Initially, I heard about coconut oil from a woman on my facebook feed raving about 'oil pulling'. I had never heard of this before so in usual Amber fashion I took to Google to find out what was so great about it. I learned that 'oil pulling' is an old Indian folk remedy which requires a person to 'swish' or 'pull' oil in your mouth for approx 10-20 min before eating or drinking. They say not to gargle or swallow the oil as it pulls toxins from your lymph nodes, gums and teeth and would be harmful to swallow all that garbage. It can aid in a multitude of things health wise. Once you are done swishing the oil you spit it into the toilet or garbage. Don't let it go down your sink drain because it will solidify and cause blockage. It's recommended that you use coconut oil, which comes in a solid form. Other types of oils can also work. Learning all of this info lead me to research coconut oil in more depth.
Like I mentioned, it comes in a solid form. The best way to describe it is that it looks like lard. You can purchase it in the organic section of your local grocery store. So how has coconut oil changed my life? I have suffered with psoriasis for years now. Sometimes it's really bad, sometimes its nonexistent. Last summer it covered my calves and forearms. It's embarrassing and painful and just plain ugly. This spring it decided to disappear from my legs and arms and resurface on my stomach. As if having a belly covered in stretch marks wasn't enough I now had red blotches of dry skin too. It was especially painful in this area because it was conveniently located on my hips right where my jeans would sit. By the end of the day my skin hurt so bad from having my pants rub on the infected area all day long. Something had to give. I tried Gold bond, which I heard helped other people with this problem. It would take the pain away slightly but wouldn't ever make it go away completely. Not to mention it smelt horrible. I'd seen a dermatologist and he didn't have much to say about it. He wanted to prescribe a bunch of different meds for it, all of which were costly and not practical. It wasn't until I discovered coconut oil as a moisturizer that I found relief.
I bought a jar ($15.99 @ Zehrs) and would apply it directly to the trouble areas on my stomach twice a day. It became part of my getting ready routine and my bedtime routine. It melts in your hands from the heat of your body and is super oily but absorbs a lot into your skin so I didn't feel like I had an oily film on me all day. It also never left residue on my sheets and night. Over the course of a few weeks I used coconut oil religiously. I also got my mom hooked on it. She uses it as a substitute for butter in her pancakes that M loves so much. She melts it on her potatoes and also puts some in the pan when making stir-fry. She loves it as much as I do. It’s so good for you. Inside and out it’s the best oil to use.
I am now a month into using this miracle product. It has pretty much cleared up my psoriasis completely. And those stretch marks M graciously blessed me with, well because they were in the area of my psoriasis they got covered in the oil too. They have faded significantly. I've tried Bio Oil and Strivectin, both of which were a waste of time and money. My stretch marks were pretty horrible, red and wide. I knew they'd never go away completely but I just wanted them to be clear or white not red and purple looking. They are now almost the same colour as my skin. It's amazing to me!!!
Some of the other health benefits from Coconut Oil are listed below:
·
Kills
viruses that cause influenza, herpes, measles, hepatitis C, SARS, AIDS, and
other illnesses.
·
Kills
bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, gum
disease and cavities, pneumonia, and gonorrhea, and other diseases.
·
Kills
fungi and yeasts that cause candidiasis, ringworm, athlete's foot, thrush,
diaper rash, and other infections.
·
Expels or
kills tapeworms, lice, giardia, and other parasites.
·
Provides
a nutritional source of quick energy.
·
Boosts
energy and endurance, enhancing physical and athletic performance.
·
Improves
digestion and absorption of other nutrients including vitamins, minerals, and
amino acids.
·
Improves
insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose.
·
Relieves
stress on pancreas and enzyme systems of the body.
·
Reduces
symptoms associated with pancreatitis.
·
Helps
relieve symptoms and reduce health risks associated with diabetes.
·
Reduces
problems associated with malabsorption syndrome and cystic fibrosis.
·
Improves
calcium and magnesium absorption and supports the development of strong bones
and teeth.
·
Helps
protect against osteoporosis.
·
Helps
relieve symptoms associated with gallbladder disease.
·
Relieves
symptoms associated with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and stomach
ulcers.
·
Improves
digestion and bowel function.
·
Relieves
pain and irritation caused by hemorrhoids.
·
Reduces
inflammation.
·
Supports
tissue healing and repair.
·
Supports
and aids immune system function.
·
Helps
protect the body from breast, colon, and other cancers.
·
Is heart
healthy; improves cholesterol ratio reducing risk of heart disease.
·
Protects
arteries from injury that causes atherosclerosis and thus protects against
heart disease.
·
Helps
prevent periodontal disease and tooth decay.
·
Functions
as a protective antioxidant.
·
Helps to
protect the body from harmful free radicals that promote premature aging and
degenerative disease.
·
Does not
deplete the body's antioxidant reserves like other oils do.
·
Improves
utilization of essential fatty acids and protects them from oxidation.
·
Helps
relieve symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.
·
Relieves
symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (prostate enlargement).
·
Reduces
epileptic seizures.
·
Helps
protect against kidney disease and bladder infections.
·
Dissolves
kidney stones.
·
Helps
prevent liver disease.
·
Is lower
in calories than all other fats.
·
Supports
thyroid function.
·
Promotes
loss of excess weight by increasing metabolic rate.
·
Is
utilized by the body to produce energy in preference to being stored as body
fat like other dietary fats.
·
Helps
prevent obesity and overweight problems.
·
Applied
topically helps to form a chemical barrier on the skin to ward of infection.
·
Reduces
symptoms associated the psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis.
·
Supports
the natural chemical balance of the skin.
·
Softens
skin and helps relieve dryness and flaking.
·
Prevents
wrinkles, sagging skin, and age spots.
·
Promotes
healthy looking hair and complexion.
·
Provides
protection from damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
·
Helps
control dandruff.
·
Does not
form harmful by-products when heated to normal cooking temperature like other
vegetable oils do.
·
Has no
harmful or discomforting side effects.
·
Is
completely non-toxic to humans.
(Taken from: http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/)
I will never go without Coconut
Oil ever again! I highly recommend adding it to your diet or skincare regimen. If you choose to experiment with it, make sure you are buying 100% pure organic Coconut Oil.
Amber
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