Is Oil Pulling Effective For Weight Loss?
tanya choudharyB.Desgn, ISSA Certified Specialist In Fitness & Nutrition 
Experience: 2 yearsTanya is an ISSA certified Specialist in Fitness & Nutrition. She specializes in writing articles on ingredients that benefit skin, hair, and health. She believes in the right health and lifestyle... more
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Are you tired of trying different weight loss diet plans but had no success? Why not give oil pulling a try? What is great about it is that it comes with a number of health benefits as well. If you did not already know, oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic practice that is known to cure a wide variety of diseases and illnesses (1). It is popularly known as a great home remedy for oral health. It not only keeps your teeth white, but also eliminates bacteria and reduces inflammation.
On that note, would you like to know how oil pulling can help you lose weight? Then you must read this post.
Method Of Oil Pulling:
Oil pulling is an uncomplicated procedure. Here are the steps you need to follow:
- First, take a tablespoon of any oil of your choice and swish it around your mouth for 15 to 20 minutes. The longer you do it, the more effective it is.
- When it is time to stop, the oil will be foamy and milky.
- Spit out the oil completely. Remember not to swallow even a small amount.
- Rinse your mouth thoroughly with warm water and then brush your teeth.
Oil pulling should always be done first thing in the morning, before you brush your teeth or eat or drink anything. While you swish the oil around your mouth, impurities get removed from your teeth and gums, which means that the oil contains bacteria, mucus, pus and harmful toxins. This is why it is important to avoid swallowing the oil. Do oil pulling up to 3 times a day on an empty stomach for the best results.
Oils To Use:
In Asia, many people use sesame oil, but a number of different oils can also be used. Perhaps the use of sesame oil is advocated in Asia because of its popularity as a healing oil. This oil is known to have beneficial anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties. According to experts, any vegetable oil can be used, and they recommend using oil that is mildly flavored, such as coconut oil. Many people say that they have used olive oil, sunflower oil, almond oil and coconut oil and gained remarkable results (2).
Benefits Of Oil Pulling:
According to health experts, oil pulling provides you with a wide range of health benefits. It prevents:
- Asthma
- Bronchitis
- Eczema
- Ulcers
- Liver and lung conditions
- Blood diseases
- Intestinal disorders
- Female disorders
- Gingivitis and cavities
- Heart disease
- Arthritis
- Kidney Disease
- Fibromyalgia and other autoimmune diseases
It is believed that toxins are drawn from the blood through the mouth’s mucus membranes when oil pulling is done regularly and properly. Oil pulling can help in detoxifying your body and fights bacteria and germs that cause tooth decay and gum disease.
Oil Pulling For Weight Loss:
Although there is no scientific evidence that oil pulling contributes to weight loss, there are people who claim that they have been able to shed unwanted pounds by using this home treatment. It is believed that oil pulling helps people lose excess weight because it plays a role in the detoxification of the body. When the body is free of toxins, parasites, and other unwanted substances, it will be able to function properly, and this in turn leads to the loss of excess pounds.
The liver is a vital organ that has an effect on the other organs in the body. It is one of the organs that plays a role in removing toxins from the body (3). Many toxins are absorbed by the body through the mouth from food additives, drugs, sweeteners, and from fumes caused by air pollution, etc. This has an adverse effect on the various organs as the liver has to work overtime to eliminate these toxins.
According to experts, a liver that is overloaded with parasites, toxins and impurities will be unable to burn fat efficiently. As you know, the liver is the organ responsible for fat burning in the body (4). It helps in the regulation of fat metabolism and the pumping out of fat from the body through the small intestines. This is why keeping the liver at its working best is important. As oil pulling removes all the harmful and unwanted toxins and parasites, it keeps the liver functioning optimally and helps it burn fat in an efficient manner.
The mouth is full of fungi, bacteria, viruses as well as a host of other parasites, and with oil pulling, you will be able to eliminate them efficiently and effectively. This in turn benefits the liver immensely as the practice of oil pulling reduces its workload. It does not have to work as hard to eliminate harmful organisms and substances from the body. This in turn helps other organs in your body and also promotes weight loss.
Coconut Oil For Oil Pulling:
According to many experts, oil pulling for weight loss works most effectively when it is done with coconut oil (5). Many people also refer this oil to others for this home treatment. This oil has a mild flavor when compared to other oils that are used. Oils that have bold flavors tend to make people shorten their oil pulling sessions, making it ineffective in removing toxins and parasites as well as promoting weight loss. Coconut oil is also better for those with a sensitive stomach, as its flavor is unlikely to make their stomachs turn or make them feel sick.
Does Oil Pulling Make You Lose Weight?
It is difficult to know whether oil pulling really does help you lose those unwanted pounds. As mentioned earlier, there is no clinical evidence suggesting that it does. However, many people claim to have shed pounds by using this home treatment. A combination of a balanced diet, regular workout and oil pulling could indeed in help in weight loss. As you concentrate on keeping your liver healthy and functioning optimally, it will be able to burn more fat in your body, allowing you to lose weight and get slim.
Oil pulling also increases your energy levels. This means that you will be able to exercise more efficiently during your workout sessions. This in turn will help you in shedding the pounds that you do not want. You will also be able to maintain your ideal weight once you have achieved your weight goals.
As you know, a healthy liver stimulates fat metabolism in your body (6). Oil pulling plays a role in keeping this vital organ healthy, which in turn means that weight loss is boosted. Relying solely on this Ayurvedic practice may not help with weight loss, but it can be a major contributing factor. It is worth a try.
Other Benefits Of Oil Pulling:
Long-term practice of oil pulling has a number of other benefits apart from treating and preventing diseases and ailments (7). The other benefits that it provides are as follows:
- Improvement in the quality of sleep
- Reduction of symptoms of PMS and regulation of menstrual cycle
- Improved skin health
- Prevention of allergies
- Reduced inflammation in your body
- Prevention of bad breath, plaque, bleeding gums and other oral health problems
As you can see, oil pulling is beneficial to health. This Ayurvedic treatment is one that you should practice every day. When you do so, you make sure that your trips to the doctor’s office are less frequent, thus allowing you to save money. It is a simple and easy process that requires just 20 minutes of your time.
For oil pulling, always make sure that you choose unprocessed, organic and cold pressed oils. These work best and have natural properties that make them beneficial to health. Experiment with different oils so that you can find out which works best for you. Once you have found the perfect oil, you can go ahead and practice oil pulling and gain all its wonderful benefits.
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