Natural Skin and Body Care

I’ve been working with oils for the last three or so years, trying to find that perfect combination that would leave the skin smooth and soft.  Along the way, I’ve learned so much about these oils and their benefits.   While these oils are great for your skin, some of them are even more excellent when used in other ways.

Virgin Coconut Oil is one of these very versatile oils that is good for you inside and out.  Let’s take a look at this oil

Origins:  Virgin Coconut Oil is the oil that is pressed or extracted from the fresh meat of the coconut.  It melts on the skin and smells of fresh coconuts.

Benefits:  There are three ways that virgin coconut oil can benefit you and your body.

• Cooking – yes, you can cook with virgin coconut oil and it will not make your food taste like coconuts.  It’s a great monounsaturated fat that can be used for frying (yes, you’re not supposed to fry food, but you know full well we sometimes do), in smoothies ( a great energy source) and in salad dressings.
• On the skin – Use it straight as a natrually scented massage oil or as a lotion for those dry spots.  I often use it to cleanse my skin and remove makeup and the environmental “dirt” from the day.  It’s a gentle cleanser that leaves your skin feeling great.  (Did I also say it smells good too?)
• On the hair – I use coconut oil as an “cold oil” treatment for my hair.  I slather on as much as possible, pop on a plastic cap and tie a bandanna around my hairline because the oil will run in your eyes (ask me how I know).  After about 20-30 min, I rinse my hair using warm water and a dab of shampoo, not too much -don’t want to rinse all that good oil out of my hair!  I also use it as a hair oil for mine and my children’s hair.

Try a small sample of virgin coconut oil to see how it works for you!

Conclusion

Understand that while the USDA regulates agricultural ingredients that go into the organic body products, they do not regulate and have no authority over the labeling or production of products that do not utilize agricultural ingredients. Which basically means if that mascara you’re buying claims to be “organic” it’s most likely is not or it is “certified organic” by an entity other than the Department of Agriculture.

In addition, be aware that the organic body products that you may purchase in the store might also be certified by private agents that are not connected with the USDA and thus are subject to private standards, not the government’s.  AND containing organic ingredients doesn’t always mean chemical free.

I do not make the claim that my products are organic, although they are 95% natural.  The virgin coconut oil and the soybean oil that I use is certified organic because it can be and is used in cooking in the United States.  However, the shea butter that I use is not certified organic by the Department of Agriculture.  Shea butter is not recognized as ‘food’ in the United States and thus is not certified organic by the US Government.

Hopefully, this information will assist you in making an informed choice when you visit the personal care product section of your local store.

Your body needs vitamins, whether it be from food or supplments, in order to function properly.  Vitamin C is one such important vitamin.  A lack of vitamin C can lead to scurvy, a disease which manifests itself physicially through swollen legs, tiredness and itichiness.  Sailors in the 19th century were prone to this disease because of the lack of fresh fruits and vegetables on long sea journeys.  Today, the best way to provide the body with vitamin C is through foods sich as green peppers, citrus fruits, broccoli and tomatoes.  In addition, there are many drinks on the market such as Emergen-C and  supplements that you can take that will provide you with the Vitamin C that you need.

There are thirteen vitamins that the body needs a steady supply and vitamin C (sometimes called ascrobic acid) is one of them.  A few of these vitamins are fat-soluable, which basically means that our bodies can store them  for future use.  However, Vitamin C is not fat-soluble and thus is not stored by the body.  This means that in order to keep ourselves healthy and happy, we must ingest vitamin C, in one form or another, every day.  The recommended daily allowance of Vitamin C varies according to age, weight and health, but everyone should have vitamin C every day.

What is the purpose of Vitamin C?  vitamim C is an antioxidant, which basicallly means that it protects the body against free radicals in the environment that may cause cell damage.  In addition, vitamin C may also have anti-aging properties.  Large doses of Vitamin c (1000mg or more) may also assist in reducing or eliminating symptoms associalted with the common cold and may reduce the duration of a cold.  Please note that this information is not meant to diagnose or treat your specific condition.   Please do not make any changes to your current medical program without first consulting a medical professional.

If you and your doctor decide that taking Vitamin C supplements are right for you, be sure that you follow your doctor’s recommended rate of dosage.  Although your body does need Vitamin C on a daily basis, there is a possibility of taking too much vitamin C.  If you do take more Vitamin C than your body can properly use, you may experience diarrhea and other side effects.  In addition, check the labels of  Vitamin C supplements before purchasing, to ensure that you are buying the right dosage per pill.

Vitamin C is an essential vitamin for your health and well-being.  Take care to always include it in your diet.  Check with your doctor if you have any further questions about Vitam in C supplementation.