ME! A FOOD NAZI???

When I need to stimulate an appetite, I say:  ‘By any means necessary.’ Switching to yummy coconut oil to prepare most of my meals has been the biggest appetite stimulate for me in recent years. 

And oddly, a simple plastic dinner plate, of all things, has got me very happy to cook, each and everyday.

Some other typical sources of cooking inspiration and appetite stimulation include:

• Going to local “taste of” events
• Shopping in the grocery store aisles that I usually ignore
• Updating cooking spices
• Exchanging recipes with friends and family
• Eating at a new restaurant
• Reading food magazines
• Watching cooking shows on TV
• Going to farmers markets

But a new plastic dinner plate has got to be the weirdest source of inspiration. Actually the plate is a small sectioned dinner tray from Target. The tray was a gift from a relative.

JAPANESE BENTO BOXES

The tray’s playful and colorful design is similar to “bento” food crafting designs by Japanese Moms.  Those crafty women shape and colorfully decorate food to look like human faces, small animals or storybook characters to encourage their young children to eat.

Now, I can’t do all that, but the dinner tray design has got me happy to cook and fill-up the sections.  Cooking doesn’t seem like drudgery or a chore.

OK, I admit it:  The Target dinner tray is for children!



Target child's bento style dinner tray



Pat Thomas for the Coconut Lovers Mojo until next time…

THE HEAT IS ON

Last night, I had to turn-on the furnace even though it’s still officially summer.

 Fall’s not due for a few more days. But my skin looks and feels dry because of dropping temperatures, lower humidity and gusting winds.  

 So what’s a girl to do?   Chicagoland’s overnight temperature fell to 49 degrees and the outdoor humidity was about 38%. Winds have been gusting about 20 mph.

• First, I make it a point to start-up the humidifier on the furnace.  This is important if the indoor humidity will drop below 20% because of the forced air heat. (Radiators are more forgiving.)
• Next, I avoid dehydration and try to stay moisturized internally.  So I drink a glass of plain or coconut water before bedtime. 
• After cleansing my face, I apply a light layer of coconut oil to help seal moisture into my skin.
• Then in the morning, I don’t use soap on my face.
• I cleanse it with coconut oil and just wipe-off any excess.  This way gusty winds and cooler temperatures won’t dry-out my facial skin during the day.  

Pat Thomas for the Coconut Lovers Mojo until next time…

GREENS AND EGGS

Have you tried salad greens for breakfast? Well, they provide a surprisingly large storehouse of energy to get through the day. 

I originally read about the salad for breakfast tip in Chris McDougall’s bestselling book, Born to Run.  Eating a salad for breakfast is a winning start to the day.

TRADITIONAL BREAKFAST FOODS

I actually favor eating more traditional breakfast foods like sausage with eggs at least 2 times per week.  But lately the breakfast sausage brands I have been buying leave a lot to desire.  The meat blend is bland tasting, has too few spices and too much salt.

So, I have improvised by using uncured luncheon meat instead of breakfast sausage.

EGGS COOKED IN COCONUT OIL

I fry the eggs and luncheon meat in 1 or 2 tablespoons of Coconut oil. And in a few minutes I have enough protein to carry me through the day until dinner.

I often fry the eggs instead of boiling them because the fried eggs keep away midday hunger feelings better and I get my daily quotient of Coconut oil benefits.

Pat Thomas for The Coconut Lovers Mojo until next time…

COCONUT’S SCENT AND THE OTHER AROMA

It’s all over the internet: The tip that you can use coconut oil for underarm deodorant.  But does that mean it’s true because it’s on the internet?  That depends! 

First, you should be scrupulously clean before applying coconut oil to your underarms. Apply it immediately after washing.

Second, you should use a deodorant or odor-masking soap.

Third, washing with a mild soap beforehand would be one strike against using coconut oil.

Fourth, you should probably be on your day-off.

Fifth, you probably shouldn’t plan on doing any stressful, sweaty, or stink producing activities.

Sixth, teenager or menopausal hormone shifts might be another strike.

Seventh, any food, drink or medical condition that affects your body odor would mean a strike-out

Eighth, don’t choose a hot day to use coconut oil for a deodorant.

Ninth, you will need to re-apply it twice a day and use organic extra-virgin coconut oil. WASH BETWEEN APPLICATIONS.

Tenth, you will probably need to surround yourself with people who wouldn’t mind a tinny bit of off-odor toward nightfall.

If you can satisfy all of the above conditions, I say ‘Go For It!’

Otherwise, only use coconut oil for an underarm deodorant when you have to race to the store to buy a real deodorant.

Pat Thomas for THE COCONUT LOVERS MOJO

COCONUT OIL VS. BODY CREAMS

The Body Shop’s “Coconut Body Butter” and Perlier’s “Ultra-Revitalizing Body Butter with Coconut Milk” both make a good change of pace from straight coconut oil for moisturizing.

Let’s look at the performance of all three products:

• Coconut oil is faster absorbing than either cream from The Body Shop or Perlier.
• Perlier’s formula includes Shea butter and coconut oil. It is a thick cream that’s ultra moisturizing, great for daytime long-lasting protection of my skin in winter.
• The Body Shop’s body butter includes Brazil nut oil, cocoa butter, glycerin and coconut oil. It’s lightweight and leaves a delicate, soft shimmer. It’s an excellent hot weather body cream.
• Coconut oil is the best overnight moisturizer. In summer and winter my skin is soft and dewy in the morning. The oil absorbs fast into my skin and the aroma is highly relaxing at bedtime.
• Coconut oil can be hard to extract from a jar in a cool bathroom during winter.  In the summer, it can be messy to handle in the liquid state.
• Whiteners are in both of the body butters which can obscure skin tone. Coconut oil leaves the ultimate sheen and glint on my skin.
• Coconut oil is multi-purpose. I can use it for my skin, my hair or in cooked dishes. The body creams are only for skin.

Pat Thomas for THE COCONUT LOVERS MOJO until next time…

6 QUICK EXPERIMENTS WITH COCONUT OIL

 

Here are 6 quick ways to taste-test coconut oil if you have never used it for cooking or baking:

1. Use it for cooking scrambled eggs instead of butter
2. Use it for stir frying vegetables instead of non-stick spray
3. Add a ½ teaspoon to hot chocolate
4. Use it to pop popcorn instead of corn oil
5. Use it to make skillet toast
6. Add a ½ teaspoon to a milk hot toddy instead of butter



 COCONUT OIL POPCORN TREAT



The blissful aroma and yummy flavor will keep you wanting more cooked dishes with coconut oil.  

Just be sure to use extra virgin, organic coconut oil to get the full aroma, flavor and benefits.

Also, if you do not detect any flavor or aroma in the 1st jar you buy, don't give-up,  try another brand. This is what I had to do after buying some oil that was old. Fresh coconut oil tastes great!

 Pat Thomas for THE COCONUT LOVERS MOJO until next time...

FRUITY SOFT CLEANSERS FOR YOUR FEET

Nothing beats the sensation of massaging a piece of mashed-up fruit like cantaloupe into my feet during a pedicure. The fruit plus a little coconut oil makes a no- soap, non-irritating DIY cleanser.

Fruit and Coconut Oil Cleansers

For a moisturizing, refreshing cleanser, I also knead fruits like banana, avocado or mango on my footsies along with a few teaspoons of coconut oil.  

Deep Clean with Coconut Oil

For a deeper clean I mix coconut oil with lime, strawberries or potatoes (use only on cloudy days). 

For light exfoliation, I use a pinapple slice or a wet piece of brown coconut husk.

Floral Water and Coconut Oil

Flowers like hibiscus or rose petals are both rich in vitamin C and are good for simply soaking my feet.  After soaking, I massage them with coconut oil before going to bed.

I mostly use overripe fruit that I probably am not going to eat for these coconut oil foot cleansers.

Pat Thomas for THE COCONUT LOVERS MOJO

TASTY TAHITIAN FISH COCONUT AND LIME

Here’s my easy baked recipe version of Poisson Cru, the traditional Tahitian raw tuna dish with coconut and lime.



Fish with Coconut Milk and Lime



INGREDIENTS

4 Fish Fillets – I used Ocean Perch because these have fewer bones

2 Limes

2 tablespoons of Coconut Oil – Organic Extra Virgin

1 teaspoon of Coconut Butter

½ cup of Coconut Milk

¼ teaspoon of Salt

Dash Pepper and Turmeric

 

PROCESS

Spread the filets on a dish.  Juice the limes and pour the juice on the fish.  Allow to soak for ½ hour.

After soaking, drain the juice  and pad dry the fillets.  Salt the fish.

Heat the coconut oil in a pan that can be used on top the stove and in the oven.  Heat the oil on high heat until it starts to lightly smoke.  Immediately turn off the flame.

Add the coconut butter.  Stir into the hot oil.

Add the fish to the pan.  Flip the fish to coat both sides with the hot oil mixture.

Pour the coconut milk into the pan. Add the Black Pepper and the Turmeric.

Place the pan into a hot oven about 350 degrees.

Bake for 30 to 45 minutes until the fish flakes and is completed cooked. Remove the pan from the oven.

Remove the fish from the pan juices and serve on a platter.

Let me know if you enjoyed this recipe! Or not.

Pat Thomas for THE COCONUT LOVERS MOJO until next time…

MONEY FOR ALL: INTERNATIONAL COCONUT TRADE

Imagine if you only were able to get fresh bananas whenever you traveled to a tropical country. Sometimes it’s like that with fresh coconut.  Imagine if mangoes were sold at $20 a pop.  Sometimes it’s like that with fresh coconut. 

A recent article in the Fiji Times Online documented how the production of coconut oil lifted up the economic circumstances of 50 women in 1 village. Link:  Virgin Coconut Oil Supports Villagers.

MANUFACTURING WITH COCONUT

Nearly all Americans use cooking oil, skin care products, hair moisturizers, soap and dermatological pharmaceuticals.  Coconut oil can be used to manufacture all of these products and more.

Coconut products remain virtually an untapped market for trade between Americans and people living in tropical latitudes.

This is a lot of money virtually frozen and not flowing between the United States and small but numerous tropical countries, especially islands in the Pacific. Hundreds of millions of people live on tropical islands throughout the world.

The picture is changing.

INCREASED TRADE WITH COCONUT PRODUCTS

Less than 3 years ago there was only 1 brand of coconut water on my grocery store’s shelves.  Now, a   half dozen or more brands are available.  And coconut water is sold at stores on every major street intersection in Chicago.  This has especially benefited the economy of Brazil.

Every country’s economy deserves a chance at getting a piece of the American pie.  More trade with people living in tropical latitudes could help the economies of everybody involved.

Trade in coconut products is in ALL of our economic interests.

Pat Thomas for THE COCONUT LOVERS MOJO until next time…

21st CENTURY HAIR CARE REVOLUTION

My first “job” in the 1960s was combing and plaiting my babysitter’s long, soft, thick gray hair every day.  Out the blue one day, Mrs. Brown told me about her daughter’s hair woes with all the shampoo bottles that took up an entire shelf in the bathroom cabinet. 

Mrs. Brown said ‘None of them work, you know’. 

Here we are in 2012 and it turns out that Mrs. Brown was right, traditional shampoos do not work for everyone’s hair.

REVOLUTIONARY HAIR CARE

There’s a new generation of hair experts and ordinary women who have formulated revolutionary new hair cleansing and conditioning products and techniques.

These individuals realized that something just wasn’t right about the products they were faithfully and loyally using for hair care. The products just were not working.

This is the first in an ongoing series of blog post articles on some of these revolutionaries who changed all of our hair stories for the better.

CHAZ DEAN – WEN CLEANSING CONDITIONERS

The cleansing products are promoted as an alternative to traditional detergent-based shampoos.

Late one night, as I mindlessly watched a shopping channel, Chaz Dean came on with a presentation of his line of cleansing conditioners.  His statements about his cleansers’ attributes barely penetrated my blue screen brain fog.

But when Dean stated that the detergent sulfates in traditional shampoos were the very same ingredients in de-greasers used by automobile mechanics to clean oil spills off of garage floors, I sat-up immediately.  Next, I was on the phone to order the Fig Cleansing Conditioner.

Ordering the Cleansing Conditioner wasn’t too much of a stretch for me. As a teenager, I would try  an herbal recipe here or there. 

 But it got tiresome after a while trying to actually find specific herbs and then compound them into a homemade shampoos.

Chaz Dean’s Wen Cleansing Conditioners save all of that labor. 

There’s an entire line of Wen products that vary according to hair type with very different formulations and not just a different fragrances.

When I got the Fig Cleansing Conditioner and used it, I was simply amazed.  My straggly looking, aging hair looked lusher and felt softer.

There’s no hype on this blog site!  Wen works.

LEADING LADIES OF HAIR ON YouTube

The internet saved my hair and skin.  Women who take time to document their hair care rituals on YouTube have made a tremendous difference in the look, feel and condition of my hair.

Until these women, who are virtually all in their 20s and 30s, started showing me on YouTube and writing downloadable books, I really had no idea of the serious problems associated with certain hair techniques and products.

• Relaxed Hair – Thank you to all the ladies who have shown me and others on YouTube that there is a hair life after stopping using relaxers on African textured hair.
• Women who did the “Big Chop” are particularly inspirational.  Without their experiences, I would have never closely examined the damaging and dangerous details of relaxers.  I haven’t chopped my hair, yet.  But I now know that relaxed hair is so 20^th century old school in the 21^st century.
• Petroleum Jelly – Many thanks to women who used the internet to spread information about the extremely irritating and drying nature of petroleum jelly.  Instead these women promoted coconut oil, olive oil, palm oil and other tropical oils for moisturizing hair and scalp.
•  Now the major players in the hair care industry have jumped on the bandwagon by selling products with at least some natural oils. 
• Unsafe Combing and Brushing—until the internet, I took for granted my combing techniques and tools.  I garnered little tidbits of new knowledge like ‘never comb dry hair, only comb hair when it’s wet’ or ‘don’t use combs that have seams on the teeth’ that have made a tremendous difference in my hair’s condition.

I could go on and on. I have learned so much from the young women who sit before their laptop cameras and educate the world via the internet.

Maybe you have grown comfortably old with traditional sources of information about your hair needs, like your hairstylist or television commercials.

I urge you to check-out YouTube for alternative sources of information for a fresh, new and updated approach to your hair’s life.

OSCAR BLANDI - OSCAR BLANDI PRODUCTS

Blandi’s entire line of hair care products is based on the aromatherapy properties of one essential oil: Italian jasmine.

And it not a perfumy, artificial molecular copy.  It’s the real flower essential oil that has widely documented restorative botanical compounds for hair and scalp.

As an aromatherapist, I use to make my own recipes of hair conditioners with jasmine. This oil is very expensive and often sold in diluted concentrations.

Blandi’s line is convenient because the jasmine is already in the conditioner in the correct proportion and the essential oil is from the best source for jasmine: Italy.   It’s highly fragrant, not a faint smell, and long lasting.

The Protein Mist For Restyling Hair is a must for moistening hair and then sealing with coconut oil before combing.

Oh… about Mrs. Brown, whose hair I used to plait.  One day, in my mid 30s, long after I had moved from the old neighborhood, I decided to go visit her at the nursing home where she was living.  She was taken there after her eyesight began to fail.

She still had a full head of long, thick white hair.

 As I read the Bible to her, it occurred to me that she had been an old woman since I was a toddler. I wondered how old she really was but I didn’t ask.

She just wondered aloud why the Lord kept her on Earth so long. When I left, I myself wondered why anyone would question God about that.

When she died a couple of years later, she was 104 years old.

Pat Thomas for THE COCONUT LOVERS MOJO until next time…

COCONUT OIL SCHOLARLY ARTICLE REVIEW

Larissa DeDea, PharmD recently presented a scholarly article in the Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants Can Coconut Oil Replace Caprylidene for Alzheimer Disease? . It was published in the August 7, 2012 issue of the journal. In the article, Dr. DeDea examines whether there are any benefits to using coconut oil to restore the mental functioning of patients with Alzheimer Disease.

Dr. DeDea compares coconut oil to Axona, a pharmaceutical with coconut oil derivatives.

Coconut oil had been determined to induce ketosis, the biochemical process that occurs after the consumption of certain fatty acids that results in the body producing glucose, the primary food for the human brain.

Axona, manufactured by Accera, Inc. is currently the subject of a study by the National Institutes for Health (NIH), to determine its ability to remedy Alzheimer’s  Disease in patients by  inducing ketosis with a proprietary blend of coconut oil derived fatty acids.

ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS

• Dr. DeDea notes that only 1 patient study has been conducted which demonstrates that coconut oil reverses Alzheimer Disease or even alleviates the condition’s symptoms.
• The idea that coconut oil reverses Alzheimer Disease is very persistent in the American culture because of that 1 study.
• Also, Axona just like straight coconut oil can cause an upset stomach, sometimes severe.
• Axona is a very expensive prescription just as coconut oil is probably the most expensive cooking oil at the health food store or grocer.

Dr. DeDea’s work opens the door to some very basic questions about coconut oil and Axona that the American scientific, food and financial industries should answer.

scientific, food and financial INDUSTRY Questions

1. Why is there only 1 accepted study of coconut oil, a product that is produced internationally and has been consumed by literally millions of people over many millennia?  It stands to reason that there would be a viable patient population to study.  Have there in fact been studies conducted but which are not accepted by the American scientific community?
2. Why haven't there been any studies of the effectiveness of coconut oil in the treatment of reversible forms of dementia?
3. Is the fact that both the pharmaceutical Axona and straight coconut oil cause stomach upset, sometimes severe,  a hint or clue to how both could be more effectual?
4. Why haven't  coconut butter or coconut flakes been studied?
5. Is a process comparable to the nixtmalization of corn needed for the human body to utilize straight coconut oil?  Native Americans treated corn with lime, alkaline calcium carbonate, to release nutrients for human consumption. Throughout tropical latitudes, there are cultural traditions that call for coconut to be consumed with lime, the citrus fruit. There are even songs about the marriage of coconut with lime slices.
6. Is it high cooking heat that releases the coconut component that is effective for Alzheimer Disease?  In most tropical cultures that use coconut oil, the oil isn’t drank straight  or poured over cooked foods like in America but instead it is used as a cooking oil heated to very high temperatures.
7. What is the market basis for coconut oil costing about $10 for a small jar and Axona’s $114 monthly prescription price? Coconut oil is a seed oil. Millions of tons of it are annually produced worldwide, in many different tropical countries. 
8. Why is coconut oil still such a novelty at most large grocery stores and thus unavailable to millions of American consumers, despite the fact that the promise of coconut oil benefits has gone viral on the internet?

In Conclusion

The last question about coconut oil benefits for health is:  Why are American consumers who happen to be patients, left to their own devices to figure-out if a seed oil that is commonly used in tropical countries could inexpensively remedy their infirmities.

PERSONAL DISCLOSURE:  

 I am not a scientist or doctor.

Resources and references: 

Dr. Bruce Fife, Coconut Research Center, Colorado, USA

Axona NIH government study by invitation only. Clinical Trial Identifier:  NCT01538212

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/nct01538212

Accera, Inc. links for additional information on Axona

http://www.accerapharma.com/axona.html

http://www.about-axona.com/hcp/

Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary

Pat Thomas for THE COCONUT LOVERS MOJO until next time…

STRAIGHT-UP COCONUT, NO?

Personal choice means that you and I have the freedom not to use plain coconut products on our skin or hair.

Here’s a smattering of brand name products  formulated with some coconut for skin and hair care readily available at drug stores, specialty beauty stores or online shopping websites:

HAIR PRODUCTS WITHOUT PETRO CHEMICALS

• Aveda Brilliant Anti-Humectant Pomade contains coconut oil derivative caprylic/capric triglyceride. This product also contains professionally compounded aromatherapy essential oils.
• Ultra Sheen Ultra Care Oil Rich Serum contains multiple wholistic carrier oils and essential oils.  This product almost duplicates a recipe that I used to painstakingly prepare fresh each time I conditioned my hair. 
• Dove Nutritive Therapy Antifrizz Serum for hair contains hydrogenated coconut oil and also has sweet almond oil.

I use these products because of the aromatherapy oils and the sweet almond oil which are rare in hair care products. When I don’t have time to mix-up my own recipes, the above products are very convenient.

HAIR PRODUCTS THAT CONTAIN PETRO/MINERAL OIL

• Softee Coconut Oil Hair & Scalp Conditioner (also contains jojoba oil) 
• Palmers Coconut Oil Formula Condition & Gloss Spray (also contains vitamin E)

Over the past 2 years, I have been able to virtually stop using hair care products formulated with petroleum. EXCEPTION: I use the above products only when it’s extremely humid outside.

SKIN CARE PRODUCT WITH COCONUT WATER

• Biore Refresh Daily Cleansing Cloths with coconut derivative caprylic/capric glycerides, coconut water plus gardenia extract.  Unfortunately, this product also contains parabens and propylene glycol. But it’s great for easily removing eye make-up with a simple wipe or two.

None of above products contain colorants or whiteners—they are all virtually clear just like coconut oil and coconut water.  That’s a big plus!

I just ordered Ojon's Rare Blend Oil which is advertised as including Tahitian Monoi Oil in the ingredients along with 6 other tropical oils, some rare.  I can't wait to try it for hair care. I already use 100% Tahitian Monoi Oil, the pure coconut oil for skin care.

STRAIGHT COCONUT

Perhaps you are wondering why I mainly use 100% coconut oil or coconut water straight out of the jar or bottle? Because of these questions:

• Is the coconut oil organic extra virgin? Hydrogenated coconut oil is a second choice.
• Is the coconut water fresh or reconstituted? 
• How much coconut product is in the container?  The ingredients list is not a reliable indicator.
• Why do I have to use so much product and so often when I can get away with using coconut by the drop weekly?

Insteading of wondering, I just dip out a little pure coconut oil or splash some coconut water to rejuvenate my hair and skin just like women living in tropical latitudes worldwide.

Pat Thomas for THE COCONUT LOVERS MOJO until next time…