Did you know that August 7–13 is Fluoride Awareness Week?

Me neither till, well, this week…

But I’m excited about it because the Fluoride Action Network has a plan to END water fluoridation in both Canada and the United States, and they are hoping that by spreading mass awareness, Fluoride Awareness Week will bring us a lot closer to that goal. San Diego (where I live) just began water fluoridation this year, despite significant public protest, so we need all the help we can get!

The producers of this provocative film are allowing a FREE full-length preview through August 13th! You can also support Fluoride Action Network and their important work by purchasing the Professional Perspectives DVD at a special price of $10 during Fluoride Awareness Week.

Now… Why exactly should you “be aware” about fluoride this week? Isn’t that the stuff that keeps our teeth from falling out?

Ever wonder why most kids’ toothpastes have no fluoride? Because kids inevitably will swallow some paste, and fluoride is extremely TOXIC. In fact, eating a tube of toothpaste will kill a child (and seriously harm an adult), so be sure to keep any fluoride paste or mouthwash out of reach, just like you do with bathroom cleaners and medicines.

For me, this begs the question:

Why are we putting a toxic chemical that everyone agrees should never be swallowed into our food and water supply in the first place?

Most people don’t know that the type of fluoride added to water supplies, most toothpastes, and many beverages and foods is typically a waste product of the nuclear, aluminum, and phosphate (fertilizer) industries. The EPA has classified fluoride as a toxin. Fluoride is so toxic that, in addition to being a primary ingredient in rat and cockroach poisons, pest fumigants and crop pesticides, fluoride is also an active ingredient in anesthetic, hypnotic, and psychiatric drugs, as well as nerve gas used by the military.

Do we really want this stuff in our bodies at all?

Under the U.S. Safe Water Drinking Act, it is illegal to dump fluoride in lakes, streams and oceans, but, for some strange reason, it’s OK to dump fluoride into our food and water supplies and then rub it into our teeth and gums twice a day. Hmmmmm.

How Did We Get Here? – A Brief History of Fluoride
According to journalist Christopher Bryson, author of The Fluoride Deception, getting large quantities of fluoride into the water and food system was the result of the massive public relations campaigns sponsored by industries who were saddled with getting rid of toxic waste.

Fluoride is necessary for the processing or enriching of uranium. Much of the original proof that fluoride is “safe” for humans in low doses was fabricated in the 1940s by Manhattan Project A-bomb program scientists, who had been secretly ordered to provide “evidence useful in litigation” against defense contractors for fluoride injury to citizens. The first lawsuits against the U.S. A-bomb program were not over radiation, but over fluoride damage. Their pro-fluoride propaganda was successful in convincing juries and the public that not only was fluoride safe, but that it was beneficial for kids’ dental health!

Fluoride was used by both Hitler during WWII and also by the Russians in order to make the population more docile. Fluoride is also a principal ingredient in many antidepression drugs such as Prozac because of its ability to numb the mind. And fluoride was key in the worst air pollution disaster in U.S. history in Donora, Pennsylvania that killed 20 people and hospitalized over 7,000 between October 26 and 31, 1948.

Because of the mind altering affects of fluoride, in the early 1950′s, the notorious spin master and father of advertising, Edward Bernays, continued the campaign for adding fluoride to water supplies as an experiment in engineering human consent! Then the ADA picked up on the dental issue and endorsed sodium fluoride’s addition to water supplies.

For the last several decades, any dissenting health professionals with studies and reports against fluoride were usually dismissed as quacks regardless of their credentials. Despite this, in 1999, over 1500 professionals at the US EPA, including toxicologists and risk assessment experts voted unanimously to oppose the fluoridation initiative in California because of the health risks involved. But politics trumped science, and fluoridation was approved in most California municipalities anyway.

Fluoride’s Affects on Your Health
The fluoride used for water fluoridation does not have FDA approval and is considered by the FDA as an “unapproved drug.” The proper use of any drug requires an understanding of how much is too much. As they say, the dose makes the poison. Since fluoride is already in many foods and beverages, it is estimated that we’re regularly receive 300% or more of the American Dental Association’s recommended daily amount.

Generally, most fluoride entering the body is not easily eliminated. It tends to accumulate in the bones and teeth. Recently, it has been discovered to accumulate also in the thyroid gland as well as the pineal and pituitary glands, located in the middle of the brain.

The most common and obvious consequence of fluoride accumulation is dental and skeletal fluorosis which permanently stains and pits teeth and bones, and leaves them brittle. The incidence of dental fluorosis among U.S. children has increased from 10 percent to 22 percent in the past 25 years, says the ADA. Yet, the American Dental Association continues to promote fluoride, refusing to admit that instead of preventing tooth decay, fluoridation causes even more dental harm.

The flood of fluoride in water and food also creates other more serious health problems that are not widely publicized—even suppressed. Nevertheless, in addition to fluorosis, independent labs and reputable researchers have linked the following health issues with daily long term intake of fluoride:

• Cancer
• Genetic DNA Damage
• Thyroid Disruption – the pituitary gland is greatly affected by fluoride, which, in turn, affects the complete endocrine system and leads to obesity. (People with thyroid disease are advised to avoid fluoridated water.)
• Neurological Impairment – The toxic effects of fluoride on the central nervous system is confirmed by previously-classified government research. Two new epidemiological studies confirm fluoride’s neurotoxic effects on the brain and have shown that children exposed to high levels of fluoride had lower IQs.
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Birth Defects
• Cystic Acne – Also called fluoroderma.
• Melatonin Disruption - lowers immunity to cancer, accelerates aging, sleep disorders.
• Pineal Gland Disorder - calcification, which clogs this gland located in the middle of the brain.
• Osteoarthritis and Increased Risk of Bone Fractures - it is estimated that 1/3 of all osteoarthritis cases are caused by skeletal fluorosis.
  

Fluoride Proven Ineffective
You might be worried about how removing fluoride from our drinking water or toothpaste might affect our teeth. But you do not need to be.

All of the recent large-scale studies of water fluoridation have shown that there are no positive effects from the practice. According to statistics from the World Health Organization, the tooth decay rates of countries which do not fluoridate their water supplies are just as low, or even lower, than those countries which do. Further, several studies published since 2000 have reported that there has been no increase in tooth decay rates noted in communities which ended water fluoridation.

Fluoridation is illegal, banned or not used in an overwhelming number of countries, including many industrialized countries. Despite pressure from the dental industry, 99% of western Europe has rejected, banned, or stopped fluoridation due to environmental, health, legal, or ethical concerns. And yet, their children’s teeth are just as healthy as children’s teeth in the U.S. In fact, in many parts of Europe, they are healthier.

The good news is that the voice of concerned, unbiased science is beginning to overwhelm the voice of pro-fluoride industry propaganda. For example, in November 2006, the American Dental Association actually advised parents to avoid giving fluoridated water to babies or using it to make formula.

Take the advice, and protect yourself and your children by avoiding fluoride.

Reducing Fluoride Exposure
Fluoride can be found in tap and bottled tap water, soft drinks, juices and foods made with tap water, vitamins, non-organic produce, non-organic poultry, and of course, toothpaste and mouthwash.

One way to avoid fluoridated water is to buy spring water from a water service, but this is not always economical or environmental. Buying a filter that can remove fluoride from your tap water is the more cost-effective choice over the long term. You can even buy a whole-house filter and have fluoride-free water for cooking, drinking, bathing and toothbrushing!

• Reverse Osmosis Filtration. This is used to purify several types of bottled water (not all), so some bottled waters are not fluoridated. Reverse osmosis filtration systems are a bit pricey, but they remove fluoride, chlorine and most environmental toxins found in municipal tap water. However they also leave water flat, without any beneficial mineral ions, and are not the best choice if you want water that is nourishing, and tastes crisp and refreshing.
• Aluminum Oxide Defluoridation Filter. These filters often require frequent cartridge changes, but can be quite reasonably priced. Here is one of the better brands.
• Distillation Filtration. There are commercially available distillation filters that can be purchased to remove fluoride from water.

These Do NOT Remove Fluoride

• Brita, Pur, and most other water filters. Some websites about fluoride removal state otherwise, but I checked the product descriptions on the companies’ websites to confirm that fluoride is left in the water.
• Boiling Water. This will concentrate the fluoride rather than reduce it.
• Freezing Water. Freezing water does not affect the concentration of fluoride.

Steps to Reduce Fluoride Exposure

• Don’t take fluoride supplements. Read the labels on your and your children’s vitamins carefully.
• Read labels on bottled beverages and juices. Unless they are made using spring or reverse-osmosis water, they are probably made with fluoridated public tap water.
• Eat organic. Fluoride is a primary ingredient in several crop pesticides and warehouse fumigants, so you can find lots of fluoride in both conventional produce and also concentrated into conventional poultry, meat, eggs and dairy.
• Be wary of tinned fish and canned food items. Fluoride may be used as a preservative.
• Avoid using chewing tobacco. Ew. There are many, many reasons to avoid this, not just the fluoride.
• Avoid long term use of medication that contains fluorine. Certain antidepressants and medications for osteoporosis contain fluoride.
• Consider using fluoride-free toothpaste. There are many great brands like Tom’s of Maine, Weleda and more that contain no fluoride. Some can even be found at better drug stores. We usually make our own toothpaste (see recipe below), but when we run out or travel, we prefer Toothsoap as our all-natural, tooth hygiene alternative. Because it has no glycerine, Toothsoap leaves teeth “dental-visit” clean and ready to be remineralized via a good diet. It does taste a bit soapy though, so I usually make our own.

Homemade No-Fluoride Toothpaste
This is our family recipe for fluoride-free toothpaste. It helps remove stains, leaves a fresh feeling in the mouth, helps relieve sensitive teeth, and saves money.

• 3 Tbsp. baking soda
• 1 Tbsp. finely ground sea salt
• A few drops peppermint, wintergreen, anise, clove or cinnamon bark essential oil, according to the taste you want (be sparing, they are very strong)
• 1 tsp. xylitol or a few drops of liquid stevia (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. finely ground sage (optional antimicrobial)
• Extra Virgin coconut oil, softened but not liquified

1. Mix all ingredients but coconut oil to taste.
2. Mix in a teaspoon of coconut oil at a time until you find the right consistency for you.
3. Put into a small, sealable jar or squeezable container.
4. Brush!

How You Can Help Stop Water Fluoridation
Please, join the anti-fluoride movement in the United States, Canada and New Zealand by contacting the representative for your area below.

U.S. Communities Fighting Fluoridation:

1. New York City, NY:With the recent victory in Calgary, New York City is the next big emphasis. The anti-fluoridation movement has a great champion in New York City councilor Peter Vallone, Jr. who introduced legislation on January 18 “prohibiting the addition of fluoride to the water supply.”A victory there could signal the beginning of the end of fluoridation in the U.S. so it is a really big deal. The point person for this area is Carol Kopf, at the New York Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation (NYSCOF). Email her at NYSCOF@aol.com.
2. Austin, Texas: Join the effort by contacting Rae Nadler-Olenick at either: info@fluoridefreeaustin.com or fluoride.info@yahoo.com, or by regular mail or telephone:
   

   POB 7486
   Austin, Texas 78713
   Phone: (512) 371-3786

3. San Diego, California: Contact Patty Ducey-Brooks, publisher of the Presidio Sentinel at pbrooks936@aol.com .

Canadian Communities Fighting Fluoridation:

1. If you live in Ontario, Canada, please join the ongoing effort by contacting Diane Sprules at diane.sprules@cogeco.ca.
2. The point-of-contact for Toronto, Canada is Aliss Terpstra. You may email her at aliss@nutrimom.ca.

New Zealand Communities Fighting Fluoridation:

1. New Zealand: Contact Mary Byrne if you would like to be involved in stopping fluoridation in New Zealand. Email her at: mbyrne64@yahoo.co.nz

In addition, you can:

• Tell the EPA you expect them to uphold their duty to protect you and your children from this toxic food fumigant.
• Make a tax-deductible donation to the Fluoride Action Network to help them fight for fluoride-free food and water.
• Check out FAN’s Action Page, as they are working on multiple fronts to rid our food and water supplies of fluoride.
• Join the Fluoride Action Network Facebook page.

This post is part of Fight Back Fridays at Food Renegade!

An estimated 80% of all food on grocery store shelves contains genetically engineered soy, corn or Canola—even foods you wouldn’t expect to contain them, like spaghetti sauce. If you haven’t yet seen “The Future of Food,” please take the time to watch this feature-length documentary investigating the disturbing truth behind the genetically engineered foods that have quietly filled U.S. grocery store shelves for the past decade.

I’ve been in a lengthy online disagreement on a Change.org forum with a proponent of genetically engineered (GM) crops, and it seems that there are a lot of myths about our ability to “feed the world.” Many people think that without high-tech inputs like genetically engineered crops, pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, we will have widespread famine as the global population mushrooms to 8 billion people over the coming decades. Nothing could be further from the truth…

According to the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization (UNFAO) 2007 report, “Current food production can sustain world food needs even for the 8 billion people projected to inhabit the planet by 2030. This will hold even with anticipated increases in meat consumption, and without adding genetically modified crops.”

But, the growing push toward industrial agriculture and globalization—with an emphasis on export crops, genetically modified crops, and rapid expansion of biofuel crops (sugar cane, corn, soybean, oil palm, euca­lyptus, etc.)—is increasingly reshaping the world’s agriculture and food supply, with potentially severe economic, social, and ecological impacts and risks. After all, none of these commodity crops actually feed people the diverse, nutritious diet that we need to be healthy.

Furthermore, the industrial farming practices currently in use today (including industrial organic farming to a lesser degree) release tons of harmful carbon dioxide and nitrogen into the atmosphere, promote soil erosion, salinization, desertification and loss of soil fertility. The UNFAO estimates that over 25 percent of arable land in the world is already compromised by these problems, especially in more arid regions and in sloped terrain.

Globally, the Green Revolution, while enhancing crop production, has proven to be unsustainable as it damaged the environment, caused dramatic loss of biodiversity and associat­ed traditional knowledge, favored wealthier farmers, and left many poor farmers deeper in debt. The new Green Revolution proposed for Africa via the multi-institutional Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) appears destined to repeat the tragic record left by the fertilizer-dependent “miracle seeds” used in Latin America and Asia, by increasing depen­dency on fossil fuels, foreign inputs and patent-protected GM plant varieties which poor farmers cannot afford (for example, fertilizer costs went up approxi­mately 270 percent last year), and on foreign aid.

So, How Do We “Feed the World?”
North Dakota organic farmer and sustainable farming activist Fred Kirschenmann, refutes the notion that all-out, high-input production for the global marketplace is the only way to feed the world. Kirschenmann even wonders if “feeding the world” should be our goal.

“‘Feeding the world’ suggests that someone will take responsibility for feeding someone else, and therefore make them dependent. Under those terms, there can be no food security,” he writes. “‘Keeping the world fed’ suggests that people will be empowered to feed themselves. That is essential to long-term food security.”

Critics of sustainable farming often argue that such methods can’t keep up the pace of producing enough food to feed an ever-expanding human population. But Kirschenmann maintains that we need alternatives to the industrial model because it is quickly destroying the fragile ecological balances and using up the natural resources upon which farming depends.

” … the real problem with the unprecedented increase in human population is that it has led to the disruption and deterioration of the natural functioning of earth’s biotic community, and that is what threatens our future—not lack of production,” he points out.

Reining in population growth, of course, is part of the solution. But the other major piece of the puzzle is to find ways of farming that mirror the evolutionary stability of the ecological neighborhoods in which we live, and that enhance rather than deplete our resources.

After examining ag-related controversies ranging from global climate change to the role of livestock, Kirschenmann argues that organic farms “… integrated into local ecologies and rooted in local communities, can do a better job of keeping the world fed than large, corporate farms owned by distant investors.”

He concludes: “The best way to achieve food security is through food locally produced by local people with local control.”

The Case for Agroecological and Organic Farming
Can organic, smallholder farming do much to feed an increasingly hungry world? Almost everyone assumes that it can’t. It is seen as something purely for the health-conscious Western middle classes. But the counter-intuitive truth is very different.

Study after study shows that organic techniques can provide much more food per acre in developing countries than conventional chemical-based agriculture. One report—published last year by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)—found that 114 projects, covering nearly two million African farmers, more than doubled their yields by introducing organic or near-organic practices.

Numerous field trials in the U.S. and the U.K have shown that organic farming practices produce commodity yields comparable to conventional, but even if the yields are somewhat reduced compared to crops farmed with fossil-fuel dependent machines and chemicals, the improvement in carbon sequestration, soil fertility, moisture holding capacity and nutrition-density improves cumulatively with each season, and this has many very important benefits over industrial agriculture.

Agroecological, organic techniques like polycultural plantings, rotation crops, cover crops and animal manures are particularly advantageous in regions that lack money, technology and fossil fuels for industrial approaches. Going organic will also pay long-term dividends, for it builds up soil where conventional farming depletes it, prevents exposure to toxic pesticides, sequesters tons of carbon which offsets global warming, and stores more water in the ground in what will be an increasingly thirsty world.

Professor Jules Pretty of Essex University, who has studied the issue for more than 20 years, says: “Methods used by organic farmers can dramatically increase yields over those achieved by low-intensity conventional agriculture.” Even more important, as the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development points out, going organic almost always boosts the incomes of small Third World farmers, because they no longer have to buy costly inputs.

Poor farmers around the world are lifting themselves out of poverty by going organic. Small-scale farmers all over the world have stopped forking out for expensive, toxic chemicals and patented, genetically modified seeds in favor of traditional methods of growing which they haven’t used for decades.

The result? Small communities are re-learning how to manage their natural resources, meaning they produce more reliable, bigger crops and a better living wage with less toxic pollution. For many of the world’s 1.4 billion small-scale farmers, the benefit of organics is clear: better food, security and a better life.

A New Way for the Post-Fossil Fuel World
“The commercial industrial technologies that are used in agriculture today to feed the world… are not inherently sustainable,” Monsanto CEO Robert Shapiro told the Greenpeace Business Conference recently. “They have not worked well to promote either self-sufficiency or food security in developing countries.” Feeding the world sustainably “is out of the question with current agricultural practice,” Shapiro told the Society of Environmental Journalists in 1995. “Loss of topsoil, of salinity of soil as a result of irrigation, and ultimate reliance on petrochemicals … are, obviously, not renewable. That clearly isn’t sustainable.”

But do we really need to embark upon another risky technological, industrial fix to solve the mistakes of a previous one? Instead, we should be looking for solutions that are based on ecological and biological principles and have significantly fewer environmental and social costs. There is such an alternative that has been pioneered by organic farmers and permaculture smallholders.

In contrast to the industrial/monoculture approach advocated by Monsanto and the GM seed industry, organic agriculture is described by the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) as “a holistic production management system which promotes and enhances agro-ecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity.”

According to Miguel A. Altieri, professor of agroecology at the University of California at Berkeley, “Food systems must become less dependent on fossil fuels, more resilient in the face of climate change, and able to contribute to the Government’s pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050. Farming based on organic principles can deliver against all three challenges.”

Last year, the world’s biggest and most authoritative study—the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD)—backed organic agriculture as part of a “radical change” in the way the world grows its food. Certainly, the present over-concentration on intensive agriculture has not succeeded even in reducing the number of people going hungry—this year it topped one billion for the first time.

Technology will of course be important to the looming food crisis, but the search for a “silver bullet” like genetic modification to solve all these problems is a dangerous distraction. The solutions are already largely available; it’s now about the political will to implement them.

The question then, is not “how to feed the world,” but rather, how can we develop sustainable farming methods that have the potential to help the world feed and sustain itself.

7 Steps to Solving the Food Crisis – from Yes! Magazine
“The official prescriptions for solving the world food crisis call for more subsidies for industrialized nations, more food aid, and more so-called Green (or Gene) Revolutions. Expecting the institutions that built the current flawed food system to solve the food crisis is like asking an arsonist to put out a forest fire. When the world food crisis exploded in early 2008, ADM’s profits increased by 38 percent, Cargill’s by 128 percent, and Mosaic Fertilizer (a Cargill subsidiary) by a whopping 1,615 percent!

For decades, family farmers the world over have resisted this corporate control. They have worked to diversify crops, protect soil and native seeds, and conserve nature. They have established local gardens, businesses, and community-based food systems. These strategies are effective. They need to be given a chance to work.

The solutions to the food crisis are those that make the lives of family farmers easier: re-regulate the market, reduce the power of the agri-foods industrial complex, and build ecologically resilient family agriculture. Here are some of the needed steps:

1. Support domestic food production.

2. Stabilize and guarantee fair prices to farmers and consumers by re-establishing floor prices and publicly owned national grain reserves. Establish living wages for workers on farms, in processing facilities, and in supermarkets.

3. Halt agrofuels expansion.

4. Curb speculation in food.

5. Promote a return to smallholder farming. On a pound-per-acre basis, family farms are more productive than large-scale industrial farms. And they use less oil. Because 75 percent of the world’s poor are farmers, this will address poverty, too.

6. Support agro-ecological and organic food production.

7. Food sovereignty: Recognize the right of all people to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound methods and their own food systems.

This post is part of Fight Back Fridays hosted by Food Renegade!

Did you know that America faces a water-supply crisis? Less than 2% of the Earth’s water supply is fresh water, and yet we’re using and polluting our water faster than we can replenish our clean supply. Today, the average American uses approximately 140-160 gallons of water per day, so it’s more crucial than ever that we reduce our water usage as much as possible so we have enough for tomorrow.

In this episode of the Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Robert Glennon, author of Unquenchable, tells us he believes Americans need a moral compass and the political will to prevent the water crisis from becoming a catastrophe. Profligate consumption of water for agriculture, power generation, industry, and homes has led to reduction of groundwater, threats to rivers, and mortal danger to many of the nation’s lakes. Much of the blame for this state of affairs lies with uncontrolled growth in the nation’s South and Southwest. Desert cities such as Las Vegas use fountains as decorations. Phoenix households draw down the finite resources of ever-shrinking Lake Mead.

In Unquenchable, Glennon documents in great detail the present and future water crises in Georgia, California, and even seemingly water-rich Michigan, noting that states generally end up competing with one another over water allocation and that international conflict follows in short order. Desalination offers little immediate hope because of economic and ecological barriers. Glennon submits a list of possible reforms to decrease water consumption. Some, such as waterless toilets, are technological innovations. Others, such as restructuring sewer systems, require governmental intervention.

Saving water is even more important if you live in a dry climate where there are water restrictions or drought conditions, like San Diego, Phoenix, or Denver. But even if you live where rainfall is plentiful, a few easy changes can save you at least $200 per year on your water and sewer bills, and help protect our water supplies from depleting too quickly: 

Dishwashers. If your dishwasher was built before 1994, buy a new energy- and water-efficient Energy Star-qualified model, and you’ll save more than $30 per year in utility costs. Many states and municipalities offer rebates or tax incentives for upgrading your dishwasher: Find out if you qualify.

Faucets. If your bathroom and kitchen faucet pours out more than 2 gallons per minute, attach low-flow faucet aerators. You’ll save up to $80 per year on utility bills. If you turn the sink off while you brush your teeth or scrub your hands, you’ll save even more!

Showers. If your showerhead blasts more than 3 gallons per minute, switch it out for a low-flow one. Most low-flow showerheads feel as nice as the high-flow ones. Since you’ll also save energy (due to less hot water use), you’ll shave about $80 per year off your utility bills. You can save even more if your shower takes less than 6 minutes!

Toilets. Compared to a pre-1993 3.5 gallon-per-flush toilet, an EPA WaterSense-labeled toilet will use 1.3 gallons or less, saving $90 per year. Many cities offer local rebates if you change out your toilet to a low-flow or dual-flush model. If you don’t need a new toilet, you can cheaply convert your existing toilet by putting a plastic bottle full of sand or a brick placed in an airtight bag into the tank to displace the water. You can also retrofit your tank with a dual-flush system that will use less water when all you need to flush is urine.

Ever wonder why we use potable water to flush the toilet? What a waste! To really maximize your water savings, consider installing a Watersaver system that recycles the water from your bathroom sink by using it to flush your toilet. This system in combination with a low-flow, dual-flush toilet could save you hundreds of dollars and thousands of gallons a year!

Washing Machines. If your washing machine is more than 10 years old, a front-loading, high-efficiency Energy Star-qualified washer can save you $145 per year between power and water bills. Many states and municipalities offer rebates or tax incentives for upgrading your washing machine: Find out if you qualify.

Irrigation. Landscape irrigation is one of the biggest uses of household water during the summer, so anything you can do to save water outside your home will also save you at least $75 a year. A series of rainbarrels—or better yet, a cistern—can capture rain water from your rooftop which you can then use to water your lawn and gardens for free, saving precious fresh water for cooking, drinking and bathing. (Calculate the size of the rainbarrel system or cistern you need to capture all the water from your rooftop here.)

You can also install a micro-irrigation system that targets just your plants and reduces the runoff and evaporation that wasteful sprinkler systems cause. These drip systems are very affordable, easy to install and highly efficient—they can even water your outdoor potted plants while you are away!

Since it takes energy to treat our water, if just one out of every 100 American homes retrofitted with water-efficient fixtures, we’d save enough energy to power 900 homes for a year. So in every way it pays to conserve water. After all, we can’t live without it.

Shop for Water-Wise Products >>

This extremely inspiring, 5-minute video demonstrates how Permaculture gardening practices can be used to desalinate soils just a mile away from the Dead Sea in the Jordanian desert—restoring them to life and food productivity without the use of chemical fertilizers, heavy irrigation or tilling.

If we can heal the land and bring life back to a desert that has been dead for centuries—and do it without fossil fuels, chemicals, genetic engineering or other high-tech, resource-intensive methods—then we already have all the tools we need to feed the world and repair our environment today. How exciting! 

Permaculture is an approach to designing human settlements and perennial agricultural systems that mimic the relationships found in natural ecologies. It was first developed by Australians Bill Mollison and David Holmgren and their associates during the 1970s in a series of publications.

Permaculture comes from “permanent culture” or “permanent agriculture.” The practical goal is the creation of sustainable biosystems that provide for their own needs and recycle their waste. Permaculture is a design philosophy encompassing diverse but inter-related fields, including gardening/horticulture, architecture, ecology, community design, and systems theory. Permaculture is about arranging the right elements together in a system so that they sustain and support each other for long-term productive living.

The intent was that, by rapidly training individuals in a core set of design principles, those individuals could design their own environments and build increasingly self-sufficient human settlements—ones that reduce society’s reliance on industrial systems of production and distribution that Mollison identified as fundamentally and systematically destroying Earth’s ecosystems.

This is not as hard as it sounds—nature is very powerful and within a few years, even living in an apartment, people can create remarkably productive local biosystems. But Permaculture does involve giving up a lot of modern ways of thinking and behaving. As Mollison puts it, Permaculture is about “not shitting in your bed”—but since this is mostly how modern life operates, it represents a radical departure in thinking. But once a permaculture system is established, the main danger, according to Mollison, is from falling food.

Permaculture has spawned widespread and enthusiastic interest around the world. For example, the Vietnamese government have adopted the principles into their agricultural policy and distributed translated copies of the Permaculture Designer’s Manual to their farmers.

According to renowned environmental activist David Suzuki, “What permaculturists are doing is the most important activity that any group is doing on the planet.” You can do Permaculture too, starting right out your front door. Learn how!

Watch the video and spread the word about Permaculture!

This post is part of Fight Back Fridays hosted by Food Renegade!

Dr. David Servan-Schrieber believes that we are in the midst a self-inflicted epidemic of cancer, which affects approximately one in three people in the U.S. After undergoing chemotherapy and surgery for brain cancer, Servan-Schreiber, a clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, asked his oncologist if any lifestyle changes would prevent a relapse; the answer was no. Certain this was wrong, Servan-Schreiber spent months researching a mass of scientific data on natural defenses against cancer.

His new book, Anticancer: A New Way of Life, discusses how eating a diet high in sugar and trans-fats, as well as other lifestyle choices we make, contribute to the 40% of cancer cases that are completely preventable.

Here is his story, and information about how you can prevent cancer yourself.

If Food, Inc. had you feeling sad and angry about all that is corrupt and unhealthy about our industrial food system, Fresh, The Movie presents a vision of the possible by profiling heroes all over the country who are changing the way we eat for the better.

Fresh shows us how a sustainable food system operates by portraying the palpable joy of farmers like Joel Salatin in rural Virginia and Will Allen in urban Milwaukee who are finding ways to farm that create high-quality food profitably and without chemicals.

Fresh is an inspiring movie that ultimately asks us how we can reinvent our food system in a way that is sustainable, delicious and nutritious. Go see it, or arrange for a screening in your community.

This video from the Environmental Working Group speaks for itself.

Shocked? Angry? Afraid for the children in your life?

SIGN THE PETITION

Ever wonder why some people seldom brush their teeth and have few, if any, cavities, whereas others brush and floss religiously and still have constant dental problems? Or why isolated peoples who eat traditional, whole food diets may have never used a toothbrush, and yet have perfect, straight teeth with no decay throughout their lives?

A lot of people believe that the central cause of tooth decay is the fermentation of foods on your teeth. This theory is like blaming the rain because your roof is leaking. When the roof of your home is sealed and well cared for, it will not leak. Similarly, when your tooth enamel is strong and healthy, your teeth will not be affected by the conditions in the mouth, or by the products of food being left on the teeth, no matter how much you brush (or don’t). So this theory is only partially true.

Trying to eliminate bacteria from our mouth to prevent tooth decay is similar to trying to stop the rain from falling in order to prevent leaky roofs. The theory that bacteria in our mouth produce acids, which then cause tooth decay is also false. Saliva has a basic pH and will neutralize acids in the mouth rapidly. So if not food and bacteria, what then, does cause tooth decay?

The Real Cause of Tooth Decay
Teeth, like bones, are living organs. While they renew themselves much slower than softer organs like your skin or your liver, teeth are constantly breaking down and replacing their cells. In a healthy person, new dentin and enamel is constantly being generated from vitamins, minerals and enzymes in your bloodstream which are pushed out through microscopic tubules to the outer layers of your teeth. With enough vitamins and minerals in the right ratios, teeth will constantly remineralize and regenerate themselves, and do not need treatments such as fluoride to remain healthy.

Tooth decay is not therefore bacteria or acids eating away at your teeth, but rather it is part of the natural cycle of the life of your teeth. In a healthy individual, the cycle of decay is checked by the renewal of cells, as healthy cells replace dead cells in our teeth. However, due to factors including diet, toxic accumulations from the environment, and stress, the functioning of our bodies can fall out of balance, leaving us susceptible to disease. Our teeth are no different.

Most of us in the Western world—where processed, prepackaged, and denatured foods are prevalent—have this cycle of decay and regrowth deeply out of balance and our bodies simply cannot replace the cells in our teeth properly before disease takes over. Deposits on teeth therefore are not caused by bacterial action, but, as evidence has shown, are due to imbalances in our body chemistry.

So it is not sugar, smoking, coffee, candy, soda, etc. in and of themselves that cause tooth decay. It is the malnutrition and blood sugar swings that eating such foods creates in your body that disrupts the balance in your mouth and allows decay to prevail. In essence, tooth decay—like almost all disease—is caused at its root by malnutrition which causes biochemical imbalances that leave the body weak and open to degeneration.

According to Cure Tooth Decay: Heal and Prevent Cavities with Nutrition, Dr. Melvin Page, DDS and anthropologist Leon Abrams believe that it takes just a 25% imbalance of body chemistry to cause teeth to decay. After 30 years of research and 40,000 blood tests, Dr. Page discovered that a disturbance in the ratio of calcium to phosphorus in the blood causes tooth decay and gum disease. Most importantly, they found that a ratio of 8.75mg of calcium to 3.5mg of phosphorus per 100cc of blood, with normal blood sugar levels of 85mg per 100cc of blood creates immunity to tooth decay. When this ratio deviated or when blood sugar levels grew too high or low, they found that minerals were withdrawn from the dentin and bone to compensate, resulting in tooth decay.

However, even if you have perfect blood sugar and an abundance of calcium and phosphorus in your diet in just the right ratio, the presence or absence of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K determines whether or not your body will be able to utilize those minerals in the proper way. Unfortunately these vitamins are largely missing from the Western/American diet, and without them, all the minerals in the world will not help your bones or teeth.

On average, Americans don’t get enough minerals or vitamins to be healthy because we seldom eat high-quality, fresh, organic whole foods like pasture-raised animal products and leafy green vegetables. Additionally, the Standard Western/American Diet is extremely high in sugar (including natural sugar from fruits and juices), white flour, processed, refined and denatured foods, caffeine, preservatives, and other food-borne toxins that cause rampant blood sugar swings and deficiencies, which are at the root of the epidemic of diabetes in this country. This combination of low nutrition and high processed food leads to radical biochemical imbalances that ultimately lead to all sorts of chronic and degenerative diseases, including tooth decay and gum disease.

Comparatively, Dr. Weston A. Price, DDS, performed nutrient analysis for the many isolated and modernized groups he studied when looking around the globe for causes of tooth decay. In the case of the Swiss, he found that the isolated Swiss diet contained 10 times more fat-soluble vitamins, 4 times more calcium and 4 times more phosphorus than the modern Swiss diet.

The Aborigines of Australia have a native diet that contains 5 times the calcium, 6 times the phophorus and 10 times the amount of fat-soluble vitamins as the modern Australian diet. Aborigines who maintain their native diet have healthy, straight teeth, and are virtually immune to tooth decay. But those who adopt the modern Australian diet quickly succumb to tooth decay, gum disease and, in children, orthodontic misalignments and malocclusions. Dr. Price found this to be true of all peoples who have deviated from their traditional diets in favor of modern, Western food choices.

The Trouble with Dental Work
Fillings, crowns, root canals, etc. do not cure tooth decay; they only treat the symptoms of a greater imbalance in the body. Getting a filling today will not guarantee that you don’t need a root canal in the same tooth or fillings in other teeth later on. Additionally, dental work, while occasionally necessary, typically uses toxic materials like fluoride, mercury and Bisphenol-A that can lead to other health problems down the road.

As in all health issues, prevention through optimal nutrition is the best medicine.

Nutrition and Preventing Tooth Decay
Ensuring you have ample Vitamins A, D, E and K in your diet, as well as plenty of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and other minerals is key to a healthy body and healthy teeth. Dr. Weston Price found that indigenous groups that had the highest immunity to tooth decay ate daily from at least two of the following four concentrated sources for these vitamins:

1. raw, pasture-fed dairy (NOT homogenized or pasteurized), or eggs from wild or pasture-fed fowl,
2. wild sea foods including organs, and
3. organs of pastured or wild land animals.
4. Although considered yucky to Westerners, insects are also an outstanding source of these vitamins, and are enjoyed by many cultures that eat traditional diets, as well as by our nearest animal relatives, the Great Apes.

Because we Westerners almost never eat raw dairy, pastured eggs, organ meats or fresh, wild seafood—much less fresh, organic leafy greens and vegetables grown on healthy soils, it is common for modern Westerners to have deficiencies in Vitamins A, D, E and K, as well as most minerals, and to therefore have dental and other health problems.

Many people are not physically able to get enough Vitamin D from the sun because of where they live, the time of year, or because of the amount of pigment in their skin. And about a third of the population cannot effectively convert beta-carotene from plants into Vitamin A. For these reasons, the majority of humanity can only get optimal amounts of the vitamins A, D, E and K from high-quality animal products.

It is also for these same reasons that many vegetarians have a difficult time acquiring enough of these vital fat-soluble vitamins, and therefore have a higher susceptibility to tooth decay. Furthermore, our grains and vegetables—even from organic farms—are grown in depleted soils, so it is also difficult for modern vegetarians to get enough minerals from plant sources alone. Vegetarians would be wise to supplement their diets with plenty of organic eggs from pasture-raised hens and high-vitamin, yellow butter and dairy products from grassfed, raw milk.

Vegans notoriously have dental issues. I was a vegan myself for many, many years—the later part of which were also the worst years for me in terms of dental health. It is precisely due to the lack of fat-soluble vitamins in the vegan diet that makes it very difficult for vegans to remain immune to cavities—and, in children, orthodontic issues.

Vegans will have to be extra careful to make sure they get enough sun, since Vitamin D is not found reliably in any plant sources, and should have their Vitamin D levels checked regularly. Without enough Vitamin D, minerals cannot be properly absorbed and utilized in the body, which over time will create deficiencies that will deeply affect your immunity to diseases, including tooth decay and gum disease. Supplementation with Vitamin D as well as Vitamin B-12 is often recommended for vegans.

Vegans must also take care to eat an abundance of raw nuts, seeds, seaweeds, and leafy greens to get enough of Vitamins A, E, and K, and minerals like calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. Lastly, vegans (and everyone else too) should especially avoid radical spikes in their blood sugar from eating a lot of sweet fruit and fruit juices.

Nutrition for Healing Tooth Decay
It is very simple really: if your oral health is suffering, your body chemistry is out of balance due to nutritional deficiencies. Resetting this balance can be accomplished with dietary changes, but a few pitfalls must be avoided:

Poor food quality. Precision in food selection is key to remineralizing cavities and reaching optimal health. Optimal health is dependent on optimal nutrition which comes from optimal foods.

First, avoid all packaged foods. They are of low quality and have very little nutrition. While some packaged and processed foods might be fortified, these vitamins are synthetic and are barely absorbed by the body.

One would think that buying organic foods would be enough to restore proper nutrition, but consider the example of organic yogurt: It is stored in plastic containers and may not be fresh; the milk may be of average quality and lacking in nutrients because the cows were grain-fed and their milk was pasteurized. In order for dairy products to contain optimal nutrition, they must be not only be organic, but also raw, and the animals that produce them must be grass-fed and allowed to graze in the sun.

Organic, free-range eggs bought at the grocery store are, at best, mediocre. For eggs to be truly nutritious, they must come from chickens allowed to roam in the sunshine eating their native diet of worms, bugs, grasses, seeds and plants. Eggs from such hens have dark orange yolks, not yellow, and are, frankly, out-of-this-world delicious.

Organic vegetables are only as nutritious as they are fresh, in season, and grown on healthy, mineral-rich soils. An organic fruit or vegetable that has been grown on depleted soils and then shipped hundreds or thousands of miles to your table will only have a fraction of the nutrition of one that was harvested that day and sold at the local farm market.

Not eating fat-soluble vitamins often enough. To achieve regular tooth remineralization and optimal health, you need to get a substantial amount of Vitamins A, D, E and K—much, much more than the current U.S. Recommended Daily Allowances, which were designed as bare minimums for survival. Ideally, this means you need to eat once or twice a day from at least two of the four special food groups that Dr. Price identified:

1. raw grass-fed dairy and eggs from pasture-raised or wild fowl,
2. fish and shellfish (including fish eggs, organs and head) (Fermented cod liver oil is a good alternative),
3. organs and bone marrow of pasture-raised or wild land animals,
4. insects. (Yeah, I know, not likely to happen.)

Too many natural sweets. Eating sweet fruits and natural sweeteners like maple syrup and honey can still contribute to tooth decay by causing calcium to be pulled from the bones and teeth. For many people, especially those at high risk for blood sugar imbalance and tooth decay, eating sweet foods even once a day may be unhealthy.

Lack of phosphorus. Phosphorus is easily depleted from our soils, so its deficiency is common in the modern diet, even if you think you eat well. Eating foods high in phosphorus, like raw nuts and seeds, grassfed meats and dairy, wild fish, and pasture-raised eggs is key to bone and tooth health.

Lack of other minerals. Bones and teeth also need other minerals like strontium, magnesium, and silica to be healthy. The most nutrient dense sources of these minerals are bone broths, seafood, and seaweeds. Most vegetables are grown on depleted soils—even organic ones—so you may not get enough from eating a lot of leafy greens and other vegetables alone, especially if you cook them.

Poor food absorption. Many Westerners cannot properly absorb the nutrients they eat because their guts have been damaged from years of poor-quality, processed, cooked foods. It is important to include daily consumption of fermented vegetables or meats, and lots of raw foods to provide your digestive system with the probiotic bacteria and enzymes necessary to properly utilize the nutrients you eat.

Eating 60% or more of your daily diet in raw vegetables and fermented, living foods is optimal. Fermented, living foods include unpasteurized sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, and yogurt from raw milk, etc. Raw foods include all raw vegetables and fruits as well as raw eggs, steak tartar, sashimi, ceviche, etc. Nourishing Traditions and The Recipe for Living Without Disease have excellent recipes for safely preparing nourishing foods that are easy to absorb, particularly raw veggies and animal products.

A Complete Tooth Healing Protocol
Diseases like tooth decay arise when your body is out of balance. Ramiel Nagel, the author of Cure Tooth Decay: Heal and Prevent Cavities with Nutrition, has included a complete nutritional protocol in his book for reestablishing nutritional balance, remineralizing teeth and preventing tooth decay.

In the book, Nagel lays out the foods that can restore oral health, the foods that should be avoided at all costs because they cause mineral deficiencies (like soy, table salt, and pasteurized dairy products, among others), and the healing herbs and oils that can alleviate tooth pain and infection in a hurry. Cure Tooth Decay is a Small Footprint Must-Read.

Because my husband and I have long suffered with tooth decay and misaligned teeth, we are following this proven protocol in the hopes that we can prevent further dental problems in ourselves, and completely avoid them altogether with our daughter and any future children we might have.

I can say that in the last 8 years since I’ve added grass-fed meat and wild-caught fish back into to my diet (after a lifetime of vegetarian and veganism) my health has improved greatly. And while I’ve had issues with teeth that received dental work in the past, I haven’t had a single new cavity in that time either. I’m expecting that by eating mostly raw and fermented vegetables, meats, fish and eggs as outlined in Cure Tooth Decay, we’ll all improve our dental and physical health even further.

(If you want to know where to find grass-fed meats, clean organ meats and wild-caught fish, please check my Resources page.)

While everyone’s road to balance is unique, the protocol in Cure Tooth Decay has been used successfully by thousands of people over the past 60 years to minimize, prevent and even reverse and remineralize tooth decay and gum disease. However, if you have dental problems that need immediate attention, please get it from a good dentist—preferably a non-toxic, holistic dentist, if you can find one in your area.

Eat well!

If your wondering where to find grass-fed meat, organ meats, wild-caught fish and more, please check out the following Small Footprint sponsors.

Free Delivery and 15% off with code AFF15 through this link!

My husband and I have a history of lots of painful dental work and orthodonture, and both of us have mouthfuls of toxic mercury fillings we wish we had had an alternative for when we were young. (Dating ourselves here, I guess!). Now that Babyzilla has 8 teeth, we are particularly concerned that they remain healthy, straight and strong.

To that end, we give her no sugar or processed foods. We don’t eat them ourselves, so this is pretty easy to do. We also give her bone broths and high-vitamin fermented cod liver oil, which have lots of Vitamins A, D and K, and minerals, as well as Omega-3s—all crucial for healthy brain, teeth and bones. Lastly, we brush her few teeth daily (though she prefers to do it herself) with either our homemade toothpaste (see below) or Earth’s Best tooth gel, which like many kid’s toothpastes, has no fluoride.

Why do most kids’ toothpastes have no fluoride? Because kids inevitably will swallow some paste, and fluoride is extremely TOXIC. In fact, eating a tube of toothpaste will kill a child (and seriously harm an adult), so keep any fluoride paste or mouthwash out of reach, like you do bathroom cleaners and medicines.

For me, this begs the question: Why are we putting a toxic chemical that should never be swallowed into our mouth, food and water supply in the first place?

The type of fluoride added to water supplies, most toothpastes, and many beverages and foods are waste products of the nuclear, aluminum, and phosphate (fertilizer) industries. The EPA has classified sodium fluoride as a toxin. In addition to being the primary ingredient in rat and cockroach poisons, sodium fluoride is also a main ingredient in anesthetic, hypnotic, and psychiatric drugs as well as nerve gas used by the military. Do we really want this in our mouths?

Under the Pure Water Drinking Act, it is illegal to dump fluoride in lakes, streams and oceans. But, for some strange reason, it’s ok to dump fluoride into our municipal water supply and rub it into our teeth and gums twice a day.

How Did We Get Here? – A Brief History of Fluoride
According to journalist Christopher Bryson, author of The Fluoride Deception (a Small Footprint Must-Read), getting large quantities of sodium fluoride into the water and food system was the result of the massive public relations campaigns sponsored by industries who were saddled with getting rid of toxic waste.

Fluoride is necessary for the processing or enriching of uranium. Much of the original proof that fluoride is “safe” for humans in low doses was fabricated in the 1940s by Manhattan Project A-bomb program scientists, who had been secretly ordered to provide “evidence useful in litigation” against defense contractors for fluoride injury to citizens. The first lawsuits against the U.S. A-bomb program were not over radiation, but over fluoride damage. Their pro-fluoride propaganda was successful in convincing juries and the public that not only was fluoride safe, but that it was beneficial for kids’ dental health!

Sodium fluoride was used by both Hitler during WWII and also by the Russians to make the populus docile. Fluoride is also a principal ingredient in many antidepression drugs, such as Prozac because of its ability to numb the mind. And it was key in the worst air pollution disaster in U.S. history in Donora, Pennsylvania that killed 20 people and hospitalized over 7,000 between October 26 and 31, 1948.

Because of the mind altering affects of fluoride, in the early 1950′s, the notorious spin master and father of advertising, Edward Bernays, continued the campaign for adding fluoride to water supplies as an experiment in engineering human consent! Then the ADA picked up on the dental issue and endorsed sodium fluoride’s addition to water supplies.

For the last several decades, any dissenting health studies and reports were usually dismissed as quacks regardless of their credentials. Despite this, in 1999, over 1500 professionals at the US EPA, including toxicologists and risk assessment experts voted unanimously to oppose the fluoridation initiative in California because of the health risks involved. But fluoridation was approved in most California municipalities anyway.

Fluoride’s Affects on Your Health
The fluoride used for water fluoridation does not have FDA approval and is considered by the FDA as an “unapproved drug.” The proper use of any drug requires an understanding of how much is too much. Since fluoride is already in many foods and beverages, it is estimated that we’re already receiving 300% or more of the American Dental Association’s recommended daily amount.

Generally, most fluoride entering the body is not easily eliminated. It tends to accumulate in the body’s bones and teeth. Recently, it has been discovered to accumulate even more in the pineal gland, located in the middle of the brain. The consequence of fluoride accumulation is dental fluorosis, which permanently stains and pits teeth, and leaves them brittle. The incidence of dental fluorosis among U.S. children has increased from 10 percent to 22 percent in the past 25 years, says the ADA. Yet, the American Dental Association continues to promote fluoride, refusing to admit that instead of preventing tooth decay, fluoride causes even more dental harm.

The flood of sodium fluoride in water and food also creates other more serious health problems that are not widely publicized—even suppressed. Nevertheless, in addition to fluorosis, independent labs and reputable researchers have linked the following health issues with daily long term intake of sodium fluoride:

• Cancer
• Genetic DNA Damage
• Thyroid Disruption – affecting the complete endocrine system and leading to obesity. (People with thyroid disease are advised to avoid fluoridated water.)
• Neurological Impairment – The toxic effects of fluoride on the central nervous system is confirmed by previously-classified government research. Two new epidemiological studies confirm fluoride’s neurotoxic effects on the brain and have shown that children exposed to high levels of fluoride had lower IQs.
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Birth Defects
• Melatonin Disruption - lowers immunity to cancer, accelerates aging, sleep disorders.
• Pineal Gland Disorder - calcification, which clogs this gland located in the middle of the brain.
• Osteoarthritis
  

Fluoride Proven Ineffective
You might be worried about how removing fluoride from our drinking water or toothpaste might affect our teeth. But you do not need to be.

All of the recent large-scale studies of water fluoridation have shown that there are no positive effects from the practice. According to statistics from the World Health Organization, the tooth decay rates of countries which do not fluoridate their water supplies are just as low, or even lower, than those countries which do. Further, several studies published since 2000 have reported that there has been no increase in tooth decay rates noted in communities which ended water fluoridation.

Fluoridation is illegal, banned or not used in an overwhelming number of countries, including many industrialized countries. Despite pressure from the dental industry, 99% of western Europe has rejected, banned, or stopped fluoridation due to environmental, health, legal, or ethical concerns. And yet, their children’s teeth are just as healthy as children’s teeth in the U.S. In fact, in many parts of Europe, they are healthier.

The good news is that the voice of concerned, unbiased science is beginning to overwhelm the voice of pro-fluoride industry propaganda. For example, in November 2006, the American Dental Association actually advised parents to avoid giving fluoridated water to babies.

Take the advice, and protect yourself and your children by avoiding fluoride.

Reducing Fluoride Exposure
Fluoride can be found in tap and bottled tap water, soft drinks, juices and foods made with tap water, vitamins, non-organic produce, and of course toothpaste and mouthwash.

One way to avoid fluoridated water is by buying spring water from a water service. But this is not always economical or environmental. Buying a filter that can remove fluoride from your tap water is the more cost-effective choice over the long term. You can even buy a whole-house filter and have fluoride-free water for cooking, drinking, bathing and toothbrushing!

• Reverse Osmosis Filtration. This is used to purify several types of bottled water (not all), so some bottled waters are unfluoridated. Reverse osmosis filtration systems are a bit pricey, but they remove fluoride, chlorine and most environmental toxins found in municipal tap water. However they also leave water flat, without any beneficial mineral ions, and are not the best choice if you want water that is nourishing, and tastes crisp and refreshing.
• Aluminum Oxide Defluoridation Filter. These filters often require frequent cartridge changes, but can be quite reasonably priced. Here is one of the better brands. >>
• Distillation Filtration. There are commercially available distillation filters that can be purchased to remove fluoride from water. On a related note: When looking at bottled water, keep in mind that “distilled water” does not imply that a product is suitable for drinking, and other undesirable impurities may be present.

These Do NOT Remove Fluoride

• Brita, Pur, and most other filters. Some websites about fluoride removal state otherwise, but I checked the product descriptions on the companies’ websites to confirm that fluoride is left in the water.
• Boiling Water. This will concentrate the fluoride rather than reduce it.
• Freezing Water. Freezing water does not affect the concentration of fluoride.

Steps to Reduce Fluoride Exposure

• Don’t take fluoride supplements. Read the labels on your and your children’s vitamins carefully.
• Read labels on bottled beverages. Unless they are made using spring or reverse-osmosis water, they are probably made with fluoridated public tap water.
• Consider using unfluoridated toothpaste. There are many great brands like Tom’s of Maine, Weleda and more. Tom’s of Maine can even be found at better drug stores. You will also find a recipe for homemade toothpaste below.
• Be wary of tinned fish and canned food items. Fluoride may be used as a preservative.
• Avoid black or red rock salt or items containing black or red rock salt.
• Avoid using chewing tobacco. Ew. There are many, many reasons to avoid this, not just the fluoride.
• Avoid long term use of medication that contains fluorine. Certain antidepressants and medications for osteoporosis contain fluoride.

This movie from the Environmental Working Group sums up how and why to avoid fluoride wherever you can.

This is the Small Footprint Family recipe for fluoride-free toothpaste. It helps remove stains, leaves a fresh feeling in the mouth, helps cure sensitive teeth, and it saves money.

Homemade No-Fluoride Toothpaste

• 3 Tbsp. baking soda
• 1 Tbsp. finely ground sea salt
• A few drops peppermint, wintergreen, anise, clove or cinnamon bark essential oil, according to the taste you want (be sparing, they are very strong)
• 1 tsp. xylitol or a few drops of liquid stevia (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. crushed sage (optional antimicrobial)
• Extra Virgin coconut oil

1. Mix all ingredients but coconut oil to taste.
2. Mix in a teaspoon of coconut oil at a time until you find the right consistency for you.
3. Put into a sealable jar or squeezable container.
4. Brush!

If you don’t want to make your own toothpaste, Toothsoap is an excellent, all-natural tooth cleaning alternative. Because it has no glycerine, it leaves your teeth “dental-visit” clean and ready to be remineralized by your body.

In Part 2, we’ll discuss what really causes tooth decay and how to prevent it naturally, non-toxically and cost-effectively.

Do you know where you food really comes from? It’s not where you think, and the answer may surprise you…

Did you know that the average food product travels about 1,500 miles to get to your grocery store? And that transporting food accounts for 30,800 tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year? Or that organic agriculture can offset more than twice the amount of greenhouse gases than conventional agriculture?

As you might have guessed, I am a bit rabid about healthy, local, organic food, and for many reasons, I believe it should be a right for everyone to eat this way, not a privilege for a few. In that vein, next to HOME, I believe Food, Inc. is one of the best movies to hit the mainstream in a long time. Go see it—when it comes to food, ignorance is NOT bliss.

In Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation’s food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government’s regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation’s food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. We have bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop, insecticide-resistant soybean seeds, even tomatoes that won’t go bad, but we also have new strains of E. coli—the harmful bacteria that causes illness for an estimated 73,000 Americans annually. We are riddled with widespread obesity, particularly among children, and an epidemic level of diabetes among adults.

Featuring interviews with such experts as Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation), Michael Pollan (The Omnivore’s Dilemma, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto) along with forward thinking social entrepreneurs like Stonyfield’s Gary Hirshberg and Polyface Farms’ Joel Salatin, Food, Inc. reveals surprising—and often shocking truths—about what we eat, how it’s produced, who we have become as a nation and where we are going from here.

The Food, Inc. website is chock full of information about our food, and has links to sites where you can sign petitions for improving school lunch nutrition, banning dangerous pesticides, and more. Check it out. >>