Oil Pulling For Better Health

So what exactly is oil pulling?

Oil pulling is a self-care practice based on ancient Ayuvedic healing practices. It uses the benefits of oil, mainly coconut, to nourish the tissues and gums inside your mouth. Oil pulling can also pull out impurities…think bacteria and natural toxins! YUK!

People that regularly incorporate this practice into their daily routine report that the practice impacts their health in a myriad of different ways. Here are a few things it can do for you:

• Reduces bad breath
• Whitens teeth
• May help prevent cavities
• Reduces inflammation and improves gum health
• Reduces jaw tension
• Helps clear sinuses

Here is an excellent article from The National Center for Biotechnology. It gives a great introduction to the practice and then sites several different studies of which used sesame oil.

So How exactly do i incorporate oil pulling?

Oil pulling is simple to do and really doesn’t take any extra time. Simply do your swishing while you are getting dressed, putting on your makeup etc.

1. Simply scoop out about a tablespoon of coconut oil, or you can make my coconut pods infused with essential oil (recipe below). You can also use sesame or olive oil.
2. Swish the oil around in your mouth consciously pulling it between your teeth for 10-15 minutes. Start with 10 and eventually work your way up to twenty minutes. You want to be careful not to swallow any as it will be full of bacteria.
3. Spit the oil into a trash can once you’re done. Make sure to avoid spitting it into the sink or toilet. This can cause a buildup of oil, which can lead to clogging the pipes.
4. Do this first thing in the morning before breakfast, and brush your teeth soon after spitting out the oil.

Last month I made a jar full of coconut oil pods that I store in the fridge and pop into my mouth as soon as I wake up. It’s worked great and has made the process easy and messy-free, and the peppermint essential oil adds a subtle little pop of mintiness. Try this recipe below, and let me know what you think.

peppermint Coconut oil pods

What you will need:

• Silicon ice cube tray. I used these.
• Mason jar (or any glass container with a lid)
• Unrefined Cold-Pressed Organic Coconut Oil
• Peppermint Essential Oil

Scoop out about 1 cup of coconut oil (I didn’t really measure but that’s about what I used) and place in a saucepan on top of the stove. Heat on low and stir frequently until the oil is completely melted. Remove from the stove and drop in 5 drops of the peppermint essential oil. Pour into the silicon tray and place in the refrigerator for about an hour before transferring to a glass jar that you can store in the fridge. We have a mini fridge in the master closet that we keep bottled waters in. I just keep my pods in there and pop one into my mouth as soon as I wake up and swish around for about 10-15 minutes as I am getting dressed.

And that’s it! Piece of cake, right?! Let me know below what you think about it!