But first…what is it?
Oil pulling dates back over 3,000 years and is an ancient Ayurvedic ritual.
It involves placing cold-pressed oil into your mouth (olive oil and sesame work, but I find coconut oil tastes better).
Swish the oil around in your mouth for between 5 & 20 minutes (pulling it between your teeth) before spitting it out. Don’t swallow as that defeats the point and you’ll be ingesting the toxins you want to eliminate.
Then rinse your mouth and give your teeth a good brush.
It really is that easy!
Why oil pulling?
The mouth is home to millions of bacteria, fungi, viruses and other toxins; the oil acts like a cleanser, pulling out the nasties before they get a chance to spread throughout the body.
Here are my top 7 reasons for oil pulling:
1. Whitens teeth
There is no need for chemical teeth whitening strips when oil pulling works just as well!
The oil possesses natural antibiotic and antiviral properties that brighten and clean teeth, keeping them pearly white.
(One trick I know for white teeth is to brush them with coconut oil mixed with a teaspoon of turmeric and use it as tooth paste – you will be surprised at how effective this is for whitening your teeth!)
2. Increases energy
When our immune system is put to work in clearing out toxic waste from our body, it drains our energy levels. Removing the noxious culprits in the first instance by oil pulling lowers the amount of work our body has to do to function, which leaves us feeling a whole lot better.
3. Detoxes the body
Germs in the body are much like poison – causing inflammation and leading to dis-ease. The gateway to the body for such contamination is the mouth. Therefore, in removing the toxins at the source before they get a chance to spread, the body undergoes a complete detox.
4. Aids hormonal changes
Without having to compete with foreign substances, hormones can behave as they should, functioning to their best ability without being thrown off balance.
5. Reduces headaches
When the body is under toxic stress, headaches and migraines occur. It is nature’s way of asking for some time out to recover. By eliminating bacteria from the body via oil pulling, headaches can be avoided.
6. Keeps the skin clear
The benefits even extend to your skin!
Removing toxins from the body that would otherwise make it into the bloodstream means the skin has a chance to shine. Rashes and skin issues like acne can often reduce dramatically, or even clear up completely, when oil pulling.
7. Promotes oral hygeine
Oil pulling is highly effective at reducing tooth cavities and at eradicating bad breath. Removing the Streptococcus mutans bacteria (an important player in tooth decay) as well as other microorganisms, oil pulling is great for oral health. It also helps with plaque-induced gingivitis.
Give it a go and see what you think!
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