WHY I LOVE USING COCONUT OIL

My family has been on a “simple living” journey for five years— out went the TV, new clothes, cluttered closets, harsh cleaning products, processed foods, and anything with corn syrup. Sounds intense and a little extreme, huh?

Well, the Jen Hansard of 2007 would have totally agreed with you. But in 2012, I couldn’t be any happier with these lifestyle changes our family has made. And this past year, I ventured into simple cooking and traded my canola and vegetable oils for olive andcoconut oils. And now, I am completely hooked on coconut oil!

Why I love using Coconut Oil

There are many websites than can give you a list of uses for coconut oil, but I want this list to all be about my personal testimony. I religiously use all of these things and can personally say they work for me, and hopefully for you!

coconut granola

Baking: Coconut oil can be substituted 1-for-1 in most baking recipes that call for butter or oil (check out my Maple Granola Muffins and Coconut Granola for some delicious and healthy recipes).

Cooking: My friend Jo got me hooked on cooking eggs in coconut oil. They do taste a little bit like coconut, but that’s a good thing to me.

Body lotion: After the shower, I rub coconut oil all over my body— it feels and smells amazing. I also do this on the kids when their skin is dry (which isn’t too often since we rarely even use soap on them).

Facial moisturizer: I was very scared to put coconut oil on my face. Since moving to Florida I have had issues with acne. So bad, I resorted to Proactive. Well, two months ago I ran out of my face lotion and decided to give coconut oil a try. Sure enough, my face feels good and the acne has subdued. Turns out coconut oil is antimicrobial, antifungal, and antibacterial, which explains why my face hasn’t broken out from it!

**Update 9/10/12: I have been adding 2 drops of tea tree essential oil to the dab of coconut oil I put on my face and the results are awesome. My acne has really cleared and my face has evened out (less red areas). I also think it has to do with me drinking more green smoothies, which are a great way to help your skin glow.

Eye makeup remover: On the rare occasion I actually put on makeup, I do use a cotton ball and a little coconut oil to remove it. Works better than anything else, hands down.

homemade deodorant

Homemade deodorant: And it actually works!!! This stuff is so good— I highly recommend that you make your own. Here is the easy, peasy recipe.

Hair tamer: I have thick, curly and wild hair— coconut oil helps bring sanity to the situation. After the shower, I use mousse and then smooth some coconut oil on my unruly curls to calm it down.

Deep conditioner for hair: At least once a month, I slather this on the tips of my hair and (even my scalp) and let it soak in for a few hours. Then I brush it through and massage my scalp before I shower. I shampoo it twice through with Yes To, my favorite brand of shampoo and conditioner that is paraben free.

Toothpaste: I started making my own toothpaste with coconut oil 3 months ago and really like it. The coconut oil gives it a creamy consistency, which is similar to store bought (yet way better for you!). The first few weeks my teeth were a little sensitive (which is an issue I have). SO I alternated days with Sensodyne and the homemade recipe. Yet now I only use homemade and my teeth are fine.

Furniture wood polish: I used it today to polish my wood coffee table and it looks beautiful! Just poured some onto a rag and rubbed it around.

Eczema: My son had mild eczema and we used a variety of creams. Coconut oil helped if we caught an outbreak early enough. (We eventually figured out what was causing his eczema— Target brand laundry detergent, and stopped using it. Eczema solved!)

Future uses for Coconut Oil:

Here are some other uses for coconut oil that I haven’t tried, but look forward to:

Lice treatment: My son starts preschool in the fall and I am getting ready for the dreaded lice attack. Sounds like Thrifty Mama has a great alternative to commercial lice products.

Insect repellant: Mix coconut oil with peppermint oil extract and rub it all over. I really hope this one works!

Nose bleeds: We are traveling to Southern California next month and I heard that a nose bleed is guaranteed since we have acclimated to the Florida humidity. Time to rub some coconut oil in our noses and moisturize away!

Cuts and scrapes: Keep hearing people rave about the antimicrobial characteristics of coconut oil and am excited to try it on my kid’s ouchies.

What brand of coconut oil do you buy?

Nutiva is the brand I used at first on my face and liked it, but I needed more! I kept hearing great things about Mountain Rose Herbs and decided to try them out. The website wasn’t the easiest to maneuver around, but I managed (and even added some arrowroot and essential oils into my cart). And oh my— the quality of the coconut oil is insane! It’s creamy, light and just feels great— I can’t go back to Nutiva after using this.

I bought one gallon of refined (for cosmetic purposes) and one gallon of unrefined for cooking. Well, the refined is strange and caused my face to break out in a bad rash. So I switched back to the unrefined and my face is happy again. I definitely recommendMountain Rose Herbs for all things natural and health-related— it’s a great company. But if you are not sure if you are gonna love coconut oil as much as I do, then totally give the less expensive Nutiva a try. That’s what got me hooked in the first place.

How to Use Coconut Oil on Your Hair and Skin

Using coconut oil is a wonderful natural way to make your hair and skin soft, radiant, and healthy. Coconut oil is natural and contains no harmful chemicals. Toss out your deep conditioners, under-eye creams, and lotions - you don't need them anymore! A jar of unrefined coconut oil is an all-purpose moisturizer great for all skin and hair variations. If you want to learn how to use coconut oil on your hair and skin, keep reading.

Method1

Conditioning Your Hair

1

Put on old clothes. Coconut oil can get a little drippy, so put on an old t-shirt or drape a towel around your shoulders to prevent it from getting on your nice clothes. It's best to start the conditioning treatment in your bathroom, but you'll be able to move around while you let it soak into your hair for a few hours.

Read more ...

The Benefits Of Using Aloe Vera For Skin Care And More

Aloe vera has been used for a host of purposes since the ancient Egyptians called it the “plant of immortality.”

Since then, its uses have become more targeted and medicinal, and it's one of the leading therapies for sunburns.

Aloe vera is a cactus plant that belongs to the Liliaceae family. It grows in dry climates such as those found in parts of Africa and India and has been used medicinally for centuries.

Aloe leaves secrete a clear gel that when broken off from the rest of the plant that can be applied topically to heal wounds and soothe skin.

Various studies have been conducted to examine the benefits of the aloe vera plant and it was found out that aloe vera does in fact have several properties that are effective in treating a variety of skin conditions, from flaky or dry skin, cosmetic ailments, hair and scalp problems to many more.

It is also said to be useful in treating wounds and burns, minor skin infections, cysts, diabetes, and elevated blood lipids in humans, and shows some promise in treating more serious and persistent conditions such as eczema, genital herpes, dandruff, psoriasis, canker sores, skin ulcers and others, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Here are 8 benefits of using aloe vera gel:

1. It treats sunburn.

Aloe Vera helps with sunburn through its powerful healing activity at the epithelial level of the skin, a layer of cells that cover the body. It acts as a protective layer on the skin and helps replenish its moisture. Because of its nutritional qualities and antioxidant properties, the skin heals quicker.

2. It acts as a moisturizer.

Aloe moisturizes the skin without giving it a greasy feel, so it`s perfect for anyone with an oily skin complexion. For women who use mineral-based make-up, aloe vera acts as a moisturizer and is great for the face prior to the application to prevents skin drying. For men: Aloe vera gel can be used as an aftershave treatment as its healing properties can treat small cuts caused by shaving.

3. It treats acne.

Aloe vera gel contains two hormones: Auxin and Gibberellins. These two hormones provide wound healing and anti-inflammatory properties that reduce skin inflammation. Giberellin in aloe vera acts as a growth hormone stimulating the growth of new cells. It allows the skin to heal quickly and naturally with minimal scarring.

Aloe is soothing and can reduce skin inflammations, blistering and itchiness, while helping the skin to heal more rapidly. Additionally, in Ayurvedic medicine, Aloe is used to effectively heal chronic skin problems, such as psoriasis, acne and eczema.

4. It fights aging.

As we age, everyone begins to worry about the appearance of fine lines and the loss of elasticity in their skin. Aloe leaves contain a plethora of antioxidants including, beta carotene, vitamin C and E that can help improve the skin's natural firmness and keep the skin hydrated.

5. It lessens the visibility of stretch marks.

The skin is like one big piece of elastic that’ll expand and contract as needed to accommodate growth. But if the skin stretches too far, too fast (due to pregnancy, rapid weight gain or loss) the elasticity of the skin can be damaged. That’s what leaves those unsightly stretch marks. These marks appear due to minor tears in the layers of the skin caused by sudden and excessive stretching. Aloe vera gel can help hide these stretch marks by healing these wounds.

6. It's nutrient rich for good health.

This solid material contains over 75 different nutrients including vitamins, minerals, enzymes, sugars, anthraquinones or phenolic compounds, lignin, saponins, sterols, amino acids and salicylic acid.

7. It soothes in periodontal disease.

According to a study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, it's extremely helpful in the treatment of gum diseases like gingivitis, periodontitis. It reduces bleeding, inflammation and swelling of the gums. It is a powerful antiseptic in pockets where normal cleaning is difficult, and its antifungal properties help greatly in the problem of denture stomatitis, apthous ulcers, cracked and split corners of the mouth.

8. It aids in digestion.

The internal benefits of aloe vera are supposed to be just as amazing. The plant is said to improve the digestion and to relieve ulcers. Some people consider it a laxative, while others attribute that effect to its digestive qualities (which normalize the system and induce regularity). The juice is also prescribed for arthritis and rheumatism. To test any of these claims, steep the cut foliage in water or chew pieces of the fresh leaf.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com

How to Make Aloe Vera Gel

Steps

1

Wash your hands. It's important to start with clean hands and use clean tools to make sure the gel doesn't get contaminated.
2
Slice off an outer leaf of an aloe plant. The outer leaves are more likely to be mature. They'll contain plenty of fresh, healthy gel. Look for leaves around the outside of the plant, with bases growing close to the ground. Use a sharp knife to make a clean cut near the base.
- Since aloe vera gel is perishable, it's best not to make a huge batch at once, unless you plan to give some away. Cutting off just a leaf or two, especially if they're large, should be sufficient to make 1/2 to 1 cup of gel.
- If your plant is young, be especially careful not to cut off too much at once. Cutting off all of the outer leaves could damage the plant.
3

Drain the resin for 10 minutes. Place the leaves upright in a cup to let the dark yellow resin drain out. The resin contains latex, which can be slightly irritating to skin. It's best to drain it out so it won't get into your gel.
4
Peel the leaves. Use a vegetable peeler to carefully peel away the green portion of the leaves.[1] Be sure to cut through the inner white layer to the gel underneath. Peel off all of the skin on once side of the each leaf, leaving a canoe-shaped half filled with gel.
- If you have large leaves, it may be helpful to cut them into smaller pieces before peeling.
- Discard the skin as you go so it won't get mixed in with your gel.
5

Scoop the gel out with a spoon. The clear, soft gel is easily scoopable. Scoop it all out into a clean bowl until there's nothing left in the leaf half.
6

Consider mixing the gel with a natural preservative. If you have a lot of gel and you want it to keep for a month or two, mix in 500mg powdered Vitamin C or 400 IU vitamin E for every 1/4 cup of gel you have. Place the ingredients together in a blender and blend well. The gel will look foamy at first.[2]
7

Place the gel in a sterilized, clean glass jar. If you used the preservative, the gel will keep for several months in the refrigerator. Without it, it will keep for a week or two.
8
Use the gel. Apply it to sunburns or other minor, surface burns. Aloe can also be used as a skin moisturizer or an ingredient in homemade body products.
- Never use aloe vera gel on deep cuts or blistered skin. It should only be used on surface skin irritation, since it can prevent deep cuts from healing properly.
- Try blending 1/2 cup aloe with 1/4 cup melted coconut oil to make a healing, moisturizing massage lotion.[3]
- Learn how to grow an aloe plant so you'll be able to make a batch of gel whenever you want.

Coconut Water and Aloe Vera Juice

Hydration is necessary in everyday living, especially if you are active. Here we have two nutrient-packed drinks to help you stay hydrated: Coconut water and Aloe Vera juice..

Coconut water
Coconut water refuels and hydrates the body by maintaining the body’s fluid levels and its potassium content, which in turn helps maintain water pressure within cells and blood. The electrolyte content in coconut water improves nervous system functioning and nerve transmission; this can help prevent cramps and spasms in the muscle. Coconut water is also composed of many naturally occurring bioactive enzymes which help in digestion and metabolism. Lauric acid found in coconut water makes it anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral. This boosts the immune system in fighting infection.

Aloe Vera
When most people think of Aloe Vera, the first thing that comes to mind is the soothing gel that helps with sunburns. Well not anymore. Dating back nearly 5,000 years to early Egyptian times, it was cited as being a powerful herbal medicine. This is down to the huge range of nutrients found in Aloe Vera juice, which replenishes your body naturally. It contains approximately 200 active components including vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, E, folic acid and Niacin. Some of the benefits of taking Aloe Vera internally (remember to buy the juice- don’t drink the gel for sunburns) included aiding digestion and promoting both good immunity and skin health. It is very soothing for the internal organs and helps beat the bloat.

Which one should I choose?
Well, it’s down to you. Try them both to see which one suits your fancy. Even though both of these hydrate your body, make sure to also drink plenty of regular water and do not rely totally on these drinks as they still have some calories and sugar in them.

- See more at: http://www.fitbug.com/g/coconut-water-and-aloe-vera-juice#sthash.JdmDbTtY.dpuf

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