Tongue Scraping—the Freshest Breath of Your Life!

What the heck is tongue scraping and why should you try it? First of all, it sounds painful. Like maybe some ancient torture device used to make people quiet. Well, let me quell all of your fears, because tongue scraping might just change your life for the better. I was introduced to tongue scraping 4 years ago while studying at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the onslaught of new information, tongue scraping seemed like a simple health choice that was inexpensive and wouldn’t take up too much time. Four years later, I wouldn’t dream of traveling without mine, and it has become a staple stocking stuffer for my entire family. Tongue scraping, also known as Jihwa Prakshalana, is an ancient Ayurvedic practice that removes bacteria, toxins, food debris and dead cells from the surface of the tongue. When we lay our head down for the night, our digestive system goes to work, removing toxins from our body and depositing them on the surface of our tongue. Tongue scraping every morning collects these toxins and helps rid them from our body instead of letting them get reabsorbed into our system. Tongue scraping can also prevent halitosis (really, really bad breath), help you experience the flavors of your food more fully, boost your immunity and improve your digestive health!

HERE IS HOW TO START:

1. Pick a high quality tongue scraper (the plastic ones just don’t quite do the trick!). I LOVE my Tongue Sweeper Original and have had it for four years. Just make sure that you purchase one with a stainless steel scraper!

2. Before brushing your teeth in the morning, stand in front of a mirror and stick out your tongue.
3. Place the scraper as far back on your tongue as you can and with firm but gentle pressure, scrape the surface of your tongue in long strokes towards its’ end.
4. Rinse your scraper and repeat until the tongue feels clean and the coating is gone (anywhere from 3-10 times)
5. Wash your scraper (Branch Basics foamer is perfect for this!) after each use.
6. Notice the clean & fresh feeling!

I have full confidence that you will never go back after getting the full tongue scraping experience. And those that are close to you will thank you for keeping it fresh! Do you tongue scrape? Share with us below!