Tag Archives: health

The Dreaded Weight Loss Plateau

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I did it! I finally broke through the dreaded weight loss plateau.  Everyone always says don’t weigh yourself, don’t worry about what the scale says.  Well easier said than done.  I had tried for so many years to lose weight and so many diets that I had grown impatient.  I kept seeing or reading about so many people losing weight eating a Paleo diet that I thought the weight would just melt off quickly.

The first few times I weighted myself I would see a loss of a pound or so and I was ecstatic! It was finally happening, I was losing weight.  People were starting to notice and complement me.  My clothes felt a little looser.  I was starting to feel so much better and my energy level was increasing, that all felt so good.  Then it happened…the dreaded weight loss plateau.

I weighed myself  and I weighed the same as last week. So I waited two weeks and I still weighed the same.  I thought to myself well maybe I am just retaining some water, that’s what everyone always says when their weight fluctuates. When you have a lot of weight to lose like I do you can be easily discouraged by thinking how long it will take to lose so much weight.

Another week, no weight loss.  So I thought to myself, I am feeling so good, my energy level is up and my blood sugar levels are going down.  My mood, anxiety and depression are so much better.  My physical aches and pains are almost non-existent.  I have a lot to be thankful for and the weight loss with come again, just keep on keepin’ on.

I decided to start walking around the yard in the evenings to get a little exercise and sweat out some toxins.  I hadn’t really been paying attention to my portion sizes of what I was eating; it was hard enough just cutting out all the junk food, gluten, dairy, soy and legumes.  So I became more aware of what I was eating and how much I was eating, and I quit worrying about weighing myself.

Then It happened.. I broke through the weight loss plateau!  I was out in the yard taking pictures of flowers and my mother was looking at me and she said you really need to pull your shorts up, they look like they are falling off of you. Then I realized just how loose they actually were, and I thought to myself, I’m gonna go weigh myself.  Sure enough I had lost almost 6 lbs. since the last time I had weighed.  I was so excited, and proud of myself for sticking to it.  All of my old pants and shorts were too big, it was so satisfying to remove them all from my closet and get new smaller clothes. Yippee!

I haven’t weighed myself since that day, now I know what is really important is my health and how I feel, not what the scale says.  Don’t get me wrong, I will weigh myself again, cause it is exciting watching the numbers get smaller, but the scale will not dictate my success now.

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Oil Pulling

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I have read a lot about oil pulling lately

and all its wonderful benefits, and I am really excited to give it a try. Some of the benefits include:

  • Whiter teeth
  • Helps with bleeding gums
  • Helps with tooth and gum sensitivity
  • Helps you have better breath
  • Helps to prevent cavities and gingivitis
  • Helps with allergies and sinus problems
  • Helps to detoxify the body
  • Helps you to have clearer healthier skin
  • Helps hormone imbalances
  • Helps arthritis and inflammation
  • Helps the immune system
  • Boosts overall health
  • May help with appetite and weight loss
  • Plus many other health benefits

Oil pulling is an ancient remedy used in India and Asia for thousands of years to treat many systemic diseases.  Oil pulling has gained popularity in the West over the last few decades as it is a safe, easy, and inexpensive way to detox our bodies and enjoy all the amazing health benefits. I remember the last time I was at the dentist he had a poster on the wall that explained how our mouths are a gateway to our body.  Poor oral health is associated with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, lung conditions, and obesity.  It is very important for our overall health that we support our teeth and gums by brushing, flossing and regular cleanings at the dentist, and I would like to add oil pulling to that list.

Step 1

It is best to oil pull first thing in the morning when you wake up before you eat or drink anything.  You want to have an empty stomach when you oil pull.  It is recommended that you use a tablespoon or less of a good quality cold pressed organic oil, such as sesame or coconut oil. (I use a cold pressed unrefined coconut oil, because coconut oil has Lauric Acid) A whole tablespoon of oil was a bit difficult to do the first time, it is a very odd feeling to have a mouth full of oil, so I started with a little less, and adjusted the amount as I became more comfortable with the process. Also the oil with mix with your saliva and practically double in size after swishing for a few minutes, so don’t start with too much oil at first.

Step 2

Gently swish the oil around your mouth in and out between your teeth with a push and pull type method, sorta like you would do with mouthwash, but do not gargle with the oil as it is very important that you do not swallow any of the oil because the oil will be full of toxins from your body. Continue to swish the oil around your mouth for 15-20 minutes, 20 minutes seems like a very long time when you first start oil pulling and your mouth and jaws will be a bit tired, so don’t worry if the first few times you can’t do the full 20 minutes, it gets easier I promise.

Step 3

Now you want to spit the oil out in the trash. Remember the oil will be very toxic after you finish your 20 minutes, so you do not want to swallow any of the oil, but spit all the oil out.  I prefer to spit in the trash as I do not want to clog up my pipes by spitting in the sink, nor do I want to contaminate my sink.  The oil should look white when you spit it out, if the oil is yellow you have not swished long enough.

Step 4

For the final step I like to rinse my mouth out with warm water or warm salted water to remove any leftover oil that may be in my mouth.  I like to swish and then gargle to make sure my mouth and throat are rinsed clean.


I can’t wait for my next visit to the dentist to see what my results are. Even after just 10 days I feel like my teeth are whiter and my mouth feels so good and clean.  I am glad that I started oil pulling and will continue to do so and will update my blog with my progress.

I just gave you the basics, but there are so many resources on the internet to learn more about oil pulling– here are a few of my favorites

Oil Pulling the Habit That Can Transform Your Health

Oil Pulling a Wonderful Therapy and they offer an E-Book for download

Oil Pulling for Oral Health

Dental Professionals Respond to Oil Pulling 

Oral Health: The Mouth-Body Connection

The Ultimate Guide to Oil Pulling: Rock your Immune System with this Ancient Method

Everything You Need to Know About Oil Pulling

I would like to state that I am not a doctor or trained professional. These statements are information that I have gathered from the internet and are strictly my opinions only.  Please discuss with your doctor or healthcare professional. Thank you.

 

Everything You Need To Know About Oil Pulling


 

 

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