Late Night Ramblings...

Warning: this post will be a bit long and pointless. Why? Because I'm in pain and can't sleep. Why am I in pain? Because I unwillingly hugged a stump a week ago while riding through a gully. I'm pretty sure I have a cracked/broken/floating rib(s), or something of the sort.

Lesson learned? Yes. Avoid chest bumping small stumps at all costs. 

I've never had a rib injury before, but I've heard how horrible and painful they are, and now I'm a believer. At least it happened at the end of the season. I know ribs take a while to heal, so with only 8 days left at Eaglecrest, I should be ok and not tempted to huck anything crazy and fall/injure myself further. I start work at Allen Marine the very next day after Eaglecrest closes, and I definitely want to be in tip top shape since there's a bit of physical labor that will probably have to be done to help get the boats prepped for the season. 

Today was a good day at work. We had a good, and surprisingly super polite group of 8th graders in the morning. It's good to know that kids still have decent manners these days, and seem just genuinely nice all around. The afternoon was loads of fun. I kept my riding pretty mellow just from the fear of falling and further injuring myself, but I managed to get a couple good speedy gonzales runs in and lots of good carving. 

Winter seems to want to lay on the one of two spots that cause me pain... my chest. I bet if I rolled over, it would be my back... nice and centered on the rib that isn't normal at the moment. Kitty means well though. All she wants to do is lay on me and be loved. The sound and good vibrations you receive when there's a cat purring on you is quite special.

Enough of my pointless ramblings... here are some fun photos from today :)

Tri-pod'n
Photo by Sarah Milks

Groomer slashin'
Photo by Sarah Milks

Reaching Goals

For the past four days a few of us have been in an AASI Level 2 snowboard prep clinic/exam. After learning tons of new stuff, nailing new tricks for the first time, and progressing my riding and teaching even further over those days, I am happy to say that am now a Level 2 certified snowboard instructor! Woohoo! It took quite a bit of studying and dedication, but I knew I could do it if I put my mind to it!

Thanks to all my fellow instructors and friends to helped me through this! You guys rock! 

Here's some eye candy for ya :)

^My shiny new bling :) 

^Starting the last day of the exam with a ridge hike! 

^Looking off the backside of the ridge at the beauty below me. 

^The crew! Photo by Lisa Miles

Surprise!

Thanks to my friend Becca, I now know that one of my Instagram photos was used in a Buzzfeed article! Awesome!

It's titled 'The 17 Most Stunning Places in the World to Take a Selfie'. It's a photo I took of me and Dustin in the back of the ice cave with the big melted hole in the ceiling for the background. 

Check out the article HERE.

Oil Pulling

If you have ever heard of 'oil pulling', you are one of the enlightened. Most people have not, however, so I am going to enlighten you.

Oil pulling is an ancient method of detoxing and maintaining oral health. It has been used for ages among many different cultures and is a very effective natural remedy for all kinds of mouth problems. It's something that most dentists advise against and instead recommend the traditional method of oral care that we've grown up practicing. They advise against it because it works and it's natural. If we can naturally stop cavities in their tracks, reverse gum disease, and maintain a normal, healthy mouth with nothing but simply swishing some oil around, then why need the expensive services of a dentist?

There are thousands, literally thousands (if not more) of people who swear by oil pulling and have the stories to tell you why it works.

What is oil pulling exactly?

Oil pulling is simply swishing 1-2 tablespoons of unrefined, high quality (preferably organic cold-pressed) oil around your mouth for 10-20 minutes, then spitting it out. Sunflower, sesame or coconut oil is the most tried and true oils to use. Olive oil tends to leave a tint on your teeth. I prefer organic, cold-pressed Nutiva brand coconut oil because it has a pleasant taste and I can buy the huge tubs of it from Costco for fairly cheap, plus coconut oil contains lauric acid which is naturally antimicrobial and kills bacteria, fungi, and viruses.

How does oil pulling work?

Just like changing the oil in your car keeps your engine clean and running smoothly, swishing oil in your mouth absorbs all the funk and is removed from your mouth when you spit it out. It removes plaque, pulls out bacteria, parasites, and nasty toxins from places a toothbrush and floss can't reach. It improves gum health, can reverse cavities, and cure gingivitis. It can pull congestion from your throat and loosen sinuses. It also whitens teeth.

How often should you oil pull?

It's most effective if you oil pull daily. If you can do it twice a day, even better! I like to do it in the mornings while I shower. It's also convenient to oil pull while doing dishes, chores, watching a tv show... you get the idea. I just pop a spoonful in my mouth and lightly swish it around and let it do it's work! Since coconut oil is solid at room temperature, it takes about 30 seconds before it becomes liquid in your mouth. It doesn't take much 'swishing'. Just lightly working it around your mouth does just fine.

How has oil pulling worked for me?

I've never really had any oral health issues growing up. Everything has always been fine and dandy, but a couple months ago my tooth start hurting. My teeth were getting super sensitive to hot and cold things. My mouth just didn't feel 'healthy'. Then my tooth REALLY started to give me problems. The pain would sometimes bring me to tears and caused me to have headaches often. Then I noticed the gaping hole in my tooth. I thought the next step would be calling a dentist.

I had heard of oil pulling before, and dabbled with it occasionally but never got in a daily routine. I figured I had nothing to lose, so I gave it a try. After just one session my mouth felt clean and my teeth felt smooth. After a few days, my tooth stopped hurting and the sensitivity went away. After a few weeks, that gaping hole that had me worried was no longer black and nasty looking, but white and clean. It's almost like my tooth is regenerating. My teeth are whiter. My gums feel healthy. I honestly can't believe it. Oil pulling is now a part of my daily routine and I plan on keeping it that way for a very long time.

Don't worry, I thought the feeling of oil in my mouth would just be gross and weird, but it wasn't at all.

What's not to love?! It's easy and it works.

I have been so impressed with the results so far that I decided to write this blog post and share my success with oil pulling, and hopefully convince you to give it a try! 

There are tons of other blogs and articles out there you can research for more info. I just gave you the basic rundown, but the more research you do, the better! Feel free to shoot me an email if you want more feedback from my experience. 

Happy Oil Pulling!