Good evening all my Minti mates

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of spending an afternoon with my mother in law who is ...well, how should I put it...alternative? Now most of the stuff she says is a little strange to say the least but she has a heart of

Being a passionate person she is, MIL began rattling off all different types of ailements of which coconut oil can be of help. I was surprised to say the least as I am a "modern medicine girl" but I have to say, my ears pricked up when she said the magical words that coconut oil can help soothe a baby/child to sleep soundly. Apparently, people of India ( and other countries too probably) use coconut oil on their children by rubbing onto the childs feet and around their hairline. Just this small amount is meant to be suffice. Now, as I am a parent who wishes their child would sleep through the night more than 1 night a week, I was then and there sold on the idea. Last night, I rubbed Jenaya's feet and hairline with MIL's gift of a small pot of coconut oil and was prepared for a goodnight's sleep. Normally, she will awaken in the early hours and come to me but last night she slept soundly until a respectable hour! Could it have been due to the coconut oil? I don't know, maybe it was a coincidence but I will definately be trying it again tonight!

After another conversation today with MIL, I again asked her to tell me more info about coconut oil. She told me it is used as a medicine and acts as an anti-viral (for the colds and flus), anti-fungal (keeping fungal infections like thrush at bay) and an anti-bacterial (looking after general infections). It is used to help soothe nappy rash and can help with skin conditions like excema and psoriasis. She uses it daily as an all-over body moisturizer which has kept her skin soft.

I was worried about it being toxic to jenaya if she was to touch some of it and then put her fingers in her mouth. After asking MIL, she stated it was completely natural and the healthiest of all the oils. It comes from the health shop in a pot and has the appearance of solidified fat or lard. When you scrape some into your hand, your body heat actually melts it into a liquid and then it can be rubbed into your skin ect. It doesn't have the "reef oil" coconut smell, just a subtle coconut smell. You can use it as a cooking oil just as you would with canola or vegetable oils and is fine when using it when frying or baking. Alot of people use the oil in fruit drinks as a health benefit to ward off the ailements I described earlier.

For those people suffering from things like constipation, nausea,UTI's, haemorroids, ulcers, period pains, ear complaints and even a tooth ache, coconut oil could help. Either rub it onto the areas needing relief (externally) or use it daily in your cooking. Being organic and natural, it should be completely safe but if I had these complaints, I would still be checking with my doctor first to get the ok. Sometimes it is unsafe to take herbal remedies if you have prescribed medications so best to check first.

And as for helping a child to calm and then sleep better...we shall see!!! (god I hope so! lol)