I have been a BIG advocate of coconut oil for many years. Even way before the whole coconut oil craze that seemed to spark up just a few years ago. You see, as an Island Girl, my grandmother owned coconut plantations and I grew up with the essence of coconut infused in my entire being, culture and lifestyle. Here are some useful information about coconut oil and the many uses of it. Enjoy and blessings on your coconut oil journey.
The Coconut Tree (Cocos Nucifera L.) is called "The Tree of Life" because of the endless list of products and by-products derived from its various parts. Food, shelter, fuel - name it, the coconut has it. The Coconut is anti-aging and below is a short list of benefits for your reference. I will continue to e-mail you information as I research. I know you will find Coconut Oil a fascinating gift of nature. Enjoy!
ALLERGIES: Is Coconut Oil safe for people with tree nut allergies? It’s really a seed not a nut, and most allergists don’t tell you to avoid it. The few reactions to coconut are allergy to the coconut itself, unrelated to tree nut allergy. But the FDA confused everyone a couple of years back by adding coconut to the list of tree nut allergens. If you’re tree nut allergic, ask your doctor if coconut flour is ok for you. Most with tree nut allergy do have the green light to eat coconut, however, you will want to always check with your doctor before using.
USES FOR COCONUT OIL:
LOTION: I use coconut oil instead of body lotion. It hydrates perfectly and it has a slight coconut scent. The coconut scent does fade away after 20 minutes, but the softness of your skin remains.
LIP BALM: Much better and less expensive than using the products on the market.
MAKE-UP REMOVER: Doesn’t sting your eyes and is all natural. After wiping your make-up away with Kleenex or make-up pad, rinse your face with water and pat dry with a SOFT washrag. Be mindful that the more you use coconut oil, the softer your skin will become, so be careful what you dry your face with – I noticed that even my wash rags were becoming too rough as it began to turn my skin red from the harshness of the cloth, so I had to change to a much softer fabric.
DIAPER RASH: Spread a little on, it helps for minor diaper rash.
EATING: The slight coconut flavor makes ANYTHING you use it in taste better, in my opinion. My brother does not agree however, because he doesn’t like it in his eggs, but most everything else, he does. My sister who is a pastry chef, substitutes coconut oil for oil and butter in so many recipes with WONDERFUL results. To get my daily dose, I add a heaping teaspoon or full tablespoon in my oatmeal; personally, I can’t even taste it. I also use it on my toast, instead of butter, and my cousin goes further, and sprinkles cinnamon sugar – she said it’s really yummy! Just be sure to spread it on the toast while it is hot so it melts.
I read this on the internet: “Try it in your Rice Krispie Treats if you don’t try it for any other suggestion. Substitute it straight across for the butter. You will thank me. When I bring these somewhere and others try them, people are amazed and can’t figure out why they are the best rice krispies they have ever had. Another favorite is tortillas– the ones that are pre-made but you cook – cook one and then put a little coconut oil on, sprinkle the cinnamon sugar, and broil - tastes like a churro. Such a yummy and easy treat.”
PETS: Since there were such great human benefits, I thought it would be good to add to my dog’s food every day. After three days, I saw a noticeable difference in the softness of his coat! It was amazing!
WRINKLES: My aunt uses it for the wrinkles on her forehead – she applies a small amount on her palms and wipes the coconut oil on her forehead with UP SWEEPING motions.
WARTS: My aunt also applied it to a wart she has had for many years and after a couple of weeks, she noticed the wart was soft and peeling off and now it’s gone!
FEET CARE: I rub coconut oil on my feet every night! I know many of my customers do this also. My feet used to be very dry and since I’ve started using it every night, the beautifying change is amazing!
DRY SPOTS ON BODY: Some of my customers deals with Eczema and they have started applying coconut oil to their problem area and it has helped tremendously!
MASSAGE: Coconut Oil is an amazing product for massage use – for some reason, it turns really warm as you massage the skin.
HOW TO CHOOSE COCONUT OIL
I am an advocate of the use of Coconut Oil. I do offer it here on my site, however, my main goal is to just get you to use it, because of the many benefits. So if it is not convenient for you to purchase from me, go to your local GNC, grocery stores and other markets. They can be found as refined and processed and still remains of the ‘good stuff’ but it's not organic and I do prefer organic. Organic and unrefined Coconut Oil will have the scent of coconuts, so you will want to always smell it, as well as check the labels.
HAIR MOISTURE TREATMENT WITH COCONUT OIL
We are all dying to have beautiful, healthy hair right? Hair can feel brittle with the dry winter air. Plus, looking our best can do some serious heat damage to our lovely locks! As I dug deeper, I found that coconut oil is the oil our hair can absorb better than any other. It is important that you use Organic, Virgin Coconut Oil. This oil is not processed. It is solid at room temperature and turns into liquid at 76 degrees F.
As a “Pre-Washing” Moisture Treatment, this is what you need:
1) Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
2) Hair Clip
3) Shower Cap
4) Hair Dryer (optional)
STEP 1: Scoop out a handful of organic virgin coconut oil. My hair is very thick and long so my scoop has to be extra big. The oil will begin to melt at the touch of your skin, there is no need to heat the oil before application. It will melt as you massage it into your hair.
STEP 2: Flip your head upside down and slowly spread the oil through your hair. Saturate your hair completely, focusing on areas that are dry.
STEP 3: Once your hair is soaked with oil, twist your hair into a bun or ponytail. You can clip it in place by grabbing some hair from your scalp and part of the bun, or use a hair tie to keep it in place.
STEP 4: Cover your hair with a shower cap. You can choose to apply heat or not. Applying heat will open the cuticle of each strand so the coconut oil can penetrate the core faster. Leave the coconut oil on your hair for at least 30 minutes without heat, or 15 minutes with heat. You can use a hair dryer to apply heat over the shower cap. I like to rig a little system so I can sit on the floor and read or play with my kids! If I am busy and need to do other things I will leave the oil on my hair without heat.
STEP 5: Once your time is up wash and condition your hair as you normally would. IMPORTANT: Shampoo your hair TWICE or it may be too greasy; you need to rinse away all of the oil. I really focus on my roots and try to shampoo my ends as little as needed. Style your hair and be amazed at your soft, smooth hair!
How often: This treatment can be done as often or little as you feel you need. Use your discretion – every time, once a week, once a month is even good! But remember, the more you use it, your hair will become healthier and you will use it less and less. It has made a HUGE difference in the health of my hair. I have been able to grow it longer and stronger, which is my goal!
To use as a daily moisturizer, simply rub a very small amount into the palm of your hands and rub through your hair. Do not focus on the scalp, but the actual hair strands instead. This can be done as often as necessary. However, you should start with a very small amount and add more as necessary. Putting too much coconut oil in your hair at one time will cause it to become greasy and heavy.
A few other tips I have discovered in caring for my hair:
1) Use a t-shirt when drying your hair. They are soft and much less abrasive than a towel. Stick your head in hole of a Tee and twist the body and arms around your hair to make a turban. It will give you frizz free silky hair!
2) If you want your hair to grow faster stimulate your scalp! Massage your scalp for 5 minutes every day. It will increase the blood flow and help your hair grow faster!
3) Use shampoos and conditioners that DO NOT contain harmful ingredients! Become familiar with the bad ingredients and make sure to check the labels before you make a purchase! The two ingredients that are mostconfusing: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laurth Sulfate. They are both really common in hair products. Soduim LAURYL sulfate is bad, bad bad! It strips your hair and damages the cuticle, it is a very strong detergent that should not be used for hair! The sad thing is, It is in a lot of shampoos. Sodium LAURTH sulfate is ok, it is very common in shampoos (even expensive brands), it is also a detergent, but much more mild. It is much safer on hair and is nothing harmful compared to its cousin Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.
