Is oil pulling the new black? Well it is for me, at least this week.
One of my fabulous facebookers Mia brought to my attention last week this concept of OIL PULLING. She saw an article written about it with coconut oil, she knows I’m obsessed with coconut products so 1 + 1 = googling the bejeezus out of the topic to learn more, then jumping on board with both feet.
I must admit I was a little hesitant at first, it sounded disgusting, but let’s be honest, when has something being disgusting stopped me from trying it. You all know I do love a good self-experiment. What’s more, my skin is $hithouse at the moment (among other things) and my face looks like a pimply teenager- this is not what being in your 30′s is meant to be about. Overshare? Too late.
So, what is this “oil pulling” business? Well it stems from ancient Ayurvedic medicine and is used as a detoxification method. The theory is that the oil “pulls” many of the billions of bacteria, viruses, fungi and other parasites and their toxins that reside in our mouths (Candida and Streptococcus are commonly found in our mouths) out. These organisms, and their toxic waste products, can spread throughout the body causing secondary infections and chronic inflammation, leading to any number of health issues.
So what do you actually do? You take about a tablespoon of oil and swish it around in your mouth for 15-20mins, then spit it, and the nasty toxins, out. You can do this up to 3x a day BUT it is best done on an empty stomach.
Benefits include
Brightening & whitening teeth
Healthier gums
Removal of mucus
Boosting the immune system
Preventing bad breath
Increasing energy
Having a clearer mind
Decreasing headaches
Clearing the sinuses
Alleviating allergies
Better sleep
More clearer skin
Regulating menstrual cycles
Decreasing inflammation
Improving the lymphatic system
Improving PMS symptoms
How am I doing it?
* I am using coconut oil (of course I am). The same stuff I use to cook with, you can use almond, olive or sesame too. Not sure what else.
* 20 mins….. Really? The first time I did this I lasted 5. I got bored. I decided I needed to be occupied while I “swish” my oil. Now I swish while I take the dog for a walk. I may need to rethink that though as it is awkward when people say “good morning” and I just give a weird, oil-filled-mouth-smile, try not to dribble, wave and don’t speak….. Perhaps I could swish whilst I am preparing my breakfast & ironing my clothes/making the bed etc? Actually, that isn’t going to work for me either, I don’t iron. You can try that though.
Trav & Astro just being cool, try that pose while swishing oil….
* Being realistic, the ONLY time I really have an empty stomach is first thing in the morning so I am doing it then. I wake up, get dressed to take Astro for a walk, get my mouthful of oil & off we go on our walk. I “swish” for 20mins, then spit that stuff out. You do NOT want to spit it down your sink, it will start to clog the drain. Toilet, bin, wherever, just not your sink.
* I am only 2 days in, I can’t really comment on any major changes. My skin is still crap. My teeth might be a bit whiter? I need to take a photo actually now so I can compare. I will revisit this in about a month & see where we’re at.
Have you tried “oil pulling”? What did you think?
Don’t get me wrong, I might have a few drinks one night of the weekend, I am not a booze-hound! BUT my joints are sore, my knees have a lot of fluid around them, my guts are a bit funny. Sometimes bloated, sometimes fine, usually after I have had a couple of glasses of wine or cider. I know- just stop drinking. I am going to reel it in. Regardless, I wanted to feel better and try and get rid of some of this joint pain and inflammation. Enter Infrared Sauna. I was doing a bit of research about the benefits of them and decided to give it a crack and see how we went. 
