While staying at an ashram near Bangalore in India, I was introduced for the second time to the Ayurvedic practice of kavala graha, commonly known in English as oil pulling.  Ro had first told me about kavala graha when he came back from a 6 month study abroad trip in India 3 years ago.  Practicing kavala graha daily, Ro was able to get rid of small bumps he used to have on his skin within a few weeks; a problem he had for nearly 10 years.  At the time, my skin was quite clear (I eliminated refined sugars and starches from my diet in 2001), so I didn’t try kavala graha myself.

However, while I was attending a yoga training program in the ashram, I was made to practice oil pulling every morning.  All I have to say is wow!  Within two weeks I found my skin was the softest it had been since I was a child.  A bleeding problem I had with one spot in my gums also dissappeared, along with sensitivity in one of my molars.  After getting such great results I knew this was something I had to share with everyone I knew.

What you need:

- A bottle of cold pressed sesame or sunflower oil (preferable sesame)
- A tablespoon

How to do it:
As soon as you wake up, place around one tablespoon of oil into your mouth.  Keep your jaw closed and relaxed, and push the oil through your teeth with your tongue.  Bring the oil back inside your teeth using your cheeks.  Keep repeating this process.  After about 10 to 15 minutes, the oils thick consistency will change to become much thinner and watery.  At this point, spit the oil out of your mouth into a sink.  If the oil is watery and whitish in color, you did it correctly.  Quickly rinse out your mouth with water several times.  And your done!

Important Notes:

- Oil pulling should be done BEFORE brushing
- Oil pulling should be done on an empty stomach
- Try not to swallow any of the oil

Benefits:

- Removal of toxins from the digestive system
- Clearer skin
- Whiter teeth
- Healthier gums
- Better overall Health

If you decide to try kavala graha out, tell us!  We’d love to hear whether it worked for you or not and share the results with everyone else.

Also, I’ll be posting an instructional video for this post later this week.

–Rishi

I practice kavala graha everyday with Raw Coconut Oil. It does wonders for the hair and skin. Basically, you can do this with any raw and cold-pressed oil.

–Rohit