#15 Dental Care, Jacksonville City Guide
#15 Dental Care, Jacksonville City Guide
Summer Reading and How to Stop Spam Calls
Hello Friends,
The latest edition of the newsletter includes tips for healthy teeth and gums, plus a Jacksonville city guide.
Please feel free to comment if you have questions, responses, brilliant ideas or if you feel like sharing a favorite recipe, restaurant, or anything else.
You can also email me: marlayoung@mac.com.
You can always access the archives here, including the travel guides.
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📚 READ
Clarity and Connection by Yung Pueblo: In Clarity and Connection, Yung Pueblo describes how intense emotions accumulate in our subconscious and condition us to act and react in specific ways. In his characteristically spare, poetic style, he guides readers through the excavation and release of the past required for growth. Pueblo also writes a Substack newsletter.
Upgrade by Blake Crouch: Logan Ramsay’s genome has been hacked, and he is the only person who can prevent this from happening to the public.
The It Girl by Ruth Ware: This exceptional psychological thriller from Ware probes how much one can trust others and oneself, alternating past and present chapters build toward a gripping denouncement as nicely chosen details vividly bring each character to life. This showcases Ware’s gifts to the fullest.
Wine Simple by Aldo Sohm simplifies the wine buying and tasting process. Few of the myriad wine books that fill the shelves give an illustrated, step-by-step guide to opening a bottle of wine with a standard waiter’s corkscrew, showing what to do if the cork breaks. There’s information on wine basics, winemaking, and natural wines, as well as a guide to grapes, countries, and regions, and instructions on how to taste, order, buy and collect wine, and serve it at home.
📺 WATCH
Outer Range (Amazon Prime): Outer Range centers on Royal Abbott (Josh Brolin), a rancher fighting for his land and family, who discovers an unfathomable mystery at the edge of Wyoming's wilderness.
Better Call Saul (AMC): The rare spinoff that could be argued as an improvement on the source material it was inspired from, Breaking Bad.
The Bear (Hulu): The Bear follows Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto as he returns to Chicago and tries to keep his family’s restaurant afloat after a tragic death.
The Bear Soundtrack features Pearl Jam, Counting Crows, Van Morrison, REM, and more.
Only Murders In the Building Season 2 (HULU/Disney+): The show follows true-crime podcast junkies Mabel (Selena Gomez), Oliver (Martin Short), and Charles (Steve Martin) as they investigate a death in their Upper West Side building, the Arconia.
Under the Banner of Heaven (HULU/Disney+): Under the Banner of Heaven follows the murder of Brenda Wright Lafferty and her baby daughter in a suburb in Salt Lake Valley. As Detective Jeb Pyre (Andrew Garfield) investigates events that transpired, he uncovers buried truths about the origins of the LDS religion and the violent consequences of unyielding faith.
Where the Crawdads Sing: A young woman raised in the North Carolina marshes becomes the subject of an investigation after a gruesome murder in this film adaptation of Delia Owens’ best-selling novel.
Don’t even think about watching Where the Crawdads Sing before you read this article explaining why best-selling author Delia Owens is wanted for questioning a televised murder and other crimes that occurred during her family’s time in Zambia in the mid-1990s.
Nope: Jordan Peele’s Nope is being described as an alien invasion/Western flick, but like Get Out and Us, it crosses even more genres – horror, comedy, sci-fi, and thriller.
DOWNLOAD📱
Flighty (App): It provides quick, real-time updates on flight times, delays, and delay predictions (based on flight records) and indicates terminals and gates of departure and arrivals. It can also provide taxi wait times.
InShot (App): This powerful video editor has professional features to help you edit beautiful Instagram reel videos. You can add music, transition effects, animated text, emojis, filters, and backgrounds to your videos.
LISTEN 🎧
The Epstein Series Podcast: Here are Parts 1 & 2 of a series exploring the potential truth about the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. Part 3 is available on The Martyr Made Substack.
Endless Praise Charity Gayle
Summertime Blues Zach Bryan
Rental Cars: Saving Money, Avoiding Fees and All the Secret Tricks with Jonathan Weinberg: Rental Car expert Johnathan Weinberg discusses saving money and getting the best rate when renting a car.
Wise Traditions Podcast Ep. 331 Avoid Dental Problems With Diet: Is sugar the main culprit for dental decay and other issues? Dentist Marc DiNola suggests that a host of dental problems could be caused by nutritional deficiencies. He offers advice on what foods to eat to rectify the situation.
WORKOUT 💪
Forma Pilates App: Forma Pilates has quickly become the most in-demand workout. Started by Liana Levi in her Los Angeles home, Forma soon garnered attention as the Pilates workout of choice for Hailey Bieber, Kaia Gerber, and Kendall Jenner. The Forma Pilates app has a library of more than 100 videos, new videos uploaded monthly, and a combination of reformer and mat Pilates classes. ($49.99 per month or $480 per year.)
Here’s a sample workout you can try at home or in your hotel room.
FOLLOW 📱
Dr. Daniel G. Amen (Instagram): Dr. Amen is a psychiatrist specializing in mental health.
DO📱
4 Steps to Improve Your Instagram Feed
How to Move All Your Data to Your New iPhone
BAKE 🧁
Good & Sweet: A New Way to Bake with Naturally Sweet Ingredients by Brian Levy: This collection of dessert recipes is sweetened with fruit and other ingredients instead of cane sugar and liquid sweeteners like honey and maple syrup or commercial “alternative” sweeteners. The book also contains numerous gluten-free and vegan recipes, including this Vegan Butter Recipe.
THE HOT LIST / The latest places to add to your radar
Savannah
Pizzeria Vittoria is a Neapolitan-inspired pizzeria showcasing naturally-leavened pizza from chef/owner Kyle Jacovino.
Paris Laundry is a wellness boutique that offers clean and sustainable beauty, wellness, lifestyle, and home products.
Des Moines
Horizon Line Coffee
Madisonville, LA
Crazy Pig Southern Kitchen is a hidden gem in St. Tammany Parish. The perfect spot for brunch, lunch, or dinner.
Rockville, MD
Z&Z Manoushé Bakery is definitely worth the visit for the Lebanese flatbread.
Portland, OR
Screen Door is one of the most popular restaurants in Portland, serving up Southern cuisine like buttermilk fried chicken and waffles.
Dental Tips
Here’s a list of my favorite dental products.
1. Salt Water Mouth Rinse: Kills harmful bacteria. Make a saltwater solution (16oz of spring water to 1oz of salt in a mason jar) and keep it in your bathroom. Start with a quick salt water rinse before brushing. Pour a bit of brine, swish, and spit using a shot glass. Make a large glass of salt water and leave it in your bathroom.
2. Tongue Scraper: Dr. Tung's Stainless Steel Tongue Cleaner removes bacteria, eliminates bad breath, and restores oral hygiene.
To use:
Place cleaner on the tongue as far back as possible.
Gently glide the cleaner forward, scraping off unwanted matter.
Repeat 3-4 times.
Rinse well.
Use twice daily for best results (e.g., first thing in the morning and before bed).
3. Living Libations Ozonated Healthy Gum Gel: Living Libations Ozonated Healthy Gum Gel is a super-charged, botanical toothpaste, massage gel for your gums, and a zingy breath freshener.
4. Living Libations Happy Gum Drops Oil Swishing Serum: I use this serum for my oil-pulling routine. Oil Swishing or Oil Pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic medicinal practice used to detoxify the mouth, teeth, gums, and entire oral cavity. Oil swishing may eliminate the bacteria that cause oral issues. It is best to swish before you eat or drink first thing in the morning.
5. Vita-Pik Gum Syringe: This pack of two blunt-tipped syringes provides a durable and re-usable (non-electric) pen-size applicator designed to deliver salt water, tooth serums, or diluted hydrogen peroxide to the gums and in between teeth. Use the syringe to treat receding gums.
6. Dr. Tung’s Floss: This is the best floss. It pulls out more plaque than any other brand.
8. Ionic Tooth Brush: The ionic toothbrush cleans differently from the standard manual or electric toothbrush, which uses brushing and friction to remove food buildup and plaque. The manual brush's ionic toothbrush has an ionic charge that ionizes your saliva. It momentarily reverses the polarity of the tooth exterior from negative to positive, repelling plaque from the teeth and pulling it towards the negatively charged toothbrush head.
Compared to other toothbrushes, the Ionic Toothbrush is far more effective at cleaning and whitening teeth. It removes significantly more plaque, up to 48% more than our typical brushing. It’s excellent for general use, but especially for those hard-to-reach areas and places where plaque can quickly build up.
A small titanium battery is built into the handle, but you cannot access it or change it. It typically lasts about two years. You will need to replace the toothbrush.
To use, you have to wet your palm or a few fingers with water, and they must touch the metal part that wraps around the handle so it can create a closed circuit and release the ionic charge.
7. Activated charcoal: Great for whitening. Removes surface stains by acting as a magnet to remove toxins from the mouth and remove surface stains from teeth.
8. Toothpaste: It’s simple to make your toothpaste. Mix some coconut or olive oil, baking soda, and sea salt. Or simply use baking soda. You can also add essential oils such as tea tree, frankincense, mint, and myrrh. Add activated charcoal to pull out toxins and remove stains and turmeric to help reduce inflammation.
My favorite toothpaste is David’s Premium Toothpaste.
9. Thera O3 Air Tech: This portable device is an affordable option for ozone therapy. This treatment is used to safely treat minor tooth decay. There are so many benefits to ozone therapy.
Ozone dental treatment is a natural, non-invasive therapy for many common dental problems. When administered by a trained specialist, ozone gas or ozonated water effectively kills bacteria, viruses, parasites, mold, and fungi in the human mouth. This makes ozone therapy helpful in treating gingivitis, periodontal disease, oral candidiasis (thrush), and canker sores. Because ozone naturally desensitizes treated areas, treatment is virtually pain-free. Additionally, ozone's powerful antimicrobial properties can help disinfect gum tissue and sterilize a tooth before placing a crown or filling, which can help prevent further decay or the need for a root canal.
Read more about ozone therapy here.
Additional Resources
Holistic Dental Care Protocol: This guide includes the daily protocol I use to prevent decay, gum bleeding, inflammation, and even the onset of colds. Refer to pages 25-26 for the standard protocol.
Holistic Dental Care by Nadine Artemis: A comprehensive guide to natural, do-it-yourself oral care, Holistic Dental Care introduces simple, at-home dental procedures that anyone can do.
I recommend reading Nadine’s guide to using peptides for optimal oral care.
Peptides may help in the treatment of periodontal disease.
Living Libations YouTube channel has excellent videos on holistic oral care.
This video shows how your mercury fillings constantly give off harmful toxic gasses.
Wise Traditions Podcast Ep. 331 Avoid Dental Problems With Diet: Is sugar the main culprit for dental decay and other issues? Dentist Marc DiNola suggests that a host of dental problems could be caused by nutritional deficiencies. He offers advice on what foods to eat to rectify the situation.
Huggins Applied Healing Resource Center
The International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology
International Academy of Ceramic Implantology
International Society of Metal-Free Implantology
International Peptide Society
Coconut Oil Pulling
I love using coconut oil as part of my morning routine. I use it for so many things! Moisturizer, eye-makeup remover, hair conditioner, you name it. But there’s another way to use it: oil pulling, a dental-hygiene trend with roots in alternative medicine.
"As simple as it is, oil pulling has a potent detoxifying effect. Our mouths are home to billions of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other parasites and their toxins. Candida and Streptococcus are common residents in our mouths. These germs and their toxic waste products cause gum disease and tooth decay and contribute to many other health problems, including arthritis and heart disease. Our immune system is constantly fighting these troublemakers. If our immune system becomes overloaded or burdened by excessive stress, poor diet, environmental toxins and such, these organisms can spread throughout the body causing secondary infections and chronic inflammation, leading to any number of health problems.” – Bruce Fife, ND (Oil Pulling Therapy: Detoxifying & Healing the Body Through Oral Cleansing).
If you haven’t tried it, here’s oil pulling in a nutshell: You take a spoonful of coconut oil and swish it around in your mouth for about 20 minutes. The idea is that the oil attracts the fat-hungry bacteria in your mouth, leaving you with cleaner teeth, but because you don’t swallow those germs, you also end up with improved digestion, clearer skin, and improved sleep name a few of its touted benefits.
The key is to use good-quality, cold-pressed organic coconut oil because it has a pleasant, fruity taste, as opposed to vegetable or olive oil, which is heavier. I recommend a raw, extra-virgin coconut oil like Skinny Coconut Oil or Living Libations Happy Gum Drops Oil Swishing Serum. The purer the coconut oil is, the more toxins it can pull from your mouth during the pulling process. By collecting and expelling toxins from the mouth, oil pulling assists with oral care and overall health. Coconut oil contains lauric acid, which kills harmful pathogens like bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Breast milk is the only other natural source with a high concentration of lauric acid, which could explain the drastic decrease in infections in babies.
Since coconut oil is solid at room temperature, you may need to put the jar under hot water for a minute or so to make it liquid. Then pour some coconut oil into a tablespoon, spoon it into your mouth, and swish it around without swallowing as if you’re rinsing with mouthwash. Aim to keep it in your mouth for 20 minutes, but if the texture feels a little foreign at first, start with 5 minutes and work your way up. You might want to do it right before you get into the shower so you won’t have to worry about trying to talk to anyone with a full mouth. Once you’re done swishing, just spit the oil into your trash can (not down the drain—it could clog the pipes), give your teeth a quick brush to loosen other bacteria, rinse, and you’re finished.
For a small investment per jar, it’s worth giving it a “pull”—and if it’s not your thing, you can always use the rest of the coconut oil to condition your hair or drizzle over salad greens.
Now, what are you waiting for? This is life-changing stuff. Get your hands on some now. Make sure you use organic, unrefined, virgin coconut oil for the most benefits. I use Living Libations Happy Gum Oil Swishing Serum.
It's time for summer vacations and beach days which means more reading time. Here are ten books that I'm sure you’ll want to add to your summer reading list.
1. The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware | From the author of In a Dark, Dark Wood, this thriller is set on a cruise ship. Lo Blacklock is a travel writer who gets to spend a week on a luxury cruise. Filled with elegant guests, the Aurora begins her voyage into the North Sea. But as the wind whips up, so does the plot. Lo thinks she sees a woman being thrown overboard, but all guests are accounted for on the ship. What could be happening?
2. All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda | Megan Miranda's novel is a nail-biting, breathtaking story about the disappearance of two young women a decade apart.
3. Among the Wicked by Linda Castillo | When the body of an Amish girl is discovered near an Amish settlement in upstate New York, questions arise as to why she was out in the frigid winter evening and whether she was alone at the time.
4. Home Field by Hannah Gersen | As the high school football coach in his small, rural Maryland town, Dean is a hero who reorganized the athletic program and brought the state championship to the community. When he married Nicole, the beloved town sweetheart, he seemed to have it all until his troubled wife committed suicide. Now, everything Dean thought he knew is thrown off kilter as Nicole’s death forces him to re-evaluate his relationships, including those with his team and his three children. Fans of Friday Night Lights will enjoy this one.
5. Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty | The book explores how one small moment can destroy everything. It's about the consequences of something that happens at a neighborhood backyard barbecue.
6. The Light of Paris by Eleanor Brown | Weaving the 1920s with today, Eleanor Brown examines the joys of risk-taking.
7. A Certain Age by Beatriz Williams | An enchanting and compulsively readable tale of intrigue, romance, and scandal during the roaring 20s.
8. All Is Not Forgotten by Wendy Walker | What would you do to protect your children? What lengths would you go to? This book explores those questions and more. It’s a dark, twisting psychological thriller that had me guessing at the end. Note: This book has some problematic and violent scenes.
9. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch | This science-fiction thriller is the story of Jason Dessen. The story quickly grabs your attention as Jason spends an innocent evening at a local bar where circumstances abruptly shift, and Jason begins a battle to make sense of a series of mind-bending realities that provoke past fears. This page-turner will keep you up all night.
10. The Wolf Road by Beth Lewis | An unrelenting psychological thriller of wilderness survival wrapped in a terrifying hide-and-seek game of trying to escape an unspeakable past.
P.S. What books are you reading these days?
Link Love
1. The Brazilian butt lift is one of the deadliest cosmetic surgery procedures, reports Fiona Rutherford in Bloomberg, at least partly because it’s often performed by “cosmetic surgeons” with less experience and training than your average Jiffy Lube tech.
2. A financial checklist for your newly minted high school graduate.
3. How to wash your produce.
4. How to get the most from your immune system.
5. Why zinc is so essential.
6. What are stem cells, and why do people get stem cell treatments?
7. Where to donate used clothing.
8. Tips for flying with a toddler.
9. The best free apps and software you may not be using.
10. The discount cable and charger brands you can trust.
11. Hotel travel hacks.
12. Why you should always take a copy of the restaurant receipt.
13. Going on a cruise? Here's what not to buy onboard a cruise ship.
14. How to avoid common password mistakes.
15. Do you have candida?
16. Take a peak inside Nancy Meyer’s gorgeous home in Los Angeles.
16. One of the best parts of Top Gun Maverick was the action sequences, which were filmed in real planes. The training process was intense, to say the least, and many of the actors kept flying after production wrapped.
18. What are stem cells, and why do people get stem cell treatments?
19. Concealer tricks for covering acne, dark circles, discoloration, and more.
20. Why you should always take a copy of the restaurant receipt.
21. Six items to sleep well or at least better while traveling.
22. The case for wearing Airpods all the time.
How Do You Get On the Do Not Call or Text List?
Do Not Call or Text Government Websites: Start by adding your phone number to the Do Not Call or Text Government Website. If you want to know what is legal or not, look at the government PDF sheet. It does not apply to charities and non-profits. Only legitimate companies use the Do Not Call or Text registry. Scammers and spammers are not legitimate, so you must try another method to block these calls.
I Said Do Not Call Me: This website is set up for getting revenge on the caller or texter. The point is to get revenge on the person trying to call you. It will all them repeatedly and flood their lines so they cannot make any calls.
NOMOROBO App: This is a free service to stop annoying robocalls and spam text messages from blowing up your phone. There are also options to enter a landline number.
TextKiller: TextKiller can automatically hide unwanted messages. Do not press the “Try Free” button in this menu. Instead, just click the “X” in the top-right corner, then select “Proceed with Free version.”
Verizon Call Filter: You can use their call filter feature if you have Verizon. The premium call filter option is where you can see the caller ID. The basic plan is $2.99, and the premium is $7.99.
ATT Block Calls and Text Feature: If you have AT&T, you can download the AT&T Active Armor App to enable Spam Blocking, Unknown Caller blocking, and more at no extra charge.
T Mobile Call Filter and Text Feature: If you have T Mobile, you can download the Scam Shield App for anti-scam protections like Scam ID, Scam Block, and Caller ID.
Robo Killer: Robokiller is another service for blocking spammers. It blocks calls and text messages. You can try it for free for seven days, then there is a monthly premium for the service. You can pay annually at $39.99 a year or monthly at $4.99.
RECIPES
Black Bottom Oatmeal Pie
Peanut Butter and Banana Bread
Southern Fudge Pie
Vodka Sauce *Cashew cream or coconut milk are great substitutions for heavy cream.
Jacksonville City Guide
Jacksonville is one of my favorite cities in Florida. I love the charming neighborhoods and cozy cafes. When I have a layover in Jacksonville, I start my day with a run along the river downtown. If I am in Jacksonville on a Saturday morning, I stop by the Riverside Arts Market to pick up some fresh produce. After a run, I hit the juice bar at Natural Food Market in the eclectic Five Points neighborhood. I love cherry limeade. I like to peek inside Jane Doe, an adorable fashion boutique. Nearby is my favorite coffee shop, Bold Bean. Sweet Theory is my next stop to pick up gluten-free and vegan treats. Everything is made fresh daily. The next stop is Southern Roots, a great cafe for lunch. I love the vegan queso. Other popular spots for lunch include Whiteway Deli. It is the oldest deli in Jacksonville and where the locals dine for lunch. Order the Tabouli. Stop at Carmin's Pie House if you are craving Italian food.
Avondale is another lovely neighborhood near Five Points. Check out Crave and the jewelry at Ellie Bing for designer trends. There are several antique and vintage shops. Moon River Pizza serves pizza by the slice.
San Marco is my favorite neighborhood for boutique shopping. For the latest fashion trends, stop by Rosie True, Reve, and Therapie. Wardroom LTD is an adorable gift boutique. A few notable restaurants in San Marco include Maple Street Biscuit Company and the Olive Tree Mediterranean Grille.
I also love checking out Chamblin Book Mine downtown. It is a treasure hunt for book lovers. Eat at Taco Lou if you spend the day at the beach.
EAT
Natural Food Market smoothies
Southern Roots
Whiteway Deli
Carmin's Pie House
Crave
Moon River Pizza
Taco Lou
Maple Street Biscuit Company
Olive Tree Mediterranean Grille
Homespun Kitchen
Southern Grounds
1748 Bakehouse
Jax Bread Company
Community Loaves
SWEETS
Good Dough
Sweet Theory
Southern Roots
1748 Bakehouse
Jax Bread Company
Community Loaves
GLUTEN-FREE
Natural Food Market smoothies
Sweet Theory
Southern Roots
DRINK
Ground Level Coffee
Bold Bean
Bold City
Intuition Ale Works
Lemon street
Hyperion Brewing
Manifest Distillery
DO
Riverside Arts Market
Cummer Museum & Gardens
The Friendship Fountain
MOVE
Hannah Park camping, fishing, mountain biking, and surfing
SHOP
Jane Doe
Rosie True
Reve
Therapie
Wardroom LTD
Chamblin Book Mine
Fresh Jax organic spices
Crave
Ellie Bing
Wolfgang
Southern Crossing
STAY
Hotel Palms
One Ocean Resort
GETTING AROUND
The Downtown Skyway will take you from downtown across the river to San Marco.
St. Johns River Taxi provides transportation to points on both sides of the St. Johns River in the heart of downtown if you’re staying in that area, you can walk from place to place.
Beach Buggy App provides free rides around the beach community.
Go Tuk’n also offers pay-to-ride shuttle services in the Downtown, Riverside, and Avondale neighborhoods. Download the app onto your phone.
What else would you add if you’ve been to Jacksonville or live there?
You May Have Missed:
Party Planning Resources and 30 A Florida Travel Guide: Find out some of my favorite online party supply stores, entertaining cookbooks, and event planning tips. I have some great suggestions for gatherings outside the home, including an ice cream social!
Thank you so much for reading. If you enjoyed this edition, please consider sharing it with your friends!
P.S. You can access all the city guides and past content in the archives section.
Ohh love your book round up! Jotted a lot of them down in my notes! I am currently reading a really good one “Happy And You Know It”, I think you’d enjoy!
Thank you! I'll check it out!