Just Some of the Hundreds of Healing Ways of Coconut Oil
With such a rise in the popularity of coconut oil and other coconut products, are we not going to run out of the raw material? Along with the very special coconut oil, products include coconut butter, coconut shreds, coconut water, coconut milk and cream, coconut flour and more.
We consider it to be one of the healthiest oils in the world!
And one of the reasons for this is that the flesh of the coconut is very high in healthy fatty acids. While the composition of fat varies depending on the type and processing of the oil, medium-chain saturated fatty acids make up approximately 90% of coconut oil with a slight contribution of mono-unsaturated fatty acids and poly-unsaturated fatty acids.
The value in medium chain fatty acids
According to The Hearty Soul: "They are easily digested, absorbed, and utilized by the body, while freely crossing the blood-brain barrier in the unbound form, which means they can be used by the brain as an energy source but also for neurological health." Along with our own Healing Natural Oils products, having a jar of coconut oil in your bathroom or medicine cupboard provides the perfect arsenal for treating both everyday problems as well as more unusual conditions.
We list 1 to 50 uses for coconut oil
1. Age Spots. One natural way to treat age spots (also known as liver spots) is to apply coconut oil directly to the age spot to help it fade.
2. Pre shave and after shave. Coconut oil will prep skin to protect against any damage caused by shaving. If you prefer the clean shaven look instead of wearing a beard, coconut oil will close but not clog those facial spores and even treat any cases of razor burn.
3. Bruises can be so unsightly but applying some coconut oil to the area will help reduce any swelling and discoloration.
4. Bug bites can be a real source of irritation. Apply some coconut oil to stop the itching, relieve the burning sensation and speed up the healing process.
5. Burns always need careful and immediate attention. Apply coconut oil to mild burn site immediately and continue applying until healed to reduce the risk of permanent scarring while aiding healing. All serious burns should receive urgent medical attention.
6. Chapped lips? Rub a little coconut oil into the lips to act firstly as a softening agent and secondly as a protection against sun and wind.
7. Cradle cap can be common in young babies. A daily teaspoon of coconut oil will nourish the dry skin on the scalp and help to get rid of the cradle cap.
8. Dandruff is also a sign of dry skin or too much oil secretion on the scalp. Coconut oil will moisturize dry skin while helping to control too much oil secretion.
9. You can safely use coconut oil as a deodorant.
10. Apply coconut oil under the eyes at night to reduce puffiness, bags and wrinkles. Our own eye serum is a 100% natural product to enhance the skin around your eyes with its pure oils to moisturize and rejuvenate. Ideal for those dark circles and bags.
11. You can use coconut oil as a hair conditioner/deep treatment by applying a teaspoon of coconut oil to your ends before running your fingers through the hair to distribute the oil. For a deeper treatment, rub in a tablespoon of coconut oil onto your dry scalp and gently work through to the ends. Put a shower cap on to prevent transfer onto bed linens and leave on overnight. Alternately, consider our own Simply Hair Oil.
12. How about coconut oil for defrizzing the hair? Rub a little between your palms and either scrunch into hair (for curly hair) or finger comb in through from scalp to ends (for wavy/straight hair).
13. Coconut oil will form a thin, chemical layer to protect dust and bacteria while speeding up the healing process for those small cuts and scrapes.
14. Coconut oil applied on a cotton swab makes a great, natural makeup remover.
15. Nothing easier than a small scoop of coconut oil to use as massage oil.
16. Body moisturizer when applying some coconut oil all over your body, including neck and face.
17. Breast feeding problems with cracked, sore or dry nipples can be resolved by applying coconut oil to a cotton ball and leave on the affected nipples between feeds.
18. Acne problems? Prone to oily skin or an oily T-zone? Use a pea sized amount of coconut oil beneath your makeup or on bare skin to reduce oil gland stimulation. Often acne prone skin is actually too dry, which signals your glands to produce more oil and clogs the pores. Check out our post for more information on acne.
19. Along with our own healing natural oils products, coconut oil can relieve skin problems such as psoriasis, dermatitis and eczema.
20. Sunburn relief. We all need sufficient sunlight to improve our vitamin D levels but we do not need sunburn as it can be dangerous. If your skin turns more than the minimum of pale pink when out in the sun, move out of it quickly and rub liberal amounts of coconut oil into the affected area.
21. With the growing popularity in tattoos, coconut oil can resolve some of the problems that can accompany inking. Firstly, continued use of coconut oil on tattoos will help keep the pigment from fading and secondly, when applied to new tattoos, coconut oil will speed up the healing process while decreasing the chance of infection.
22. Commercial toothpaste can be full of unwanted and even toxic ingredients but one natural way is to mix coconut oil and baking soda and add a little on to your toothbrush for daily use.
23. Nausea can be relieved by rubbing some coconut oil on the inside for the wrist (PC 6) and forearm, helping to calm an upset stomach.
24. Nose bleeds can be caused by sensitivity to weather such as extreme heat and extreme cold when the nasal passages become dry leading to burns and cracks in the mucus membranes. If you are prone to nose bleeds under such extreme conditions, put a dab of coconut oil in your nostrils to strengthen and protect those capillaries in the nasal passages. The same method can be used for allergies and or hay fever so that the irritant to the nasal passages will be caught on the oil first.
25. Gum health and we are great believers in the health benefits of oil pulling with coconut oil. Read our earlier blog post to find out how.
26. Circulation problems in cold weather? Apply coconut oil to the skin in a light circular pattern towards the heart. This is similar to dry skin brushing.
27. Suffering from hemorrhoids? One natural treatment is the application of coconut oil either externally or internally (depending on where the hemorrhoids appear) twice a day.
Whether you use coconut oil or essential oils products, the important fact to remember is that they are natural treatments.
Sources
Alzohairy M. (2016). Therapeutics role of Azadirachta indica (neem) and their active constituents in diseases prevention and treatment. DOI:
10.1155/2016/7382506. (Accessed, May 2, 2021).
Bond C, et al. (2012). Neem oil [Fact sheet].
npic.orst.edu/factsheets/neemgen.html. (Accessed, May 2, 2021).
imedpub.com/abstract/chemical-characteristics-of-toilet-soap-prepared-from-neemrnazadirachta-indica-a-juss-seed-oil-12607.html.(Accessed, May 2, 2021).
Written by Jane Chitty
Jane writes for Healing Natural Oils, a producer and retailer of high-quality, all-natural treatments for a variety of conditions as well as a range of beauty products. Apart from writing about those various conditions, she also covers general health, environmental and other subjects of interest. She has lived in Kenya as well as Cape Town, South Africa and spent time in San Diego, USA. She now lives in Somerset, England with regular visits from her far-flung children and grandchildren. She is a keen gardener and enjoys growing fresh fruit and vegetables with her husband on their joint allotment. As a result, there is something available to use in the kitchen virtually all year round. Her regular posts can be found on our blog.