The coconut and its water, milk, and oil have endless health benefits. Last week in Part 3, I expounded on coconut oil’s myriads of uses for the care of the skin, ranging from the aesthetic aspect to maintaining healthy skin and healing infections like skin and nail fungal infections (athlete’s foot and others) to preventing wrinkles and signs of premature skin aging.

However, there is one more thing I would like to add about coconut oil. It has dual effects. It provides the sun protection factor (SPF) of around 10. But because the oil is a mild sun protector, it allows the sun’s ultraviolet rays to penetrate the skin to synthesize much-needed vitamin D. However to increase SPF, mix it with sesame oil, which has a higher SPF level. This way you will get more protection from the dangerous sunrays.

Anyway it is not advisable to stay long hours under the midday and early afternoon sun (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.). Twenty minutes of direct sunlight are sufficient to benefit from the sunrays. Lighter skins benefit from the sun’s vitamin D more than darker skins, but burn faster. A sign of sunburning is when the skin starts turning pink or red like a lobster; that means you are sunburned. To avoid skin cancer, sunspots, sunstrokes, dry and dehydrated skin, and premature wrinkles, avoid roasting and burning.

Applying coconut oil (SPF 10) or sesame oil (SPF close to 15) is safer, especially with intermittent exposure to the sun. Remember, they do not completely block sunrays, which are required for the skin to make the important nutrient, vitamin D. The two also protect the skin and its inner layers from breakdown and damage by too much sun, dry wind, and harsh climates. Moreover, the natural oils give a nice and lovely tan if you limit exposure to the noon sun.

I encourage you to use natural oils because commercial cosmetic sunscreens contain toxic chemicals, which turn into xenoestrogens, which act like estrogen in the body, increasing risk of hormone cancers and reducing fertility in men. Mothers-to-be need to be extremely cautious about their use of cosmetics and body, hair, and skin care products, which contain a variety of chemicals, mimicking oestrogen in their bodies, which is passed on to their foetuses. The reproductive systems of male fetuses is affected and hence their fertility gets compromised. Young girls receiving too much estrogen reach puberty much earlier than those who have normal levels of the hormone. Obesity in children does the same. Excess fat in the body releases estrogen, which changes the body structure of male teenagers and young men. They develop flabby chests and bellies and wider hips and have less muscle mass, acquiring the shape of women while their shoulders remain narrow.

Most commercial cosmetics and popular sunscreens contain toxic chemicals (artificial colorings, preservatives, and scents, petroleum byproducts…), which are associated with cancer, hormone disruption, and male infertility. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) warns against using them often as they contain retinyl palmitate, a known skin cancer threat as well. Another chemical is oxybenzone, which interferes with circulating hormones, triggering cell damage, which also leads to cancer. The sun protecting lotions also contain nanoparticles, which have not been tested for longterm use.

The EWG also forewarn consumers against SPF higher than 50 as they give “a false sense of security” and yet they do not offer more protection than the ones with lesser power. SPF 30 blocks 97 percent of sunrays, while the higher SPF 50 blocks 98 percent, therefore it is not justifiable to spend more on ones of higher levels. After all, we do need some sun for our skins to make vitamin D. Anyway, lying too long exposed to the sun and applying chemical laden high SPF lotions are not healthy habits and can raise health risk levels.

Coconut oil is an effective and healing agent to sunburns on the face and body skin as well as other types of burns. Apply a thicker layer on the affected area after washing and letting the skin cool off. The oil speeds skin healing. It can be used along with aloe gels.

The skin of the lips and around them is very delicate. The light and easy to spread oil of coconut makes a good lip balm and moisturizer and protects lips against sunburns. It heals chapped lips and cracked mouth corners speedily and effectively.

Coconut oil is often used on skin cracks and abrasions and even on sore and cracked nipples during breastfeeding. It contains natural vitamin E and is a healer to sensitive nipples. Along with cabbage leaves, it could be used instead of pharmaceutical creams, which could be harmful to infants. Anyway, washing or wiping the nipples thoroughly before breastfeeding is recommended.

It also heals other cracks in the skin and superficial wounds and lubricates sensitive skin. I remember my mother applying pure coconut oil on the navels of our newborn infants to speed the healing process without the need for medication or antiseptic creams. It was a successful technique. I always kept it handy for knee abrasions and children’s scratches and scars.

Coconut oil reverses receding gums and heals periodontal disease (gum). Due to its antiseptic and antimicrobial characteristics, the oil is ideal for oral hygiene. It provides good oral and dental protection, preventing contamination and oral bacteria and bad breath, which cause dental caries, gingivitis, gum bleeding and recession, and gum diseases. Gum problems are causes of tooth loss, oral and gum infections, and even heart disease due to the bacteria entering the bloodstream and then to the heart.

To treat and prevent gum bleeding and recession, tooth sensitivity, dental cavities, oral infections, tooth loss, and bad breath, it is recommended to gurgle and gargle with coconut oil every morning, keeping it in the mouth 1 to 2 minutes to start with and increasing time gradually to 15 minutes. Allow the oil to stay in the mouth, twirling it with your tongue to massage the gums to stop recession and benefit from it. After that, spit the oil from your mouth, but not in the sink to avoid clogging the pipes with the thick oil.

To whiten teeth and remove plaque and stains, take a quarter of teaspoon of baking soda and put it on the toothbrush or small container, then add a little coconut oil. Brush your teeth thoroughly with the mixture for a few minutes to achieve the whitening effect. You may add a couple of drops of lemon to increase the potency of the mixture.

People can also use coconut oil as a shaving cream. It leaves the skin smooth and spares the use of expensive and chemically laden shaving lotions. Because the oil has antibacterial properties, it becomes an effective and inexpensive deodorant as well.

Bruce Fife, author of ‘Coconut Cures: Preventing and treating Common Health Problems with Coconut Oil’, recommends taking the oil orally to improve the texture of the skin; maintain its elasticity; prevent sunburn; and give other health benefits, which I will address later in the next articles, but this requires organic, unprocessed, pure, virgin coconut oil.

Next week, I will continue exploring what researchers, health experts, and scientists say about the effectiveness of unadulterated organic virgin coconut oil on many health issues and how and when to use it as a remedy.

References:

• Coconut Water Nutrition Facts

• http://coconutoil.com/AlzheimersDiseaseDrMaryNewport.pdf

• http://coconutoil.com/coconut-oil-alzheimers/

• D O Ogbolu, A A Oni, O A Daini, A P Oloko. In vitro antimicrobial properties of coconut oil on Candida species in Ibadan, Nigeria. J Med Food. 2007 Jun;20(2):384-7. PMID: 17651080

• www.dailynutritionnews.com

• K G Nevin, T Rajamohan. Effect of topical application of virgin coconut oil on skin components and antioxidant status during dermal wound healing in young rats. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2010; 23(6):290-7. Epub 2010 Jun 3. PMID: 20523108

• Pallavi Srivastava, S Durgaprasad. Burn wound healing property of Cocos nucifera: An appraisal. Indian J Pharmacol. 2008 Aug;40(4):144-6. PMID: 20040946

• S Intahphuak, P Khonsung, A Panthong. Anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic activities of virgin coconut oil. Pharm Biol. 2010 Feb;48(2):151-7. PMID: 20645831

N.B.:

Individuals with medical conditions or on medication should consult their physicians when they decide to introduce anything new in their diet even if it is natural.


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