Wonderful Coconut Oil

This time of year there are a lot of bugs going around. People are getting sick with colds, the flu, pneumonia, even seasonal allergies. So today I thought I'd repost some information about coconut oil that I've shared before, as well as adding some new thoughts about it. It's a wonderful multi-purpose tool for better health.

For years I used only canola oil and olive oil in cooking and on my food. Some people told me about many dangers of canola oil, while others held that it was healthy for the body. Considering all of the information about the possible dangers of canola oil, I decided it was wiser to remove this oil completely from my diet. 

At the same time, I discovered many health experts recommending coconut oil. This oil is anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-viral, good for the immune system, and more. It's great for cooking, since it's the only oil stable enough for high cooking temperatures. It is also excellent for baking and for putting on food instead of margarine (which is toxic).

If you want to read more about coconut oil, Dr. Mercola has tons of great information on his website. He also has a list of requirements for the kind of coconut oil you should buy (not all coconut oil is created equal). Here are his recommendations:

• Certified organic by USDA standards
• No refining
• No chemicals added (including hexane)
• No bleaching
• No deodorization
• No hydrogenation
• Made from traditional coconut palms only, no hybrid or genetically modified (GMO) varieties
• Made from fresh coconuts, not the dried "copra" used in cheap oils
• Made without heat processing
(from: http://products.mercola.com/coconut-oil/)

If you're still using canola, vegetable, or other possibly harmful oils, I hope you'll check out this info and switch to coconut oil. (I do still use olive oil, but only for putting on my food, not for cooking.) 

In addition to eating coconut oil, you can use it on the skin for many different things.

*If you have a cold, flu, sinus infection, etc. you can rub coconut oil on the affected area, such as throat, sinuses, lungs, etc. It should help fight the infection, clear congestion, etc. 

*You can rub coconut oil on your feet where all your nerve endings are, for general immune boosting. 

*You can use coconut oil during your lymphatic massage, which is a very therapeutic technique. 

*You can use coconut oil daily as a healthy lotion.

*You can use coconut oil on bug bites or bee stings.

Well, I hope this information is helpful and that if you haven't already, you'll begin to benefit from this wonderful tool of coconut oil.