You Do WHAT With Coconut Oil?!?

I'm officially ON the coconut oil bandwagon.  Trust me when I say that I never thought this day would happen.  But here I am, using the coconut oil and LOVIN' IT!

If you're like I once was, a hearty skeptic or perhaps you are a believer but just don't know what to do with this stuff- I'm here to help you!

Google Coconut Oil + Health Benefits and you'll see a wealth of helpful articles telling you how wonderful it is.  But in case you want to hear it from a real, live person directly- here it is.  Coconut Oil has made me feel better from the inside out.  It helps with skin issues, dental health, owies, burns, wrinkles and more- it's just plain good!

Ok, now that we got that out of the way- here's how you can incorporate it into your life.  This list is not all encompassing, simply how myself and my family personally use it.  So feel free to continue with your research but take this one fact away- it's a lot easier to use than you think.


How We Use Coconut Oil-

The oil we personally use!

• With Food.  It's great drizzled on top of air popped popcorn with a little sea salt.  Or equally good to fry up some corn tortillas.  You can also bake with it.  Pretty much any place that you would use oil or butter- you can substitute with coconut oil.
• As sunscreen.  Umm....yeah, it really works.  A light layer of coconut oil and you're good to go!  Simply re-apply every couple hours and the best part- NO harmful chemicals!
• To reduce fine lines and wrinkles.  A couple years ago, I started rubbing a little under my eyes and neck each night after washing my face.  I'm almost 34 years old and I don't have any wrinkles.  Seriously- not one.
• On cuts, burns and minor scrapes.  Pretty much anytime someone gets an owie at my house, we grab the jar of coconut oil.  It's super effective at healing just about everything.
• As a carrier oil.  Say what?!?  A carrier oil is simply an oil that you use to "cut" your essential oils.  Since many essential oils are too strong and can irritate the skin if used by themselves, we use coconut oil to blend them.
• For oil pulling.  Ok, I'll admit- we have not been staying as on top of this as I would like.  However, the benefits to your teeth and gums simply can't be ignored.  Put about one tablespoon in your mouth first thing in the morning and swish it around for as long as you can stand it.  I usually last about 10 minutes.  Then spit it out and rinse with salt water.
• Massage oil.  Add in a few drops of lavender or muscle balm blend and you have a great, all natural massage oil that doesn't leave a greasy film on your skin.
• On dry and cracked feet and hands.  This stuff is a great moisturizer!  After getting out of the shower, I like to rub a little on my hands and feet to keep them looking young and healthy.
• Hair and Beard Care.  Every couple weeks I slather on the coconut oil and let it sit on my hair for about an hour.  It makes for an excellent deep conditioning treatment!  And recently, I started putting some on the husband's beard.  It really helps to soften and smooth it out.
• On your pets.  Last summer, Buddy Boy, ran into an exposed pipe and scraped up his paw.  Poor baby!  I didn't want to use the typical neosporin (anti-biotic ointment) because I knew he would lick at it and I didn't want him ingesting it and getting sick.  Coconut oil was a great solution!  It helped to stop the bleeding, provided the much needed wound care and I didn't have to worry if he ate any of it!
• For rashes.  My boys are prone to heat rashes in the summer and a little coconut oil really helps with the skin irritation.  In addition, both of them suffer from eczema and at times they have
  
  flare ups- this works great for those issues as well.

I'm sure there's more ways we use coconut oil but I just can't think of anything else right now.  The last couple years has seen a major shift in my household and this magical oil has been a big part of that! I can't recommend it enough!

We are currently using the oil found at Trader Joe's, it retails for $5.99 per jar.  I have several jars throughout my house, one in the kitchen, one in each bathroom and a couple in my food pantry and linen closet.  When shopping for your own coconut oil, make sure you buy one that says ORGANIC and VIRGIN as this the purest and most natural form available- meaning, it's not as refined/processed.  Less processing is always a good idea in my book!

*Disclaimer- as with any item used for medicinal purposes, please for the love of God do your own research.  I am clearly NOT a medical doctor and I'm only speaking from my own personal experience.  We love coconut oil and I'm sure you will too!