Natural Charcoal Fluoride-Free Toothpaste from Korea

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Charcoal Home & Body Products

As I was traveling around Seoul, South Korea recently, I came upon an interesting store which specializes in all types of ‘Charcoal Living Goods.’ They have organic cotton clothing that is dyed with natural charcoal coloring and they also have an interesting body product line. Everything in the store is in Korean, including the labels and the marketing material, so it was difficult to know exactly what I was buying, but they were having a 2-for-1 on the charcoal toothpaste so I decided to give it a try. The toothpaste is normally 15,000 KRW for one tube; I bought 2 for that price, so $14 USD total or $7 USD each.

Charcoal Bristle Nano Toothbrush

They also had charcoal tooth brushes with black bristle brushes.

The woman explained to me that the charcoal bristles make the tooth brush more naturally anti-bacterial.

This seemed to make good sense to me, and knowing how much bacteria can live on toothbrushes, I was happy to see a new alternative.

I bought 5 brushes for 10,000 KRW or about $9.50 USD so they came to less than $2 each.

Luckily I have a Korean friend who was able to translate the label into English for me.

So here is what we found:

Forwell Charcoal Toothpaste

    1. Silicon dioxide
    2. Premium active charcoal
    3. PCC- Precipitated calcium carbonate
    4. Xylitol
    5. Peppermint scent
    6. Amino caproic acid
    7. Calcium hydrogen phosphate
    8. Allantoine
    9. Chlorohydroxy aluminum
    10. And more!

Well, the good news from my point of view is that there is no fluoride or sodium laurel ethyl sulfate (SLS) in this particular toothpaste. Fluoride is know to be a toxic material which can affect thyroid function, and the SLS is a foaming agent that is also known to have serious health affects. It is difficult to find a fluoride-free toothpaste in Asia, and this is certainly one that is readily available in Korea.

Fluoride-Free Toothpaste

The question is: what about the other ingredients? Well, I tried to do some research on these and it wasn’t easy to find so much obvious information. It seems like Xylitol is the healthier choice over sugar and saccharine and is commonly found in many other natural toothpastes. Silicon dioxide is used as an abrasive in the toothpaste and seems to be a common ingredient in the Asian toothpaste market. It comes from silica, or dust and quartz. Seems to me that baking soda would be a more natural alternative as an abrasive, but I’m guessing that the silicon dioxide is a cheaper ingredient.

The one ingredient that I am slightly suspicious of is the ‘Chlorohydroxy aluminum,’ mainly because of the ‘aluminum’ part, and I am just not totally sure what this ingredient is and if it has any relation to aluminum dioxide.

Still, we found no fluoride in the list of ingredients and the sales staff also assured me that this toothpaste is fluoride-free, so I leave you to make your own choice whether this is better than your Colgate or not 🙂 For me, I will continue to use it while in Korea.

The store is called ‘Forwell Charcoal Living Goods’ in the Insadong area of Seoul, South Korea. You can find more information on their website at www.forwell.co.kr but be warned that the entire site is in Korean! They have some other interesting products as well, such as Wood Vinegar Lotion, Charcoal Face Pack, Charcoal Shampoo and Conditioner, Charcoal cotton face mask and natural house cleaning products. If you suffer from any allergies, these are great products for you to check out. Also keep in mind, if you are doing a Master Cleanse, you should be reducing or eliminating all chemicals in your body during the cleanse and that includes chemicals in toothpastes, lotions and shampoos.

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Raw Food and Green Smoothie Classes in Seoul, Korea

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Jennifer Thompson in Seoul, Korea

Certified Iridologist, Healthy Living & Raw Food Coach Jennifer Thompson’s talks and workshops!

Detox and Raw Foods Explained
Saturday, April 16, 2011 – 5:30pm. Free Talk!
Have you wondered about the detox craze – what it is, do you need it, and how to do it? Are you ‘raw curious,’ wanting to know more about the raw food diet and how eating more raw foods might benefit you? Learn the basics and hear some amazing success stories on weight loss, natural healing and more!

Superfoods – What they are, how to eat them, do you need them?
Tuesday, April 19, 2011 – 7:30pm. Free Talk!
Gain an understanding of the most popular Superfoods such as Acai powder, Goji Berries, Spirulina, Maca Powder, Cacao, Coconut Oil, Flax Seed, Hemp Seed, Green Powder, Kelp, Dulse and more!

What About (dot dot dot)….?
Friday, April 22, 2011 – 7:30pm and
Wednesday, May 4, 2011 – 10:00am. Free Talk!
Jennifer answers all the common questions and breaks down barriers, showing you how to make the best choices for your health with where you are in your life. Get answers to your concerns about…bread, coffee, white sugar, white rice, alcohol, meat, dairy, soy milk, tofu, sushi and more.

Truth in Food Labeling – Fast Ways to Read Labels and know what is in Your Food
Monday, April 25, 2011 – 7:30pm. Free Talk!
A few simple lessons will help you start to understand the tricks that manufacturers use to sell so-called healthy food. It’s time to know what is really in your food. You can make better choices. Jennifer will show you how.

How to be Healthy in Asia
Thursday, April 28, 2011 (day) and
Saturday, May 7, 2011 5:30pm. Free Talk!
Wherever you are in the world, staying healthy can be a challenge, but especially in Asia. When you are living in a foreign place, where do you begin? Jennifer has lived and traveled in SE Asia for 10 years and can teach you some simple techniques for travel, eating out, making better choices for your family & understanding foreign food labels. Prepare yourself now for a healthy path for the rest of your life!

Power of the Green Smoothies – Preparation and Information Class
Sunday April 17, 24 & 1 May 2011. 4:30pm – 6pm.

Jennifer explains the importance of dark, leafy greens in the diet, explains why it is the missing link to good health, then demonstrates recipes and combinations of various Green Smoothies so you have a complete toolbox of information to take home and start Going Green!
35,000 KRW per person.

Iridology Assessments
Private 1-hour consultations will be offered at the Mind Body Seoul Studio from 18 April, 2011 to 10 May, 2011 by Jennifer Thompson.

During an Iridology session, Jennifer makes personalized recommendations for improvement, taking into account your current diet and lifestyle and whatever other factors may be presently involved in your condition. After the reading, you will have a better understand of your body and health and feel empowered and motivated to begin making positive change.
100,000 KRW per consult.

Contact us to reserve your space or make an appointment!

For more information, you can also go to the Mind, Body, Seoul website.

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Raw Food & Vegetarian Restaurants in Bali, Indonesia

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Health Shop across from Kafe, Ubud

There are many options to choose from these days now that Bali has been put on the map with Julia Robert’s Eat, Pray, Love. You can experience your love in the rice fields of Ubud…and you can also eat healthy, organic, vegetarian and raw food at the same time!

In Seminyak/Legian area:

When you first arrive in Denpasar, you can have your taxi take you directly to one of these places where you will find healthy options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can also get take-away and eat in the taxi on your continuation up north or beyond…

ZulaBoth Zula and Earth Café in Seminyak, Bali have the same owner and hence have similar items on the menu. Earth Café has more raw food options but Zula also has good salads, juices and smoothies. The main focus of both menus is on vegan, macrobiotic foods. Zula is located on Jalan Dyana Pura Number 5, Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia.

Earth CaféMy personal favorites at this funky macrobiotic vegan restaurant are the Sprouted Wheatberry Salad and the Raw Soup. The salad is a great combo of greens and sprouted wheatberries with a tasty homemade dressing. The raw soup consists of shredded carrots, zucchini and raw veggies in a clear broth made from Bragg’s and water with ice cubes added to make it cold. It may sound strange, but it tastes great and it’s a nice change from the standard blended raw soups. Located on Jalan Oberoi (near the Montesorri School), Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia.

In Ubud:

Once in Ubud, you can start to relax and make your experience whatever you want it to be – peppered with art, culture, dance, yoga, raw food, massage, jewelry, temples, shopping or just relaxing at a café taking it all in around you. You can easily stay for a week and enjoy a different restaurant every day.

Clear Restaurant in Ubud, Bali

ClearThis restaurant is a good option for raw food, vegetarian food, ethnic food and ‘normal’ cooked food as well. It’s a good choice for dinner if you have a group of varied eaters in your party. The raw enthusiasts can try the Lifefood Pizza, made with a flaxseed and sundried tomato crust topped with mushrooms, tomatoes, red pepper and cashew pesto. For a local flair, enjoy the Rainbow Salad with jackfruit, mango, red pepper, basil, mint and almond butter dressing. Don’t forget to check out the toilet as well –it’s an interesting experience! Located at the top of Hanoman Street, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.

Sari OrganikTake a walk through the rice fields and you will end up at Sari Organik, a lovely restaurant complete with it’s own organic farm. Surrounded by rice paddies, it’s a picturesque setting and a great place to head after an early morning walk before the sun heats things up. The juices, salads and smoothies here are all delicious and the organic factor really makes a difference. Organic does taste better! Access to rice fields from Jalan Raya, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.

Little K outside of the Yoga Barn, Ubud, Bali

Little kLocated at the Yoga Barn, this raw food café has a full menu of items to choose from and a great view overlooking the rice fields and river below. They also have some cooked food options for breakfast and lunch and several healthy soups to fill you up after your power yoga class. Jalan Pengosekan, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.

KafeLook for their Raw Special of the Day at this trendy meeting place in the center of Ubud. There are some nice salads that can be ordered without cheese or tuna while adding avocado instead. Try an array of juice and smoothie combos – they have some superfood smoothie blends and also an interesting turmeric shot. Jalan Hanoman, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.

Soma Raw Food Cafe in Ubud, Bali

SomaSoma is ‘the’ raw food place to see and be seen in Ubud. It has a rustic, cozy atmosphere and is usually full of health conscious MacBookPro fans eating their gourmet raw food delights and updating facebook pages all the same. Try the Belly Love Juice made from aloe vera, ginger, turmeric, kencur, irish moss, mint, tulsi, lime and honey. The Live Love Pasta is a yummy blend of zucchini noodles topped with capers, olives, tomato, bell pepper, fresh oregano, dehydrated shallots and cashew cheese topped with flax cracker. It’s a good option for lunch. Dewi Sita Street, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.

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