Not sure if this has been brought up on the new Rouge Nation or covered in the old one, but it may become necessary to make homemade condiments that can make survival food edible. In addition to salt and black pepper, things like Ketchup and Mustard can make your bug burgers and road kill sandwiches more palatable. Below is my beginning list of recipes, perhaps members can add more to this with alternative recipes.

Condiment recipes

How to Make Ketchup

Ingredients

    2 tbsp. Olive Oil
    4 cloves Garlic, Minced
    1 Medium Onion, Diced
    1 can (28 Oz. Size) Peeled Whole Tomatoes
    3 tbsp. Tomato Paste
    1/3 c. Brown Sugar
    1 tbsp. Molasses
    1/3 c. Apple Cider Vinegar
    1 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
    1/2 tsp. Chili Powder
    1/4 tsp. Powdered Ginger
    1/4 tsp. Ground Allspice
    1/4 tsp. Cinnamon

Directions

    Heat a 4-quart sauce pot over medium high heat. Add olive oil and onions, sauté until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
    Add tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, molasses and cider vinegar. Bring to a slow boil, lower to a simmer and using a spoon crush the whole tomatoes. Add remaining ingredients and continue to simmer, uncovered for 45–55 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very thick. Make sure to keep an eye on it and stir it to keep it from scorching.
    Use an immersion blender to puree the ketchup. If you don't have an immersion blender, transfer it carefully to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. (Optional: Strain through a fine mesh strainer.) Chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. The ketchup will continue to develop flavor and thicken.

    Enjoy on everything!

    Notes:
    1. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container up to a month.
    2. Sweeteners and spices and be adjusted to taste.
    3. Possible flavor additions: balsamic vinegar reduction, Sriracha, roasted garlic or roasted red pepper. 

https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-coo...e-ketchup/


Best Mustard Ever


Ingredients

1/4 cup dry mustard powder
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup sweet pickle juice
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup mustard seed

Directions

In a small, microwave-proof bowl whisk together the dry mustard, brown sugar, salt, turmeric, paprika and garlic powder.
In a separate container, combine the pickle juice, water and cider vinegar and have standing by.
Place the mustard seed into a spice grinder and grind for a minimum of 1 minute, stopping to pulse occasionally.
Once ground, immediately add the mustard to the bowl with the dry ingredients and add the liquid mixture.
Whisk to combine.
Place the bowl into the microwave and heat on high for 1 minute.
Remove from the microwave and puree with a stick blender for 1 minute.
Pour into a glass jar or container and allow to cool uncovered.
Once cool, cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alto...pe-1948184


Mayonnaise

Ingredients

1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
2 pinches sugar
2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 cup oil, safflower or corn

Directions

In a glass bowl, whisk together egg yolk and dry ingredients.
Combine lemon juice and vinegar in a separate bowl then thoroughly whisk half into the yolk mixture.
Start whisking briskly, then start adding the oil a few drops at a time until the liquid seems to thicken and lighten a bit, (which means you've got an emulsion on your hands).
Once you reach that point you can relax your arm a little (but just a little) and increase the oil flow to a constant (albeit thin) stream.
Once half of the oil is in add the rest of the lemon juice mixture.
Continue whisking until all of the oil is incorporated.
Leave at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours then refrigerate for up to 1 week.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alto...pe-1951119


Salsa for Canning

Ingredients

1 lb plum-style tomatoes
1/2 lb jalapeno peppers
1/2 lb onion
1/4 c. bottled lemon juice or vinegar
1 1/2 tsp salt


Directions

    Prepare the jars and lids:
    Wash all jars and lids thoroughly with soap and water and rinse well. Fill your canner with enough water to cover the jars by at least 1 inch and bring to a simmer. Using a pair of canning tongs, lower the jars in gently, tilting them to fill with the hot water. In a small saucepan, keep some water warm but not boiling; place the lids in the water. Have an additional kettle of water on to boil.
    Peel and core the tomatoes:
    Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Have a large bowl of ice water at the ready. Gently lower the tomatoes into the boiling water and blanch them for 60 seconds. Remove with a strainer and transfer them to the ice water. Once cool, slit the skins; they should peel off easily. Remove the cores with a small paring knife. Discard skins and cores.
    Chop the vegetables:
    Wearing latex or plastic gloves, chop the jalapenos finely, removing veins and seeds if you wish to reduce the heat. (If you wish to reduce the heat further, replace some with regular green peppers, but do not increase the total weight of peppers in the recipe.) Chop the onion finely. Chop the tomatoes coarsely. Add the peppers, onions, tomatoes, lemon juice and salt to a large saucepan.
    Cook the salsa: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
    Fill and close the jars: Using canning tongs, remove the jars from the canner, carefully pouring the water back into the canner. Set next to the salsa in the saucepan. Turn the heat under the canner to high. Use a ladle to pour the salsa into the jars through a canning funnel, leaving 1/2-inch headspace at the top. Run a clean chopstick around the inside of the jar to dislodge any trapped air. Wipe the rims of the jars with a damp paper towel. Place the lids on, and screw on the rings until just finger-tight.
    Seal the jars:
    Using canning tongs, gently transfer the jars to the canner, taking care to keep them vertical. When all the jars are in the canner, there should be at least 1 inch water covering them; if you need more, add water from the kettle until the jars are sufficiently covered. Bring the water to a full rolling boil, and process for 10 minutes.
    Remove and cool:
    Using canning tongs, gently remove the jars from the canner and transfer them to a kitchen towel or cooling rack, again keeping them vertical. Do not set hot jars directly on to cool counter surfaces. Leave to cool, undisturbed, for at least 12 hours. If any of the jars do not seal when cool, reprocess using the method above, or refrigerate and use immediately.
    Label and store:
    Add a label to the lid or side of your jar, noting the date it was canned. Remove the rings and store jars in a cool, dark place for up to one year. Refrigerate after opening.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sals...pe-2120522


Easy Homemade Salsa for Canning

Ingredients

4 quarts tomatoes,
thickly chopped 1 cup onion,
chopped 1 cup green pepper,
seeded and chopped 1 cup banana pepper,
seeded and chopped (or you can double the green peppers, or use any other kind of sweet pepper)
1 cup jalapeno pepper, chopped (use 2 cups for hot)
1 cup vinegar
3 tablespoons canning salt (I use Morton brand canning and pickling salt)
1⁄4 cup sugar (use up to 1/2 cup if you like very sweet salsa)
2 tablespoons dried oregano
8 tablespoons cornstarch
8 tablespoons warm water

Directions

    A note about peppers: Remember to use caution and always use gloves while handling. I always remove the seeds from mine before chopping but if you like hotter salsa feel free to leave them inches.
    A note about tomatoes: you do not have to peel them, but most people prefer doing so. To quickly and easily peel them: give them a quick rinse to wash them off. Then drop them into a pot of boiling water for about a minute or until you see them crack and peeling. Remove with a slotted spoon into a large bowl of very cold ice water. Now you can easily remove the peel and the core. I usually put the chopped tomatoes into my 2 quart pitcher to measure the tomatoes.
    To make salsa: Put all ingredients EXCEPT cornstarch and water into a large stock pot. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Boil over low heat for 10 minutes.
    Mix together the cornstarch and warm water in a small bowl. Make sure the mixture is very smooth- you dont want any corn starch chunks in your salsa.
    Add the corn starch liquid to the big pot of salsa, stirring while pouring.
    Boil on low for 10 minutes, watching carefully so that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.
    Pour into prepared canning jars, leaving about 1" for head space. Seal according to your favorite method.

https://www.food.com/recipe/easy-homemad...ing-328559

The "once a conspiracy theory" Bohemian Grove is being sued by staffers. I wonder if they will end up the next "sacfrifice" for their next orgy party or owl burning ceremony.

Damn shame the richest people in the world won't tip or pay minimum wage.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...wsuit.html

Quote:One of America's most secretive clubs is facing a bombshell lawsuit from three former staffers, who claim they were subjected to a series of illegal labor violations while serving its elite membership. 

Private society Bohemian Club has hosted billionaires, industry titans and government heavyweights on its two campuses for over 150 years, one in San Francisco and a retreat in Sonoma County named Bohemian Grove. 

Three valets who claimed worked at the Bohemian Grove estate during its infamous summer camps now claim they were forced to work 'nonstop' 16-hour shifts, during which they were allegedly not given bathroom or lunch breaks. 

And despite its lucrative membership, the club also failed to pay its staff minimum wage and overtime, according to the lawsuit first reported by SFGATE. 

However, the Bohemian Club blasted the lawsuit saying the people involved were never employed at the club and the suit is 'a transparent attempt to drag the Club into their individual circumstances.' 

Say it isn't so...Whoa, shocker!

Quote:The United States government has been secretly amassing a “large amount” of “sensitive and intimate information” on its own citizens, a group of senior advisers informed Avril Haines, the director of national intelligence, more than a year ago.

The size and scope of the government effort to accumulate data revealing the minute details of Americans' lives are described soberly and at length by the director's own panel of experts in a newly declassified report. Haines had first tasked her advisers in late 2021 with untangling a web of secretive business arrangements between commercial data brokers and US intelligence community members.

What that report ended up saying constitutes a nightmare scenario for privacy defenders. 

“This report reveals what we feared most,” says Sean Vitka, a policy attorney at the nonprofit Demand Progress. “Intelligence agencies are flouting the law and buying information about Americans that Congress and the Supreme Court have made clear the government should not have.” 

In the shadow of years of inaction by the US Congress on comprehensive privacy reform, a surveillance state has been quietly growing in the legal system's cracks. Little deference is paid by prosecutors to the purpose or intent behind limits traditionally imposed on domestic surveillance activities. More craven interpretations of aging laws are widely used to ignore them. As the framework guarding what privacy Americans do have grows increasingly frail, opportunities abound to split hairs in court over whether such rights are even enjoyed by our digital counterparts.

“I’ve been warning for years that if using a credit card to buy an American’s personal information voids their Fourth Amendment rights, then traditional checks and balances for government surveillance will crumble,” Ron Wyden, a US senator from Oregon, says. 

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) did not immediately respond to a request for comment. WIRED was unable to reach any members of the senior advisory panel, whose names have been redacted in the report. Former members have included ex-CIA officials of note and top defense industry leaders.

Wyden had pressed Haines, previously the number two at the Central Intelligence Agency, to release the panel's report during a March 8 hearing. Haines replied at the time that she believed it “absolutely” should be read by the public. On Friday, the report was declassified and released by the ODNI, which has been embroiled in a legal fight with the digital rights nonprofit the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) over a host of related documents. 

“This report makes it clear that the government continues to think it can buy its way out of constitutional protections using taxpayers’ own money," says Chris Baumohl, a law fellow at EPIC. “Congress must tackle the government’s data broker pipeline this year, before it considers any reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act,” he said (referring to the ongoing political fight over the so-called “crown jewel” of US surveillance). 

The ODNI's own panel of advisers makes clear that the government’s static interpretations of what constitutes “publicly available information” poses a significant threat to the public. The advisers decry existing policies that automatically conflate being able to buy information with it being considered “public.” The information being commercially sold about Americans today is “more revealing, available on more people (in bulk), less possible to avoid, and less well understood” than that which is traditionally thought of as being “publicly available.”

Perhaps most controversially, the report states that the government believes it can “persistently” track the phones of “millions of Americans” without a warrant, so long as it pays for the information. Were the government to simply demand access to a device's location instead, it would be considered a Fourth Amendment “search” and would require a judge's sign-off. But because companies are willing to sell the information—not only to the US government but to other companies as well—the government considers it “publicly available” and therefore asserts that it “can purchase it.”

It is no secret, the report adds, that it is often trivial “to deanonymize and identify individuals” from data that was packaged as ethically fine for commercial use because it had been “anonymized” first. Such data may be useful, it says, to “identify every person who attended a protest or rally based on their smartphone location or ad-tracking records.” Such civil liberties concerns are prime examples of how “large quantities of nominally ‘public’ information can result in sensitive aggregations.” What's more, information collected for one purpose “may be reused for other purposes,” which may “raise risks beyond those originally calculated,” an effect called “mission creep.” 

Most Americans have at least some idea of how a law enforcement investigation unfolds (if only from watching years of police procedurals). This idea imagines a cop whose ability to surveil them, turn their phone into a tracking device, or start squeezing records out of businesses they frequent, are all gated behind evidentiary thresholds, like reasonable doubt and probable cause. 

These are legal hurdles that no longer bother an increasing number of government agencies.
Access to the most sensitive information about a person was once usually obtained in the course of a “targeted” and “predicated” investigation, the report says. Not anymore. “Today, in a way that far fewer Americans seem to understand, and even fewer of them can avoid, [commercially available information] includes information on nearly everyone,” it says. Both the “volume and sensitivity” of information the government can purchase has exploded in recent years due to “location-tracking and other features of smartphones,” and the “advertising-based monetization model” that underlies much of the internet, the report says.

“In the wrong hands,” the ODNI’s advisers warn, the same mountain of data the government is quietly accumulating could be turned against Americans to “facilitate blackmail, stalking, harassment, and public shaming.” Notably, these are all offenses that have been committed by intelligence agencies and White House administrations in the past. What constraints do exist on domestic surveillance activities are all a direct response to that history of political sabotage, disinformation, and abusive violations of Americans' rights.

The report notes: “The government would never have been permitted to compel billions of people to carry location tracking devices on their persons at all times, to log and track most of their social interactions, or to keep flawless records of all their reading habits. Yet smartphones, connected cars, web tracking technologies, the Internet of Things, and other innovations have had this effect without government participation.”

The government must appreciate that all of this unfettered access can quickly increase its own power “to peer into private lives to levels that may exceed our constitutional traditions or other social expectations,” the advisers say, even if it can't blind itself to the fact that all this information exists and is readily sold for a buck.

WIRED

I saw a kid talking about being bullied and for some reason, I had a flashback. I remember being bullied as a kid. In fact I was severely bullied when I was elementary school age, and only once in High School.

I  got bullied until I fought back. I remember that day that I came home crying, like I did everyday, but this day my Mother was standing there in the doorway. She said to me in the little quiet voice she used when she was "really" pissed, "You have a choice, you either go back and hit that boy back, or you can come in here, and I will hit you". She said, "Who do you think is going to hit you harder"?

I decided that I had a better chance fighting the bully, than I did with getting a spanking, so I went back, and and sent the bully flying home crying. No one messed with me after that, until I got to High School. I had a bully in High School that tried to get me to open the door for her. Of course this took place coming in from the play ground, and every child out there was standing at the door, so I knew it was a set up.

The bully was notorious and had a serious reputation for beating the hell out of you, so she and everyone else was shocked, when I told her if she wanted that door opened, that she had better open it herself, because I was not opening it for her.

She told me she would kick my ass if I did not open the door, and I told her that she may very well do that, but she would still end up opening that door herself, and that she would have to kick my ass every single day, because I would be coming for her, every single day. I told her I would come for her every damn time I saw her, until she would be so sick of kicking my ass that she would run when she saw me..

She told me I was crazy, but she liked crazy. She told me she liked me. She then told all the kids standing out there waiting for the fight, that if anyone messed with me, that she would kick their ass. So I got the reputation of being the crazy girl that no one better not mess with.

I know that things were a bit different when I was a child which was a long time back. Way back, like "I Like Ike", back. But I don't think we were that different as kids. There were mean kids and there were bullies.

What was different back then?

I suppose no surprise about Kenyan tea pickers who saw their jobs being automated away and started destroying the machines replacing them. The American msm headline would be something along the lines of 'Tea pickers are violent extremists'. Then again, the founders of this media outlet are a former CEO of Bloomberg Media and a former columnist of the New York Times.  The 'industrial revolution' comes for Africa, in 2023.

Quote:KERICHO, Kenya — Kenyan tea pickers are destroying machines brought in to replace them during violent protests that highlight the challenge faced by low-skilled workers as more agribusiness companies rely on automation to cut costs.

At least 10 tea-plucking machines have been torched in multiple flashpoints in the past year, according to local media reports. Recent demonstrations have left one protester dead and several injured, including 23 police officers and farm workers. The Kenya Tea Growers Association (KTGA) estimated the cost of damaged machinery at $1.2 million (170 million Kenyan shillings) after nine machines belonging to Ekaterra, makers of the top-selling tea brand Lipton, were destroyed in May.

In March, a local government taskforce recommended that tea companies in Kericho, the country’s largest tea-growing town, adopt a new 60:40 ratio of mechanized tea harvesting to hand-plucking. The taskforce also wants legislation passed to limit importation of tea harvesting machines. Nicholas Kirui, a member of the taskforce and former CEO of KTGA, told Semafor Africa 30,000 jobs had been lost to mechanization in Kericho county alone over the past decade.

"We did public participation in all the wards and with all the different groups, and the overwhelming sentiment we were hearing was that the machines should go," Kirui said.

In 2021, Kenya exported tea worth $1.2 billion, making it the third-largest tea exporter globally, behind China and Sri Lanka. Multinationals including Browns Investments, George Williamson and Ekaterra — which was sold by Unilever to a private equity firm in July 2022 —  plant on an estimated 200,000 acres in Kericho and have all adopted mechanized harvesting.

Some machines can reportedly replace 100 workers. Ekaterra's corporate affairs director in Kenya, Sammy Kirui, told Semafor Africa that mechanization was “critical” to the company’s operations and the global competitiveness of Kenyan tea. As the government taskforce established, one machine can bring the cost of harvesting tea down to 3 cents (4 Kenyan shillings) per kilogram from 11 cents (15.32 shillings) per kilogram with hand-plucking.

Analysts partly attribute Kenya's unemployment rate — the highest in East Africa — to automation in industries, including banking and insurance. Some 13.9% of working age Kenyans (over 16) were out of work or long term unemployed in the final quarter of 2022.

Martin's view

Automation is only going to continue at a breakneck speed, not just in rural Kenya but other sectors in nations across Africa — particularly as artificial intelligence becomes more common. Rage in tea-picking regions could just be an early sign of future tensions if governments and companies don’t find ways to help low skilled workers.

The majority of pickers are young, many are women, and they often lack the opportunities and skills to thrive outside the tea sector. Retraining farm workers, as well as creating more jobs and diversifying economies in tea-growing communities, will be key to countering violence and growing anger. "My ministry is keen on opening up the labor market to boost employment opportunities for Kenyans," Labor Cabinet Secretary Florence Bore said during a trip to Kericho, days after the latest wave of attacks in May. She added that efforts were under way to resolve the dispute between locals and tea companies.

The private sector can also play a role in retraining workers. Kirui told me Ekaterra is keen on partnering with local communities on projects including technical and vocational education and training centers (TVETs).
Mechanization makes business sense for tea producers and they are unlikely to ditch tea-harvesting machines that lower their costs. But the trend is likely to continue hurting rural communities where farm workers are central to economic activity. Workers and residents will continue to oppose these changes because they lack alternative employment options.

The View From China

China is the world's largest tea exporter. In a paper calling for more efficient mechanization of tea harvesting in China, published in March, Wu Luofa of the Institute of Agricultural Engineering at the Jiangxi Academy of Agricultural Science noted that manual tea picking accounts for more than half of the cost of tea production.

"Developing and popularizing tea-picking machines is beneficial to increase labor productivity, reduce labor cost, enhance the market competitiveness of tea products and promote the sustainable development of the tea industry," he said.

Room for Disagreement

Adopting technology and mechanization is key to unlocking the potential of agriculture across Africa and should therefore be embraced, despite the frustrations of some workers, according to Tabitha Njuguna, managing director of African commodities exchange AFEX in Kenya.

"We find that potential disruptions caused by the integration of technology and mechanization can seem initially threatening, however, it is important for all stakeholders (agricultural organizations, farmers, processors) involved to see these as increasingly imminent and unavoidable," she told Semafor Africa.

Notable

• A BBC documentary in February uncovered widespread sexual harassment and abuse on tea farms in Kericho, with 70 women having been abused by their managers at plantations operated by British companies Unilever and James Finlay.
  

Quote:Lipton tea can be found in almost any grocery store, and the brand is just about synonymous with industrial Big Tea. So tea enthusiasts who sniff at the familiar square bags might be surprised that once upon a time, Lipton was known as the "farm to table" of the tea world. In fact, it was sold with the catchy slogan "direct from tea garden to tea pot."

So how did Thomas Lipton build this tea empire?

Lipton was already a self-made millionaire before he ever entered the tea trade. He was the Scottish-born son of an Irish grocer, and in Glasgow in 1871, he founded the first of a successful chain of grocery stores that made him a wealthy man by age 40.

But, in the British working classes, he saw an opportunity to get even richer...

How Lipton Built An Empire By Selling 'Farm To Table' Tea

For several years I have wondered how so many young adults became so messed up in their thinking. I thought that yes, being raised on years of psych meds was probably a contributing factor, but how were their thinking patterns concerning what is right and wrong changed so drastically? Some think it was the advent of social media and while I can agree it most likely contributed along with a huge amount of video game screen time  there had to be other contributing factors. How did we end up with so many "entitled" young people?

You have to admit huge numbers of them operate like packs of ravenous wolves attacking en force against anyone who entertains any idea different from their current "group think". While some think that mainstream media is to blame I tend to believe that previously fostered behavior has only been capitalized on. The last few days that belief has been permanently cemented into my brain. 

The last several months we've been marathoning a lot of series from the 2000s and 2010s that were created for and marketed towards younger teenagers of the time- those that are young adults now. They are extremely "cheesy" in my opinion but sometimes boredom will lead you down strange viewing paths. The majority of the shows center around supernatural creatures: vampires, werewolves, witches, aliens, ghosts, monsters, etc. So last night we were watching one of these series when Kdog made an observation that really got my gears turning. He brought up the fact that in all of these shows the main group of characters' ultimate answer to anyone who disagrees with them is to kill them. 

Now it's not completely surprising that fantasy creatures in a television show would not behave as most humans would but these shows were aimed at pre-teens and very young teens who tend to model their behaviors after their favorite characters whether those be from movies, television, books, movies, social media or whatever. So here are a few observations about these types of series that almost all seem to have in common.

The core group of characters consists of mainly narcissists.

Any character who disagrees with the core group is usually killed.

No matter how horrible the actions of the core group they are painted as the "good guys".

The core characters claim to care about "friends" and associates but in reality only use them to attack others who disagree with them with no real benefits in return.

Anyone not in the immediate core group is considered "lesser" and rather than being downplayed it is celebrated among the core.

There is blatant disregard for law, morals and any sort of authority whatsoever. Parents are almost always portrayed as murderous or at least extremely abusive- and also almost always killed.

Most characters are independently wealthy and only the "lesser" people have to work for a living. 

These are just a few of many, many things I've noticed in this programming. Most of these shows aired for at least several seasons and were the most popular teen shows of their time, plenty of time for these "values" to sink into impressionable minds. The behaviors we see amongst the 25-35 age bracket mirror the behavior glamorized in these shows- not all but in the majority definitely yes. 

Narcissists and sense of entitlement- Yes

People who don't agree with current group think should die- Yes

No respect for authority- Yes

Use others to attack disagreeing parties in pack-like behavior- Yes

They deserve to live the "high life" without having to work for it- Yes

They are always the "good guys" no matter how horrid their actions- Yes

Anyone who isn't part of their group is "lesser" and looked down upon- Yes

The similarities are endless! My curiosity has been sated.

Probably one of the reasons China wants to get it's hands on Taiwan's chip industry. Moore's law where computing doubles ever so often is now obsolete as this new chip set from NVIDIA can and will set totally new standards.

https://lists.youmaker.com/links/wU34Kqa.../j3vyICnAW

Quote:Is Mouthwash Ruining Our Health?
FEATUREDOral Health

Christy Prais
Jun 13 2023
biggersmaller

(White bear studio/Shutterstock)

0:0011:20






A growing number of dentists and medical professionals are cautioning against the indiscriminate use of popular mouth rinses, suggesting that they may inadvertently contribute to cavities and persistent bad breath.
There is also an emerging correlation between regular mouthwash use and more serious health issues, including high blood pressure, heart disease, and oral diseases.
The Evolution Of Mouth Rinses
The origins of formal oral rinsing as a practice can be traced back to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to around 2700 B.C. when it was first used for treating gum diseases.
A May 2023 study published in The Journal of Ethnopharmacology notes that “The Book of Rites” (“Li Ji,” written around 221 B.C.) from the period of the early Qin Dynasty recorded that rinsing with salt water was used as a tooth cleaning method during that time.
But our modern-day mouth rinse products are far from a simple salt water rinse. In fact, they were originally not even intended for oral rinse purposes.
The antiseptic mouth rinses Listerine, acquired from Pfizer by Johnson & Johnson in 2006, was originally developed as a surgical antiseptic in 1865 and named after Joseph Lister who performed the first antiseptic surgery.
According to the book “Health & Drugs, Disease Prescriptions & Medication”by Nicolae Sfetcu, after its use as a powerful antiseptic, it was distilled and sold as a floor cleaner and as a cure for gonorrhea. In the 1920’s it was rebranded and sold as a cure for “chronic halitosis,” and was the first over-the-counter mouth rinse to receive the American Dental Associations’ (ADA) prestigious seal of approval.
Over the years the mouth rinse market has quickly grown, and as of 2021 the global market was valued at $8.5 billion dollars and expected to grow to $15.7 billion by the end of 2032, according to Persistence Market Research.
Dr. Jack Kall, a practicing biological dentist of 46 years and the executive chair of the board of directors of the International Academy of Oral Medicine (IAOMT) says he typically does not recommend using mouth rinses regularly.
“I would reserve their use for very limited times such as if you’re going on a job interview, or you have something happening close up to where you want to be covering up garlic breath,” Kall told The Epoch Times in an interview.
Problems Revealed By Research
Kall warns that there has been research showing that overuse of antibacterial products including mouth rises can have negative effects on different aspects of our health.
According to Kall and recent studies, overuse of antibacterial products can be harmful in several ways.
Oral Microbiome Dysbiosis
Regular use of these rinses can disrupt the oral microbiome and shift it out of balance, a state known as dysbiosis. Antibacterial products not only kill the “bad bacteria” but also the good bacteria that are needed for many vital functions, including fighting off bacterial and viral infections.
Several studies reveal connections between diseases, viruses, and alterations in the oral microbiome. For instance, when imbalances occur within the oral microbiome, they can prompt gut microbes to generate carcinogenic toxins, triggering gut inflammation and metabolic complications.
High Blood Pressure
Kall also stressed that the antiseptic ingredient in mouth rinses can also interfere with the nitrate–nitrite–nitric oxide (NO) pathway which occurs at the back of the tongue.
This pathway is important in the oral microbiome because nitrates from our diet are converted into nitrites by oral bacteria through the process of nitrate reduction which are then further converted into NO.
NO is one of the most important signaling molecules in our bodies and plays a crucial role in regulating many physiological functions, including blood flow by helping with the dilation of blood vessels, immune response, and microbial homeostasis.
A study published in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology in 2019 warns that the use of “oral antiseptics resulted in increases in systolic blood pressure.”
The study looked specifically at chlorhexidine, an antiseptic used in mouthwash.
“Twice-daily chlorhexidine usage was associated with a significant increase in systolic blood pressure after 1 week of use and recovery from use resulted in an enrichment in nitrate-reducing bacteria on the tongue,” it reads.
Another study published in the American Journal of Hypertension had similar findings and concluded, “Results of this study suggest that use of antibacterial mouthwash by treated hypertensive individuals could have a detrimental effect on blood pressure. Of concern, is the widespread use of mouthwash in the general population.”
Dry Mouth, Cavities, and Fungal Infections
Many mouth rinse products contain alcohol which has a drying effect that can be problematic over time, warned Kall. That’s because saliva has several important roles that are compromised when the mouth is dry.
According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) having a sufficient amount of saliva is crucial because saliva contains minerals like “calcium and phosphate that help keep teeth strong and fight tooth decay.”
An insufficient amount of saliva can lead to an increased risk of tooth decay. Saliva also keeps invading germs in check, so a reduction in saliva can contribute to fungal infections, and bad breath.
Softening Effect on the Composite Filling Materials
Kall also notes that the harsh ingredient in many mainstream mouth rinses has a softening effect on the composite filling materials (the tooth-colored filling materials).
“Alcohol can be problematic for composites and cause a quicker breakdown, shortening the amount of time that those composites will hold up,” Kall said.
A study published Journal of Clinical and Experimental Dentistry warned “The use of mouthwashes triggered changes on the structure of both dental materials: composite resin and resin modified glass ionomer.”
Chemical Soup
Aside from alcohol, Kall said chlorhexidine is another mouthwash ingredient to avoid.
Chlorhexidine is used as a surgical scrub and diluted down and flavored for use as a mouth rinse.
Some oral surgeons will recommend it after a person’s had some kind of surgery to reduce the risk of infection, Kall noted but “you definitely don’t want to be using that for very long.” Aside from disrupting the oral microbiome, it can also stain the teeth.
Reading the labels on mouth rinses is a must, advises Kall.
“Unfortunately, when you look at the inactive ingredients, it’s a chemical alphabet soup. A lot of times there are various dyes or flavoring agents in them. Why expose yourself to these chemicals?” he said.
“They can be problematic, particularly with chronic long-term consumption. Even though you’re not swallowing the material intentionally, there’s still some that gets down into your gut and now your body has to deal with these irritating chemicals that can possibly cause leaky gut issues or chemical sensitivities,” Kall continued.
Harmful ingredients to look out for include alcohol, chlorine dioxide, chlorhexidine, cocamidopropyl betaine, parabens, poloxamer 407, formaldehyde, and saccharin.
Alternative Solutions
There are many types of effective homemade mouth rinses that can have antiseptic effects and help heal gum tissues. Dr. Kall noted a few options.
Saltwater or Peroxide: Both can have antiseptic effects.
Baking Soda: Has a mildly abrasive effect that can help remove plaque and has natural whitening properties.
Herbal Products and Essential Oils: Herbal extracts such as cinnamon bark oil, Papua-mace extracts, clove bud oil, peppermint, tea tree, eucalyptus oil, and thyme oil are shown to be very helpful at killing germs and healing gum tissue.
Oil Pulling: From Ayurveda, the ancient holistic system of medicine that originated in India 3000-5000 years ago. It involves swishing oil, such as sesame oil or coconut oil, in the mouth for 3-5 minutes then expelling it.
According to a review in the Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, oil pulling is mentioned in the Ayurvedic text Charaka Samhita and “claimed to cure about 30 systemic diseases ranging from headache, migraine to diabetes and asthma,” and used to prevent decay, oral malodor, bleeding gums, dryness of throat, cracked lips, strengthening teeth, gums, and the jaw.
Oral Probiotics: A randomized clinical trial published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology in 2013 found that a specific strain of good bacteria called Streptococcus salivarius strain M18, has been shown to improve dental health and reduce cavities by recolonizing your mouth with good bacteria and crowding out the bad bacteria.
Kall notes that although herbal-based products and alternatives are the healthier choice, he again cautions to be careful as some of these herbs are very effective antimicrobial agents and can be overdone similarly to the chemical options.
To The Root
As a biological dentist, Dr. Kall approaches dentistry in a holistic way using the least toxic treatment options.
Kall says that there are several factors that cause dental issues and bad breath. Some of the main ones are dysregulation of the body, oxidative stress, and dry mouth.
For example, problematic or bad bacteria love it when there’s too much free iron in our tissues, the small level of bad bacteria which could be okay to have around starts proliferating, and gets out of control. An overabundance of free iron can occur when our bodies are out of balance and have inadequate levels of copper, magnesium, and retinol, Kall notes.
We can minimize oxidative stress through diet and lifestyle choices. Avoiding things like sugar, chemicals from different sources, pesticides, heavy metals, and food additives and adding nervous system-regulating activities such as grounding, physical exercise, meditation, and acupuncture can help minimize oxidative stress, Kall says.
As mentioned above, dry mouth can be caused by drying agents such as alcohol but can also be exasperated by mouth breathing. Kall notes that there are remineralizing sprays that can help as well as mouth apparatuses that can be worn at night to avoid prolonged mouth breathing.

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