Hey Everyone! I want you to meet this incredible woman – her name is Andi -
She’s also a distant cousin of mine. (She could probably tell you better than I HOW distant) Image may be NSFW.
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She is the owner of Natural Extraction
Image may be NSFW.
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A while ago I shared with you all how much I’m in LOVE with Coconut Oil
Today Andi is guest posting for me all about the AMAZING Benefits of Coconut Oil … in the near future we will be giving away one of her Coconut Oil Bars!!!
Image may be NSFW.
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In the mean time let’s learn a little about Coconut Oil Image may be NSFW.
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Take it away Andi!
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Have you discovered the wonderful health benefits of coconut oil yet? Coconut oil has so many uses that I couldn’t possibly tell you all of them here, and it seems each time I go in search for more information about it, I learn something new.
I suppose you could say I’m sort of a coconut addict. By the end of this post, believe me, you’ll understand. You may even run out to get yourself some before the days end. It’s that good!
I’m going to share a few interesting things I’ve learned and some of my favorite ways to use this amazing oil.
Okay, let’s get started.
Coconut oil is great to use both internally and externally. It has all kinds of uses and as I continue to learn more about it, this wondrous little nut…..fruit…..err uhhhh…..seed is seeming something like a miracle food.
I’m honestly still a little confused as to what classification the coconut falls into. This source says that the coconut is called a one seeded drupe and can be considered a fruit, nut, and a seed.
The people of the Pacific islands (Asian and Polynesian communities) often refer to the coconut palm as the “Tree of Life.” This is because you can do so much with this plant.
Believe it or not, coconut oil has been around a long time. In fact, according to Bruce Fife, author of The Coconut Oil Miracle (Let me tell you – it’s a great read!), before the 1980′s this oil was used in many foods. When people started freaking out about saturated fat (which is now know to be healthy) in the mid 1980′s, the American Soybean Association began their campaign to promote vegetable oils (which are now known to be unhealthy). Many food manufacturers and fast food chains switched over to the unhealthy vegetable oils that contain trans fatty acids.
After all this time, people thought of tropical oils as bad, artery clogging fats. What we didn’t know is that there are different kinds of saturated fats. That’s what makes coconut oil so unique. It contains medium chain fatty acids unlike animal food which contain long chain fatty acids. Both are saturated fats just in a different chemical structure.
Many health professionals still do not know or understand the benefits of coconut oil. I constantly see suggestions for a heart healthy diet including canola oil (stay away from that!) and margarine (stay away from that too!). Really? How can it be that before the invention of those products that heart health was actually better than it is now. Real food is what these health professionals should be informing their patients on.
Check out Fife’s book if you would like to learn more, but now it’s time to move on to other things…..like what to do with your coconut oil.
Coconut Oil Uses
Coconut oil is a perfect oil to cook with. I like to use that or pure butter when I’m pan frying, sauteing, or baking. I no longer use olive oil to cook with because it cannot withstand high temperatures and will oxidize quickly causing free radicals. (Did you know that this oxidation of oils is what is now being linked to heart disease? It’s not the fat and cholesterol.) It’s best to save your olive oil for making salad dressings or other cold uses.
Did you know coconut oil has antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial properties? It’s even been found to help people with HIV. Take in 3-4 tablespoons per day to see benefits for infections.
Coconut oil is amazing for your skin. I make my all natural lotion bars with it. It’s also nice to keep a jar of it in the bathroom to spread on skin after a shower too.
Have you heard of bulletproof coffee? Make your coffee as usual, add in a tablespoon of coconut oil, a tablespoon of butter, and blend. It’s quite delicious! Don’t be a fat hater. Coconut oil can actually help people to lose weight because it increases metabolism. Fat also makes your body feel full faster. The medium chain fatty acids in coconut oil do not act the same way as animal fats.
Take a look at all these benefits!
I’ve recently learned about oil pulling. It’s an ancient Ayurvedic process that removes toxins from the body. Many people claim to have whiter teeth and relief or improvement in these areas: arthritis, acne, allergies, asthma, diabetes, eczema, migraines, insomnia, hypertension, periodontal disease, PMS, and more.
How do you oil pull?
It works best first thing in the morning before eating or drinking anything. Take about a tablespoon of coconut oil (some people use sesame or other oils) and put it in your mouth. It will begin to melt. Gently swish the oil between your teeth, sucking and pushing it through your teeth. It’s a gentle swish, not the kind you do when you use mouthwash.
Do this for 20 minutes. Swishing for longer does not increase benefits. It has been found that 20 minutes is about the perfect time for the toxins to be released.
After the 20 minutes, spit the coconut oil into the garbage (it will look milky). You don’t want to swallow it because it contains toxins. Also, don’t spit it in your sink as coconut oil hardens when cold. You don’t need your pipes clogging up.
That’s it!
I honestly need to work on doing this more often. I haven’t done it consistently enough to be able to see the bigger benefits. The few times I have oil pulled, I did notice my teeth looked whiter and my sinuses felt clearer.
There is a book all about oil pulling by Bruce Fife called Oil Pulling Therapy: Detoxifying and Healing the Body Through Oral Cleansing.
Where to buy coconut oil
My favorite place is Tropical Traditions. I like to get their unrefined gold label coconut oil. Unrefined means it still has the coconut smell and flavor. This company has many other health products to offer as well. They have weekly sales, which will often include buy 1 get 1 free or free shipping. A bonus by purchasing through my links is this coconut oil book. It has lots of testimonials and ideas for uses.
Vitacost is another place that offers good unrefined coconut oil. They offer many brands, but I have used the Vitacost brand and have been happy with it. By shopping through the link, if you are a new customer and spend $30 or more, you get $10 and I get $10 towards a future purchase.
I hope you all find a way to begin incorporating this amazing oil into your everyday life. Feel free to comment and share any uses you may have or benefits you have found using coconut oil.
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Thanks Andi – I can’t wait to share our giveaway with all of you!
Until next time…
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