Everyone has a morning routine… mine has recently changed. Let me share::

1. First things first, I battle with my alarm (i.e. hit snooze thirty times).
2. Bitzy then wakes me up, I stumble to the kitchen to feed her and let her out.
3. We both get back into bed & snuggle for a bit.
4. I turn on morning cartoons (not kidding).
5. Head to the kitchen & put a spoonful of coconut oil in my mouth.
6. Get back in bed, set a 20 minute timer, start checking emails.

So, you may be wondering about #5. Why the hell am I putting a spoonful of coconut oil in my mouth & then getting back into bed with a 20 minute timer.

Two words. Oil Pulling. One word. Obsessed. 

Oil pulling has been around for years, which makes me mad I’ve only just found out about it. It’s an ancient Ayurvedic technique that basically involves you swishing oil in your mouth for 20 minutes (no more no less) to help improve your oral & overall health. The idea behind it is pretty simple stupid- the oil is “sticky” and when you swish it around in your mouth bacteria gets stuck in the oil & dissolves.

It’s easy to do. Pick an oil, you can use ORGANIC coconut oil or any other vegetable based oil (Sesame/ Sunflower/ or Olive). I prefer coconut cause it also has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, & anti-inflammatory properties. Put anywhere from a teaspoon to a tablespoon, depending on what you can handle, in your mouth & swish for 20 minutes.

I know, I know you are freaking out about the 20 minute thing, but TRUST me when I say- it flies by. Something about the whole process is relaxing to me. No talking, just swishing. Pull the oil through your teeth & make sure NOT to swallow it. Once you start, that oil fills up with bacteria (which is what you’re trying to get rid of), so you don’t want to swallow it back down!! When your timer beeps, spit out the toxic waste into a plastic baggy or directly into the trash. Don’t spit it down the drain cause the oil will solidify again & mess up your pipes.

Now for the benefits::

I mean… they are pretty much endless & differ for everyone, but some of the big ones I found out about are–

+ Whitens teeth

+ Strengthens your gums/teeth/& jaw. It helps with sensitive teeth & even has reported to help TMJ sufferers like myself.

+ Prevents cavities & gingivitis. Some people even reported it helped their cavities?! I am not so sure about that one… but who knows?!

+ Helps get rid of acne/ eczema/ psoriasis/ & other skin care issues.

+ General body detox.

+ Cures a hangover (hallelujah!!!) & a migraine.

+ Helps with sleep issues.

+ Clears out your sinuses & helps allergy sufferers.

+ If you have halitosis, oil pulling has been a big savior for many sufferers & your morning breath will get MUCH better (you can now kiss your S.O. good morning w/o them cringing!).

+ Helps with general pain issues.

+ Manages any weird hormonal imbalances.

+ & so so so so much more. If I listed everything people say, this would be the longest blog post ever. People rant & rave about oil pulling, & I can see why!!!

I have now gotten my best friend, my mom, my dad, & my Dad’s best friend hooked on oil pulling. They’ve all been doing it for a week, so I called them this morning & asked them if they’ve noticed any changes… here is what they said.

+ My Dad says his teeth are INCREDIBLY whiter & his sinuses have improved.

+ My Dad’s bestie said she has had terrible plaque psoriasis on her scalp (nothing has ever worked for her to clear it up), after 2 days of oil pulling it’s nearly gone! She is beyond thrilled.

+ My Mom has pretty healthy teeth, but she did report they are much whiter.

+ Katie, my best friend, says she noticed her teeth have gotten whiter & the whole process is very relaxing to her.

+ As for me, let’s see– my teeth are so so so much whiter (which is great cause I can’t do any sort of white strips- my teeth are too sensitive), I have been sleeping much easier which is a big feat for this insomniac, my teeth have been less sensitive to hot & cold, & the best result of all- MY JAW PAIN HAS DECREASED BIG TIME!!! I have major jaw issues & awful TMJ. Last week it started to get bad, lock jaw, spasms, shooting pains– I oil pulled and it went away. Ummm- that is enough for me to do this for life. I do have a dentist appointment next week, so I am excited to see if the dentist notices anything!

If you do decide to try it, I am dying to know how it works for you/ what changes you notice/ if you like it/ if you can handle the 20 minute swish/ & whatever else you want to share.

xx, E

P.S. For more health, wellness, & lifestyle tips (plus some fashion, obviously)- follow me on Instagram & Facebook! 

P.P.S I am by no means saying this is an end-all-be-all cure to any illness nor claiming that I am a medical professional. I am just a girl who researched something she found interesting/ found out it worked for her/ & shared it on her blog!!

// UPDATE // 

Sooo… this post has gotten quite a bit of attention, so much so my site actually crashed for a good deal of time ( #stressmeout ).

I am so happy to see this information has proved helpful to so many people. I have been getting a lot of questions though… so I decided I’d add in a little FAQ to help clear things up!! Please read the below carefully as I am doing my best to answer every question but it is getting a little difficult :) THANKS!!

P.S. Went to my dentist this week & it was the best appointment I’ve had in a while– yahoo! I am totally contributing it to OP.

Q1: I hate the taste of anything coconut/ I am allergic to coconut. Anything else I can use??::  Absolutely! You can use other vegetable based oils such as cold pressed organic sesame oil, sunflower oil, or olive oil.

Q2: I see that you have pictured refined coconut oil,  but lots of people are saying you should ONLY use unrefined coconut oil??:: Here’s the deal with this one… unrefined coconut oil is better, but all I had on hand at the time was refined. The main thing that helps with the oil pulling is the Lauric Acid in the coconut oil- the refining process could remove some Lauric Acid & add in chemicals/solvents. Yet, by the time the process is complete, there will still be around 50% Lauric Acid and little to none chemicals or solvents left over- so you will still get the benefits. People will have varying opinions on this, but that’s what I’ve found out about using refined coconut oil.

Q3: 20 minutes?! There’s no way I can put oil in my mouth for a full twenty minutes!!:: My first bit of advice– try it! I was a little frightened by the number at first too, but once you get going the time flies. I personally find the process to be relaxing. If at any time your mouth is too full of oil, spit out a little & keep on truckin’.

Q4: Do I NEED to buy organic coconut oil?:: Yes yes yes!! The benefits will be greater with organic oils.

Q5: I gag over weird textures- can I melt it first before I swish?:: Certainly! Many people say no no no to nuking in the microwave cause of radiation, yet if it’s just 10 seconds (which is all you really need) I wouldn’t freak out about it. That said, the better option would be to run the jar under hot water & then pour the liquid into a bowl for swishing.

Q6: Can I OP while pregnant?:: I have read that if you are out of the first trimester you are good to go & pull away. Yet if I were you I would read some forums (a Google search provides a ton of mommy forums discussing this) so that you can make a decision you are 100% confident with!!

Q6: Can I OP while breastfeeding:: I have never had a baby so I have never breastfed but from my research I have read that this mild detox wouldn’t effect your blood stream (which is would would alter your milk). Again, I would do your own research to make a decision that you are comfortable with!

Q7: Oil Pulling with braces/ crowns/ fillings/ dentures. Is it okay?:: The word on these few things vary as well, so again, I don’t want to give too much advice on these issues as I don’t want to be liable for any issues that could arise. From my understanding though, with dentures you should remove them before OP-ing & with fillings it should be okay (haven’t had any negative effects with mine). As for braces & crowns– braces they say it’s fine to Oil Pull, but could whiten around the braces so when you get them off it looks weird. For crowns, there are some reports the act has loosened the crowns or even caused them to fall off. If it were me, I’d avoid it.

Any more questions? LMK in the comments section below & I will answer at the best of my ability.

& lastly- I am not a medical professional. I am just a girl who saw something that looked interesting, did a fair amount of research (lots & lots), & saw that it worked for me first hand.