A little while ago I wrote a blog about my Natural First Aid kit and in said blog I mentioned a little bit about the wonders of coconut oil. Here’s the blog in case you missed it: http://livingalifelesstoxic.com/2013/10/31/my-natural-first-aid-kit/. Anyway, I don’t think I really did the old coconut oil justice with the little mention it had it that blog, so I thought it deserved a blog post all by itself.
One of the reasons I wanted to do this is because two weeks ago I had an operation on my neck. Unknowingly to me I ended up with what I felt was a rather sizable wound in my neck after they had finished, 2.5inchs….(mind you it could have been 2.5mm and I think I might have felt the same, ha).
So on seeing this wound I decided to give the coconut oil a proper challenge and applied it liberally to the site twice a day (occasionally 3 times when it was starting to scab) and would you believe in just 10 days you could barely see where I’d been cut open at all and now just a few days later it’s even better still!
I knew coconut oil was meant to help with stretchmarks and scaring but I’ve never used it like this myself so was a have been very pleasantly surprised by it’s amazing healing abilities.
So I’m here to praise the coconut oil in all it’s glory and give it the log it deserves! =0)
Here’s a little list of some of the things this amazing product can help with (It’s also pretty tasty in food – and that’s coming from a coconut meat hater!):
Speeds healing up and helps minimise scaring and stretchmarks (during and after healing)
Eliminates spots & acne and helps balance skin
Is a strong anti-fungal (can be added directly to affected area or eaten)
Can help kill yeast, candida and parasites
Helps heal burns and abrasions
Helps thyroid function
Is a natural mild sun cream & after-sun
Reduces nappy rash and eczema
Helps with colds & flu
Is an anti-inflammatory (brings down swelling and inflammation)
Alleviates bites & stings
Helps ear infections (as well as other infections)
Helps with absorption of some vitamins & minerals
Is anti-aging when used as a moisturiser or eaten regularly
Helps with mental clarity
Helps reduce allergies and intolerances.
Is an amazing daily moisturiser
Is the only oil you should really cook with as it’s one of the few that keeps most of it’s nutritional content when heated
It’s a great base for making loads of natural skin care products (like soaps and lotions)
Can be eaten and is very good for you raw (and as such is in a lot of raw food)
Can be used to de-frizz hair
Mixed with apple cider vinegar is makes a great lice wash for humans and dogs (helps with ticks and fleas in dogs)
Helps with digestion
Helps regulate insulin levels
Can help the appearance of varicose veins and reduce hemorrhoids
Can be used as a lubricant
Can be used as a shaving cream
Soothes itching with chicken pox/shingles etc
Taken with ginger is helps elevate sickness and heartburn
Speeds healing from bladder infections
Helps with healthy hair and nails
You can also make up a very effective toothpaste and mouthwash with it.
So you can now see why I’m a teeny tiny bit obsessed with this oil. It’s great all round, for you, your family, pets and it’s one of the most environmentally produced oils there is (just make sure to buy the fair trade organic stuff and try to buy in bulk as shipping it half way across the world every time you need some will certainly take it’s toll on it’s carbon footprint).
Do you use coconut oil for anything else I haven’t mentioned? If so, please add it to the comments section below so I can give that a go also!
Enjoy! =0)
I had to blow my nose a lot the other day and it was starting to get a bit red raw … applied a tiny bit of coconut oil to my nose and it was back to normal within minutes!
Yes I always use it when I have a cold of any sort otherwise I’m like Rudolf! =0)
Maybe a silly question, but where can I buy myself some??
Hi Julie,
You can buy it from all the supermarkets now and all health food stores, but places like Amazon are the best value for money =0)
I see lots of sites saying how wonderful it is but none of them tell you how to use it. I’ve got some that is hard pressed in a jar and so far have only used it for cooking as apart from using it like conditioner or dabbing it on skin i’m not sure how it would be used in other ways. For example for helping with digestion do you take a spoonful of it from the jar or does it need to be in oil format and mixed in with food? For ear infections? Do you put a huge chunk in your ear?! lol I would love to use it more, but not sure in what way i’m supposed to use it? Suggestion for your next blog Faith? :o) xx
Hi Hayley,
They all come hard, but as you will realise they soften to touch (which is why it’s still called an oil), so can be used as it is on skin, hair, nails, ears and yeast issues just as it is, straight onto the skin/area and rub in.
To cook with just scoop a bit out and use it as it is (much like you would with butter).
You probably wouldn’t want to just eat a spoonful of it, that would be a bit greasy in the mouth, just scoop some out and add to food as your cooking it for help with digestion etc
Hope this helps =0)
What a great blog! Than you so much for sharing your knowledge and insight here.
What a lovely comment to wake-up to, thank you for making me smile! =0)
Love coconut oil for my body, find it a bit much for my face though so I blend other carrier oils and essential oils for that, my hair loves it with a bit of argan oil too keeps my curls nice and frizz free soft and shiny. My son uses it for excema as part of a blend I make for him specifically for his condition it works well…smells devine! X
It’s a great all rounder isn’t it, there’s not much it can’t fix! =)