Coconut Oil’s remarkable versatility

I have been using Coconut Oil for about 18 months now and I am amazed by its multi-functional uses.

Claims that a tablespoonful a day may help prevent Alzheimer’s has made me even more eager to include it in my diet. This first made headlines when a Dr. Mary Newport claimed to have reversed her husband’s condition with coconut oil, which appears to be an ideal brain food. Her book  ”Alzheimer’s Disease: What if There Was a Cure?” was a bestseller.

A more recent study in Spain also had very positive results based on taking only 40ml of coconut oil daily. I recommend that you read more about this and make up your own mind. I have started with one teaspoon a day taken with breakfast and will increase it gradually in the coming weeks to about three spoons.

There is no doubt that Coconut Oil has become increasingly popular and while originally it was only stocked in Health Stores, now any supermarket worth its salt carries it, although the prices vary hugely.

What you should look for is that the oil is organic, extra-virgin and cold-pressed, as is the one I use ‘Vita Coco’. It has many health benefits and is anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal.

In this post, I will share with you my favourite uses for this incredible product. All of these have been tried and tested personally by me!

           1.   Superfood

Eat it, cook with it – fried eggs are yummy

You can bake with it

You can put it in smoothies

The list is endless

Roz Purcell – www.naturalbornfeeder.ie – loves it too.

                  2.   Body Moisturiser

I just love it – best used after a shower, and a little goes a long way. But be warned – it does take a long time to dry so make sure you have time to let it work its magic!

 It’s wonderfully hydrating, particularly on my dry legs. Better than any body moisturiser I’ve ever used.

                 3.   Make-Up Remover

Again, this is another no-brainer. It melts away make-up, even eye-shadow and mascara. Take a small amount of oil and massage it into your skin, then use wet cotton wool until your skin is wiped clean. It might be too oily on younger skin but you can always use rosewater or toner afterwards to take way any residue.

                 4.   Cuticle Oil

Use as you would use normal cuticle oil – super-effective.

5. Lubricant

But it’s in the bedroom that coconut oil comes into its own!

Keep a special jar beside your bed. You will thank me for this tip, young or old!

            6. Pessaries

Coconut oil pessaries…..this might strike you as a little unusual but it works. I have suffered with haemorrhoids since my first pregnancy. One day a few months ago, I tried coconut oil as a stop-gap measure until I got to the chemist and I was amazed when it worked as well as my usual prescription cream. So I made pessaries and wrapped them in cling film and put them in the freezer to be used as needed).

 I am currently trying it out as a toothpaste combining it with bread soda. So far so good!

 If any of you have any more gems about the uses of coconut oil, please share them. I would be particularly interested in knowing if any of you have tried ‘oil pulling’ with any success. That is where you swirl a teaspoon or so of coconut oil in your mouth for up to twenty minutes and then spit it out.

 It’s claimed that it leads to huge improvements in oral health by reducing the amounts of harmful bacteria in your mouth. It is also supposed to draw toxins out of the body and so enhance your overall health.

Although I have tried it, I haven’t persevered and would love to hear if you have.

 So go buy some coconut oil and get started!