Thursday 5 January 2017

i'm cocoNUTS for this oil!

Happy New Year everyone!

I thought I’d start the year off with posts on ways to enhance your beauty and health using natural products.

This week I want to talk about the queen of all oils: Coconut Oil. I have heard about the benefits of this oil for years but it only piqued my interest last year when I read about how good it is for your skin.

The article I read claimed that regular use of organic coconut oil reduced the appearance of wrinkles, stretchmarks and pigmentation. I was at the time concerned with the latter two and was on the lookout for natural, chemical-free products, so I decided to give it a go!

Before this I only used coconut oil on my hair and more recently in my cooking. Once I began using it on my skin, I came across countless other fantastic uses for it, some of which I will share with you today.
 
Coconut oil, or copra oil, is an edible oil extracted from the kernel or meat of mature coconuts harvested from the coconut palm.
Topical

The fatty acids, antioxidants and antibacterial properties in Coconut oil protect and heal the skin.

§  Replace your cream/lotion with coconut oil, it is nourishing and moisturising.

§  Use it as a deodorant.

§  It’s an excellent eye-makeup remover.

§  It may help lighten age spots when rubbed directly on the skin.

§  A natural low SPF sunscreen when used topically.

§  Rub on lips as a natural lip balm.

§  Use as a natural shave cream and after shave lotion.

§  Use as a whitening toothpaste.

§  Rub on cuticles to help nails grow.

§  Rub into elbows daily to help alleviate dry, flaky elbows.

§  Use on skin to avoid new stretch marks (even during pregnancy).

§  Can prevent wrinkles and sagging skin. Use it as an anti-aging facial moisturizer.

§  Soothes skin, even in cases of psoriasis, eczema and poison ivy.

§  Reduces appearance of scars and stretch marks.

§  When used consistently on skin it can help get rid of cellulite.

§  Rubbed on the inside of your nose it may help alleviate allergy symptoms.

§  Can help reduce appearance of varicose veins.

§  Can help speed healing of sunburn.

§  Can reduce the itch of mosquito bites.

§  Naturally clears up cold sores.

§  Rub into scalp daily to stimulate hair growth.

§  A tiny dab rubbed on your hands and then through hair makes a great anti-frizz treatment.

§  Use as a diaper cream (just rub on baby’s bottom) and on nursing nipples to sooth irritation (also great for baby!)


Consumption

Coconut oil is rich in healthy fats (lauric acid), it’s nutritional and has antimicrobial properties.

§  Good for digestion.

§  May contribute to better focus and mental performance.

§  Coconut oil contains specific fats that support the body’s natural hormone production.

§  It has antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties that make it beneficial for immune support.

§  A great cooking oil with a high smoke point. Great for baking, stir-frys or as a dairy free replacement to butter.

§  Try adding to foods or smoothies daily for energy.

§  Helps boost metabolism when used in foods.

§  Coconut oil improves antioxidant levels and can slow aging by reducing stress on the liver and by lowering oxidative stress.

§  It has been shown to increase absorption of calcium and magnesium.

§  Can help speed weight loss when consumed daily. It helps to burn fat and decrease appetite. Also great for building muscle.

§  It can help improve sleep when taken daily.

§  It may support healthy thyroid function, improve insulin levels and can help with depression and anxiety.

§  Some studies show it can boost circulation and help those who often feel cold.

§  Safe to use in pregnancy, and will provide baby necessary fats for development.

§  Used for oil pulling for oral health.

§  Blend a tablespoon into hot tea to help speed recovery from cold or flu and sore throat.

§  Its anti-inflammatory properties can help lessen arthritis.

§  Ingesting coconut oil daily can help with allergy symptoms.

§  Nursing moms can take a couple tablespoons a day to increase milk supply and nutrients.

§  Proven Alzheimer’s natural treatment, prevents heart disease and high blood pressure, cures kidney infection and protects the liver, reduces inflammation and arthritis, can prevent insulin resistance and Type II diabetes, prevents osteoporosis and is used for cancer prevention and treatment.

As you can see there are so many benefits of using and consuming Coconut oil and the ones I listed are for using the oil on its own, in its natural state. By mixing it with other organic products the uses and benefits increase tenfold!

I’ve been using coconut oil on my skin for a year now. I have to admit I haven’t noticed any reduction in the appearance of scars or marks and it didn’t prevent new stretchies from appearing either. I am going to try mixing it with pure cocoa butter and hopefully that will combat these issues.

Also, you need to continuously apply it (perhaps even twice a day) to keep your skin properly moisturized. Nevertheless, there are still many benefits to using it and I feel at ease using a natural product on my skin.

After learning the advantages of consuming the oil, I’ve started taking 2 tablespoons of it every morning. I’ll keep you updated on what happens.  

I also want to try oil pulling but not sure I’d be able to swish something around in my mouth for 20 minutes…

I use the Lifestyle Food Organic Virgin Coconut Oil from Dischem. There’s an odourless version available too. In summer, its best to keep in a bottle because the oil will be in a liquid state and can get quite messy. In winter the tub is fine.
 

Go Coconuts!

, Sana xx

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