Day 12: Aspartame Free! Plus, My Oil Pulling Journey

Yesterday was a busy day! Although I had a bunch of errands and work, I managed to finish up early and enjoy a long walk with my Maggie May! All in all, I would say day 12 was a great success. While I do not look any different and have not lost any actual weight, I am experiencing many benefits from my aspartame-free lifestyle including:

• Improved Mood - Seriously, I have been very happy lately. No real mood swings, no emotional outbursts, and not much in terms of anxiety or stress, either. This is actually abnormal for me so I'm still surprised by my overall elation.
• Bloating - This may be TMI, but I seem to be less bloated. My jeans are no longer painful to button right out of the dryer. :) 
• Appetite - I never really had a huge appetite, but I seem to be hungry even less now. Also, I'm not  having any sugar cravings.
• Energy - Although I'm drinking less caffeine, my energy has not decreased.
• Jaw or Tooth Discomfort - I have not had any clicking or popping in my jaw and no sensitivity in my teeth. 

Are these improvements related to my aspartame-free lifestyle? Maybe, possibly. Probably so.

Yesterday, I began another journey - Oil pulling. You may have heard of  oil pulling since it seems to be trendy in Hollywood right now. After reading all the health benefits, I decided to give it a whirl....

I'm using coconut oil because I read it offers the best results. It also is known to have the best taste, but I can assure you, it doesn't taste that great! 

I read that you should swish the oil in your mouth for at least 15 or 20 minutes. Due to the taste, I'm having trouble getting through 10 minutes, but I'm going to stick with it. 

To learn more about the history, benefits, and process of oil pulling, visit OilPulling.org.