Virgin Coconut Oil

In the last several days I have spoken to a few on UKY about my findings of Coconut Oil.  In the last few years, the findings and benefits of coconut oil have been really hitting the health market.  

I found this by mistake as I was searching for a base oil for my skin care products I make with essential oils...  and I am so happy for such a mistake...  I read all the information I could find to make sure it was not just a gimmick...I ordered the book "The Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil" by Bruce Fife, N.D. and I shared an order of 1 jar with me sister so that we could test it ourselves.  That was close to 2 months ago...  The Virgin Coconut Oil from the USA site of http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/virgin_coconut_oil.htm was in a 2 month backorder...  so we found another one called Omega, which is organic, basically the same as virgin except that it is expellor pressed to take away most of the coconut flaver...  btw, the virgin coconut oil (that I finally recieved last week) has a coconut flavor to it...but it is very light and pleasant.  

In the past couple weeks I have seen a very noticable difference in my skin and activities...  I normally have very VERY sensitive and dry skin...  I suffer from psoriasis (had eczema in here by mistake, get them confused word wise) on my elbows and other areas... and I have rosacia on my face...  bad enough that my face always looks like I am sunburned around my nose and chin.  My hair is very thick and course, makibng it necessary to use conditioners all the time and even then it can be taxing to look and feel soft.

In the last 2 weeks... after 2 months of faithfully using coconut oil...  in all of my cooking needs as well as taking 2 tbls. each morning.

1.  The redness of my rosacia has diminished significantly and I have not had to wear makeup to cover it.

2.  my elbows are becoming smooth and the dry patches have all but gone

3.  my skin has a natural moisture to it that is completely shocking me...  as well as my dermatologist when I saw her a couple weeks ago...  she wanted to know what has happened...LOL, and believe it or not...at the time, I did not think of the coconut oil and just said "I do not know"

4.  I get up at 330 am every morning to go to work...it is a long day and a long drive both ways...  usually getting home around 4pm if all goes well...  the last couple weeks, I have been more energetic and lasting happily on 6 hours of sleep.

5.  I have begun to have an excellent source of energy to do my workouts...  going non-stop for about an hour... and also very pleased to say that my knees have been a lot more flexable which allowed me to begin my regular walks again.

6.  This may not be important to some...  but the older you get, the more a need for fiber in your diet..  well, I have not needed to add this and all is working very well indeed.  

7.  My nails have been growing very fast and a lot stronger... big plus with wedding coming up...  in fact...I am having to cut them once a week so they do not get too long.

8.  This past week I decided to try the coconut oil for my hair also to see what the effects would be...  I was scared to death that it would turn out to be a greasy mess...  I covered and massaged the oil into my scalp and all over hair on friday morning...  I placed a shower cap over it to allow it to stay warm...  I took the shower cap off about 3 hours later and (still with oil in) went to the store for a few things...  When I got home...about 6 hours after treating hair...  and mind, it was oily...yet not grossly oiled down...  I took a shower to wash my hair...  It only took 2 washings to get the oil out...  and my hair dried so silky smooth it was not funny...  it was shinier than ever...  soft and very manageable...  I kept thinking it must still have oil in it...and rubbed with my fingers...  but no oil...  same with my face...  I keep wondering if the moisture is oil...but when I run a finger on it..  it is clean and dry...  just pure soft.

9.  One last note...  I have always cooked with olive oil but never really like the after taste to it...  I still will use olive oil because it is also very good for you (and the site promotes olive oil also)...  but I am really enjoying the taste of my food now...  

I for one am completely sold...  LOL, Can you Tell?   and will definitely be using it for my skin care products and bath oils... as well as everything else for a long time to come.

Lisa E was kind enough to find some sites today for UK suppliers of Virgin Coconut Oil...

Go to these sites and read a little about what they are saying...  judge for yourself if you are so inclined...  and let me know how things go for you...  

Shel

From LisaE.

Well, I'm sold, but the site you gave is US-based and won't ship here /
 
So I did a little digging...
 
http://www.ec-uk.net/catalog1.asp?ShopRef=165&CatID=145 Coconut Connections offers several sizes, ranging from £14.95 to £322.50  
 
http://www.coconut-oil-uk.com/Virgin-Coconut-Oil.html From East offers a 450ml tub at £14.97  
 
http://www.virgincoconutoil.co.uk/ Omega Coconut Oil is  available at a 454gm size for £11.90 by postal order (online order is extra)  
 
http://www.health-interlink.co.uk/Coconut.html Garden of Life also offers a good explanation of the benefits, ingredients, etc.  

I may have to investigate further....  

Thanks for sharing this with us!

And I looove watching the days go down on your signature,tho not,I imagine, as much as you do!

wench

Cool...I very much like watching them go down ...  

Hair Conditioning regime...  straight from the book "The Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil."  The bold remarks are from me...rest is out of the book.  Let me know if you wish to know anything else from the book?

Noted NY hair stylist Amanda George gives credit to VCO (virgin coconut oil) for her luxurious hair.  "I massage 2 tsps of warm VCO into my hair before bed, then wash it out in the morning."   (I do not do this way because my hair is too thick and only wash it 2 times a week)The result is hair is soft and shimmering (I can attest to that from my doing it).  To warm the oil, place the bottle in warm water...or run it briefly under hot tap water. (I bought some empty squeeze bottles for the various different tasks I use VCO for.)

Beauticians who are familiar with VCO swear by it.  They claim that it can be just as effective for conditioning hair as a $40. or $50 salon treatment.  And you can do it at home yourself.

 A little oil (2 tsps) can be applied at night and washed out in the morning...or you can use a little more and thoroughly soak the hair for an hour or two before washing.  Some people prefer to put the oil on, cover the head with a shower cap, and then take a long relaxing bath.  After about an hour the oil is washed off.  This process can be repeated every few days.  (this is what I am doing...  because my hair is so thick, dry and curly...  I leave in for about 4 hours, then wash out...  I will do this once a week)

Another advantage of using VCO as a hair conditioner is that it will help control dandruff, and it is much safer than using the chemically treated shampoos.  

Well, I just so happen to check my card from the postman and it looks like the PO opens at 7 AM.  So I may have to traipse over there a little early tomorrow and go pick up my package!  I'm looking forward to trying it.  Sounds like there's so many advantages to using it.  I was thinking about the squeeze bottle idea myself!

I wrote to coconut connections yesterday in the UK to see if they would allow me to purchase from USA and have delivered in the UK...  They were exceptionally nice and obliging towards me...  They also told me that they were the largest importers of VCO in the UK and that most health stores cary their brand...  thought I would pass that along...  making it also nice to know that it can be found in stores...  (although I imagine very pricey in them)

per LisaE:
http://www.ec-uk.net/catalog1.asp?ShopRef=165&CatID=145 Coconut Connections offers several sizes, ranging from £14.95 to £322.50  

Hi there,

I am not sure why anyone should be having any problems finding coconut oil---go to your local Indian-Pakistani grocery and surely you will find it!   I know if you live in England there must be a shop close to you

During the summer time I do not need to use too much coconut oil as neither my hair or skin gets overly dry...but you can bet for winters in Minneapolis I am all over that stuff.

For my hair I usually like to mix it will a little Shikakai/amla and neem poweder* and leave it in for a couple of hours or overnight. I have never used it on my skin but I may try it!

I have to say Ayuvedic and natural components are great for hair and skin. I should know....I sit on my hair! I attribute this to such products and solid Native American genetics.

cheers,

Samantha***

*All these can be purchased at your local Indo-Pak groccery. I use "parachute" brand coconut oil.

Ok, couple questions...

1)  Do you use the oil as a conditoner, but use an actual shampoo to clean the hair?  Or is that the actually "cleanser" and you use no other?

2)  As for the skin, do you just slather it on like lotion?  Or are you JUST getting the benefits from eating with it?

Thanks!!!

-Lisa-

LOL, Lisa...  I thought Buffy was cute until I saw your meaning for it...  So I will continue to call you Lisa...cause no way will I think of you as you stated  .

As for the coconut oil...  when you condition your hair with it...  it is like a precondition before the shampoo...  let it sit in your hair for a while...  then wash hair as normal...  making sure you shampoo twice... it is oil after all, and you want to get it out of hair... (lol, my sister did it for the first time last night...  she drenched hair and slept on it [poor pillow]...  then just washed it once...and turned to me this afternoon and stated... the coconut oil has made my hair greasy...  I had no idea how she had used it...and her fiance was laughing as he told me...  I love her...  but sometimes I wonder)

My skin has changed from consuming coconut oil with cooking and making sure I have had 4 tbls's worth a day...  however, it is also suppose to be good as a topical...  and just got out of a nice hot bath of Coconut oil, lavender and rosemary... plus I have started to massage a little into certain areas a few days ago...

I joined a VCO discussion group just to see what others think and say about it...  people are using it for many things...  of course some I feel I must laugh at...  but ya never know.

Thank you for you comments Samantha...  I am jealous that you can sit on your hair...  

Dr John at work was telling me yesterday that coconut oil was lost within most society because of the fear of saturated fats... He grew up in the Tropics and was saying all the different ways it use to be used...
I only wish I knew long ago...could have saved myself many years of itchy dry skin and dull dry hair

I must ask...  What is Shikakai/amla and neem poweder* as well as Ayuvedic?  and is the oil virgin or organic?  I know you can find Coconut oil in oriental stores as well...  but I have neither types of stores anywhere around me... I read that you need to make sure the oil is processed as cold pressed for the best nutrients... is this true?

Shel, when you say you "take" 2 tbls of it each day, does that mean you grab a gob of it on a spoon and just eat it? Or is it that you try to take (in some form or another) that amount? I have this tub and I am at a loss...I can cook with it, and I now see the hair treatment using it, and I'm seeing how one can rub it on stuff...just wondering what you're doing to "take" so much of it consistently. (I lack imagination AND the willpower to read up on all of this myself.)

Lisa, I normally take 1 or 2 tablespoons in the morning...straight...it is not bad tasting...  and the rest I get with cooking...  I do drink a glass of water after the spoons though...  

LOL, I did my hair this morning...since it is my day off of work...  and tossed it up in a bun and went shopping all day for the wedding...   ...  it is still in hair...  starting to feel like a tossed salad...  LOL, but was running late getting home and now Tom time on computer...

I think I might have to work up to that. maybe the tste won't be bad...just thinking "eeewww, eating congealed coconut-flavored Crisco".

Well, I got my coconut oil this morning.  Let it settle a bit before opening it up.  Opened it and wow...it was still partially solid.  I guess I was expecting it to be liquid.  Dipped a spoon in and gave it a taste.  Didn't really notice one but then that's me.  I couldn't bring myself to spoon it up and eat it in it's solid state, so I heated up some pasta and mixed a spoonful in with that.  I wouldn't say it's a taste to rave about, but it went alright.  Thing I will need to do the warm water thing to liquify it more if I were to take a spoonful of it just straight!

indeed....ewww, I could not go the solid route either...  Have not tried in pasta yet...  normally use olive oil for that...  but now that I think of it, I have not had pasta in a long time...

Did it get shipped to you all solid?  wondering if the distributor stores it cold?  mine comes in liquid form...  only have a hard time with my small bottle at work getting solid because of the AC...

only need to place your bucket or jar in warm water...  and does not need to be stored in refridge...  it has a shelf life of at least 3 years... only cause they have not tested it longer than that yet.  It makes me feel icky when I see it in solid form...  although it is suppose to be a great replacement of lard or butter in baking also in its solid form.