Coconut Oil and your health
Coconut oil during pregnancy and infancy
A daily dose of coconut oil is beneficial during pregnancy, as the natural fats help your unborn baby grow and absorb all the essential nutrients. It will also boost your calcium intake by improving your absorption.
You can use coconut oil topically on your stomach to prevent stretch marks. To prepare for labor you can massage the oil into the perineum-this will strengthen the delicate tissues so they will stretch more easily during child birth.
After the birth, coconut oil on the perineum will help you heal faster. Continue taking a daily dose of three or four table spoons of coconut oil to increase your milk supply, and you can also massage it into your nipples to prevent cracking.
If your newborn baby suffers from cradle cap, gently massage a small amount of coconut oil into the scalp, then after a few minutes wash the oil off with warm water. You can also use coconut oil as a gentle and natural remedy for diaper rash.
Coconut oil and thrush
The high content lauric acid and caprylic acid make coconut oil an excellent treatment for fungal infections such as thrush or candida. Both these acids have antibacterial antifungal, and antimicrobial properties, making them ideal for fighting fungal overgrowth while balancing your bacteria level and fighting infection.
Taking coconut oil treats the cause of candida rather than simply treating the symptoms, so you can balance your system in the long term and eliminate the distressing side effects of a candida infection, such as fatigue, mood swings, and abdominal pain. Start by taking one tablespoon a day. For fungal infections such as athlete’s foot, apply coconut oil directly to the affected area.