Hello friends,

When you hear coconut, you probably think tropical, but coconut oil is actually quite the health powerhouse year-round. Here are just a few ways we've been using it lately. 

Enjoy and be well.

xoxo,

Sukey

Coconut oil can be a powerful addition to your health and beauty routine—and to your medicine cabinet. Just a quick glance at its benefits makes us wonder why it took us so long to discover this helpful and healthful gem.

Coconut oil owes its powerhouse profile to a combination of three acids: lauric, capric and caprylic. Lauric acid has antibacterial and antiviral properties, making it a triple threat to a variety of illnesses such as the flu, sinus infections and allergies. Capric acid helps balance insulin levels, so it can aid in the fight against diabetes and hypoglycemia. Caprylic acid is anti-fungal and is often used to treat digestive issues.

So how can you put coconut oil to work for you?

Add it to Your Diet. With its triumvirate of helpful acids, it's no wonder that doctors of Ayurvedic medicine have long praised coconut oil for its ability to calm and balance the body. Some nutritionists recommend coconut oil for weight loss because its fats are easily converted into energy, enhancing endurance and making workouts more effective. Try this:

• Add a tablespoon to your smoothie.
• Use it instead of olive oil in your salad dressing.
• Cook with it when you're stir-frying veggies or making kale chips.
• Try it in place of the butter or oil in muffins and desserts.

Make a Hair Mask. Applied to hair, coconut oil will repair damaged hair, promote healthy growth and shine and even prevent dandruff. Gently warm a few tablespoons of coconut oil, work it into your hair from roots to ends and massage it into your scalp. Leave it in for an hour, or wear a shower cap and let it soak in overnight for a deeply nourishing treatment. Then shampoo and style as usual. Your hair will feel luxuriously soft, and the scent will transport you to the tropics.

Let Your Skin Soak it In. Coconut oil repairs dry skin and prevents premature signs of aging, so make it your regular massage oil. For those with skin issues such as eczema and psoriasis, coconut oil can bring quick relief and provide significant long-term improvement. Apply it in the shower and rinse it off for an all-over body moisturizer, or use it like a lotion before bed. It's a bit too heavy to use during the daytime unless your skin is really dry.

Heal Your Aches and Pains. Applied topically, coconut oil speeds up the healing process by forming a protective seal that keeps out infection. Massage it over cuts and bruises and swab it onto fungal infections. You can even take a teaspoon by mouth to soothe a sore throat.

Given its inexpensive price tag, coconut oil might just be the best health investment you've made all summer.

The Well Wisdom: Make sure to buy organic virgin coconut oil. Coconut oil that has been partially hydrogenated contains trans fats, which increase bad cholesterol. Unprocessed coconut oil, on the other hand, contains lauric, capric and caprylic acids, those medium chain fatty acids that are so good for you.