Oil Pulling- Day 1

My Coconut Oil jar

There’s lots of info out there about oil pulling; I'll be sharing some of my favorite resources, and you're welcome to search it. I'm telling you, there's LOTS!

My goals are whitening, buildup removal, and re-mineralization of my teeth. This cleansing process fits in nicely with the waning energy between the Full and New Moons.

Now, full disclosure: I’ve tried this before, but only for a day or two at a time and I  didn’t stick with it. So this time around, I have a plan.

• Week 1, I will pull all 5 weekdays, and will give myself permission to skip one or both weekend days, depending on my schedule.
• Week 2 I will pull at least every other day, and give myself permission to skip the days in between.
• My troubles before came from a grand plan I read that said, “Do this EVERY DAY for 14 days, then EVERY OTHER for 1 month, then AT LEAST ONCE a week thereafter.” When I missed a day in the first fortnight, or “failed” as my internal critic scolded, I gave up. So I’m giving myself permission to not be perfect this time.

Morning 1:

I dug a hunk of coconut oil out of my jar in the kitchen. No, I didn’t measure it. I guesstimate it was between 1 and 2 teaspoons. I chewed it a little, constantly reminding myself not to simply swallow it! When it was liquid, I started swishing. It quickly took on some air and got a little thicker, a little more substantial, which was better for me than the thin, pure oil feeling I had at first.

My goal is 15 minutes. This will get boring quickly. Yesterday I moved a bookshelf and I noticed the newly blank wall, so I decided to hang some pictures on it. I went and found 2 nails, stuck them in 2 holes already there (my walls are old plaster, so I try to use existing nail holes) and tied a length of ribbon around the hanging loops on 2 small frames that hold small paintings. I hung the ribbon over the nails and adjusted the frames to asymmetrical heights, then hung 2 more frames on the ribbon stretched between the nails. And then my 15 minutes was up, and I had a decorated wall. Not bad!

I was distracted by my decorative accomplishment, so when I went back in the bathroom I immediately spit the oil in the sink. Whoops! The oil can easily congeal in the pipes, you’re supposed to use the trash or the toilet instead. So I ran the hot water while I brushed my teeth, which I know is not environmentally appropriate but hey, if it saves my pipes… Then I salt rinsed, and felt very virtuous!

I did notice that when I was pulling I felt post-nasal drip that was hard to breathe around sometimes. Then, when I was rinsing after brushing, I had some (TMI alert!) hard, dry chunks of mucous coming out that I hadn’t been aware I was holding in there somewhere.

---