Tuesday, 31 December 2013

The Benefits of Coconut Oil

This article was sent to me by Tera Warner.  I am a great fan of hers and this is the very information I have been looking for.  READ........and LEARN

Update!  I originally bought Coconut Oil from the niternet and paid about £8 for it including postage.  I have just seen exactly the same thing  "KTC Pure Coconut Oil" in Tesco's for £2.25.  So if you want to try it - it just got cheaper!!! 

benefits of coconut oilThe Benefits of Coconut Oil

- by Rachel Redondo
There is something absolutely amazing about coconut oil. It’s like a gift from Mother Earth herself and it is the gift of all gifts indeed! There are so many health and beauty benefits from this one item alone, that it trumps all other beauty products in my book. It’s the one product that I will not go without and I buy in bulk (1 whole gallon at a time) because it has so many beneficial uses! Coconut oil is Queen! Here are a few reasons why:
It’s anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-microbial, anti-parasitic, and anti-inflammatory. Its non-toxic to humans and animals and it fights infection! It can be taken internally or externally for many different ailments or general health and wellness uses. It can be used as a personal hygiene tool as well as a preventative, aid, relief, or cure for many diseases. It can be used for cooking and also for many general around the home solutions for common household fixes. Coconut oil is THE item to have.

Coconut Oil Can Replace Many Toxic Beauty Care 

Products


coconut oil for hairAfter learning about the toxins and chemicals in the lotions and potions in our everyday household items, I tossed everything I had, and read everything I could on a healthy replacement. BAM! My ever growing love affair with coconut oil began.
In my household I like to buy a huge bulk gallon sized bucket of it. This is because I use it for so many different purposes throughout my home. It can be used to replace almost everything!  I have saved so much money just by replacing many house hold products with coconut oil. I actually like to buy different sized glass containers (variety sized mason jars work perfect), put some coconut oil in them and store them in specific areas throughout my house.
I keep one next to my shower as I use it both as a hair conditioning treatment and also as an all over body moisturizer. It cured my dry legs when I started using it after shaving to keep me smooth and moisturized and to prevent razor burn. I use it as a hair and scalp conditioner to give me healthy shiny locks and a moisturized, dandruff free scalp. You just goop it on, massage it in, and throw a shower cap on and let it sit over night. It keeps my locks luscious and my scalp flake free. I also like to use is as a lip conditioner, so I keep a little container handy in my purse.
I keep a little jar next to my bathroom sink to use in the morning before I brush my teeth as an “oil pull” source that helps stop gum bleeding and receding, and restores dental hygiene to great health. To oil pull, you just put a teaspoon of oil in your mouth and allow it to melt as you swish the oil around for 10 minutes. I usually do this right when I wake up and before brushing. Afterward I mix a bit with baking soda and brush my teeth with it as the anti-bacterial properties keep my mouth and gums free of the bad bacteria that cause damage to gum tissue. Doing this each morning helps keep my mouth healthy and happy.
You can even use coconut oil as makeup remover, hair gel, massage oil, or even for those moments in the bedroom when you need a little extra slipperiness (::blush::).

Coconut Oil for First Aid and General Health

coconut oil for skin
You can use it on bites, burns, and bruises for a quick pain relief and as an aid in a quick recovery. It reduces scarring and promotes healing.
If you take 1-2 tablespoons by mouth (like in a smoothie!) each day, the health benefits are endless. It helps clear acne, boosts your immune system, reverses aging, and helps promote your skins healthy glow. It’s been linked to the aiding, preventing, and relieving of several health problems including skin, liver, lung, and kidney diseases. It’s been known to help provide relief or aid in curing several diseases when applied topically, such as acne, athletes foot, canker sores, cellulite, cuts scrapes, burns, warts, etc.

Coconut Oil for Cooking and Uncooking


One of my most favorite uses for coconut oil is as a main ingredient when I make raw chocolate. Super yum! Its quick, easy, and sugar free. My recipe calls for only uncooked ingredients so it keeps the nutrient content high and its more easily processed and converted in your body (Recipe to come. Next post!)
When cooking, most oils are unsafe to use as the high temperatures required for cooking coverts the properties in most oils to dangerous substances in the body. But, if you are to cook with oil, coconut oil is said to be the best choice.
Coconut oil is incredible. It is truly a gift. The uses really are endless so be creative!
What do you love to use coconut oil for?  Let us know in the comments below!

Ready to Learn More About Pure, Health-Enhancing 

Beauty Care?


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You can read this article by Rachel Redondo here:- http://www.bodyenlightenment.me/blog/2012/03/benefits-of-coconut-oil/

Friday, 13 December 2013

Sugar Detox

Every time I manage to give something up I end up acquiring a new addiction.  When I gave up drinking I was so successful that I decided to give up smoking 3 weeks later.  I thought I had cracked it.  Unfortunately I then reacquired my habit of eating enormous amounts of chocolate each day.  It didn't happen straight away.  At first I was just eating one bar a day.  I didn't realise that without the alcohol my stress levels were going through the roof.  I had been drinking to blot those out and very successfully too, might I add.

11 Things a Sugar Detox Can Do for You


By Dan DeFigio from Beating Sugar Addiction For Dummies
Sugar, in excessive amounts, is one of the most harmful substances you can eat. When you look at a piece of candy, a soda, or a bag of pastries, you may not think of the word toxin, but refined sugars (along with other artificial sweeteners) place a huge physiological stress on your body’s systems.
High blood sugar levels cause damage to blood vessels and organs, and high insulin levels promote fat storage. Sugar makes your immune system less effective and creates a strong inflammatory response throughout the body. Getting off sugar can end all that!

Aiding weight loss

When you stop feeding yourself empty sugar calories, and when your insulin levels aren’t elevated from eating too many carbohydrates, you begin to lose weight. More specifically (and more importantly), you begin to lose body fat.

Thursday, 5 December 2013

B12 deficiency: a silent epidemic with serious consequences

By  on May 6, 2011 

elderly woman looking distressedWhat do all of these diseases have in common?
  • Alzheimer’s, dementia, cognitive decline and memory loss (collectively referred to as “aging”)
  • Multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological disorders
  • Mental illness (depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, psychosis)
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Learning or developmental disorders in kids
  • Autism spectrum disorder
  • Autoimmune disease and immune dysregulation
  • Cancer
  • Male and female infertility
Answer: they can all mimic the signs and symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency.

B12 deficiency: an invisible epidemic

B12 deficiency isn’t a bizarre, mysterious disease. It’s written about in every medical textbook and its causes and effects are well-established in the scientific literature.
However, B12 deficiency is far more common than most health care practitioners and the general public realize. Data from the Tufts University Framingham Offspring Study suggest that 40 percent of people between the ages of 26 and 83 have plasma B12 levels in the low normal range – a range at which many experience neurological symptoms. 9 percent had outright deficiency, and 16 percent exhibited “near deficiency”. Most surprising to the researchers was the fact that low B12 levels were as common in younger people as they were in the elderly.
That said, B12 deficiency has been estimated to affect about 40% of people over 60 years of age. It’s entirely possible that at least some of the symptoms we attribute to “normal” aging – such as memory loss, cognitive decline, decreased mobility, etc. – are at least in part caused by B12 deficiency.

4 Herbs to Cleanse Your Liver

The liver is arguably your body’s most important detoxification organ.  It helps with the digestion and metabolism of fat, and detoxifies your body of harmful pollutants, food additives, and other toxins.  Here are four herbs to help cleanse your liver:

Milk Thistle (Silybum Marianum)The primary medicinal ingredient in milk thistle is called silymarin.  This compound protects the liver by inhibiting damaging substances in the liver that cause liver cell damage.  Silymarin also stimulates liver cell regeneration to help the liver rebuild after it has been damaged.  Silymarin also helps to prevent the depletion of the nutrient glutathione—one of the most critical nutrients for liver detoxification.
Silymarin in milk thistle seeds is not very water-soluble so does not extract well into tea.  Instead, take a standardized extract containing about 140 mg of silymarin for liver cleansing and protection.
Dandelion Root (Taraxacum Officinale)Nature grows a liver-cleansing pharmacy every spring.  It is the dreaded weed that most people curse as it pokes its yellow-flowered head through the green of their lawn.  Dandelion is one of Mother Nature’s finest liver herbs.
The Australian Journal of Medical Herbalism cited two studies that showed the liver regenerative properties of dandelion in cases of jaundice, liver swelling, hepatitis, and indigestion.  If you choose to incorporate dandelion root into your liver cleansing efforts, take 500 to 2000 mg daily in capsules.  Alternatively, you can make a decoction by using two teaspoons of powdered dandelion root per cup of water.  Bring to a boil and simmer for fifteen minutes.  Drink one cup, three times daily.


Globe Artichoke (Cynara Scolymus)Globe Artichoke contains compounds called caffeylquinic acids which have demonstrated powerful liver regenerating effects similar to milk thistle.  Globe artichoke is usually found in capsule form.  Doses range from 300 to 500 mg daily.
Turmeric (Curcuma longa)A commonly-used spice in Indian curries, turmeric helps regenerate liver cells and cleanse it of toxins.  Turmeric also increases the production of bile to help expel toxins and may help reduce liver inflammation.  In studies turmeric has also been shown to increase levels of two liver-supporting enzymes that promote Phase 2 liver detoxification reactions.  Turmeric comes in capsules and tablets, sometimes under the label, “curcumin,” which is the key ingredient in turmeric.  Follow package instructions.  You can also add ground turmeric to soups, stews, and curries.
Always consult your holistically-minded physician prior to taking any herbs.  This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat illness.
Adapted with permission from The 4-Week Ultimate Body Detox Plan by Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD.
You can read the article here:- http://www.care2.com/greenliving/4-herbs-to-cleanse-your-live.html?page=1