35 Uses for Coconut Oil

Crunchy Mamas Do It With Coconut Oil!

35 Uses for Coconut Oil

1. Body Lotion
2. Oil Pulling -- This is a great way to detox!
3. Splinter Removal -- Put on a small amount of CCO and cover with a bandage. The oil soaks in and the wood pops out overnight.
4. Shaving Cream -- Leaves skin feeling so smooth and soft.
5. Deep Conditioner for Hair and Scalp -- Rub into hair and scalp, leave it for as long as you can, then wash it away.  You may have to rinse and repeat to clean away all the excess oil. 
6. Cuticle Oil
7. Diaper Rash Ointment. It's cloth diaper safe!
8. Rub on Newborn's Bottoms to Keep Meconium from Sticking to Baby's Skin
9. Massage Oil
10. Ditch the K-Y and use it as Lube!  You're going to come back and thank me for this one :-)
11. Feed it to Cats to Alleviate Hair Balls
12. Feed it to Dogs for a Healthier, Shinier Coat
13. Face Wash and Moisturizer in One
14. Lip Balm
15. Topically CCO Helps Heal Canker or Cold Sores
16. Hemorrhoid Cream
17. Use on Underarms as a Natural Deodorant
18. On Baby Bump or Stretch Marks
19. Make Miracle Soup when your not feeling well --saute a small sliced onion with at least 6 cloves of garlic in 1-2 TBSP of coconut oil, stirring occasionally, until soft and as brown as you like. Add 4 Cups Veggie Stock and 4-6 peeled, cubed potatoes. Simmer until potatoes are cooked through, then mash with a potato masher until smooth-ish. Salt and pepper to taste.
20. Spread on Toast instead of Butter
21. Replace Unhealthy Oils like Vegetable, Soy, Corn or Canola Oil in Recipes
22. Use it to Make Homemade Body Scrub -- Here's my recipe: Organic Grapefruit Body Scrub
23. For Dry or Cracked Heals -- Rub it in at night, put on wool or cotton socks, go to sleep, wake up softer.
24. Hair Gel -- This works well for short wet-look styles.
25. Hot Tea or Coffee Creamer
26. Make-up Remover
27. Natural Sunscreen - SPF 4
28. Use on Perineum for Healing after Childbirth
29. Athlete's Foot Ointment
30. Use with Apple Cider Vinegar to Kill Head Lice
31. Whiting Toothpaste -- Just Mix with Baking Soda
32. Natural Laxative and Stool Softener
33. Whip 1 Part Cocoa Butter: 4 parts CCO for a Soothing Body Butter
34. Use it to Make Natural Vapor Rub
35. Cure Thrush -- Apply to Breastfeeding Mom's Nipples and in Baby's Mouth

Leave me a comment: What are your favorite healthy uses for coconut oil?

Let's see how many different uses we can come up with!

The Daily Crunch: Fragrance Equals Toxic Chemicals

Fragrance equals toxic chemicals on your skin, hair, clothes, bedsheets, in your lungs and bloodstream! Yuck!
Used in laundry detergents, fabric softeners, dryer sheets, cleaning supplies, disinfectants, air fresheners, deodorizers, shampoos, hair sprays, gels, lotions, sunscreens, soaps, perfumes, powders, and scented candles—and dozens of other products . . .

synthetic fragrances may be the most common type of toxic chemical in your house.

Fragrances are a class of chemicals that are well worth the time and effort to avoid. The term “fragrance” or “parfum” on personal-care-product labels can be a cover for hundreds of harmful chemicals known to be carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, and reproductive toxicants even at low levels.

What to use instead: Go the unscented route whenever possible, especially with soaps and detergents. Avoid any kind of air freshener or deodorizer, including sprays, gels, solid disks, and oils, suggests Anne Steinemann, PhD, a University of Washington researcher who focuses on fragrances in consumer products. “These products do not clean or disinfect the air, but they do add hazardous chemicals to the air we breathe,” she says. “Instead of chemical air fresheners, freshen the air with better ventilation and by setting out some baking soda,” she suggests. You also can place a bowl of white vinegar in a room to dispel a funky smell.

Here are some Crunchville Fragrance-Free Favorites:

• Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild Soap -- This is the only body soap we use at our house . .  in the bath and as hand soap in foaming pumps.
• Kiss My Face Deodorant Stick Natural Active Life Aluminum & Fragrance Free -- I thought I'd never find a crunchy alternative to Secret, but this one works really well for me and I love not poisoning myself with my deodorant everyday.
• Spectrum Organic Unrefined Coconut Oil -- Coconut oil is so multipurpose! You can replace your moisturizer, shaving cream, body lotion, conditioner*, hair gel*, personal lubricant :-), etc with this versatile gem! *Be careful putting it in your hair at first. It only works for some hair types. Sadly, mine is not one of them.
• Seventh Generation Natural Free & Clear Dish Liquid Soap -- Works just as well as Palmolive or Dawn, but it's not poisoning you and your family.
• Woolzies Wool Dryer Balls -- Skip the toxic and often expensive fabric softener or dryer sheets in favor of these natural and reusable dryer balls. After you stop using those harsh, chemically-scented products, you will notice just how nasty they truly smell when you do encounter them on other peoples' clothes or in their homes.

Sources: 

http://rodale.menshealth.com/12-household-toxins-you-should-banish-your-home?page=3

http://www.regardingcaroline.com/fragrance

The Daily Crunch: Crunchy Mamas Do It With Coconut Oil

Crunchy Mamas Do It With Coconut Oil!

Leave me a comment: What are your favorite healthy uses for coconut oil?
Let's see how many different uses we can come up with!