Recently, a close friend of mine recommended oil pulling, an alternative healthy remedy mentioned in Ayurvedic texts. I have researched and studied alternative remedies for years and am shocked I never came across this ancient secret.
I will forewarn you, when oil pulling is first explained your initial reaction will probably be along the lines of “What?” Or, “How in the heck would that heal anything?” My reaction was something along the lines of “Thanks for the recommendation, I’ll look into it” without actually planning on giving it a try.
Curiosity got the best of me and I decided I might as well give oil pulling a try. It’s cheap and no side effects exist. Oil pulling simply involves swishing oil in the mouth for 15-20 minutes on an empty stomach. Sesame oil and sunflower oil are highly recommended although my first experience was with virgin coconut oil because it was all I had in the house.
The mouth is full of thousands of strains of bacteria and oil pulling allows toxins to bind to the oil when it is swished in the mouth. Over thirty systemic diseases are said to be greatly helped and even cured by oil pulling. I was skeptical but after doing additional research I decided to try it once per day with sesame oil (organic of course).
It has been a week and so far I am amazed. My sinuses have been draining, I am sleeping better, my teeth are whiter and my skin is much softer. I cannot wait to see the future benefits from this simple practice.
Anyone who knows me well has heard me rave about juicing. I first started juicing about two years ago and have been hooked ever since. I’m surprised that most people have never had the experience of drinking fresh fruit or vegetable juice. Since I have discovered the amazing benefits I have done multiple juice fasts and incorporate fresh juice at least five days of the week.
Not only does fresh juice taste amazing, the benefits for the body and mind are remarkable. Anytime I feel tired or am having a difficult time focusing I get my juicer out and in a matter of minutes feel rejuvenated and ready to tackle the day.
Fresh juice is full of enzymes, vitamins and minerals, all essential ingredients for optimal wellness. Juice should be drank immediately. If you decide to store it, put the juice in an airtight container and try to fill the container full, preventing excess air. Most of the nutritional value from juice will be gone within 24 hours.
I have experimented with many combinations but my favorite recipe combines carrots, apple and ginger. I cannot stress enough how fresh juice can be life-changing. The benefits are too numerous to list. Many juicers are affordable, making it a possibility for anyone to try who has the desire.
I recently heard the quote “Health is not simply the absence of sickness” and it stuck with me. Our bodies are similar to our lives. They are not an “it” that can be fixed up to perfection and then remains in that state. Our bodies and our health are processes. They are not machines nor are they static. Balancing our bodies means paying attention to all the phases of our lives. What may be balanced at one time or in one phase of life may not be balanced at another.
We should not wait until struck with an acute or chronic illness to start out on the journey to wellness. We can make a choice every day to consciously choose to pursue balance, wellness and optimal health.
In our society many diseases are not simply an invader by a foreign “bug.” Chronic disease in the United States affects millions of people daily and in many cases can be prevented. We cannot keep using a scapegoat to place blame for illness. It is time to take responsibility for our health and make steps down the road to balance and health today.
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