I love.....

I love this look.....so feminine.....
beautiful colours....simple.....natural....

The toothpaste dilema....

I am thinking about stopping using toothpaste! I use natural toothpaste most of the time,and actually never thought much about toothpaste apart from the fluoride issue.
But lately I am having some toothy issues....sensitivity,receding gums.I think there are a number of contributors.....acid saliva pH, acidosis....breastfeeding & pregnancies...or maybe mineral deficiencies? All in all more balance is needed and more than likely a green supplement and possibly some tissue salts...but that's for another day.Back to the toothpaste issue...

My father in law doesn't use toothpaste...he is over seventy,never been to a dentists and has all his teeth.He uses salt and miswak {siwak}.
The problem with toothpaste is the glycerine.
Teeth reenamalize when clean. TO MAKE TEETH CLEAN ONE BRUSHES WITH ANY BAR SOAP. Soap washes off in just 2 rinses. What about toothpastes? Glycerine in all tooth pastes is so sticky that it takes 27 washes to get it off. Teeth brushed with any toothpaste are coated with a film and CANNOT PROPERLY REENAMELIZE. Even the natural pastes contain glycerine! read more here
Tooth soap is available to buy....not sure what I am going to go for yet.{make or buy}But the toothpaste is out for now while I experiment.
I am wondering if the salt will be too abrasive on a daily basis. I am definitely going to start using miswak, make sure I rinse after eating and continue oil pulling.

A bit of info on miswak {siwak}.....

• Purifies the mouth
• Cleanses the teeth
• Strengthens the gums
• Prevents cavities
• Sweetens the breath
• Cleanses the brain
• Creates appetite for food
• Assists in digestion of food
• Clears eyesight
• Provides energy

love to hear your thoughts on toothpaste,tooth soap and miswak....

 Thought  for the day....

Watch the little things; a small leak will sink a great ship.  ~Benjamin Franklin

A bit of this and that...

It's been a long uneventful week!Weight loss still good,down to 64 kg! Exercise is still not happening!.Wondering if anyone wants to do a exercise challenge? These last 4 kg will need budging through exercise ! Let me know who is up for it!
We were gifted with homemade North African couscous and fresh organic broad beans this week so dh had a sudden craving for broad bean couscous and sour milk.{Algerian traditional dish}

The couscous and beans are salted ,oiled and moistened with water before steaming 3 times for 20 mins each time! At each interval moistening and oiling again.It really is delicious{although I can't eat it}.I use Algerian homemade olive oil which we brought back with us from our holidays.This really is the most amazing oil I have ever tasted.And I have been lucky enough to taste all kinds of olive oils....from the really expensive to the normal store brands.For me nothing compares,I love it! So if you are lucky enough to know someone from North Africa ask them to bring you some olive oil...you'll be amazed....

I am loving my new shoes....bought at a discount designer store....all leather ,ever so soft and so feminine.....

And for baby a thrifted pair of leather lovelies!

Have a little health tip too which I am currently trying out.Apple cider vinegar....raw and unpasteurized.

• Restore your body's natural pH balance - Your blood is supposed to be slightly alkaline,
• Aid digestion - Apple cider vinegar helps stimulate your stomach acid, aiding the digestion of protein and fats. Good digestion is essential for staying healthy and naturally slim.
• Promote the growth of healthy microflora - apple cider vinegar is a prebiotic, which feeds probiotics
• Stop sugar cravings - use apple cider vinegar next time you have a craving for that bowl of ice cream or piece of chocolate cake. Here's a quick remedy that may stop you from indulging: Add two teaspoons of raw apple cider vinegar to a 6 oz glass of filtered water, and drink it down.

Read more here and here
Let me know what you think or if you are already taking it! Would love to make my own .....

Thoughts for the day...
Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall.
Confucius

Knowing is not enough; we must apply.
Willing is not enough; we must do.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Thrifting destiny.....

I believe in destiny ,it's an important part of my faith.....and isn't it amazing when it happens in the simplest way.....
Went off on one of my thrifty adventures searching for those surprising finds that were waiting for me.....
My eyes are always on the lookout for moroccan treats and I found a little something!

and then I was........

I was extremely happy to find Neals Yard goodies....at £ 2.50

I love their stuff.....just find it hard to pay the expensive prices...so this was a real treat find for me. Nourishing mama moments coming my way.......
See what I mean about destiny! This is the second time I have found a box of their goodies!

Thought for the day....

You will usually cause harm when you are hurried and rough, because goodness finds its roots in gentleness. The Messenger of Allah (Blessings and Peace be upon him) said:

"Whenever gentleness is present in something, that thing is beautified; when gentleness is removed from something, that thing becomes spoiled."{taken from ''Don't be sad''}

something I need to remind myself of daily....

Ghee....look what I made!

I wanted to make Ghee for a while.....and I finally got round to it.First a little info on why it's a good addition to your diet,especially when homemade from unsalted ,organic, pasture fed butter.{apparently it's even better when the butter is unpasteurized or even made by oneself}

* Ayurveda maintains that Ghee is a vital food for healthy skin, mental clarity and good digestion. It also helps the body assimilate nutrients.

* Ghee is salt and lactose free so it is beneficial for those who can't drink milk or eat cheese.

* Ghee is said to have anti-cancer and anti-viral properties.

* Contains CLA or conjugated linolenic acid which aids weightloss, especially stubborn belly fat and has been shown to slow the progress of some types of cancer and heart disease.

* We all need healthy fats in our diet and Ghee is an easily digestible source of saturated fat that contains no trans fats or hydrogenated fats. Ghee, however, is low in the essential omega 3 fatty acids you need for good brain health so supplementation with omega 3's is a needed for a healthy diet.

It also has a high smoking point so is good for cooking with..ie:doesn't burn easily and turn into nasty free radicals..
This is what I did.......

Make sure you sterilize the glass jar,and don't overcook the butter...it really needs to be watched! Few things I will do differently next time.....don't close the jar before ghee has completely cooled and skim the white solids that form on the top as it's simmering.Seems there are different methods of making it....I suppose I will grow more confident with time.

Would love to hear of anyone with more experience of making ghee....or if anyone gives it a go, how it turned out.
I love empire line dresses and maxi dresses....but I never find any in the shops that fit all in the right places...found this lovely pattern.....from Anna Maria  now I just wish I could sew!! I would probably tone the colours down...but I love it!

Thought for the day...

If hunger is not the problem, then eating is not the solution.  ~Author Unknown

Consistency ......

I am loving the blue skies and lovely sunshine......spring and summer are my favourite seasons....I am happy to see the back of winter....

I have been on a mission too...to set my priorities straight....I was a little lost .I know I have will power and determination,I just need to apply it to everything in my life.....kids, home....faith.I have started fixing those neglected places in my soul and home.....and pray it will be a change for keeps..

Consistency is the foundation of virtue.{Francis Bacon }

I am still wheat and sugar free......weight has dropped to 65.1 kg.......5 more kilos until I reach my target weight.I have a confession though.I have not been exercising.There seems to be no blessing in my time, so once I am a bit more organised I would like to start exercising again.....it's not because I don't like exercising, it's just mismanagement of time.
I am also interested in alkalizing my body more,which I am trying to do by eating more veg {especially green ones}with all meals,lemon water twice a day and yummy grapefruits.{I am still researching this subject so will post as I find out more}

my favourite breakfast at the moment is 2 scrambled eggs, 1 courgette and 1 fennel chopped and sauteed in butter with salt and pepper and a drizzle of Algerian olive oil.It's so delicious and energising.

and this lovely felt clip was not made by me,oh nooooo.....but by my daughter under the watchful eye of my crafty big sister.My daughter was so pleased with her handy work .....

 Thought for the day....

 We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.

— Aristotle

giveaway winner...

Itto  your the giveaway winner.....well done...
send me your details pls to nourishedmama{at}yahoo{dot}co{dot}uk