12 Things I do With Coconut Oil to Improve my Health and Beauty

My health has improved since I introduced Coconut into my diet and beauty routine. Coconut is a superfood that contains caprylic and lauric acid antifungals which kills yeast causing candida and other harmful pathogens such as staphylococcus. Just what I needed!

Coconut Butter

Coconut also contains complex fatty acids of the medium chain triglyceride variety, beneficial for heart health and boosting metabolism. Tribes of the South Pacific eat large amounts of coconut foods have the lowest incidence of heart disease in the world.

Applied to the skin, coconut has a natural sunscreen factor of eight. It is great for moisturizing the skin and hair. With all this in mind and as a fighter of candida albicans, this is how I use coconut in my everyday life.

1 I use coconut oil in place of other frying oils (although olive oil is OK). Coconut oil has a lower frying point than other frying agents meaning you can cook food at a lower temperature. Its melting point is a mere 36 -40 C (body temperature). This means I can use a very low heat for frying flatbreads or stir fries. The oil will not be denatured by heat to become hydrogenated, a big no-no for heart and cardiovascular health.

Healthy Milk without Antibiotic or Lactose Allergens

2 Drinking coconut in place of milk means no allergy-triggering lactose proteins to bloat you up. There is also no chance of antibiotic traces in coconut milk to sneak into the system, killing off good gut bacteria and compromising the immune system. I find coconut milk sweet with a subtle, musky flavour. Great for porridges and smoothies. Shake well before use.

Coconut Oil for Scalp Health

3 Massaging coconut oil into the scalp is great for maintaining scalp health. I have suffered flaky scalp with hair loss for years. TGel irritated my scalp to hell and weeks of using BetaCap (cortisone solution) did nothing at all. Now, I massage a little coconut oil into the scalp before going to bed to allow the oil to get into the skin. Place a towel over the pillow or a shower cap over the hair overnight. After a few weeks, the condition of my scalp improved.

4 Natural hair moisturizer. Studies have shown that massaging coconut oil into the hair reduces protein loss. The oil also left a lovely sheen to my hair. Apply at night with the scalp tonic. Of course, you have to wash the oil off with a very mild shampoo the next day, or your hair will look greasy. I use Oil Atum. Now, I will never go without a dose of coconut oil for my scalp and hair.

Natural Sunscreen for Anti Aging

5 Facial moisturizer and sunscreen. For years I suffered red, irritated eyes because of the chemicals used in sunscreens and other moisturizers. Coconut oil is the least irritating moisturizer I have come across. It is also a natural sunscreen. So when visiting sunny climes, I will apply the coconut oil onto the hair as well as skin, as both will offer some protection from harmful UV rays. Coconut oil is also great for blending into a little foundation or powder to cover skin blemishes.

Oil Pulling to Get Rid of Oral Thrush

Coconut to Get rid of Oral Thrush

6 Coconut butter for oil pulling and mouthwash. Oil pulling is a technique for treating oral thrush and ridding of other toxins in the mouth. Best practiced first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Before breakfast, place a teaspoon or so of coconut oil into the mouth where the oil will soften. Swill around the mouth for twenty minutes. Get the oil between the teeth, under the tongue and within every cavity. The technique takes a little getting used to (I gagged once or twice). Don’t spit down the sink, as the oil could solidify and block the drains, spit outside or in a bin. Oil pulling is also great for dental health and treats bad breath. If need be, add a little oregano oil or cloves to really kill off that nasty candida on the tongue.

Natural Coconut Bath Oil Cleanser

7 Place a tablespoon of coconut butter into the bath with a little seasalt. This will create a moisturizing bath that leaves your skin feeling soft and silky. Adding a little seasalt, or dead seas salt (from Boots) creates a wonderful, all round cleansing tonic without irritants to cause dry skin. With such cleansing properties, little wonder coconut is an important ingredient for many soaps.

8 Massage coconut oil into dry, itchy skin to treat eczema. Coconut oil is great as an all over body oil and cleanser, particularly for itchy areas caused by eczema, dermatitis or other skin allergies. Not only does coconut oil improve the lipid levels in the skin, it is also an antifungal and mild antiseptic. This can help counter fungal infections and night time itching. I apply coconut oil to the insides of my elbows, knees and other itchy areas, particularly when itching starts up at night.

9 Natural lip balm. Place a little coconut oil into a small container for handy lip balm during cold, windy days. Tint with a little lipstick for a little colour. This will keep your lips moisturized and prevent chapping. It also tastes nice.

10 Strengthen and create supple fingernails by massaging a little coconut oil into the cuticles of the fingernails (and toenails if desired). This will counter ragged, rough fingernails and bringing smooth, strong nails over time.

11 Coconut oil makeup remover. I have sensitive eyes that are dry and get inflamed at every opportunity. Coconut oil is great for removing makeup without leaving your eyes stinging and watering. Place a little oil on a cotton but and gently sweep over the eyelids. A dab of coconut oil on cotton wool will easily remove the most stubborn makeup applied over the rest of the face.

12 Body scrub. Don’t waste lots of money on buying exotic body scrubs containing shredded apricot seeds and oils that leave your skin feeling dry or irritated. Rub your skin down with simple sea salt blended with a little coconut butter. This will create a nice, moisturizing cleanser for getting rid of dead skin cells, leaving you feeling clean and fresh. No allergies or dry skin to fear. Plus a disinfectant and antifungal.

Other articles on getting Candida out of your life

Oregano oil for getting rid of candida albicans
My candida diet
Make healthy green smoothies from your kitchen for great gut health