What if someone told you that twenty minutes a day could give you a healthy body free of disease? Sounds amazing doesn’t it? Or is this just another crazy idea? Well, I happen to come across loads of articles on “oil pulling” while doing research on Ayurvedic medicine. Here’s a brief description of what’s involved and the benefits touted.
All About Oil Pulling:
Oil pulling is the practice (done first thing in the morning) of putting 1 tbsp of oil in your mouth,
swishing it around your gums and in between your teeth for 20 minutes.
Sunflower, coconut or sesame seem to be the oils of choice. After the time’s up, it will be an oil/saliva mixture with a milky white consistency. Spit out in trash, rinse with warm salt water (regular table salt will do) and then you’re done. Go about your morning rituals, brushing teeth etc.
The Idea Behind Oil Pulling:
The idea is that you have “pulled” bacteria and toxins from your body through your gums which could lead to benefits such as allergy/asthma relief, more energy, reducing food cravings and certain skin conditions. This would make sense and follows along the lines of the belief that our oral health is tied to our overall health. An internet search would suggest that gum disease can be related to heart disease.
Enthusiasts in oil pulling tout stronger, whiter teeth; in addition to a whole range of other benefits such as more energy, acne, allergy and asthma relief, food cravings, diabetes and eczema to name just a few.
So is the benefit from oil pulling to our health real, or imagined? You decide.
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