Here is Part 1.

Here is part 2.

What do you think about this routine?

Photo Credit

You will need:

• Baking soda
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• A Small bowl
• Toothbrush
• Plastic wrap
• Mint Flavoring
• Cranberry juice

WARNING: Do not whiten teeth if you have cavities, open soars, gingivitis or other gum diseases.

Make The Whitening Paste

In a small bowl mix two teaspoons each of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Stir until it is the consistency of regular toothpaste. If you want, you can add mint flavoring for a better tasting paste.

Apply The Paste

Apply paste to toothbrush and brush the paste all over your teeth. Leave the paste on for approximately two minutes.

Rinse

Rinse thoroughly. Do Not swallow whitening paste. You can also rinse with cranberry juice to get rid of the baking soda taste.

Store Left Over Paste

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for another use.

Brush with peroxide paste only once per week. Hydrogen peroxide can cause tissue damage if used too often.

Did this work for you? Let us know in the comments below

1. Buy in bulk. Most grocery stores have an aisle filled with foods available in bulk. It usually includes spices, baking ingredients (such as sugar and flour), dried fruits and nuts, oatmeal, rice, etc… There is a wide variety to choose from and often the prices are lower because you’re not paying for any packaging. Before you decide to reach for your standard brand of instant rice, double check the pricing and do some comparing.
2. Warehouse shop. Shopping at warehouses such as Sam’s Club and Costco is a great way to save some money. Even though the initial cost of buying a larger quantity is higher, it is well worth it in the long run. Prepackaged snacks and frozen foods are perfect choices for warehouse shopping, but even meats will work. Just portion out what you plan on consuming right away and then freeze the rest. This is also a huge time saver—it means fewer trips to the grocery store!
3. Buy generic. Often when we become accustomed to sticking to a certain brand, it’s a habit to pick it off the grocery store shelves when we need to restock. When shopping on a budget, brand loyalty can be a potential danger and cause of overspending. Next time you’re wandering the aisles, take a few extra minutes to explore your options. Compare things like prices, quantities, and lists of ingredients. Use your common sense and if it looks like it can save you some money, try out a different brand. Usually you’ll find that the store brand uses almost the exact same ingredients as the more popular ones.
4. Avoid prepackaged foods. Usually the food located in the center of the grocery store is prepackaged and highly processed. Frozen dinners, boxed meals, and 100-calorie packs are going to cost you more than buying your food in its purest and freshest state. Try to shop the perimeter of the grocery store and look for fresh, in-season produce and minimally processed meats. Frozen meals are expensive and overpriced because the manufacturer has done all the prep work for you. Take a little extra time to buy your food raw and cook it yourself. It’ll save you money AND you won’t be consuming the unnecessary preservatives usually found in processed food.
5. Clip coupons. Do some money saving work before you even get to the grocery store! Check the newspapers for specials around town and take advantage of them. Some stores have savings programs you can participate in if you shop there often and they can usually save you money on each shopping trip. Sign up to receive offers in the mail if you can and go through them before you shop. Also look for specials while you’re there. Often there will be select fruits, vegetables, and meats on special so use that opportunity to stock up. Remember, you can always store your extra meat in the freezer but good deals don’t last forever. Head over to Coupons.com for free printable coupons.
6. Don’t be wasteful. This sounds painfully obvious, but who hasn’t had to throw away food from their fridge after finding out it expired a month ago (and never even opened it). We’re all guilty of this—even me. Even though it’s unavoidable on some occasions, it helps to know what you’re capable of consuming on your own. Throwing away uneaten or unopened food is essentially throwing money away. Make more frequent trips to the grocery store to help solve this problem. Weekly trips are an appropriate frequency. Also make sure you check expiration dates before buying products. If you don’t think you can finish that giant tub of cottage cheese in a month, then don’t buy it! If you’re trying something new for the first time, don’t buy the largest serving size available. Start small and buy only what you’ll need for the week.

[tags]grocery shopping, grocery store, 6 secrets to grocery shopping on a budget, cheap food, save money, free food, coupons, warehouse[/tags]

It’s Ok to Say No

Ok, I’ll be the first one to admit it—if I’ve invested time in the kitchen preparing a culinary creation, my biggest satisfaction comes from sharing it with others. But this is normal and to be expected. When a person offers food to you it’s not because they’re trying to sabotage your healthy lifestyle. It’s because they worked hard and want you to enjoy the outcome.

Plan Ahead

It probably seems redundant because I’ve stressed the importance of planning in all my articles. But I really can’t emphasize this enough and it’s worth bringing up here too. Planning is essential to living a healthy lifestyle and it’s even more important during the holidays. Try to figure out as much information ahead of time before you attend any meal or party so you can decide what temptations you’ll be faced with. Find out who’s catering your holiday Christmas party and check out their menu online before you go. Go grocery shop for the big Thanksgiving meal with your mom so you have an accurate idea of what’s going to be on the menu. You can even set your own goals ahead of time (such as not allowing yourself any second helpings).

Every Calorie Counts

It’s ok to save a few calories or grams of fat when you get a chance, even if it’s only a few. Cutting calories doesn’t mean you need to find a way to throw in as many processed ingredients into your favorite chocolate cream pie until it’s 100% fat free and equivalent in calories to a baby carrot. It does mean that you can use 2% milk instead of heavy cream, or Splenda 50/50 blend (half Splenda mixed with half real sugar), or simply foregoing the whipped cream. Cutting just a few calories in your desserts and main course can add up to a huge savings in the end so don’t underestimate minor recipe tweaks.

Don’t Let Your Workout Routines Slip

It’s easy to get lazy when we’re home visiting family or overstressed due to finals and last minute gift shopping. Keep a few things in mind when you start making excuses for skipping your regularly scheduled workouts. Even if you’re extra busy and have less time to devote to working out, that doesn’t mean you have to stop going completely. For instance, if you usually do cardio for 45 minutes, cut it down to 30 (or whatever you have time for). It’s better to decrease the time spent during your workout than the frequency. It will be much more difficult to restart the habit completely after being dropped. If you’re home visiting family and don’t have access to a gym then look around. Some community centers will let you pay per session which makes it easy to go as you please. When I visited my family for a couple weeks last year I was able to purchase a month membership at my family’s gym– so check out your options! Even try looking up local running and biking trails in your hometown and take advantage of them.

Don’t Let Yourself Feel Deprived

If you only get your mom’s famous lemon cake once a year then let yourself have it and enjoy it! Remember to keep your portions small and enjoy desserts and unhealthy foods in moderation. If it’s a food or tradition you look forward to and only have on special occasions then there is no reason you should deny yourself. If you make your meals too restrictive then there’s a really high risk you’ll take a midnight trip to the kitchen and polish off too many leftovers. You should finish your meal and feel satisfied– not at all hungry, not too full, and not a bit deprived.

Do Your Part

Often during the holidays we’re asked to bring something to a party or meal. Even if you’re not asked to do so, offer anyway! Bringing your own food gives you more control (even if it’s not much, it still counts!) over what’s being served. And just because you bring something you “lightened up”, it doesn’t mean you need to broadcast it. You don’t need to loudly declare that your cheesecake is fat free– just let everybody enjoy it and if they ask, then tell them. It’s a great way to add some variety and if your healthy options are limited, then at least you know your own contribution is safe to indulge in.

Remember that the holidays should be fun– not stressful. Focus more on cherishing your time with loved ones than worrying about every calorie consumed. Relax and enjoy this wonderful time while staying on track and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.