Coconut Oil As Part Of A Healthy Natural Lifestyle

Are you curious about coconut oil? A few years ago, a myriad of coconut oil uses headlined many articles published online. People were making some fantastic, and at times, some rather outrageous claims when it came to the benefits of coconut oil.

It’s true that many of the early coconut oil benefits promoted by some were a bit over-hyped but that being said, coconut oil has indeed many benefits and if you are one for living a more healthy natural lifestyle, then it is worth taking a second look at coconut oil..

 What Makes Coconut Oil For Health Special?

It is worth noting that people in coconut producing countries in Asia, Africa, and South America have for centuries used coconut oil as a healthier way of cooking and for personal care.

It’s a time proven healthy product now seeing a revival among health food and personal care lovers in the west. Increasingly, coconut oil is found in a range of health and beauty products. As more of us than ever before are moving away from none-natural substances, we are beginning to explore natural products that can replace them.

There has been some negative press about its high saturated fat content but coconut oil saturated fat is generally considered beneficial due to its powerful antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and it also contains lauric acid, a fatty acid also found in mother’s breast milk.

In addition, coconut oil has a high level of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) which can help promote weight loss and provide an energy boost and some say, brain boost! Not all saturated fats are the same…..

Some frequently asked questions regarding coconut oil 

Can I Use Coconut As Part Of My Skincare Routine?

There is no reason why you can’t use coconut oil when caring for your skin. As a matter of fact, it is perfect for using on the skin not just yours but also for your pets.

 As it contains MCT’s it is easily absorbed by the skin making coconut oil in its purest form easy to add to your entire beauty routine. You can say you can use it from head to toe.

●      Do you suffer from dry skin on your feet or cracked heels? This is a common problem for most women. You can safely add coconut oil directly to the skin on your feet. Even adding it to your foot spa works very well. Just a spoonful or two will help to give you smoother feet and help to remedy those cracked heels. Heating up the coconut oil will make oil absorption much easier. It is such a user-friendly oil it will mix with essential oils easily.

●      Wrinkles will also benefit from coconut oil. As it is relatively a light oil when compared to other oils, you can easily target certain areas of your face. If you are concerned about fine lines around the lips and eyes, a little bit of coconut oil will help to smooth them out.

●      What about in the shower? One of the best ways to use coconut oil is in the shower. It easily blends with shower gels and natural body washes. The best way to use it is after you have exfoliated your skin.

●      Coconut oil can also help to make your tan last longer. We all like to hang on to our summer tans. Moisturising the skin effectively can help you to so. Coconut oil is one of the few oils to naturally support the skin, it may also help your skin to cope better with damage caused by the sun.

Can I Use Coconut Oil As A Toothpaste?

There is absolutely no reason why you can’t use coconut oil when you brush your teeth. You may not want to use it every day, but a pre-brush with coconut oil, or using the oil a couple of times per week, is a good idea.

Needless to say, coconut oil is also good for your lips. If you suffer from cracked lips or need to go out in cold weather, a thin layer of coconut oil will help to protect your lips.

What About Using Coconut Oil In The Eye Area?

That is absolutely fine, but you need to make sure that you don’t get the oil in your eyes. It can irritate the eyes and cause a slight inflammation.

However, the good news is that you can safely use coconut oil around the eye area. Simply apply a thin layer before you go to bed, or apply for about 20 minutes and then wipe off.

Some use coconut oil to remove eye makeup and mascara. While it does a very effective job in doing this, it is easy to introduce the oil into the eye so take care. If you are going to use it as an eye makeup remover, it is important to clean the area with lukewarm water afterward.

Coconut Oil Benefits For The Hands

One of the best ways to use coconut oil is to use it as a hand cream especially when it’s organic. While it will not entirely remove dark spots and sunspots from the hands, it will certainly help them to appear less obvious.

At the same time, it will be absorbed by the skin into the bloodstream and get transported to all of the small joints in the hands and fingers.

Can it help to relieve symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome which include an ache or pain in your fingers, hand or arm, numb hands, tingling or pins and needles? That is a good question. It is hard to find effective treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome apart from anti-inflammatory drugs. But slightly warm coconut oil can sometimes help. Warming it up will help to activate some of the healthy compounds found in the oil.

Also note that when compared to jojoba oil, coconut oil has been found to be just as effective when used as a rubbing oil for any aching joint. It also makes a fantastic carrier oil for massages.

Can I Use Coconut Oil To Clean My House?

You may not think you can use coconut oil to clean your home, but you certainly can. Take a closer look at some of your favourite cleaning products and you will find they contain oils. They may not all contain coconut oil, but that does not mean you can’t enjoy coconut oil benefits around the home.

Virgin coconut oil smells amazing and together with essential oil of orange, it makes an excellent sink and bathroom basin cleaner. Add a small amount of a natural washing-up liquid, and you will end up with a high-quality cleaner.

You can even add fresh rose petals to coconut oil. Let the mixture infuse for about five weeks and you have a fresh smelling cleaning product which scent will linger for a couple of hours. You can also add the mixture to your fabric conditioner when you wash your clothes.

Coconut oil has endless healthy uses in the home and as a personal product. You can enjoy coconut oil benefits without even thinking about it. What can be better than that?