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A new trend called “belly button oil,” which involves applying essential oils to the belly button for weight loss and other health benefits, is gaining popularity on TikTok, but while it’s related to an ancient practice, there’s no science to back it up. Some experts warn that there is a lack of evidence.
The woman is holding her stomach near her navel.
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important facts
Belly button oil infusion (or Pechoti method) is the practice of filling the belly button with oil to help with weight loss and other health concerns such as menstrual pain, endometriosis, gut health, stress, and digestion. .
According to Nishita Shah, an Ayurvedic practitioner and senior faculty member and director of admissions at North Carolina Ayurveda Institute, the process typically involves filling your belly button with oil before bed and letting it absorb overnight. About. Forbes.
Navel lubricating, part of a traditional Indian holistic practice called Ayurveda, has recently emerged as a health trend on TikTok, with the hashtag #naveloiling garnering more than 23 million views and several It’s getting a viral video. One video, which has been viewed 5 million times, claims that applying oil to your belly button can treat polycystic ovary syndrome, menstrual pain, and even promote hair and nail growth.
Another TikToker claimed to have lost 14.2 pounds in seven weeks by applying castor oil to his belly button, but said in the comments that he had “eliminated refined sugar and processed foods” during this time.
Some experts are wary: 2014 paper published in the journal EPMA Reviewing the limited research and anecdotal evidence available on Ayurveda, it concludes that scientific evidence supporting the practice is “extremely scant” and urges the Ayurvedic sector to address the need for evidence; He urged them to “confront critical analysis according to traditional approaches.” [evidence-based medicine]”
Shah is hesitant to pinpoint oil stains on the belly button as the main cause of weight loss due to external factors such as diet and exercise, but believes that finding and treating the root causes of weight gain, such as stress, is important. Lubrication that believes that weight loss can occur.
Contra
Many experts are skeptical about applying oil to your belly button. Ayurveda, as of 2014, was only considered in one scientific study of his in the Cochrane Library, a database of high-quality medical research. EPMA An article was written about it, but not much has been published since then. said Jen Caudle, a board-certified family physician. rolling stone She is “not aware of any evidence” that castor oil can help solve health problems. Applying oil to the umbilical area in particular “doesn’t make sense because once the[umbilical]cord is removed, it all closes and turns into ligaments,” Western Sydney University midwifery professor Hannah Dahlen told Australian Associated Press. told. The belly button is a “sealed opening,” so applying oil there is “not much different, in my opinion, than applying[oil]to your forearms, the backs of your knees, your elbows, etc.,” says David.・Mr. Harder says. A clinical herbalist said: USA Today. When it comes to losing weight, there are no scientific studies linking belly button oiling to weight loss, but calorie deficit, or eating fewer calories than your body burns in a day, is the most important factor in weight loss. There are several studies that recommend this. Castor oil is only approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use as a laxative, not for weight loss or any other uses. But there may also be advantages. Applying oil to your belly button may “scale” it and make it easier to remove dirt, dermatologist Benjamin Barankin tells Yahoo Canada.
Main background
In Ayurveda, anointing the navel is called navi chikitsa, or navel therapy. According to Shah, the navel is the center of the torso and gastrointestinal tract and is considered a powerful healing area as different oils are used to treat various ailments. Still, there isn’t much standard scientific evidence to support it. However, research shows that essential oils, when used in conjunction with aromatherapy, may help reduce stress, headaches, insomnia, muscle pain, respiratory illnesses, and depression.
tangent
Chinese belly button therapy involves powdering medicines and herbs, mixing them with vinegar to create a paste, and applying it to the belly button to absorb into the skin. In a 2006 study, participants with ascites swelling were divided into three groups. The comprehensive treatment group used basic treatments such as applying herbal paste to the belly button, undergoing colon dialysis with herbal medicine, and diuretics. The simple treatment group used basic treatments and herbal pastes. and a control group that received only basic treatment. The efficacy rate for the comprehensive treatment group was 74.2%, the efficacy rate for the simple treatment group was 45.8%, and the efficacy rate for the control group was 18.2%.
amazing facts
Oil pulling, which involves sprinkling oil around the mouth to treat teeth, also went viral on social media earlier this year. Oil pulling is an Ayurvedic practice that involves squirting coconut, sesame, or sunflower oil into your mouth for 20 minutes to remove plaque-producing bacteria from your mouth. According to a 2015 study, doing this for 30 days can reduce periodontal disease, gingivitis, cavities, bad breath, and cavities by 50%.
References
Oil pulling is trending on TikTok, but does it make your teeth brighter? We asked an expert (Forbes)
Fact check: The benefits of putting essential oils in your belly button are questionable (USA Today)
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