It was one of those annoying conversations with my ex-husband …. yes they happen …. more often than I would like and they tend to stem around him forget most conversations. He started to tell me about some adverts he had seen around London and then continued to enlighten me about this new thing called oil pulling. So why was that annoying, I mean, I understand if you are there thinking it was so nice of him to think of my blog when he saw those adverts? Well if he had taken himself back a couple of weeks he would have recalled me losing my “calm” at him as he used a third of a jar of my coconut oil in a curry. The same jar of Viridian Nutrition 100% Organic Raw Coconut Oil that I told him I had started using for oil pulling! (He at that time thought it was a bit weird, but I then went on to highlight the benefits). I had started to use the coconut oil very neatly so I could take some great pictures of the product. You will now understand why the insides of this jar are not featured in this blog …. the tablespoon/shovel he used seems to have left the coconut oil in a state.
I had read about oil pulling a good while ago and I was curious after reading about the detoxifying and rejuvenating benefits of this ancient Ayurvedic method. This is 100% natural and is great for teeth whitening, killing off bacteria in the mouth and strengthen general oral hygiene. Some even quote oil pulling as benefiting arthritis, hormone imbalances and liver function. For me, I wanted to whiten my teeth. What had stopped me from venturing into the world of oil pulling before was time. In the morning in my house it is busy. I barely have time to get some mascara on some mornings before I leave the house, let alone spend 15-20 minutes swishing oil around my mouth on an empty stomach. So, I decided that perhaps as I made the kids breakfasts or got their break ready for school or even when I have my shower could be the time to do it.
For my first time I went with half teaspoon of Viridian 100% Organic Raw Coconut Oil and it melted really quickly and surprisingly did not make me feel sick. It is probably a good time to say that when you are deciding how much oil to use, remember that during the pulling process the oil will basically double in size in your mouth. Best not to overload, especially if you have an oversensitive gag reflex. I have read that some people build up the amount they pull with to a tablespoon. I was not there yet. I also found that speaking to the kids was difficult so it is best to get all the chat out the way first … or perfect some crazy sign language to communicate that you want them to stop fighting with each other. In the shower I actually found it quite relaxing to do. The first time I only pulled for about 8 minutes and I deposited the used oil in the sink. Since then I have been putting it down the toilet to save any potential blocking of my sink. I read that you are meant to rinse your mouth with water afterwards and I have found myself rinsing with warm water and then brushing my teeth.
For those of you who suffer from mucus, nasal congestion or sinus issues …. could I make that sound more gross, apologies, however oil pulling really helps loosen up the snot/mucus/whatever you want to call it. It actually blew me away how much stuff was clearing out my nose and throat. Bonus as far as I am concerned as I suffered from sinus issues a lot last winter.
So people, go forth, oil pull, detoxify, whiten those nashers and strengthen those gums.
