Use Coconut Oil

“Coconut is good food, in moderation.” NY Times Article

The Surprising Health Benefits of Coconut Oil Dr.Oz Article

101 Uses for Coconut Oil Wellness Mama Article
In cooking as a great oil with a high smoke point. Great for baking, stir-frys or as a dairy free replacement to butter. Taken supplementally for daily energy.
As a coffee creamer when emulsified into coffee (The only way I’ll drink coffee)
On the skin as a basic lotion
In homemade lotion bars for soft, smooth skin
In homemade deodorant or deodorant bars
As an eye-makeup remover
As a cloth diaper safe diaper cream (just rub on baby’s bottom)
In making your own Remineralizing Toothpaste
To lighten age spots when rubbed directly on the skin
To prevent stretch marks during pregnancy
To support healthy thyroid function
In homemade Mayo without the high PUFA vegetable oils
To help increase sun tolerance and avoid burning
As a naturally SPF 4 sunscreen
In homemade lotion recipes
To get rid of cradle cap on baby- just massage in to head, leave on for a few minutes and gently rinse with a warm wash cloth
Topically to kill yeast or yeast infections
As a delicious tropical massage oil
It’s high Lauric acid and MCFA content helps boost metaboism
A tiny dab rubbed on your hands and then through hair will help get rid of friz
As an intensive nighttime facial moisturizer
Mixed with equal parts sugar for a smoothing body scrub (use in the shower)
Rubbed on lips as a natural chap stick
Topically, can help skin heal faster after injury or infection
Directly on the perineum to help heal after birth
As an incredibly intensive natural conditioner- Rub into dry hair, put a shower cap on and leave for several hours.
On feet to fight athlete’s foot or tor fungus
In place of Lanolin cream on nursing nipples to sooth irritation (also great for baby!)
Can help sooth psoriasis or eczema
There is some evidence that regular ingestion of coconut oil can help prevent or reverse Alzheimers
With apple cider vinegar as a natural treatment for lice that actually works
In natural Homemade Sunscreen
In healthy brain boosting snack for kids like Coconut Clusters
In a filling and energy boosting Brain Powder Smoothie
Rub coconut oil on the inside of your nose to help alleviate allergy symptoms
Nursing moms can take 3-4 tablespoons a day (and Vitamin D) to increase milk supply and nutrients
There is some evidence that coconut oil helps digestion and may even kill intestinal parasites or yeast
Mix a tablespoon with a tablespoon of chia seeds for an all-day energy boost (do NOT take this at night!)
Can help improve insulin levels
Oil pulling with coconut oil and a drop of oregano oil helps improve gum health
Can help improve cholesterol ratios
Blend a tablespoon into hot tea to help speed recovery from cold or flu
In Homemade Natural Bug-Off Lotion Bars
As a replacement for vegetable oils in any recipe
Better for high-temperature cooking than olive or vegetable oils
Can help reduce appearance of varicose veins
After initial heat is gone, can help speed healing of sunburn
Is an immediate source of energy when eaten and isn’t stored as fat
As a natural personal lubricant that won’t disturb vaginal flora
As a naturally antibacterial skin cream
In natural homemade diaper cream
As a natural shave cream and after shave lotion
When used consistently on skin it can help get rid of cellulite
To season cast iron skillets
It’s anti-inflammatory properties can help lessen arthritis
Can reduce the itch of mosquito bites
Can help resolve acne when used regularly
Can be rubbed into scalp daily to stimulate hair growth
I’ve used in kids ears to help speed ear infection healing
On split ends to de-frizz
A small amount can be rubbed into real leather to soften and condition (shiny leather only… test a small area first)
By itself as a great tanning oil
Mixed with salt to remove dry skin on feet
Can help speed weight loss when consumed daily
Can help improve sleep when taken daily
Can be used to speed healing of fungal infections when taken internally and used externally
A tablespoon melted into a cup of warm tea can help sooth a sore throat
To help sooth the itch of chicken pox or poison ivy
It has been shown to increase absorption of calcium and magnesium
Internally as part of the protocol to help remineralize teeth
Some evidence shows that the beneficial fats in coconut oil can help with depression and anxiety
By itself as a natural deodorant
By itself or with baking soda as a naturally whitening toothpaste
For pets struggling with skin issues when used externally
Some evidence suggests that the beneficial fats in coconut oil are helpful for those with Autism
In homemade vapor rub
As a safe cooking oil for deep frying
A tablespoon taken before each meal can help improve digestion
Can be taken in warm ginger tea to sooth heartburn or nausea
As a completely natural baby lotion
On hands after doing dishes to avoid dry skin
Mixed with catnip, rosemary or mint essential oils as a natural bug repellent
Can be used on mom’s nipple and baby’s mouth to help treat thrush
Many use it as an anti-aging facial moisturizer
Use to make coconut cream concentrate for a brain boosting snack
Can be used internally and externally to speed recovery from UTIs
When taken regularly, it can help fight candida
When taken regularly, it can boost hormone production
Can relieve the pain of hemorrhoids when used topically
Can boost circulation and help those who often feel cold
On cuticles to help nails grow
Rub into elbows daily to help alleviate dry, flaky elbows
Add to smoothies to give them a nutritional boost
Internally during pregnancy to help provide baby necessary fats for development (especially when taken with Fermented Cod Liver Oil)
In any recipes where vegetable oils are used
Whipped with shea butter for a soothing body balm
One reader swears by using coconut oil to treat yeast infection. She suggests soaking a tampon in it and inserting the tampon for a few hours.
Naturally clears up cold sores
Ingesting coconut oil daily can help with allergy symptoms
Ingesting coconut oil daily can increase mental alertness

Carrageenan: Not Safe

Guide to Avoiding Organic Foods with Carrageenan

Gut Wrenching! Tell FDA to Ban Carrageenan. Common Food Ingredient Linked to Intestinal Inflammation, Bloating, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Colitis, Cancer and More.

Rates of digestive diseases are rising—ranging from widespread digestive discomfort (“belly bloat,” “spastic colon,” Irritable Bowel Syndrome) to serious and sometimes life-threatening diseases such as ulcerative colitis and colon cancer.

For decades, scientists conducting laboratory animal experiments using the common food additive carrageenan have found higher rates of gastrointestinal inflammation, colitis-like disease, and even colon cancer.

Carrageenan is a convenient and unique food additive for the food industry, and selling carrageenan is a profitable enterprise for a handful of chemical corporations. For decades, these companies have spread misinformation—often, outright lies—about carrageenan’s safety.

Carrageenan can be found in many foods, even foods labeled “natural” and “organic.” It is widely used in dairy products (chocolate milk, whipping cream, ice cream, nonfat sour cream), frozen dinners, dairy alternatives (soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk), prepared poultry and cold cuts, nutritional drinks, and even infant formula.

And who has been more than willing to listen to the corporate scientists rather than to the scientists funded by the National Institutes of Health? That’s right: the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In June 2012, the FDA rejected a citizen petition by the nation’s preeminent publicly funded scientist and carrageenan expert, who formally requested that carrageenan be removed from our food supply.

Sign the petition to remove carrageenan, and let the FDA know that it’s time to act in the interest of our health and safety. Carrageenan is a dangerous food additive, and should be removed from the list of allowed additives!

The FDA’s shameless catering to corporate interests has to end.

CORNUCOPIA LINK HERE

pH balancing

Have you ever wondered if the diseases in our society have a common cause? Many doctors, herbalists, and nutritionists believe that the explanation may come down to two small words:

Acid / Alkaline

High acidity can become a dangerous condition that weakens all major body systems. It makes your internal environment conducive to disease. A pH-balanced environment, on the other hand, allows proper metabolic functioning and gives your body resistance to disease. A healthy body maintains alkaline reserves that are used to meet emergency demands.

pH measures the balance between positively and negatively charged ions in the body fluids, i.e. blood, urine and saliva. A low pH number (below 7) indicates that your body fluid is on the acidic side. A high pH number (above 7) indicates you have alkalinity. A pH of 7.0 is considered neutral; this is the pH of distilled water. This delicate balance can be an important indicator of overall health.

Researchers find that most people are at least slightly "acidic"; their pH is low. If your pH is too acidic, your body borrows minerals - such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium - from vital organs and bones to neutralize and remove the acid. Although high acidity may not be outwardly noticeable, it can severely affect overall health in a negative way. Alkalinity in the body is much more rare, but just as potentially serious. It often takes longer for a person who is "alkaline" to achieve balance than one who is "acidic."

Ask your doctor. What would it hurt to find out?

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Beware Cookware

When heated, cookware coated with Teflon and other non-stick surfaces emits fumes that can kill birds and potentially sicken people. You can avoid exposures to the fumes from Teflon and other non-stick cookware by phasing out your home use of these products. If you can afford to replace your non-stick cookware now, do so.

Statistics reported by the Cookware Manufacturers Association indicate that 90 percent of all the aluminum cookware sold in the United States in 2001 was coated with non-stick chemicals like Teflon (Cooks Illustrated, September 2002). Chemicals and tiny, toxic Teflon particles released from heated Teflon kill household pet birds. At least four of these chemicals never break down in the environment, and some are widely found in human blood. Consumers concerned about the effects of Teflon on human health and the environment should consider these alternatives:

Stainless Steel Stainless steel is a terrific alternative to a non-stick cooking surface. Most chefs agree that stainless steel browns foods better than non-stick surfaces. In their 2001 review of sauté pans, Cooks Illustrated, an independent publication, chose a stainless steel pan over otherwise identical non-stick models. They also recommended stainless steel pan roasters over non-stick.

Cast Iron Cast iron remains a great alternative to non-stick cooking surfaces. Lodge, America’s oldest family-owned cookware manufacturer, refers to their cookware as “natural non-stick.” Cast iron can be pre-heated to temperatures that will brown meat and will withstand oven temperatures well above what is considered safe for non-stick pans. Cast iron is extremely durable and can now be purchased pre-seasoned, ready-to-use.

Other Cooking Surfaces Because Teflon coated non-stick surfaces fail to brown foods there has been a push to find other “non-stick” cookware coating that will allow the use of higher temperatures and still clean up easily. Some examples include ceramic titanium and porcelain enameled cast iron. Both of these surfaces are very durable, better at browning foods than PTFE (Teflon) non-stick coatings, and are dishwasher safe. In her New York Times piece, "In Search of a Pan That Lets Cooks Forget About Teflon," Marian Burros recommends Le Creuset enameled cast iron pans with a matte black interior. Anodized aluminum is another alternative, but some people question its safety, citing evidence in some studies linking aluminum exposures to Alzheimers.

Link to Article | Environmental Working Group

Know About GMO's

GMO FACTS

What are GMOs? GMOs, or “genetically modified organisms,” are plants or animals created through the gene splicing techniques of biotechnology (also called genetic engineering, or GE). This experimental technology merges DNA from different species, creating unstable combinations of plant, animal, bacterial and viral genes that cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding.

Virtually all commercial GMOs are engineered to withstand direct application of herbicide and/or to produce an insecticide. Despite biotech industry promises, none of the GMO traits currently on the market offer increased yield, drought tolerance, enhanced nutrition, or any other consumer benefit.

Meanwhile, a growing body of evidence connects GMOs with health problems, environmental damage and violation of farmers’ and consumers’ rights.

Are GMOs safe? Most developed nations do not consider GMOs to be safe. In nearly 50 countries around the world, including Australia, Japan, and all of the countries in the European Union, there are significant restrictions or outright bans on the production and sale of GMOs. In the U.S., the government has approved GMOs based on studies conducted by the same corporations that created them and profit from their sale. Increasingly, Americans are taking matters into their own hands and choosing to opt out of the GMO experiment.

Are GMOs labeled? Unfortunately, even though polls consistently show that a significant majority of Americans want to know if the food they’re purchasing contains GMOs, the powerful biotech lobby has succeeded in keeping this information from the public. In the absence of mandatory labeling, the Non-GMO Project was created to give consumers the informed choice they deserve.

Link to Learn More About GMOs | Non-GMO Project Website

What the Lard?

I know everyone loves Crisco. But is it safe? Is it really all that good for us? Let's look into some important reasons why we should go back to basics. In these two articles below I found interesting and helpful information regarding the history of LARD!
FAT FACTS: by Time At The Table 360 I find it super interesting to explore the reasons behind countries traditional cuisines. Particularly countries that have been exposed to war or hardship or to a lesser point media attention – these types of influences have contributed to regional differences.
Lard has been used for thousands of years in Europe and is steeped in the traditions in many rustic regional cuisines. In any culture where pigs were raised, the fat of the animal was usually considered as valuable a product as its meaty counterparts, and was a staple for cooking and baking. Interestingly, the market for lard was strong during World War II, however not for home kitchens – it was used in the manufacture of explosives. During the war, most people had to switch to vegetable oils for cooking as most of the lard produced was diverted to the military. When the war ended, lard prices dropped dramatically (presumably due to an oversupply), and oils were marketed successfully as healthier to cook with, and lard never regained its staple place in the diet.
Procter & Gamble, among others, also contributed their bit to demise of lard by introducing Crisco (vegetable shortening) and did a ripper job of publicising how great it was in comparison to lard (healthier, more pure) and alongside some great branding strategies, dominated the market. In the 50’s, a touch after our European lard story, scientists decided that the saturated fats in lard caused heart disease. This created an industry-wide rejection of poor lard.
Recently, since those great years that were the 90’s, chefs and bakers have started to re-recognise the unique properties and benefits of lard, resulting in a bit of a foodie revolution in the use of lard. They are championing its superiority in cooking, due to its range of applications and taste. Pure lard is useful for cooking since it produces little smoke when heated, has a relatively high smoke point to begin with, and has a distinctive flavour. And as always, the PR machine has come to the party, telling us all about the artery-clogging trans-fats you’ll now find in vegetable shortening.
Back to Europe and in particular the UK, where traditional British cuisine enthusiasts have contributed to a rise in lard popularity, there was even a lard crisis, God forbid, in 2006, when Poland and Hungary were such gluttons for fatty cuts of pork that the UK lard demands were not met. I also read an article some time ago about Ukraine, who serve Ukrainian Snickers – pork fat covered in chocolate!
So it seems that despite lards rough trot, it has come nearly full circle. Though it was obviously never forgotten and remained a favourite of some of the older generation and was passed down.
Conscientious Cook: Alternatives to Vegetable Shortening Growing up, we always had a big can of Crisco sitting on the pantry shelf. It got used for everything from greasing pans to making the flakiest pie crust ever. Now that trans fats and hydrogenated oils are drawing some justifiable heat from health experts, we're not so keen on using vegetable shortening anymore. But what's our alternative?
For many recipes, what you substitute depends on what your making. Lard is our first choice if shortening is truly necessary. It has all the same properties as vegetable shortening - makes flaky pastries, has minimal spread in cookies, and has a clean flavor. (Lard doesn't taste like pork unless it gets rendered with meat, as with bacon) Lard was the original shortening, after all!
Second to that, we go with butter. It behaves much the same as shortening, and it gives baked goods a rich, buttery flavor. We sacrifice flakiness for a superior creamy mouthfeel. Unlike lard or shortening, butter contains a little liquid, so remember to decrease the liquid in the recipe slightly if you're using it a substitute. Spectrum is a popular brand for these products that we've seen in a lot of health food aisles.

Welcome Back!

I've been so busy keeping up with my Mom's cancer blog that I have not posted in years! I had a revelation the other night when I was on the phone with my friend Lindsey. We've been the best of friends since 2nd grade and have many things in common. Especially our love and interest in all things holistic and healthy! I decided that I would add Linz to the blog as an author so she can also share her own wonderful wealth of knowledge. We can usually talk for hours and days about our own symptoms and health tips. Now it will all be here as our diary of life's progress!

Thank you for reading!

Peace and Love, Jess & Linz