The Benefits of Coconut Oil

You know the man in My Big Fat Greek Wedding who swears on windex as the cure for everything? That’s how I feel about coconut oil. I first discovered how amazing coconut oil is when I was searching for a lotion. I like to be cognizant about what I put on my body and lotions can be filled with a lot of toxic chemicals. As with foods, it’s important to carefully read the ingredients in lotion, although most of the time we’re not thinking about ingredients, we  just search for what will give us that radiant Jennifer Lopez like skin.

Here’s the thing. The skin is a permeable membrane, which means anything that you put on the skin gets absorbed in the body. That is why medications such as the birth control patch works so well in preventing pregnancy. The estrogen and progesterone in the patch gets absorbed through the skin and into the blood system. So it’s important to have the same mindset with lotion, especially if you are putting it over your breast which has thinner and more permeable skin.

So what better than a lotion that has only one ingredient and is so safe you can actually eat it? Coconut oil! Coconut oil is extracted from the coconut fruit and acts as a natural antibacterial and antifungal ointment. It also contains skin healing and restorative nutrients such as Vitamin E which helps prevent aging and wrinkles.  According to Ayurvedic practices, coconut oil is effective in treating certain skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis. Using coconut oil on minor wounds, burns and cuts is a great beauty hack since it contains antioxidants that stimulate collagen growth. I also love to use it as an all natural make up remover. It breaks down the most stubborn of makeup (like waterproof mascara) while hydrating the delicate skin around the eyes. You can also use coconut oil as a base for matte lipsticks. It makes for a bold lip with color that stays on for several hours.

Ayurvedic medicine also uses coconut oil for “oil pulling”. This is a strategy of cleaning the mouth and gums, which contain bacteria, by swishing oil in the mouth for 20 minutes. Oil pulling is best done in the morning, before eating or drinking and it has been proven to be a very effective and natural way to clean your gums and whiten your teeth.

For cooking, I use coconut oil for anything that I used to use butter for. I also substituted dairy milk with coconut milk for its excellent source of triglycerides and MCTs, which helps your body make more ketones.  

So give it a try and let me know what you think. As always, please feel free to share or comment bellow and send in any questions you may have.

Yours,

Serena, WHNP, MPH, CLC