Oil Pulling & Arsenic
Oil pulling is an Ayurvedic technique believed to eliminate toxins, such as arsenic, from the body. Ayurveda is an holistic medical system native to India. Arsenic is a chemical element naturally found in the Earth’s crust. When combined with other elements, two types of arsenic are formed: organic and inorganic. People are exposed to both forms of arsenic through food, drinking water and air. Organic arsenic is not considered harmful to the body, however, inorganic arsenic is toxic in high doses.
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Environmental Toxin
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Non-toxic, organic arsenic is found at very low levels in meat, poultry and dairy products and at higher levels in fish and shellfish. This is no threat to health. Inorganic arsenic is not usually found in food, but in the drinking water around areas of industrial waste discharge, heavy pesticide use, metal mining or fossil fuel burning. Contact your local public health authority if you are concerned and consult a doctor if you have symptoms of exposure to arsenic. Symptoms of mild exposure to arsenic are headaches and mental confusion; more severe symptoms include convulsions.
History
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Oil pulling is mentioned in the "Charaka Samhita," the ancient textbook of Indian Ayurvedic medicine, as a dental hygiene technique. In the 1990s, oil pulling re-emerged as a therapy through the work of Russian doctor, Dr. Med Karach. According to Dr. Karach, oil pulling is an effective treatment for ailments ranging from headaches to heart disease. It is also claimed that the process removes toxic chemicals from the body, as recommended by Deepak Chopra in his book “Perfect Health”, however, he does not specifically mention arsenic.
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Practice
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Oil pulling is a simple and inexpensive therapy involving swishing sunflower oil around the mouth once a day and then spitting it out. Anyone can perform oil pulling, including pregnant women. It is most effective done on an empty stomach, and the length of time needed for healing to occur depends on the severity of the condition. According to oil pulling practitioners, the therapy works by drawing out toxins, bacteria and mucus from your saliva. Opinion is strongly divided as to the veracity of this claim; holistic expert, Dr. Andrew Weil states that oil pulling is a harmless practice, but that there is insufficient evidence to support the claim that a toxin such as arsenic is removed by it, while Dr. Karach claims it cures most illnesses.
Procedure
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Expert oil pulling practitioner, Lt. Col. T.K. Rao, recommends the following procedure:
• On an empty stomach, and before brushing teeth, put 1 tbsp. of sunflower oil in your mouth
• Keeping the mouth closed and the chin up, swish the oil slowly around the mouth for 15 to 20 minutes
• Do not gargle with the oil or swallow it
• Spit the oil out. It should now be milky-white and thin. If it is still yellow and viscous, follow the procedure for longer.
• Finish by cleaning your teeth and drinking two or three glasses of water.
Anecdotal evidence from the oil pulling practitioner websites suggests that the procedure helps a range of ailments, and a medical study by dentists shows evidence that it helps gingivitis, but there is no clear evidence that it reduces arsenic in the body.
Effects
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The first effects after following the practice are stronger gums and whiter teeth, according to the experiences of long-term practitioners at Earth Clinic. Other initial results are improved sleep and higher energy levels. Symptoms of a condition may get worse in the first few days of treatment, but that this is a normal part of healing, according to practitioners. Overall, proponents' experiences indicate that there are significant health benefits, but there is no clear information to support its efficacy in treating arsenic toxicity.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Sunflower image by Lucid_Exposure from Fotolia.com
