‘My visits to the dentist are history now!’

Palak Jain recounts the myriad benefits of following the SHARAN lifestyle, including freedom from dental issues.

Recently at a party, I noticed that my friend was not eating anything, because of a root canal treatment that she had just undergone. This made me thankful that I hadn’t needed to go to the dentist for the last 3-4 years!

I never would have guessed that shifting to the SHARAN lifestyle would save us dentist’s bills and the unimaginable pain too. Since childhood, I had dental issues like cavities and bleeding gums and had even undergone a root canal treatment. My children too had similar problems. Every time we visited the dentist, we were advised something new – like switching to a new toothpaste or toothbrush and even brushing techniques. I religiously implemented these in our lives but no significant changes could be seen. 

Little did I know the main culprits were hiding in our food all this time – sugar and dairy. Thanks to this dairy-free and sugar-free lifestyle, I no longer have to take dental appointments and wait for long hours, just to go through a painful procedure!

With this WFPB lifestyle, apart from gaining dental health, I also reversed my hypertension. My perimenopause symptoms are at ease now. I also used to get rosacea, where my cheeks would redden whenever I used to cook but that’s disappeared too. 

Also, since the family is following this diet, we rarely need to take the kids to the doctor now.  And to top it all, the food is so delicious that we truly don’t miss anything.

Herbal Tooth Powder/Tooth Paste

Make your own toothpowder at home with our Eco-kaki Dr Suman Govil’s recipe. Say goodbye to early-morning chemicals and hello to fresh breath and a sparkling smile.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp mint powder
• 2 tbsp tulsi powder
• 3 tbsp triphala powder
• 1 tsp Himalayan pink salt
• 1 tsp fennel (saunf) powder
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp clove powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp neem leaf powder

Method

Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly. Sieve the mixture, if required, to get a fine powder.

Store the fine powder in an airtight glass container. 

When using, mix a small amount with water to make a thick paste. Apply on your teeth with your finger or toothbrush. Brush as usual and rinse off.

Yield: about one cup

Food For The Mind

FACEBOOK SUPPORT GROUP

If you love Facebook, then join us to be supported on your plant-based journey. We offer 2 possibilities.

1. SHARAN India is SHARAN’s main Facebook page which you can like and follow for getting useful daily updates and news from the plant based health world. You will also get news about the latest SHARAN events, see testimonials, and more.

2. SHARAN’s Vegan Support Group is an open support group to know more about vegan/plant-based lifestyle. Here you can ask questions and share inspiring stories, tips, recipes, etc.

All our doctors and presenters will be here to answer your questions and give you tips. If you have attended our events join this group to be a part of our family.

Please like the main SHARAN page and join the group(s) applicable to you.

Taking care of your teeth
                  

While we always recommend a whole plant-based diet with organic foods, there are a few extra tips to take care of your teeth and hence overall health

1. Use natural toothpaste or toothpowder Most toothpastes are made of chemicals. Small amounts will enter the body, and chemicals entering our body can be harmful in the long run. Instead, use natural toothpastes or you can even make your own toothpowder or paste. Make sure that you are putting only safe ingredients in your mouth.

2. Use a soft toothbrush A hard toothbrush can destroy the enamel over time, exposing the tooth to food particles that can cause cavities.

3. Avoid acidic foods Tea, coffee, colas, sugar, vinegar, excess salt, packaged foods, smoking, alcohol and even certain medicines can be harmful in the long term.

4. Don’t use breath fresheners and mouthwashes These are more unnecessary chemicals. Instead, clean up from the inside – with whole plant-based foods and plenty of raw foods – so that you do not have bad breath. Acidic foods also cause bad breath so avoid them. You can gargle with warm water with turmeric and salt instead.

5. Check and supplement vitamin D Vitamin D is a hormone that’s important for the utilisation of calcium. The very best way to get enough vitamin D is through the sun. But since we don’t get enough direct sunshine on our skin due to clothes, sunscreen, windows and even air pollutants, everyone needs to check and supplement if required. Be careful, excess is harmful too.

6. Eat plenty of raw foods Fibre, especially raw vegetable fibre, helps to clean the teeth. Chew your food well. If something gets stuck, carefully brush it out.

7. Sleep well and take care of emotional wellbeing We often grind our teeth when we sleep late or are stressed. It can also be a symptom of worms.

8. Don’t ignore symptoms Always try to find the cause and correct it. Many issues can be healed without treatments.

9. Don’t delay treatments If a dental treatment cannot be avoided, don’t delay – it will only get worse. But understand the cause and take corrective steps before the next mishap happens.