The Art of Tongue Scraping
When I first started to dive further into the principles of yoga I soon discovered Ayurveda, the sister science to yoga. Ayurvedic medicine, as practiced in India, is one of the oldest systems of medicine in the world. There are many elements to Ayurvedic medicine and people study for years to become experts.
Much of Ayurveda fascinates me, and there is so much information available that it got quite overwhelming. I did however start scraping my tongue, a practice suggested by Ayurvedic medicine, and some of my family members followed suit.
Tongue scraping is inexpensive ($7-15 for the tongue scraper) and once you start you are going to want to continue. It is literally instant gratification! The freshness in breath lasts all day and I swear it enhances the taste of real foods. It is interesting to watch changes in what comes off when you scrape your tongue. You will definitely notice when you are getting sick and when you eat different foods. I have also noticed, the longer I use it the longer my breath stays fresh and my mouth feels clean.
How to use a tongue scraper:
- When you first wake up, before brushing your teeth you can scrape your tongue
- Gently from back to front for about 7-14 strokes
- Completely rinse off the scraper between strokes
- Don’t go too far back that you trigger your gag reflex. Be gentle and listen to your body
Benefits of using a tongue scraper:
- Bad breath is reduced by scraping off the layer of white (or tan colored) coating left on the tongue after sleeping.
- Food tastes better. Once that coating is off your tongue, you can seriously taste foods differently.
- You become more in tune to your body. By taking the time every morning to scrape your tongue and notice how the coating on your tongue changes, you are taking a small step towards better personal health. One step often leads to more!
- There is little time or money investment. You can buy a tongue scraper locally at Planet Organic or Bhavana. Amazon also sells them. Typically it takes less than 3 minutes to scrape your tongue each morning.
Have you used a tongue scraper before? Are you willing to try it? We would love to hear from you on our Instagram or Facebook page!
About Raechelle Masuda
Yoga has become an important part of Raechelle’s life, and her practice has helped her grow stronger, more flexible and fearless, both on and off the mat. Raechelle is passionate about her family, writing, being active, reading and adventure. She started out part of Halifax Yoga’s Energy Exchange, then joined HY’s Yoga Teacher Training in the Fall of 2017. She is now the assistant manager at Halifax Yoga and is excited to share her passions and inspirations.
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