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Variety is the spice life they say and I believe the same can be said of food. In today’s society with our short attention spans, we constantly want to try new foods, taste new things, eat a different meal practically every day to prevent boring our palates. We are not like our ancestors who pretty much would eat the same few staple things day in, day out. We are lucky in that we do have the opportunities to taste so many different cuisines and challenge our taste buds so much more than the generations past. But having said that, I also do believe that they are a few staple things people should have in their kitchen that will not only promote good health but also will serve to help achieve and maintain the body you always dreamed of. Here are a two products I make sure are in my daily diet that have benefited me so much that I can’t believe their benefits are not more widely lauded;
1) Coconut Oil
This is one of, if not my absolute favorite thing in the whole world. The oil from the tropical coconut is so remarkable when it comes to healing properties and its promotion of general great health and beauty, that I think it’s sinful that it is not in every kitchen cupboard across the world. It’s probably due to the aversion everyone has to saturated fats and the fear that has been instilled in our society that all fats are bad and will lead to heart disease. This is no the case. In many countries like Thailand and the Phillipines where coconut oil is used in large amounts in their daily diet, they have extremely low rates of heart disease. Coconut oil has gotten a bad rap over the years but the truth is, it’s nothing short of a miracle oil. And here’s why;
• Coconut oil is one of the only sources of Lauric acid, other than mothers breast milk and has potent anti-microbial and anti-viral properties. It has been successfully used in the healing of diseases like Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure , Hypothyroid, Diabetes, HIV and Cancer.
• It contributes to weight loss because it promotes proper functioning of the thyroid which keeps the metabolism working at optimum levels and also gives a feeling of satiety which prevents overeating.
• It strengthens the immune system due to its anti-viral, anti-microbial properties.
• It is very effective against a variety of infections by killing viruses that cause influenza, measles, herpes, SARS , pneumonia, UTI’s and even candidiasis.
• It can be used topically in beauty treatments as a hair conditioner ( once a week makes hair grow longer, healthier and shinier) ,and as a body moisturizer ( leaves skin super soft and is not greasy) and also as treatment for cuts and burns.
These are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the health and beauty benefits of coconut oil. It can be added to your diet as a supplement, or you can cook with it (it has a very high smoking point as it is a very stable oil), or you can begin using it as a beauty product. I recommend buying virgin or extra virgin coconut oil, (only $8 – $10 bucks at your nearest health store), start by adding even 1tbsp a day and I promise you’ll be adding one of nature’s most amazing foods to your daily diet and it won’t be long before you start to see it’s benefits.
Again, another incredible gift of mother nature, that when consumed on a regular basis has amazing health and beauty properties. I’m referring to the raw apple cider vinegar that has not been processed and still contains a cloudy substance formed from the apple residue called the “mother”. It is available at all good health food stores. Like my beloved coconut oil it too helps prevent and treat bacterial and fungal infections and it was even Hippocrates, the father of all modern medicines, go-to tonic for many ailments. And here’s why;
• ACV (apple cider vinegar) retains all the nutritional goodness from the apples from which it was made, plus it is fortified with extra enzymes and acids as a result of fermentation. It is this powerful tonic that then has the ability to aid in the healing of everything from the common cold, coughs, dandruff and bites and burns, to more serious illnesses like Diabetes, high levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) and Cancer.
• ACV is an amazing weight loss tonic. I can vouch for this! I started taking ACV daily about 7 months ago and I suddenly noticed the last few pounds that had always been stuck on me dropped off. I had not known at that time that ACV had any connection to weight loss but I knew I hadn’t changed anything else about my diet or level of activity. Sure enough with a bit of research I found that ACV is known for its weight loss effects. The reasons for this are not yet totally clear but hey, if it works it works and It works!
• ACV also helps in the beauty department by flushing toxins from your body and giving you healthy glowing skin, hair and nails. It can also cure age spots, and eczema.
ACV is only $7 for a large bottle at your local health store. I buy the “Braggs” brand, and it lasts me quite a while. I take a tbsp in a little water every morning and evening and if you can’t ingest the tart taste of the vinegar, you can sweeten the tonic with a little natural sweetener like honey or Stevia.
So there you have my two of my favorite superfoods. I really can’t stress enough how beneficial they have been to me and will be to you too if you go ahead and add them to your diet. There are many recipes out there that can help you incorporate these foods too if you don’t fancy taking them on their own. And don’t just take my word for it, google it, research a bit and I know you’ll be amazed to discover the extensive uses and benefits of both Coconut oil and ACV, which is probably why they have been around and used daily by people for centuries!
I have only been using coconut oil for my hair recently so I can’t really vouch for its skin/hair benefits. But I have been using it for cooking for years now, though, and I must say it’s leaps and bounds better than any other oils out there. What brand do you use/recommend? I get mine from http://products.mercola.com/coconut-oil/
Hey Sally! You’re right, it is so much better than all the other oils all round! I usually get mine at wholefoods so its usually the 365 brand, (unrefined and extra virgin!) but I’ve also used the Spectrum brand! Both are very good. Tropical traditions are a very good online store for everything coconut related as well! If you’ve any great coconut recipes feel free to share with me 😉 im always looking out for more!
hey Naomi,
Have you ever combined the 2 & used them as a toothpaste? Pretty wonderful clean feeling. Highly recommend it:)
Marina
Hey Marina,
No I had never tried that but I think i will now that you recommend it! Thanks for the tip 😉
Naomi
Every time I try consuming coconut oil I gain weight! How much coconut oil should I eat in a day? I like to put it in my coffee, about 2 tsp. What is the suggested amount for health benefits?
Hi Liz,
Sorry for the delay in reply but I was travelling! AS for the coconut oil causing you to gain weight, how is the rest of your diet? As in on a regular basis how much fat (whether good or bad ) would be your daily intake? I would always start with less coconut oil in the beginning as it can overtax your liver if its too much too soon. I would recommend just starting with 1 tsp a day, preferably not on an empty stomach in the beginnning, and then after two weeks you could add another tsp at the evening time. Or you could begin to use it as your cooking oil which is an easy way to sneak it into your diet. Just let me know how much fat you would consume normally so I can suss the reason for weight gain!
Naomi
I do not have a thyroid. I take a prescribed synthroid hormone replacement everyday. I don’t feel as if this method is working for me.
Hi Debra,
Im not quite sure if the coconut oil and ACV would be effective as a remedy if you no longer have your thyroid gland. Its something I would have to look into. As they are designed to help the conversion of the t3 and t4 when the thyroid gland is in trouble, Im not sure if they would have an effect when you no longer have one. They would still be of benefit to your overall health but specifically for thyroid I just cant say!
Naomi
Hi Naomi. If I want to consume both as supplements on daily basis, which one should i consume first, VCO or ACV and the timing? Thanks!
Hi Wanda, I usually take ACV first in the mornings as it just sets me off right. I take it in warm water as I feel that cuts the vinegar taste a little. I mostly consume coconut oil now through cooking. I use it as my cooking oil and that way Im getting it in my daily diet!
Hi, I love all the hype and do think these are both wonderful. However, this is my second time adding coconut oil to my daily regime and I am having a weight gaining problem. 🙁 I take both the coconut oil and Bragg Apple cider vinegar usually at night because for the first two weeks of taking both earlier in the day I was having terrible headaches probably from the detox. I have had Candida in the past and can’t really eat sugar or bread stuff very often or else I get flare ups. I don’t eat very much fat at all as I don’t eat junk food and try to eat healthy and workout daily. I have reduced the amount of coconut oil from one tablespoon to 1/2 to 1 teaspoon a day and have one to three capfulls of the Apple cider vinegar in water daily. I thought it was suppose to make you burn more calories so thought it would at least cancel itself out. But I have gained five lbs. Should I try to go on a more strict diet and cut out all other fats? I’ve also been eating three to four cloves of garlic for the past two days because my husband has the flu and I’m trying not to get it which seems to be working. And recently did a pink salt flush aboutfour days ago. I don’t know if that makes adifference- like maybe my body is detoxing so it’s going through a weight fluctuation? I don’t want to stop taking the coconut oil and Apple cider vinegar daily since it seems to br helping the way I feel (after you get past the detox headache stage)
Hi Lori,
Firstly thats great the acv and coconut oil are improving how you feel. Thats a big benefit of the two. As regards why you might be gaining weight Im curious as to how much coconut oil your taking in a day? two tablespoons? This would add an extra 230-250 calories to your daily diet and if you’re eating as you normally would and exercising as you normally would, perhaps the addition of these calories is causing the weight gain? it might be an idea to swap out the oils you’re using to cook your food through the day for coconut oil and consume it that way and in this way you wont be adding extra calories to your daily diet.
Hope that helps Lori,
Naomi Kathreen
Thank you for replying. By now my headaches have not returned. I was only eating one to one and a half teaspoon a day. But I think everyone is different and I have a slow metabolism so I dropped it down to only a half a teaspoon a day and stopped gaining weight. Maybe it took a while to start effecting my body the way it’s suppose to and for my body to use it properly, but I’m glad to say I got through all of the initial changes and am now very happy with how it affects me on a daily basis! I lost the weight I had gained and have more energy and feel calmer throughout the day like it might be helping my hormones be more balanced as well. 🙂
I’m trying to detox my body to lose weight . I read to intake a table spoon of organic raw coconut oil as well as organic apple cider vinegar twice daily. . The coconut oil, how should I do this? Put in water? I’m very active but I’m stuck at a plateau. I’m not gaining anymore weight but I’m not losing any either.. so aggravating! I’m on a high protein low carb diet. With high cardio workouts. Please help. Lol
Hi Cheryl, Thanks for the reaching out. Well i usually just take coconut oil straight from the jar but you can also melt it in a little hot water. Ive taken it like this too. Its also easy to get your intake by using as your cooking oil. As for the subject of plateauing, have you been varying your workout routine and making the workouts harder each time? I wouldn’t be big on recommending a high protein low carb diet. Ive done this before and I don’t believe its the best approach for long term health. Carbs are important for our body as they are our main source of energy and while we may achieve results quickly with cutting carbs from our diet it doesn’t nurture our body long term and can leave the body in a deficit. If you are working out heavy, then don’t be afraid to add good carbs like sweet potato and oatmeal into your diet. Also fruit and veggies are extremely important carbs and beneficial when it comes to weight loss. I’d really need to know your basic workout routine and what your diet looks like in an average day! If you ant to share that I can help you define what you need to beat the plateau!
Naomi