Today is the Jewish feast of Purim. It is one of the most festive, fun holidays in the Jewish calendar. Children dress in all sorts of costumes. There is an air of festival. In a way, it could be compared with  our joy at Easter.

I have been thinking about the Jewish holy days. My pondering comes from a variety of sources.

One summer, during college, I landed a job at a Kosher summer camp teaching, of all things, cooking. I learned a lot about the Kosher laws. It amazed me how sound their dietary rules are. Much scientific validation existed, even 35 years ago, for the health promoting basis for the diet. But that is a tangent for another time.

I lived in Queens New York for 2 years, when I was in my mid 20's. During that time, I worked at an orthodox Jewish institution for special needs children. Later, I started taking guitar lessons from a fellow who was quite a different kind of Jew than the families I worked with. He invited me to become part of a coffee house with his friends. So, I was immersed in Jewish culture from several different points of view. One year, I went to seven different Passover Seders – each with their own characteristics. My family has celebrated some form of the Seder many years since then.

When my older kiddos were younger, I wrote articles for a Marian newsletter. As I wrote some meditations on the Rosary, it struck me how much of Jewish culture is celebrated in Christianity, albeit in somewhat different form.

One of my Bible Study teachers often reflected how the Old Testament is a foreshadowing of the New Testament and that every story speaks of Christ.

I am sure that any Jewish people reading this may take exception to some of my conclusion. By the same token, I am sure that I will go off on a tangent that my Christian friends may scratch their heads over. I am not trying to start any big debate or argument. I welcome other people’s reflections, as long as they are respectful and thoughtful.

All in all, I am going to pour out on this blog the thoughts bouncing around in my head. Perhaps I need to look to the Church Fathers for more grounded information. But that is a task for another time, or I will never get this written. I have been trying to get this down all day, between Arif’s Sunday school class, David’s choir, Mass, running errands, making dinner, cleaning up from dinner, a conference call, Rosary with my international friends.... I also have spent the entire day searching for just the right word to express a particular concept in my reverie, without success. So please forgive me if this lacks my accustomed polish.

On this day, the story of Esther is read to the crowd. You can turn to the story in your Bible (oddly enough, it is in the Biblical book of – Esther) and read it as well. As the story is read, when the name of the villain is pronounced, the listeners boo and hiss. They also may use noise makers to show their displeasure with his part in the story.

As I reflected on the story of Esther this morning, I saw an allegory to our own lives.

When we live as we should, as did Mordecai and Esther, we garner opposite reactions. There are those who are attracted to the beauty and simplicity of who we are. Esther attracted the king’s attention, even though she spurned much of the hustle and bustle of the women being prepared for their presentation to the king.

On the other hand, there are behaviors and attitudes which draw attention to our differences from the society at large. Thus, Haman became quite angry with Mordecai because Mordecai would not bow down to Haman. Haman, became so angry, in fact, that he had a law drawn up and put in place in a way that it could not be revoked. He focused on one perceived ‘fault’ and condemned the whole race of people regardless of individuals. This law decreed death to thousands of people who were really innocent of wrong doing, except they did not worship the power hungry and narcissistic ruler. We may think of similar laws in our own country.

By God’s grace, and the prayer, fasting, and sacrifice of Esther, tragedy was averted. The tables were turned and the condemner became the condemned. She was in the right place, at the right time, with the right influence, through no desire or effort of her own. How many times do we find ourselves in a position to make a difference, just by taking a step out of our comfort zone, in our own circle of influence? How many times do we just let the opportunity slip by?

Back to my original reference to Easter and the concept that all in the Old Testament foreshadows Christ: I see some interesting parallels, here, in the paradox of the crucifixion.

Just as with the law Haman had passed, it seemed to all outward appearances that evil was about to triumph. In the long run, Christ’s death on the cross led to His victory over sin and death, as evidenced by His rising on Easter (hmmm ... Easter – Esther ... ). The Son of God became one of us, as Esther became one of the members of the kings’ court. He was like us in all things but sin. Esther held some distance from the women around her: she may have seemed somewhat aloof to many of them. Christ took on our sinfulness and chose to give His life as an innocent victim. Esther was not the target of Haman’s vendetta, but she chose to put her life on the line and confront the source of the death sentence, in the company of the accuser. The innocent victim overturned the death sentence in an unconventional way. The accuser, and those who would cooperate with him were condemned to the same death that they wanted to visit upon God’s people.

Christ opened the gates of heaven to those who follow Him and His teachings. Those who would impede those on this Path find themselves subject to the same consequences they wish to execute upon Christ’s followers. We read the Book. We know how it ends. There is but one God, the Supreme Being, Who created all things, and keeps them in existence. He does not abandon us, unless we reject Him – even then, He loves us beyond all our imagining.

How do we break the inflammation cycle and encourage the body to operate at a heightened level of efficiency? 

Toxic substances stimulate the immune system to go into action. These substances can range from foreign chemicals to bacteria, viruses, fungus, or parasites.

The immune system’s response to toxins generates free radicals which create inflammation throughout the body. A healthy body can clear this inflammation in a short period of time.  However, our day to day food, lifestyle, and environmental milieu hammers on our bodies.  These assaults erode the efficiency of the body's anti-inflammatory mechanisms.  Thus, inflammation builds up in various parts of the body leading to a degeneration of health and vigor.

Throughout the history of natural medicine, cleansing has been a mainstay - or at least beginning - for optimizing health. A variety of techniques have been used, for instance:

★    Fasting.
★    Modified fasting using fruit and vegetable juices.
★    Eating raw foods.
★    Following a mucus-less diet.
★    Supporting the blood and liver in their cleansing activities.
★    Using herbs, plant fiber, or salt water to purge the colon.
★    Colonics
★    Enemas.
★    Charcoal.
★    Stimulating the kidneys.
★    Sitting in a room or shelter which encourages profuse sweating.
★    Application of hot and/or cold water baths.

From the Aruvedic tradition of India comes yet another tool to add to this arsenal:  oil pulling.  It is mentioned in the ancient Ayurvedic text, Charaka Samhita, where it is called Kavala Gandoosha or Kavala Graha.  It has been brought to the attention of modern practitioners by a Dr. F. Karach.  He presented oil pulling in a paper before a meeting of oncologists and bacteriologists belonging to the Academy of Science of the USSR.

Oil pulling is a traditional Indian folk remedy for strengthening teeth, gums, and jaws.  It helps to prevent tooth decay, bad breath, bleeding gums, dryness of the throat, and cracked lips.  It is also used to reduce enamel wear from stomach acid in hangovers and bulimics. 

Other systems of the body benefit from oil pulling as well.  Dr. Karach lists these examples of ailments which are alleviated by oil pulling:

★    head-aches.
★    bronchitis.
★    tooth pain.
★    thrombosis.
★    eczema.
★    ulcers.
★    diseases of stomach, intestines, heart, blood, kidney, liver, and lungs.
★    women’s diseases.
★    diseases of nerves.
★    paralysis.
★    encephalitis.
★    prevents the growth of malignant tumors, cuts and heals them.
★    chronic sleeplessness.

The procedure is simple, inexpensive, and uses readily available ingredients.  First thing in the morning (and before meals, on an empty stomach), oil is swished around in the mouth for 15 to 20 minutes, then spit out.  That is all there is to it.  No fancy equipment or complicated techniques are required. 

Cold pressed sesame oil is regarded as the best oil for this use.  Sunflower oil also comes highly recommended.  If these are not available, you may try refined oils or another pure vegetable oil that does not have genetically modified sources.  However, oils other than sesame or sunflower have not been shown to be as effective.

Sesame oil is derived from the plant Sesamum indicum of the Pedaliaceae family.  The seeds of the plant are known as benne, 'gingelly' or 'teel'.  It is often used for cooking and as a flavor enhancer in Indian, Chinese, Korean, and to a lesser extent Southeast Asian cuisine.  Due to the natural antioxidants present in the oil, it is least prone among cooking oils with high smoke points (its average smoke point is 420°F) to turn rancid when kept at room temperature.  Still refrigeration is recommended for optimum freshness.

Sesame , one of the first crops processed for oil, is considered the queen of the oil seed crops because of its nutritional qualities and many desirable health effects.  Few people have allergic reactions to sesame.  If you have a mild allergic reaction, try a different brand of oil, as manufacturing practices vary from one to another.

Sesame oil has a high concentration (41 percent) of polyunsaturated fatty acids.  It is a good source of vitamin E.  Among six edible plant oils tested, sesame oil had the highest antioxidant content.  The antioxidants present in it are mainly sesamol, sesamin, and sesamolin.  Sesamin has been found to inhibit the absorption of cholesterol as well as limiting cholesterol production in the liver.  It reduces the formation of fat cells and acts to lower blood pressure.  Sesame oil is said to generally fortify the constitution during recuperation from severe or prolonged illness.

As with most plant based condiments, sesame oil contains magnesium, copper, calcium, iron, zinc and vitamin B6.  Copper provides support for the nerves which regulate heart beat and provides relief for rheumatoid arthritis.  Magnesium supports muscle, blood vessel, and respiratory health.  Calcium helps prevent colon cancer, osteoporosis, migraine and PMS.  Zinc promotes bone health.

Sesame seed oil helps joints keep their flexibility. 

Keeping the skin supple and soft, sesame oil has multiple uses in skin care.  It heals and protects areas of mild scrapes, cuts and abrasions.  It helps tighten facial skin, particularly around the nose, controlling the usual enlargement of pores as skin ages chronologically.

In The Green Pharmacy, the prominent herbalist James Duke states that sesame contains at least seven pain-relieving compounds.  Thus, sesame may also have some power as an analgesic.

In lab cultures, sesame seed oil inhibited the growth of malignant melanoma - a skin cancer (Prostaglandin Leukatrines and Essential Fatty Acids 46: 145-150, 1992) and replication of human colon cancer cells (Anti Cancer Research 11: 209-216, 1992).

Two scientific studies indicate the effect of oil pulling against specific bacteria in the mouth cavity.  Streptococcus mutans, which reportedly causes dental caries, was measured.  Subjects swished sesame oil in their mouths for ten minutes a day. Within a week, bacterial counts in the mouth were significantly lowered.

The mouth contains many blood vessels quite close to the surface.  When food is thoroughly chewed, it mixes with saliva which contains a large number of enzymes.  Many nutrients are absorbed through the buccal tissue (tissues inside the mouth) before food descends to the stomach.  In fact, with enough chewing, forty percent of carbohydrate digestion takes place in the mouth.  Thus, the beneficial effects of the sesame oil can be transmitted to the body, without swallowing it.  While some controversy exists about whether molecules can be passed through these membranes into the mouth, there is a sense in which oil pulling may remove toxins from the body.

Oil, which is composed of fat molecules, is a medium which is very absorbent.  The fat in your body stores certain vitamins, excess hormones, and many toxic chemicals.

Sesame oil is reputed to penetrate the skin easily, and is used in India for oil massage.  Sesame seed oil absorbs quickly and penetrates through the tissues to the very marrow of the bone.  It enters into the blood stream through the capillaries and circulates.  The liver does not sweep sesame seed oil molecules from the blood, accepting those molecules as friendly.  Oil soluble toxins are attracted to sesame seed oil molecules which can then be washed away.  These same properties may take place in the buccal tissues during oil pulling.

Here is the oil pulling procedure, step by step:

Step 1:  First thing in the morning, on an empty stomach, and before drinking any liquids (including water), pour exactly one tablespoon of sesame or sunflower oil into your mouth.  Use one teaspoon for children old enough to be able to swish it without swallowing it – most sources suggest an age of five.  If you wear dentures, oil pulling is done with the dentures out of your mouth.  Some people choose to accelerate oil pulling’s effects by swishing two or three times a day.  It should be done before meals or several hours after a meal, on an empty stomach.

Step 2:  Swish the oil around in your mouth without swallowing it for about twenty minutes.  Move it around in your mouth and through your teeth.  Sip and suck it through the teeth.  Use a gentle chewing motion from time to time.  Don't tilt your head back to gargle.  Keep swishing.  If your cheek or jaw muscles get sore while swishing, you are putting too much effort into it.  Relax your jaw muscles and use your tongue to help move the liquid around the inside of your mouth.  When you do this correctly, you will feel very comfortable.  Pretty soon, it will become second nature.  You will find that the oil starts to get watery in the first ten minutes, as your saliva mixes with it.

Step 3:  As the end of the oil pulling session approaches, the oil/saliva mixture in your mouth becomes thicker.  This is quite normal, since it is pulling out toxins from your body.  When 20 minutes are up, spit out the oil into the commode.  It is best if you do not spit into the sink.  Do not be alarmed if it looks yellow or whitish – this also is  normal.

Step 4:  Rinse out your mouth a couple of times with warm water or with a good mouthwash and spit into the commode.  I prefer to rinse and spit with regular hydrogen peroxide diluted half and half with water (or use full strength). Once again, do not swallow.  The hydrogen peroxide is very effective in rinsing out any toxins or organisms which may be left in the mouth.

Step5:  Brush your teeth.  Use a damp toothbrush with a small amount of baking soda.  A small amount goes a long way and minimizes the abrasive effect of the baking soda.  The baking soda will normalize the pH of the mouth.

Sesame oil has the following advantages over the standard and commercially available mouthwashes: it causes no staining, has no lingering aftertaste, and causes no allergic reactions. It is five to six times more cost-effective than the commercially available mouthwashes and is, moreover, readily available in the household.

For more information:

http://www.oilpulling.com
http://www.ijdr.in/text.asp?2008/19/2/169/40476
http://www.jisppd.com/article.asp?issn=0970-4388;year=2008;volume=26;issue=1;spage=12;epage=17;aulast=Asokan
http://iadr.confex.com/iadr/2008Toronto/techprogram/abstract_105440.htm
http://www.answers.com/topic/sesame-oil 
http://www.youthingstrategies.com/qualities.htm
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g2603/is_0006/ai_2603000655/

My middle son, Steve, is fast approaching graduation from Media/Business school. Watch for him as an up and coming producer in the next few years. 8-)

They are supposed to graduate with an operating business. The seniors have put together a webisode series that, in my unbiased opinion , is just terrific.

In case you missed it, here is the first episode



This is the second episode


Subscribe to their channel so you don't miss out on the concluding episodes.