Oil pulling is an ancient remedy used for generations in India for insuring good dental health. Oil pulling therapy consists of putting a tablespoon of vegetable oil normally sunflower or sesame seed oil in your mouth and swishing (or pulling) it around in your mouth for an extended period of time, normally 10 to 20 minutes and spitting it out.
Oil pulling was used to help prevent tooth decay, stop bleeding gums, ease bad breath, and help to heal a dry throat and mouth and chapped lips. Oil pulling also was used to help re anchor loose teeth and to help reduce gum disease as well as help to whiten and brighten teeth.
With the recent re surge of interest in ancient remedies for the treatment of various medical conditions Oil pulling has come to the attention of those seeking natural remedies for an assortment of medical and dental problems and there have even been several studies done to determine whether or not oil pulling can improve dental health and the findings have been extremely positive.
In several informal studies that were conducted oil pulling was shown to help reduce both plaque and gingivitis resulting in healthier gums and teeth. People who have tried oil pulling for 3-6 months have stated that they have had fewer cavities, loose teeth have firmed back up and they see less redness and swelling in their gums. While such testimonies are only anecdotal evidence that oil pulling is good for your dental health this evidence certainly carries weight in the absence of more scientific studies.
In addition, there have been few negative side effects reported either by the study subjects or those who have tried oil pulling on their own which means that there is every indication that oil pulling may be a safe way of treating a wide array of dental problems or simply keeping your dental health to begin with.
If you have been dealing with a build up of plaque, gingivitis, bad breath or just discolored or loose teeth that you might want to try oil pulling and see if it works for you.
How To Do Oil Pulling
First thing in the morning before eating or drinking anything pour a tablespoon of sesame seed oil, coconut oil, or olive oil into your mouth and swish it around for about 20 minutes. As you swish the oil will become thinner due to your saliva. Keep swishing. You will know when it is time to spit out the oil when it becomes whitish and once again begins to thicken from the germs and plague that is being pulled into the oil.
If you find that you cannot resist the urge to swallow spit the oil out and start again. It may take some practice until you can swish the oil long enough to complete the process.
After spitting the oil out rinse your mouth with warm salt water.
The oil will remove the plaque and other bacteria from your mouth and the warm salt water will help clear the oily feel that remains in your mouth. Over time your teeth should look whiter and your gums should look healthier. It can be done 1-2 times weekly with good results and even daily if you have problems, such as cavities or sore gums.
Oil pulling may not be for everyone but, it is a cheap and effective way to protect your dental health.
You wouldn’t think that such a delicate looking thing as the butterfly-shaped Thyroid gland would play such an important part in the regulation of the body’s healthy functioning, but it truly does.
The Thyroid’s role may seem like a simple one; to stimulate the metabolism and (along with the parathyroid glands) control the body’s circulating calcium levels, but when the Thyroid is not functioning properly, things can get very nasty very quickly, which is why the very earliest signs of a malfunctioning Thyroid should not be overlooked.
As I wrote about earlier I made a very big mistake in March when I started consuming soy. The end result was that my thyroid went wacko. I had no idea that something was amiss with my thyroid until my hair started falling out. A blood test confirmed the problem.
Symptoms of a Malfunctioning Thyroid
The symptoms of a malfunctioning Thyroid include things like cold hands and feet, sensitivity to cold, headaches, sleeplessness, coarse skin, swollen eyes, fragile nails, joint aches, constipation, fatigue, hair loss, a croaky voice and dizziness and none of these things are ever associated with a major disorder and are in fact overlooked by many medical professionals.
What Can Be Done?
Regardless of whether you have been medically diagnosed with a malfunctioning Thyroid or whether you simply suspect that this may be your problem, there are plenty of natural remedies that you can employ that can right the wrongs that have been done to this delicate system.
For starters, a good diet can do wonders to keeping not only correcting outstanding thyroid problems, but in maintaining a healthy Thyroid. To this end you should avoid foods and liquids that have been treated with chemicals or been exposed to chemical pollutants because many chemicals can interrupt the delicate balance of the Thyroid. But simply eliminating chemicals and chemical pollutants is not always enough.
You should also replace any expeller-processed or solvent-extracted oils in your diet since these kinds of oils (polyunsaturated oils) can block the production of thyroid hormones. Coconut oil is recommended to act as a replacement for polyunsaturated oils and many also believe that it actually helps stimulate healthy thyroid function.
The lack of iodine plays a major part in the malfunctioning of the Thyroid and no, simply using iodized salt is not enough. In fact, you should be replacing your table salt with unprocessed sea salt as natural sea salt contains larger amounts of iodine. You need to be able to significantly increase the amount of iodine in your diet, this includes adding foods such as seafoods, vegetable juices and kelp or seaweed based products.
Another helpful hint when considering your diet is that there are some foods that are considered to be natural gotrogens which means that they can affect and even inhibit effective Thyroid functioning. Some of these foods include brussel sprouts, kohlrabi, turnips, rutabaga, radishes, cabbage, kale, rapeseed, broccoli, sweet potatoes and soy. It also helps to cut back on processed flour-based products such as cookies, crackers, breads and other products as they can slow the Thyroid functioning down significantly. I happen to eat lots of the above mentioned greens and veggies (minus soy) and have never had an issue. Soy was the only one that caused a problem.
In addition to keeping an eye on your diet, there are some herbs and mineral supplements that can be taken that help improve the efficiency of the Thyroid gland. These include: Shilajeet-Asphaltum Puniabiunum, an Indian wonder drug that contains over 85 different minerals in different forms; Kanchanara-Bauhinia Veriegata (purple mountain ebony), an herb that has a reputation for keeping the Thyroid functioning effectively and, finally, licorice. This is not the candy, but the herb and is used to maintain a healthy balance between glands and energy building.
None of these things guarantee a ‘cure’ for your Thyroid problem but with the proper application these steps can help you to keep your Thyroid in prime condition. Personally I opted to do nothing different after my diagnosis except stop eating the soy of course (which I already had) and continue my normal healthy eating patterns. I had my blood tested 1.5 months after I stopped consuming the soy and my levels are now only “slightly” outside of normal. Woot! Now I plan to start eating kelp and seaweed flakes to see if I can totally reverse the problem. Might try some of the herbs I mentioned to.
In other news I also had another issue the soy caused that I didn’t mention in my original post because I wanted to see how it would play out. The first symptom that something was awry was not the thyroid issue. It was my detection of a painful mass just under my left breast. The first month it popped up a few days prior to my menstrual cycle and this was only a few weeks after I started the soy. It went away after 2-3 days and I ignored it. The next month it came back and was even more painful. I was out of town at the time so I didn’t go to see a doctor. That was most likely me just making excuses though… in my mind I was thinking lump = breast cancer and since I have already saddled that pony and ridden it before (colon cancer) I was not anxious to get a diagnosis.
Anyway it came back a third time and I went to see a doctor. It was gone by the time my appointment rolled around but they gave me prescriptions for an ultrasound and a mammogram.. which I ignored because it was at this appointment that I found out about my thyroid. I had discovered the soy in the protein bars I was eating 2 weeks before and was fairly certain they were what had caused this breast lump business and now with the thyroid information I was 100% convinced.
When my next cycle came around 1.5 months after I stopped eating the soy I was actually surprised by it. The painful lump had preceded my last 3 periods so it was kind of a shocker to have it sneak up on me with nary a symptom. The mass still appeared but it was smaller and not painful at all. I had a breast exam and thyroid levels check that same day and the doctor is in agreement that soy is probably what caused it and that it is most likely just a cyst that developed due to hormones (phytoestrogens in soy). My doc is a vegetarian so he was totally familiar with soy and the issues it can cause and doesn’t think I need to get a mammogram or U/S. He advised me to stay away from soy based faux meat products, LOL. NOT a problem! I am wondering if my lump issue will end up going away completely… only time will tell. For now I need to concentrate on fixing the thyroid issue and I am glad I am having success with that already.
Many folks are afraid to dig in and try to use natural remedies because they still find it all very mysterious. Using leaves, flowers, roots, or dried herbs to heal what ails them still sounds so much like Hocus Pocus and it scares them a bit. The ingredients sounds so exotic and hard to find and they have no idea what a tincture is so why bother right?
It is actually MUCH easier to get started than you think. You don’t even have to be very knowledgeable or brave… you just have to start somewhere and start learning. Herbal remedies are easy, natural, inexpensive in relation to pharma meds, and they are very effective for a broad range or ailments and complaints. Considering all the help they can provide it amazing how much fewer side effects they have when compared to the miracle pills you get at the doctor. The laundry list of side effects you hear about during pharma commercials is downright scary and you just don’t have all that with herbal remedies. Not only do they work to cure what ails you they can actually enhance your health and strengthen your immune system, not just cover up unsavory symptoms. Best of all you can turn your kitchen into your very own apothecary and and use natural ingredients to help with everything from indigestion to menstrual cramps.
After doing a bit of research you will start to make a list of the herbs you want to track down and use in your home brewing. Herbs need special care if you want them to last so store them in a cool, dark place, preferably in dark glass or ceramic containers. If you bought them in plastic make sure to remedy that immediately. I like this Libby set of herb jars but they would need to be stored in a dark place. You could easily find small jars just like these at a flea market, estate auction, or yard sale. They may not match but that will just help you identify the ones you need faster.
Techniques of Herbal Medicine
Tincture – Herbs soaked in alcohol to make an extract.
Infusion – A drink (can be hot or cold) made with leaves, flower, or herbs.
Syrup – An infusion sweetened with honey or sugar.
Tonic – a drink designed to energize or stimulate some part of the body or body system.
Compress – cloth soaked in some sort of herbal infusion that can then be pressed over an area of the body like a wound.
Poultice – a moist mass of plant materials (like leaves) or herbs pressed over a wound or affected area of the body.
Ointment – a cream infused with the juices or essential oils of plants and herbs.
Complimentary Therapies
Homeopathy – Treating individuals with highly diluted substances or compounds to trigger the body’s own natural system of healing.
Aromatherapy – Using aromatic essential oils and plant essences to alter a person’s mind, mood, cognitive function, or health.
Chinese Herbalism – A component of traditional Chinese medicine where herbs are used, often in conjunction with other techniques, such as acupuncture or massage.
Ayurveda – Herbs are used to help balance the doshas or energy types (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha) and get rid of illness and disease by restoring that balance.
So why is it that we think winter weather means getting sick? That whole idea that cold causes illness is just an old wives tale but yet we do seem to get more illnesses in the cold weather months. Why is that? Well, I guess it could be due to the fact we are less active in winter. We don’t get as much fresh air and sunlight, our diets are usually lacking in fresh fruits and veggies and packed with more cooked foods and baked items. More baking could mean more white flour and white sugar which is like sending your immune system a note to take some time off the job. In light of that, there are many natural ways we could avoid getting sick in the first place but what if you do anyway? What natural cures should you have on hand? Forget the drugstore you need a DIY natural remedies kit. Here are some things you may want to have on hand:
Garlic - My local organic delivery service has the best garlic ever so I have been adding it to almost everything we eat… 1-2 bulbs a week is what we have been going through. It has an anti-bacterial, anti-fungal compound called Allicin and is, like many things, best when eaten raw and unprocessed. You can simply chop or crush some up and swallow with a spoonful of honey, Mary Poppins style.
Elderberry – This amazing herb is an anti-viral and it helps to fight viruses by warming your body temperature. It also has strong antioxidant properties that boost the immune system. Elderberry syrup actually tastes good too! You can make your own easy enough and you can buy it, Sambucol is quite popular. A daily dose goes a long way to towards keeping everyone healthy or at least able to fight off illness fast when it does arrive. Here is a video describing how to make it. You can buy supplies for this, and a multitude of other natural cures, from Mountain Rose Herbs.
Ginger – Another big favorite of ours because we LOVE Asian foods here, especially soup. My kids love my hot and sour soup with tons of ginger. Not only it is yummy for a winter evening the ginger warms you up so fast you think you might be having a hot flash. That is of course why it works so well. It raises your body temperature and fights off viruses and prevents them from replicating. It is also anti-inflammatory and it supports our immune system. We like to buy fresh ginger, peel it and cut in large chunks, and then freeze it. Then we just take some from the freezer and grate it over our food.
Echinacea – This amazing plant is recognized by our body as a bacteria which when ingested mobilizes our immune system to increase the production of T-cells. This is precisely why so many natural health experts advise us to take it after we have been exposed to an illness. If so and so coughs all over you at the office party then taking echinacea for a few days afterward mobilizes your defensive system and can help you ward off the illness or fight it faster than you otherwise would.
Licorice – This amazing root is an antiviral with antioxidant and fungicidal compounds. It is also anti-inflammatory so it soothes as well. It can help with respiratory issues such as such as coughing, asthma, sore throats, and bronchitis when taken as a tea. The sweet flavor is usually a hit with kids too. Drink 3 cups daily if you are fighting a respiratory illness.
For many herbal remedies check out this amazing board game called Wildcraft designed to teach the whole family about medicinal herbs and help you build up your own home apothecary. Also an ebook by a talented blogger called Herbal Nurturing. We love both!
We are headed into cold and flu season so I thought I would link to some of the articles I have already written about this. No need to reinvent the wheel. ;)
This article about flu shots is timely and I have had several readers ask if I get them or my kids get them. The easy answer is HECK NO! ;) Check out my article: Flu Shots – Helpful or Dangerous?
I just wrote about an alternative to over the counter flu and cold medications called Sinupret. This is a great, natural product for congestion and coughing. There are some links on that page to natural remedies too.
For sore throats we drink slippery elm tea. It really coats the throat with a slimy feeling substance and takes the soreness away pronto but I did want to give a shout out to a new product, Bees M.D. Organic Honey Throat Drops. Created with honey as the main ingredient, this product is certified organic, created to naturally soothe sore throats and is ideal for the whole family. What’s more, the company has pledged a portion of the proceeds towards the research & protection of bees. I welcome you to check out their cute site when you get a moment. We have some on hand for the season….they taste yummy. ;)
And while I don’t think any of my readers have to worry about the Bird Flu…the book Escape the Bird Flu is a great read for learning about how to prevent illness and take care of yourself. I also like Never Get Another Cold.
Of course my fave resource for staying healthy is a guy named Dr. Ian Shillington, a Doctor of Naturopathy. On his web site you can order a free lecture on CD and it is a wealth of information. I have been a fan of his for over 3 years now.
Hi there! I am a green, paleo, crossfit mom of three. I am concerned about health, wellness, and sustainability issues. This is my life. This what I am passionate about. Come get to know me and feel free to connect. Enjoy!
Oil pulling is an ancient remedy used for generations in India for insuring good dental health. Oil pulling therapy consists of putting a tablespoon of vegetable oil normally sunflower or sesame seed oil in your mouth and swishing (or pulling) it around in your mouth for an extended period of time, normally 10 to 20 minutes and spitting it out.
Hi there! I am a green, paleo, crossfit mom of three. I am concerned about health, wellness, and sustainability issues. This is my life. This what I am passionate about. Come get to know me and feel free to 
