Oil pulling, Ayurveda practice Gwyneth Paltrow swears by, tongue scraping and other daily rules to live by from Indian traditional medicine
- The ancient Indian medicine system Ayurveda is based on balance and a healthy daily routine, known as dinacharya. Its dos and don’ts may surprise you
- For the best health, don’t drink iced water, use a microwave oven, heat honey or eat leftovers, but do cook seasonal ingredients, and in the right cookware
Here’s something you may not be doing in the morning that you may want to build into your daily routine: scraping your tongue after brushing your teeth.
It not only sharpens the taste buds to help you experience subtle nuances of flavour, but also removes toxic build-up from the tongue, says Divya Alter, a New York-based nutritional consultant and Ayurvedic educator, co-founder of Ayurvedic culinary school Bhagavat Life, and Ayurvedic restaurant Divya’s Kitchen in Manhattan, and author of What to Eat for How You Feel: The New Ayurvedic Kitchen.
“It’s also a great way to freshen your breath,” she says.
According to a study published by the World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, the Ayurvedic recommendation of tongue scraping is often overlooked. It recommends using curved tongue scrapers, made of metals such as copper, tin, or brass, and to use a back-to-front action, rinsing the scraper between strokes.
RK Anushruti is a food writer and nutrition consultant based in Mumbai, India, who specialises in Ayurvedic cooking. Author of the website divinetaste.com, she says that oil pulling helps detoxify the mouth, by eliminating harmful bacteria, viruses and toxins. American actress and influencer Gwyneth Paltrow swears by it.
