Coconut oil for beauty and health

"In order to change, we must be sick and tired of being sick and tired" - (anon)

For so many years the western world put Coconut oil on the naughty chair and made him face the corner, but why?  In the 1940's tests were done to prove that Coconut oil was bad for you.  Unfortunately the tests were flawed as they were carried out on hydrogenated coconut oil and not the good oil, the unrefined raw organic oil.

In the countries where Coconuts grow, the highest producers being Philippines, Indonesia and India, Coconuts have long been used not only as a food but also a medicinal aid to fight infections, promote healing and good health

It is true that Coconut oil is high in saturated fat but not all saturated fats are bad for you and our body does not deal with them all in the same way.   Coconut oil is predominantly a medium chain fatty acid, which when digested is used by the liver as fuel, not stored as fat, unlike long chain fatty acids found in most processed margarine , spreads and vegetable oils. Coconut oil is good for your health and can replace any of the oils and spreads you currently use.

Why is Coconut oil good for your health?

Coconut oil contains lauric acid which is converted to monolaurin in the body.  Monolaurin is toxic to viruses and bacteria and has the ability to destroy, influenza, measles, fungal infections, candida to name but a few
Coconut oil is anti-viral, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial.

Being a medium chain fatty acid it is converted to energy and used as a slimming aid as it raises the metabolism.  It is also reported to guard against heart disease, diabetes and high cholesterol.

Coconut oil is also used by people who suffer digestive disorders, reflux, IBS and colitis with good results.

There are many positive stories that Coconut oil can be beneficial to people suffering with dementia and Alzheimer's.  Dr. Mary Newport, whose husband was suffering from Alzheimer's, gave her husband 2 tablespoons a day over a six week period and saw dramatic improvements in his condition, this is thought to be because of the liver converting it to ketone bodies which are not only used for energy and heart function but also our brains.

Coconut oil  is good externally too, as a good source of vitamin E  it can relieve the itching caused by psoriasis and dermatitis, protect cuts and grazes from infections and can clear athletes foot.

I use Coconut oil everyday.  I add it to my food for good health and use it as part of my beauty regime, to condition my hair, as an anti-ageing moisturiser, a sun protector and a lip balm.

The Coconut Research Centre suggests incorporating 3 tablespoons  daily of Coconut oil into your diet to fight viruses , infections and inflammation  in the body.  Many people eat it straight from the spoon but if this is not for you, you can melt it into a warm drink, saute your meals or bake with it. Melting it into porridge is particularly delicious.

Coconut oil is solid in cold weather but melts quickly in your hand to apply to your skin, a little goes a long way.  Use it externally to heal spots, rashes, grazes, as a moisturiser under make-up and to condition hair and scalp (rub a little into the palms of your hands and stroke through your hair).

Mark Adams from Natural News, interestingly said that in the western world "humans are the most unhealthy of all mammals" I agree. We have been eating processed foods and unnatural products for too long, which has been detrimental to our health.

This is just a brief overview of the benefits of Coconut oil but with the world at your finger tips you can explore all the benefits of adding Coconut oil to your diet.

You will find Organic raw Virgin Coconut Oil in the food section of your health food store.

Give your body what it deserves to stay healthy. Natural oils and good healthy food, organic where possible and see the difference in your health.