Are you looking for weed killer that won’t kill you or cause decades of environmental fallout?  Commercially available products, such as those containing Glyphosate, have been classified by the World Health Organization as “Probably Carcinogenic to Humans”.  A 2015 study states, “There is strong evidence that exposure to glyphosate or glyphosate-based formulations is genotoxic based on studies in humans in vitro and studies in experimental animals.”

Given the body of evidence regarding the risks, why do people continue to buy and use these products?  The simple answer is that Glyphosate is a very effective weed killer.  It works quickly and the weeds usually stay dead for several weeks.   It’s also fairly inexpensive as lawn treatment products go.

But, why do humans continue to buy and use products that they know are unhealthy?  The same reason we continue to eat junk food.  The immediate risk just isn’t high enough to surpass the average person’s risk threshold.  We tend to ignore long term risks, often thinking that if we’re ok in the short term, then we’re ok.  Or, we think it just won’t happen to us.

Whether we’re talking about a chemical herbicide weed killer or deep fried donuts, it’s the on going exposure that creates the risk.  And, in the case of weed killer, we don’t even have to buy it or use it ourselves to suffer exposure.

Here are a few staggering points of reference regarding pervasiveness and exposure, listed by Baum Hedlund Aristi Goldman Trial Lawyers:

The use of Glyphosate Weed Killer has risen over 2,000% in the past 20 years.
A US study showed that 60% to 100% of air and rainwater samples contained Glyphosate.
A Canadian study indicated that Glyphosate was in the majority of agricultural streams.

Last year, while undergoing a wide range of tests hoping to pinpoint the root cause of my autoimmune disorders, it was revealed that my body contains high level of Glyphosate.  Even though I do not use products which contain this chemical and even though my diet is mostly organic, Glyphosate is still coursing through my veins.  And, if it’s in me, given my healthy lifestyle, it’s likely in you too.

Aside from looking for the most organic food sources you can find, the other obvious way to reduce your expose, is to simply not buy or use weed killers which contain Glyphosate.  Luckily, easy-to-make low-cost homemade options work just as well, without the risk.

The ingredients for homemade weed killer are available at your local grocery store.  I mix everything in  a small pump up sprayer I bought from the hardware store.  In my experience, the exact ratios are not important.  Indeed, I have never measured anything.  I just roughly 1/2 cup salt and 3 tablespoons liquid dish soap in a 1.5 liter pump up garden sprayer.  I then add about 1.5 liters of 5% acetic acid vinegar.

The soap helps the salt and vinegar solution stick to the weeds. The mixture will dry out the weeds within a couple of days.  It’s best to apply on a dry sunny day so that the sun can help along the drying process.  If rain is in the forecast, it’s best to wait until you have clear blue skies.

Dinner on the evening of Sunday, October 13, 2019 was my last meal before starting my fast.  I had previously fasted for 3 days and this time I wanted to surpass that time frame.  As I took that last bite of food, I had no idea how long I would push myself or how long I could endure.  Going without food for even a few hours was not a part of my regular routine.  Pushing past a day or two never really seemed like something that I would be able to do or something that my body could tolerate.

I awoke the following morning, as I do every day, hungry and ready for food.  I’ve often said, “When I wake up, my feet hit the floor, and they take me to the kitchen.”

Skipping breakfast that first day wasn’t horrible.  I was drinking water like I had just been rescued from a month in the desert.  So, my stomach wasn’t completely empty.  Of course water isn’t very filling for very long.

By lunchtime, I was extremely hungry.  I was starting to get a headache.  I was not in a good mood.  And, I wasn’t even at the 24 hour mark.  But, I knew from my previous 3 day fast, that these symptoms would not last.  I knew the following day would be better.

And, the following day was better.  I spent this day, and the two after that, installing a Sport Court® gym floor.  The physical work took my mind off my hunger.  It was also helpful to be in an environment without any food.  And, working long days meant that I was getting home after my family had eaten dinner.

During these days working on the gym floor, I observed no loss of energy or strength.  My increased water intake seemed to help reduce my hunger, at least for a while.

On Friday, my 5th day without food, I went to my weekly business lunch, the Friday Networking Lunch.   This event, attended by 40 to 50 people each week, is at a bar-b-q restaurant.  This was my first time being around this much food since starting my fast.  It smelled and looked divine.   At this point, I had successfully surpassed my previous threshold of 3 days.  To some degree I did have a sense of accomplishment, which gave me further belief that I was strong enough to continue.

Saturday and Sunday were probably the most difficult days.  I was at home with my family.  Of course they all ate 3 meals a day with snacks in between.  I joined my wife and youngest son on the couch to watch a movie.  They each enjoyed bowls of buttered popcorn while I drank more water.  Somehow I pulled deep for the additional will power required to not give in.

I had reached a full week.  My wife didn’t like it at all.  She thought I needed food and she likes feeding me, or anyone else in our home.  Come to my house, and it’s doubtful that you’ll leave hungry.  Despite her protestations, I settled on continuing for one more week.  There was no reason for this timeframe.  It just felt right and by the time I had finished one week, I felt like I could push for two.

Getting back to the weekday routine on Monday made life easier for the simple fact that I wasn’t around people cooking or eating food.  There was no doubt that seeing and smelling food boosted my feelings of hunger.

That Tuesday I drove to the Rio Grande Valley (about 4-1/2 hours south) to look at a project.  During this trip I listened to “The Obesity Code” by Dr Jason Fung.  This book was packed with so much information about weight loss, diets, and how our hormones impact our fat storage and how these hormones can make weight loss difficult for many people.

On Wednesday and Thursday of my second week I was on another Sport Court® project.  As with the week prior, I found that staying mentally and physically active proved to be the best remedy against my hunger.

As with the week prior, I attended the Friday Networking Lunch at the bar-b-q restaurant.  Of course the sights and smells triggered my hunger, but I was 12 days in and no amount of hunger was going to stop me from reaching my two week goal.

When I stepped on the scale the morning of the 14th day, my weight was 210.0.  My starting weight just two weeks prior was 234.8.  I had lost 25 pounds and reached my lowest weight in 20 years.

My fast ended the evening of Sunday, October 27 with a delicious taco salad prepared by my lovely wife.  The very next morning, only having had a single meal the prior day, my weight had increased to 214.6.

In the days that followed, I wanted to eat everything.  My usually healthy diet was all but forgotten.  I’ve never counted calories, but I would guess that my daily intake in the days following my fast probably topped out at around 5,000 calories per day.  On November 7, about a week and a half after completing my 14 day fast, my weight was at 221.  In the weeks that followed, my weight dropped to 216 and then climbed to 225.  I was on a roller coaster ride.

The first two weeks in December were spent on a Sport Court® project, installing gym flooring, wall pads, basketball goals, and a volleyball system in a middle school gym.  On these work days, I ate a healthy breakfast and dinner, but skipped lunch.  I sipped chilled black coffee throughout the day to help curb my hunger.  My weight dropped back down to 217, a loss of 7 pounds in 2 weeks.

Between Christmas and New Year’s I installed another gym floor and some wall pads.  Like my work days earlier in the month, I replaced lunch with chilled black coffee and was able to maintain my weight loss.

January was mostly sedentary.  My gym membership had lapsed in December and I was doing a lot of desk work, getting almost no exercise.  Despite the lack of movement, I was able to maintain and even decrease my weight with a healthy diet and occasional intermittent fasting of 12 to 24 hours.

It is now three months after ending my 14 day fast.  I’m only 6 pounds above my lowest fasting weight.  This should put my BMI at around 16 to 17%, well into a healthy range.

I joined the gym on January 25, 2020.  Based on how it felt to lift weights, I would conclude that I lost no muscle during my fast or since.  But, there were other changes.  I am now able to go 12 to 24 hours between meals without feeling any extreme hunger or without getting a headache or any brain fog.  I have reduced my consumption of meat and have replaced it with more healthy plants.  I also feel a bit more capable and sure of myself, knowing that if I can willingly give up food for 14 days, then I can do almost anything.

I’m looking forward to my next 14 day fast.  Who knows, I might even go longer.

Have you ever fasted?  How Long?  What were the results?  Would you do it again?

Please share your experiences below, in the comments section.

Let’s face it.  Americans are in pain.  In 2018, sales for the top 10 over the counter pain pills reached nearly $3,000,000,000.  If you’re quick with numbers, you might be thinking that $3,000,000,000 really isn’t that much when you consider the population of the US is over 300,000,000.  And, for those of you not so good at math, that’s just $10 per person spread out over 12 months.  That’s less than $1 per month.  Of course, this one little data point isn’t the whole story.

What about people who aren’t finding relief in traditional over the counter products such as ibuprofen (Advil) and acetaminophen (Tylenol)?  These people often ask their doctors for something stronger.  And, for the past few decades, more powerful pain relief usually means prescription opioids such as Oxycontin, Percocet, Vicodin, and Demerol (just a few of the various brand names from a long list of different types of opioids).

Getting back to the numbers, prescriptions for opioids peaked at just over 80 prescriptions per 100 people between 2010 and 2012.  This doesn’t mean that 80% of the population were prescribed opioids. Some of those people received multiple prescriptions throughout these years.  In 2017, the number of prescriptions dropped to 58 per 100 people.  This certainly seems like an improvement, but it still represents around 174,000,000 opioid prescriptions in 2017.

Going back to a population comparison, that’s 174,000,000 prescriptions written to 300,000,000 people.

But, if these drugs are working, then what’s the problem?  I certainly want everyone to live without chronic pain and I would imagine that you do as well.  Opioids have been around since the introduction of Morphine in 1800’s (or, if you want to go back even further, then the use of Chinese opium predates Morphine).  Generations of Americans have successfully used this class of drugs for pain relief.  I recall receiving a tiny prescription for Vicodin when my wisdom teeth were extracted in 1990.  Then earlier this year I was prescribed Hydrocodone after breaking my leg.  Both times, these drugs seemed to help ease my pain and discomfort.

So, then what is the problem?  We’ve all heard news reports about an “Opioid Crisis”.  As it turns out, opioids are among the most addicting drugs available today.  And, overuse of these drugs can and is deadly.  In the US, approximately 130 people die from an opioid overdose every day.  Of these, roughly 35% obtained the drugs through a doctor’s prescription.  So, the remaining 65% are likely getting the drugs through illegal channels.  Therefore, the problem is bigger than the recorded deaths.  This addiction is fueling illegal drug trade and all the other crimes which often accompany addiction and drug trafficking.  Translating this burden into dollars, the CDC estimates that the total cost of this drug misuse is around $78,500,000,000 annually.

To fight this epidemic, doctors have been urged to scale back on opioid prescriptions and patients have been urged to look for alternative therapies when possible.  Many of these patients are turning to natural products such as Kratom, CBD, and Arnica.  Of these, there is no doubt that CBD leads the way in sales and in the number of research papers testifying to its pain relieving capability.

In an unreported study conducted in San Antonio, two pain management doctors asked a few dozen patients to replace their opioid prescription with CBD Isolate capsules.  Roughly 80% of these patients reported reductions in pain and some even reported that the CBD worked so well that they were able to discontinue use of their prescription medication.  This is great news for those who wish to move to a more natural way to manage their pain.

Aside from the reported effectiveness of CBD Isolate for pain relief, the other benefit is that there are thousands of CBD brands which are readily available almost everywhere, without a prescription or a connection to a black market drug dealer.  And, there appears to be no risk of overdose.  Some clinical trials have reported giving test participants thousands of milligrams in a single dose without any observable side effects.

Yes, Americans are in pain.  And, this “Pain Crisis” has led to a “Drug Crisis”.  Fortunately, a greater number of Americans are waking up to the reality that prescription drugs may not be the best long term solution.  Until we identify and eliminate the root causes of all this pain, natural products like CBD Isolate may prove to be the best long term option.

Do you deal with chronic pain?  Have you been on opioids?  Have you tried CBD or other natural solutions?

Please share your experiences below, in the comments section.

Sources:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/194510/leading-us-analgesic-tablet-brands-in-2013-based-on-sales/
https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/data/prescribing/prescribing-practices.html
https://www.verywellmind.com/ten-most-addictive-pain-killers-22506
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK458654/
https://www.moveforwardpt.com/resources/detail/7-staggering-statistics-about-america-s-opioid-epi
https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/opioids/opioid-overdose-crisis

For most of us, cancer is probably the scariest single diagnosis we could ever receive.  We’ve all known people, family, friends, acquaintances, co-workers, teachers, preachers, and crooks who have not lived very long after having received the news of their cancer.  And, if the cancer doesn’t kill you, the traditional treatments of radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery just might.

The grim outcome of these FDA approved and AMA endorsed treatments has led many patients to seek alternative therapies including hypnosis, yoga, Amygdalin, Hoxsey, essential oils, dietary changes, nutritional supplements, juicing, and Marijuana.  The internet is full of stories from people who have successfully used these non-traditional options.  And, in your search for these stories, you’ll find just as many main stream news articles warning against going with anything which isn’t being sold by your oncologist.  Indeed, it’s often difficult to know who to believe, especially if you’re the one fighting this disease.

Doctors will often tell you that the stories and the alternative therapies aren’t backed by science or scientific research.  And, this is mostly true.  It is unlikely that any large pharmaceutical researchers and manufacturers are going to willingly invest millions of dollars and several years of study to research a natural remedy for which they cannot get patent protection.  But, smaller firms and others backed by private investors are doing the research and are finding promising results in many areas, including use of CBD Isolate for the treatment of cancer.

One research group, which reviewed over 60 studies and research papers, concluded:

“Collectively, the non-psychoactive plant-derived cannabinoid CBD exhibits pro-apoptotic and anti-proliferative actions in different types of tumors and may also exert anti-migratory, anti-invasive, anti-metastatic and perhaps anti-angiogenic properties. On the basis of these results, evidence is emerging to suggest that CBD is a potent inhibitor of both cancer growth and spread.”

Regardless of the published and on going research into CBD or other alternative therapies, don’t expect your doctor to steer you away from pharmaceutical drugs or surgery anytime soon.  As one cancer drug salesman once told me, there’s just way too much profit in chemotherapy and radiation treatments for any oncologists to ever be interested in the prevention of cancer or natural remedies.  And regardless of astronomical profits, generally speaking, doctors typically aren’t adventurous enough to step outside the boundaries created by the FDA.  But, you can.

You have the option to do your own research.  And, I recommend that you do.  For me personally, if a doctor ever tells me that I have cancer, I will likely turn to therapies such as Amygdalin, Hoxsey, and CBD Isolate as well as make drastic dietary changes to ensure I’m maintaining the ideal internal conditions to kill those cancer cells.

Have you ever been given a life threatening diagnosis?  What did you do?

Please share your experiences below, in the comments section.

Source:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3579246/

Each year millions of Americans get the flu.  In fact, the CDC estimates that anywhere from 5% to 20% of the US population will become infected each year.  These infections will lead to roughly 200,000 hospitalizations and anywhere from 3,000 up to about 49,000 deaths.  To combat this virus, the CDC recommends that all Americans, except those who are less than 6 months of age or immune-compromised, receive an annual flu vaccine.

Manufacturers of the flu vaccine distribute around 200,000,000 vaccines each year in the US.  The CDC estimates that 45% of the population is getting vaccinated.  This generates around $2,000,000,000 in revenues, according to a report by CNBC.

With revenues so high, it’s no surprise that manufacturers and the CDC are always pushing more of us to get the flu vaccine.  But, does the vaccine work?  And, what are the risks?  We’re told it’s safe.  But, by who’s standards?  And, what about long term testing to determine if it’s safe to get the shot year after year after year?

According to the National Vaccine Information Center (NCIV), there are more questions than answers.  NCIV also cites risks which seem to be ignored by the vaccine’s manufacturers and the CDC.

Most people who get the flu vaccine would probably be surprised to learn that the effectiveness is sometimes quite low.  CDC indicates that effectiveness is all over the place, but hasn’t been above 60% in recent years.  And, if you think 60% sucks, it was down to 10% in the 2004-2005 flu season.  On average, the effectiveness of the flu vaccine is around 40%.

So, if you’re thinking that 40% effectiveness sounds better than nothing, well mathematically, you’re correct.  But, you’re still ignoring the risks.  According to CDC, vaccines may include some pretty nasty ingredients such as:
Aluminum: Linked to Alzheimer’s and Cancer
Antibiotics: Overuse of antibiotics is linked to the growth of super bugs which are resistant to medications.
Egg Protein: Typically considered safe but may be an allergen risk.
Formaldehyde: Known to cause respiratory issues, cancer, and death.
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG): Considered safe, but many people report allergic reactions.
Thimerosal: This is mercury.  It is well documented to be harmful to the central nervous system, immune system, various organs, and is known to cause death.  Many people believe it may be a component leading to autism.

Are there effective alternatives to getting the flu vaccine?  Dr Frederick R. Klenner noted over 50 years ago, that high doses of vitamin C very rapidly arrested flu symptoms as well as the symptoms of other viruses.  As with the flu vaccine, the vitamin C did not prevent the flu.  It only eliminated the symptoms.  Another homeopathic remedy may be high doses of vitamin D3.  Dr. Gerry Schwalfenberg reports, “In those patients who do have influenza, we have treated them with the vitamin D hammer, as coined by my colleague. This is a 1-time 50,000 IU dose of vitamin D3 or 10,000 IU 3 times daily for 2 to 3 days. The results are dramatic, with complete resolution of symptoms in 48 to 72 hours. One-time doses of vitamin D at this level have been used safely and have never been shown to be toxic.”

Whether you’re in favor of the flu vaccine or more homeopathic treatment options, the best preventative measure remains to be frequent hand washing.  As the old saying from Benjamin Franklin goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Do you have a homeopathic remedy for the flu?  Or, are you sticking with the flue vaccine?

We want to hear from you.  Please share your experiences below, in the comments section.

Sources:
https://www.cdcfoundation.org/businesspulse/flu-prevention-infographic
https://www.cnbc.com/2015/10/19/the-16-billion-business-of-flu.html
https://www.nvic.org/vaccine-strain-virus-shedding-and-transmission.aspx
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/vaccination/effectiveness-studies.htm
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8879982
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/additives.htm
https://www.seanet.com/~alexs/ascorbate/198x/smith-lh-clinical_guide_1988.htm
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4463890/

Never in a million years would I have ever thought that I would be writing about Menstrual Cramps.  You’ve heard the saying, “ A fish out of water” to describe someone outside their normal element.  Well, in terms of this subject matter, “I’m a fish on Mars”.  I’m not just out of the water, I’m on a completely different planet.

This comes as no surprise, but in case you’ve been living under a rock, let me clue you in.  Men usually prefer to avoid anything at all related to the discussion of a woman’s menstrual cycle.  We don’t want to think about it at all.  We prefer to think of the vagina as a nice clean pretty…well you get the idea.

So, here’s how this started.  My wife went out with her sister and some friends Saturday night.  Upon her return home late that evening, she announced that we were skipping church the next morning because she had severe menstrual cramps.  Before getting on with my story, you have to understand that these cramps were abnormal for my wife.  She’s been on birth control all of her adult years.  (The exact number of year is immaterial and if I published the number of years it might be the death of me.)  So anyway, every few years, my wife’s gyno modifies her birth control prescription and everything is usually pretty good.  At least until last Saturday evening.

My wife told me that before going out she had taken ibuprofen.  Now, it was 6 hours later.  She told me that the ibuprofen had hardly worked and whatever benefit it did provide was long gone.  I suggested she take a 50mg CBD Isolate capsule.  She followed my advice and then went upstairs to remove her face paint and shower.

About 20 minutes later my wife comes back down stairs.  She happily reported that within about 10 to 15 minutes of taking the CBD Isolate capsule, that her discomfort from the menstrual cramps was gone.  This was no surprise to me as I’ve had several clients share similar experiences (well not specifically about menstrual cramps, but other types of pain).

Being a researcher, this led me from one end of the internet to the other in search of studies on the impact of CBD Isolate on menstrual cramps.  I found several website discussing the positive results that some women have reported from using CBD products for menstrual cramps.  I also found articles about CBD infused sexual lubricants with plenty of testimonials about how it helped reduce pain during sex.  But, I was unable to locate a single study about how CBD targets or provides benefits specifically for menstrual cramps.  It doesn’t mean the study hasn’t been done.  It could mean that Google just didn’t show it to me.  Those darn search algorithms.

There are plenty of other studies which indicate that CBD Isolate helps reduce pain and inflammation.  My non-medical advice would be that if you’re in pain, try some CBD Isolate.  Several people have found relief from menstrual cramps and other discomforts and the clinical data certainly supports these user’s experiences.

Have you used CBD for relief from Menstrual Cramps?

We want to hear from you.  Please share your experiences below, in the comments section.

Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279265/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2503660/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4851925/

Do you have an allergy to fragrances or have you had an adverse health issue due to fragrances?

We want to hear from you.  Please share your experiences below, in the comments section.

Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19326669
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335516301449
https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/weird/Freedom-High-School-Body-Spray-198994261.html

In a letter he wrote in 1789, Benjamin Franklin said, ”Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”  The last few words about death and taxes are as true today as they were when Franklin wrote them.  Of course, the taxes are higher and the causes of death have drastically changed.

In our modern times, adults are more likely to expire from heart disease, cancer, and diabetes than we are to perish from consumption (Tuberculosis) or a fever, as was the case in Franklin’s time.  Of course, the other big change is the source of the disease.  Up until the last century, with the discovery of anti-biotics and better sanitation, humans largely died  from exogenous bacteria.  That’s certainly not the case today in first world countries like the US.  Today, our largest causes of death are primarily self inflicted.

Every year about 2.75 million Americans die.  Of these, about 25% (just over 600,000) die from Heart Disease and another 25% die from Cancer.  Further down the list, causing fewer deaths are Lung Disease, Stroke, Alzheimer’s, and Diabetes.  And, while these causes of death result in fewer funerals, they are still among the top 10.

While these diseases all have different names and different non-profit organizations seeking our contributions, these diseases actually have more in common than they do in differences.  It is now thought that all of these diseases come from lifestyle.  Another thing they have in common is that the lifestyle changes that lean towards prevention as well as recovery, are the same.

One of these lifestyle changes, may include the use of Cannabidiol (CBD Isolate) to treat a variety of symptoms.  In a study published on the National Institutes of Health website, researchers concluded:

“Collectively, these results coupled with the excellent safety and tolerability profile of CBD in humans, strongly suggest that it may have great therapeutic potential in the treatment of diabetic complications, and perhaps other cardiovascular disorders, by attenuating oxidative/nitrative stress, inflammation, cell death and fibrosis.” 

As we develop a better understanding of plant based medicine, such as the use of CBD Isolate, the causes of death list might once again include “Old Age”.  As for me, I’d prefer my obituary to include something like, “Not having had any terminal diseases, he died peacefully in his sleep.”

Circling back to Franklin’s truth about death and taxes, two things should be abundantly clear.  We cannot avoid either.  But, what we die from, well that’s something that our lifestyle is likely to determine.

Have you used CBD Isolate or other Plant Based Medicine?

We want to hear from you.  Please share your thoughts below, in the comments section.

Sources:
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1113569?query=featured_home
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/282929.php
https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fs_heart_disease.htm
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21144973
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/cardiovascular_diseases/cardiovascular_disease_statistics_85,P00243

A war is waging between two types of CDB products: CBD Isolate and Full Spectrum.

Most of the MLM companies are selling Full Spectrum products.  These offer several of the molecules found in the Hemp plant, including CBD and THC as well as others with less notoriety.  Many people experience benefits from these products, even though the amount of CBD and THC are quite limited.  Indeed, many of the products sold through the MLM models are only delivering 1mg to 10mg of CBD per serving and these products are priced at anywhere from $2 to $5 per MG.

CBD Isolate products, mostly sold through more traditional retail stores and online stores, provide higher levels of CBD without any THC.  In fact, many of the CBD Isolate brands deliver anywhere from 15mg up to 100mg of CBD per serving.  These products are priced at anywhere from about $0.10 to $0.20 per MG.  This is literally pennies on the dollar when compared to the lower strength Full Spectrum products.

So, why would anyone make a Full Spectrum product?

The simple fact is that these products cost less to make.  Many of the ingredients are byproducts with little to no medical benefit.  It’s ingenious marketing to package and sell these lower cost products to uninformed consumers.  And, by calling them “Full Spectrum” they are able to add a higher price point.  Manufacturers are able to make significantly higher profits by using lower cost ingredients and labeling them “Full Spectrum”.

So, who will win this war?  From a benefits perspective, CBD Isolate is the logical champion.  Thousands of studies prove that CBD Isolate provides the greatest level of benefit.  CBD Isolate also provides the best price.  But, like with anything else, emotion can often overrule common sense.  The legions of sales reps pushing the Full Spectrum MLM products are financially and emotionally invested.  They’re all buying into that all too common MLM dream of a massive downline, big payouts, and retirement on a private island.  (Think how many people you’ve seen jump from one MLM to the next, each time proclaiming to all who will listen, that they have the best product.  Of course, 6 to 18 months later, they’ll proclaim a new brand is now the best.)

Ultimately, you the consumer have to decide.  Do you want Full Spectrum (Low Strength/High Price) or do you want CBD Isolate (High Strength/Low Price).  Unfortunately, far too many will learn the hard way, that Full Spectrum just doesn’t deliver.

They say that “Necessity is the Mother of Invention”.  When it comes to looking for healthy options in a toxic world, sometimes invention is the best and only route.  And, it might be the fastest and least costly option as well.

Upon running out of my favorite mail order healthy mouthwash, I had to either wait for a new bottle to arrive, settle for something else, or make my own homemade healthy mouthwash.  If you’ve found yourself in this same predicament, I encourage you to look into making your own.  It takes less than five minutes and costs less than a dollar using ingredients that most health conscience consumers already have at home.

Your main ingredient is of course water.   Dr. Josh Axe¹ recommends using spring water while others recommend distilled water.  Tap water is probably ok too, unless you’re planning to mix enough to fill a 55 gallon drum.  Keep in mind that tap water may include unwanted chemicals such as chlorine and fluoride.  Most of the online recipes call for just enough water to fill a typical Mason jar.

Once you have your water and you jar there are endless combinations of other ingredients that you can add to suit your tastes.  Dr. Mark Burhenne² says that one of his favorite recipes, which also happens to be the simplest, is nothing more than distilled water and baking soda (sodium carbonate).  Dr. Burhenne states that adding sea salt to this mix enhances the mineralizing benefits.

Many online recipes for homemade healthy mouthwash also include a variety of essential oils such as Tea Tree Oil, Peppermint Oil, and Lemon Oil.  For those who practice oil pulling, they may also bring coconut oil into the mix.

Based on your specific health concerns and oral health goals, you might also add Tumeric for it’s anti-inflammatory properties.  L-arginine combined with Bicarbonate and Calcium Carbonate³ is shown to reduce tooth sensitivity as well as reduce oral plaque.  Adding Clove⁴ to your mixture will help reduce bad bacteria.

If all of this sounds like a delicious mix, that’s great.  But, if you’re concerned about the flavor, you can add a few drops of Stevia extract, Xylitol, or Spearmint to help improve the taste.

My first batch of homemade healthy mouthwash was a very simple recipe consisting of water, tea tree oil, and peppermint oil.  I’m going to venture out a little with my next batch.  If you’ve never made your own, I encourage you to start simple and adjust to your tastes and available ingredients.  There will always be room for improvement, so don’t worry about getting it perfect the first time.

Have you made your own Homemade Healthy Mouthwash?

We want to hear from you.  Please share your thoughts below, in the comments section.

Sources:

1. https://draxe.com/homemade-mouthwash-with-essential-oils/
2. https://askthedentist.com/best-natural-mouthwash/
3. https://www.dentistryiq.com/articles/2015/09/arginine-new-study-exposes-additional-oral-health-benefits.html
4. https://www.akamaibasics.com/blogs/learn-more/the-superpowers-of-clove-for-healthy-teeth-gums