Taste the Clean with Arm & Hammer (Sponsored)

*Sponsored- All opinions are mine along with content, images and editorial control.
I was recently invited to the Taste the Clean Event with Arm & Hammer. I was excited to attend as I wanted to learn more about implementing some healthy lifestyle changes. I know people usually make changes at the beginning of the year and I do that too. However, I find that I tend to stick to changes that are made through the course of the year especially the changes I've taken out time to research on. Last year, my former manager taught me a lot about incorporating green juices into my meals and how amazing they worked in the body. He also gave me some books about the benefits of juicing and that's when I first stumbled upon the benefits of keeping the body's PH as alkaline as possible. When I saw the event's invite mentioned the Alkaline PH (diet/oral hygiene); my interested was instantly piqued. Arm & Hammer are renowned for their toothpastes which contain Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda) and they are amazing for keeping the teeth and gum healthy. I will be sharing some tips I picked up from the event and also  the books I have been reading. Right, let's get started.....





The Event
Unlike many people, I have always been excited to see my Dentist because I know my teeth and oral hygiene will be healthy and clean. I think this may also be partly because I have quite a few friends who are Dentists so it was always fun going to see them as we'd have a chat first. The event was held at the Dentist Gallery in Victoria and I cannot even think of any other venue better suited for this event.  The Dentist Gallery is a really stunning private Dental Practice with a unique concept of combining art, music and dentistry.





There was a proper gallery filled with vintage dental tools and artefacts which were all so fascinating. I even saw older toothpaste packaging , particularly Arm & Hammer, which was amazing. The most exciting part was seeing Dentist Barbie all kitted up in her Dentist uniform; she was so cute!! (Don't judge me, please!!! 🙂).






There were delicious drinks (the best green juice ever which was served in shots glasses) and canapes as well!! Everything was inspired by alkaline foods which I thought was really good touch to the event. I also met some bloggers and had a lovely chat just before the speakers started their presentations.

The Speakers
There were three speakers at the event- Dr Jerome Sebah (Dentist Gallery), Tomaz Mueller (Joshi Clinic) and Sonia Wisinger (Joshi Clinic) who spoke to us about oral hygiene, alkaline diet/lifestyle and fasting, nutrition & wellbeing respectively. The first speaker was Dr Jerome Sebah who is one of the founders of the Dentist Gallery and is also a Specialist in Root Canal and Implants. He told us about the benefits of good hygiene particularly around keeping the PH of the mouth as alkaline as possible. It is important to keep the mouth's PH alkaline (or at least not acidic) as it neutralises the acids from food and plaque which can cause problems if they are are not prevented. Arm & Hammer's toothpastes contain Bicarbonate of Soda (Baking Soda) as a main ingredient which helps neutralise the mouth's acidity ad keeps your mouth fresher for a longer time. It was really great listening to various tips on ensuring the PH of the mouth is kept as neutral or slightly alkaline as possible.



The second speaker was Tomaz Mueller who is a Complementary Medicine Practitioner and an Internationally Trained Health Educator specialising in Ayuverda. He educated us about the benefits of keeping the body's PH slightly alkaline as an acidic PH has been linked to some disease conditions, etc. The most exciting part was telling us about different food types and their PH. Of course, all my favourite foods had to fall into the acidic chart (why?!!!). There's a comprehensive list which you can find online and I tried to capture a picture above. Basically, green vegetables, wholesome fruits and majority of plant based food is alkaline and food items such as coffee, meat, processed foods, canned foods, bread, rice, chocolate and fizzy drinks are acidic. Water is obviously neutral which is similar to the human blood's PH (7.365). Surprisingly, butter (unsalted), cream, fresh/raw cow's milk and oils (except olive oil) are all neutral too (PH of 7) but let's face it, very few people will be willing to drink raw/fresh cow's milk (I definitely can't). It was an insightful presentation and he answered all the questions people had.



The final speaker was Sonia Wisinger who is a medically tested Fasting Coach trained in the Buchinger Method (a popular way of fasting named after Dr Otto Buchinger). I am not new to fasting although I usually do it for spiritual purposes and not for the health benefits. However, I do have to say I've noticed several health benefits from it. She told us about the health benefits of fasting and how it allows the body repair and detoxify itself while giving the mind an opportunity to completely focus. It is not easy to fast particularly in the first three days when your body will just go against you but once you make it through the first three days or more, it gets easier (based on my experience, though). In the Buchinger Fast, you are allowed one fruit and vegetable juice and one clear vegetable broth plus any amount of water and herbal teas. Fasting is not for everyone obviously as there are some groups of people who are not advised to fast including elderly, children/teenagers, pregnant/breastfeeding women, etc. It is always best to speak to your doctor before embarking on any changes to your lifestyle. I am not completely ready to embark on a fast just yet but it is definitely something I will be trying out this year. I really had a great time listening to all these experts  and I was kindly gifted lovely goody bag containing some Arm & Hammer products* as well as the Joshi's Alkaline Diet Book*.


Arm & Hammer Total Pro Clean + Reapir Toothpaste*
I have been using the Arm & Hammer Total Pro Clean + Repair Toothpaste* for the past three weeks and I've enjoyed it. I have to admit I did not like the taste initially as it was very different to the other toothpastes I use. However, I cannot believe how quickly I have adjusted to the taste and I even look forward to using it. Isn't it amazing how quickly our bodies adjust?!! It contains Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda) as its main ingredient as well as Sodium Fluoride, Calcium Sulfate and other ingredients. The Baking Soda combats acids and clean in those hard to reach areas and it also dissolves easily in the saliva. This toothpaste contains the patented Active Calcium Technology to strengthen the enamel and relieving tooth sensitivity. Unlike other toothpastes I use, I notice a difference when the toothpaste mixed with my saliva while brushing. There's a slightly bitter taste which I have come to realise must be the result of the toothpaste neutralising my mouth's acidic PH. These days I don't even notice it so I guess it's a good thing.


After learning about the importance of oral hygiene and the mouth's PH at the event, I take more time and make a conscious effort when it comes to brushing my teeth. I have not noticed any whitening effect yet (Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda) is well known for its teeth whitening properties). However, that does not bother me as I am more concerned about the health of my teeth and gum. I definitely have noticed that my teeth feels cleaner and my breath is fresher through the course of the day. I also love the cute miniature toothpaste which will be coming with me on my weekend and city break trips!!


Some Lifestyle Changes For Me
Even before I attended the event, I already was thinking of incorporating lifestyle changes that will be beneficial to my health now and in the long term. I currently work in a Teaching Hospital where I see different patients and conditions everyday and it really makes me look inwards to how well I am taking care of my body. It's no news that many of the disease conditions prevalent in today's society is closely linked to our lifestyle. Of course, some factors may be genetic but for the most part it is down to our lifestyle, choices and what goes into our bodies. I have a lot to say on this topic but I will save my thoughts for another day (or maybe a different blog,  who knows??). I have to say I was really inspired reading Joshi's Alkaline Diet Book (21-Day Detox)*. I am always sceptical about books like this but I really enjoyed reading it.  If you can buy it, I would encourage you to do so as he shares a lot of insight on living a healthy lifestyle. The best part is it's nothing too difficult to incorporate into your lifestyle. These are some changes below I am trying to incorporate:


1. Listening to my Body: I am getting more conscious of what I am putting into my body including food items that may look healthy but are not good for me. For example, I am lactose intolerant so there's no point exacerbating my system with dairy especially powdered milk. I am not saying I won't ever have them because let's face it; I do love dairy. However, it is more about paying attention to what my body loves and does not love and preventing anything that will upset my system.

2. Cutting down processed food as much as possible: To be honest, I generally don't eat a lot of processed food. I cook majority of meals from scratch and I don't often eat pastries, biscuits, cakes, etc (I do love Maltesers and recently started loving Garlic Bread though!!!). I take my prepared/cooked breakfast and lunch to work and eat my cooked dinner at home so it's quite easy to stay away from processed foods. I was doing all this already but now I am being more conscious about it and taking it up a notch.

3. Filtering my Water: This is totally new to me and it was quite the revelation when I read the Joshi's Alkaline Diet book. Obviously, I have always known about boiling and filtering water but over time, I was just content with drinking regular tap water. I drink bottled water every now and then but I do think it's just a waste of my money. However, I recently discovered that there are stricter tap water regulations in some areas than the regulations for bottled water. Let's not forget that there's a high chance of water stored in bottles to absorb some of the properties of the packaging. To cut the long story short, it appears that filtering my water (and regularly changing the filter) seems to be the best option for me. I'd be doing more research on this and perhaps share in another post. I got a filter jug from Sainsbury's and I dare say my tap water tastes even better!!

Overall Thoughts
As much as I love beauty, skincare and makeup, I am very passionate about having good health. This passion is still what drives me in my career as a pharmacist and it's really what my life is all about. I know many people out there are also passionate about having good health too and I love to learn from others as well. I loved attending the Taste the Clean event and learning a whole lot from the seasoned speakers and experts that shared their knowledge with us on the day. I always recommend doing your own research when it comes to your health as it influences any changes you may make. This way  you tend to stick better to these changes. I hope you enjoyed this post and see you in my next one.
*Sponsored Post- All opinions are mine along with content, images and editorial control.