Oil Pulling

January 7th, 2010

by Kristie Conner

It has been a long time since I last wrote! So many excuses and to date failed resolutions on how many blog posts a week (at this point even a month). I thought I’d start my 2010 post off with a post about Oil Pulling. A few weeks ago my mom called me to find out if I had ever heard of “oil pulling”. She was telling me about this great website Earth Clinic and how she had read about Oil Pulling as a way to detox. Oil Pulling (OP) is reported to cure a ton of things and for those of you reading this you’ll likely doubt the list — Mouth & Gum Disease; Stiff Joints; Allergies; Asthma; High Blood Sugar; Constipation; Migraines; Bronchitis; Eczema; Heart, Kidney, Lung Diseases; Leukemia; Arthritis; Meningitis; Insomnia; Menopause (hormonal issues); Cancer; AIDS; Chronic Infections; Varicose Veins; High Blood Pressure; Diabetes; Polio; Cracked Heels.

I tried it twice before Christmas and on Christmas Eve I had the worst headache. I typically do not get headaches, but this one was so bad I had to lie down and take Advil (which, again I rarely do). I did not OP again until yesterday. I purchased Sesame Oil from Wholefoods and swished for 20 minutes. After I was done I felt tired and my head felt tight which made me concerned about the headache thing. I did sleep really, really good last night. Tonight, I OPd for 15 minutes and again felt a slight tightening in my head, but it is gone now. I’m wondering if it is related to my sinuses.

I’m going to try and OP for the next 5 days … looking for whiter teeth, glowing, dewy skin and no more sinus problems!

Your Daily Oil Pulling Procedure (From eHow)

Step 1

The first thing in the morning on an empty stomach and before drinking any liquids (including water), pour exactly one tablespoon of sunflower or sesame oil (or whatever oil you have chosen) into your mouth.
Step 2

Set a timer for exactly 20 minutes.
Step 3

Swish the oil around in your mouth without swallowing it. Move it around in your mouth and through your teeth, as if it was mouthwash (don’t tilt your head back to gargle though). You’ll find that the oil will start to get watery as your saliva mixes with it. Keep swishing.If your jaw muscles get sore while swishing, you’re putting too much into it. Relax your jaw muscles and use your tongue to help move the liquid around the inside of your mouth. When you do this correctly, you’ll feel very comfortable. Pretty soon, it will become second nature.
Step 4

As the end of the oil pulling session approaches, you may notice the oil/saliva mixture in your mouth has become thicker. This is quite normal, since it is pulling out toxins from your body.When 20 minutes is up, spit out the oil into the toilet. Don’t be alarmed if it looks yellowish–this is also normal.
Step 5

Rinse out your mouth a couple of times with warm water and spit into the toilet. Rinse and spit with a good mouthwash. I prefer to dilute with water (or use full strength), regular hydrogen peroxide and I rinse and spit with that. The hydrogen peroxide is very effective in rinsing out any toxins which may be left in the mouth.
Step 6

Brush your teeth as usual with your toothpaste of choice. Baking soda is also a good option for brushing. Now you can drink liquids, eat and go throughout your day as usual. Enjoy a more healthier you with fresher breath, and clean, brighter and whiter teeth.