::*:.the:darling:miss:g.:*::: ::oil:pulling::

A friend recently asked me my thoughts on oil pulling - hmm...well, I have heard about it but I never really looked INTO it but it intrigued me and I am not going to lie - it feels nice when people ask me my opinion on things regarding health and nutrition. :)

I decided to look into this 'oil pulling' a little more and try it out myself.

But first, let me give you guys a little background on it.

Oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic remedy for oral health and detoxification - a lot of dentists actually recommend oil pulling for healthier gums and teeth and for those that suffer from periodontal disease as well.

Oil pulling uses pure oils as agents for pulling harmful bacteria, fungus and other oganisms out of the mouth, teeth, gums and even the throat.

They say that it can also 'speed up' your metabolism, clear up your skin, help with migraines, aches and pains along with so much more (isn't that the norm for everything these days though?).

The most effective way of pulling oil is by placing a tablespoon of oil (coconut, sesame, sunflower, olive) into that big kisser and swishing it around for a good - now get ready for it - 15 to 20 minutes.

What the what?!!!

I know, many of you are freaking out...20 minutes can be a LONG time! And it is! But trust me when I say that it does go by quickly!

You swish-swish-swish for those 20 minutes and you spit 'er out afterwards...I'm not going to lie, I spit it out in the toilet and do a double-flush but you probably *shouldn't* be spitting it out into the sink or toilet bowl. I did spit it out into a paper towel once and it just escaped out all over the floor where my dogs just went crazy trying to lap it up - ew.

But yea, you don't want this stuff to solidify and clog the pipes or you're going to be SOL my friends.

Sesame oil is considered to be the best oil for this practise but I personally use coconut because I love coconut and it's the only oil I can possibly imagine myself swishing around for 20 minutes without barfing it up everywhere (olive oil? I shudder at the thought - but hey, can't knock it until I try it, right?).

SO!!

The oil mixes around with your saliva and it turns it into a thin, white liquid - lipids in the oil pull the toxins out of the saliva as it's swished around your mouth, around your teeth, gums and tongue...eventually the oil turns into a thickish, viscous, white oil - when it reaches this consistency spit it out! Before the possiblity of reabsorption happens. Also - be careful that you don't accidentally swallow any of the oil while you swish - this would then make this entire method redundant.

So....peeps say that OP can boost overall health, ESPECIALLY help those pearly whites and scientists believe that lipids in oil - in general! - pull out bacteria, as well as stop bacteria from sticking to the walls of the oral cavity.

It can strengthen teeth, gums and jaws, prevent gum disease, cavities, gingivitis, prevent halitosis (bad breath!) and actually help with TMJ (Temporomandibular joint disorders - jaw issues) probably from all that swishin!

Oh! And the oil will get on those chops of yours and moisturize those babies so you will end up looking like Angelina Jolie...okay, not exactly, but you catch my drift.

Beyond the mouth, what can this system do for you? It's believed to help migraine headaches (as mentioned before), correct hormone imbalances, aids in the reduction of eczema, helps reduce insomnia, reduce hangovers, aids in reducing pain and symptoms of allergies, and some have reported improved vision.

It also helps the body detox from harmful metals and organisms.

These are just a few things in a loooong list that OP can do for you.

So what do I think of OP?

The first time I tried it I counted down the minutes...20 minutes....18 minutes....17.5 minutes...

But eventually I got distracted by something and the 20 minutes had come and gone in a wink. Afterwards I brushed my teeth and....that was it. :/ Lol.

Maybe I have to do this religiously and some people say that they just don't have the 'time' to pull oil...I think I just forget more than anything but after doing it for about 2 weeks I didn't notice a significant difference in much - but I will share that my teeth were slightly whiter than when I first started - and this is also one of the benefits of oil pulling as well.

I am not gunna lie - I was skeptical at first when I heard about this method and how many praised it. I guess it works for some and it doesn't work for others - you never know unless you try! But the mind is a powerful thing...so it can be mind over matter a lot of the time for people.

Ayurvedic medicine is a holistic system of medicine that developed nearly 5,000 years ago - who am I to question it?

If you want to give OP a try, start at 5 minutes and work your way up.

But remember not to replace this method with your regular dental routine (if you are doing this particularly for better oral health) and it should not be solely used to treat dental disease or tooth decay but used as a preventive rinse, used alongside your regular dental routine.

What are your thoughts on OP?

Do you think it's a fluke or something we need to give a try and just be patient with? Share your thoughts! :)