Coconut Oil

Don't you just love when your hair is so soft and silky that all you want to do is run your fingers through it over and over again? I used to only be able to do this if  I had just gotten it cut and blow dried professionally, since my hair tends to get frizzy unless I tame it with at least three different products..or fry it with a straightening iron. I recently re-discovered a method to condition my hair that was used by my family and many other people I know: coconut oil. One of my new years resolutions was to take great care of every part of my body-inside and out, so this in my opinion was a great start to doing just that.

I had originally bought this extra virgin organic coconut oil from the health food store to put in my protein shakes because I had learned amazing benefits of coconut oil when incorporated into your diet. Unfortunately I was being too hopeful that I could get past my disgust for anything coconut related, and when I tried my shake I just couldn't get it down. I sat there and got sad that I wasted about $18 on a really top notch product that I couldn't even bear the smell of. Then it hit me...why not just use it on my hair? Believe me when I tell you this, my hair will never be the same again. If you previously had split ends you will be amazed because the oil actually binds the ends together. .just check out your split ends before and after and you will notice a huge difference. My hair feels like it's straight out of a hair commercial. I do this about every 2 weeks or if I'm lazy then once a month when I do my face mask regimen. You can actually use this as a mask as well if you have dry skin.

Coconut Oil Hair Treatment: 

• Microwave or heat on stove top until melted 
• Cool slightly and rub into your hair from the roots all the way to the ends of your hair- taking extra care to coat every single end piece (My hair has a tendency to get oily fast so I omit the roots even though it's beneficial)
• Leave in for 10-15 minutes - if you have a towel heater wrap a warm towel around your hair
• Wash out and style 
• Admire your beautiful hair :) 

If you don't have an extreme aversion to coconut like I do, add the oil (good quality extra virgin) to your smoothies or use it for your cooking oil. A classmate told me she lost 15 pounds by replacing her cooking oils with coconut oil. This is because coconut oil is a medium chain fatty acid - as opposed to long chain fatty acids which is what we normally consume. In plain english this means that since they are shorter chains, they are quickly broken down by the body and then immediately used for energy rather than being stored away as fat. It's also a better oil to use for cooking because 1. It's healthier than corn or canola oil 2. It can withstand higher temperatures without becoming toxic- like olive oil does if heated at too high of a temperature. If you're adding it to a smoothie start off small, 1 tsp at a time. Cook it with strong tasting foods such as garlic and onions so the coconut taste doesn't linger. Coconut oil has been used in tropical areas as well as in India and Pakistan for centuries, however, only recently has it become popular in the field of nutrition and for a good reason:

Benefits of Coconut Oil: 

• Weight loss! Will boost metabolism 
• Contains lauric acid which is used by our body's immune system to fight off viruses, diseases, and harmful bacteria & can help with lowering cholesterol and blood pressure
• Can improve digestion
• Skin care: can help skin disorders such as eczema and can be used to prevent wrinkles
• Improves the body's ability to absorb minerals
• Many many more : check out this link for more benefits

Check out your local health food store or some grocery stores for a good quality extra virgin coconut oil in solid form. 

Sidenote: I get so excited when a friend or family member tells me that they've learned something valuable from my blog and actually took the advice that I post on here, so please leave comments and feedback I would love to hear what my readers have to say :)