Coconut Oil: Something You Didn’t Know

 

I am sure you’ve heard a lot about coconut oil. But there is always more…

 

First, some facts about coconut oil:

Today you can find more than 1,500 studies proving coconut oil to be one of the healthiest foods on the planet.

 

 

 

The secret of the healthy benefits is in healthy fats called medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), these unique fats include:

  • Caprylic acid
  • Lauric acid
  • Capric acid

Unlike long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) found in plant based oils, MCFAs are:

  • Easier to digest
  • Not readily stored as fat
  • Are anti-microbial and anti-fungal
  • Smaller in size, allowing easier cell permeability for immediate energy
  • Processed by the liver, which means that they are immediately converted to energy instead of being stored as fat

Because of the energy creating abilities of coconut oil, it is no wonder that it is beneficial in losing weight. It helps to burn fat, decrease appetite, and in studies it was especially helpful in losing belly fat!

It also contains lauric acid which has been linked to amazing health benefits. It has anti-viral, antibacterial, anit-microbial, and anti-fungal properties. It’s been shown that consuming coconut oil is good for overall immunity, reduces hypertension, helps reduce arterial injury, and helps keep proper cholesterol balance. It’s a great source of healthy saturated fats.

How to store:

Depending on the temperature, your coconut oil can have a different look. Coconut oil is liquid above 75 degrees F. (25 C.), otherwise it is a solid fat. You can liquefy coconut oil by just placing it into a pot with warm water. Or you can make it solid by putting it in the fridge.

Coconut oil can be stored in either its liquid or solid form; the only thing to avoid is direct sunlight. You can store coconut oil for about two years, as it will not go rancid.  

How to buy:

It is better to avoid commercial coconut oil found in any grocery store. Some oils are refined using chemical processes; some coconut oils are hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated.

I would suggest to go for high quality coconut oil – even for external use. It’s pricey, but health stores often have discounts on coconut oils – use it!

Please check that the oil you buy is:

1) Virgin (and not refined)

2) Expeller-pressed (if you prefer less coconut flavour) or cold-pressed (if you want more coconut flavour)

3) In a glass jar (and not plastic)

4) Organic vs conventional. Coconut is not a high-risk food when it comes to pesticides, nor is it genetically-modified. So to buy organic is less critical but still preferable.

How to use:

External:

You can use it as an all-purpose cream: from softening cracked heels to reducing under the eyes puffiness

An additional usage that I discovered while on my trip to India – use it as a shower gel! You just wash your body with the coconut oil and then rinse! Because you rinse it, your skin will not feel too oily, but at the same time you will not need any after-shower lotion – your skin will feel soft and silky.

Internal:

You can use coconut oil in cooking, baking or just eating it as is instead of butter (I hope you don’t use margarine at all).

 

AND… a recipe. I got it from one of  David Wolfe’s posts, made it and loved it!

Raw coconut-cacao bites …

1 cup of desiccated coconut

1 cup of almonds

1/2 a dozen medjool dates

4 tablespoons of cashew butter

2 tablespoons of raw cacao

1 tablespoon of coconut oil

Put the almonds and coconut in a food processor and blend for a minute or two, until a flour starts to form. Then add the cashew butter, coconut oil and cacao blending for a few seconds before slowly adding in the dates.

Continue to blend until everything has been combined together to form a sticky mixture. This mixture can then be rolled into balls and covered in more coconut and left in the fridge to firm up for an hour.

 

References:

http://www.thankyourbody.com

https://draxe.com/coconut-oil-benefits/

Do You Care For Your Hair: Stress

Even if you feed your hair well (Do You Care For Your Hair: Food) and use high quality natural hair products (Do You Care For Your Hair: Hair Products) – there might be more!

If you’re constantly stressed, don’t expect your hair to ignore it. When we are under stress, our hair follicles are deprived of the oxygen, minerals, and vitamins. Our body burns more energy and vitamins and nutrients are used by the parts of the body that are critical like the heart, lungs, and brain.

Continue reading…

Do You Care For Your Hair: Food

Hair health is a hot topic during winter season: hats, cold temperatures outside, dry heat inside.

Each season causes some damage to our hair: in winter it’s the hats, outside cold, and dry heat inside. During spring, there are usually not enough vitamins in our food, and our hair suffers as well. During the summer, there is sun damage. Fall is probably the best season for our hair, but if fall brings you some stress then the hair is affected the most.

What can we do to make our hair look nice and shiny, not just in the winter, but throughout the year?

3 very basic things:

  • Feed your hair just right,
  • Use natural, good quality hair products, plus a good brush and,
  • Find ways to reduce your stress.

Let’s start with hair nutrition:

The main complaints about hair that I hear very often are:
1. Hair Loss
2. Thinning, dull hair
3. Itchy, flaky scalp

If you are generally healthy, these concerns can be addressed mostly by adding some hair-friendly foods into your daily diet. If you also add some supplements, the results will speak for themselves!

1. Hair loss

Eat: Iron is essential for healthy hair growth. One cup of white beans is about 8 mg of iron. Proteins are the building blocks for hair. About 115 grams of chicken has 35 grams of protein, which is about 75% of the daily recommended intake for women.
eggs are a great source of protein and are packed with a B vitamin called biotin, which helps hair grow. Vegetarians’ options are quinoa (8 grams of protein per cooked cup), chickpeas (15 grams of protein per cooked cup), or lentils (18 grams of protein per cooked cup).
Supplement: Vitamin C, Biotene, Multivitamins

2. Thinning, dull hair

Eat: Healthy fat deficiency causes your hair to lose its natural shine. About 100 g of wild alaskan salmon twice a week is a good start.
Add: Not a fish fan? Ground flaxseeds are also an excellent source of fatty acids.
Snack: Make a habit to grab some walnuts for your snack – the only type of nut that provides omega-3 fatty acids. Walnuts are also a good source of biotin, needed for scalp and hair health.
Supplement: Omega 3, Silica

3. Itchy, flaky scalp

Eat: 30 grams of pumpkin seeds (about a ½ cup) supplies 19% of your daily requirement of zinc, a mineral which helps to prevent scalp dryness.
Add: Snack on kelp that is high in iodine, the most important thyroid nutrient that is responsible for hair dryness.
Supplement: Omega 3, Zinc
Check: Don’t forget to check your humidifier; if the air is too dry, your scalp will be the first to feel it.

And finally my favourite Hair Spa Cocktail!
It has iron, folate, vitamin C, and beta carotene – a blast of nutrients to stimulate growth, promote hydration, increase circulation, and maintain color and shine of your hair.

3/4 cup (180 mL) unsweetened almond milk or hemp milk (I sometimes use kefir or yogurt)
1 cup baby greens or baby spinach
1 cup chopped kale
2 Tbsp (30 mL) hemp hearts
1/2 in (1.25 cm) piece fresh ginger
1 ripe pear, cored and quartered (or 1 banana and ½ cup strawberries)

Blend all together, enjoy delicious drink and watch your hair thanking you.

How To Turn Water Drinking Into Habit

Healthy looking skin and hair? Proper digestion? Natural detoxifier?

The answer is WATER. Our body is more than two-thirds water, and we need to keep it hydrated.

There are many reasons to drink more water like toxin elimination, healthy blood and bones, lubricated joints, proper digestion, alertness, healthy skin and much more.

But what if you don’t like plain taste of water?

Do you find it difficult to fit those 6 or 8 glasses of water into your busy scheduler?

Watch the video below and get some ideas how to drink more water and how enhance the taste of water.