Roy J Walker asked:


Coconut oil is a gift from nature that has many health benefits. For years in India, coconut oil has been used extensively for skin care and hair care. Moreover, many south Indian recipes include coconut oil for cooking. After several years of research, it has been identified that coconut oil aids weight loss and improves immunity. Further, stress relief is also provided by coconut oil.

The coconut oil maintains cholesterol levels and provides relief from heart diseases. Various diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV, cancer and much more can be controlled with regular use of coconut oil in diet.

The components of coconut oil are easily absorbed by the body and these components fight against virus and bacteria. The acids in coconut oil such as lauric acid, capric acid, and caprylic acid have antioxidant, antifungal, antimicrobial, and antibacterial properties. These properties make coconut oil useful for healing wounds and other external problems. Coconut oil has 90% of saturated fats, but these fats do not increase bad cholesterol levels in the body. The remaining percentage is made up of unsaturated fatty acids which are also good for health.

Coconut oil provides natural nourishment to hair. It is generally applied topically on hair. By applying coconut oil regularly on hair, you can get a shiny complexion. Further, damages in hair are also naturally cured by coconut oil. Many people have found coconut oil to be excellent for stress relief. A smooth and gentle massage on head after application of coconut oil relieves stress and cools the body. Massaging coconut oil on skin provides excellent benefits.

For a smooth and wrinkle-free skin, apply some coconut oil and massage for a few minutes everyday. It repairs chopped skin and moisturizes the skin. Many body care and skin care products contain coconut oil in some form.

The antioxidant properties of coconut oil prevent premature aging. Degenerative diseases are avoided by regular intake of coconut oil in the diet. Many people think that coconut oil is bad for heart because of the presence of large amounts of saturated fats. These fats present in coconut oil contain lauric acid which is beneficial for heart. Also, the saturated fats do not increase LDL cholesterol levels and hence, they are edible.

Coconut oil aids digestion problem and prevents stomach problems. Moreover, health of vital organs such as kidney and liver is improved by the acids in coconut oil. In the tropical areas in the Indian sub continent, coconut oil is widely used in several recipes.

To improve immune system naturally, you can use coconut oil as cooking oil. The antimicrobial properties of the oil fight against internal infections and promote immunity. When coconut oil is topically applied on infections and wounds, you can quickly recover from the infection. Bruises are healed and repaired quickly with the application of coconut oil.

The antifungal property of coconut oil stops infection from spreading. Yeast infections can also be cured effectively with the application of coconut oil. Doctors suggest women who are more prone to osteoporosis to include coconut oil in the diet as it helps strengthening the bones.



FRANCIS
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Apr
04
Astrid Trikowsky asked:


Aromatherapy is the art and science of using essential oils for improving or Greek, Roman, Chinese, and Indian have used aromatherapy to maintain health and beauty. All ancient civilizations - Egyptian, for their physical and mental well-being.

The term “Aromatherapy” can be misleading as it suggests that it is a form of healing that works exclusively through the sense of smell. This is not the case, as each essential oil has an individual combination of constituents that interact with the body’s chemistry in a direct manner. It is important to recognize that essential oils have three distinct modes of action with regard to how they interrelate with the human body: pharmacological, physiological and psychological.

The pharmacological effect is concerned with the chemical changes that take place when an essential oil enters the blood stream and brain and reacts with hormones and enzymes etc.; the physiological mode is the way the essential oil affects the system of the body, that is, whether they are sedated or stimulated; the psychological effect takes place in response to the smell of the essential oil with the limbic (memory/emotion) part of the brain.

For Aromatherapy to be effective, essential oils need to enter the body in one of two ways; one, physically through the skin and secondly through the olfactory system. Once the essential oils come into contact with the skin they are immediately assimilated into the circulatory system where they are carried to the various systems and organs.

When essential oils are inhaled, their unique molecules penetrate the limbic system in the brain. The limbic system, sometimes referred to as our “old” brain, is responsible for our memories and emotions. The brain, in turn, releases certain neurochemicals, causing positive changes throughout the body. It is best to use essential oils as external remedies only. This is due to the high concentration of the essential oils and the potential irritation or damage they could cause to the mucous membranes and delicate stomach lining.

Essential oils are non-oily aromatic liquids occurring naturally in various parts of plants, herbs, flowers, fruits, woods and spices. They contain the life force of the plant and have the ability to strengthen our immune system and to stimulate our bodies’ natural healing abilities.

Like herbalism, Aromatherapy draws on the healing powers of the plant world. However, instead of using the whole plant, it employs only it’s essential oil.

This potent, aromatic substance is housed in the tiny glands on the outside or deep inside the roots, woods, leaves, fruits or flowers of the plant. Most plants contain essential oils, but often in such minimal amounts that extraction would not be worth the effort or the price of the essential oil would be too high.

Essential oils are highly concentrated and in most cases must be diluted prior to use. Such concentration has some advantages. For example, essential oils don’t take up much room and can be easily transported. They can be combined with each other in a variety of ways for many different purposes.

Essential Oils:

Essential oils should be labeled “Pure Essential Oils”. There is a temptation by distillers and suppliers of essential oils to extend or stretch the essential oil. This greatly reduces or negates the therapeutic value of the essential oil, depending on what it has been extended with.

Essential oils will vary in price, depending on the amount of plant material required, the extraction process and the availability of the plant from which the essential oil is extracted. They should always be kept in dark glass bottles as they are extremely sensitive to light. The shelf life of essential oils varies.

A citrus essential oil has the shortest shelf life of approximately one year, after which it will gradually lose its therapeutic actions. Some essential oils, such as rose, sandalwood, rosewood and patchouli actually get better with age, much like fine wine.

There are hundreds of essential oils, which between them constitute an extremely effective medical system. Many of these are the active ingredient in drugs prescribed by the orthodox Western system of medicine, or the inspiration for synthetic copies. These concentrated liquids are indispensable to medicine, and to the food and cosmetic industries.

Some examples of the disinfectant properties of essential oils:

• The essential oil of cinnamon kills the Typhus bacillus at a dilution of 1:300

• The essential oil of chamomile has considerable bacteriostatic properties due to the amount of azulene contained in it. Azulene is effective at a dilution of 1:2000 against the Staphylococcus and thehemolyticbeta streptococcus (causes scarlet fever and rheumatic fever).

• Infected wounds have been healed using a dilution of 1:17000.

• The essential oil of lemon neutralizes Meningococcus , Typhus bacillus , Pneumococcus and Staphylococcus within 5 - 20 minutes.

In order to kill bacteria in the air, Professor Griffon carried out the following experiment: Mixtures of various essential oils were sprayed as mists in a room. The development capacity of the germs suspended in the air was studied before and after spraying. Before the test there were 210 germs, of which 12 were molds and 8 staphylococci. Within 30 minutes, the essential oils had destroyed all the molds and staphylococci.



CONRAD
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Grace asked:


I got an oil change then when I got home I noticed there was smoke coming up from under the hood. I checked under the hood but can’t tell where the smoke is coming from. My brother said they probably just spilled some oil and it’s burning off. But this has never happened to me after an oil change. Could it really be just some spilled oil or could they have messed something up?

FRITZ
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