We have a powerful internal detoxification system, helping us sift through and eliminate toxins from our food and the environment. In fact, when you do a cleanse, like the Be Well Cleanse, the biggest benefit is that it supports your body’s own natural detoxification system! The cleaner we are inside, the better we feel, and the healthier and less prone to disease we’ll be.
Sleep is one of the most important times for detoxing. While we’re asleep, our bodies are working to heal. Something I learned recently is that deeply cleansing our mouths with a process called oil pulling, especially in the morning after we’ve been detoxing all night, can be a powerful way to support our body in getting rid of toxins, staying healthy, and improving dental health. According to the book Oil Pulling Therapy by Bruce Fife, “our mouths are the entryway into our bodies for bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses.”
Oil pulling has been used for cleansing and detoxifying for a long time, originating from Ayurvedic medicine. The basic concept is that you take about a tablespoon or so of good quality oil (I use unrefined extra virgin coconut oil) and swish it around in your mouth for about 15-20 minutes in the morning. The oil pulls toxins and bacteria from your teeth and gums, and then you spit it out, and brush your teeth as you normally would (or just rinse your mouth with water). Make sure to spit it in the trash, though, as the oil could clog your sink! And make sure not to swallow the oil, as you’ll be re-ingesting the toxins. Voila, clean mouth!
I’ve been personally oil pulling almost every morning for about 6 months, and I can truly say my mouth feels incredibly clean afterwards. Swishing oil around in your mouth takes a little getting used to, but after awhile it feels like just part of your morning routine. I often do it in the shower or while I’m getting ready for the day.
If you search for testimonials and reviews online for oil pulling, you will find people who’ve experienced great benefits — whiter teeth, improved skin, greatly improved dental health, more energy, less brain fog — you name it! It’s very fascinating to read about.
I spoke to my dentist about it the other day, and he said that although it’s not something he personally practices, many of his patients have mentioned it, and doesn’t see any drawbacks to it, so if people feel good oil pulling, he supports it.
How to Oil Pull:
- Get a jar of high quality oil (I prefer coconut oil)
- Put one tablespoon of oil into your mouth first thing in the morning, before drinking any liquids
- Swish it around in your mouth for 15-20 minutes (even if you do 5-10 minutes it will be beneficial). Make sure to get the oil into every corner of your mouth and around every tooth!
- Spit it out in the trash (or somewhere where it won’t clog a drain).
- Rinse out your mouth with water or brush your teeth as normal
- At the best, oil pulling could support your body in detoxing, improve your dental health, and help you feel a lot better. And at the very least, oil pulling iharmless, inexpensive, and could make your teeth a little whiter!