You have probably used coconut oil before. But, are you aware of all the benefits that coconut oil can bring you?
Here is a guide on using coconut oil for health and beauty, as well as some of its known side-effects.
What coconut oil can be used for
Coconut oil is a famous addition to beauty routine, food, and cosmetic products. It has many different uses and some of them are:
- To increase your appetite
- To protect you from the sun
- Improve metabolism
- Cooking at high temperature
- Improve the health of your teeth
- Helps skin irritation and eczema
- Improves brain function
- Make a healthy mayonnaise
- Moisturizer
- Fight infections
- Relieve pain or itching from bites
- Reduce belly fat
- Hair protection
- Massage for newborns
- Reduce hunger
- Boost bone health
- Removes stains
- Natural deodorant
- Heal nails and cuticles
- Make wood shine
- Remove makeup
- As a chapstick
How to use coconut oil
Coconut oil is certainly a superfood and an amazing resource of nutrients for your body. It’s also great as a beauty tool, for everything from top to bottom. You have probably used it yourself before. But some people use it the wrong way and get poor results.
Here is how to use it right to reap all of the benefits of coconut oil:
- Treat your damaged hair
You can use coconut oil for your hair, as mentioned. It works for dry, frizzy and damaged hair. The fatty acids in the coconut oil make your hair softer and enter the follicle, keeping all of the moisture inside.
To use it properly, put a small amount of it in your hands and put it in your hair from roots to your ends. The best way to do that is to take one section at a time.
You should also comb through the hair, pack it in a towel and wait for at least 15 minutes before rinsing. The most effective way to leave it in is to sleep with it and then rinse with a mild shampoo in the morning.
You should also warm the oil up before using it on your hair.
- Use it as a makeup remover
There is no other natural tool that can be so effective with taking your makeup off. Whether it’s waterproof mascara or any other kind of makeup, you can remove it.
To use coconut oil properly, rub some coconut oil into a cotton pad and then use it on your makeup. After all of your skin has been softened by the oil, you can wash your face with a mild soap or a cleanser to get all of the oil out.
- Use it as a body scrub
This is a simple recipe that can do wonders for your skin. Mix a tablespoon of coconut oil with a tablespoon of ground coffee and then proceed to scrub. When you need more of it, keep the same ratio. You can also use ground sea salt and sugar.
- Body moisturizer
This can be an excellent body lotion. Even if it is an oil it’s great at moisturizing the skin and it can help you ditch the chemical-filled lotions. A thin layer of coconut oil is enough to make your skin look good and smell divine.
- It can tame your frizz
When you apply a small amount of coconut oil on your hair, it can work as a tool against frizz and make your hair look shiny and smooth.
- It can serve as a shaving balm
If you want to keep your skin smooth after shaving, you should spread a layer of coconut oil over your legs and then shave. Your legs will be smooth and shiny.
- You can use it as a face mask
This is a simple recipe that you can use when you really want to feed your skin with healthy nutrients. Mix one tablespoon of honey with one tablespoon of coconut oil. Make sure that it’s melted. Then, let it sit for about 20 minutes and apply it as a mask. You can remove it with a warm cloth.
Coconut oil benefits for hair
People from tropical countries have always had shiny and thick hair because of coconut. This is the first plant oil ever used by mankind and it can be used both internally and externally. If you want beautiful skin and hair, coconut oil is the way to go.
Why use it?
- Stimulates hair growth because it can get deep into the follicles
- Creates a healthier scalp by fighting dandruff
- Moisturizes dry hair
- Adds shine to your hair and makes it softer
- Prevents breakage of your hair ends which contributes to hair length
- It can slow down hair loss
To get the most benefits, apply it all over your scalp and hair. Comb it out and rinse.
So, how does it work on the hair?
Here are some ways:
- Coconut oil prevents damage the hair gets by swelling and filling with water.
- This oil can also prevent the loss of protein which causes the hair to be weak and look unhealthy. This is the only oil that can do that.
- It can be a powerful conditioner because it conditions from within which keeps the hair shiny and silky, protected from damage.
- Antibacterial properties in coconut have been proven to reduce the amount of bacteria on the scalp and protect it from damage.
- As an addition, coconut oil can prevent grey hair and keep the dark hair dark for much longer.
How to eat coconut oil
There have been numerous studies on coconut oil and its benefits as far as consuming it in food goes. The scientists have found that to reap the most benefits from this healthy food, you should use 2 tablespoons. You can drink it in your coffee or tea.
Use it as a replacement for other oils in cooking and store it in a cupboard rather than the fridge.
Coconut oil is a great superfood and beauty remedy which you can use in all aspects of your life. However, make sure that you use it responsibly and while being aware of possible side effects. Hopefully it will help you with health and beauty.
What are the side effects of coconut oil?
Even though coconut oil does have numerous benefits, you shouldn't take it lightly. However, most people do – they just get a jar in a grocery store without knowing what kind of side-effects it can create.
When consuming something new, whether internally or externally, it's always good to look for possible reports of accidents and side effects.
It can increase cholesterol levels – Coconut oil may not be so healthy after all. Some other oils are more effective and much better for overall health. While coconut oil still promotes good cholesterol, it's still not a replacement for healthier oils.
It cause allergies – Coconut allergies are not so common but still exist. Allergic reactions include nausea, eczema, hives, anaphylaxis, rashes etc. People with allergy to peanuts rarely have an allergy to coconuts.
It can harm the heart – Since coconut oil can cause cholesterol, it can also harm your heart. Eating less saturated fats prevents heart attack while coconut oil has more saturated fats than olive oil, for instance.
It can cause diarrhea – Some say that coconut oil can cause diarrhea as well. This is mostly because you can take it orally to fight bacterial infection. However, because the bacteria gets destroyed, you could have diarrhea.
It can cause an acne breakout – If you have especially oily skin, you should avoid coconut oil completely since it can worsen your state. You can, however, use it as a base for other, essential oils.
It can create intestinal distress – People who have trouble processing fructose have intestinal distress which can be in many products which contain coconut. If you have these issues, stay away from coconut oil products.
It can cause allergies in kids – It can be good for children but a side-effect must be kept in mind if you want them to benefit from it. If your kid has hypothyroidism, you should not allow them to take any coconut or related products.
It can cause a headache – People who opt to detoxify with coconut oil often have headaches. Especially those struggling with yeast infection.
It can cause problems with oil pulling – Being sensitive to coconut oil, you should avoid oil pulling. Use sesame or sunflower oil is just as effective. However, you need to brush your teeth daily since that is the best way to clean your teeth.
It’s not very good as a lubricant – While coconut oil is natural, you shouldn’t use it as a lubricant because it has not been tested in that sense yet. Using it as lubricant can also cause yeast infections.
It can cause candida – Coconut oil can help with candida but it can also cause what is called the die-off symptoms or toxins released by the dying candida.
It can cause liver damage – Coconut oil fatty acids are transported to the liver too quickly and this can put stress on the liver and harm the organ over time.
When you decide that you want to start using coconut oil, you should check with your doctor first and start with small doses so that you can test the effects and avoid the side-effects.
References
https://www.luxyhair.com/blogs/hair-blog/7-ways-to-use-coconut-oil-in-your-beauty-routine
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-eat-coconut-oil
https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/unexpected-side-effects-of-coconut-oil/#gref
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