Hello loves,
Hitting 40 has been a bit of a gentle reminder that there are ways I can influence my health positively which don't necessarily depend on the emotive subject of lifestyle changes. I read a post on Charlene's blog about oil pulling, then just a couple of days later another on the Beauty Gypsy, so I decided to give it a go. I consider coincidences like that are the universe giving me a nudge. :)
See the article at Foodmatters.tv for the science behind it. Here are some of the possible benefits.
• Overall strengthening of the teeth and gums and jaws
• Prevention of diseases of the gums and mouth, such as cavities and gingivitis
• Prevention for bad breath • Potential holistic remedy for bleeding gums
• Prevention of dryness of the lips, mouth and throat
• Possible holistic treatment for TMJ and general soreness in the jaw area
• Correcting hormone imbalances
• Migraine headache relief
• Reducing inflammation of arthritis
• May help with gastro-enteritis
• Aids in the reduction of eczema
• May reduce symptoms of bronchitis
• Helps support normal kidney function
• May help reduce sinus congestion
• Some people report improved vision
• Helps reduce insomnia
• Aids in reducing pain
• Reduces the symptoms of allergies
• Helps detoxify the body of harmful metals and organisms
• Reducing inflammation of arthritis
I'm very interested in all things health (even the hippie dippy things) and think there are a number of small ways we can help ourselves out. I've heard it said before that Fibromyalgia might be down to parasites or other nasties, so the idea of 'pulling' bacteria and suchlike out of my mouth by sloshing oil around in it sounded quite good to me.
How and when to do it?
You have to do it when you wake up before eating and drinking. I put about a level tablespoon of food grade virgin coconut oil into my mouth and let it dissolve. Then I gently swish it from side to side. I don't gargle with it, and it's not a good idea to swallow any, as it'll be full of bacteria. When you're done you have to spit it into tissue in your waste bin, or else you will clog up your sink or toilet over time. Then I rinse my mouth out with warm salty water and clean my teeth. While I'm swilling around the oil I do my normal morning routine - cleanse, tone, exfoliate, moisturise, wash (and also a hair wash if it's greasy.) If it's not hair wash day and I have more time to kill I might do the washing up while I do it. The worst part is the first couple of minutes when I have solids in my mouth as coconut oil is solid at room temperature. You can heat the oil up a little if that's a problem but the only time I did that I burned my mouth so I'm sticking with the lumps! :) The Fushi oil is the cheapest and best tasting one I've tried yet, and I've tried a few.
I started about 2 weeks ago, using coconut oil (you can also use food grade olive or sesame oil.) I managed it for about 5 minutes the first time, and thought I'd never work my way up to 20, but I use a kitchen timer and now 20 minutes is fairly easy. I had a little blip a few days in when I stupidly decided to use olive oil. Ugh ugh ugh. If you can manage it, all power to you, but I threw up within a minute.
So, what have I noticed so far?
I find I sleep better on the days I pull, which is astounding! (I'm too lazy to do it on the weekend sometimes.) On the days I pull I have fresher breath and a more moist mouth (dry mouth is a HUGE problem for me usually.) My teeth look shinier and whiter when I've done it, and I've even felt less breathless than usual.
I'm sure there'll be more benefits I notice as time goes on, so I will definitely stick at it.
Had you heard of oil pulling before? Do you think you might try it?
Thanks for reading.
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