Posted by Rachel Ornstein Packer on Jun.10, 2010

ⓒ iStockPhoto - szefei

In Coconut Oil, Friend or Foe Part 1, I discussed some of the unique properties of coconut oil.  In Part Two of this series, I have chosen to review some of my own personal experiences relating to the effects of what is being touted as nature’s “miracle” oil.

As a brief review, unrefined, virgin coconut oil, also called coconut butter, comes from processing the meat of the mature brown coconut.  Even though coconut oil is 92% saturated, it has no trans-fats and contains no cholesterol.  The fatty acids in coconut oil are medium chain fatty acids (MCFA’s).  These fatty acids are shorter than large chain fatty acids/triglycerides found in other fats and oils that are responsible for raising one’s cholesterol.  Large chain fatty acids take longer to digest and tend to be stored as stubborn fat, while MCFA’s are broken down very quickly and burned as fuel before they can be stored as fat.  Coconut oil contains a high concentration of lauric acid, which plays a key role in protecting the digestive tract by killing bacteria and viruses and is a potent anti-microbial agent.  Its health advantages further vary from metabolic miracle to a healing skin and beauty aid.

I have been using coconut oil consistently for a month now - 2-3 tablespoons a day - and with some experiential certainty, I can attest to some of its metabolic and antimicrobial effects, in addition to its advantage as a skin and beauty aid.

Over the past few months (since March), I have been nursing a very nasty fungal toe infection.   At first, I used over-the-counter medication to treat it, but I discontinued treatment when I saw no further improvement.  In May, I decided to put coconut oil to the test.  I saturated the affected toenail, making sure to get the oil into the crevices, and the results were rather impressive.  Within a few days, I noticed that the nail was no longer yellow and the brown “woody” matter underneath the toe was beginning to disappear.   I am happy to say, that even though my nail is not pedicure worthy yet, it looks so much better than it did a month ago.  Even my husband, who can sometimes be a bit of a naysayer when it comes to most natural products, was quite impressed.

Since I experienced success so readily, I decided to take on a new coconut oil challenge, and started using on my face.  According to Dr. Bruce Fife, C.N., N.D. author of The Coconut Oil Miracle, “Coconut oil prevents free radical formation which helps keep connective tissues strong and supple…and aids in removing dead cells on the outer surface of the skin.”   Over the last few years, breakouts and dryness have been the bane of my middle age existence, so, what did I have to lose?  One only needs a miniscule amount to cover face and neck.  In fact, even a pea size quantity can be too much as excessive oil doesn’t absorb properly and winds up coming off.

Now, I do need to mention that at first, I broke out a bit.  I contacted Dr. Bruce Fife, to clarify.  His response was that “coconut oil has a strong detoxifying effect. When used for acne it can cause a temporary increase in outbreaks. The reason for this is that the oil is cleansing deep into the skin pulling out toxins that cause acne. Once the toxins have been purged, the outbreaks will stop. This may take 2-3 weeks, but everyone is different so time will vary.”

I did not let the outbreaks deter me, and continued my coconut oil regimen; the breakouts are now slowly diminishing.  Additionally, I have noticed that some acne scars and dark spots are beginning to look a little lighter as well.   Moreover, after the first day to the pool with my kids, my skin slightly burned despite sun protection and the coconut oil provided instant relief.   So far, this all-purpose, economical $10 bottle of oil was surprisingly effective.

As I mentioned in Part 1, I have suffered from hypothyroidism for over thirteen years.   Over this course of time, my prescriptions have steadily increased, and yet I never really felt any difference.  I was always tired but I attributed this to a busy lifestyle as a mother with two young children and a husband who travels quite frequently.  However, over the past month or so, I have noticed a marked increase in my energy levels.  It was more of a gradual increase, not like a jolt from a Starbucks coffee (which didn’t even help at times).  Rather, I started to notice that I was able to invest more energy into my workouts and getting out of bed even after seven hours of sleep wasn’t a chore. This is probably attributed to the quick digestion of the MCFA’s, which produce energy and increase metabolism, though, it didn’t happen right away.  It’s important to remember that this is no quick fix.  It’s the consistent daily application, along with a healthy lifestyle that provides the most benefit.

Incorporating coconut oil into your life is definitely a commitment and it is hard to dispel the fear of consuming a saturated fat because we are trained to believe that all saturated fats are bad for us.   Coconut oil has some wonderful health benefits, but like all things, it takes time to experience them.  One cannot expect to see results overnight; it may take weeks or months to notice improvement.

For those who are just trying it out, my suggestion would be to build up to this amount slowly.  I found (as did others who contacted me) that starting out with a tablespoon at each meal right away produced symptoms of nausea and some increased bowel activity.  Coconut oil is a powerful cleansing agent; therefore, I would suggest using a teaspoon or two at time and work your way up to 2 tablespoons.  The recommended daily dosage is 3 ½ tablespoons, but you can still benefit with only 1 or 2 tablespoons.

In Part 3 of this series, I will offer some great recipes to help you tastefully incorporate this oil into your life.  If you have already decided to take the coconut oil challenge, I would love to hear about your results at GreenDivaMom.com.  Also, if you would like to learn more about coconut oil, I suggest you read, The Coconut Oil Miracle by Bruce Fife, C.N., N.D.  Make it a must for your summer reading list.  It is informational and definitely eye opening

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Posted under Beauty, Natural Beauty, Recommended Reading, Supplements.