Benefits of Coconut Oil Are Undeniable

It seems that coconut oil has been getting a lot of press lately and for many different reasons. It has a number of surprising uses, as a food, certainly, but for many other health-related benefits. Some of them are quite surprising.

That's why coconut oil seems to have moved from "What is it?" to "It's a superfood!" as people all over the world take stock of what it can do for them.

Nutritionally speaking, the fatty acids in coconut oil lend several health benefits, including improved brain function, stimulating your body's metabolism, generating energy and helping you shed excess body fat, as has been shown among people from populations that regularly consume high amounts of coconut oil. Here are several of the best benefits of coconut oil.

Coconut Oil Has Fatty Acids That Are Good for You

You may have heard that while saturated fat was once thought to be a leading cause of heart disease, it's now known to be not just beneficial but crucial for good health. The good news: coconut oil is one of the best sources of saturated fat on the planet. In fact, about 90 percent of the fat content in coconut oil is saturated fat.

Rather than clogging your arteries, damaging your coronary system and putting you on the fast track to a stroke, new information has emerged in a significant meta-analysis,1 which showed no significant evidence that saturated fat causes any of the above, but is in fact very good for you.

Coconut oil contains medium-chain triglycerides that can have therapeutic benefits for people with certain brain disorders, epilepsy, and may even help prevent Alzheimer's disease.2

Where Coconut Oil Has Been Used, People Thrive

As you look at the civilizations around the world that have consumed coconut oil for decades and even centuries, it's clear there's a difference, medically speaking, between those individuals and those of the so-called "enlightened" first-world countries.

They seem to be healthier! As an example, individuals in Polynesian populations such as those in Tokelau and Pukapuka, where people tend to eat a lot of coconut, were examined in light of their high saturated fat intake and low cholesterol and sucrose levels.

Researchers found that "vascular disease is uncommon in both populations and there is no evidence of the high saturated fat intake having a harmful effect."3

Another case in point is the Kitevan people in New Guinea, whose collective diet is untarnished by the food habits of the Western world. Besides eating a lot of tubers, fruit and fish, the people also consume coconut as a prominent staple.

None of the people involved in the study4 reported stroke, sudden death, weakness, brain diseases, or chest pain related to heavy lifting. Coronary artery disease was nowhere to be found.

The only inference that can be made is that, rather than being sick, weak and diseased, many populations around the world have managed much better than more "progressive" parts of the world on their traditional diets with the plentiful addition of coconut oil.

Triglycerides, Fat and Where It's At

No matter where you travel, practically every place has been influenced by theWestern diet, and not in a good way.

Where there's obesity in large amounts of the population, there's a very good chance you'll find misguided and destructive eating habits such as low-fat diets along with too much processed, CAFO (concentrated animal feeding operation) meat and not enough vegetables and healthy sources of fat.

Some believe it's all about calorie intake; however, people who have been paying attention to which foods are actually healthy and which are not understand this isn't really the case. It's about the substance behind the calories.

Medium-chain fatty acids or triglycerides (MCTs) in coconut oil amount to about two-thirds its total fatty acids. In explanation:5

"Dietary fats are molecules composed of individual carbon atoms linked into chains ranging from two to 22 carbon atoms in length. Long-chain fatty acids (LCTs) ranging from 12 to 18 carbons long are the predominant form of fat in the American diet.

MCTs, by contrast, are composed of only six to 10 carbon links. Because of their shorter chain length, MCTs have a number of unique properties which give them advantages over the more common LCTs."

The bottom line is, when you eat foods high in medium-chain triglycerides, your body benefits.

Case in point: when seven healthy men were tested for metabolic function in relation to triglycerides, scientists determined that long-term substitution of medium-chain foods for long-chain "would produce weight loss if energy intake remained constant."6The potential benefit is significant weight loss.

Microorganisms Are Destroyed by Coconut Oil

Lauric acid in coconut oil makes up about half of the fatty acids. In the digestion process, coconut oil morphs into a monoglyceride called monolaurin. Both substances can exterminate harmful pathogens such as fungi, bacteria and viruses.

Staphylococcus aureus and a common cause of yeast infection, Candida albicans, were two of the most notorious pathogens these coconut oil compounds were able to eradicate in one study7 and candida in another.8

Coconut oil also works on fungal infections such as athlete's foot and ringworm. The European Journal of Pediatrics even reported research showing that blending coconut oil and anise was almost twice as effective as the commonly prescribed (and toxic) permethrin lotion for treating head lice. According to the review:9

"The spray was significantly more successful (41/50, 82.0 percent) cures compared with permethrin (21/50, 42.0 percent ... ).Per-protocol success was 83.3 percent and 44.7 percent, respectively."

Want to Lose Weight? Coconut Oil Reduces Your Appetite

Many people pay good money in search of a substance that would truly curb their appetite so they would eat less and lose weight. How serendipitous that coconut oil can actually do that for you! The actual process has to do with how the fatty acids you consume are metabolized.

Ketone bodies, created when your body breaks down fat for energy, are an alternative fuel for your brain. They're produced as you digest coconut oil.

Studies on men consuming the most MCTs at breakfast found they ate less overall at lunchtime.10 Those eating the most MCTs consumed an average of 256 fewer calories on a daily basis.11

The ketogenic diet, featuring low carb and high fat intake, has applications in relation to treating a number of other health problems. Significantly, it's been shown to reduce epileptic seizures in drug-resistant children12 as well as other individuals with epilepsy.

At the New York Obesity Research Center at Columbia University, researchers reported:13

"Consumption of medium-chain triglyceride oil as part of a weight loss plan improves weight loss compared with olive oil and can thus be successfully included in a weight loss diet. Small changes in the quality of fat intake can therefore be useful to enhance weight loss."

Coconut Oil Can Upgrade Your Blood Cholesterol Levels

As previously discussed, coconut is loaded with healthy saturated fat, but it does nothing to diminish the health of your blood lipid profile as the food and medical industries has for decades tried to tell you. In fact, saturated fats raise your HDL (good) cholesterol while transforming your LDL. According to the data:14

"A high saturated fat intake … is associated with increased concentrations of larger, cholesterol-enriched LDL and this occurs in association with decreased HL [hepatic lipase] activity."

Consuming coconut oil helps you to maintain optimal cholesterol levels. One study involving 40 women showed that when put up against soybean oil consumption, coconut oil increased HDL and lowered LDL to HDL ratio while decreasing waist circumference. On the other hand, soybean oil led to decreases in beneficial HDL.15

Coconut Oil as a Toiletry, a Cleaner — Even an Insect Repellent

If you haven't had a chance to explore all the extraordinary uses for coconut oil, you may be in for a pleasant surprise. Besides its ability to promote heart health and squelch the risk of stroke, it's been shown to strengthen your immune system even as you attain soft, supple skin.

Coconut oil works well as a facial cleanser and makes a great shaving lotion. Slathering it on dry, lifeless hair for 15 minutes helps restore lost moisture and shine.

While it doesn't impart the minty aftertaste that most toothpastes pride themselves on, using it before bed helps not only freshen your breath, but kills bacteria that cause plaque and other problems, without the fluoride (and if you miss the minty taste, just add a drop of peppermint essential oil). If you're looking for a natural deodorant that will last and won't pose potential health risks from added aluminum, thoroughly mix:

• 3 Tbsp. organic coconut oil
• 3 Tbsp. non-GMO cornstarch or arrowroot powder
• 3 Tbsp. baking soda
• 2 drops of essential oil of your choice, or a pinch of clove powder

As for the insect repellent, a good recipe combines coconut oil with a high-quality essential oil such as peppermint, lemon balm, rosemary, tea tree or vanilla, which may help keep insects from biting, as opposed to applying toxic sprays like DEET.

Frankincense Oil: The 'King' of Oils

What is Frankincense Oil

Frankincense essential oil comes from a few different species in the Boswelliafamily. Frankincense oil that you purchase may be from just one of these species, or a blend of them. The oil is steam distilled from resin that the tree releases. This resin and the oils expressed from it have been used for thousands of years by Assyrians, Babylonians, Egyptians, and many other cultures for religious ceremonies, perfumes, and healing salves. Ancient wisdom and scientific research are both used in our modern understanding of this powerful oil.

Why Frankincense

The main therapeutic benefits of frankincense oil are:

• helping maintain a healthy inflammatory response
• supporting a healthy immune system
• calming, balancing, and uplifting mood
• promoting cellular health

As you can imagine, this range of benefits is what has earned frankincense the title “King of Oils.” The chemical compounds in frankincense oil are also able to cross the blood-brain barrier, which allows it to support healing in the entire body. This is a very exciting prospect!

Uses for Frankincense Oil

• Diffuse to calm and uplift moods
• Use as a base note in homemade perfume
• Apply to scars, stretch marks, moles, and skin tags to reduce their appearance
• Apply to blemishes, cuts, and scraps to promote healing
• I rub less than a drop on the roof of my mouth for headache relief
• Used daily for its cellular health promoting properties.

Products that use Frankincense Oil

Frankincense oil is great to use by itself, and it is also used in combination with other essential oils in many products that my family used on a daily basis. While powerful on it’s own, frankincense can do some really great work when paired with other oils!

• Grounding Blend – I put a drop on my wrists every morning to balance me throughout the day.
• Anti-aging Blend – Use topically to reduce the appearance of scarring and fine lines. I also make a hydrating serum with this blend to promote general skin health.
• Cellular Complex – My husband uses this daily to support cellular health and his immune system.
• Tension Blend – Exactly what it sounds like – great for helping relax tense muscles
• Essential Ointment – A natural ointment that soothes, protects, and promotes healing of skin irritations

What’s so Remarkable About Rosemary?

Some of the most interesting and unique health benefits of rosemary include its ability to boost memory, improve mood, reduce inflammation, relieve pain, protect the immune system, stimulate circulation, detoxify the body, protect the body from bacterial infections, prevent premature aging, and heal skin conditions.

Rosemary

Native to the Mediterranean region, rosemary is one of the most commonly found herbs in a spice rack, and for good reason – not only does it have a wonderful taste and aroma, but also a wealth of beneficial health effects if regularly added to our diet. The scientific name of this perennial woody herb is Rosmarinus officinalis, but the world knows it by its common name. Similar to many other useful herbs, rosemary is in the same taxonomic family as mint, but doesn’t have that characteristic flavor. Rosemary has a warmer, bitter, and more astringent taste that gives wonderful flavor to soups, sauces, stews, roasts, and stuffing. It is particularly prevalent in Italian cultural cuisine.

Although small amounts like those used to flavor food aren’t typically considered large enough to have a major effect on the body, regular addition of the leaves to your food will allow your body to derive accumulated benefits from the organic compounds and unique phytochemicals present in the leaves. There are also uses of rosemary that involve consuming larger quantities or applying the essential oils from rosemary onto the skin directly. You can find out all about the health benefits of rosemary essential oil in its respective article here on Organic Facts. Now, let’s take a more detailed look at the health benefits of rosemary.

 Health Benefits of Rosemary

Memory Booster: One of the earliest reported or documented uses of rosemary for health reasons was as acognitive stimulant. It was said to improve memory and help to increase intelligence and focus. While many of those claims are still being researched and studied, its effects on the brain do indicate an increase in memory retention, which is never a bad thing; keeping your mind quick will help to keep it young. In that same vein, rosemary has been linked to stimulating cognitive activity in the elderly, as well as those suffering from more acute cognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer’s or dementia. This is an exciting alternative or supplement to more modern treatment for these as yet uncured conditions.

Mood and Stress: The aroma of rosemary alone has been linked to improving mood, clearing the mind, and relieving stress in those with chronic anxiety or stress hormone imbalances. When the plant is consumed or applied topically in some sort of salve of the leaves, it can have similar effects. Aromatherapy also uses rosemary essential oil for this purpose, but that concentration of active components isn’t necessary to have positive effects on stress and mood.

Immune System Strength: The active components in rosemary are antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic in nature. This represents a three-pronged attack against many different diseases and pathogens that could threaten the immune system or damage the integrity of the body. Antioxidant compounds form a secondary line of defense behind the body’s own immune system, and rosemary contains a significant amount of those powerful compounds, including rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid, betulic acid, and carnosol.

Antibacterial Potential: While the general immune boosting qualities of rosemary are impressive enough, it is specifically powerful against bacterial infections, particularly those in the stomach. H. pylori bacteria is a common and very dangerous pathogen that can cause stomach ulcers, but rosemary has been shown to prevent its growth when consumed. Similarly, rosemary is linked to preventing Staph infections, which kill thousands of people each year.

Stomach Soother: Rosemary has traditionally been used by dozens of cultures as a natural remedy for upset stomachs, constipation, bloating, diarrhea, and everything in between. Its anti-inflammatory and stimulant effects are largely the cause of these effects, so adding rosemary to your weekly diet can quickly help you regulate your bowel movements and your gastrointestinal system.

Breath Freshener: As a natural antibacterial agent, rosemary works as a wonderful breath freshener that also improves your oral health. Steep rosemary leaves in a glass of hot water and then gargle or swish the water in your mouth to eliminate bacteria and give you naturally fresh and clean breath all night!

Stimulate Blood Flow: Rosemary acts as a stimulant for the body and boosts the production of red blood cells and blood flow. This helps to oxygenate vital organ systems and areas of the body, ensuring that the metabolic activities in those areas are running smoothly, in addition to stimulating the movement of nutrients to cells that require repair.

Pain Relief: As an analgesic substance, rosemary has been topically applied in a paste or salve for hundreds of years to the affected area of the pain. When consumed orally, rosemary acts as a pain reliever for harder to reach spots, such as headaches and pain from a condition. In fact, one of the most popular uses of rosemary is for the treatment of migraines. Applying a decoction to the temples, or simply smelling the aroma of rosemary has been linked to reducing the severity of migraine symptoms.

 Anti-Inflammatory Qualities:Perhaps the most important function of rosemary is as an anti-inflammatory agent in the body. Carnosol and Carnosic acid are twopowerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compoundsfound in rosemary that have been linked to reducing inflammation of muscles, blood vessels, and joints. This makes rosemary an effective treatment for many things, including blood pressure,gout, arthritis, and injuries sustained during physical exertion or surgery. Rosemary is effective in oral or topical form for these anti-inflammatory effects. Furthermore, the reduction in inflammation in the cardiovascular system can help to boost heart health and prevent atherosclerosis from appearing.

Detoxify the Body: Rosemary is slightly diuretic in nature, meaning that it can help flush out toxins more efficiently during urination. Furthermore, by increasing the rate at which water leaves the body, it can also help push out pathogens,salts, toxins, and even excess fat when consumed regularly (or when you’re feeling particularly “toxified”). In terms of the particular organ it benefits, rosemary has been linked to lower levels of cirrhosis and a faster healing time of the liver, which is one of the slowest organs to heal.

Skin Health: The anti-aging properties of rosemary are quite well known. Although more commonly thought of in the essential oil form, the leaves of rosemary can also effect the skin internally or topically, and has been shown to improve the youthful quality of the skin, while also healing blemishes and increasing the natural shine and hydrated appearance of your body’s largest organ.

A Final Word of Warning: The essential oil of rosemary is not to be consumed, but normal rosemary is far less potent, and therefore not dangerous to consume in normal culinary proportions. If you are allergic to other members of the mint family, you may experience discomfort if you consume or apply rosemary, but the reactions are typically mild.

Is your 'healthy' popcorn really good for you?

Many people love eating a bowl of crunchy popcorn. It's been a favorite snack for centuries in America. Anthropologists have actually found popcorn remnants in the American Southwest dating from about 2,500 years ago and in Peru and Mexico as old as 5,000 years.

Sold as "Pearl" corn or "Nonpareil" in the early 1800s, a popcorn "boom" increased its popularity quickly during the Great Depression because it was so inexpensive. It must have caught on, because Americans now eat around 1.2 billion pounds every year!1

If you choose the right variety and cook it properly, popcorn can be relatively nutritious and provides a valuable source of fiber. The ingredients in this healthy snack may even translate to benefits that fight disease.

Popcorn and Your Health

While this article will review some of the beneficial aspects of popcorn it is still relatively high in net carbs and if you are seeking to optimize your mitochondrial health anything more than an ounce or two of popcorn is not a wise choice.

Remember the way to prevent most all chronic degenerative diseases will be to teach your body to burn fat for fuel. It would be FAR better to eat high fiber vegetables for carbs than grains.

Nutritional Aspects of Popcorn

A fairly modest portion of popcorn — 3.5 ounces — offers several important nutrients and impressively high percentages to consumers in terms of recommended daily intake (RDI).

Manganese, for instance, presents 56 percent of the RDI, while magnesium and phosphorus each bring 36 percent.

Zinc is also significant with 21 percent, and copper, vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and potassium showing up with just under 10 percent each.2 Popcorn contains nutrients and compounds that are associated with:

• Regulated blood sugar
• Improved digestion
• Weight loss
• Reduced cholesterol levels
• Cancer prevention

Another interesting thing about popcorn is that while a 1-cup serving contains 6.2 grams of carbohydrates, which becomes glucose in your body after digestion, the starch is different.

Popcorn retains the endosperm, germ and bran for fiber that sloughs your blood vessel and artery walls of excess cholesterol, helping to optimize cholesterol levels.4Simultaneously, your risk of heart attack, stroke and atherosclerosis — aka hardening of the arteries — is lowered. 

For these reasons, your heart doesn't have to work so hard; your blood vessels and arteries allow blood to flow through at the optimum rate rather than slowing down, thickening and causing problems like those mentioned above.

Popcorn Contains Valuable Fiber

That same 3.5-ounce serving of popcorn contains 389 calories and 15 grams offiber.With it you get 78 grams of carbohydrates, 13 grams of protein and 5 grams of fat. Altogether, popcorn is a very substantial food, with physical benefits for every one of those vitamins and minerals.

Fiber is so important that if people ate the amount they should — I recommend consuming about 25 to 50 grams of fiber per 1,000 calories consumed per day — ailments like type 2 diabetes, obesity and heart disease would likely be much less prevalent.

However, most people eat far less than those amounts. According to Authority Nutrition:

"When the body has ample amounts of fiber, it regulates the release and management of blood sugar and insulin levels better than people with low levels of fiber."7

Popcorn also provides antioxidants, which in turn stave off undesirable features ofpremature aging such as muscle weakness, osteoporosis, macular degeneration, cognitive decline, dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Even things like wrinkles and age spots may be diminished by this one popcorn component.

Certainly not least, fiber is important because it encourages regularity by stimulating your intestinal muscles and digestive juices, which keeps everything moving through on a regular basis.

The less time food remains in your colon, the better. When it sticks around in your digestive tract for too long, constipation and other problems can occur.

Popcorn and Weight Loss

Because of the fiber, relatively low calories and other factors already discussed, popcorn can help with weight loss.

In fact, one study comparing how full people felt after eating either popcorn or potato chips found that popcorn did a better job of satisfying consumers, which could ultimately lead to fewer consumed calories.However, the caloric intake from eating movie theater popcorn can be staggering:

"A small bag of popcorn from Harkins Theaters contains 250 calories, 16 grams of fat and 27 grams of carbohydrates. Increase that to a large bag of popcorn, and you'll eat 780 calories, 50 grams of fat and 83 grams of carbs.

Splurge on the extra-large and your treat clocks in at 1,120 calories, 72 grams of fat and 120 grams of carbs, which is more than one-third the number of carbs you should have for the entire day."

Polyphenols in Popcorn — An Antioxidant Explosion

You've heard of free radicals, which your body produces to help your metabolic processes function better, but when too many are produced, they can turn on you. They can kill off enzymes, multiply and wreak enough havoc in your cells to cause diseases and even alter your DNA.

That's where antioxidants come in, waging war on free radicals provided byantioxidants in the nutrients you consume. Polyphenols in popcorn could be called super antioxidants.

They're important because they can improve your digestion and circulation, and as a result, reduce your cancer risk as well, particularly breast and prostate cancers.

One interesting study conducted by Joe Vinson, Ph.D., from the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, found that popcorn contains more polyphenols than fruits and vegetables. Polyphenols are more highly concentrated in popcorn than nuts and chocolate, two rivaling snack options.

In fact, his study determined that polyphenol concentrations are much higher in popcorn than previously thought, with more than 15 times the amounts found in whole-grain tortilla chips.

"Polyphenols are more concentrated in popcorn, which averages only about 4 percent water, while polyphenols are diluted in the 90 percent water that makes up many fruits and vegetables."

Additional research shows that eating popcorn can help regulate blood sugar, lower cholesterol, improve digestion, prevent osteoporosis and protect against cancer.

The Reassuring Science of Salt Consumption

Here’s a salt paradox.

On the one hand you have a respected U.S. public health officialdeclaring in the Journal of the American Medical Association that reducing salt consumption will save hundreds of thousands of lives, and warning that 90 percent of Americans eat too much of it.

But then there are the epidemiologists whose research appears to point in the other direction. They track the connection between salt and deaths from heart attacks and strokes, and their studies indicate that while heavy salt eaters did die sooner, there is little evident danger from the average American’s intake. That’s usually expressed as 3,400 milligrams of sodium per day, which is roughly the amount in a teaspoon and a half of salt. (Salt and sodium intake are proportional, since salt is the primary source of dietary sodium.)

Salt is not a rising health scourge. U.S. salt consumption has been holding steady for decades, and is about the same as the global average.

The paradox has a solution, which is that salt is safe within a range. It’s reasonable to predict that lowering the average recommended intake will pull many people at the high end into a healthier range. And so lives may indeed be saved thanks to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s new guidelines, released last week and aimed mainly at reducing sodium in packaged foods and restaurant meals.

What’s not yet established is whether everybody else needs to cut back, or how much. The FDA’s new recommended maximum is 2,300 milligrams per day. The American Heart Association recommends an even lower amount, 1,500 milligrams, though that position is becoming increasingly untenable.

A few years ago, the Institute of Medicine put together a panel to assess the available evidence. It found none in favor of recommending consumption of less than 2,300 milligrams a day. There were even hints in the data that eating less might be harmful.

Rutgers University professor of medicine Brian Strom, who headed the panel, has told me in several previous interviews that the basis of the Heart Association's recommendation is “not entirely rational.”

What it is, in effect, is a zero-tolerance policy. That's because 1,500 milligrams is the minimum amount of sodium it’s possible to consume while eating enough food to sustain yourself. That is, if you eat nothing with added salt, you’ll still get about 1,500 milligrams from the sodium that occurs naturally in edible plants and animals.

Zero tolerance of salt comes from a counterproductive level of caution. It starts with a real scientific observation that eating a lot of salt raises blood pressure and poses a danger to people with hypertension. Then it takes a leap of logic by assuming that if less sodium is good for those folks, then the less the better for everyone.

But salt isn’t a dietary evil. The need for salt is embedded deep in human biochemistry. Salt in the bloodstream separates into charged ions – the basis of cellular energy storage and the drivers of the complex circuitry of the nervous system. With salt playing such an important role, it makes sense that too little or too much will kill us.

The question is where that healthy range lies. The medical community’s traditional recommendations came out of an exclusive focus on blood pressure. But a surprise came when researchers started to look instead at overall cardiovascular health. A 2014 studythat tried to link salt consumption directly to death from heart disease and stroke, for example, showed that the lowest death rate occurred for people who consumed between 3,000 and 6,000 milligrams a day. That would put the average American’s consumption pattern in a safe range.

Nobody should change their behavior based on a single study, butother studies have also found the lowest death rate in a similar middle range.

Given the dangers of high blood pressure, it seems surprising that people didn’t start dying until they got up to the high intake of 6,000 milligrams a day. Professor Michael Alderman of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine has pointed out that other factors, including genes, stress and obesity can contribute to a breakdown in the body’s ability to maintain normal blood pressure. Salty food may exacerbate the problem without having been the primary cause.

He also questions the assumption that no possible harm can come from a very-low-salt diet. Some studies have hinted that such diets might raise triglyceride - a risk factor for heart disease. Nutrition researcher David McCarron is quoted in the New York Times saying that going below 3,000 milligrams is “dangerous”.

Strom, who headed the Institute of Medicine panel, doesn’t buy this. He has pointed out that in the study showing a higher death rate among those eating the least salt, it may not have been the lack of salt that caused the deaths. Instead, people in that group may be eating very-low-sodium diets because they have been diagnosed with health problems, or simply eating less food altogether because they are sick. He told me that he consumes about 2,300 milligrams because he’s lucky enough to have a spouse who cooks.

It’s perfectly reasonable that there’s some leeway in the healthy range – that evolution would have made it possible for people to thrive without being perfect. There may also be substantial individual differences in that safe range.

The good news is that FDA’s guidelines are unlikely to cause any harm to consumers. The proposal would encourage the food industry to tone down those heavily salted soups, chips, baked goods, salads and the like. That change won’t put anyone in danger of salt deficiency.

Whether such changes will reduce the pleasure of eating is a matter of taste. Some people think salty processed and fast food is delicious. 

Avocado Oil Is About to Claim Its Spot in Your Pantry

If you're obsessed with avocado, because of its delicious flavor but also all the good that it brings to your body, let us introduce you to a more concentrated version: avocado oil. Sure, it's not as satisfying as biting into the perfectly ripe avocado over toast, but the oil of your favorite fruit packs a ton of benefits and can easily replace your usual canola or olive version.

Avocado oil comes from the pulp of the fruit and contains a high level of nutrients, specificallymonounsaturated fatty acids and omega-3s, which help with heart health and a slew of other conditions. Its bland flavor — we mean that in a good way — isn't overpowering, making it a seamless addition to salad dressings and even cakes. And we promise that's not all. Scroll ahead for 12 easy applications for your new everyday staple.

1. Because it has a high smoke point, it's perfect for searing, frying, and baking, without fearing it'll get stuck to the pan or burn quickly.
2. To lower cholesterol, use avocado oil instead of dressing on your favorite salad.
3. You can also use it as a replacement for fats, like butter, in baking — its mild flavorwon't change the taste of your favorite cake or cookies.
4. The oil is so similar to olive oil, we'll be shocked if someone spots the difference when you drizzle avo oil over hummus, popcorn, pizza, grilled veggies, or bread.
5. "Avocado oil is super hydrating and anti-inflammatory; it also contains chlorophyll, which oxygenates and brightens the skin," says Joanna Vargas, celebrity facialist and founder of Joanna Vargas Skin Care Collection and Salon, located in New York City. She suggests the following nourishing and exfoliating recipe: Mix half of a mashed avocado, 1 tablespoon of avocado oil, and 1 teaspoon of coconut palm sugar. Apply to skin and leave on for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove gently with a warm cloth.
6. Those hydrating and anti-inflammatory properties also help to ease the itch and painof psoriasis and eczema flares.
7. You can use it in place of coconut oil in your hair routine, too. Lupita Nyong'o is a fan. Apply a generous amount on strands from roots to ends, and rinse after a few minutes for a deep conditioning treatment.
8. Having trouble finding an eye makeup remover that doesn't sting your eyes? Pinterest swears by avocado oil on a cotton pad.
9. Some studies suggest eating avocado oil helps your body to absorb other nutrients because of its high lipid content, which helps to process carotenoids, an antioxidant found on bright veggies and fruits, like tomatoes. Add a touch of it to your caprese salad to reap the benefits.
10. Avocado oil has been tested for wound healing with good results, because it increases the production of collagen. Use it on cracked heels and minor cuts.
11. Its thick but fast-absorbing consistency makes it the perfect fit for DIY soap.
12. The green tint in avocado oil is sometime

7 Signs You’re Eating Right

Following a diet is one thing, but to really know if you’re eating right, you have to listen to your body. The subtle messages that the body sends will tell you. Listen closely and you’ll succeed in choosing the best foods for your body, which includes eating lots of organic vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains. Here are some signs that you’re eating right for your body:

1.  You go to the bathroom every day.Constipation is often the first sign that you’re not eating right. You should have a bowel movement each and every day. If you’re not, add more fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.

2.  You don’t have to watch calories.If you have to watch calories all the time you’re likely eating too many processed foods, sugar-sweetened beverages, cheese, and meat. But if you’re eating a mostly plant-based diet, you’ll notice that the body is naturally slim. You don’t think about eating when you’re not hungry and you eat only until you’re full.

3.  Your mood is even.While many factors can contribute to mood swings, too much alcohol, caffeine, and sugar can cause mood swings and especially anxiety. Excessive amounts of these foods should not be a regular part of your diet if you want a balanced and peaceful mind.

4.  You’re well hydrated.Dehydration is a product of drinking too little water and drinking too much caffeine, sugar and alcohol. It causes thirst, dry lips, dry skin, and dry cells everywhere in the body. Drinking plenty of water and eating lots of high water content foods like fruits and vegetables will keep the body hydrated.

5.  You have energy throughout the day.You should feel energized throughout the day if your diet is fulfilling your needs. If you have a crash of energy at 4 pm each day then something about your diet isn’t quite right. Too much coffee or a breakfast that is too high in carbohydrates may cause a blood sugar crash later on in the day. It could also be that you may need a snack in the late afternoon to help keep your blood sugar balanced through to dinner time.

6. You sleep well at night.All sorts of things can keep you up at night including your diet. Drinking alcohol can keep you up as well as excessive caffeine throughout the day. If you eat too much for dinner, or before bed, your liver is continually trying to break the foods down at night, which can affect the body’s ability to get to sleep and stay asleep.

7.  You’re cooking most nights.If you eat out most nights it’s nearly impossible to control what you’re eating. Learning to home cook well is among the best techniques for losing weight and keeping it off. Taking your lunch to work each day is another way to ensure you’re sticking to your healthy diet.