Discover The Top 5 Benefits Of Oil Pulling

In this article, we're going to be looking at the top 5 benefits of oil pulling. Now, if you've never hear about oil pulling then you might already be skeptical at this point. I know I was when I first heard someone mentioning this. In fact, the term "oil pulling" conjured up images in my mind of some burly Scotsman lugging a drum of oil around at the Highland games in Scotland.

Once I did a bit of research however, I soon became a big fan of oil pulling, and hopefully this article will be enough to persuade to try oil pulling yourself. Oil pulling is an ancient remedy, and when a remedy continues to be used for such a long time, then I for one believe it deserves some credibility.

Although this remedy has been used for centuries already, it was only introduced to the modern world during the 1990s by Dr. F. Karach. Like all folk remedies, there is little scientific evidence to support the benefits of oil pulling, so my advice to you is: Try it and then you can be the judge. Okay, so what is oil pulling and how is it done? In a few words, oil pulling involves nothing more that you swishing some oil around in your mouth for around ten to fifteen minutes. Let's go ahead and dig a little deeper:

How Is Oil Pulling Done?

To begin with, you should only use pure organic oils for oil pulling. These work best to pulling bacteria and other harmful organisms out of you gums; your mouth, and to a certain extent your throat. You only need to use about one tablespoon of good quality organic oil at a time. I personally recommend sesame oil, but you can use cold pressed coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil.

Once you've chosen your preferred oil, place one tablespoon of oil in your mouth, and then begin swishing it around slowly in your mouth. The first thing that happens is the oil mixes with saliva, at which point it starts absorbing bacteria, fungi, and other potentially harmful organisms. Once the oil and saliva have become saturated with these harmful organisms the mixture with thicken and be a sort of dirty white color. At this point, you need spit it out in order to prevent any unwanted bacteria from being reabsorbed by the skin in your mouth.

How Does Oil Pulling Benefit Your Health?

As mentioned previously, many of the reported benefits of oil pulling lack scientific backing. However, carefully controlled studies have shown that it can in fact be very beneficial in terms or oral health. The top 5 benefits of oil pulling are:

1. 1. Stronger and healthier teeth and gums
2. 2. Reduced risk of tooth cavities and gum diseases such as gingivitis
3. 3. Prevention of bad breath
4. 4. Can be used as a treatment for bleeding gums
5. 5. Reduces the risk of developing mouth ulcers

Most of the people I know who use this remedy use it primarily for oral health, but that's not to say the benefits stop there. The internet is is awash with articles relating to oil pulling, and if you do a little research, you'll find that this historical remedy has also been linked to several other health benefits. These include but are not limited to:

• Reduces the severity of allergies
• Relieves migraine pain
• Offers relief for bronchitis sufferers
• Can help to reduce the severity of eczema
• May help to reduce arthritis related inflammation
• May help to reduce or prevent insomnia

These are just a few of the many benefits of oil pulling which have been reported, hence the reason why it is routinely a part of most holistic health programs. It is also still used extensively in Ayurvedic medicine. Okay, so we've looked at some of the benefits of oil pulling, but are there any convincing studies to support all these claims? Yes, there certain are:

Sesame Oil Under The Spotlight

To begin with, sesame oil is well known for its antibacterial properties and its antifungal properties. For example, sesame oil is a safe; natural and effective treatment for things like athletes foot. It is also rich in antioxidants, and as you might already know, antioxidants are necessary in the fight against free radicals in the body. Free radicals are the rogue cells that cause cancer and so many other dreadful diseases. Sesame oil is also an excellent source of vitamin E, but the best thing of all is the fact that sesame oil can be absorbed by the skin, thereby allowing it to enter the bloodstream.

In summary, it only stands to reason that one can only stand to benefit from oil pulling if you are using organic sesame oil.

Okay, now you might be wondering why I've not really made much mention of olive oil. The reason for this is simply because my own personal favorite is sesame oil. However, if you prefer olive oil, that's fine as well, but always opt for extra virgin olive oil. Apart from the obvious oil pulling benefits, olive oil is well known for its many other health giving properties. Many people favor using olive oil in their kitchens, while sesame oil on the other hand isn't quite so popular. Obviously if you already have olive oil in your kitchen, but you don't have any sesame oil, then just use the olive oil you have. However, I would certainly recommend using some cold pressed coconut oil occasionally as well since it really has an awesome aroma and taste.

Original source: Healthy Holistic Living

Image Credits