Related:

• Oil Pulling: Day One
• Oil Pulling: Day Two

Today was my tenth day of oil pulling. I’ve tried it a couple of different ways and have found the way I like to do it best (that’s what she said!). I also explored the benefits of coconut oil and have decided I might just turn into a coconut any minute now.

Improvements

First of all, the sneezing and headaches and sinus drainage are 99% gone. There is a little lingering something or other in there, but otherwise very clear. Whatever is going on with my sinuses is improving, and it feels overall “swept out.”

Other smaller things: my gums feel much tighter to my teeth and the pockets feel very shallow. My teeth feel more “inside my head” and stronger somehow. No morning breath. I had a small pain in my foot that seems to have disappeared this week (this could just be a coincidence). My skin feels great, though! And seems to be a little glowier. Especially the skin around my eyes. I’ve always had dark circles there, just naturally, but it seems to be reduced, and getting better all the time…

Experiments

I tried to pull in the shower one day. That didn’t over so well. Couldn’t focus, kept feeling like I was gonna accidentally swallow it. I tried it in bed, after pressing snooze and getting a spoonful of coconut oil, just to try waking up more in bed. Nope, felt like I was gonna swallow it right down, like it kept trying to go down my throat.

The best way, for me, is to get the hell up and start washing dishes, make coffee, feed the dog, pick clothes up off the floor, etc. Basically just clean house. Lord knows there’s always plenty of that to do.

I found my swishing rhythm, but I need other things in front of me to focus on. The twenty minutes just flies by. I get my coffee ready and wash a few dishes and it’s over. I’ve been using baking soda and hot water to gargle/rinse out afterward, and that seems to remove the leftover residue pretty well. I read that some people use warm salt water. Personal preference, I guess.

Nutty for coconuts

Also: coconuts. I have the oil, obviously, and there’s plenty of other things you can do with it. WOW. So tonight, I put a little into my hair and let it soak in. I rubbed some on my face and skin. And I’m thinking of adding a spoonful to my coffee in the morning just to see how it fares as a sweetener. My hair feels great, it’s a wonderful, light, easily absorbed moisturizer, and the coffee… I’m sure will be fine.

Like I said, I might turn into a coconut.

Here’s a guide from Well-Being Secrets about the benefits of coconut oil.

Overall

Once I cross over the two-week mark, it will become a part of morning routine – it’s mostly there. There are some things I can tell are different. I’m sure there are many others that I’m not even aware of. I like to think of myself as “in touch” with my body, and feel more energetic and yet, more at ease, than before. If this is a placebo effect, sign me right up.

As a side note, some people have written about the spittle being yellowish, or grayish, or at least not white. That hasn’t been my experience. It’s been murkier, for sure, and obviously diluted by spit, but still white. Just something interesting to note.

I’m not an OMG you’ve got to try oil pulling fanatic right NOW, but… I’m gonna keep doing this and carefully monitor the smaller changes. The verdict, though is: do it if you’ve been thinking about it. It certainly can’t hurt anything. And who knows, it might even help.

More to follow.

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