A couple of months ago God threw me a curve ball. My sister, believing that my poor health and symptoms pointed toward celiac disease, ordered a blood test through Amazon to test for allergies. I took this test right after Christmas. In mid-January I received an email from the lab with the results. Sure enough, I had developed some mild to moderate allergies. One of them was a dairy allergy.
That dairy allergy was in the moderate category. When I began researching the significance of a dairy allergy for my health, I learned that even a moderate dairy allergy can have significant consequences for my health. (I won't tell how sad this was for me. I'm still grieving the loss of cheese.) From one article to another, I slowly and surely stumbled upon articles about Coconut Oil.
Is it a fad? I thought so at first. And yet, I was compelled to keep researching. After devouring numerous web articles, I moved onto books. I first read the book Virgin Coconut Oil: How it has changed people's lives, and how it can change yours! By Brian and Marianita Shilhavy.
I couldn't believe the claims in this book! Could it be real? I had my doubts, and yet I was excited to read more. So many users of Coconut Oil seemed to have glowing testimonies. I wondered if something as simple as coconut oil could be as great as the hype. When I realized that the authors of Virgin Coconut Oil were business owners selling coconut oil, I decided to read more from other authors in case the Shilhavys were biased.
I purchased the book The Coconut Oil Miracle by Bruce Fife. I finished the book earlier today. While I've been researching, I bought a small thing of coconut oil to try. Before long, I had purchased a couple more containers of coconut oil. I had also made a special trip to a store that carries coconut milk and coconut milk ice cream ( I really miss dairy!).
Is it hype? Are the facts and figures given in the books Virgin Coconut Oil and The Coconut Oil Miracle made up? While I have found a few articles that talk about being careful, most of the research is not new. It's been around for quite a number of years. Most people are just now hearing about Coconut Oil through reports on the news or Dr. Oz.
I have slowly been increasing my intake of coconut oil over the last couple of weeks. I use it as a supplement, mix it in my coffee, cook with it, wash my face with it, condition my hair with it, have begun using it in something called oil pulling, and rub it on my skin as a moisturizer.
Has it made a difference? Yes! First, my energy level has increased. Last week my energy level was so high I went outside and shoveled the sidewalk and drive after a major snow. My body temperature has also risen. I am almost always cold in the winter. And yet, after taking the coconut oil, I can literally feel my body temperature going up. I am warm, not freezing all the time.
I haven't noticed a significant weight loss, but I have noticed that I'm not as hungry. It's only been a couple of weeks of coconut oil usage. I'm eagerly awaiting warm weather so that I can go walking outside. My skin is super soft. My heels, which are always dry and cracked, are healing for the first time in years. Nothing helped my dry skin. I would spend so much money on lotions and moisturizing soaps. I have since switched to homemade soaps made by my sister. Using coconut oil as a moisturizer has been wonderful for my skin!
So, I am getting more and more sold on the coconut oil bandwagon. But please don't take my word for it. Do your own research. I plan to break down some of what I've discovered in my research and share it as a health excerpt on my homeschool blog. After all, homeschooling is a lifestyle. We are constantly learning and it never ends. This is what I teach my children, and I believe that, as they see me researching and reading, they too will develop a love for learning.
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