After reading about oil pulling, and seeing that the main source for it claims Sunflower and Sesame Oils are the most effective, it got me thinking, uh, ... why? Then I came across kebod's great success of OP with Coconut Oil, and found that many, if not most people who use oil as a moisturizer use Coconut Oil. I then decided to find out the ins and outs about oil altogether, and it turns out, Coconut Oil just might be the best oil out there, for cooking, eating, moisturizing, and Oil Pulling.

Why? Well you could do the research yourself and find out about oils, Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Essential Fatty Acids, and the other ingrediats in Oils, but one thing that Coconut Oil has that no other oil has in it (besides Palm Seed Oil) (and if I'm wrong I'll be glad to admit it) is Lauric Acid.

What is Lauric Acid?

lauric acid: Definition and Much More from Answers.com

I found onfairly credible looking sites, all the possible uses and benefits of coconut oil. Here are the links.

Niulife Coconut Oil
Pure Virgin Coconut Oil - The Smarter Fat That Helps Promote Weight Loss
Cococnut Oil

There are several more. I couldn't list all of the things different sites claim that coconut oil does. Just look up coconut oil uses on google and read the results for the rest of your lifetime.

UPDATE: USES - taken from Cococnut Oil

Coconut oil can effectively replace most of your medicine cabinet! In particular, it can replace these:

• Acne Cream: see Skin Cream.
• Antacids: Coconut oil kills the bacteria that cause ulcers and gas, but it's mostly a long-term remedy. (DGL is good for short-term relief. See Dealing With Anxiety Attacks.)
• Antiseptic Cream: Combine with crushed garlic or saliva for a a powerful antiseptic.
• Anti-fungal Cream for athlete's foot and jock itch: Coconut oil is anti-fungal. Combined with crushed garlic, it's even effective against planter's warts (apply liberally and cover the feet with cotton socks).
• Anti-Dandruff Medication: Rub in coconut oil to keep scalp healthy.
• Body Lotion: see Skin Cream.
• Eczema Cream: see Skin Cream.
• Hair Conditioner: For healthy skin and hair, Put some on your fingertips and massage into your scalp after showering.
• Hair Spray: see Styling Gel.
• Hand Lotion: see Skin Cream.
• Hemorrhoid Cream: Softens and soothes.
• Jock Itch Powder: Coconut oil is anti-fungal.
• KY Jelly: Coconut oil works well as a natural lubricant.
• Lip Balm: Moisturizes the lips, and it's healthy.
• Massage Oil: Coconut oil is great. And healthy, too.
• Mouthwash: Put a little in your mouth and swish it around. The oil promotes the production of saliva, which is a bacteria fighter by itself. The saliva activates the coconut oil, which pretty much anhilates the bacteria that cause bad breath, plaque, and gingivitis. Do when you eat, and after flossing. Goodbye bleeding gums! Swallow the solution, instead of spitting it out, to deliver the coconut oil to your stomach and intestines. (Sea salt also kills bacteria and gives your body the trace minerals it needs for optimum function -- but a mixture of the two doesn't taste very good. I prefer to use them separately.)
• Psoriasis Cream: see Skin Cream.
• Skin Cream: Rub it into the skin to combat acne, eczema, roscea, psoriasis, itchy skin, and other skin problems. More importantly, take a tablespoon 3 times a day to combat those problems from the inside.
• Skin Moisturizer: Rub it in after a shower to keep skin soft and smooth. For ultra-soft hands, apply liberally and cover with cotton gloves.
• Styling Gel: Coconut oil works well on short hair, even on warm days. That's a bit surprising, but it means that working in some coconut oil after a shower styles your coif while at the same time preventing snowflakes.
• Suntan Lotion: Coconut oil is an antioxidant, as well as a skin moisturizer. Use it for protection, and increase exposure gradually, instead of all at once. Result: One great tan, and increased vitamin D and energy from the sunlight.
• Sunburn Ointment: Soothes, protects, and heals. (Aloe works great, too, and may be somewhat better at removing the sting. A mixture of coconut oil and aloe would probably work wonders. (Note: Kukui Nut oil has also been recommened by a Hawaiin friend. If you try it, get the straight oil, rather than a lotion which contains some of it. I haven't had a chance to try it, yet, but I do note that the ads say it is an unsaturated oil, so it may be necessary to refrigerate it to store it.)
• Vaginal Cream: Coconut oil kills yeast infections.
• Vaseline: Coconut oil works as well or better, most of the time.

Other Possible Medicinal Uses

These are a few interesting possibilities that need further investigation:

• Anti-Itch Cream for Mosquito Bites: Coconut oil is anti-inflamatory, so it's possible it would bring some relief from mosquito bites and other bug bites as it promotes healing.
• Healing Balm: Since it's anti-inflammatory, coconut oil might be useful as a salve to speed healing of bruises, strains, and sore muscles. Generally, I've used lotion for that purpose. (I've found it to be effective for carpal tunnel and sore muscles.) But coconut oil may be worth a try.
• Mosquito repellent: Recently I was at a park at sunset. The people around me were talking about mosquitoes, but I never noticed any. It could be that the coconut oil I've been consuming and using on my skin gave me protection.
• Poison Oak/Poison Ivy After-Effect Lotion: I say after effect, because a wonder-soap called tecnu is the only effective treatment I've ever found to remove the plant oil (urishol) that creates the skin problems. For more information, see Curing Poison Oak and Poison Ivy.) But coconut oil might alleviate the minor itching that remains after using tecnu. An even more interesting question for research is how coconut oil interacts with urishol. Very young children frequently don't react to poison oak, and some people never do. It is entirely possible that medium chain fatty acids on the skin are responsible for providing the protection. It seems plausible that taking coconut oil internally or applying it externally before coming into contact with the plant sap could provide some protection. Whether it would be of any help after coming into contact with the sap is another question. All of this is speculation, though, so I wouldn't go waltzing through a field of poison oak, just yet -- at least, not without stocking up on tecnu first.
• Shaving Cream: I'm on the lookout for a good coconut soap or body wash. And an old-time shaving brush. As long as I shaving, I might as well work up a good lather and put something healthy on the skin.

The other thing that's different about coconut oil is that although its high in Saturated Fat, the "Sat Fat" is actually good for you! It has something to do with its chemical makeup, and I'm not even going to attempt to explain it, but any of the sites I suggest (or you find on your own) describe in full detail why coconut oils fats are actually great for your body.

Note: I'm not overly optimistic, I don't expect great things from something as simple as coconut oil, but with all this research and evidence behind its benefits, how could I not try it? I don't want you to think I'm a sucker for websites trying to sell their product, but when websites that aren't even selling anything, and have scientific studies as proof for this oils benefits, I definitely can't find a reason not to try it. I've been following dermatologists orders for about 8 months now, and my KP has only started to barely improve. I switched to Ammonium Lactate lotion 3 weeks ago, and I'm going to give it a chance, to see how it works for at least 3 months; but if this doesn't work, I'm going the natural route. Many people on here know how useless dermatologists can be. Try natural remedies and treatments instead of the drugs you've been using for years, with little to no success. You may be surprised with the results. I pray for all of you that you will some day have the skin you have been hoping for. Nobody deserves to have KP, but we do and we have to deal with it. We're not lucky enough to have the flawless skin that many people have, but I believe every challenge we have is put in front of us only to make us stronger people. I believe God put everything we need on this Earth, including a cure for KP, and every other disease known to man.

I'm no genius in dermatology or natural medicine, but if you have questions feel free to ask, and I or any of the great people around here will try our best to answer you.

Wow, Chris, wonderful research. I couldn't imagine life without coconut oil -- for oil pulling, body moisturizing and eating/cooking. I probably ingest about 6 tablespoons a day, in addition to oil pulling with it.

For anyone who wants to learn more about the many uses and benefits of coconut oil, I recommend this book: The Coconut Oil Miracle by Bruce Fife, C.N. N.D.

Coconut oil was widely used in American food up until the 1950's. The American Soy Bean Assoc. is credited with waging war against coconut oil use, saying it was unhealthy. We are all victims of this, as the oil that largely replaced coconut oil is hydrogenated vegetable oil (mainly made from soy beans and chemically altered), which we are now learning contributes to many health problems, heart disease included.

I order my coconut oil online from Mountain Rose (US). They have the best price and their oil has a wonderful coconut flavor.

kebod

You can add me to the list of Coconut Oil lovers!

While I don't oil pull, (I may try someday!) I do use it in cooking and just about everything else. It tastes good and makes me just feel healthier. Using Coconut Oil to make cookies makes the cookies 100 times better! It adds that slight Coconut sweetness that makes the cookies amazing!

I also use it for breakfast and everything else.

Coconut Oil 4tw!

__________________

Yahoo plugs coconut oil.

Yahoo! right now features an article about healthy fats. Here's the link to their article.
Good Fats - Coconut Oil - MCTs - Marie Claire

Coconut oil IS the best oil.

People don't know anything about fat, and that is why when they hear "saturated", it means "RUN FOR THE HILLS, WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!"

That's why all those Pacific Islanders died off a long time ago. Right.......

Who knew there was no difference between regular and hydrogenated?! I mean, why NOT test with the hydrogenated version only, and then condemn coconut oil in any form? It's just science!

Anyway. Coconut oil is a healing food, it's powerful like hempseeds, on that scale. I could go on at length as to why and how, but I do recommend that everyone pick up a copy of Bruce Fife's book, The Coconut Oil Miracle.

A lot of people don't believe in power food. To which I say, stop making miracles out of simple things.

Excellent research Chris!

I'd like to post an important update/warning.

If you put coconut oil on your skin, it may clog your pores. I started using coconut oil in my hair, and on my body/face. I got a few pimples on my body, hands, and face. As soon as I stopped using it they cleared up and didn't return. (I spread it on as thin as humanly possible)

Using it in my diet, and with oil pulling is good, but not great to use on my skin.

Coconut oil is not supposed to clog pores.

I don't think that is the general reaction to facial application of coconut oil. For example, a woman was on Retin-A, and then found coconut oil was as effective.

I also apply it to my skin, and I have a history of acne issues. I've found that it only helps.

I won't speculate on why you had this reaction, but coconut oil is widely used on the skin, with no bad effects. The Polynesians use it on their skin to protect themselves from the sun; they don't have acne.

If you are certain that this is the reaction you are getting, it obviously makes no sense to continue applying it to your skin. It is certainly sufficient to continue on consuming it in your diet, in addition to the oil swishing, since it tends to render the same positive effects when taken internally, as it does externally.

__________________
Failure is not an option. Nor is it in the cards. No compromise. Balance has no room for Keratosis Pilaris, don't you get it?

Hold onto your pants, and welcome to hell!

Hey - I'm going to re-post something I posted in baronster's thread:
" Palmitoleic acid and oleic acids by themselves topically induced scaly skin in this dermatological study:

Journal of Investigative Dermatology - Unsaturated Fatty Acids Induce Calcium Influx into Keratinocytes and Cause Abnormal Differentiation of Epidermis

I don't know how different that might be for ingesting those oils but as an example I do not do well using olive oil or coconut oil for OP - both oils of which are quite high in oleic acid. I can use cocnut oil a bit topically but this explains a little bit of oddities in my 9 months or so of treatment here... That same article, while technical, also says, "Topical application of unsaturated fatty acids drastically increased transepidermal water loss." so when used on the skin, they can dry you out - but I suspect that depends on a person's skin type and the climate they're in somewhat also."

I react a little oddly to coconut oil too, Chris, but many people have great success with it. When I tried it for OP I got painful boils in my calves - I think it wasn't right for my sinuses also. Topically I can mix it with other oils but it still has a slightly eruptive effect. That's probably not from the oil "clogging" so much as something to do with skin's reaction to properties of the oil. I'm kind of acne prone and one thought I had was that since the -oleic acids can dry skin a bit, my skin might react by trying to add oil back in. I do much better with almond oil on my skin these days - MUCH better. not on my face though. I'm having a tough time finding a moisturizer for my face. the derma-e tea tree anti-itch is good but I had a bad forehead breakout last week - that might be because I wear hats a lot (it's cold here!) and I tried a different conditioner that made my scalp breakout temporarily too. All this tweaking of the regimen due to weather or changes in my skin's health is tricky! but overall my skin health is improved so I am grateful for that. Anyway, I understand your wish to warn people, I feel similarly - like I'm a bit disappointed that I can't partake of much cocnut oil. - bd

Have you tried Moisturel lotion BD? I use it with no problems. I have really light, sensitive skin, prone to drying out from my neck down, and oily from my chin up. This lotion is oil, fragrance, color, and paraben free. You might be able to get it from a pharmacy, or ask them to order it. I use it on my face and ears (where I get dry skin), and on my lower legs. I use AHA lotion on everywhere else (where I get KP >,>).

The other thing I noticed while using coconut oil on my skin is that the pores on my nose became more blocked up then usual. (I have a skin condition on my nose called Trichostasis Spinulosa, it really sucks)

youve mad eme the happiest girl in the world!! i have 2 jars of this stuff as we speak!! cant wait!



united we help one another...


THANKS EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is very easy to put too much coconut oil on when applying it to the skin. You should use as little as you possibly can -- a little goes a long way. I find that if my skin is still moist when I towel off after a shower, the oil spreads more easily and is absorbed more easily. Too much coconut oil can block pores. A small amount is just right. I think the water on the skin helps absorbtion, as our bodies are mostly water.

kebod

Yeah, it's good to be conscious of how much you're putting on, for sure. Although in Chris's case it sounds like he applied it sparingly, that is generally a good thing to note.

__________________
Failure is not an option. Nor is it in the cards. No compromise. Balance has no room for Keratosis Pilaris, don't you get it?

Hold onto your pants, and welcome to hell!