The thought of swishing oil in your mouth every morning is enough to make most people barf; but what if we told you that Gwyneth Paltrow uses this very trick to get gorgeous skin? If you’re tempted to take the plunge, here’s the lowdown on how it works and what you should be doing:
Oil Pulling for Dental: If smoke stains, coffee stains, or for another reason your toothpaste is unable to whiten your teeth adequately, regular oil pulling can be a great save. Coconut, sunflower and sesame oil are your three options, as all of them have anti-bacterial and antiviral properties that can give you clean, white teeth.
Oil Pulling for Beauty: Since oil pulling also removes toxins from the bloodstream, it takes care of several skin issues, and leaves you with plump, hydrated and glowing skin within a week.
Oil Pulling for Weight Loss: Yes, this is one of the advantages of gargling with oil. When your liver is overloaded with unwanted guests, it acts like a blocker towards calorie loss. Oil pulling detoxes the body, parasites and bacteria, optimizing the functioning of the body and stimulating the calorie burn.
How To:
1) Take 1tbsp of oil in the morning on an empty stomach; a full stomach may cause nausea.
2) Gargle with it for 20 minutes, but do not ingest; although intake of either of the oils in small portions is not harmful, so don’t be too worried if you do.
3) Spit out the oil and rinse with 1tbsp of salt in water, then brush your teeth as you would on a regular day. The salt water removes the toxins and bacteria from the mouth and reduces gum inflammation.
Gargle with the oil for 20 minutes every day to get the desired results. First timers can start with oil pulling for 10-15 minutes, five days a week, and then work their way up.
Though there’s no scientific research to back these claims yet, people who have been oil pulling swear by it. The concept dates back 5000 years and finds its traces in Ayurveda. In fact, Indian-born American physician Deepak Chopra was among the first to prescribe this method in his book, Perfect Health.
