STAR SECRET TO 100% HEALTHYThanks to Gwyneth Paltrow’s loud praise, Hollywood has embraced an age-old way to flush toxins, fight infection and speed slimming

Many of the strategies stars swear by to look and feel amazing are a bit too pricey, extreme or downright wacky to try. (Remember when Demi Moore raved to David Letterman about the cleansing

benefits of leech therapy?) So when Gwyneth Paltrow began singing the praises of oil pulling to whiten teeth and make skin glow, we wondered if it was just another out-there remedy, or if swishing a mouthful of oil

could really be beneficial. We reached out to natural-health experts for their take,

and they agree: This centuries- old Ayurvedic health practice is even

better than the buzz suggests. Oil pulling reduces gingivi-

tis by 60 percent and plaque by 30 percent — plus offers body-wide benefits, thanks to its detoxifying action. “Oil

pulling draws bacteria, yeast and other toxins out of gum tis-

sue and crevices between teeth,” says Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D.,

author of The Fat Flush Plan. “These toxins have fatty membranes that are attracted

to oil, which acts like a magnet to remove them.”When the body’s internal toxic load is reduced,

the thyroid, immune system and other body sys-tems all function more efficiently. “Women report improvements in fatigue, migraines, sinusitis, allergies and breakouts,” Gittleman says, adding that the practice also eases the cellular inflamma-tion that raises the risk of weight gain, arthritis, diabetes and heart disease.

Unlike other detox methods, which can trigger severe headaches and GI woes, oil pulling draws tox-ins out of tissues, preventing body backlash. Though some women report slight headaches, jaw soreness and cold-like symptoms, Gittleman assures that any discomfort should subside quickly. And as for con-cerns that women with mercury amalgam fillings should avoid oil pulling because it may trigger the release of toxic vapors from the fillings, the experts Closer consulted say these fears are unfounded. In fact, given oil pulling’s detoxifying effects, Gittleman says women with mercury fillings would be wise to try it. Intrigued? Read on for the how-to.

FOREVER YOUNG

“Oil pulling draws bacteria, yeast and other

toxins out of gum tissue and crevices

between teeth.”ANN LOUISE GITTLEMAN

Better than an

apple a day!

3 More Ways to Detox

Replacing one meal a day with a fiber-

rich green smoothie improves the body’s

ability to release energy-sapping fat

and toxins, plus revs metabolism to

speed slimming.

Up to 25 percent of toxins are elimi-

nated via the skin, and dry brushing

your skin for 2 min-utes a day boosts the effect by stimulating the lymph system to

flush toxins.

Relaxing in a warm bath with 2 cups of Epsom salts opens

pores and helps speed toxin release by increasing enzy-

matic activity in the liver, where

detox begins.

STAR SECRET TO 100% HEALTHYSTEP 1: CHOOSE AN OIL

Sesame oil is the traditional choice, but Gittleman prefers camelina oil, which boasts inflammation-fighting omega-3 fats. (One to try: Omega Maiden Organic Camelina Oil, $13, omegamaidenoils.com). Another good choice: coconut oil, which is high in lauric acid and caprylic acid, both of which have antibacterial properties. Since coconut oil is semi-solid at room temperature, put a few spoonfuls in a glass, then set the glass in a bowl of hot water to soften.

STEP 2: ADD FLAVORAdding a drop of food-grade essen-tial oil to the mix improves the taste and enhances detox. “Peppermint, spearmint and clove oils are great choices since all have antimicro-bial qualities,” says Gittleman. Sore gums? Try peppermint oil, which boasts pain-easing compounds.

STEP 3: SWISH LIKE THISExperts advise oil pulling for 20 minutes daily. To do: Put 2 tsp. of your preferred oil in your mouth, then swish and swirl, repeatedly sucking and pulling the oil between your teeth. If you have trouble keep-ing the oil in your mouth, you can spit it out and resume using new oil.

STEP 4: RINSE AND BRUSHSpitting “pulled” oil into the sink can end up clogging pipes, so spit it into a cup or glass, then empty it into the trash. (It will look foamy or milky from the bacteria, yeast and toxins it contains.) Once you spit the oil out, rinse with warm water or brush your teeth as usual. Finally, adds Gittleman, “Disinfect your toothbrush afterward with a splash of hydrogen peroxide, which will kill any bacteria and yeast that cling to its bristles.”

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SIP A GREEN DRINK BRUSH YOUR SKIN SOAK IN THIS

SUGARY LIQUIDS WORSE THAN SUGARY FOOD So say scientists in the journal PLOS ONE. In an animal study, mice were fed sugar in solid or liquid form. After 8 weeks, mice drinking the sugar accumulated more liver fat and ate more calories than mice on a diet of solid sugar. The reason: Liquid sugar passes through the small intestine faster, giving the body less time to send satiety sig-nals. This leads to overeating, which causes the body to store more fat in the liver.

SURFING THE WEB KEEPS THE BRAIN SHARP This from scientists in Brazil and the United Kingdom. They looked at data from adults over age 50 and found that those who regularly browsed the Internet and used email improved their recall over the 8-year study; those who didn’t saw the opposite results.

A GOOD REASON TO STAND UP MORE OFTEN In a study of office workers, University of Massachusetts sci-entists compared the effects of taking a 30-minute walk before lunch with taking 4 mini breaks per hour throughout the day (3 breaks of standing; 1 taking a short walk). They found taking frequent breaks from sitting is better than steady exercise at preventing post-lunch blood-sugar swings (which are linked to weight gain and fatigue).

HEALTHY LIVING

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