French Roast Coffee and Fern Gully

Does anyone else remember watching this movie as a kid? I'm pretty sure I watched it around 1000 times, and yet I still don't remember what happens. *sigh* Its official, I'm old. Emma happens to be really into it right now, and I'm glad because I was not planning on her waking up this early. I was hoping to drink some coffee (again pants-less, without crack head interruption, see yesterday's post to fully understand that comment) and play on Facebook a bit before I have to do chores. Ew, I hate cleaning my house. I wish someone would do it for me, for free, because I'm broke. Maybe I could have someone stay in my spare bedroom and just be in charge of all of the cleaning, cooking, and laundry. That would be so awesome.

So a little education for today.... This one's for the ladies, men feel free to just skip ahead. (*snort* guys don't read this) Today's lesson boils down to this : Store bought tampons and pads are bad, mama cloth and diva cups are good. Ready to hear why? k.

So perks to the Diva Cup

It can be worn for up to 12 hours at a time
Accommodates women's changing flow
Latex/Rubber-free
Made of top quality silicone
Clean, comfortable and convenient
No leaks
Economical-- one purchase lasts for years!
Chemical free!

Perks of Mama Cloth
Cheaper! You would save about $125 a year
you would save all of those disposable pads from the landfills
Cloth is softer on your skin which is especially important for the postpartum stage
cloth doesn’t have any chemicals used for absorbency, just great fabrics, so no toxic exposure to a very sensitive area;
cloth is easy to care for, you don’t have to worry about having to hand-wash, you can just throw them in with your cloth diapers, or run a small separate load.
and they come in cute colors and designs!!!! (because there's no harm in making your period pretty)

Risks of Tampons and Pads

Toxic Shock Syndrome

Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) is a rare but potentially fatal disease caused by a bacterial toxin.  It has been associated with tampon use.  TSS continues to cause serious illness, sometimes fatal, with symptoms including high fever, sunburn-like rash, nausea, diarrhoea, headache, sore throat, and achy muscles.

Toxins in conventional pads and tampons

Women’s genital tissue is highly sensitive, and chemicals are easily absorbed into their bodies, causing irritation, discomfort, and serious health problems.  We already live in a toxic, polluted environment.  Wherever we can we need to reduce our exposure to toxins.  It is very easy to reduce our exposure to the toxins in menstrual products. 

Dioxins and Furans

Dioxins and furans is the abbreviated or short name for a family of toxic substances that all share a similar chemical structure.  Most dioxins and furans are not produced intentionally, but are created when other chemicals or products are made.

Dioxins are toxic by-products of the chlorine bleaching process.  Non-organic fibre production such as cotton, is sprayed with pesticides that release toxins, including dioxin, into the environment, leaving chemical residue in the fibre eg cotton. Dioxins have been found in tampons and pads.  Once it is in the environment is cannot be removed.  It accumulates in the fatty tissue of humans and animals.  We are all susceptible to dioxin contamination through our diet and the environment, but there is no logical reason why women should be subject to the additional exposure from their menstrual products.
The chemicals in these products can actually cause heavier periods and more cramps!

If that isn't enough to change your mind.....Maybe this will

"A woman recently went to use a Kotex brand tampon and fortunately was a little clumsy getting it out of the packaging and discovered patches of mold growing all over the product that was seconds away from being inserted inside her. She wrote to the manufacturer and was horrified to discover that this is fairly common and received nothing more than a cookie cutter apology and some coupons to buy more of their products."

How many of these have we used?! Anyone terrified?!

Okay so moving on....




I've noticed I don't have many friends (shocker right?) I'm sure a lot of it has to do with my "determined nature" (shut up, thats what I'm calling it) and I'm sure I could regain a few of those friends if I would just shut my mouth and pretend to be blind like the rest of the sheep (bahhh)

Yeah, thats not me. So I guess I'll continue to lose old friends and gain new ones, because I refuse to silence that (sometimes annoying) opinion of mine. I refuse to sit back and watch bad things happen. I'm an advocate remember?

Crunchy tip for the day (sorry, I know I missed a few days and it was just KILLING all of you haha)

Making simple things around the house when you run out is not only better for you and the environment but also for your wallet! So for the next few days I'll post a homemade recipe for something simple!

bubble bath for kids
bottle for the soap
1/2 cup castile soap
3/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
essential oil (or not, its just smells good lol)

We need to move...

 Isn't it possible to sit around and drink coffee without pants on anymore? It's hot outside, I don't want to wear pants, and yes I drink coffee when its hot. I have some of the most annoying neighbors ever, and then some of the nicest ever too. Sheesh. There's a reason I hide in my house people. I'm tired of crack headed kids asking me for a cigarette. I'm pretty sure I told them like 15 times that I quit smoking. STOP KNOCKING ON MY DOOR!!! Unless I like you just don't even step on my porch. I don't really trust many of my neighbors anymore considering someone kicked my door in when we were out of town. I have a circle of friends, and thats it. I totally sound like the grumpy old lady right now but I don't care anymore.

*sigh* Anyway.....
We went to a farmers market yesterday, I didn't buy anything but I will be produce shopping next week. Just waiting on our paycheck. I'm excited, I love fresh produce. I will seriously eat everything in my kitchen after I buy fresh haha

Today is a pretty lazy day, going to be cleaning and doing some laundry. Thats about it, oh and sitting around drinking coffee WITHOUT PANTS ON and will not be answering the door when the crack heads want a cigarette. Ugh I want to move so bad. I  love my house, its old but I don't care. I like it. I grew up here, and now I'm buying this house. (its a trailer) So I'm hoping we can buy our own land and move it soon. I really don't like this trailer park, or my landlord for that matter. I've known her since I was a kid, but she's still just as rude as she's ever been. For instance the other day she was mowing the empty lot next to me and put a rock through DeWayne's car window.....Didn't even own up to it...Amazing!

So I'm off to eat lunch, left over zucchini pizza, yummm. I'll leave you with a few pics from our trip to the Aquarium (it was my mothers day thing)

Yay for education!!

I have like 9 knocked up friends right now. I'm jealous. So I wrote a paper about a month ago on the dangers of RIC (routine infant circumcision) and gave the info to basically everyone I know, along with posting it public on facebook. Unfortunately, I don't think ANYONE but maybe three people read it.. This really upsets me. Not just because I worked so hard on it but also because people are parenting without education! How do I know they didn't read it you ask? Well if someone read it they wouldn't circumcise their kid..... I mean who in their right mind KNOWS these things and still circumcises?
 

Its painful for the baby during and after surgery.(they can't put a baby to sleep, they wouldn't wake up)

Babies don't have an immune system and you want to put an open wound in a diaper?!

It doesn't make them "cleaner" ( a shower makes you clean, not cutting off part of his penis.)

It doesn't stop them from getting STD's (condoms do that....)

1 in every 100 babies die from circumcision, most of which bleed to death.

over 56% of men these days are left intact, which means no he wouldn't be "different"
Even if dad is circumcised, they still won't "match" due to puberty, buy them matching shirts instead, its cheaper.

No medical association (including WHO) recommends it.

It interferes with their ability to breast feed.

and most important of all ITS HIS PENIS! What makes you think you can change it for absolutely no good reason?!

What I'm saying is if they had read my paper they wouldn't do it. I mean why cut off part of your kids penis? Its dangerous, painful, and not medically necessary. Who says, "hey my son is perfect, except that little piece right there, lets cut it off for no good reason."

Why do I care so much about someone ELSE's penis? I'm a child advocate. That's just who I am. I've been this way for as long as I can remember. I have this undying need to protect them. I don't know why I am the way I am but there's a pretty good chance that I'm not going to change. So my advice to you is this, get over it or get out. Yup that's pretty much it. I will speak up for what is right, no matter how many friends I lose. I just can't overlook someone intentionally harming their child.

Who in their right mind would do this to a child?

What you don't think that's what happens? Check out a video of it, you'll change your mind.

I hope its safe to write again

Sorry for being MIA for such a long time.....I had a crazy stalker.....It's a long story....

So anyway let me catch you up....

DeWayne graduated from college.

My parents moved from Dayton to Baytown.

Emma speaks in full sentences now.

and I'm still not knocked up.

That's pretty much it lol.

Emma celebrated her 2nd Bday a few weekends ago with a Caillou themed swimming party!

Wana see? OF COURSE YOU DO!

Cute right?! I made all of the decorations myself, thanks to Pinterest......How did I function before Pinterest?

So she now has lots of clothes (which she needed) and lots of toys (which she didn't need...)

I pulled out some art supplies yesterday that she got for her birthday. I kinda thought it was going to be a crazy mess because it was playdoe....but no she was sooo into it! She never tried to eat it either!!! It was so cool! She made a bunch of weird little animals and shapes. It was extremely educational.....I'm beginning to think I CAN do this "unschooling" thing :)

For those of you wondering what the heck I'm talking about here's a rundown....children will learn what they need to know when they are ready and want to learn it. So basically no she will not being going to government schooling, and she will not be homeschooled (to an extent.) We will learn through playing, reading, exploring, etc :)

Even though I normally hate Wikipedia, I like the way they explain it lol

Unschooling is a range of educational philosophies and practices centered on allowing children to learn through their natural life experiences, including play, game play, household responsibilities, work experience, and social interaction, rather than through a more traditional school curriculum. Unschooling encourages exploration of activities, often initiated by the children themselves, facilitated by the adults. Unschooling differs from conventional schooling principally in the thesis that standard curricula and conventional grading methods, as well as other features of traditional schooling, are counterproductive to the goal of maximizing the education of each child.

For my fellow mommy/daddy friends..... Check these out

I found them and I love them :)
http://creativewithkids.com/100-ways-to-be-kind-to-your-child/

http://www.littleheartsbooks.com/2012/04/28/tots-to-teenscommunication-through-the-ages-and-stages/

Seriously read them.

So today Emma and I are going to visit my sister. She loves her Aunt Lisa.

Oh that reminds me....I forgot to tell you the great news.

Everyone's pregnant but me lol No really, they are.....

4 girls from high school

A girl I used to baby sit

My best friend Molly

and my baby sister Lisa

Yeah, the universe is cruel and like screwing with me.....

I try to remind myself of that statement a lot...

For my fellow readers... I'm currently smack in the middle of a Dr. Sears book "Parenting the fussy baby and high need child"
I love Dr. Sears, and his wife. Seriously you have to read at least ONE of their books....OH and Ina May Gaskin because she's 9 kinds of awesome.

Well I'm off to make breakfast and convince Emma that clothes ARE necessary when going in public. I'll leave you with my crunchy tip for the day (haha you thought I forgot...)

Garlic is a natural immunity booster! (and its yummy) If you swallow whole garlic cloves it can do wonders for your immune system when you feel yourself getting sick, or just to keep you from getting sick! If you're unable to stomach whole cloves of garlic, you can buy garlic capsules at the store, but they don't work as well.

 

I

my jokes are much funnier at 2 am

Terri and I stayed up pretty late on my porch in the middle of the night talking. We talked about her crazy babies, about methods of parenting, about our pasts, and even made jokes at her husbands expense (back when he was nerdy and in jr high lol.) It was late and I was tired but it was totally fun. Then of course I couldn't fall asleep after that, and Emma wanted to get up at like 7am lol. Terri is supposed to take the babies outside as soon as she wakes up and play with them ALLL day until she has to go to work. I'm hoping this will help them chillout a bit. I really think my KamKam has just been missing his mommy. He doesn't understand why we have to work :/

Oh here's something I read on natural news this morning. check it out. I think you'll freak like I did...
http://www.naturalnews.com/035185_Australia_sterilization_children.html#ixzz1oXfvMIG5

I got some pretty sad news this morning from a good friend :( I won't exactly say what, but can yall just send some good thoughts/prayers/vibes her way please?! She's a really amazing person that shouldn't have to go through this :/

So I WILL have my house completely spotless soon. Amanda has promised to spend practically a week at my house helping me organize, clean, and take care of babies. It seems like as soon as I get one room perfect and move on to the next, the kids have destroyed that first room. By destroyed, I don't mean threw toys on the room and left clothes everywhere. I mean holes in the wall, blue marker all over white cabinets, food smashed into TV's and dressers.....THAT kind of destroyed lol THAT is why my house is messy. So for anyone that complains about it, either shut up or come do it yourself.

On another note, today is payday :D Which means I get to go grocery shopping at Whole Foods!!!!!!!! But unfortunately hubby stole the credit card >:( I'm not happy about this. We have NO food and I was sooooo looking forward to going shopping for yummy organics, and maybe even doing my hair.....Grrrr..

Random Fact of the day. The largest number of children born to one woman is recorded at 69. From 1725-

1765, a Russian peasant woman gave birth to 16 sets of twins, 7 sets of triplets, and 4 sets of quadruplets.

CRAZYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!

and People think I'm nuts for wanting 5 kids....

Holy CRAP!!! Alright so here's a little eye candy for you that I just ran across on pinterest. Good grief I forgot to breath........ http://pinterest.com/pin/33214115971829602/ 

Alright We're about to start cleaning the kitchen over here. So here's our
Crunchy Tip of the day

Got soap scum in the shower? I have the recipe to magic in a bottle. Really I do.....Heat up some vinegar (I used a cup of vinegar and nuked it for 2 minutes). Then pour it in your spray bottle, add an equal amount of blue Dawn (the website comments were pretty specific about getting the blue kind), shake gently, and voila! Spray on and leave for 30 minutes then wash away! My shower is the ONLY thing clean in this house!

Caillou, Caillou....THAT'S ME!

That little boy has taken OVER this house! For those of you without kids I'll update you. ^That was the ending of the theme song. Its a cartoon about a 4 year old boy, his 2 year old sister, and their family. Absolutely nothing special about it at ALL. Its not even all that great to look at, the whole show is in primary colors. MY daughter is OBSESSED with it. Which means we'll be having a Caillou birthday party in May. oh yay! I've already found ideas on Pinterest (yay for Pinterest!!!) Check it out :) http://pinterest.com/amorvant/bday-ideas/

So Miss Emma is sick today :( We've been battling this horrible snotty nose, achy body, fever monster for a few days. I hate when she's sick, she's so grumpy and it makes me sad :( She even slept in til 11:30 today!!!

I think we're going to learn about the letter D today. I'm thinking things like "daddy,dog, dirt, dark,  and dolphins." Maybe we can paint some dolphins in the tub with our bath tub paints, and go drive the neighbors dogs nuts in the dirt :)

Oh here's a fun link via CDC that is worth reading about vaccines....How to know if you SHOULD vaccinate or not http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/should-not-vacc.htm

I'm just full of links today apparently, well hell while I'm at it
http://vaccineinfo.net/exemptions/index.shtml
www.vaclib.org
www.NVIC.org.
Don't know why those aren't clickable.....

So my crazy babies just got here. Kam is asleep in bed and Taryn is beating up on Emma again.... I'm going to cut this one short to make some lunch and contain the drama queen lol

Crunchy tip for the day

Astragalus
Native to China, astragalus has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine. In the U. S. the herb gained popularity in the 1980's. There are actually over 2,000 species of astragalus; however, the two related species Astragalus membranaceus and Astragallus mongholicus are the ones primarily used for health purposes.

Used for
in combination with other herbs to improve and enhance immune system
chronic hepatitis
as adjunctive therapy in cancer
prevent and treat common colds and upper respiratory infections
heart disease.

Think preggo thoughts, and send them THIS way!!

Just as a little FYI; this is the last week to get pregnant and have the possibility of a 12-12-12 baby. My husband has been using that as a method to get me to have sex with him like 9 times a day. It's working lol.
So I'm supposed to meet with my midwife Darlene today. I'm super excited! Husband stole me car, and my mom has to get my brother off the bus around 4 so I'm not sure how I'm getting there at 3 lol Hopefully she lets me move it earlier or later! We're going to be talking ways to make a boy. Don't give me the "that doesn't work" crap, I can dream okay?!

So you wana hear about my idea on this birth? Of course you do! No dr's, no interventions, no c sections, no epidurals, no drugs, no inducing or pitocin, Just my midwife, my family, my birthing pool, myself and baby! We're having a water birth at home :) Also leaving the cord attached after birth, breast feeding, and NOT vaxxing. No Dr's to rush in and take baby away to go bathe, starve, and poke them! Also no circumcising if it's a boy!!!!!! There will be no unnecessary cutting of my poor little boy.  I will NOT be tied to monitors and stuck on my back starving to death. This birth will be perfect and I refuse to let ANOTHER Dr steal something as precious as birth from me again.

Oh and just thought I'd throw this out there....http://healthland.time.com/2010/09/29/no-such-thing-as-too-much-love-spoiled-babies-grow-up-to-be-smarter-kinder-kids/. <---Yeah check that out!!! That's right, spoiling my kid makes her smarter. HAH!

So I wish you could see Emma right now. She's sitting on the floor with two marker board markers, coloring on a piece of paper, my floor, and her WHOLE body. lmao Did I mention the markers match her cloth diaper? black and red haha

OH! I found a group in Victoria, TX that home schools! That's only two hours from us! yay!!! We want to home school but I want to make sure she stays in sports/groups that help her make friends. This home schooling group will help a LOT!

Alright I feel like I'm rambling. I'm starving and freezing lol So I'll leave you with our crunchy tip of the day


top 5 ways to naturally sweeten baking and cooking recipes(and coffee and tea) and avoid using sugar or artificial sweeteners.

1. Honey

The benefits:
- Honey has vitamins: B6, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and certain amino acids.

- Honey has minerals: calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc.

- Honey contains antioxidants and is cholesterol and fat-free.

- Honey’s sugars are gradually absorbed into the bloodstream which results in better digestion.

2. Unsweetened Applesauce

The benefits:
- Applesauce contains dietary fiber which keeps your digestive system moving regularly.

- Applesauce can contain as much as 80% of your daily vitamin C needs.

- Applesauce lightens the caloric density of baked goods.

3. Cinnamon

The benefits:
- Cinnamon lowers cholesterol.

- Cinnamon reduces blood sugar levels.

- Cinnamon protects against heart disease.

4. Vanilla Extract

The benefits:
- Vanilla helps to prevent memory loss.

- Vanilla balances the secretion or hormones.

- It reduces inflammation and hyperactivity in the major body systems.

5. Coconut Oil

The benefits:
- Coconut oil increases immunity.

- Coconut oil speeds up your metabolism.

- Coconut oil is antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal, and antibacterial.

My daughter is smarter than her diaper

Really, she is. I'm not sure how she does it, but she's a genius. She has this awesome ability to pee out of her cloth diaper without peeing IN the diaper. It's a real mystery. I can't tell you how many times she's managed to pee all over her pants and when I take off her diaper its been moved to a strange position and is completely dry. She's also learned how to remove her cloth diapers when she isn't wearing pants. Creative little booger, isn't she? Please don't give me the "that means its time to potty train" speech. A) She is not a dog so we will NOT be potty training, she will be potty LEARNING and B) she isn't ready, trust me. So this morning consisted of me running around the house looking for all of the cloth diapers. For some reason my wonderful husband doesn't feel the diaper hamper serves a purpose. I find them all over the place, EW!!! Anyway I found them all and started my diaper laundry (yay fun ugh.)

I'm going grocery shopping with momma soon and then coming home to make lots of stuff!! Woo I love making STUFF!! today's stuff will be this

Home made deodorant 
1/4 cup bake soda
1/4 cup corn starch
10 drops TTO
10 drops essential oil 
Mix, then add
2 TBS coconut oil 
then
pack into old deoderant tube. 








dry hair treatment
1 egg
3 teaspoons honey
3 teaspoons milk
3 tsp olive oil
3 tsp cream top yogurt.

Mix. Apply to hair. Wrap hair in plastic wrap or shower cap. Let sit 30 minues, then rinse out 




exfoliate
3 tsp oats, ground
1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbs suger
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbs salt
5 drops TTO
Water
Essential Oil for fragrance

Mix. Store in bottle.


honey whole wheat bread
1 package dry yeast
2 tablespoons raw local honey
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpous flour
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1. Add yeast and honey to 1 1/4 cup warm (not boiling!) water. Let sit 10 minutes
2. in a large bowl, combine all ingredients, including yeast mixture. (I use a wooden spoon). Let sit in a warm place, covered, for about an hour
3. stir down, spoon into a greased loaf pan. Let sit in a warm place for about 45 minutes. 
4. Bake at 375 for about 40 minutes. Cool on rack. 

I'm not sure if i'll get to the bread or not but we'll see! Look I was nice enough to share some recipes with you! So go on, call out your inner hippy and get to making!

So yesterday was fun. My babies were a whole lot of crazy lol It's always exciting to see the new ways they're planning on making me lose my mind. KamKam was in the mood to just climb. EVERYWHERE. He managed to try to superman off my porch, my counter, my table, my bed, my couches, and Emma's bed(which is luckily on the ground.) Normally I wouldn't care and just say "GO FOR IT!!!" However, he was teaching Emma and Taryn to do this, which is NOT okay. Taryn has already fallen off my porch once, and we got lucky, she just landed right in the crack of the stairs and was stuck dangling but not hurt!! lol. Now my lovely TareBear was 9 kinds of dramatic yesterday. I love her emotional self (she's my junebug junior-just like you Jenny! lol) She just has so many emotions crammed into that tiny body that she has no clue what to do with them. She will cry, scream, laugh, and talk all at the same time. It's quite confusing lol. Miss Emalynn Faye was very needy. I'm not sure what was going on but she just needed cuddles all day, but when I would hold her she would immediately want down. Then five minutes later come back for more cuddles. I think she was just overstimulated by the kids. She doesn't do well with lots of people, she's like mommy :) We tend to get overstimulated then aggressive, I still get stressed and want to punch people when they're too loud and crowding me lol So I don't blame her. Oh Kam was pretty funny yesterday. He has learned to lie, but he's horrible at it (gets that from his daddy lmao.) Here's an example conversation we had:

The kids were playing on Emma's bed in her room when I heard a scream:
Me "Kam what happened to Emma?"
Kam "What you mean?"
Me "Why is she crying? " (while I'm holding her he replies)
Kam " Well Emma was jumping, and pushed herself into the wall"
Me "Kam are you SURE that's what really happened?"
Kam "YES! Her was jumping and pushed herself into the wall!" (he was smiling and so sure of himself that he had outsmarted the evil babysitter who is always making him sit in the "thinking" spot lol)

Oh and for anyone curious how we discipline around here, let me explain:
Strike one - "That's a no no, can you please stop?"
Strike two - "I've already asked you to stop, don't do it again!"
Stike three - "Please go sit in the thinking spot"
 The thinking spot is a tiny hallway by my  bedroom door. They have to sit in it and only have the "cool down" jar to play with (its a home made snow globe sorta thing lol) Taryn is pretty good at it and so is Emma but Kam, not so much. He has succeeded in digging a hole in my wall in the time he's spent there. I swear I don't leave him there for an hour with a screw driver all alone. I simply place him there for 3 min. I usually stand there with him BUT sometimes the girls won't let me. Apparently he has taken advantage of those moments I walk away and used his fingernails (yes i know thats crazy) to dig a hole in my sheet rock!
So we're going to be moving the thinking spot lol

Anyway, Mom will be here soon to take me to the grocery store (yay food!) So I'll sign off with our crunchy tip for the day:

Herb :
Asian Ginseng
Asian ginseng is native to China and Korea and has been used in various systems of medicine for many centuries. Asian ginseng is one of several types of true ginseng (another is American ginseng, panax quinquefolius) An herb call Siberian ginseng or eleuther is not a true ginseng.

Used for:
Overall health and boosting immune system
Improving the health of people recovering from illness
Increasing a sense of well-being and stamina, and improving both mental and physical performance
Treating erectile dysfunction, hepatitis C, and symptoms related to menopause
Lowering blood glucose and controlling blood pressure.

lots of uses for Coconut Oil

Dr Oz recently outed us Crunchies and I'm unhappy about this. He informed people that coconut oil is used to reduce wrinkles. It does lots and LOTS of other things but this statement alone was enough to clear the shelves of all coconut oil lol so if you're lucky enough to get ahold of some (in the vitamin aisle for my walmart shoppers) here is a super long list of things it does. Sorry if i repeated a few of them lol

1. Eat a spoonful when you need an energy boost.
2. Use it as the base for a homemade body scrub.
3. Use to condition your wooden cutting boards.
4. Use as a super conditioner on your hair (apply to dry hair, leave in as long as possible and then shampoo as normal).
5. Use as a styling agent if you have really dry hair. Just rub a tiny bit on your palms and apply to your hair and style as normal.
6. Keep a little container in your purse for lip moisturizer.
7. Add a spoonful to your dog or cat’s food. CO is great for our furry friends!
8. Replace nasty, unhealthy vegetable oils in your cooking and baking with CO.
9. Make healthy Magic Shell ice cream topping.
10. Use it for oil pulling (learn about oil pulling here).
11. Use a tiny dab on your underarms for a natural deodorant.
12. Use coconut oil instead of shaving cream.
13. Add to your bath tub for a moisturizing soak (a drop of peppermint oil is wonderful!).
14. Use as a makeup remover.
15. Use it to help sooth chicken pox, shingles, or other rashes or skin irritations.
16. Use it to treat athlete’s food, ringworm, or other fungal or yeast infections.
17. Take a spoonful with your vitamins to help improve absorption.
18. Spread a thin layer on cuts or burns to speed up healing.
19. Take up to 5 spoonfuls per day for improved thyroid function.
20. Add a spoonful to your smoothies for extra nutrition and flavor (here, here, andhere).
21. Use on the delicate tissue around your eyes to help prevent wrinkles and sagging.
22. Use as the base for homemade toothpaste or lotion.
23. Use in place of massage oil.
24. Use on your baby’s diaper rash or cradle cap.
25. Use to help reduce visibility of stretch marks or to prevent stretch marks.
26. For nursing mothers, use coconut oil on your nipples to prevent cracking and irritation.
27. For nursing mothers, consuming coconut oil will help increase your milk flow.
28. Apply to bee stings or bug bites to soothe and heal the wound.
29. Women can use in the nether regions to relieve yeast infections, dryness, and/or discomfort.
30. Eat a spoonful with each meal to improve digestion.
31. If you’re prone to nosebleeds, coat the inside of your nostrils with coconut oil regularly.
32. Helps soothe and heal hemorrhoids.
33. Take to helps reduce or eliminate migraines.
34. Use as the base for homemade vapor rub.
35. Mixed with peppermint, lemon balm, rosemary, or tea tree oil makes an excellent insect repellant.
36. Mix with baking soda for a non-toxic “Goo Gone”.
37. Use to help detox the body during a cleanse or fast.
38. Use as a metal polish, but always test a small area first.
39. Use as a leather moisturizer.
40. Season your cast iron pans.
41. Use to oil your pans and baking dishes instead of pan spray.
42. Got gum stuck in your hair? Try using coconut oil to remove without cutting your hair.
43. Use instead of WD-40.
44. Use as a personal lubricant (not safe with latex).
45. Take a spoonful to help with heartburn, acid reflux, or indigestion.
46. Use as a natural sunscreen.
47. Mix with a tiny bit of fresh lemon juice and use as a furniture polish (always test a small area first!).
48. Mix with butter and toss your popcorn in it.
49. Use on cracked or rough heals to help smooth them out.
50. Massage into your nails and cuticles to help strengthen them.
51. Use as the base for homemade chocolate candy (like peanut butter cups).
52. Take a couple spoonfuls every day to help overall immune function
    
    Here's another 80 that hybrid rasta mama came up with!!
    
    1.       Moisturizer – simply scoop some out of the jar and apply all over your body, including neck and face.
    2.       Eye cream – apply under the eyes to reduce puffiness, bags, and wrinkles. Use on the lids in the evening.
    3.       Preshave – coconut oil will prep skin for the pending damage caused by shaving.
    4.       Aftershave – coconut oil will help heal your skin after shaving without clogging pores.
    5.       Deodorant – coconut oil alone can be used as a deodorant, but even more effective in combination with cornstarch/arrowroot powder and baking soda!
    6.       Hair Conditioner/Deep Treatment - use as a leave in hair conditioner by applying a teaspoon of coconut oil to your ends and then running your fingers through your hair to distribute the rest! For a deeper treatment, rub in a tablespoon of coconut oil onto your dry scalp and gently work through to the ends. Put a shower cap on to prevent transfer onto bed linens and leave on overnight.
    7.       Hair Gel/Defrizzer – rub a little between your palms and either scrunch into hair (for curly hair) or finger comb in through from scalp to ends (for wavy/straight hair).
    8.       Toothpaste – there are numerous recipes out there but I just mix coconut oil and baking soda and dab a little of the mix on my toothbrush.
    9.       Make up remover – use a cotton swab and a dab of coconut oil and you would be amazed at how well it works! 
    10.   Chapstick – just rub a little into lips and it not only acts as a softening agent but it also has an SPF of about 4 so you get a little protection!
    11.   Massage Oil – pretty simple; grab some and rub!
    12.   Lubricant – it is an all natural, perfectly safe personal lubricant. Not compatible with latex!
    13.   Sunscreen – see my post on natural sunscreen for more detailed information.
    14.   Stretch Mark Cream – coconut oil is great at nourishing damaged skin. It may not be the magic stretch mark cure but it will help. 
    15.   Nipple Cream – works great to nourish cracked, sore, or dry nipples. Apply to a cotton ball and leave on your nipples between feedings.
    16.   Diaper salve – very comforting on a rashy bum with no harsh chemicals. Also safe for cloth diapers. 
    17.   Cradle cap – having issues with dry skin on your baby’s scalp? Coconut oil will not only nourish your baby’s skin, it also helps eliminate cradle cap. Just rub a teaspoon onto scalp daily.
    18.   Body scrub – mix coconut oil and sugar together and rub all over! Rinse off and your skin will be super soft! You can add in essential oils if you would like a specific smell.
    19.   Healing - when applied on scrapes and cuts, coconut oil forms a thin, chemical layer which protects the wound from outside dust, bacteria and virus. Coconut oil speeds up the healing process of bruises by repairing damaged tissues. Plus, it smells a heck-of-a-lot better than anything from the pharmacy.
    20.   Bug Bites – when applied directly to a bug bite, coconut oil can stop the itching and burning sensation as well as hasten the healing process.
    21.   Skin problems – coconut oil relieves skin problems such as psoriasis, dermatitis, and eczema.
    22.   Swimmers Ear – mix garlic oil and coconut oil and put a few drops in affected ear for about 10 minutes. Do this 2-3 times a day and it usually works within one or two days.
    
    General Health and Wellness
    
    23.   Stress Relief - relieve mental fatigue by applying coconut oil to the head in a circular, massaging motion. The natural aroma of coconuts is extremely soothing thus helping to lower your stress level. 
    24.   Digestion - the saturated fats in coconut oil have anti-bacterial properties that help control, parasites, and fungi that cause indigestion and other digestion related problems such as irritable bowel syndrome. The fat in coconut oil also aids in the absorption of vitamins, minerals and amino acids, making you healthier all around.
    25.   Fitness - coconut oil has been proven to stimulate your metabolism, improve thyroid function, and escalate energy levels, all of which help decrease your unwanted fat, while increasing muscle. 
    26.   Nose bleeds - coconut oil can prevent nose bleeding that is caused by sensitivity to weather such as extreme hotness and extreme coldness. This condition happens when the nasal passages become dry because of cold or dry air resulting to burns and cracks in the mucus membranes so bleeding happens. To prevent this just put coconut oil in you nostrils. Coat your finger with coconut oil and then lie down and coat your finger inside your nose. Doing this will strengthen and protect the capillaries in the nasal passages. A Vitamin C supplement will also help prevent nose bleeding.
    27.   For breastfeeding moms, consuming 3 ½ tablespoons of coconut oil daily will enrich your milk supply.  
    28.   Helps with weight loss & controlling cravings.
    29.   Helps keep blood sugar levels stable and/or helps with cravings in those with diabetes.
    
    Health Problems (that coconut oil is known for aiding, relieving, or even curing when taken internally)
    
    30.   Eczema – in addition to taking it internally, many have success applying it externally, some don't
    31.   Skin problems
    32.   Toenail fungus
    33.   Hot flashes
    34.   Bleeding hemorrhoids (can also be applied externally twice a day)
    35.   HIV
    36.   Head lice
    37.   Improvements in menstruation regarding pain/cramps and heavy blood flow
    38.   Migraines (with regular use)
    39.   Mononucleosis
    40.   Parasites
    41.   Thrush 
    42.   Relieve gallbladder pain
    43.   Has helped some people improve symptoms of an underactive thyroid gland, results have shown subsequent thyroid blood tests becoming normal
    44.   Energy boost
    45.   Flaky, dry skin
    46.   May relieve acid reflux and indigestion when taken with each meal
    47.   Adrenal fatigue
    48.   Alzheimers
    49.   H. pylori
    50.   Candida albicans
    51.   Asthma, even in children
    52.   Autism
    53.   Cholesterol - improves HDL ('good' cholesterol) to LDL ('bad' cholesterol) ratio in people with high cholesterol 
    54.   Chronic fatigue
    55.   Circulation/feeling cold all the time
    56.   Stronger immune system
    57.   Mental Clarity
    58.   Depression
    59.   Helps with inflammation in Crohns
    
    Health Problems (that coconut oil is known for aiding, relieving, or even curing when applied topically)
    
    60.   Athletes foot 
    61.   Back pain/sore muscles
    62.   Canker sores
    63.   Acne
    64.   Cellulite
    65.   Herpes (applied topically and taken internally)
    66.   Genital warts (through topical application over 6 weeks, and coconut oil enemas twice a day depending on the location of the warts)
    67.   Circumcision healing – although I am personally against circumcision, I have read that coconut oil is a really great healer for this.
    
    Cooking
    
    68.   Use 1 cup to 1 cup ratio when replacing other oils/butter in recipes with coconut oil.
    69.   Replacement for butter/lard/Crisco/PAM in it’s solid form – greasing pans, pie crusts, etc.
    70.   Replacement for various oils in liquid form – baking, cooking, sautéing, etc.
    71.   Nutritional supplement – melt and add to smoothies.
    
    
    Other Uses
    
    72.   Insect repellent – mix coconut oil with peppermint oil extract and rub it all over exposed skin. Keeps insects off better than anything with Deet! Tons safer too.
    73.   Great for dogs and cats for general wellness. Just add a teaspoon to their water bowl daily.
    74.   Goo Gone - just mix equal parts coconut oil and baking soda into a paste. Apply to the “sticky” area and let it set for a minute. Then scrub off with an old toothbrush or the scrubby side of a sponge.
    75.   Chewing Gum in Hair Remover – just rub some coconut oil over the stuck chewing gum, leave in for about 30 minutes, then roll the gum between your fingertip. Voila! It’s out!
    76.   Polish Furniture - coconut oil with a little bit of lemon juice to polish wood furniture. However, I recommend you test it first on a very small, unobtrusive part of your furniture to make sure it works the way you’d like.
    77.   Polishing Bronze - all you have to do is rub a little oil into a cotton towel and then wipe down the statue. It cleans and helps deepen the color of your bronze.
    78.   Seasoning animal hide drums
    79.   Seasoning cookware
    80.   Moisturizing and cleaning leather products