I love to use this as an external therapy for my skin as well.
It has unbelievable healing properties that most people don't know about. I always have a bottle or two in my cupboard for cooking, baking, and as a therapy for all sorts of ailments!
The saturated fats this oil contains has a very positive effect on health, contrary to what we were told years ago by the health care industry due to their "studies". (their studies were based on hydrogenated coconut oil, not raw, unprocessed oil!)
Breast milk also contains "saturated fat", the same as coconut oil (Medium chain fatty acids-MCFA). Studies have been done by adding coconut oil to formula on low birth weight babies. They found that they gained more weight than babies who were using a formula supplemented with a regular vegetable oil. The weight was physical growth, not fat storage! The MCFA's allowed babies to absorb the essential fats and improved the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, minerals, & proteins.
(To supplement breast milk with higher amounts of MCFA's for the development & healthy growth of your baby, it is crucial to eat the oil, milk,and/or shredded or fresh coconut for a rich, nourishing milk)
For people that don't digest fats well can eat coconut oil without hesitation. These MCT's do not require pancreatic enzymes or bile for digestion. (great for people who have had their gallbladder removed or have gallbladder issues)
Also, Coconut oil produces energy NOT fat, which makes this a great weight loss supplement!
Here are some of the benefits of unprocessed coconut oil.........It helps clear kidney or bladder infections (clearing up in a matter of days), reduces epileptic seizures, soothes & heals inflammation due to Colitis, Crohns disease & other digestive complaints, prevents heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes,diabetes, liver disease, osteoporosis, tooth decay, & premature ageing, promotes weight loss, kills virus's, bacteria, & fungus, protects against cancers, protects against parasites, relieves chronic fatigue, reduces eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, & dandruff, relieves skin dryness/flaking, protects skin from the sun, speeds healing of injuries when applied, great hair and scalp conditioner & healer, removes lice, & prevents wrinkles, sagging skin, & age spots . Wow!
And I haven't even started on the benefits of coconut water.....next time. :)
To make an easy versatile skin salve, combine a few TBSP unprocessed coconut oil with a few drops of lavender essential oil & Vit E (optional). Just stir to combine or use an electric whisk. Put into a glass jar with lid....Easy as that!
You can also add other healing oils to it, but no need.....this will work wonders for all skin conditions! It will feel very oily at first, but it does not take long for your skin to fully absorb it....A little goes a long way!
If using for external fungal infection, you can also combine with tea tree oil & oregano oil for a more powerful formula.
Also for bad cases of eczema or psoriasis, you can add a little evening primrose oil to the salve to speed the healing!
Keep in a cool spot, as this will start to melt at temps above 75 degrees. (do not refrigerate or salve will be too hard to apply)
**To obtain the healing properties of the coconut, a good quality oil must be chosen.........here are a few things to look for:
Certified organic by USDA standards
Non refined
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
