By Dana DuGan
There’s more to cleansing than eating kitchari and drinking veggie juices. Each cleanse should be accompanied by other modes of rejuvenating and detoxing your body. One of our preferred methods is oil pulling.
You know that feeling when you wake up in the morning and cleaning the scuzzy film off your teeth, tongue and gums is your first thought. Before you grab the toothpaste, consider washing your mouth out with oil.
Pulling the oil through your teeth for a prolonged amount of time will draw out these toxins and bacteria from the mouth. In the morning, on an empty stomach, take about a teaspoon or slightly more in the mouth. You’ll want to use unrefined, high-quality oil such as coconut, olive or sesame. If it’s cold, allow the oil to melt. Swish the oil around between your teeth, around your gums, and allow it to touch every part of your mouth except your throat. Don’t swallow it, as it will contain toxic material, and avoid gargling. Once the swishing is complete, spit the oil out into the toilet or trash.
Studies also show that oil pulling helps strengthen gums, whitens teeth and eliminates plaque and bad breath. And according to Ayurveda, regular oil pulling also can help prevent many age-related health problems such as heart disease, stroke, lung disease, headaches, chronic sinus issues and skin ailments.
For all the above reasons, oil pulling is the perfect accompaniment to an effective detox cleanse.
For more information on cleansing, check out this video with Julie Johnson, www.tinyurl.com/jjcleansing.
NourishMe has three upcoming cleanses planned this fall: Sept. 20-27; Oct. 18-25; and Nov. 15-22.
For more information and to sign up for the cleanses, call (208) 928-7604 or email jjnourishme@gmail.com.