Health benefits of coconut oil

• Coconut oil strengthens the immune system. It helps in dealing with viruses and bacteria causing diseases such as influenza, cytomegalovirus, hepatitis and even HIV.
• Virgin coconut oil balances out-of-range cholesterol levels in the body.
• Coconut oil helps reduce risk for heart disease and stroke.
• Coconut oil helps reduce risk of cancer.
• Coconut oil helps in controlling blood sugar.
• Coconut oil enhances weight loss. Fats contained in coconut oil are easily converted into energy quickly, thus giving it no time at all to accumulate in the body. Coconut oil also speeds up metabolism, and boosts energy and endurance.
• Applying coconut oil to the head followed with a gentle massage helps in removing anxiety and stress.
• Coconut oil helps in preventing premature aging and degenerative diseases due to its antioxidant properties.
• Coconut oil helps in improving the digestive system and thus prevents various stomach and digestion related problems. Coconut oil also helps in absorption of important nutrients.
• As coconut oil improves the ability of our body to absorb important nutrients (including minerals, such as calcium and magnesium), it helps in getting strong bones and teeth.
• Coconut oil helps in preventing liver, kidney and gall bladder diseases.

Add coconut oil to your daily diet! It can be a healthy alternative to butter or margarine. It is also ideal for frying foods, as it possesses a high smoking point. Moreover, coconut oil is very stable, and has a long shelf-life.

Coconut oil for a healthy hair
Virgin coconut can give you stronger, shinier and healthier hair.  It strengthens your hair shaft and root, reducing split ends and hair breakage. Coconut oil is the best hair treatment for dry, damaged hair and itchy scalp. Regular massage of the head with coconut oil ensures that your scalp is free of dandruff, lice, and lice eggs.

Coconut oil hair treatment recipe:

• Scoop out some coconut oil into a cup. Put the cup in a pot with warm water to melt the oil.
• Pour some of the warm oil into hands and run your fingers through your dry hair.
• Coat your hair with the oil. Use just enough so that the oil will penetrate the hair, without leaving an oily or greasy look. Use more oil at the ends, less in the middle and near the roots.
• Put on a shower cap. For very dry hair, leave the treatment overnight; for oily or normal hair, leave it for an hour.
• Wash out hair with a gentle shampoo. Skip using a conditioner.

• For dandruff treatment, combine coconut oil with two-three drops of tea tree, rosemary, geranium, or cedarwood essential oils.

Coconut oil for a healthy skin
Virgin coconut oils will moisturize and nourish your skin using only its pure natural ingredients, without any preservatives, chemicals or solvents. It improves skin lipid levels, increases hydration, reduces roughness and scaling, and fights viruses and bacteria.

Deep skin moisturizing and conditioning treatment:

• Shower and exfoliate all over your body.
• While still in the shower take some virgin coconut oil and rub between your palms to melt the oil.
• Massage the oil onto your skin.
• After covering your body in coconut oil, rinse off in warm water.
• Step out of the shower and use your towel to gently pat dry your skin. This will leave a nice thin layer of coconut oil on your skin.

Do this treatment right before going to bed, several times a week, and you would not experience any dry itchy skin symptoms – even during the cold dry winter months.

• Virgin coconut oil is safe to use as a facial moisturizer. It does not clog pores. Moreover, it can help reduce acne symptoms.
• Coconut oil is gentle enough to use as eye makeup removal, and it can lubricate the skin for shaving.
• Coconut oil make it a great topical remedy for rosacea, psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema and diaper rash.
• Coconut oil makes great massage oil. It is easily absorbed by the skin and promotes healing. It will make your skin soft, shiny, smooth, and mmm… yummy!

Most of the cholesterol is synthesized by the liver itself. This proportion of the cholesterol in the body is not affected by the type of food that we eat. However, a substantial quantity of cholesterol is also derived from the food we eat and therefore can be managed with proper diet.

Even though healthy diet choices can keep the arteries free of cholesterol, we pay minimal attention to what eat when we are young. The reality check on cholesterol generally occurs after the age of forty when the harm has already been done. By this age, we are so accustomed to a particular diet that it becomes difficult, if not impossible to change over to a diet that is heart-friendly.

Unlike the so-called healthy weight loss plans that are inclined towards slimness with no regard to nutritional needs, the cardiac diet is based on sound medical principles. The diet proposes gradual and natural weight loss with focus on reducing the risk of heart disease or stroke by promoting weight loss. It aims at managing cholesterol levels through dietary modifications and a move towards a more active lifestyle. Though the diet is primarily meant for those who have, unfortunately, experienced cardiac problems, doctors recommend that the diet should also be adopted by those at a higher risk of heart disease (due to hereditary or genetic reasons).

The target of the diet is to lose weight since obesity increases the risk of a heart disease to a large extent. It also aims at maintaining healthy levels of HDL and LDL.

The cardiac diet recommends choosing healthier foods and does not promote the denial of a specific food group. Some of the choices that you can make are:

-   Whole grain breads and low fat rolls over butter rolls and commercial doughnuts.

-   Vegetables, frozen or fresh, over fried vegetables with cream or butter.

-   All types of fruits except coconut or avocado. Fruits in cream or custard are recommended.

-    Lean meat (three ounces of meat is sufficient for daily requirement of proteins) instead of prime and fatty meats.

-    Low fat dairy products in place of whole milk and yoghurt.

-    Home made low fat soups in place of cream soups.

-    Home made deserts with recommended oils rather than high sugar foods like candies, chocolates and brownies.

-    Adoption of cooking mediums like canola, olive and soybean oils as against solid fats, butter and gravy with meat fat.

-    All beverages, including alcohol are allowed in moderation except for those containing fats, salts and egg yolks.

The cardiac diet is about a balanced diet with recommended ratios of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. There is an equal emphasis on exercise depending upon tolerance levels. A 10-15 minute walk before breakfast and dinner is recommended even for those who already have a cardiac condition.

High blood pressure is a condition that cuts across all the age groups. It is important not to neglect this condition and one should get help as soon as he or she is diagnosed. It is a symptom of stress and anxiety and should be diagnosed properly since the blood pressure in a normal person can fluctuate during the day due to the effect of stress, anxiety, alcohol intake and the likes.

To confirm a case of high blood pressure, persistent elevated readings should be recorded at different times during the day, on different days and in different circumstances. It is a well-established fact that acute stress and anxiety can lead to a momentary increase in blood pressure due to changes in the flow pattern of blood from the heart.

Chronic anxiety can lead to prolonged hypertension. Anxiety disorder has been linked with increased risk for hypertension and cardiovascular mortality. Close to seventy percent of all the high blood pressure problems are linked to emotional stress or anxiety during difficult situations. Conversely, higher levels of anxiety have been found in hypertensive subjects. When this phenomenon becomes recurrent, it can lead to long-term permanent damage like heart attacks, kidney failure or liver failure.

Also, when one is anxious it is easy to resort to other unhealthy habits like smoking and drinking, which can further aggravate the problem. Hence it is critical that the treatment being administered for controlling high blood pressure should also provide anxiety relief.

Here are some tips which can help you manage your condition of high blood pressure and at the same time will help in providing relief from anxiety. One should eat regular meals and avoid stimulants like coffee. Preference should be given to foods that are natural like fruits, whole grains etc. It is also important to exercise regularly. It will help relieve tension and also boost the cardiovascular system.

However, it is prudent to consult your doctor before embarking on an exercise regimen. It is equally important to get adequate rest since it will relax the muscles and help in relieving the buildup of stress and anxiety. If nothing works, it is advisable to consult your doctor for medication to address your blood pressure as well as providing relief from anxiety.

Since these medications have their side effects, it is wise to evaluate the natural treatments for anxiety relief in consultation with your doctor. This can help you provide complete relief from anxiety, thereby eliminating the root cause of your high blood pressure.