Why I ditched coconut oil…that’s a big statement, I know, especially considering the release of this report by American Heart Association in June 2017. This report advised against the use of coconut oil.
First, let me say this… the reason why I ditched coconut oil had nothing to do with the report by The American Heart Association. Not any study has ever demonstrated that coconut oil, or more precisely, saturated fat, causes heart disease. You can read more about the scientific evidence on this article from Dr. Mark Hyman.
“…the whole case against coconut oil is founded on a hypothesis that has been proven wrong. It’s the diet-heart hypothesis. Saturated fat raises LDL cholesterol. LDL cholesterol causes heart disease. Anything that raises LDL cholesterol is bad. The only problem is that the data does not support this hypothesis.” – Dr. Mark Hyman
Now that we got this out of the way, let me be more precise… I didn’t ditch coconut oil in my kitchen, but rather, in my bathroom. You see about 4 years ago, when I discovered the potential danger of using commercial beauty products for my health, I quickly threw out all my skin care products, makeup, and bath products. There is evidence that certain chemicals, used in the production of commercial skin care and beauty products, can cause endocrine disruption and are suspected to have a link to cancer.
It All Started With a Trip to the Hospital
Now to put things in perspective for my first-time reader, my personal awareness of the dangers of certain beauty products came along after a severe health crisis at the age of 35 that lead me to the hospital. Diagnosed with panic attacks, anxiety, pre-diabetes, high cholesterol and morbid obesity, I needed a solution to save my life.
That health crisis that lead me to discover the healing power of food and lifestyle changes. So before the transformation in my beauty routine came my nutrition and lifestyle transformation. More on this part of my life here and here.
I did a 360-degree change and started using only food for my beauty routine. I used coconut oil for almost everything… from washing my face at night to hydrating my face and body skin in the morning to scrubbing my body skin twice a week, brushing my teeth and not to forget styling my hair in the morning.
Don’t get me wrong; coconut oil has demonstrated a number of health benefits. It has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and hydration properties. Coconut oil is a healthy fat that is not only safe to use in the kitchen, but also on your body.
The Reason Why I Ditched Coconut Oil
I got tired of having oily skin, of my hair being frizzy and, yes, having to make all of my own cosmetic products. Yes, there is ready-made food-grade products such as this one that can be purchased. And I did buy ready-made products, but I wanted more. I wanted my skin to feel soft again without having to scrub it every day. I wanted to be able to style my hair without having it turn greasy in two days. The truth: I wanted ease again and this is why I ditched coconut oil.
Desire for Perfection = Loss of Pleasure
This desire coincides with something else that was going on in my personal life. A new motto that I had adopted a few months earlier: Less is More. That I didn’t need to be perfect. That my desire for constant perfection in all aspects of my life was actually preventing me from attaining optimum health. More on that aspect of my health journey in this episode of my podcast.
This dramatic shift from commercial beauty products to only using food-grade products was just another expression of this desire for perfection.
I gave myself permission to desire something else: I wanted ease and pleasure in my beauty routine without having to put my health at risk. I started a search for this balance in my beauty routine…and I found it.
Safer Beauty is Possible
I found it, tested it, and fell in love. You can check out my current personal beauty routine and take a look inside my bathroom here.
This brand of cosmetic and skin care products not only is clean but also represents my personal value — my desire for a healthier beauty routine through education, transparency, choice, and advocacy.
I found a brand that wasn’t aiming for perfection but rather progress. Just like my own personal journey.
A brand that was safer to use while allowing me the feeling of pleasure, ease, and self-care.
This brand is Beauty Counter. It’s Clean beauty. Safer beauty. Better Beauty. Beauty Counter is not “green-washing” women, pretending to be “natural” or “organic” … because it’s not. Up to 80% of their ingredients used are organic. Not 100%. They use the smallest amounts of preservatives rather than pretending they don’t use it.
Honesty. Transparency. Working towards being better. That’s good enough for me.
Coconut Oil is Back Where it Originally Belongs
In my kitchen.
I still use it almost daily…This is my #1 source of cooking fat. I use it in my smoothies and sweet treat recipes. I buy family-size containers although I live alone. This is how much I love it.
In my bathroom and my night stand, I now have bottles of specifically made beauty products that make me feel special, feminine, and beautiful. Here, I have bottles of products that support my health journey. That’s why I ditched coconut oil…I no longer need it in my bathroom.