Oil Pulling 101: Natural Therapy or Simple Cure?

Oil Pulling Therapy

Effective Natural Detoxification, Stimulation of Elimination, Self-Help Cure and Prevention of Many Diseases, including Cancer..?

  Information summarized & partially excerpted from oilpulling.org and other sources
  (including the Healing Cancer Naturally website).

   The practice of oil pulling apparently is a time-honoured tradition in parts of the world.

  Oil pulling therapy simply consists in thoroughly sloshing certain types of commonly found oil in the mouth for up to 20 minutes (for details see Instructions: how oil pulling is done). This practice is said to draw toxins & destroy natural mouth germs while stimulating the body's eliminatory system and increasing metabolism, thus leading to improved health and the conquering of disease.
 
  In fact, thanks to this double action, oil pulling therapy is claimed (according to Dr. Karach MD) to have healed illnesses and complaints as diverse as bronchitis, tooth pain, diseased teeth, headaches & migraines, eczema, thrombosis, chronic sleeplessness, arthritis & related illnesses, diseases of stomach & intestines (such as ulcers, gastro-enteritis, peritonitis), kidney, liver, lung and heart disease, blood disorders (such as chronic blood diseases like leukemia), women’s diseases & hormonal disorders and diseases affecting the nervous system (such as encephalitis, meningitis, neuro-physiological paralysis).
 It is also said to prevent the growth of malignant tumors, to cut and heal them, to be a heart attack preventative, to cure diseases brought on by toxic drugs, and it is credited with the cure of diabetes.
 Dr. Karach himself claims to have cured his own chronic blood disease of 15 years standing by using the oil therapy, and that the same method healed an “acute arthrosis” (which had made him bed-ridden) within three days.*
 Added benefits reported concern the fastening of loose teeth, the healing of bleeding gums and the visible whitening of teeth.
 For more on tooth and gum benefits of oil pulling, see Oil pulling for dental health and healing.

  In other words, oil therapy is claimed (according to Dr. Karach MD) to be some kind of panacea of both curative and preventative power with the added bonus of potentially doubling the presently observed average human lifespan.
 Additionally, “in terminal diseases such as cancer, Aids and chronic infections, this treatment method has been shown to successfully replace all others. ... a wide variety of symptoms have unquestionably disappeared without any side effects. ... diseases which would normally be treated by an operation or by powerful or potent drugs, usually with significant side effects.”

 Interestingly, oil pulling is also part of the daily morning routine prescribed in eminent conventional and alternative cancer treatment researcher Lothar Hirneise’s new cancer treatment center in Germany.

  While it seems that noone so far has done any placebo-controlled double-blind studies on the possible or actual benefits of oil pulling for health**, so any healing reports so far published could be easily dismissed as simple anecdotes based on the powerful placebo effect, the simplicity, apparent harmlessness as well as inexpensiveness of application of this biological healing/detoxification method and the possible rewards concerning internal detoxification to be reaped make it seem advisable to at least give oil pulling a thorough try.
 Perhaps, as Dr. Karach claims, oil therapy is indeed able to help heal the human organism in its entirety, to effectively treat all types of diseases and “in some cases enabling one to avoid surgical intervention and the taking of medications that can have harmful side effects”.
* Oilpulling.org writes in another place that “Dr. Karach has successfully healed a chronic leukemia patient with 15 years of harsh treatment methods behind him.
 Acute arthritis in 1 patient who was totally bedridden was removed from his body in 3 days with no inflammation apparent.”
** Update July 2010: To date, apart from impressive successful scientific studies into oil pulling's dental health benefits carried out in Indian research facilities, there indeed seems to be no scientific research that has looked into oil pulling as a cure for disease or as a detoxification method (this may simply be another case of "follow the money", of course).

Which oils to use

 Recommended oils to use for oil pulling are sunflower and sesame oil, both of which have been found to be equally effective in healing diseases.
 Also mentioned are peanut oil and “distal oil”, the latter possibly being a mistranslation from the German Distelöl (safflower oil).
 Quote: “Other oils were not found to be as good/We have observed that any oil other than SUNFLOWER or SESAME may not be effective. Do not blame oil pulling by practicing with other oils.”
 Apparently, a normal refined sunflower oil as found in supermarkets has proved to be effective in numerous people. But “Our experience with thousands of people across the globe says USE COLD-PRESSED OIL as first choice, if it is not available use REFINED OIL.”
  Healing Cancer Naturally recommends to always, if possible, choose the best possible quality in foodstuffs, both in the interest of one’s own health and the environment.

Instructions: how oil pulling is done

 In the morning before breakfast (i.e. on an empty stomach), take one tablespoon into the mouth (don’t swallow it). Move the oil slowly around your mouth, as you would when rinsing your teeth. While keeping your mouth closed, slosh the fluid around your oral cavity, pulling it through your teeth, sucking it etc.
 Do this for fifteen to twenty minutes. “Chewing” in this manner draws a lot of saliva and gradually dilutes the oil which becomes thoroughly mixed with saliva in the process. 

 Swishing is said to activate the enzymes, with the enzymes drawing toxins out of the blood. As you continue this process, the oil-saliva mix gradually becomes more and more liquid and thin and acquires a whitish look (if the oil remains yellowish, it has not been pulled long enough).

Spitting and cleansing

 The watery oil/saliva mix is then spat out. It must not be swallowed, for the liquid has become toxic from poisons being drawn from the circulation through the mucous membranes of the mouth.
 After spitting the oil, the oral cavity must be thoroughly rinsed and washed with water a number of times.
 Cleanse your teeth with a toothbrush or use your fingers; also properly clean the sink, because the liquid expelled contains large amounts of bacteria and other harmful/toxic bodily waste (apparently, a microscopic review would reveal microbes in their first stage of development in this liquid). “Pulling Oil pulls out disease elements from the system (body) and restores health.”

When to do oil pulling - is there a best time to practice?

  Best time to do the oil pulling routine is said to be in the morning before breakfast (where it can easily be integrated into the rest of one’s morning routine).
 The ancient Ayurveda healing system advises to do oil pulling in the morning after brushing your teeth and cleaning your tongue and on an empty stomach.
 Similarly Dr Karach advises oil pulling before breakfast on an empty stomach (one hour after drinking water, tea, coffee or other liquids in the morning, but before breakfast. 

Recommended frequency of oil pulling

Oilpulling.org states that to enhance the claimed healing process, oil pulling can be repeated three times a day (always before meals on an empty stomach).

How long to do the oil pulling

Oilpulling.org advises to keep up the practice until one has recovered one’s original strength and freshness, enjoys good appetite and memory and regularly wakes up refreshed “without black circles under your eyes” after restful sleep.

When initial worsening of symptoms is observed

 Patients suffering from more than one disease can experience a worsening of their situation in the beginning. Dr. Karach - like other naturopaths - believes that an apparent worsening of one’s state of health is a propitious sign (often referred to as healing crisis) indicating that your disease is disappearing.
 This includes healing fever. He advises not to interrupt the treatment when one’s state gets worse. In fact he believes that by discontinuing the oil pulling, one also interrupts the healing activities stimulated by the oil pulling.

Claimed time requirements to achieve healing/cure

Oilpulling.org claims that oil pulling will speedily cure acute diseases in two to four days, while chronic diseases usually require more time, sometimes even one-year, and advises persistence in application.

Oil pulling caveats & precautions

(a) Don’t swallow the oil after completion of the process but spit it out. Do not worry, however, about any oil accidentally swallowed. It will simply be discarded through the normal elimination channels.
(b) If you are allergic to a particular brand of oil, change the brand or type of oil to a different one.
(c) One author (perhaps more) warns against oil pulling for people who carry amalgam fillings, claiming that even more mercury than “normal” will/could be released by this practice.

User experiences & results of oil pulling:
On diseases reportedly cured by oil pulling

In 1996, an Indian daily news paper (Andhra Jyoti) conducted a survey among its readers on the effects of oil pulling on various diseases. 1041 readers responded, 927 (89%) of which reported healing effects (curing one or more diseases). 114 or 11% did not report any disappearance of symptoms/illnesses. The chronic diseases reportedly cured were the following:
Polio, cancer, leprosy, polycystic kidney, neural fibroma, paralysis etc.: 72 cases
Diseases pertaining to female reproductive system: 21 cases
Piles: 27 cases
Diabetes: 56 cases
Heart disease and blood pressure: 74 cases
Arthritis and joint pains: 91 cases
Constipation: 110 cases
Digestive system: 155 cases
Skin problems such as pigmentation, itching, scars, black patches, eczema etc.: 171 cases
Allergy and respiratory problems of lungs such as asthma, bronchitis etc.: 191 cases
Physical pains and problems with neck & head area: 758 cases

Cancer & joint pains: sample healing testimonies of chronic diseases

  A homeopathic physician from India reports 3 cancer cases, two of which concern a “schirrus type of carcinoma of the uterus” (confirmed by biopsy report). Within two months of oil pulling, the bleeding was reduced, their general condition improved and both uterus carcinoma patients feel confident that their disease will be vanquished. “You know confidence/faith contributes to cure more than medicine.”
Compare Healing Cancer & Your Mind.
The third case involves a woman who developed a malignant tumor larger than a tennis ball on her jawbone (this patient is also on homeopathic medicines). After a month of oil pulling, pus was discharged from a hole that formed in the tumor on the jawbone. Three weeks later, the flow of pus stopped, the hole closed and the tumor reduced in size to be almost undetectable. “In these cases, my medicines must have given temporary relief. I am hoping they will totally heal.” The same physician adds this observation: “In case of joint pains the improvement that would have resulted in eight months with my medicines, have come within two months of oil pulling.”

* Diabetes - Pregnancy - Childbirth
  My age is 41 years. I am a diabetic patient with no children. After doing oil pulling for three months, I became pregnant. At the time of pregnancy, my blood sugar increased.
  I stopped [oil pulling] for about a month thinking it was aggravating my problem. Having come to know that aggravation is a sign of cure, I started [oil pulling] again. The sugar level came down and I continued [oil pulling] throughout my pregnancy. After a caesarian operation, I gave birth to a baby. The doctors checked for sugar, both for the baby and me. We both were free from sugar. The wound healed well and stitches removed on the seventh day. Doctor was astonished at this. I found OP benefited me in the following ways:
[Oil pulling] reduced sugar gradually and diabetes cured. The skin became clear and shining and the spots on the body disappeared.
The body became strong, teeth firm; gums healthy and the hair turned black and stopped becoming white or gray.
Mrs AVL Umamaheswari, Commercial Tax Dept, Eluru, A.P.

* Diabetes
At the advanced age of 74, it is unjust to expect miraculous result from any kind of therapy. Yet I must say that what I have experienced through [oil pulling] therapy is almost a miracle and quite unbelievable.
Diabetes has been troubling me for the past 13 years. Now my blood sugar level is normal, though I do not take any medicine. I have discontinued all medication including vitamins, enzymes etc.
(Swami Swarupanand Bharati, (K.R.K.Chetty, IPS, D.I.G. [Retd.]), Hyderabad