Saturday, October 22, 2011

Sexy Saturday: Take Care of Your Skin and Health with Coconut Oil

Coconut oil has a long history of use in many parts of the world.  It comes from the flesh of the mature coconut and is extracted using hot or cold methods.  By far, cold processing yields a better quality coconut oil.  The oil is very heat-stable and is commonly used for cooking.  It can also be used on the skin as a moisturizer.

In the middle of the 20th Century, coconut oil began to get a bad rap for internal use, due to it containing a high amount of saturated fat.  Some of you may remember eating theater popcorn that was popped in coconut oil.  The smell and taste were unmistakable.  By the end of the 70s, though, that was history and popcorn was never the same.  During this time, all saturated fats were lumped into the same category and authorities urged the public to avoid these fats.  Because coconut oil was easily replaced by other "healthier" oils, it received the worst rap, and animal fats continued to be eaten with great zeal.

Fast forward a couple of decades and new research reveals something totally different about coconut oil.  Virgin (not hydrogenated) coconut oil contains medium chain fatty acids, which are much easier for the liver to digest than other fats.  Founder of the Coconut Research Center, Bruce Fife is considered one of the world's experts on coconut oil.  The author of several books and essays on the miraculous oil, Dr. Fife concludes that coconut oil taken internally and used externally contains numerous healing qualities.  Some of its notable properties include being antiviral, anti-fungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory.  Research also shows that it can help the liver, blood sugar, intestines, immune system, thyroid, and kidneys. It's actually good for the heart too, which is the opposite of what was believed 50 years ago by Western medicine.

One of the best kept secrets about coconut oil is its effect on the skin.  When applied to the skin, coconut oil can protect it from free radicals and slow aging.  It's also one of the best moisturizers, healing dry skin, even helping with severe skin issues like psoriasis and eczema.  As a person who likes to go in the sun a lot during the summer, I have found no better oil to heal my skin after a long day of sun.  Any light burn quickly heals and turns into a tan.  If your skin is not too sensitive to the sun, you can even use coconut oil as a natural sunblock as it protects the body from UV rays.

When choosing a coconut oil, be sure to find a company that uses a cold, centrifugal process.  Also, make sure the oil is unrefined, with no added preservatives or chemicals.  Sunfood.com has a great, truly-raw coconut oil that you can eat or use on the skin.  If you have never indulged in this oil, do yourself a favor and try it.  Be good to your health and your skin.  Be healthy!

Mystic Merman 

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