Health & Wellness
![]() 10 Uses For Coconut Oil That You May Not Have Heard Of
1 cup kosher salt ½ cup coconut oil, melted 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon almond extract 1 tablespoon vitamin E oil Look at how easy it is to make this natural homemade sugar scrub! Mix ingredients together one at a time in a large bowl. If needed, add more dry or liquid ingredients to get the consistency you desire. The coconut, vanilla and almond give this sugar scrub a wonderful sweet scent, or add your own essential oils if you wish. Fill a pint-sized jar with the sugar scrub and seal with lid. This sugar scrub is so simple, easy and low-cost, you can make extra jars to giveaway as gifts. ![]() The Wonders of Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is making a comeback. Back in the 70's, coconut oil was perceived as bad for your health due to its saturated fats. But the tests were done using partially hydrogenated coconut oil, and it's the hydrogenation that causes the the dreaded trans-fatty acids. In fact, more and more studies are showing that saturated fats are actually beneficial for your body's proper functioning. For example, studies of Pacific Islanders , who get approximately 30-60% of their calories from fully saturated coconut oil, show nearly non existent levels of cardiovascular disease.1 Also, it’s high lauric acid and MCFA content helps boost metabolism. Studies have also shown that coconut oil may reduce belly fat2, be good for your heart3, and might help prevent or cure Alzheimer's disease4. For external uses, expeller pressed or other types of refined coconut oil will work, but for internal use, an unrefined virgin coconut oil is best. I use it as a moisturizer. It feel great and smells wonderful. On my face, it reduces fine lines, and makes is silky smooth. It makes an excellent moisturizer and my make up goes on smoother. Just let your skin absorb it before putting on the rest of your makeup. For feet, I no longer have dry, cracked heels. And my elbows are smooth. I live in a cooler climate, and since coconut oil has a melting point of about 76 degrees, my coconut oil is solid most of the time. I scoop some of the solid coconut oil into a small covered glass jar, and then set it in a small bowl of warm water to melt before using. I do this right before I go into the shower, and it's liquid by the time I'm ready to use it. I slather it on while my skin is still wet from the shower, to lock in moisture. Like any oil, coconut oil can stain clothing, so I wait until it's absorbed before dressing. In cooking, it has a high smoke point, so it's great for stir-frys, baking, or as a dairy free replacement to butter. Cooking with coconut oil is easy, just replace the oil that a recipe calls for with the same amount of coconut oil. It makes a great substitute for less healthy vegetable oils and shortening, which can contain GMO's and trans-fats. Melt it to replace vegetable oil. Try it and see-you might become a convert to the wonders of coconut oil! 1http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7270479?dopt=Abstract 2http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11745-009-3306-6 3http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20691812 4http://coconutoil.com/AlzheimersDiseaseDrMaryNewport.pdf |