Believe it or not, all coconut oils are not the same.
Some are heat extracted, some contain pesticide residue, and some are actually adulterated with other oils. It’s a buyer beware situation.
Skinny & Co Coconut Oil, on the other hand, is a small batch, extra virgin, cold pressed coconut oil, made with nothing but 100% pure, raw, pesticide free, wild coconuts from the pristine jungles of Vietnam. When they sent me a sample, I was surprised at how it actually smells like fresh coconuts when you open the jar.
I love to cook with coconut oil for its many health benefits –easily metabolized, feeds the brain and the heart, helps build the immune system, helps even out blood sugar levels, cushions the organs, etc.– but also because it adds a delicious flavor to foods. When Skinny & Co sent me a sample of their coconut oil to try, I could tell immediately that it was different than other coconut oil. For one thing, it has a lighter, more delicate, and more appetizing aroma than typical coconut oils.
Even though coconut oil is a saturated fat, it is not like the saturated fats found in animal products. Cultures that use coconut oil extensively tend to be leaner and healthier, with fewer cardiovascular issues than Americans. I’ve even seen health advice advocating eating tablespoons of coconut oil daily to boost immunity and increase brain function.
I know that I enjoy the flavor and aroma of coconut oil and especially like to use it when cooking seafood and fish as it gives dishes an extra boost of flavor. I’ve also spread Skinny & Co Coconut Oil on toast in place of butter, and in fact, like to substitute it in for butter on things like popcorn, too.
Parasites can burrow through human tissues just like worms burrow through dirt.
If you have a parasitic infection and you don’t address the parasites directly, there is only so much better you will ever get because the parasites will still be there doing their thing and causing you to have unpleasant symptoms no matter what other therapies you attempt.
What are some of the symptoms that you might have parasites?
Frequent spells of diarrhea alternating with constipation.
Unexplained fatigue.
Random fainting spells.
Acid reflux/bloating/excessive gas.
Stomach pain, either episodic or fairly constant.
Brain fog.
And more…
Parasitic infection often begins with an acute stage and then settles into a chronic phase that can last for decades. This acute stage may look like what some may term “Monteczuma’s revenge,” or “traveller’s stomach,” or even “a stomach bug.” I’m amazed at how many people I work with who have auto-immune issues who started off their downward health spiral with a bout of g.i. distress. Even if it was years before the specific disease symptoms emerged.
When the human body senses the presence of a foreign invader it initiates an immune response consisting of inflammation and an increase in body temperature. This works very well on viruses but not at all against parasites. So you end up with chronic, unexplained inflammation that causes other problems in the body.
Even grosser, parasites burrow through human tissues just like worms in a dirt farm. They go through organs and tissues and make their own pathways, leaving the host literally perforated. Perforation + inflammation = leaky gut. And it will continue until the parasites are addressed directly.
This month I put myself, my husband, and my 11-year old son on an herbal parasite cleanse. My husband will be completing his third cleanse cycle since 2008, when this same herbal regimen finally gave him relief from a tenacious parasitic infestation that he had been battling since we travelled through Asia in 1998.
Most recently, he was laid up for a night and an entire day while we were on vacation in Escondido, California earlier this spring with “food poisoning” that caused him to explosively purge out both ends for about 4 hours during one long night, and his bowels hadn’t really been right since. It could have been from rotted food, or it could have been from food contaminated with bacteria or parasites. Just in case, a parasite cleanse was in order.
This is my son’s first cleanse and marks a big milestone as he has finally learned how to swallow capsules, a big deal since some days of the cleanse require ingesting 10 or more capsules.
As for me, the last time I did the 18-day parasite regimen — and it really is a regimen more than a cleanse– was in 2008. I, too had been experiencing an increase in diarrhea since our recent California trip, and additionally I had seen an unexplained weight gain of about 8 lbs. over the last 6 months or so as well, even though my diet and exercise routines haven’t changed.
It has been a good experience to remind myself how to counsel my clients when advising them to address their own parasites with this cleanse. Here are some of what we’ve noticed:
Within the first few days, we all noticed that our poop was solidifying. In fact, two of us experienced minor constipation for a few days during that first week. We addressed this with Buddy Bears Gentle Lax.
After four days, my son said his head felt “lighter.”
After 9 days, my son announced that he now “enjoyed” pooping.
On day 10, I noticed that my energy level in my regular Jazzercise workout had increased. My kicks were higher, my knee lifts stronger, and my squats easier.
By day 14 I realized that I had been sleeping more soundly than before. Whereas I usually woke every hour or so during the night to eyeball the clock, now I was sleeping deeply and soundly straight through until 6:30 am.
Some of my clients have reported vivid dreams while on the cleanse, but we did not have that experience.
Some people have reported mild indigestion during the first week, but we did not experience that.
The most onerous part was remembering to take the herbs several times each day, but that was hardest during the first few days. After that, it became more routine.
When I take clients through an herbal parasite cleanse, it includes email access to me, an expert, for answers to questions as well as follow-up counseling to gauge the effectiveness of the cleanse and any residual symptoms. Many, if not most, people recover more quickly by following a customized anti-inflammatory diet after ridding themselves of parasites. Many also benefit from using plant-based digestive enzymes as well, at least during the gut healing period.
Reader question: I was going to order the one pot meal book, but my husband was diagnosed with kidney disease. Do you think some of recipes would be ok for him, just not add salt? I was at the NMO meeting in L.A. and heard you speak. ~Anita D., Mobile, Alabama
Hi Anita! Thank you so much for writing. Of course, one of the best features of Glorious One-Pot Meals is that you only put in what you want to put in, and you leave out whatever is undesirable for you. If your husband’s doctor has put him on a restricted sodium intake and you wish to prepare your GOPMs without salt, go for it.
Salt can be added to each serving after the food is cooked without sacrificing its flavor-enhancing properties, giving you a lot more control over the amount of salt each diner eats.
That said, if you use sea salt instead of mined table salt, he may be able to still enjoy the flavor-enhancing and health-giving properties of salt without suffering the water-retention effects.
To avoid excess sodium it is better to eat home-cooked meals than restaurant or prepared meals, so you are on the right track to safeguard his health!
Sea salt is better balanced for our bodies and may not cause swelling or tax the body like mined table salt or the added sodium in processed foods will.
Sea salt is a live mineral from the get-go as part of the nutrient-rich environment of seawater that is activated by absorbing the sun’s life-giving energy during evaporation.
Our bodies depend on a balance of minerals to maintain homeostasis in the osmotic fluid inside and outside of our cells, and to provide a favorable environment for the conduction of electricity through the nervous system. Salt is a vital component for health and body function.
For sodium-restricted diets aimed at reducing inflammation and lessening the load on the kidneys and other organs, consider switching to sea salt, preparing home-cooked meals like Glorious One-Pot Meals instead of eating restaurant meals high in mined salt, and avoiding packaged and prepared foods that list sodium on the lable.
The problems come from the chemicals mixed into the water to keep it sanitary. Hydrochloric acid should be added to pool water near the surface at least a day before swimming in it and well-circulated to be rendered safe, and should be stored away from all petroleum products to avoid accidental ignition.
The Centers for Disease Control reported 4,876 E.R. visits in 2012 from swimming pools in 2012. 48% were children, and 45% were considered poisonings from pool chemicals and vapors. 73% of these occurred during the three summer months after Memorial Day.
There is an alternative to chlorinating pools that provides just as much hygiene and safety in the water, and that is to salinate. Yep, regular salt works just as well or better than chlorine for purifying water for bathing.
Although saltwater pool systems still generate chlorine due to breaking down the salt, saltwater systems create a reduced number of chloramines, an irritant which is a byproduct of oxidation. It is sanitization without harsh, man-made chemicals.
While hydrochloric acid is less harmful when it is diluted, and it evaporates off significantly with each 24-hour cycle after application, it is most harmful when it is inhaled as vapors. That means that hot chlorinated waters, as in hot tubs, hot showers, hot baths…expose us to more harm than swimming in cold chlorinated water usually does.
In our house, we installed a whole-house water filter to reduce our exposure to chlorine vapors during bathing. We also joined a timeshare which features saltwater pools rather than chlorine pools.
Unfortunately, most public pools are still chlorinated, but if you have your own pool, you can easily convert it to a saltwater system and safeguard the health of all who swim there.
The best advice to give summer-loving kids to stay healthy? Don’t drink the pool water!
