OIL PULLING

I was introduced to oil pulling as part of my Yoga Teacher Training course with the Akasha Yoga Academy.

On our introduction we were given in your packs a tongue scraper, coconut oil, sea salt crystals and a Neti pot. These were the tools required for our daily purification actions to be performed each morning when we woke up before attending class. Our morning actions consisted of oil pulling, tongue cleaning, teeth root cleaning, nasal cleansing and eye cleaning.

Oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic health ritual that is believed to help eliminate toxins from your mouth. It is benefits include killing harmful bacteria, reduce bad breath, helps to prevent cavities and reduce inflammation and improve gum health.

Take a tablespoon of organic coconut oil and begin to swish this around your mouth for 15 minutes, this is oil pulling. This takes a bit of getting used to as the cold solid coconut oil texture is not very pleasant at first but once it melts it gets easier to swish around. The first time tried this was in Bali the oil was already melted so it was a nice experience but in the UK with the colder weather the coconut oil is solid and the feel of melting process in your mouth takes getting used to. Whilst oil pulling, I normally try and do something like make a fresh green juice or prepare a turmeric shot or a lemon shot. Once the 15 minutes is up spit the oil into a tissue and place into a bin. Do not spit into a sink as this causes blockages. Oil pulling can be a few times a week or for best results done daily most recommend first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.

Along with the daily tongue scrapping I oil pull once or twice a week just to maintain good oral health. Over the past few weeks, I have noticed an increase in my coffee and tea consumption and added the oil pulling to my daily morning routine to help reduce staining. Teeth feels smooth, clean, shiny and whiter.

Give oil pulling a try and let me know how you get on.

Chrissy x

References

www.healthline.com/nutrition/oil-pulling-coconut-oil

www.webmd.com/oral-health/features/oil-pulling