My intros for Thinking Out Loud are usually nonexistent as I just can’t wait to dive right into my thoughts. So hello, here I am! How are you?
It’s time to Think Out Loud!
It looks like it’s morning and I’m just casually drinking coffee, but no – it’s afternoon and this is my second large cup of coffee because it is much needed after less than 6 hours of sleep.
Why don’t I sleep? Oh you know, it’s a different reason every night. ALWAYS SOMETHING, remember?
Last night it was a combination of: 1.) I went to bed too late, 11:30-ish and 2.) Drew was congested/uncomfortable and making noise/sort of crying in his sleep all night. But yay – the pinkeye is doing better and he’s back to camp for a couple of days 🙂
Speaking of eye problems, I didn’t catch pinkeye, BUT I did manage to catch a grease splatter while making my lunch today straight in the right eye. Actually, I’m surprised that doesn’t happen more often. Bad eye karma over here this week, apparently.
Don’t It Always Seem to Go…
…That you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone. I know typically people say that when they lose something good that wasn’t quite appreciated as it should’ve been, but, you might have noticed it goes the other way, too.
Like when I was pregnant and actually forgot what it was like NOT to be nauseous all the time. Until I wasn’t anymore. I actually remember the moment I realized I wasn’t nauseous – strange right? I celebrated by eating a bagel with bacon egg and cheese. Which wasn’t any different from any other day at the time, but still, eating is better when you’re not nauseous. Celebration!
Or, when you think your IBS symptoms are doing well until you start taking a probiotic that makes you realize that they weren’t quite as “gone” as you thought. I won’t say more because then I will totally jinx myself, but so far, so very good with the VSL#3!
Or, when you only realize that you were hopelessly addicted to a.) Lululemon b.) running c.) cleaning <– (in my dreams!) until you just aren’t anymore.
Isn’t it funny how perspective just gets lost in the moment sometimes? What won’t I realize I have right now until it’s gone? Besides everything? I’m aware of the coffee – that is for real. I’m stumped – I’ll have to let you know next week.
What to Avoid While Oil Pulling
So, oil pulling is going really well. It fits nicely into my morning routine right after I feed the cat and before I run/do yoga/fully open my eyes.
I’ve been going strong for two weeks, and, so far my mouth definitely feels cleaner – though I can’t claim I’ve seen any other benefits yet. Maybe it would help if I actually knew what benefits to expect, for one. I will check soon.
Anyway, I’ve noticed there are a couple of no-no’s, don’t’s, “things to avoid” while swishing that oil, if you can.
1.) Avoid yawning.
It’s hard not to yawn at all within 20 minutes of waking up. I almost “forgot” I had coconut oil in my mouth when I yawned the other day – not good. Just a heads up – keep your mouth closed if you yawn while oil pulling!
2.) Avoid hiccuping.
I had the hiccups the other day for some reason and it was challenging to hiccup and oil-pull at the same time. Not that you can really control this, but still, just saying.
3.) Avoid being around people that need to be spoken to out loud, i.e. children.
I might have freaked out my kids just a little over the weekend while oil pulling in their presence. I didn’t think to mention it to them since they’re normally sleeping while I do this, so when they came downstairs to see mommy unable to talk – and with a full mouth of something – they were really confused.
As a side note, husbands will love to have the opportunity to be around a wife who can’t talk back. Adam may or may not have set his alarm just to experience this.
Now, some things you definitely SHOULD do while oil pulling.
1.) Check email and do boring computer tasks.
20 minutes flies by like whoa when you’re deleting/reading emails.
2.) Empty the dishwasher.
Because this isn’t fun whether or not you have a mouthful of oil.
3.) Make a to-do list.
Number one – oil pulling. See? You can check off the first thing already. YOU WIN.
Now, you’re turn!
What’s something BAD you didn’t realize was all that bad, until it was gone?
What’s on your mind today?
How many cups of coffee for you in a day?
Hi! I'm Michele. Paleo eater and recipe creator, runner, and mom of 3. Welcome to my blog, where we obsess over all of it and love every minute! (It's way fun over here, promise.) Stay a while to eat, run, and rant with me! 
my son likes to purposely try to talk to me when I do mouthwash so imagine if he saw me in the morning with oil lol. I drink ACV every morning and last year (or maybe the year before?) I tried the oil pulling but it became way too many “odd” things for the morning routine. I stuck with the ACV because shockingly, I have gotten so used to drinking it that I feel weird without it!
He would not let you forget the oil pulling! He’d totally take advantage 🙂 And yeah I can’t do the drink + oil pulling, way too much!
I think with some of my long, ongoing injuries it almost become the norm to feel that discomfort, and then all of a sudden when it finally went away I realized how great it felt to NOT be in pain anymore! Definitely agree with everything you said about oil pulling. I did it for a few weeks and my mouth felt cleaner but other than that I didn’t really notice any benefits. Sometimes I would actually start doing some of my workout while I was still oil pulling- that way when I was done I could head right out for my run!
I used to never be able to get to sleep, and then I couldn’t wake up–I still remember the day that that switched and I started waking up with my alarm. And honestly, I’m still at the point where every day that there isn’t something that feels off in my body (particularly my back) is a blessing!
Ah yes that must be an amazing feeling to just not worry about your back! I wonder if I’ll ever start sleeping late, that would be interesting 🙂
Wow how I wish I was obsessed with cleaning- ha! My apartment would be so much tidier! The first thing that comes to mind when you say something that you didn’t realize was bad until it was gone is dairy. I never realized how crappy it made me feel! Hopefully you get some better rest/sleep over the next few days!
Haha, I admire your dedication to oil pulling (so not my thing!)
I just keep my coffee consumption to one big pot in the late morning or a large or trenta iced coffee when I go out 😉
Oh man with this heat a huge ice coffee sounds awesome. Maybe tomorrow morning!
I had daily headaches for over 18 months and totally forgot what life was like without a headache. Granted, they’ve been replaced by all sorts of other weird ailments, but it is really nice to not have a pounding headache all the time!
Headaches are horrible, I actually get them really infrequently now but when I do I remember how terrible they feel! Glad at least that’s feeling better for you.
It;s so funny that you mention not being near people who need things while oil pulling – part of the reason I gotout of the habit is because my dude went from baby to toddler and I needed to keep him from climbing on everything, ha!
Haha! Yes when you need to use your voice oil pulling is challenging 🙂
I’m on coffee #2 so far…and it’s not even 9:00 🙁 I want to try oil pulling but I’m so nervous about accidentally swallowing it! I read somewhere that it’s highly dangerous to swallow and could poison you (which freaks me out!) so that’s what I’m worried about!!
This week had a couple of those coffee days – hoping for more sleep next week maybe? And I don’t think you’ll accidentally swallow the oil, at least you won’t be tempted to, if that makes sense!
Hi there! I was wondering if you made a change to your site that makes it so that a subscriber to your blog is not emailed each time there is a new post. I stopped getting your email every morning! Is there a way to get it back? I know I can just go to your site but your email helps me remember. Just wondering! Love your blog and please do a how-to on the perfect fried egg!
I actually just started sending the feed 3 days per week – you still get all the posts in your email but on some days there will be two or even 3 sent instead of 1. I just thought maybe an everyday email was annoying, but might change it again if people want the everyday!
Definitely my stomach aches…I didn’t know how good I could feel until they were gone. Although they aren’t (ever) permanently gone I know now that I wasn’t designed to feel that way 24/7. Oh gosh, I’m such a yawner and a loud talker/yeller (mainly when the dogs fight) so that’s good to know haha.
Yup, definitely relate to the stomachache thing. Can’t believe what we can “get used” to! Glad you feel better.
Hmm… This is weird,but I had a skin tag on my tongue for about a year, and after it was gone, I realized how amazing it was to not have a skin tag on my tongue. Ok, that’s a little gross, but that’s all I could think of?
And it sounds like oil pulling takes a lot of patience, but I’m seriously thinking about it, because it seems like so many blogger friends have good reviews.
Haha I totally know what you mean, even little things that go away can make a difference!
Before my celiacs diagnosis I just assumed living with constant stomachaches, pretty much an always-there dull discomfort and sometimes really bad ones, combined with nausea or fuzzy head or headaches, was how I was wired. Then I stopped eating gluten and I have to say I never realized just how BAD that was! An old friend mentioned recently how growing up she just assumed I was a naturally sickly kid, and how much of a difference it made.
Those are exactly the types of symptoms that people get used to all the time I think – ugh! So glad you’re feeling better now.
I can definitely relate to the realization thing. For me, it was my eczema… I didn’t think it was -that- annoying and I could put up with a bunch of what I thought were minor annoyances, but then it disappeared and I was just amazed at how much better life was. It was insane. And YES to emailing while oil pulling. That and commenting are my go-tos in the morning 🙂
It’s amazing how the oil pulling time flies when on the computer! Glad your eczema is better now 🙂
I didn’t realize how much pressure I was putting on myself until I decided that it was enough! It’s not something that I can change in a day but I am seeing progress… I have learned to be satisfied with “good enough” most of the time (especially when it comes to things like cleaning, etc.). Focussing on priorities and things that I love (not just on things I think I HAVE to do) makes me way more happy as a person. And that’s good for everyone around me!
I didn’t realize just how uncomfortable I was when I was pregnant until the pain was gone. It was magical and I have no idea how people with chronic pain do it.
I know, sadly I think you sort of adapt but can’t be happy with pain.