I pulled oil.

Since I’m already doing a cleanse this week, I decided to go full hippie and try oil pulling. (I’m building a slack line in the backyard this afternoon, right after I get back from the hookah bar.)

I don’t know what’s gotten into me.

Actually, that’s a lie. I know exactly what the problem is. I’ve not once worried about age or aging until a few months ago when my face broke out like a teenager, my metabolism bottomed out, and my gynecologist dropped the word  perimenopause in a routine exam.

I’ll pause here for dramatic affect.

Even in my early twenties, I wasn’t a bit worried about my thirties. Nor was I scarcely worried about my forties. I’m healthy (mostly) and make good food and exercise choices (mostly), so what did I have to be worried about?

Then I was blind-sided with acne and fatigue and perimenopause.

I hate that word now, but let’s keep moving forward.

I’m on Day 3 of a week-long cleanse and felt adventurous last night while watching Mr. Selfridge. I was sitting all cozy in my new bed and thought, “Why not now?” So I took a small scoop of coconut oil and put it in my mouth.

Oil pulling

It tasted like nothing. The texture was… not great. Once the little hard bits that felt like mucus broke down, the swishing was much better. I didn’t make it to twenty minutes, nor did I make it to ten. I’ll be honest and tell you I swished the oil for about five minutes and then I was bored. My cheeks started to hurt and it felt like the oil was dissipating, like maybe it was seeping down my throat.  Was I digesting coconut oil? Was it slowly creeping down my esophagus? 

That’s when the gag reflex kicked in and I decided oil pulling wasn’t for me.

The cleanse, for the record, isn’t for me either, but I’m continuing with it for three more days (or so) just to see what happens. It’s not entirely inconvenient, but it’s not my favorite way to spend time. It’s helpful that we don’t have many places to go this week, if you catch my drift.

Yay health.

5 Comments

  1. I started oil pulling on Saturday night. I only had olive oil so I started there. I had no gag reflex action at all but the boredom…you bet! I have started doing it with coconut oil but I melt it down so that the consistency is tolerable. Since I have done it several times the mouth pain/muscle fatigue is gone. I am still bored tho. That being said my sinuses do feel a lot cleaner 😉 And many blessings with your cleanse! I just purchased myself a Nutribullet Pro and I have to say I really like it…its making me make new commitments with food whereas I am once again conscious of what it is that I am eating.

    1. Thanks for your input. I really want to be a fan of oil pulling, but I’m just not sure I can do it. Common sense tells me that eating clean, whole food is enough, along with regular exercise, basic hygiene habits, and plenty of sleep. But yet, we continue to think we have to do more and more to be “healthy”… I fall for it every time.

      1. you are absolutely right. I actually fill the same way as you do. Eat consciously, avoid being sedentary, for the love of pete, bathe and all should go swimmingly with your health.

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