Ketogenic Diet

Eat Fat to Lose Fat

We are trained to think that in order to lose weight, we need to eat less…especially less fat. But what if I told you that the key to making the body a fat-burning machine was to eat fat? That's right! To lose fat you need to eat fat, and lots of it.

How does the ketogenic diet work?

This is the basis behind the ketogenic diet. The ketogenic diet is a diet high in fat, low in protein, and even lower in carbohydrates. Eating this way makes the body produce ketones in the liver from the digested fat, which is where the "ketogenic" diet gets its name. The ketones then take the place of glucose as fuel for the body, which is what our bodies typically use when we eat the average American diet of higher carbs and protein. With a high level of ketones and a low level of glucose in the blood, the body produces less insulin. In turn, it becomes a fat-burning machine, as less insulin being pumped out means that the body has a far easier time burning stored fat for energy.

What are the benefits of the ketogenic diet? 

• First and foremost, the ketogenic diet actually originated as a tool for treating neurological diseases, such as epilepsy.
• Studies have shown that low-carbohydrate diets can lead to weight loss.
• Additional research shows that a ketogenic diet can regulate blood sugar levels and blood pressure.
• Eating ketogenically can help treat Alzheimer's disease.
• Studies show that the ketogenic diet can slow tumor growth in cancer patients.
• Research shows that the ketogenic diet also help hormone levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
• If you go on the ketogenic diet, you might notice it reduces acne and has other skin-clearing benefits.

How can you get into a ketogenic state?

So, what does the ketogenic diet look like? There are several variations on the ketogenic diet, broken down below:

• Standard ketogenic diet (SKD): This is a very low-carb, moderate-protein, and high-fat diet. It typically contains 75 precent fat, 20 percent protein, and only 5 percent carbs.
• Cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD): This diet involves periods of higher-carb refeeds, such as 5 ketogenic days followed by 2 high-carb days.
• Targeted ketogenic diet (TKD): This diet allows you to add carbs around workouts, consuming most carbs before a workout.
• High-protein ketogenic diet: This is similar to a standard ketogenic diet but includes more protein. The ratio is more like 60 percent fat, 35 percent protein, and 5 percent carbs.

Keep in mind that only the standard and high-protein ketogenic diets have been studied extensively. Cyclical or targeted ketogenic diets are more advanced methods and are primarily used by bodybuilders or athletes.

What should you eat on a ketogenic diet? 

The exact amount of fat and protein is a matter of individual body responses and activity levels, but almost everyone on a ketogenic diet will consume only 10 percent or less of calories from carbohydrates. This means that any food high in carbohydrates should be limited or avoided, including sugary foods like cakes, cookies; and candy, grains and starches including beans and root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and beets; fruits (except for small portions of berries), tomatoes, low-fat/sugar-free products, and alcohol.
The good-foods list includes meat, fish (especially fatty fish like mackerel, salmon, tuna), eggs, butter, full-fat cream, cheese, nuts, seeds, healthy oils (I would stick to olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil), low-carb vegetables, avocados, herbs, and spices.
The good news is that you can also have coffee and tea on a ketogenic diet, as long as there is no added sweetener. However, I do recommend sticking to only one cup a day, as too much caffeine may down-regulate ketosis. Many people who adhere to the ketogenic diet also swear by bulletproof coffee, or butter coffee: coffee infused with butter, MCT oil, or both.

How do you know if you're in ketosis? 

So, you've changed your diet to include a much higher fat content in order to try to put the body into ketosis. Now, how do you know if it's working? Typically, the results will speak for themselves, but to find the perfect balance of fats, proteins, and carbs for your body you can buy a ketone meter, and with the prick of a finger you can find out your blood ketone levels. As another and cheaper option for checking your ketone levels you could purchase ketone urine strips, but I am not quick to recommend this method as there are many variables that may affect the outcome, including your level of hydration as well as the amount you are excreting versus what is actually the level inside your body. You might also be interested to know that you can actually tell if you are in ketosis if you sense that your breath, sweat, or urine smells sweet. This is the smell of acetone, which is a by-product of breaking down ketones, and some people refer to it as the ketogenic "fruity" smell.

How many ketones are optimal for ketosis? 

If you choose to test your blood ketones, you should be looking for levels between 0.5 and 5.0 mM, which means that you are in therapeutic ketosis. In my opinion, the ideal range is 1.5 to 3.0 mM, and levels above 3.0 mM are not necessary in order to get results. In fact, when there are too many ketones, meaning over 20 mM, this can be detrimental to the body. It is called ketoacidosis and cannot occur on a ketogenic diet but when there is a disease in the body. Ketoacidosis can often be seen in the end stages of diabetes.

If you are having trouble reaching the ideal range of blood ketones even when you feel your carb intake is minimal, I would look to see if you are eating too much protein. Excess eggs and meat will turn into glucose in the body, compromising optimal ketosis. To counter this, eat more fat! For example, if you add more butter to your steak you might not feel like having a second portion of steak because you are more satisfied and satiated from the first one. Simply, more fat in your food will fill you up more. This will ensure you eat less protein and even fewer carbs, and as a result your insulin levels will drop and you'll be able to reach optimal ketosis. If you are a vegetarian who is interested in this diet please reach out to me and I can give you more specific guidelines. 

Most people can safely do a ketogenic diet, but I recommend running any major dietary changes by your doctor, especially if you are diabetic and on insulin, or on medication for high blood pressure. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, I wouldn't recommend the ketogenic diet unless ordered by your doctor.

got Milk? Drink This!

got milk?  Drink This!

When it comes to drinking milk, specifically cow milk, there is a lot of controversy.  Is it good for us?  Don't we need the calcium from it?  Is whole milk really the best with a higher concentration of fat?  What about raw milk?  The questions can go on and on.

So let's take it step by step.  Is cow milk healthy for us?  My answer, which is my answer for everything, is it depends on how you muscle test for it.  So to all my patients who do test well for milk this blog is for you!  The best cow milk to drink is A2 milk.  A2 milk is cow's milk that mostly lacks a form of β-casein proteins called A1 and instead has mostly the A2 form. Beta-casein makes up about 30 percent of the protein in cow's milk. A1 and A2 are two variants of beta-casein. Historically, cows produced milk that contained only the A2 form of beta-casein. So the genetic change that makes A1 protein is harder for us to digest.

The percentage of the A1 and A2 beta-casein protein varies between herds of cattle, and also between countries. While African and Asian cattle continue to produce only A2 beta-casein, the A1 version of the protein is common among cattle in the western world. Goat, sheep, water buffalo and human breast milks all contain only A2-like proteins, and thousands of years ago, cow’s milk also had only A2.

During the breakdown of A1 in the gut, a peptide fragment (a chain of amino acids) called BCM-7 is formed. This fragment can slow down digestion, trigger inflammation and cause symptoms such as bloating, gas, abdominal pain, diarrhea and constipation (http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/7/9/5339/htm). No such fragment is formed with A2 digestion. If those symptoms sound similar to those of lactose intolerance, it’s because they are. And many people may be misdiagnosing themselves when it is really A1 they need to avoid.

Milk that contains only A2 milk was brought to market by The a2 Milk Company from New Zealand in 2000 and is sold mostly in Australia, New Zealand, China, United States and the United Kingdom. I just recently found it at a local grocery store called Shop Rite.  A genetic test, developed by the a2 Milk Company, determines whether a cow produces A2 or A1 type protein in its milk. The test allows the company to certify milk producers as producing A2 milk.
Whole fat A2 milk is the best type to drink because the extra fat content is how Mother Nature made it so your body can digest it better.  Research even shows that among adult women, higher intake of high-fat dairy was actually linked to less weight gain than intake of low-fat dairy. And a recent study of children ages 1-6 years old found that those who drank whole milk had higher vitamin D levels and lower BMI (body mass index) than those who drank low-fat fat. 
For those of you who don't drink milk but have read this much and now are worried about not getting enough calcium in your diet here are other calcium sources.

A Great Detox Supplement: Shilajit Resin

A Great Detox Supplement

I just recently started to work with Shilajit resin and have been so excited about the results that I couldn't wait to write this blog!  Shilajit resin comes from the Himalayan mountains and is a tar like substance that has an extreme amount of trace minerals (85 different ones) and fulvic acid in it.  In this way it gives your body minerals it's missing from your diet either because you are eating the wrong things or even when you eat very well our food doesn't have enough minerals in it because our soil now lacks the minerals it once had even 50 years ago.  Shilajit resin has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years.  

Shilajit has a special property of enhancing anything taken with it so I love to mix it with my water that I drink when taking my supplements so my supplements are more effective.  This is because the fulvic acid can permeate the cell wall, allowing more minerals into the cells.  

Besides enhancing the absorption of minerals Shilajit has an amazing ability to attract toxins.  The first time I took it I actually got an instant headache from it detoxing.  It sounds awful but I was glad to get an instant reaction to know how powerful it works!

Here's a list of the most concentrated minerals in Shilajit: Fulvic, Folic and Humic acids; Iron; Zinc; Magnesium; Copper; Nickel; Potassium; Manganese; Silicon; Silver; Sodium; Sulfur; Iodine; Strontium; Rubidium; Cesium; Barium; Phosphorus; Chromium; Vanadium; Molybdenum; Carotenoids retinol, Terpenoids; B, C, E vitamins; Melanoidin; Benzoic acid; Polyphenol complexes; Phospholipids Triterpenes and Phenolic acids; Albuminoids; Bioflavonoids; Hippuric and Oxalic acid; Tannic acid; Glycosides

Research also shows that it:

1. Helps with glowing skin, muscle soreness, burns and bruise healing

Shilajit can help skin and muscles heal from wounds, burns and bruises for retinol, vitamin B and copper are necessary for each step in the healing process which are found in Shilajit. When they are combined with fulvic acid and silicon, inflammation is reduced and the formation of new tissue is enhanced. 

The copper found in Shilajit makes skin healthier by promoting collagen. It is a protein produced by the cells to ‘hold’ the skin together, promoting skin regeneration and reducing wrinkles.  Deficiency of copper is also linked to depigmentation of the skin.  Silicon is another important component of collagen formation as well as one of the most abundant trace minerals in Shilajit.  Without collagen, your skin would perpetually sag!

Vitamin E and C work closely together to repair and protect damaged skin tissues too. The body does not produce its own Vitamin C, so we need to get it from dietary sources – like Shilajit! With respect to skin conditions, you may apply it directly to the problem to speed up the tissue regeneration. Even better to reduce inflammation is to mix Shilajit with your skin ointment or cream. Mix Shilajit in a ratio of 1:3 and apply it to the problem area.

2. Bone health, joint support and arthritis remedy

Cuprum, nickel, calcium, manganese, silicon and strontium are not only responsible for making bones and joints stronger, they also help in building resilience against various forms of arthritis and osteoporosis. Magnesium deficiency causes chronic inflammation. Shilajit can supply your body with extra magnesium to prevent this. 

Potassium is also found in Shilajit and aids in retaining a healthy bone mineral density by helping calcium to remain inside your bones.Taking Shilajit together with turmeric and ginger increases their effectiveness against serious forms of arthritis. 

3. Heart, blood and circulation support

Shilajit has plenty of iron, which in combination with copper, plays a major role in transporting oxygen in our body. Cobalt is an essential element for making red blood cells after converting to Vitamin B12. Potassium balances the negative effects of excessive salt intake, and reduces “bad” LDL cholesterol. Together with calcium, they regulate the heartbeat. These may be key factors to improving and sustaining healthy blood pressure.

There is also plenty of research that links Vitamin E to reducing the risk of heart diseases as well as protecting against atherosclerosis (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0891584999002245).

4. Helps physical performance and energy, also post workout recovery

Because Shilajit is a fantastic energizer, it was officially used by the Russian military, Olympic, and space teams. It works as a natural recovery solution after a workout and has been used to reduce physical weakness and improve stamina. Iron, copper and nickel help to carry more oxygen in the blood, which enhances energy production.

Vitamin B12 is another well-known energy booster that is also part of shilajit. Fulvic acid and B12 both have the ability to deliver oxygen directly to the muscle cells. This may help to reduce the detrimental effects of lactic acid and CO2 build up that occurs after working out.  

5. Immune function and metal chelation

The minerals housed within Shilajit will not only bolster your immune system, but they will aid in removing heavy metals and other toxins from your body.

Manganese, molybdenum, iron, zinc and copper are all vital for the creation of enzymes, such as Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Glutathione and Catalase. All three of these enzymes function as the body’s primary antioxidant defense against oxidative stress and constitute a huge part of our immune system. A deficiency in them is closely associated with rapid aging. These enzymes are also essential for removing all toxins from your system (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2090506817301550). 

6. Anti-stress, Depression and Anxiety

For those who suffer from depression, their zinc level is likely to be low. Shilajit boasts a lot of natural zinc, which is also required by more than 300 enzymes in our body. We don’t get enough zinc in a modern diet, and our bodies are not able to store much of it either. Hence, we need a small, but regular supply of this metal to stay healthy.

Two additional important elements are magnesium and potassium. Both of these minerals lower blood pressure, muscle tension and heart rate. Together with zinc, this may be a great solution to relieve stress and anxiety. 

7. Blood sugar and Diabetes

Calcium, magnesium, and zinc reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. The major role of magnesium is to control blood glucose levels. A recent study found that 25% or more of diabetic patients were deficient in magnesium. The role of zinc in diabetes has not been directly identified, however, a study from Harvard Health looked at how zinc levels influenced the risk for women. They found that a higher zinc level was associated with a slightly reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. The proper balance of calcium may also reduce the risk of diabetes by 33%.

Chromium is another very important trace element present inside Shilajit which has a potent effect on those with diabetes. When chromium is present inside the body, less insulin is required for glucose metabolism.

8. Hair support

Many hair experts believe that human hair was healthier 100 years ago. The food was full of nutrients and there were no shampoos with harsh detergents that strip the natural oils from the scalp. Chemically treated water also possesses many harsh chemicals that often contribute to hair loss. Shilajit can enrich your shower soap with a variety of needed elements that our modern diet simply doesn’t supply.

One of the important metals is copper. It may calm your scalp and help hair growth. Copper also may increase your hair’s natural pigmentation.  Manganese, selenium, and zinc play an important role in healthy skin, including the scalp.

To be most effective, you should take shilajit internally as well as mixing it with your shampoo. Argan oil together with Shilajit may multiply the positive effect for hair health. Also getting a shower filter and using a cooler temperature are also better for skin and hair health.

9. Sexual Potency 

Natural zinc and selenium supplementation improves sexual performance. It promotes proper testosterone levels, prolongs ejaculatory latency, keeps sperm healthy and regulates sex drive for both men and women. 

Other sources show that magnesium is one of the elements needed for the production of sex hormones, such as androgen and estrogen, as well as for neurotransmitters, which modulate the sex drive.

Further trace minerals that will bring happiness to your love life include potassium, calcium, iron, manganese, copper, cobalt, trace amounts of sodium, sulfur, and phosphorus. These are all involved in maintaining blood pressure, vascular health and enhancing the function of nerve endings; which will indirectly help to improve symptoms of erectile dysfunction, enhance genital secretions and boost libido in both males and females.



Anyone can prove it to themselves just by applying shilajit mixed with water, to their healthy or weak plants. You’ll be amazed at the results!


There are many companies that harvest the Shilajit and I have done all the research to know that the best company is Natural Shilajit. All resins are tar like and so are difficult to scoop out of container.  It does dissolve easy in room temperature or warm water but don't taste great.  So They have honey sticks which make the resin user-friendly and taste better too!  I don't eat honey every day so I use the resin and love the results!
vat
You can order it here or we have it at the office for convenience too! It's $49 for about a 2 month supply of resin, depending on your dosage and $59 for 30 sticks of honey.  

Tired of throwing away rotten food?

FreshPaper will keep your food fresher for longer!

It's always a pain when food spoils faster than you can eat it.  Picking out the right produce is not always easy.  Just the other week I bought organic peaches from Trader Joe's and one of them didn't even last 3 days in my fruit bowl where it was supposed to ripen.  It just went from 'as hard as a rock' to moldy and I missed my window to have my daughter eat it.  At least it was only one peach and I could save the rest.  But the waste of both money and food bothered me so I went online to see what could be done and I found FreshPaper.  

I have been in awe of how these little sheets of paper work! I don't know exactly how but the results speak for themselves.  My strawberries stay fresh for twice as long and basil, which I never go through fast enough and always have to throw out, lasted long enough for me to use it all!

It was developed by a woman who experimented in her garage after visiting her grandmother in India.  Her grandmother made her a special tea while she was there and the woman could feel the health benefits from it.  After she came home and was interested in helping the food economy the woman used  the herbs in the paper and started selling them at local Farmer's Markets and the rest is history!  

She also has one to keep bread fresher longer which I haven't used yet.  I don't have a need since it's not something I buy but if you use it please let me know how your experience was.  The feedback is valuable to other patients!

It's $10 for a monthly supply which she estimates will save you $50.  I appreciate the savings and am so grateful to not have the waste. I promise, you will too!  I have some packages at the office for your convenience if you want to get them there.  

Book on Chakras

Harmony in Chakras

Dr. Armitstead is fortunate enough to have collaborated with other healing professionals in writing a book about Chakras.  Here is a short excerpt from the chapter she wrote in Harmony in Chakras:

I will never forget the first time I worked with chakra energy in my office.  Sarah was a 34 year old woman suffering from anxiety and depression.  I had been working with her for about 6 weeks on dietary and lifestyle changes and designing a clinical nutrition program with whole food supplements to help her.  She was reporting a little improvement but it wasn’t the progress I was expecting.
In my healing work I use muscle testing as a tool to help identify what nutritional support the body needs to heal.  Using muscle testing I screen for heavy metals, heavy chemicals, immune stressors like bacteria, viruses, fungus, and parasites and food sensitivities using homeopathic vials. Any of those things can cause an imbalance in the body and can lead to symptoms; in Sarah’s case, depression and anxiety.  
Muscle testing is based on quantum physics. E=mc2. So if energy equals mass times the speed of light squared then anything with mass has energy and we are using that energy and muscle testing to get a response from the body. This response allows us to know what energy is disrupting the body and make very specific lifestyle and supplement recommendations for that person based on the muscle testing. 
I had been using this technique for years and seen great results with depression and anxiety so when Sarah came in that day and wasn’t getting the results I expected I wanted to go deeper into the emotional component with her about her anxiety and depression and since muscle testing is my tool I decided to muscle test the chakras for the first time and see what would happen.  
Up to this point I knew what chakras were from a very superficial point.  I knew they were energy centers in the body each correlating with certain emotions.  The red one had to do with feeling safe and being at home in your body, the orange one had to do with our sexuality…and so forth.  I wasn’t even sure of the proper names, just the colors.  I had seen pendulums used before in testing chakras so I thought if pendulums can pick it up then maybe muscle testing can too.  So this time instead of muscle testing the organs, with Sarah’s permission, I put my hand in the energy center just a half-inch off the body to see what would happen.  To my surprise, but I guess it shouldn’t have been surprising, the body responded!

To get your signed copy of the book and learn more about Chakras and how I muscle test them come to the book launch on

Thursday, August 9th, 530-7pm
Skinny Bar and Lounge at
174 Orchard St, NY NY 10002
Event details

Book details

PSYCH-K, How to change your belief systems for better health!

Healing Belief Systems

I'm a big believer in mind over body even though I work with the body every day. It is actually my respect for the body and the healing journey that allows me to have such respect for the mind as well.  When a patient comes to me and tells me that they can't sleep because their job is so stressful I believe them.  For what they believe is their truth and not working with their truth won't help me or the patient.  My goal then, as the healer, is to help the body on the physical level to manage the stress from their job so they can sleep better.  I've had a lot of success in helping people this way but sometimes I see that the stress is just too much and then I dig deeper and figure out with the patient what stress management needs to be implemented.  These lifestyle changes to help the patient deal with their stress so it's not creating such chaos in their body is key.  But sometimes even with implementing lifestyle changes the insomnia continues or they are literally too stressed out and overwhelmed so they can't implement the changes.  It is in these cases I feel like my ability to help them on their journey is limited.

I've been in practice for over 12 years and it doesn't happen often but when I don't think I can help a patient I'm always at a loss to tell them what would help because if I knew what that would be I would be doing it!

I figured out a missing piece to the puzzle recently which is our belief systems can get in the way of our healing capacity.  What the mind thinks really does play a part, not just in health but in all aspects of our life.  It's not only what we think but also our subconscious that plays a part.  The subconscious brain with the autonomic nervous system controls the heart beat, allows you to digest your food without thinking, allows scars to heal without you having to do anything, is said to control about 95% of what is truly going on.  Studies show that what you think even effects your genes! For more info on this watch my video on The Biology of Belief.

I read the book, Biology of Belief, by Bruce Lipton years ago and was fascinated with the research that shows how genes actually change expression with different thoughts but he had no way to explain how to change this mind-body connection to help people. He just knew that it happened.  I finally found the answer when one of my patients mentioned to me a muscle testing technique called PSYCH-K® which I am now certified in and am loving the results I am seeing in the office! 

PSYCH-K's motto is 'an evolution of consciousness' which I couldn't agree more with.  It really does have the ability to help you identify belief patterns that no longer serve you and then reprogram new belief systems so you can live the life you want.  This reprogramming is due to using specific neurological techniques to build new neural pathways and take out the electric charge of old neurological pathways.  

We all know when we are being triggered by someone or a situation.  Our eyes get small, our heart beats faster, we hold our breath and hopefully watch what comes out of our mouth next.  Whether the feeling is anger, shame, guilt, sadness our body is going 100 miles a second having it's own reaction to what is happening while the brain is also going 100 miles a second having whatever emotions you would label it. With both the brain and body going 100 miles a second we tend to overreact and say things or do things we later regret.  What if we could stop this reaction on the neurological level and have the body and brain not overreact?  What would your life look like if you thought clearly through every situation and could act accordingly?  What if you could follow through on every goal you set for yourself?  There is no limit to what you could do!

If you are interested in learning more about PSYCH-K or want to book an appointment that could be done in person or over Skype just email or call the office.  Appointments are $75 for 15 minutes.

DIY Toothpaste

DIY Toothpaste

Nobody I know loves going to the dentist. But if I told you it would help your heart, would you be more inclined to go?  We should go for our bi-yearly cleanings and make sure all is healthy and if not, address it. For a tooth infection can disrupt the whole gut flora system.  Mouth to anus is one long tube so a tooth infection can drip down and give stomach aches, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, etc.  Teeth infections can also cause headaches and it can also cause heart disease.

There’s a BIG link between oral health and heart health.

And if your oral health isn’t in tip-top shape…your gut and heart health could be at major risk.

And according to Harvard Medical School and The Mayo Clinic — swallowing too many of these “bad bacteria” can harm your blood vessels, increase blood pressure and put you at major risk of heart disease and stroke.
(https://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/heart-disease-oral-health
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/heart-disease-prevention/faq-20057986)

People think brushing their teeth more could help but it turns out brushing could actually be making the problem worse if you're using the wrong toothpaste.

Many toothpastes contain chemicals like:

• Triclosan, a pesticide and hormone disruptor.
• Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) which causes canker sores for many people.
• Artificial colorings, which are linked to ADHD and hyperactivity in children. Toothpaste does not need to be blue!
• Fluoride, which can be toxic if swallowed and doesn’t even work in toothpaste.
• Titanium dioxide, which is added to make a toothpaste white. Most of the data shows it’s safe and is not absorbed by the skin, but I have yet to find a study done to measure absorption by oral tissues. The EWG has a good list of safety concerns around titanium dioxide, but the take-home message: it can cause cancer.
• Glycerin, which isn’t toxic, but has no place in the mouth as it’s a soap that strips your body’s natural oral mucosa and leaves a film. This film could coat the teeth, messing with the structure of the biofilm which could alter the microbiome in the mouth and impact the natural remineralization process — your body’s natural cavity-fighting mechanism.
• Highly abrasive ingredients, which damage enamel, making teeth sensitive and more prone to gum recession and cavities. Toothpaste should be only a little bit abrasive — this graininess aids the brushing motion to remove the biofilm of the tooth.

These nasty toothpaste toxins do a number on your oral health… and over time, may INCREASE bad bacteria in your mouth. If you aren't sure of the ingredients of your current toothpaste, it's on the box that you threw out when you bought it.  So google the ingredients and  you can also look it up on ewg.org which gives it a health rating to help you figure out if it's healthy enough to use.

If your mouth has bad bacteria it means every time you swallow, you could be putting your body at risk.  To help kill the bad bacteria finding the RIGHT toothpaste is part of it.

The best ingredients to find in a toothpaste

• Coconut oil, which can help boost the microbiome in your gut (remember, the gut begins in the mouth!) and naturally prevent candida in the mouth. 
• Trace minerals drops, especially if you drink reverse osmosis water, which removes bad stuff from the water but also removes the good minerals too. I use ConcenTrace Trace Mineral Drops. 
• Crushed cacao nibs. Believe it or not, the ideal toothpaste would be a chocolate toothpaste, since compounds in cacao beans promote remineralization better than fluoride (and of course, much more safe). Crush the cacao nibs to a small size and it will  be a safe abrasive to break up the mouth's biofilm.
• Bentonite clay, which is a natural polisher rich in minerals that isn’t too abrasive. It’s also alkaline, so it helps reduce acidity in the mouth. Don’t be afraid of putting “dirt” in your mouth.  Great dental health is actually about achieving a balanced ecosystem of bacteria in your mouth, which protects us from illness and promotes tooth remineralization. 
• Xylitol for its abilities to reduce cavity-causing bacteria in the mouth. Just don’t add too much since it’s a sweetener — too much can reprogram your taste buds to crave too much sweetness.
• Baking soda, for its alkalinity. Our teeth and mouths are constantly under attack by acids thanks to the foods we eat. Neutralizing these acids with vegetables and water is essential to maintaining proper pH in the mouth to encourage the right bacteria as well as protect enamel from decay. Baking soda has a pH of 9 to 11 (alkaline), so it helps to neutralize acids while not being too abrasive to teeth. You could also buy and drink 16 ounces of alkaline water a day.  

Here are two toothpastes I have made in the past that I like. The first one is easy but I feel like the second one does a better job.
#1
Ingredients:
 

• ½ cup coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons of baking soda
• 2 individual packets of stevia
• 15-20 drops of peppermint essential oil

To make it, stir all the ingredients together in a bowl or Pyrex container until consistent. Then just put a little bit on your toothbrush, and you’re ready to go!

I love this toothpaste because it takes just a few minutes to make.  It’s extra powerful so I only have to put a tiny amount on my toothbrush — so it lasts a long time.

#2

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons Cold-pressed Organic Coconut Oil
• 4 tablespoons Food Grade Bentonite Clay
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 2 tablespoons Xylitol
• 4 capsules Probiotics 
• 1/2 teaspoons Cacao Powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Ginger Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon Vitamin E Oil
• 4 tablespoons distilled or filtered water (divided)

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan, heat coconut oil over low heat until melted, about 1 – 2 minutes.
2. Add bentonite clay, baking soda, xylitol, probiotic, cacao, ginger and cinnamon to a food processor or high speed blender and blend for 10-15 seconds until all powders are evenly combined, tapping sides and top of blender so powder will fall to the bottom.
3. Wait a couple of minutes before opening to allow powders to settle, then pour one tablespoon of coconut oil into the blender. Blend for 10-15 seconds; mixture will be crumbly. Take the small end of a wooden spoon (a chopstick or small spatula will also work) and run it along the inside edge of the blender, making sure to combine all the powder with the oil.
4. Add the vitamin E and remaining coconut oil, and blend another 10 – 15 seconds. A this point, the mixture will be runny. Again, run the wooden spoon end along the edge of the blender to make sure all the powder is incorporated. Blend again if necessary to create a smooth and creamy texture.
5. With the blender running, slowly add the water and blend for at least 30 seconds, or until it is thoroughly mixed.
6. Transfer to a glass container with a plastic lid.

Storage tips & how to use

Dip a clean spoon into the toothpaste and apply to your toothbrush. Store half at room temperature and use toothpaste within 7-10 days. Store the rest in the refrigerator for later use. Alternatively, fill a refillable squeeze tube with your toothpaste and squeeze about a quarter teaspoon onto your toothbrush twice daily for best oral hygiene. Store in your refrigerator for extended freshness.