#so this is. either the wisdom tooth or an ill nerve again

[shadovvheart]

So I'm running on twice the normal amount of painkillers. Half of my face is still in pain, albeit less so than before. The other half is partially numb. Which is true for the rest of my body it seems. I'm trying to eat a banana and it's weird as fuck ✌🏻

#hashtag painblogging or w/e #i normally hate just whining and complaining on my blog but #it actually provided some stress relief and boy do i need that #i spent half of today planting my face into a wall i need to vent #so this is. either the wisdom tooth or an ill nerve again #but it's on the other side from the nerve that's been causing pain for the last week so wtf! #it's a national holiday and all 'free' clinics are closed till monday #I currently don't have the money to visit both a dentist and a neurologist and do all of their tests like xray etc #but if thus pain continues tomorrow I'll have to borrow some from my mom #cause this shit is so unbearable it's impossible to even think about anything else once the pills stop taking effect #it's just one thing after another after another after- #it's also raining rn. so #vik.txt

[timclymer]

My Tryst With Skin Pigmentation

Well, this actually began about 8 months ago. I had slathered balm on my forehead during a severe headache and then completely forgot about it. The next day there was a small dark-grey blemish on the right corner of my forehead. Assuming it to be dry, dead skin I lightly massaged my usual face scrub on the entire face thinking that the exfoliation would shed the dry skin and the mark would heal.

But, this did not happen. On the contrary a few days later the small blotch transformed into a thick, dark grey patch running continuously from one end of my forehead to the other. I was absolutely zapped when I looked at myself in the mirror, in the morning and so was everyone else around me. Family and friends asked all sorts of questions about it and I didn’t have a reply.

At that time I didn’t realise that the mark was caused due to the balm that I had used. Instead, I thought it to be a reaction to the antibiotics I had consumed at that time for an aching wisdom tooth. But, a visit to a dermatologist explained that the mark was spread in that portion of the forehead where the balm had been applied and this skin disorder was called hyper-pigmentation. I had heard of it a lot of times from people around but now I, myself was going through skin pigmentation. It is a condition in which the skin produces too much of the pigment melanin (melanin is responsible for the colour of your skin) and this makes the skin darker than usual.

I was told that if I didn’t take appropriate medication and instant action, the mark could reach the lowest layer of skin and even the bone below the skin. And once it reached the bone, no topical remedy or any other treatment could ever erase it all my life (God forbid!). The last few words really caught my attention and freaked me out. My skin was sensitive and the balm used, as the doctor said could have been a duplicate/ fake one which caused this strange reaction.

I was given names of medicines (vitamin and calcium tablets) to be consumed for 1 ½ month and a kojic cream to be applied daily on the pigmented skin. Application of sunscreen twice a day was a must even when indoors as my skin had become photosynthetic (bulb rays too could cause further harm and delay the healing process). Complete sun protection (from both, UVB and UVA rays) had become crucial since ‘over-exposure to sun rays makes the skin produce more melanin causing the complexion to darken further’. A mild face wash was recommended as part of the ongoing treatment.

As a last resort I was given the options of either Yellow Peel treatment or Laser Therapy (which was quite an expensive affair). Yellow Peel is a facial skin depigmentation treatment which would peel away the damaged upper layer of my skin by application of a mixture of depigmenting agents. Then, the lower layer of skin would be revealed and I would look fine again. This would take a few weeks or months, depending on the case (I was told 4 weeks in my case). Both these treatments, the doctor assured would cure my skin condition a 100 percent.

I was called every 4 weeks by the doctor because as she had explained, “The skin has two layers; the upper layer (the epidermis) and the lower layer (the dermis). The cells of the upper layer are gradually shed and the lower layer emerges above, replacing the epidermis. This cycle takes around 28 days”. Therefore, the visit every 4 weeks was crucial in order to monitor the exact stage of recovery. I kept delaying the Yellow Peel treatment every time I met her as I was afraid that it could have side effects. So, instead the creams were changed and I was prescribed another fairness cream to be used along with the kojic cream the next month. I followed her instructions to the T.

I’d noticed while walking on the road that people would give me weird, pitying glances. I guess they must be thinking, “Poor girl, she’s so young and is suffering from a severe skin disease”. I wish I could explain what had really happened to me. Some friends and well wishers advised applying stuff like raw milk and Aloe Vera gel on the pigmented area which I promptly did with very little progress.

Then, I thought of surfing the net in my free time and looking for natural remedies on pigmentation that could be followed whilst following the doctors’ treatment too. I fed, ‘Natural remedies for skin pigmentation’ and search engines piled up a list of sites mentioning information on why pigmentation occurs and also how the damage could be solved in a natural way using fruits, veggies and herbs.

I got remedies like cucumber juice, lime juice, papaya pulp, tomato juice, gram flour and water paste, coriander paste, mint paste, neem paste, fullers’ earth paste, sandalwood paste, fresh curd, the list was endless. All of these had to be left on the pigmented patch for about 10 -15 minutes before washing off with water. I followed them, mostly trying out any one remedy day after day. I even soaked orange peels in water and splashed it daily.

Since none of the home remedies would cause side effects I would comfortably slather the fruit juices etc. all over my face and not restrict it to the pigmented patch only. Slowly it was turning out to be fun because while trying out all of these one by one I had realised that the quality of my skin had really improved. Disregarding the dark, pigmented patch, my skin had now become soft, supple, glowing and fairer. My cheeks had become a blushing pink in colour. It wasn’t heavy on my pockets too since such fruits and vegetables are always present in our kitchen. For e.g., I would always keep away a small piece of papaya or a slice of tomato to be mashed and applied on my skin once I’d be done with the household chores. In fact, once a friend asked if the reason for the glow on my face was because I was basking in love and that felt really nice.

The last cream that I was prescribed was Triglow and the skin doctor said that it was the most effective cream in the world to cure pigmentation. It was helpful indeed. I noticed a drastic lightening in the pigmentation after using it for a few days itself. But the whole point was that I wanted it to heal completely so that I looked my normal self again which would take some more time. The repeated trips to the doctor were getting on my nerves now and I decided to stop visiting her and continue with her last prescription and the natural remedies till the pigmentation is healed.

A small, hazy patch yet remains on my forehead but is lessening at a rather slow pace. One thing I realised while going through this entire distress is that there’s nothing better than our age old, natural remedies for our problems. Of course, major illnesses do require immediate and long term medication, under the doctors’ guidance. That’s how I too started out. But if we take a deeper interest in such natural and herbal cures we can live a better, healthier and a more fruitful life. The only issue is time; we are all short on time and we do not have the patience to wait for our problems to solve in this manner, at a slow pace.

Source by Arwa Manasawala

from Home Solutions Forev https://homesolutionsforev.com/my-tryst-with-skin-pigmentation/ via Home Solutions on WordPress from Home Solutions FOREV https://homesolutionsforev.tumblr.com/post/185138739235 via Tim Clymer on Wordpress

#Home Solutions FOREV

[homesolutionsforev]

My Tryst With Skin Pigmentation

Well, this actually began about 8 months ago. I had slathered balm on my forehead during a severe headache and then completely forgot about it. The next day there was a small dark-grey blemish on the right corner of my forehead. Assuming it to be dry, dead skin I lightly massaged my usual face scrub on the entire face thinking that the exfoliation would shed the dry skin and the mark would heal.

But, this did not happen. On the contrary a few days later the small blotch transformed into a thick, dark grey patch running continuously from one end of my forehead to the other. I was absolutely zapped when I looked at myself in the mirror, in the morning and so was everyone else around me. Family and friends asked all sorts of questions about it and I didn’t have a reply.

At that time I didn’t realise that the mark was caused due to the balm that I had used. Instead, I thought it to be a reaction to the antibiotics I had consumed at that time for an aching wisdom tooth. But, a visit to a dermatologist explained that the mark was spread in that portion of the forehead where the balm had been applied and this skin disorder was called hyper-pigmentation. I had heard of it a lot of times from people around but now I, myself was going through skin pigmentation. It is a condition in which the skin produces too much of the pigment melanin (melanin is responsible for the colour of your skin) and this makes the skin darker than usual.

I was told that if I didn’t take appropriate medication and instant action, the mark could reach the lowest layer of skin and even the bone below the skin. And once it reached the bone, no topical remedy or any other treatment could ever erase it all my life (God forbid!). The last few words really caught my attention and freaked me out. My skin was sensitive and the balm used, as the doctor said could have been a duplicate/ fake one which caused this strange reaction.

I was given names of medicines (vitamin and calcium tablets) to be consumed for 1 ½ month and a kojic cream to be applied daily on the pigmented skin. Application of sunscreen twice a day was a must even when indoors as my skin had become photosynthetic (bulb rays too could cause further harm and delay the healing process). Complete sun protection (from both, UVB and UVA rays) had become crucial since ‘over-exposure to sun rays makes the skin produce more melanin causing the complexion to darken further’. A mild face wash was recommended as part of the ongoing treatment.

As a last resort I was given the options of either Yellow Peel treatment or Laser Therapy (which was quite an expensive affair). Yellow Peel is a facial skin depigmentation treatment which would peel away the damaged upper layer of my skin by application of a mixture of depigmenting agents. Then, the lower layer of skin would be revealed and I would look fine again. This would take a few weeks or months, depending on the case (I was told 4 weeks in my case). Both these treatments, the doctor assured would cure my skin condition a 100 percent.

I was called every 4 weeks by the doctor because as she had explained, “The skin has two layers; the upper layer (the epidermis) and the lower layer (the dermis). The cells of the upper layer are gradually shed and the lower layer emerges above, replacing the epidermis. This cycle takes around 28 days”. Therefore, the visit every 4 weeks was crucial in order to monitor the exact stage of recovery. I kept delaying the Yellow Peel treatment every time I met her as I was afraid that it could have side effects. So, instead the creams were changed and I was prescribed another fairness cream to be used along with the kojic cream the next month. I followed her instructions to the T.

I’d noticed while walking on the road that people would give me weird, pitying glances. I guess they must be thinking, “Poor girl, she’s so young and is suffering from a severe skin disease”. I wish I could explain what had really happened to me. Some friends and well wishers advised applying stuff like raw milk and Aloe Vera gel on the pigmented area which I promptly did with very little progress.

Then, I thought of surfing the net in my free time and looking for natural remedies on pigmentation that could be followed whilst following the doctors’ treatment too. I fed, ‘Natural remedies for skin pigmentation’ and search engines piled up a list of sites mentioning information on why pigmentation occurs and also how the damage could be solved in a natural way using fruits, veggies and herbs.

I got remedies like cucumber juice, lime juice, papaya pulp, tomato juice, gram flour and water paste, coriander paste, mint paste, neem paste, fullers’ earth paste, sandalwood paste, fresh curd, the list was endless. All of these had to be left on the pigmented patch for about 10 -15 minutes before washing off with water. I followed them, mostly trying out any one remedy day after day. I even soaked orange peels in water and splashed it daily.

Since none of the home remedies would cause side effects I would comfortably slather the fruit juices etc. all over my face and not restrict it to the pigmented patch only. Slowly it was turning out to be fun because while trying out all of these one by one I had realised that the quality of my skin had really improved. Disregarding the dark, pigmented patch, my skin had now become soft, supple, glowing and fairer. My cheeks had become a blushing pink in colour. It wasn’t heavy on my pockets too since such fruits and vegetables are always present in our kitchen. For e.g., I would always keep away a small piece of papaya or a slice of tomato to be mashed and applied on my skin once I’d be done with the household chores. In fact, once a friend asked if the reason for the glow on my face was because I was basking in love and that felt really nice.

The last cream that I was prescribed was Triglow and the skin doctor said that it was the most effective cream in the world to cure pigmentation. It was helpful indeed. I noticed a drastic lightening in the pigmentation after using it for a few days itself. But the whole point was that I wanted it to heal completely so that I looked my normal self again which would take some more time. The repeated trips to the doctor were getting on my nerves now and I decided to stop visiting her and continue with her last prescription and the natural remedies till the pigmentation is healed.

A small, hazy patch yet remains on my forehead but is lessening at a rather slow pace. One thing I realised while going through this entire distress is that there’s nothing better than our age old, natural remedies for our problems. Of course, major illnesses do require immediate and long term medication, under the doctors’ guidance. That’s how I too started out. But if we take a deeper interest in such natural and herbal cures we can live a better, healthier and a more fruitful life. The only issue is time; we are all short on time and we do not have the patience to wait for our problems to solve in this manner, at a slow pace.

Source by Arwa Manasawala

from Home Solutions Forev https://homesolutionsforev.com/my-tryst-with-skin-pigmentation/ via Home Solutions on WordPress

#Home Solutions Forev

[colorfulsuitdestiny-blog]

If i cancel my auto insurance before the 6 months are up will i get money back?

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i gave 730 dollars for 6 months of insurance in april and it expires in september...but im selling my car an not driving it and want to take the insurance off....will i get money back after i prepaid for 6 months even tho i didnt use all 6 months?

BEST ANSWER:  Try this site where you can compare quotes: : http://freeinsurancequotes.xyz/index.html?src=tumblr 

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My mom is 55 years old and lives in another state as me. I currently work and live in Pennsylvania at a great company that provides health insurance, dental, vision, etc. I cannot add her to my policy, as much as I would like to so I would like to try and find a policy for her. My dad works for a company that provides health insurance, however the cost of health insurance to him and my mother (who live together and are married) is extremely high. Currently, they are seeking alternatives so that my dad is covered under insurance through his company and my mom can get coverage through a third party company at a lower rate. The rate they are asking my father to pay to have both of them on the coverage policy is insanely high. I pay about $55 a month for health insurance and they are at least quadruple that. I'm looking for suggestions for a reliable and trusted company (Aetna, Anthem, etc.) that would provide individual health insurance at an affordable rate, if anyone knows of anything.""

Insurance on a 1979 Dodge Challenger?

I know I've asked this before but this time I'm just being a little more specific. I'm looking for how much insurance would be on a 1979 Dodge Challenger. I live in Ontario Canada near Toronto. I am a male and single. School and work are within 15 Kilometres of my house. I will be 18 when I get the car, I will be the principal driver on this car and there are 3 other drivers in my house. My driving record is clean, no accidents or tickets.""

Would Jesus want health care for ALL americans?

Or would he worry about the Big insurance companies not being able to compete with a public option?

Is it a smart Idea to get a Life Insurance at the age of 21?

Is it a smart Idea to get a Life Insurance at the age of 21?

What is the best rated and least expensive car insurance for a female age 19 with a clean driving record ?t?

The car is an SUV 94 ford astro van in California.Know that only need collision coverage...Thanks for helping

If i cancel my auto insurance before the 6 months are up will i get money back?

i gave 730 dollars for 6 months of insurance in april and it expires in september...but im selling my car an not driving it and want to take the insurance off....will i get money back after i prepaid for 6 months even tho i didnt use all 6 months?

Insurance on SUVs?

How much is insurance on SUVs usually... like a Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo or a Chevrolet.. anyone know?

Can a car insurance broker be wrong?

This insurance broker gave me a quote that is a lot lower than what i pay for my car insurance right now. He double checked my information and my driver's licence and gave me a low quote, while all the other brokers told me higher amounts. Could he be wrong? What if I say I want to switch to that insurance, and it turns out he cannot get that locked quote for me? what happens then?""

Will my insurance go up after a speeding ticket?

I got pulled over doing 48 in a 25. Ouch..i know. The cop gave me a court date and i dont know whether i should go to court and try to get this revised so it doesnt look so bad or if i should just pay the 150....AND is my isurance going to go up. I have grange...PLEASEEEE help out...im 19 and no previous tickets or violations

Help! i need to find out insurance costs if i add parts to a car?

hi, im 17 and i own a peugeot 206, im wanting to tune it, and i need to know where to find a cheap body kit, new headlights, and some wheels? just trying to make my driving life and little more better :) i need to know roughly how much it will up my insurance cost, im currently paying 1,650 for it, and i can mabye go up to 2,000 also i need to find some speakers to go in the boot of my car, will that make my insurance go higher to? thanks for your time.""

Car insurance? cheaper to be on parents plan?

I am looking to make my auto insurance a little bit cheaper and save some money. could I had my mother put my car on her insurance and put me as a primanry driver if i dont live there?

""Car insurance, change of profession?""

Hi All, I pay my car insurance in full every year. I am currently a Technologist - and this is what I specified when applying. I will be returning to full time education in September - so will be a full-time student rather than a technologist. I am fully comp. insured for social use. Do I have to let them know about my change in profession and will this affect how much I pay (even though I've already paid for year up to next April)? Any advice would be much appreciated.""

Where can I get the cheapest car insurance for 18 year olds?

I've looked on gocompare, moneysupermarket and comparethemarket. Does anyone know any insurance company/comparison websites that are good? Preferably recommend ones you have used yourself. Thanks""

400 dollars a month for car insurance that is CRAZY?!?

I went on a website that gives you a free estimated quote for how much insurance would cost, I completed drivers ED and it is still about 400 monthly or 5000 yearly for an old crappy car! My dad called his insurance company to add me on to his truck and that is 80 monthly or 1000 yearly but he is never home so it would be pointless to get added on to him. I need a car to get to a from work since I live 20 minutes out of town. How do they expect young drivers to afford that? What did you pay when you first got your license? I'm female & 17""

Will Fred loyas liability auto insurance policy cover a person driving your car if they have any or all of the?

My romate is from out of state so she doesnt have a texas drivers licensae! She has a out of state license but it may be expired - I have liability insurance in texas from fred loya insurance-Will any of these factors keep her from being covered while she is driving my car?

Car insurance for 16 year old boy in Bay Area California under parents?

I have good grades (above a 3.5), and I'm looking for cheap insurance for either a 2003 Honda Odyssey LX or a 2002 Lexus RX300. As of now, I am 16 and 4 months.""

What is the lowest car insurance rate I can get in Michigan?

I'm 21 and I don't have any car record and I'm looking to purchase a Lincoln MKZ. I also live in the greater Detroit metropolitan area.

How much for car insurance for a 2002 nissan xterra?

I'm thinking of purchasing a used 2002 nissan xterra and would like to get some feedback regarding the insurance rates for this car.

Whats cheap cars to insure for a new driver?

Hi there im currently undertaking my lessons and instructor said I should pass before march time and just wondering what cars are cheap to ensure for new drivers and how much roughly are they a month and is there any way I can knock it down to make a bit cheaper? can you get finance cars for new drivers with insurance and tax free for 3 years?

How long will my insurance quote last for?

I got a quote for 2184 on a car, but i haven't the car as of now, soon to get this week, no doubt the insurance will rise over the week so im wondering if my 2184 quote will expire straight away or i have a month or so to claim that 2184 insurance quote. Using Money Super Market.""

Which company has the best insurance leads?

Which company has the best insurance leads?

Should I get added to my parent insurance?

I'm 17 years old and want to know if I should buy my own insurance on a new car or get put on my parents insurance? Which would be cheaper. I'm buying the car myself so can I have the car registered in my name, but on my parents insurance? I live in Nevada by the way. Will I run into problems with the law if that happens?""

Do I have to be on my moms insurance?

I am 15 1/2 and i got my permit my california's drivers permit in march. i wont be applicable to get my drivers license until september. do i have to be on my moms insurance to drive now

Just passed driving test. 18 years old. What is the cheapest insurance company for me?

Just recently passed 17, turning 18 in a few days. What is the best insurance company in terms of price? also what car would i need to purchase to get the cheapest possible quote? Advice needed!""

""If you're car is stolen, will your insurance rates increase if you are reimbursed by your insurance?""

If you're car is stolen, will your insurance rates increase if you are reimbursed by your insurance?""

""What is a good Car Insurance Company. Im in my early 20s, not the greatest driving record.?""

I have had a few speeding tickets, no insurance tickets, ect. 1 accident 6 years ago. I just need good, cheap, liability insurance for my fiance and I""

Car insurance in Canada?

What is the typical car insurance cost in Ontario?

Showing proof of insurance after citation (in Texas)?

Hello, i received a citation for driving uninsured a couple days ago (my court date is the 15th). I got a letter in the mail today saying i would have to pay a fine of $300.... ...show more""

Average car insurance for 21 y/o f?

my fiance and i are planning to buy a used car soon, and we were wondering about how much car insurance would cost us. the insurance would go under my name, but it would cover him as well. we are both 21. neither of us have had an accident. we both have pretty good credit. i've had no tickets, he's had 3, each in a different state (they were only minor speeding tickets). he's had his license since 17 y/o and i've had mine since 18 y/o.""

VERY URGENT! Buying car insurance by telephone  heeeelp!!!!?

Hello thank you for entering in my post I'm buying an insurance for my car by phone call so far I have the best deal from a company called Admiral Tomorrow I'm going to call this insurance company back to settle the agreement I've never done a contract by phone call I believe they should obviously send me a contract by e-mail with all my details and all the details of my purchase and the details of the company  until here it's quite clear my question is: How should I pay for this contract? Should I give my debit card details by phone call? Is buying an insurance by telephone safe? Any advice according this matter will be very appreciated thank you in advance for your help

Should I pay my car insurance premium?

I purchased a car for my daughter last August and paid the annual premium. In November the insurance company said I cancelled her coverage and they issued me a refund for the remainder of the policy year (thru July). I didn't know what the refund was for, but deposited the check anyway. I don't know what I did to cancel coverage (for just this vehicle, all my other vehicles remain covered.) I don't dispute that I must have done something.... In April I found out I didn't have coverage for this car by my accidentally calling the insurance company about another question. I asked for them to reinstate the coverage immediately. They did and sent me a bill for the full amount of the refund, plus another $176. I feel I should only pay insurance for the remaining two months on this year's policy since, if I would have had an accident, the insurance company would not have covered me. They say they can't charge me for just the remaining two months, but that they have to bill me the full amount (plus what's with the additional $176 charge?) I'm thinking that I should just go to another insurance company and get the car covered. Any thoughts?""

If i cancel my auto insurance before the 6 months are up will i get money back?

i gave 730 dollars for 6 months of insurance in april and it expires in september...but im selling my car an not driving it and want to take the insurance off....will i get money back after i prepaid for 6 months even tho i didnt use all 6 months?

Do you really believe that America has the best healthcare in the world?

Please say why you believe this when all evidence points to the contrary. You talk about health, cost, care, ect, we do not have the best. People in other countries have better. I mean...I listened to sean hannity say that we have the best healthcare and the only evidence he could provide is some vauge story about a politician from another country coming here to get healthcare...that doesn't really qualify as evidence. Especially when the world health organization ranks healthcare, and we're nowhere near number 1. Now this is a fact that I've known for about two years before this debate even flared up. How is misinformation getting so out of hand? Please...tell me why we have the best with 50 million people uninsured. When we pay the most of any country in the world with some of the worst care. When we have some of the most unhealthy people. When insurance companies exempt for preconditions, when healthcare cost is the biggest contributor to our debt, when we pay premiums every month for something that doesn't happen, and when it does we have to co pay, then when it runs out we're screwed. Healthcare is the number one bankrupter in this country...over 70% of the people have health insurance when they first get sick and they still go bankrupt. Explain how this is the best please. And this has nothing to do with Obamas plan so keep it to yourself, this is about thinking we have the best healthcare and that other countries are somehow much worse then us (they aren't). Provide a source if you can.""

Teenager's auto insurance?

i'm 17 and will soon be recieving a car from my aunt. it's a '92 poniac bonneville se. i want to figure out some insurance rates but some of the information they are asking for i'm not comfortable putting on the internet (like my soc. number). are there any teen drivers or parents of teen drivers would would be willing to share their rates and companies with me?

What kinds of cars are expensive to insure?

im 18 and looking to buy my first car under my parents' insurance. what cars should i stay away from? i am most likely going to buy an mustang gt coupe (1960-1990). what factors make cars more expensive to insure? ive heard things like, type of car, how easy it is to steal, and even color color affect how much i will pay for insurance. i dont just want to know the categories, i want to know what to avoid, ei, stay away from red cars. stuff like that.""

California renters insurance?

I reside in california and i am going to rent an apartment. Is personal liability required in renters insurance or is it optional?

Driving without car insurance.?

Im 17, I have had my license for 2 months and my uncle gave me his car and i was wondering if i could drive it because he is still paying for the insurance on it, but I dont have any insurance of my own.""

What are the average car insurance rates for a 16 year old and for an 18 year old?

What are the average car insurance rates for a 16 year old and for an 18 year old?

How much is medical insurance?

How much would medical insurance cost in Ohio (approximately) for 2, 30 years olds and one baby?""

Should i have the right NOT to buy health insurance?

i could have saved close to $4,000.00 in the last 29 months by not having insurance""

Is it possible to get temporary car insurance?

I don't have insurance now but I am looking to visit somebody (in Los Angeles) who has a spare car and I want to be able to drive it insured. I'm visiting for less than two weeks.

How much is car insurance?

I know it depends on a lot of things, but whenever I mention me getting my license, they have the same excuse over and over... So what's an idealistic amount for a young teen w/ 3.0+gpa and a sports car be? In california.""

""How can I find affordable health insurance that covers chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture, or both?""

I live in Colorado. I only make slightly above minimum wage. I am not eligible for health care benefits through work. I have a chronic issue and am in pain if I do not go. I spend $250 on chiropractic and $250 on acupuncture for a grand total of $500 a month. Is there a health insurance plan that could cover either one or both kinds of treatments for less than $500 a month? If not, I will just continue to pay out of pocket although it is very expensive.""

What would be the cheapest way to get a car insurance?

What would be the cheapest way to get a car insurance?

Car insurance rate for 24/m honda accord 03?

Just wondering if anyone could guesstimate a car insurance rate for me? I recently graduated college and just got my first job making 32,000 a year. I am thinking of buying a 2003 Honda Accord EX Coupe. I havent gotten a ticket or been in an accident, ill be commuting 20 min to work every other week (carpool) and i have ok/good credit (no co-signer required). Any guesses? Thanks!""

How much insurance for a 16 years old boy?

in california

Looking for best LIC insurance for Child?

Hello, I am new to this insurance/policy stuffs...i am looking for best LIC policy for kids... Please share some sites where i can get basic education about insurance policies... thanks""

Why do insurance companys ask how much you paid for your car?

When they don't want to pay that amount out ! Although you pay that premium.

What good are healthcare insurance brokers?

I called one two weeks ago & he was going to email me different quotes. He never bothered to, and so I called him & asked where they were. He said he forgot. Meanwhile I called another health care insurance broker & she too sent me some quotes. I attempted on line to apply for one, but there was a problem with the form allowing me to go further. I not only called the broker like she said I could if there was a problem, but I also emailed her about the problem. She didn't return my phone call, and as of yet has answered my email. It seems to me they must not want to make a commission, so is it just best to contact the health insurance companies on their own? In the past a broker was able to tell me if I would qualify if there would be a mark up above standard rates. Now they say just apply on line and see what happens. Everything has to be on line which always obviously doesn't work. So, what good are health insurance brokers? They need to just do away with them if they aren't going to work.""

I think my short term disability due to giving birth got messed up?

So I want on leave on May 20th due to best rest. I used all my vacation and leftover sick time, and the rest is paid by short term disability, a total of about 9 weeks total. I stayed home 6 weeks after my baby was born since my work doesn't cover any of my pay. I work in a very small private business, just 3 of us. My boss had never handled maternity leave before, and I think he did it wrong. A few weeks after I gave birth he said he got a check from the disability insurance agency, it was made out to his business. So he cashed it and wrote me a check for the total amount from his business account. There was no explanation of how to dole it out, so he just gave me the total amount. Then, just now, 3 weeks later, I got another check mailed to my home from the insurance company?? What happened? I should of only got paid for the 3.5 weeks I believe from short term disability because I was paid for the rest. The insurance company is not open until tomorrow so I cannot call them yet.""

Cheap Insurance For Teens.?

I am 17, and I live in KY. Know a cheap company?""

Car insurance!! help?

I'm 17 years old and live in the UK. I want to buy a chevrolet camaro 2010 v6 when I am 19 but I'm worried how much insurance I have to pay. My friend told me it's going to be more than the car, and the car cost around 30,000. Can anyone tell me which group the car belongs to and how much insurance I would need to pay? I want this to be my first car but I want another car to gain experience. Please give me a good car that would look nice for a 18 year old. I am quite tall and I don't really like small cars because it feels uncomfortable for me? please suggest a good car that would suit a tall guy. thank you""

What is the cheapest way to get insurance on my first car.?

I am 18 and am buying a 1.2 corsa. I need to know the cheapest way to insure it. Even if I have to go on a relatives insurance. Please help

How much would insurance be for a Mazda MX5 MK1?

How much would the insurance be for a Mazda MX5 Mk1 in the uk. I know the car doesn't cost that much, and its quite old! I was just wondering what a 17 year old male would have to cough up :) Any useful website links would be nice aswell""

HELP!!!! CAR INSURANCE?

If you studied car insurance quotes previously you will know that a Q.B.P. accurate quote takes this many minutes?

Insurance help! Tennessee?

My bf moved here from west virginia... he has to big health problems one life threatening... He needs cheap insurance but i dont know anything about insurance. hes 23. can anyone help me or know of any type of insurance??????? It would be appreciated..

""Car insurance, Drive any car?""

My insurance certificate says that I am allowed to drive any privately owned vehicle as long as I have the owners permission to drive it and it is roadworthy and I still own the car I have insured. So even though I own a small and slow car, my insurer will quite happily allow me to drive a 250,000 ferrari as long as I have the owners permission to do so? How does that work out?""

If i cancel my auto insurance before the 6 months are up will i get money back?

i gave 730 dollars for 6 months of insurance in april and it expires in september...but im selling my car an not driving it and want to take the insurance off....will i get money back after i prepaid for 6 months even tho i didnt use all 6 months?

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/question-interest-whole-life-insurance-ethan-carpenter/"

[noelanicoconutwater]

Oil Pulling: INTEGRATIVE HEALTH

OIL PULLING

BENEFITS

integrative health: oil pulling – a health-enhancing practise

Compilation: Dr Sandi Nye

Aromatherapists usually know a lot about the benefits of using natural oils – both volatile/essential oils and fixed/carrier oils – but how much do they know about the ancient treatment of oil pulling?

WHAT IS OIL PULLING?

Oil pulling refers to swishing oil in the mouth as a cleansing procedure, and is a form of natural oral hygiene that is way more powerful than simply brushing teeth, flossing and/or gargling.

This tried and tested biomedical method of intensive cleansing and detoxing has been enjoying a modern resurgence since the early 1990s, when it was popularised by a medical doctor, Dr F Karach.  I however first became aware of this ancient practise during my Ayurvedic medicine training in 1995.

Oil pulling is a simple and inexpensive treatment that not only effectively combats yucky bacteria lurking in the mouth, but also simultaneously strengthens gums and whitens teeth.

WHY OIL PULL?

Other than the points mentioned above, oil pulling is reputed to resolve a wide array of health imbalances and ailments – and all without the risk of adverse side-effects.

For example, Dr Bruce Fife, author of Oil Pulling Therapy: Detoxifying and Healing the Body Through Oral Cleansing, writes about how the therapy is used to address nasal sinus problems.  This is relevant since mucous drainage is traditionally considered one of the body’s primary detox processes.

WHERE DID IT ORIGINATE?

Oil pulling has its roots in ancient Ayurvedic medicine practise – the Indian form of naturopathic medicine that brims with wisdom, and has been around for over 5,000 years.

While this practise has been used for centuries as a traditional Indian remedy for health, since the mouth and tongue are integral to Ayurvedic treatment and diagnosis, oil pulling is also practised by other cultures.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

There’s nothing mystical about the way oil pulling works.  It simply removes pathogenic microbes and toxins in the mouth that may contribute to illness.

Most of the micro-organisms that comprise the oral ecology consist of a single cell with a lipid-layer outer cell.  The postulation is that during oil pulling these lipidic/fatty membranes of the microorganisms are attracted to the oil.  The process is helped along by both the enzymatic action of saliva, as well as the mechanical action of swishing or pulling the oil through the teeth, which loosens microbes lurking in the teeth, gums and oral mucosa.  This is further expounded on below in the section titled ‘Opinion Piece’.

BUGS IN THE ‘BEAK’ – so to speak

It’s no secret that several potentially pathogenic organisms reside in the mouth e.g. Streptococcus and Candida, which can cause illness if the immune system does not keep them under control.  An Indian study, relative to the effect of oil pulling and oral bacterial count, was conducted in 2008.  It concluded that sesame oil [the oil used for this particular study] exhibited antibacterial activity against Strep. Mutans, lactobacilli, as well as total oral bacteria.

WHAT CAN IT DO FOR HEALTH?

According to oil-pulling guru, Dr Karach – just about everything!  He claims it effectively treats/heals acne, arthritis, bronchitis, cracked lips, chronic blood disorders, encephalitis, eczema, gingivitis and bleeding gums, halitosis, headaches, heart, inflammation, intestinal disorders, kidney, liver, lung, nerve and stomach diseases, as well as nervous disorders, paralysis, sleeplessness/chronic insomnia, strokes, toothache, thrombosis, ulcers [gastric], and woman’s diseases.  Quite an impressive list – all in addition to the standard claims of tooth and gums strengthening, cavity-reduction and tooth whitening!

While most of us wouldn’t dream of not brushing our teeth or flossing, this practise is relatively new and only became the norm in the early 1900s.  Before that time our ancestors cleaned their teeth with bits of chewed twig – if at all – and they sure didn’t all die as toothless wrinklies!  Proof of this is evident, if the dental state of Egyptian mummies from about 3,000 years ago, is anything to go by.

Obviously other factors like nutrition played an integral part in keeping their nashers strong and healthy during those times e.g. they ate very few refined foods – especially sugary food and drink, and tooth enamel destroying, phytic acid laden grains.

WHICH OILS ARE USED?

Traditionally, sesame oil, coconut oil or butter oil [ghee] have been used for oil pulling, in various cultures, but sunflower and other oils are also advocated.  Choices will generally be influenced by budget and belief.

As health practitioners familiar with vegetal oils are aware, organic, unrefined, cold pressed oils are always preferable for both internal and external use, since they are likely to contain minimal chemical residues and have not been heat-extraction degraded.  Additionally, monounsaturated or saturated fats are preferable to polyunsaturated fats for oil oral use.

Sesame is the traditional Ayurvedic oil of choice, but oils like olive, or the latest favourite, virgin coconut are also popular.

These are healthier choices than refined and pro-inflammatory omega-6 rich oils like sunflower in my opinion.  However, if sunflower seed oil is used a cold-pressed oil is the preferable option.  Fortunately cold-pressed sunflower oil is now fairly easily available from supermarkets in South Africa.  Although sesame oil also contains omega-6 fatty acids it is the oil traditionally used in Ayurveda, so I’m not knocking it – even though we already have an excess of omega-6s to cope with in our western diets.

Energetically, sesame oil is more warming than some of the other oils – so depending on humours or doshas, different oils may be more individually suitable than others.

Olive oil can either be a more tasty option, or a more gag-worthy option, as it is more viscous than most other liquid oils – which can make it an acquired taste for oil pullers.  If you like olive oil you may also be more tempted to swallow it – which is an absolute oil pulling no-no!  Instead – if you can’t resist the urge, rather spit and start again.

Virgin coconut oil [VCO], on the other hand, has some outstanding bacteria-busting benefits due to its high lauric acid content – a fatty acid known for its antimicrobial action.

Streptococcus mutans, which is the primary bacterium responsible for dental caries/tooth decay, is inhibited by lauric acid, which makes this oil an obvious choice for dental health, as confirmed below.

It also has antifungal activity, which helps combat candida.  In addition, VCO is a comparatively potent detoxing agent.  And just to add to its many and varied virtues, it also tastes pretty good, which is helpful when one is swishing away for a long time!  But as with olive – let this not be a temptation to swallow it.

Sarah, a writer for The Healthy Home Economist, states the following:

‘While any of these oils are likely effective, is any one choice better than the others?

According to research performed by Irish scientists from the Athlone Institute of Technology who tested the effects of coconut oil, vegetable oil and olive oil on dental health, the answer is yes.

Of the three types of oil tested, only coconut oil was shown to prevent Streptococcus mutans, an acid-producing bacterium that is a common inhabitant of the mouth and a major cause of tooth decay, from binding to and damaging tooth enamel.

This finding lends serious credence to the anecdotal claims of some people who report that oil pulling works best with coconut oil.

Lead researcher Dr. Damien Brady stated that coconut oil could prove to be an attractive alternative to chemicals in maintaining oral health.  He noted that not only does coconut oil work at relatively low concentrations, but with the worrisome problem of increasing antibiotic resistance, it is important to consider coconut oil a potentially novel new way to control microbial infections.

Dr. Fife also recommends making medicated coconut oil in his book, Oil Pulling Therapy, to enhance the effects and healing properties of oil pulling.’

HOW IS IT DONE?

According to Dr. Karach the beauty of this method of oral hygiene lies in its simplicity.

Simply slowly swish between 10ml-30ml of your oil of choice in your mouth, ‘pulling’, pushing and munching it between your teeth in a relaxed fashion, for about 15-20 minutes.

You may notice that as the process continues, the oil tends to gets thinner and becomes white or creamy coloured [depending on which oil is used].  This is normal and thought to be due to a mixture of saliva, mucus and accumulated toxins.

Apparently swishing activates enzymes in the saliva and these enzymes draw toxins out of the blood.  However, don’t swallow the toxin or ‘ama-laden’ oil that results from the procedure, as that would rather defeat the detox purpose – and besides, it just seems gross!

When you’re done spit it out, rinse your mouth, and brush your teeth.  Rinsing with warm, sea-salt water also has added antimicrobial benefits, and in addition it does not disrupt the balance of healthy flora.

It helps quell the gag reflex if you tilt your chin down or lean forward a bit, as opposed to tilting your head back and letting it hit the back of your throat.

WHEN SHOULD IT BE DONE?

Ideally, first thing in the morning – before drinking or eating anything, and before brushing your teeth – since this is when the accumulated gunk from the sleeping hours is lurking in greatest quantity.  Morning breath confirms this!

In addition, if you do start feeling a bit green around the gills [either from the process or from the detox starting], it’s a lot more pleasant if you have an empty stomach.

It can however also be done at night, 3-4 hours after dinner, if mornings aren’t your thing.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD IT BE DONE?

Daily or 3-4x per week – depending on individual need or preference.  It can even be done 2-3x a day, for short periods of time, to accelerate a healing process when needed.  But, always before meals, or on an empty stomach i.e. 3-4 hours after a meal has been digested.

HOW LONG SHOULD OIL PULLING CONTINUE?

As long as you like or until there is symptom amelioration if you’re doing it for a specific condition.  It’s safe, and other than maybe a bit nauseating for some folk, without significant side effects.

ARE THERE ANY SIDE-EFFECTS?

Not usually, but If you do experience a bit of stiff jaw or muscle tightness in the cheeks, just relax your face more when doing it or don’t swish and pull too vigorously and it should subside.

If you experience a release of mucous in your throat or nose [swishing can release sinus gunk], simply blow your nose before you start.

Sometimes symptoms may get initially worse, which is referred to a ‘healing crisis’, but this isn’t a reason to stop the treatment.  Keep going and it too shall pass.

CAN CHILDREN OIL PULL?

Yep – children can also do this but with less quantity of oil [5ml], provided they have sufficient control not to swallow the oil.

CAUTIONS

Do not swallow!  This is one time when spitting is allowed!

If you use virgin coconut oil, don’t however spit it into the wash basin as it can solidify in the drain.  Spit into tissues or paper towel and bin it.  If using other oils it’s OK to let the spit go down the plug hole, but do clean the basin afterwards, since the spit contains whatever muck has been drawn out of the oral tissue.

WHAT ABOUT OIL PULLING AND FILLINGS?

According to the Coconut Research Center: ‘Oil pulling will not and cannot loosen properly placed crowns or fillings.  The only time oil pulling will affect crowns or fillings is if the teeth underneath have decayed and are full of infection.  In this case, the foundation on which the crowns or fillings are secured to is badly decayed and unable to hold the dental material.  Oil pulling removes bacteria, pus, and mucus.  It cannot pull out porcelain, amalgam, or composite dental materials from the teeth.’

If in doubt about oil pulling consult a biological dentist for an opinion.

WHAT DOES SCIENCE SAY?

There are about seven scientific studies on oil pulling, but thousands of anecdotal reports.

A study published in the Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine reviewed holistic approaches to oral health.  The researchers reported that oil pulling is one of the most effective natural health solutions known to scientists for the prevention of tooth decay and tooth loss.  In addition, the authors of this study have the following to say about this traditional healing practice:

‘Oil pulling is a powerful detoxifying Ayurvedic technique that has recently become very popular as a CAM remedy for many different health ailments.  Using this method, surgery or medication could be prevented for a number of chronic illnesses.  The oil therapy is preventative as well as curative.  The exciting aspect of this healing method is its simplicity.

Ayurveda advises oil gargling* to purify the entire system; as it holds that each section of the tongue is connected to different organ such as to the kidneys, lungs, liver, heart, small intestines, stomach, colon, and spine, similarly to reflexology and TCM.’

A commentator of this research states: ‘This study highlights how the detoxification effect that oil pulling has on the entire body reaches far beyond oral health.  This is especially important for people who have conditions that contraindicate brushing such as mouth ulcer, fever, indigestion, those who have tendency to vomit, have asthma, cough, or thirst.’

A number of other studies have been conducted by researchers in India that all indicate positive benefits of oil pulling for both adults and children. * NB – the term ‘gargling’ isn’t used in the conventional sense i.e. gurgling a glug of liquid in the back of the throat – it is a more colloquial turn of phrase in this instance to mean swishing oil through the teeth with the mouth firmly closed.

OPINION PIECE

According to oilpulling.com, the science behind oil pulling could be as follows:

‘Many people believe that the therapeutic effects and the science behind oil pulling is the effects caused by the absorption of toxins and chemicals through blood vessels in the mouth and tongue, as well as sublingual/transmucosal absorption of the fatty acids in the oils used for pulling.

One theory on oil pulling science is:

Oil is non polar and attracts non polar molecules.  The arrangement or geometry of the atoms in some molecules is such that one end of the molecule has a positive electrical charge and the other side has a negative charge.  If this is the case, the molecule is called a polar molecule, meaning that it has electrical poles.  Otherwise, it is called a non-polar molecule. Whether molecules are polar or non-polar determines if they will mix to form a solution or that they don’t mix well together.

Saliva which is secreted into the mouth when the oil is repeatedly swished and pulled is mainly water, electrolytes, digestive enzymes, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral agents, and is mainly polar and therefore attracts polar molecules.  It is this heterogeneous mixture that works together to rid the mouth and body of unwanted toxins and chemicals.

The most common way for substances to migrate from blood to saliva is believed to be by unaided, or passive, diffusion.  The capillaries surrounding the salivary glands are quite porous for many substances. Materials can pass from the blood system into the space surrounding the glands, and then make their way directly through the membranes of acinus or duct cells.  The ability of a molecule to diffuse passively through cell membranes depends partly on its size, and partly on how much electrical charge it carries.  If a molecule is polar in nature, or if it separates into charged ions while in solution, it will have a hard time passing through the membranes, which are made out of neutral fatty compounds called phospholipids.  Steroid hormones are relatively small in size, and most of them are fatty, non-polar compounds, so they tend to pass relatively easily by diffusion.  Other molecules such as the large protein hormones, or hormones or drugs that are bound to large carrier proteins while in the blood stream, are too big to enter by this route.

A second pathway used by molecules to enter saliva is by filtering through the tight spaces between acinus or duct cells.  In order to do this they must be relatively small.  Sulfated steroids such as dehydro-epiandrosterone sulfate and estriol sulfate, which are not able to pass through the fatty cell walls because of their electrical charges, are believed to enter principally by the filtration route.

Compounds such as DHEA-S are slower to migrate into saliva than the neutral steroid hormones, and when saliva output is stimulated they may move too slowly to keep up with the accelerated flow rates, causing concentrations in saliva to drop.

Blood components can also gain entry into saliva from the outflow of the serum-like gingival crevicular fluid [GCF] from the gums, or from small injuries or burns in the mouth.  GCF is believed to be a major route by which certain molecules, which would ordinarily be too large to pass by either diffusion or filtration, can find their way from serum into saliva.

A fourth pathway for the entry of a substance into saliva is by active transport through the secretory cells of the glands, which is the route used by secretory immunoglobulin A [SIgA].  Polymeric IgA is secreted by B-lymphocyte cells close to the salivary cells, then bound and transported across the cells by a Polymeric Immunoglobulin Receptor, and finally released into salivary secretions.  It has been shown that secretion of SIgA is increased by nervous stimulation of the saliva glands, but the exact manner in which the transport is accelerated is not yet understood.  There must be an upper limit to the speed of transport, since SIgA concentrations in saliva are known to decrease as saliva flow is stimulated.

These pathways can also give entry to various bacteria and viruses that have the appropriate electrical charges.

The other theory for understanding oil pulling is not quite as scientific, but more eastern in thinking.

As described above, the polar and non polar molecules of the heterogeneous mixture [saliva and oil] are removing the toxins and various chemicals with the corresponding electrical charges, when they’re being pulled.

This cleansing of the mouth and tongue is the basis for the next phase of the therapeutic process.  If you have studied acupuncture you may be aware of the many points on acupuncture meridians that become congested and blocked from food, bacteria and environmental toxins which our bodies absorb. The tongue is very important to the function of most of the organs and biochemical reactions taking place in the body.

Theoretically, by removing the toxins and various microbes from the tongue we free the congestion and blockages from the important meridian pathways that interconnect our many organs. Here is the tongue and its many meridian points.

ORAL ECOLOGY

The site also has the following to say about oral ecology:

‘It’s amazing what you can see if you look carefully,” says Mager, a fellow in oral medicine at the Forsyth Institute, an independent research institution in Boston.  The view reveals hundreds of different kinds of bacteria, viruses, yeast, fungi, and other micro-organisms.  Forsyth scientists, most of whom are on the faculty of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, have found 615 different species of bacteria – and they’re still counting.

It’s a great place for micropests to dwell.  Glistening white plateaus, dark crevices, and slimy surfaces boast steamy temperatures of 95 degrees Fahrenheit. The microbes bathe in a saliva-induced humidity of 100 percent, and eat a lavish diet of sugar and other carbohydrates.’  It’s so lush and varied, Mager refers to it as a mini-jungle.

‘In one mouth, the number of bacteria can easily exceed the number of people who live on Earth [more than 6 billion],’ notes Sigmund Socransky, associate clinical professor of periodontology at Harvard.  ‘These bugs don’t colonize your mouth in a random way; rather, they form communities in a pattern that is dictated both by other bugs and by the environment. Bacteria affect their environment, and the environment affects them.  Although they touch each other, the floor of the mouth is populated by different communities than the bottom of the tongue, and the top of the tongue hosts a biota unlike that on the roof of your mouth.’

Years of detecting and identifying mouth tenants have revealed that those living in healthy mouths can be remarkably different from those living in diseased mouths.  Some bacteria increase in number, while others decrease.  By comparing communities of microbes in healthy people with those in the mouths of those with oral cancer, Mager has found a pattern that she expects will lead to the early diagnosis of oral cancers.

Bacteria and other microorganisms don’t select our mouths, our mouths select them.  The conditions in our mouths create an environment that favors certain types of organisms and allows them to grow and flourish.  A healthy mouth [and healthy body] is filled with relatively benign bacteria for the most part.  An unhealthy mouth attracts harmful bacteria.  If you want to have a healthier mouth and body, you must change the environment in your mouth.

Researchers have tried various ways to alter the micro-populations in people’s mouths.  These populations can be altered temporarily by cleaning your teeth, using antiseptic mouthwashes, and even taking antibiotics.  However, the ordinary inhabitants and their relative proportions to each other quickly re-establish themselves.  Killing oral bacteria helps to reduce their numbers, but it does not change the types of organisms that thrive in the mouth.

So-called friendly organisms can inhibit or even kill the more troublesome ones.  So increasing the number of good microbes would help lower the number of bad and keep them under control.  This concept has proven useful for balancing the environment in the gut. Lactic acid bacteria in cultured foods like yogurt and sauerkraut, and probiotic dietary supplements help to build the populations of good bacteria and suppress the troublemakers, thus helping to relieve various digestive complaints.

Likewise, the ecology of the mouth isn’t going to change simply because you introduce a certain type of organism.  The environment in your mouth is established, for the most part, by your diet and lifestyle.  In order to make permanent changes in the environment of your mouth, you need to make dietary and lifestyle changes.

Oil pulling works wonders for removing all types of germs and reducing the number of potentially harmful ones.  But still research needs to be done on prove the effectiveness on altering the percentage of good bacteria.  The recommendation is to maintain healthy habits along with oil pulling therapy.’

UPPING THE ANTE WITH EOs

In closing, adding a few drops of essential oil to your daily oil pulling dose can enhance the therapy.  About 1 drop per 5ml is usually palatable and effective and a good starting dilution.  Organic essential oils are preferential.

Aromatherapists will be able to work out which oils are best for various indications, but in general, spearmint, peppermint, lemon, orange, grapefruit and fennel are good basic oils to start with.  They can be used either singly or in combination.  Other oils, like oregano, tea tree and myrrh also have a place, especially when there is illness or gum disease present, but they are indeed an acquired taste!  And although clove oil is traditionally the oil of choice for toothache – take care with the dosage as it’s highly potent and can burn the oral mucosa if indiscriminately used – so take care.

REFERENCES Amith HV, et al. Effect of Oil Pulling on Plaque and Gingivitis. Journal of Oral Health & Community Dentistry: 2007; 1[1]: 12-18 Anand TD, et al. Effect of oil-pulling on dental caries causing bacteria. African Journal of Microbiology Research. 2008. Vol 2 [3]: 63-66, Asokan S et al. Effect of oil pulling on Streptococcus mutans count in plaque and saliva using Dentocult SM Strip mutans test: a randomized, controlled, triple-blind study. Journal of the Indian Society of Pedodontics & Preventive Dentistry. 2008. 26[1]:12-7 Fife, B. Oil Pulling Therapy: Detoxifying and Healing the Body Through Oral Cleansing.  Piccadilly Books. 2008. Greenhouse Health – Practice brochure. Singh A, et al.  Tooth brushing, oil pulling and tissue regeneration: A review of holistic approaches to oral health.  Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine. 2011. Vol 2 [2]:64-68. Thaweboon S. et al. Effect of Oil-Pulling on Oral Microorganisms in Biofilm Models. Asia Journal of Public Health 2011

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CocoBaci 15 Day Smile Therapy Pack - Cool MintUS$25.00 OIL PULLING BENEFITS CONTACT BUY NOW 0integrative health: oil pulling – a health-enhancing practiseCompilation: Dr Sandi NyeAromatherapists usually know a lot about the benefits of using natural oils – both volatile/essential oils and fixed/carrier oils – but how much do they know about the ancient treatment of oil pulling?WHAT IS OIL PULLING?Oil pulling refers to swishing oil in the mouth as a cleansing procedure, and is a form of natural oral hygiene that is way more powerful than simply brushing teeth, flossing and/or gargling.This tried and tested biomedical method of intensive cleansing and detoxing has been enjoying a modern resurgence since the early 1990s, when it was popularised by a medical doctor, Dr F Karach.  I however first became aware of this ancient practise during my Ayurvedic medicine training in 1995.Oil pulling is a simple and inexpensive treatment that not only effectively combats yucky bacteria lurking in the mouth, but also simultaneously strengthens gums and whitens teeth.WHY OIL PULL?Other than the points mentioned above, oil pulling is reputed to resolve a wide array of health imbalances and ailments – and all without the risk of adverse side-effects.For example, Dr Bruce Fife, author of Oil Pulling Therapy: Detoxifying and Healing the Body Through Oral Cleansing, writes about how the therapy is used to address nasal sinus problems.  This is relevant since mucous drainage is traditionally considered one of the body’s primary detox processes.WHERE DID IT ORIGINATE?Oil pulling has its roots in ancient Ayurvedic medicine practise – the Indian form of naturopathic medicine that brims with wisdom, and has been around for over 5,000 years.While this practise has been used for centuries as a traditional Indian remedy for health, since the mouth and tongue are integral to Ayurvedic treatment and diagnosis, oil pulling is also practised by other cultures.HOW DOES IT WORK?There’s nothing mystical about the way oil pulling works.  It simply removes pathogenic microbes and toxins in the mouth that may contribute to illness.Most of the micro-organisms that comprise the oral ecology consist of a single cell with a lipid-layer outer cell.  The postulation is that during oil pulling these lipidic/fatty membranes of the microorganisms are attracted to the oil.  The process is helped along by both the enzymatic action of saliva, as well as the mechanical action of swishing or pulling the oil through the teeth, which loosens microbes lurking in the teeth, gums and oral mucosa.  This is further expounded on below in the section titled ‘Opinion Piece’.BUGS IN THE ‘BEAK’ – so to speakIt’s no secret that several potentially pathogenic organisms reside in the mouth e.g. Streptococcus and Candida, which can cause illness if the immune system does not keep them under control.  An Indian study, relative to the effect of oil pulling and oral bacterial count, was conducted in 2008.  It concluded that sesame oil [the oil used for this particular study] exhibited antibacterial activity against Strep. Mutans, lactobacilli, as well as total oral bacteria.WHAT CAN IT DO FOR HEALTH?According to oil-pulling guru, Dr Karach – just about everything!  He claims it effectively treats/heals acne, arthritis, bronchitis, cracked lips, chronic blood disorders, encephalitis, eczema, gingivitis and bleeding gums, halitosis, headaches, heart, inflammation, intestinal disorders, kidney, liver, lung, nerve and stomach diseases, as well as nervous disorders, paralysis, sleeplessness/chronic insomnia, strokes, toothache, thrombosis, ulcers [gastric], and woman’s diseases.  Quite an impressive list – all in addition to the standard claims of tooth and gums strengthening, cavity-reduction and tooth whitening!While most of us wouldn’t dream of not brushing our teeth or flossing, this practise is relatively new and only became the norm in the early 1900s.  Before that time our ancestors cleaned their teeth with bits of chewed twig – if at all – and they sure didn’t all die as toothless wrinklies!  Proof of this is evident, if the dental state of Egyptian mummies from about 3,000 years ago, is anything to go by.Obviously other factors like nutrition played an integral part in keeping their nashers strong and healthy during those times e.g. they ate very few refined foods – especially sugary food and drink, and tooth enamel destroying, phytic acid laden grains.WHICH OILS ARE USED?Traditionally, sesame oil, coconut oil or butter oil [ghee] have been used for oil pulling, in various cultures, but sunflower and other oils are also advocated.  Choices will generally be influenced by budget and belief.As health practitioners familiar with vegetal oils are aware, organic, unrefined, cold pressed oils are always preferable for both internal and external use, since they are likely to contain minimal chemical residues and have not been heat-extraction degraded.  Additionally, monounsaturated or saturated fats are preferable to polyunsaturated fats for oil oral use.Sesame is the traditional Ayurvedic oil of choice, but oils like olive, or the latest favourite, virgin coconut are also popular.These are healthier choices than refined and pro-inflammatory omega-6 rich oils like sunflower in my opinion.  However, if sunflower seed oil is used a cold-pressed oil is the preferable option.  Fortunately cold-pressed sunflower oil is now fairly easily available from supermarkets in South Africa.  Although sesame oil also contains omega-6 fatty acids it is the oil traditionally used in Ayurveda, so I’m not knocking it – even though we already have an excess of omega-6s to cope with in our western diets.Energetically, sesame oil is more warming than some of the other oils – so depending on humours or doshas, different oils may be more individually suitable than others.Olive oil can either be a more tasty option, or a more gag-worthy option, as it is more viscous than most other liquid oils – which can make it an acquired taste for oil pullers.  If you like olive oil you may also be more tempted to swallow it – which is an absolute oil pulling no-no!  Instead – if you can’t resist the urge, rather spit and start again.Virgin coconut oil [VCO], on the other hand, has some outstanding bacteria-busting benefits due to its high lauric acid content – a fatty acid known for its antimicrobial action.Streptococcus mutans, which is the primary bacterium responsible for dental caries/tooth decay, is inhibited by lauric acid, which makes this oil an obvious choice for dental health, as confirmed below.It also has antifungal activity, which helps combat candida.  In addition, VCO is a comparatively potent detoxing agent.  And just to add to its many and varied virtues, it also tastes pretty good, which is helpful when one is swishing away for a long time!  But as with olive – let this not be a temptation to swallow it.Sarah, a writer for The Healthy Home Economist, states the following:‘While any of these oils are likely effective, is any one choice better than the others?According to research performed by Irish scientists from the Athlone Institute of Technology who tested the effects of coconut oil, vegetable oil and olive oil on dental health, the answer is yes.Of the three types of oil tested, only coconut oil was shown to prevent Streptococcus mutans, an acid-producing bacterium that is a common inhabitant of the mouth and a major cause of tooth decay, from binding to and damaging tooth enamel.This finding lends serious credence to the anecdotal claims of some people who report that oil pulling works best with coconut oil.Lead researcher Dr. Damien Brady stated that coconut oil could prove to be an attractive alternative to chemicals in maintaining oral health.  He noted that not only does coconut oil work at relatively low concentrations, but with the worrisome problem of increasing antibiotic resistance, it is important to consider coconut oil a potentially novel new way to control microbial infections.Dr. Fife also recommends making medicated coconut oil in his book, Oil Pulling Therapy, to enhance the effects and healing properties of oil pulling.’HOW IS IT DONE?According to Dr. Karach the beauty of this method of oral hygiene lies in its simplicity.Simply slowly swish between 10ml-30ml of your oil of choice in your mouth, ‘pulling’, pushing and munching it between your teeth in a relaxed fashion, for about 15-20 minutes.You may notice that as the process continues, the oil tends to gets thinner and becomes white or creamy coloured [depending on which oil is used].  This is normal and thought to be due to a mixture of saliva, mucus and accumulated toxins.Apparently swishing activates enzymes in the saliva and these enzymes draw toxins out of the blood.  However, don’t swallow the toxin or ‘ama-laden’ oil that results from the procedure, as that would rather defeat the detox purpose – and besides, it just seems gross!When you’re done spit it out, rinse your mouth, and brush your teeth.  Rinsing with warm, sea-salt water also has added antimicrobial benefits, and in addition it does not disrupt the balance of healthy flora.It helps quell the gag reflex if you tilt your chin down or lean forward a bit, as opposed to tilting your head back and letting it hit the back of your throat.WHEN SHOULD IT BE DONE?Ideally, first thing in the morning – before drinking or eating anything, and before brushing your teeth – since this is when the accumulated gunk from the sleeping hours is lurking in greatest quantity.  Morning breath confirms this!In addition, if you do start feeling a bit green around the gills [either from the process or from the detox starting], it’s a lot more pleasant if you have an empty stomach.It can however also be done at night, 3-4 hours after dinner, if mornings aren’t your thing.HOW OFTEN SHOULD IT BE DONE?Daily or 3-4x per week – depending on individual need or preference.  It can even be done 2-3x a day, for short periods of time, to accelerate a healing process when needed.  But, always before meals, or on an empty stomach i.e. 3-4 hours after a meal has been digested.HOW LONG SHOULD OIL PULLING CONTINUE?As long as you like or until there is symptom amelioration if you’re doing it for a specific condition.  It’s safe, and other than maybe a bit nauseating for some folk, without significant side effects.ARE THERE ANY SIDE-EFFECTS?Not usually, but If you do experience a bit of stiff jaw or muscle tightness in the cheeks, just relax your face more when doing it or don’t swish and pull too vigorously and it should subside.If you experience a release of mucous in your throat or nose [swishing can release sinus gunk], simply blow your nose before you start.Sometimes symptoms may get initially worse, which is referred to a ‘healing crisis’, but this isn’t a reason to stop the treatment.  Keep going and it too shall pass.CAN CHILDREN OIL PULL?Yep – children can also do this but with less quantity of oil [5ml], provided they have sufficient control not to swallow the oil.CAUTIONSDo not swallow!  This is one time when spitting is allowed!If you use virgin coconut oil, don’t however spit it into the wash basin as it can solidify in the drain.  Spit into tissues or paper towel and bin it.  If using other oils it’s OK to let the spit go down the plug hole, but do clean the basin afterwards, since the spit contains whatever muck has been drawn out of the oral tissue.WHAT ABOUT OIL PULLING AND FILLINGS?According to the Coconut Research Center: ‘Oil pulling will not and cannot loosen properly placed crowns or fillings.  The only time oil pulling will affect crowns or fillings is if the teeth underneath have decayed and are full of infection.  In this case, the foundation on which the crowns or fillings are secured to is badly decayed and unable to hold the dental material.  Oil pulling removes bacteria, pus, and mucus.  It cannot pull out porcelain, amalgam, or composite dental materials from the teeth.’If in doubt about oil pulling consult a biological dentist for an opinion.WHAT DOES SCIENCE SAY?There are about seven scientific studies on oil pulling, but thousands of anecdotal reports.A study published in the Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine reviewed holistic approaches to oral health.  The researchers reported that oil pulling is one of the most effective natural health solutions known to scientists for the prevention of tooth decay and tooth loss.  In addition, the authors of this study have the following to say about this traditional healing practice:‘Oil pulling is a powerful detoxifying Ayurvedic technique that has recently become very popular as a CAM remedy for many different health ailments.  Using this method, surgery or medication could be prevented for a number of chronic illnesses.  The oil therapy is preventative as well as curative.  The exciting aspect of this healing method is its simplicity.Ayurveda advises oil gargling* to purify the entire system; as it holds that each section of the tongue is connected to different organ such as to the kidneys, lungs, liver, heart, small intestines, stomach, colon, and spine, similarly to reflexology and TCM.’A commentator of this research states: ‘This study highlights how the detoxification effect that oil pulling has on the entire body reaches far beyond oral health.  This is especially important for people who have conditions that contraindicate brushing such as mouth ulcer, fever, indigestion, those who have tendency to vomit, have asthma, cough, or thirst.’A number of other studies have been conducted by researchers in India that all indicate positive benefits of oil pulling for both adults and children. * NB – the term ‘gargling’ isn’t used in the conventional sense i.e. gurgling a glug of liquid in the back of the throat – it is a more colloquial turn of phrase in this instance to mean swishing oil through the teeth with the mouth firmly closed.OPINION PIECEAccording to oilpulling.com, the science behind oil pulling could be as follows:‘Many people believe that the therapeutic effects and the science behind oil pulling is the effects caused by the absorption of toxins and chemicals through blood vessels in the mouth and tongue, as well as sublingual/transmucosal absorption of the fatty acids in the oils used for pulling.One theory on oil pulling science is:Oil is non polar and attracts non polar molecules.  The arrangement or geometry of the atoms in some molecules is such that one end of the molecule has a positive electrical charge and the other side has a negative charge.  If this is the case, the molecule is called a polar molecule, meaning that it has electrical poles.  Otherwise, it is called a non-polar molecule. Whether molecules are polar or non-polar determines if they will mix to form a solution or that they don’t mix well together.Saliva which is secreted into the mouth when the oil is repeatedly swished and pulled is mainly water, electrolytes, digestive enzymes, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral agents, and is mainly polar and therefore attracts polar molecules.  It is this heterogeneous mixture that works together to rid the mouth and body of unwanted toxins and chemicals.The most common way for substances to migrate from blood to saliva is believed to be by unaided, or passive, diffusion.  The capillaries surrounding the salivary glands are quite porous for many substances. Materials can pass from the blood system into the space surrounding the glands, and then make their way directly through the membranes of acinus or duct cells.  The ability of a molecule to diffuse passively through cell membranes depends partly on its size, and partly on how much electrical charge it carries.  If a molecule is polar in nature, or if it separates into charged ions while in solution, it will have a hard time passing through the membranes, which are made out of neutral fatty compounds called phospholipids.  Steroid hormones are relatively small in size, and most of them are fatty, non-polar compounds, so they tend to pass relatively easily by diffusion.  Other molecules such as the large protein hormones, or hormones or drugs that are bound to large carrier proteins while in the blood stream, are too big to enter by this route.A second pathway used by molecules to enter saliva is by filtering through the tight spaces between acinus or duct cells.  In order to do this they must be relatively small.  Sulfated steroids such as dehydro-epiandrosterone sulfate and estriol sulfate, which are not able to pass through the fatty cell walls because of their electrical charges, are believed to enter principally by the filtration route.Compounds such as DHEA-S are slower to migrate into saliva than the neutral steroid hormones, and when saliva output is stimulated they may move too slowly to keep up with the accelerated flow rates, causing concentrations in saliva to drop.Blood components can also gain entry into saliva from the outflow of the serum-like gingival crevicular fluid [GCF] from the gums, or from small injuries or burns in the mouth.  GCF is believed to be a major route by which certain molecules, which would ordinarily be too large to pass by either diffusion or filtration, can find their way from serum into saliva.A fourth pathway for the entry of a substance into saliva is by active transport through the secretory cells of the glands, which is the route used by secretory immunoglobulin A [SIgA].  Polymeric IgA is secreted by B-lymphocyte cells close to the salivary cells, then bound and transported across the cells by a Polymeric Immunoglobulin Receptor, and finally released into salivary secretions.  It has been shown that secretion of SIgA is increased by nervous stimulation of the saliva glands, but the exact manner in which the transport is accelerated is not yet understood.  There must be an upper limit to the speed of transport, since SIgA concentrations in saliva are known to decrease as saliva flow is stimulated.These pathways can also give entry to various bacteria and viruses that have the appropriate electrical charges.The other theory for understanding oil pulling is not quite as scientific, but more eastern in thinking.As described above, the polar and non polar molecules of the heterogeneous mixture [saliva and oil] are removing the toxins and various chemicals with the corresponding electrical charges, when they’re being pulled.This cleansing of the mouth and tongue is the basis for the next phase of the therapeutic process.  If you have studied acupuncture you may be aware of the many points on acupuncture meridians that become congested and blocked from food, bacteria and environmental toxins which our bodies absorb. The tongue is very important to the function of most of the organs and biochemical reactions taking place in the body.Theoretically, by removing the toxins and various microbes from the tongue we free the congestion and blockages from the important meridian pathways that interconnect our many organs. Here is the tongue and its many meridian points.ORAL ECOLOGYThe site also has the following to say about oral ecology:‘It’s amazing what you can see if you look carefully,” says Mager, a fellow in oral medicine at the Forsyth Institute, an independent research institution in Boston.  The view reveals hundreds of different kinds of bacteria, viruses, yeast, fungi, and other micro-organisms.  Forsyth scientists, most of whom are on the faculty of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, have found 615 different species of bacteria – and they’re still counting.It’s a great place for micropests to dwell.  Glistening white plateaus, dark crevices, and slimy surfaces boast steamy temperatures of 95 degrees Fahrenheit. The microbes bathe in a saliva-induced humidity of 100 percent, and eat a lavish diet of sugar and other carbohydrates.’  It’s so lush and varied, Mager refers to it as a mini-jungle.‘In one mouth, the number of bacteria can easily exceed the number of people who live on Earth [more than 6 billion],’ notes Sigmund Socransky, associate clinical professor of periodontology at Harvard.  ‘These bugs don’t colonize your mouth in a random way; rather, they form communities in a pattern that is dictated both by other bugs and by the environment. Bacteria affect their environment, and the environment affects them.  Although they touch each other, the floor of the mouth is populated by different communities than the bottom of the tongue, and the top of the tongue hosts a biota unlike that on the roof of your mouth.’Years of detecting and identifying mouth tenants have revealed that those living in healthy mouths can be remarkably different from those living in diseased mouths.  Some bacteria increase in number, while others decrease.  By comparing communities of microbes in healthy people with those in the mouths of those with oral cancer, Mager has found a pattern that she expects will lead to the early diagnosis of oral cancers.Bacteria and other microorganisms don’t select our mouths, our mouths select them.  The conditions in our mouths create an environment that favors certain types of organisms and allows them to grow and flourish.  A healthy mouth [and healthy body] is filled with relatively benign bacteria for the most part.  An unhealthy mouth attracts harmful bacteria.  If you want to have a healthier mouth and body, you must change the environment in your mouth.Researchers have tried various ways to alter the micro-populations in people’s mouths.  These populations can be altered temporarily by cleaning your teeth, using antiseptic mouthwashes, and even taking antibiotics.  However, the ordinary inhabitants and their relative proportions to each other quickly re-establish themselves.  Killing oral bacteria helps to reduce their numbers, but it does not change the types of organisms that thrive in the mouth.So-called friendly organisms can inhibit or even kill the more troublesome ones.  So increasing the number of good microbes would help lower the number of bad and keep them under control.  This concept has proven useful for balancing the environment in the gut. Lactic acid bacteria in cultured foods like yogurt and sauerkraut, and probiotic dietary supplements help to build the populations of good bacteria and suppress the troublemakers, thus helping to relieve various digestive complaints.Likewise, the ecology of the mouth isn’t going to change simply because you introduce a certain type of organism.  The environment in your mouth is established, for the most part, by your diet and lifestyle.  In order to make permanent changes in the environment of your mouth, you need to make dietary and lifestyle changes.Oil pulling works wonders for removing all types of germs and reducing the number of potentially harmful ones.  But still research needs to be done on prove the effectiveness on altering the percentage of good bacteria.  The recommendation is to maintain healthy habits along with oil pulling therapy.’UPPING THE ANTE WITH EOsIn closing, adding a few drops of essential oil to your daily oil pulling dose can enhance the therapy.  About 1 drop per 5ml is usually palatable and effective and a good starting dilution.  Organic essential oils are preferential.Aromatherapists will be able to work out which oils are best for various indications, but in general, spearmint, peppermint, lemon, orange, grapefruit and fennel are good basic oils to start with.  They can be used either singly or in combination.  Other oils, like oregano, tea tree and myrrh also have a place, especially when there is illness or gum disease present, but they are indeed an acquired taste!  And although clove oil is traditionally the oil of choice for toothache – take care with the dosage as it’s highly potent and can burn the oral mucosa if indiscriminately used – so take care.REFERENCES Amith HV, et al. Effect of Oil Pulling on Plaque and Gingivitis. Journal of Oral Health & Community Dentistry: 2007; 1[1]: 12-18 Anand TD, et al. Effect of oil-pulling on dental caries causing bacteria. African Journal of Microbiology Research. 2008. Vol 2 [3]: 63-66, Asokan S et al. Effect of oil pulling on Streptococcus mutans count in plaque and saliva using Dentocult SM Strip mutans test: a randomized, controlled, triple-blind study. Journal of the Indian Society of Pedodontics & Preventive Dentistry. 2008. 26[1]:12-7 Fife, B. Oil Pulling Therapy: Detoxifying and Healing the Body Through Oral Cleansing.  Piccadilly Books. 2008. Greenhouse Health – Practice brochure. Singh A, et al.  Tooth brushing, oil pulling and tissue regeneration: A review of holistic approaches to oral health.  Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine. 2011. Vol 2 [2]:64-68. Thaweboon S. et al. Effect of Oil-Pulling on Oral Microorganisms in Biofilm Models. Asia Journal of Public Health 2011LATEST POSTS26JUNIs Fluoride good for you?Leave a comment13JUNHow long should a Detox Program be?Leave a comment05JUNGet white teeth without breaking the bank!5 Comments16MAYHave a Healthy Pregnancy Like This4 Comments05MAY5 Interesting Facts about Teeth Whitening11 CommentsPRODUCTSCocoBaci Special - buy 2 get a 3rd FREEUS$50.00CocoBaci Special - buy 3 get 1 FREEUS$75.006x CocoBaci SpecialUS$125.00CocoBaci 15 Day Smile Therapy Pack - Mixed FlavorsUS$25.00CocoBaci 15 Day Smile Therapy Pack - Cool MintUS$25.00