Category Archives: Going Healthy

4 Great Reasons Why You Should Have Regular Dental Check-ups

04/16/2018 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

dental, cleaning, doctors

Most people think that if they brush and floss their teeth daily, then everything should be OK. However, this is not the case and regular visits to your dentist are required to keep your teeth in optimal shape. You should try to go see your dentist at least twice a year, to let him or her check for decay and plaque, and if necessary, remove it for you. Keeping your teeth clean and healthy protects you from further infections and a clean mouth is the key to good health. Make sure to search for a top dentist in your area to ensure a comfortable visit with a caring and knowledgeable staff.

In the past, the dentist was there to administer fillings and pull out rotten teeth if necessary, but now dentists are taking a more preventative approach, where they try to catch issues before they become problems. You may say that you are just too busy to visit a dentist Noosa locals go to, but going to visit your dentist means that you don’t have major problems further down the road. There are many reasons why regular dental checkups are essential and we will look at some of them here.

1. Poor Gums – Gum disease in Australia, and even in other countries around the world, is an ongoing problem. Just because you brush your teeth regularly doesn’t mean that you can avoid gum disease. When you go to see your dentist at your regular times, they will look for any changes in the structure of your gums. They will look for any large spaces between your teeth and your gums because this is a sure sign of gum disease. Poor gums can actually affect the rest of your body and lead to ill health.

2. Prevention Is The Key – Many of us already have cavities in our teeth, but because we feel no pain, we wrongly believe that everything is OK. The cavity may be hidden between your teeth and may not be in a prominent place where you chew, and so you feel nothing. Your dentist’s job and the purpose of your twice annual check up is to find these cavities in their early stage. This way, it can be treated early and with the minimum of fuss.

3. Well Equipped – Even though we brush well and we brush regularly, we never get everything totally cleaned. Plaque can build up behind the teeth in places that are hard to reach with the toothbrush. If the plaque continues to accumulate, it will create tartar and this will certainly lead to bad gum disease and most likely cavities. Your dentist has all the tools necessary to clear away the plaque and the tartar.

4. Early Discovery – When you attend the dentist, they just don’t look at your teeth and gums, they also look at other areas like your throat and tongue, to try to spot other potential issues with your health. If you get early treatment with some oral cancers that are spotted earlier, there is a better chance that treatment can address them.

Dental health checkups are an essential part of your dental routine and should always be undertaken twice yearly. Healthy teeth means healthy gums and a more confident smile.

Going Healthy, Guest Post

Baby Food Products: What You Need To Know!

08/13/2017 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

Today’s science is constantly discovering what is and isn’t good for our bodies. A lot of these discoveries can also be extended to babies and baby care products. If you are worried about your little one’s safety, here are a few things that you need to know about baby food:

High Lead Content: A recent study has shown that many baby foods have a high lead content, which can stunt growth and learning. The FDA has general guidelines for the amount of lead that is permissible in food, but there is no scientific evidence confirming a “safe” amount. Some of the major culprits are cookies and fruit juices, which is why the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends avoiding fruit juice with children under a year old.

Preservatives and Additives: Mass produced food can go bad before it is even sold, which is often why preservatives are added to avoid contamination and maintain freshness. Even organic baby food has some sort of additive to increase its longevity. We know that some preservatives are worse than others, but we are still learning more information about what we are putting into our foods.

GMO’s: While the presence of genetically modified organisms, or GMO’s, have been regulated, there is still a lot of uncertainty about how much GMO’s can be present in your baby’s food. Genetically modified organisms have their DNA altered to help increase growth and avoid pests. Unfortunately, GMOs can have a negative effect on babies such as stunted health and development.

Making your baby’s food can help cut exposure to the toxins and chemicals that are currently present in mass produced baby food products. While making baby food isn’t always easy, there are plenty things, like a baby food maker, for instance, that can help make the job easier.

Going Healthy

Healthy Protein Goat Cheese Crackers

05/06/2017 R.C. Liley 5 Comments

A few years ago, I made goat cheese crackers for Going Mom for Mother’s Day? As a former Cheez-It addict, these goat cheese crackers are whey healthier and even more addicting. My wife confirmed the addictive properties by making them disappear within 2 days.

I promised to share the recipe then, and since I’m a man/dad/husband of my word, I’m sharing for all who care to see and try. Guys, forget the jewelry this Mother’s Day, these goat cheese crackers are the key to her heart and tastebuds!

Healthy Protein Goat Cheese Crackers

Ingredients

1 cup coconut flour
3/4 cup unflavored protein powder
4 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
4 tablespoons low-fat cottage cheese or plain yogurt
4 ounces creamy goat cheese (aka chevre)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, but highly recommended)
1/2 tablespoon cumin
1/4 cup favorite salsa; I use Drew’s Organic

Directions

Combine flour, oat bran, cheeses, salt, and cayenne in a food processor.
Pulse until crumbly and then add in salsa a little at a time, until dough comes together. (You may need to add more)
Wrap dough in plastic wrap and quick chill in freezer for 5 – 10 minutes or in fridge overnight.
Preheat oven to 350º. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick silicone mats. Set aside.
Place dough between parchment paper or a silicone mat; it can be sticky. With a rolling pin, roll to 1/8-inch thickness.

Using a greased pizza cutter, cut into 2-inch squares or whatever size you like. Poke holes with a fork or toothpick in each one to help keep them from being to “puffy”. Slide parchment paper or mats onto baking sheets.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until crackers turn a light brown and are crisp. Remove one to let cool and check to see if it’s crispy. If they are not crisp, bake a few minutes longer.
Remove from oven and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days (they won’t last that long!).

This is how the sheets will look after cooking in the oven, but it’s easy to break into the squares you formed.

I used unflavored whey protein powder to give these crackers a protein-packed punch. If you don’t have or don’t want to use protein powder, just sub more coconut flour or a mixture of nutritional yeast and coconut flour.

Rolled oats can be used as well if you don’t have or like the other dry ingredients. They will mix just fine after being pulsed in the food processor. Whatever you do, give these a go and have fun in the “process”. Man I crack myself up.

These have a tendency of disappearing quickly, I highly recommend hiding a few for yourself or you’ll end up with zilch. I speak from experience…..