I can’t believe I haven’t written a post about this before.  I have been oil pulling on and off for a year or so, although I have to admit, since I’ve had Annabel, not so much.  Erica Stolman from Fashionlush wrote a great post on oil pulling here, and it went viral on Facebook.  I swear it showed up in my feed like, one hundred times.

So, what is oil pulling?  It is an ancient Ayurvedic technique that has been used to cure hundreds of ailments over thousands of years.  Before you eat or drink anything in the morning, or even brush your teeth – STOP.  Billions of bacteria have been hanging out and reproducing in your mouth overnight.  Our mouths are also home to viruses, parasites, fungi and other toxins and when our immune systems are overworked, these little predators are absorbed into our bloodstream, causing secondary infection and chronic inflammation, and in turn, make us sick.

Instead of eating, drinking or brushing your teeth first thing in the morning, do this instead.  Take one to two teaspoons of Organic unrefined coconut oil and swish it like mouthwash for twenty minutes, (no less!) pulling and pushing it through your teeth (do NOT swallow it; it’s now loaded with toxins).  Coconut oil is naturally anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory so it “pulls” the bacteria and toxins from your mouth.  After the twenty minutes is up, spit it out in the trash (not your sink, as it will congeal and clog your pipes).  Then rinse your mouth out with warm water and go about your morning as usual.  Eat, drink, brush your teeth, and be merry.

You will definitely notice smoother teeth, better breath and whiter teeth within a few days, but that is probably not all.  Y’all ready for this?………

Oil Pulling helps with the following:

• Gum disease and other oral infections
• Halitosis
• Plaque build-up
• TMJ and other jaw issues
• Asthma
• Chronic Fatigue
• Allergies
• Sinus issues
• PMS
• Migraines
• Diabetes
• Chronic skin problems (acne, eczema, psoriasis)
• Arthritis
• Heart disease
• Digestive issues
• Hormonal disorders
• Allergies
• Sleep disorders
• Hangovers
• Stained teeth
• Stress
• General detoxification

A few notes: Oil pulling loosens mucous and produces excess saliva; your mouth will feel very full by the end of the twenty minutes.  If you are new to oil pulling and you feel like you need to spit some of the oil out, that a is fine, just add another spoonful and keep swishing.

Seriously, give it a week or two and see how you feel.  If you have any chronic health issues and you feel like you’ve tried everything and you can’t find relief, isn’t this worth a try?  Personally, I find it surprisingly relaxing, it definitely has whitened my teeth and it helps me whenever I have sinus problems.  I even had a friend who felt like she was coming down with the flu and she oil-pulled a few times in a day and woke up the next morning feeling great.

Has oil pulling worked magic for anyone else out there?

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