Being fairly new to the science of aromatherapy, I have dabbled with a few methods and ideas using essential oil diffusers or directly applying essential oils to the skin. I like the enhanced benefits of combining the goodness of essential oils with the properties of virgin coconut oil.

As a carrier oil, coconut oil can be blended with essential oils to diffuse and carry them over the skin. The more potent oils especially, like peppermint and eucalyptus, that may irritate skin with direct contact, are best mixed with coconut oil. Coconut oil, mixed with your favorite relaxing scent, makes a great massage oil. Mixed with peppermint and applied to the temples or neck (not too close to the eyes), it is a wonderful stress and tension reducer. The coconut oil melts at body temperature and absorbs into the skin quickly and fully so you aren’t left with a greasy residue.

Another useful way to combine essential oils and coconut oil is this salve applied to dry, irritated skin.

4 parts coconut oil
1 part beeswax
several drops essential oil

Watch this video for instructions on how to make the salve:
Coconut Oil for Aromatherapy —powered by eHow.com

This would be a perfect salve to sooth dry skin, rashes, sunburn, bug bites, etc…using lavendar for the essential oil. Why, because lavender is so good for soothing and healing the skin (and the nerves.) And, don’t forget that coconut oil is such a great moisturizer.

The possibilities are endless…just become informed about the benefits of various essential oils and make your own coconut oil concoctions to enhance your health and wellbeing!

I recently made this recipe for a group of health conscious ladies and promised to post the recipe. This is our new family favorite…adapted from a recipe by America’s Test Kitchen. For the fruit I used a mix of dried cherries, blueberries and craisins chopped into small pieces.

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup virgin cold pressed coconut oil

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 lg eggs

3 cups old fashioned rolled oats (do not use instant)

1 1/2 cups chopped dried fruit of your choice (raisins, craisins, blueberries, cherries, or a mixture of several)

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 325 F. Grease cookie sheet with coconut oil or line with parchment. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt and spices in a medium bowl.

In a larger bowl, beat coconut oil and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until combined.

With mixer on low, slowly add flour mixture until combined. Add oats, dried fruit and nuts until just mixed in.

Roll dough into balls and flatten slightly on cookie sheet. Bake until cookies are barely golden brown, but centers are still soft, about 12-15 minutes.

Enjoy!

How do you use your coconut oil? Have you tried it as lotion, as an ingredient in your smoothies, or by the spoonful to improve your health?

Find new uses and benefits of coconut oil in the Real Foods Market newsletter from April 6, 2010. Follow the link below to view :

1. How to Use Coconut Oil
2. Coconut Oil and the Skin
3. Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

REAL FOODS MARKET NEWSLETTER, APRIL 6, 2010

After questioning the manufacturer and doing some research of my own, I am glad to report that coconut oil is very stable and keeps it’s integrity when heated. It’s medium chain fatty acids are resistant to being changed by heat. However, if overheated to the point of smoking (which would have to be pretty hot) you may assume it has begun to deteriorate.

We have been known to “butter” our bread with coconut oil. Here’s how you can do this without giving up that buttery flavor:

1/4 c coconut oil, softened but not liquid
1 T butter buds (found in the baking aisle of most grocery stores)
1/2 t water

Dissolve the butter buds in the water. (This helps them incorporate into the oil or they will stay grainy.) Mix well into the soft coconut oil. You may adjust the butter buds to your taste.
Feel free to experiment with the quantities, but do not be disappointed if it doesn’t taste exactly like butter. At least it is healthier, right?

Now for a bonus…my husband’s mother’s homemade bread recipe that we now make with coconut oil. Each child in his family made this bread for 1-2 years beginning when they turned 12. This sometimes amounted to 12 loaves a week to feed a large family of 11. So, of course my husband is a proficient bread maker, and I am not.

HOMEMADE WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

In a small bowl combine :
2 T (2 pkgs) yeast and 1/2 cup warm water, set aside for yeast to grow.

In a large bowl combine :
5 cups hot water
2 T salt
2/3 cup oil
2/3 cup honey
Mix until honey and salt are dissolved.
Add:
5 cups wheat flour
Stir into honey mixture and then add yeast mixture. (Make sure the dough is not too hot for yeast.)
Add:
2 cups flour (until it becomes difficult to stir.)
Start kneading dough in bowl adding 1/2 cup flour at a time until dough is no longer sticky, after about 10-15 minutes. (You will be adding about 7 more cups of flour. Use all wheat or substitute 1/2 white flour for a lighter loaf.)

Makes 3 loaves in 9×5 in pans.

Form an oblong loaf and place in oiled bread pans.
Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.

Eat hot with butter and honey or homemade berry jam.

We are excited to announce that Coast Coconut Farms has received IMO Social and Fair Trade Certification. Using strict standards, this program certifies compliance in manufacturing while adapting to local conditions. This is defined on their website as follows:

“IMO Social & FairTrade Certification guarantees that human rights are guaranteed at any stage of production, that workers enjoy good and fair working conditions and that smallholder farmers receive a fair share. Fair trade improves the livelihood of thousands of smallholder farmers and workers by providing the means for social community projects and empowerment of people.”

This is what we’re all about!

For more information see their website at http://www.fairforlife.net/logicio/pmws/indexDOM.php?client_id=fairforlife&page_id=home&lang_iso639=en

Can virgin cold-pressed coconut oil improve memory? Whether it’s age related or just sensory overload, my memory seems to fall short daily…just ask my husband and kids. I am only saved by numerous lists, calendars, alarms, and journals. Some may say this is normal for a busy mom, but I am convinced my brain needs a boost! Thus, my interest was piqued when I learned of a way to increase my brain function and maybe even slow down that inevitable deterioration.

If you or a loved one suffer from memory loss this may be of interest to you also.

Last July this study was published on the positive effects of coconut oil on Alzheimer’s Disease. Dr. Mary Newport fed coconut oil to her husband every day and recorded any resulting change in his Alzheimer’s symptoms. Her findings are really amazing.

“…the coconut oil he’d ingested seemed to ‘lift the fog.’ He began taking coconut oil every day, and by the fifth day, there was a tremendous improvement.”

How is this possible? Because of the presence of ketones in coconut oil which feed our brains, even from infancy.

From the article listed below Dr. Newport defined:

“‘Ketones are a high-energy fuel that nourish the brain,’ …when you are starving, the body produces ketones naturally. When digested, the liver converts MCT (Medium Chain Triglycerides) oil into ketones. In the first few weeks of life, ketones provide about 25 percent of the energy newborn babies need to survive.

As Dr. Newport continued to read about MCT oil and the new medication, she discovered something surprising: Non-hydrogenated coconut oil is more than 60 percent MCT oil, and this medication derived its MCT oil from this readily available tropical tree’”

To read more about her study in easily digestible format, see http://www.tampabay.com/news/aging/article879333.ece

To download a copy of her whole study see http://www.coconutketones.com/ and click on “What if There Were a Cure for Alzheimer’s Disease…and No One Knew?”

This is definitely worth a try!

Ingredients

• ½ C. Butter Flavor Shortening
• ½ C. Coconut Oil
• 1 ¼ C. White Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 2 Eggs
• 3 C. Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 2 tsp Cream of Tartar
• 3 Tbsp White Sugar
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°, Grease cookie sheets

2. Cream together shortening, coconut oil, sugar and vanilla. Add one egg at a time and mix after each.

3. Sift together the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar, then stir into the creamed mixture until well blended.

4. Chill dough (at least 30 minutes)

5. Mix the 3 Tbsp of white sugar with the 3 tsp of cinnamon in a small bowl. Roll chilled dough into walnut sized balls and roll them in the sugar/cinnamon mixture. Place them two inches apart on the greased cookie sheets.

6. Bake 10-12 minutes, until the edges are slightly golden.

Coconut oil is now being reported in the media as a superfood, much like blueberries. This is refreshing because coconut oil has always gotten a bad rap as a saturated fat, but we now know that all fats are not created equal. Coconut oil is not stored in the body as normal fats are, but is processed in the liver like a carbohydrate and becomes available to the body as energy in the form of ketone bodies, which are food for the brain. Coconut oil is also very shelf stable so it can store for years, unlike other cooking oils.

For more information regarding this topic, please go to the article on MSN Health/Fitness

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken, cut into bite sized pieces

Cook in wok or large frying pan with 2 tablespoons coconut oil.

Remove from wok and add:

• 3 T coconut oil
• 1 T crushed fresh garlic (2-3 cloves)
• 1 tsp fresh ginger
• 1 Cup chopped onion
• 2 lg carrots, sliced
• 2 celery stalks, sliced

You may wish to substitute or add sliced zucchini, green beans, sweet potatoes, etc.

Stir fry until crunchy soft (about 3-5 min.) Add 1/2 cup frozen peas. Then Add:

• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 T curry powder or melt 2-3 squares *S&B Golden Curry sauce mix (can be found in the Asian section of any grocery store)

Return chicken to wok.

Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or until sauce thickens and ingredients are heated through.

Serve over cooked rice.

This is one of my children’s favorite meals. I vary the vegetables according to what I have on hand. Use the Golden Curry if you can as it has a richer flavor