One of my favourite awareness campaigns is to do with the fascinating ‘organ’ lodged within our gut. I refer to the body of microbes that inhabit the gut. Their weight (nearly 2 kg) and numbers (about 100 trillion of more than 1000 species) remind us that they are a force to reckon with.
The importance of these microbes is also reflected in the exponential rise of publications on the subject of gut microbiome (flora) and immunity in recent years.
Cultivating the Good Bacteria
What we eat directly influences the microbe population in our body, swaying it in or against our favour. In addition to the diet, taking probiotics and prebiotics can prevent many chronic ailments. However, I am often asked if there’s anything else one can do to influence the microbes in our system. In that context, I speak of the practice of oil pulling.
The Technique of Oil Pulling
Our oral cavity (mouth), which is the entry point of the digestive tract, harbours a diverse selection of about 600 microbial species. Ayurveda has long recognised the importance of maintaining dental hygiene and has recommended oil pulling (gundusha) as an effective technique.
For this purpose, you are required to take one tablespoon of oil – coconut or sesame – and swish it around in your mouth for at least 3 to 5 minutes every morning, on an empty stomach. After this, you are to rinse your mouth with warm water. This technique offers a thorough oral clean-up and a fertile ground for the good microbes to flourish in the oral cavity. Needless to say, the quality of oil used for this purpose should be of the purest kind. You could also use the medicated oils or fluids formulated for this purpose, instead of coconut and sesame oils.
What’s the science behind oil pulling?
Detoxification has always been an important technique practiced in Ayurveda. The oils used for this purpose have a lipophilic action i.e. ability to draw out the toxins.
Modern medicine has also urged our attention towards oral hygiene ever since the link between the harmful bacteria found in the mouth and heart disease has been recorded. There seems to be a strong correlation between cases of arterial plaque and heart valve conditions and the presence of bad oral bacteria. These unhealthy bacteria find their way into the bloodstream through the gums, more so if the gums tend to bleed.
The alcohol-based mouthwashes commonly prescribed don’t serve the same purpose as oil pulling, because they eliminate all the bacteria (good and bad) in the mouth. Oil pulling appears to be the most preferred method to tip the balance in favour of the good bugs in the oral cavity.
The Verdict
All in all, oil pulling is an easy and effective method to cultivate the good bacteria in our body. While swishing oil around your mouth may not have the same scale of benefit as ingesting healthy fats in the diet, the evidence is in its favour (although it’s not the earth shattering kind).
Certainly, this intervention is worth your time and effort. A tip if you want to save time–do it while you shower.
 |
Ms. Neelanjana Singh, Nutrition Consultant & Author |
