – Sonder Mind & Body
If you’re like me, you probably spend a lot of time connected to technology. We work on our devices daily, sleep with them next to us, take them to the bathroom with us, and rarely have them out of sight. Most of us realize this pattern isn’t healthy, but find it difficult to completely disengage from the devices that keep us organized, connected, and oftentimes stressed. While I don’t have the solution to our “always on” societal demands, I was able to enjoy a new and relaxing experience this week that I hope many of you will be able to try as well. Continue reading “Small Business Spotlight – Sonder Mind & Body”
How Being Homeschooled Ruined My Life
It’s true, my life is forever ruined as a result of being homeschooled. Due to the freedom I had to learn from practically any location during my formative years, I now suffer from a pesky wanderlust that keeps me adding more and more countries and experiences to my bucket list each year. My family’s adventures all started before my homeschooling years, truth be told. My brave parents took me on an extended journey on the Trans-Siberian Railroad when I was only a few years old, and they tell me I slept on the floor in the train bunk rooms without much complaining. Though I was too young to remember that ride, I have fun pictures to look back on like this one where we rented a van after finishing our train journey and headed to explore Germany.
Small Business Spotlight – The Cycle Loft Greensboro
This month I had the opportunity to try a HIIT class (that’s high-intensity interval training) at The Cycle Loft here in Greensboro. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been to the Chipotle right below it and didn’t even realize what was above me. Serves as a good reminder to keep my eyes off my phone and on the world around me!
First impression: I loved the calming and inviting interior. The decor is perfect and made me want to stay and chill for a while after the class. There are changing rooms, ample space to store your belongings and a nice seating area as well, as you can see below. Water bottles are available for purchase, or there is a filtered water cooler upstairs as well. Continue reading “Small Business Spotlight – The Cycle Loft Greensboro”
