This Little-Known Herb Kills Candida and Resolves IBS

Sage -- an herb found in most spice cabinets, and the one commonly used to flavor your Thanksgiving dressing -- is a severely under-appreciated medicinal herb and panacea. Perhaps one of its most impressive uses is as a remedy for IBS and candida.

Considering that it's part of the mint family, it should come as no surprise that sage can help soothe the painful symptoms that come with IBS. In fact, some people regard this simple herb as their go-to remedy in times of a flare-up.

Let's start by taking a look at the powerful nutritional profile and properties of sage:

Sage contains over 80 different vitamins and nutrients, including: 

• Vitamins A, C, and K 
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Potassium

 See the entire nutrient profile for sage here.

Properties and Benefits of Sage:

•  Sage is a natural anti-spasmodic, meaning it'll stop those painful GI cramps that are infamous for their ability to double you over for hours on end.

• Sage relieves inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract, thanks to the rosmarinic acid content.
  

• Sage has natural anti-fungal and anti-yeast action, which makes it perfect for killing off the excess of candida albicans or "yeast" that affects folks with IBS.

• Sage fights infection, particularly those of the intestines, with anti-bacterial and anti-septic properties. Sage was even found to be effective against staphylococcus aureus, i.e. staph infection.

• Sage is a natural remedy for constipation as it has a mild stimulating effect on digestion.

 Photo credit: Latisha (herbmother)

How Does Sage Kill Candida and Resolve IBS Flare-Ups?

• Sage strengthens Digestion and Treats Stomach Disorders. Sage has been used for centuries as a general tonic to stimulate a weakened digestive system and treat stomach disorders, including stomach hemorrhages.

• Prevents Flare-Ups Caused by Anxiety. Many people suffering from IBS and candida know that any excitement, anxiety, or nervousness can send your symptoms into overdrive in a matter of minutes. Use sage for its ability to help keep excitability, anxiety, and nervousness down. Drinking a tea infused with sage can also help with the headaches most of us nervous IBS'ers keep.

•  Sage tea strengthens a weakened immune system and fatigued body.

How to Use Sage for Relief from IBS and Candida 

Sage is often taken in small doses multiple times a day for  for relentless cases of IBS.

The most popular way to use sage as a medicinal herb is in the form of a tea, although it's also available in easy-to-swallow capsules.

Dosing: According to Whfoods' Food Rating Chart System, a serving of dried sage is 2 teaspoons or 1.40 grams.

How to Make Sage Tea:
Bring 8 ounces of water to a boil, then allow it to cool for a few minutes before pouring over 1 teaspoon of fresh sage leaves, or 2 teaspoons, if using dried sage leaves.

Allow to steep for 10 minutes. (One source recommend steeping for a whopping 4 hours.)

After steeping (for however long you prefer) strain, then drink the infusion as you would any tea. Leftovers can be refrigerated for later.


No Leaves on-Hand? Just Use Ground Sage
There's no reason to forego this powerful IBS remedy just because you don't have actual sage leaves. Ground sage is just as good, and according to some people, works better than the tea method.

You can make a tea using ground sage in your coffee maker. Just substitute coffee grounds (don't forget a coffee filter) for a scoop of ground sage. Pour in your water, turn the coffee maker on and enjoy a quick cup of sage tea!

On hurried days, I dump 2 teaspoons of ground sage in a cup of warm or room temperature water for fast relief from bloating, cramping, and other IBS-related pain. 

Unlike coffee, the grounds of sage aren't bothersome going down. If the grounds do happen to bother you simply strain the sage-infused water beforehand.

How to Take Sage for Candida Overgrowth

When symptoms start showing up frequently, it usually signifies a problem with candidiasis, the overgrowth of candida albicans or "yeast." This is when I like to start taking sage on a daily basis. I either add ground sage to my water or put it in a capsule for fast, easy dosing.

My symptoms typically begin to disappear within 3-4 days, depending. 2 teaspoons taken for several consecutive days can be necessary to get candida under control.
 
If you the taste of sage is a problem or you're looking for a more convenient way to supplement with sage, you can opt for a capsule form.



Have you ever tried herbal remedies for IBS and candida overgrowth? Share your thoughts and results in the comments.

What is "Die-Off" or Herxheimer's Reaction and How to Get Relief

      

Candida Albicans on Chocolate Agar by Mostly*Harmless

 Do you have IBS, candidiasis or other sensitive digestive problems? Are certain remedies leaving you feeling deathly ill instead of relieving your suffering? If so, it's possible you're experiencing "die-off." Especially if you've changed your diet or began taking a new supplement/remedy. Read on to find out if what you're experiencing is symptoms of Herxheimer's reaction, a.k.a. "die-off." In this article series, you'll also learn what to expect with "die-off", how to avoid it, and how to feel better again if you're suffering right now.

Warning: In this article, you'll learn about the symptoms of "die-off" and what it feels like to experience it from the perspective of a severely ill young woman suffering from years of debilitating candidiasis and IBS. I'll also add remedies that may assist you and ease the hell of an experience with Herxheimer's.

What is Herxheimer's Reaction or "Die-Off?"

Herxheimer's reaction is a painful ordeal that leaves you feeling sick. It occurs when harmful microorganisms literally die off while inside your body, hence the name "die-off." It's usually a medicine or remedy that you've taken that causes a noticeable reaction, and you feel ill from the substance released by the dying microorganisms. Perhaps this is relieving for some of you who may be happy to know that your pain is actually a sign of the "bad guys" dying. Go ahead, revel in the pleasure that those suckers are meeting their death!

The actual name is Herxheimer's Reaction and if you want my personal input, it's real. Painfully, horrifically, gut-wrenchingly, head-spinningly real. As you might can tell, I'll never forget the night I had my first encounter with what I later found out was commonly referred to as "die-off," or "Herxing."

This unforgettable experience goes by other names as well -- my personal favorite: hell. But if you're in need of information regarding this reaction, then it may help to know that it's also called "detoxing." If you're scouring the web for answers, remember that the Herxheimer's Reaction or "die-off" isn't super commonly discussed or even known about, unless you're one of the folks like myself who's suffered from issues like candidiasis and have therefore become familiar with the special misery that seems to occur when you take certain herbs or supplements for candidiasis or IBS or a parasitic infection or any other detoxifying supplement or aid. A Wikipedia article states that taking certain antibiotics are a cause of Herxheimer's reaction. That's interesting since taking antibiotics is also one of the main causes for developing IBS and candidiasis. The candidiasis community often refer to Herxheimer's as a "healing crisis."

Symptoms of Herxheimer's reaction typically begin within the first few hours of having taken a supplement, herb, or remedy that kills bacteria and parasites.

I've found that most of what has given me Herxheimer's tends to be natural things with potent anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties, like the coconut oil, for example. Interestingly enough, I can take an entire stalk of an aloe vera plant without ever suffering. I can also eat garlic like it's going out of style and never experience die-off symptoms. Perhaps aloe and garlic are more gentle?

Many people don't ever figure out that what they're actually experiencing is this Herxheimer's Reaction. Instead of ever finding out that what they are experiencing is literal "die-off" of bugs like candida albicans, they simply think that whatever they took (such as a detox supplement), is giving them negative side effects.

That's what I thought when I doubled my daily tablespoon dose of real, organic coconut oil. Boy was I certain I was the one dying off when that dizzy, rocks-moving-through-my-gut feeling sensation struck me. I remember the feeling more vividly than I remember my 21st birthday, which come to think of it, wasn't really that spectacular... but still.

I remember describing my symptoms -- to Google, no less. It was 2 am thankyouverymuch, and as someone who'd been completely debilitated with years of IBS, Candidiasis, and endometriosis, calling a doctor was a thing of the past. The symptoms can resemble those of bacterial sepsis, according to Wikipedia. I've never had sepsis, but it's one of the few ailments that I fear. Unlike sepsis though, you're not likely to die of Herxheimer's reaction.

The sun was coming up by the time I finally stopped reading about this new kind of hell and my misery was beginning to subside. But before the relief finally arrived, I had already been taking note of every symptom I felt as the hours passed, just in case I really was the one dying off, of course.

This whole experience occurred probably 5 years ago, and for some reason, I never thought to discuss it much here. As I recover from the beginnings of a new IBS-candidiasis flare-up, (albeit a very, very minor flare-up unlike those that used to keep me bedridden through my late tees - early 20's, I realized that. Why in the name of all things holy have I never thought to document some of that stuff here where I've documented virtually every step of my healing process?

It's your lucky day...  Er, probably un-lucky if you landed here by searching for anything related to Herxheimer's symptoms ... because the idea finally arrived in this scrambled, aching head of mine. If my audience is mostly people who suffer with digestive problems like my own, and I frequently discuss remedies, it only makes sense to provide you sweet souls with a bit of a guide on Herxing.

Forgive me for not coming to your aid sooner. You truly deserve better than me.

While we're on the topic of forgiveness, you'll also want to make sure you have plenty more of it because I have a tendency to jump into fun-mode and be overly chatty when I'm talking to you guys. My job requires me to write in a completely un-personal, professional, boring, un-interesting tone, when I finally get to write for my readers here, I get carried away. I promise to put the actual informative parts like symptoms and relief/remedies in big, bold letters before I hit that publish button, just in case you arrived here to gather information and not for my cheery nature.


Symptoms:

*To repeat my earlier note, Wikipedia says Herxing can resemble bacterial sepsis.

- Fever
- Nausea
-  Gas, bloating,diarrhea, need to go to the bathroom more than normal
-  Intestinal cramps
- Abdominal pain (like I said, it felt like gravel moving through my gut.)
- Pain in your joints, muscles, all over body pain (similar to having the flu.)
- Headache
- Hypotension
- Anxiety, rapid heart rate, breathing difficulty, chest heaviness.
- Sweating or alternating between hot and cold
- Shivering cold
- Cold feet/hands
- Prickling sensations on the scalp, back of neck, etc.
- Shakiness, jitters. 
- Confusion, brain fog,

- Exhaustion, fatigue. Some people report feeling insomnia, but many of us feel utterly exhausted during and after Herxing. I passed out hard and slept in the same position for hours both times I experienced die-off.

Remedies to Help Get You Through A Herxheimer's Reaction

If you can take on a "cleanse" in a gradual manner, chances of you being hit with a horrible bout of Herxheimer's could lessen. You can take steps towards cleaning your liver, lymph, and digestive system to lessen the chance of having loads of bacteria die at once.

The key is by gently cleansing and stimulating these important waste-removal systems before you go taking something that'll give you the Herx reaction. If you are aware of it beforehand. If you're like me, on the other hand and run smack dab into a die-off experience, we'll discuss some remedies in a moment that should help ease your symptoms until you feel better.

If it were me, I would start stimulating my lymphatic system on a daily basis, especially upon waking up. I particularly love Donna Eden's Energy Work techniques for this. *Video Below*

This will help your lymphatic system start working properly and begin moving some of the toxic waste from your body.

Next, you can try to use gentle liver and digestive "cleansing" herbs and teas. I am particularly fond of milk thistle as a daily liver cleanser/tonic. You can use a variety of easy, affordable herbal teas to help this too though. Senna and dandelion are all great for an enormous boost and cleansing of your liver. Learn more about simple ways to cleanse and protect your liver here.

Don't forget turmeric, which can be used as a spice in your food or added to your tea. It's great for your entire system, including your liver and kidneys, which both need to be in optimal shape to help your body remove all those toxins.

Before you even begin any sort of cleansing, you probably want to start taking in cultured or fermented foods, if you're digestive system will tolerate them without throwing a fit. Sauerkraut, miso soup, and kombucha tea are amazing probiotics to start using regularly. There's also kefir, if that's more suitable to your tastes. Either way, any of these foods will go a long way in the healing process and long-term health of your digestive system. As you've already been told, these probiotic-rich foods will also put the "good bacteria" in to fight off the bad.

Another great healing food for candidiasis and your entire digestive system is bone broth. Many people attest to its healing powers, even in this department. Try to aim for organic only. The foods listed above will not only give you relief, but will re-strengthen your body by giving it the nutrients needed to become well again, and to fight off the bad fellas.

To Get Relief While in the Midst of Die-Off

Dr. John Bergman is one of my go-to's when it comes to real health and wellness. In one of his videos on healing "everything," he discussed "moist packs" being a tool for healing digestive problems, including simple inflammation of the gut.

If you're experiencing the pain of die-off, a great starter would be to take Dr. Bergman's advice and lay down with a "moist heat pack." I've been weak and desperate enough to just lay in the bath full of hot water and simply use a wash cloth to lay over my entire abdominal area. Before it starts to cool, I'll add more of my hot bath water.

This is supposed to not only give you relief, but also be an incredible healing method, so if you're already in pain, it can't hurt!

Consume extra Vitamin C and antioxidants (I like seabuckthorn berry due to its powerful antioxidant profile and high Vitamin C content.) If you can consume more water than usual, it'll be worth it since it'll help flush out some of the byproducts and toxins caused by the die-off. The best thing you can do once you're clear of die-off symptoms is to gently begin building your immune system and cleansing your liver, kidneys, and lymphatic systems. This will make the rest of your journey so much smoother. I promise!

This guide is basic-information. I will happily continue to update things as time goes on, if any of you are interested. If not, I will most likely leave it as is since time won't allow for extra writing if people aren't in need of it. Don't hesitate to get in touch with me to discuss this further if you'd like, or leave me a request for additional information. I'm beyond happy to help in any way I can, or just chat with you.

Best wishes, health, and happiness.

NeoCell Biotin Bursts

Biotin Bursts are biotin and antioxidant-packed soft chews in the flavor of acai. These tiny, yet powerful and perfectly tart and delicious chews are the best way to consume biotin, in my opinion as they really do the trick on my candy cravin' sweet tooth. Not only that, but I'm pretty sure with each bite-sized chew, my hair, nails and skin will be improving. Talk about a tasty treat that really doesn't come with any guilt!

I was given the awesome opportunity to try the Biotin Bursts by Neocell earlier this week. Each small, individually wrapped "burst" contains a whopping 25 milligrams of acai fruit powder, which delivers a beautiful supply of antioxidants to the body, and a huge 10,000 micrograms of readily absorbable biotin. Note: Some online sources claim that we should "aim" for 30 micrograms of biotin in our daily diet, so consuming 10,000 micrograms in these chews tells me I'm going to be plenty sufficient in this beautifying vitamin.

What is Biotin?

Biotin is called "Vitamin H" by most, but is actually considered a B-Vitamin, strangely enough.

Why I Like The Biotin Bursts
Aside from getting to indulge daily in a tasty little chew, similar to a Starburst as my nephew put it (but way easier on the teeth, and even more flavorful) the biotin supplement is actually highly beneficial in the beauty department -- particularly skin, hair and nails.

The effect biotin has on hair is described as "luxurious hair and vibrant skin." It's also been touted for its ability to strengthen brittle nails, which is something I've had for years. 

Neocell's Biotin Bursts are "scientifically formulated to support metabolism of proteins in the body, promoting natural energy," too. It also has a positive effect on the nervous system.

I've even heard of biotin being helpful in weight loss, in some cases.

Consuming biotin can be useful in conditions such as eczema, thinning hair, seborrheic dermatitis, and it may help promote hair growth. Biotin is said to be useful even in cases of depression! This is another reason I was highly intrigued by this H-Vitamin once I learned about it from Neocell.

*Biotin for yeast infections?

I wanted to update this article as I just read something very interesting in a Live Strong article regarding another possible benefit of using biotin -- yeast infections!  An overgrowth of candida albicans is the cause of a yeast infection, and also the cause of candidiasis, sometimes IBS too (which was my case.) 

Interestingly, I was checking more into biotin just now when I read the following excerpt:

"There are certain situations when very high dosages of biotin can aid in medical treatment. For example, biotin 5000 mg can aid in treating yeast infections such as Candida albicans, so that it does not develop from its yeast-like state into a fungal form, as discussed by FungusFocus and altMD's Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine."

Before I go on, let me just say, my understanding of the above statement is that biotin can keep the candida albicans from continuing to "grow" until they get out of control. When they say "so it doesn't develop from its yeast-like state into a fungal form," I am taking that to mean simply they remain under control and do not "over-grow" leaving the body with an "infection." 


So, it turns out, that my taking this high dose of biotin in the Biotin Bursts happens to possibly come with an incredible added benefit that I didn't even know about! Most of you know that I suffered severely with IBS-Candidiasis for the majority of my late-teen/early-adult years. I won't go into that story again, but I find it really awesome that there are more things we can do to keep this sometimes debilitating problem under control. I know some of my readers were told by their doctors the same things I was told -- that the pain was "in your head" and that you'd never again live without it. There's no cure, so all you can do is continue taking prescribed medications. This was my "fate" according to my own doctor after having surgery for part of my problem -- endometriosis. My fate included a prescription of drugs that further debilitated me really because at the recommended dosing, I would've only had 2 hours maximum out of my bed every single day of my life! Zombie drugs. I never did take the recommended amount as 2 alone kicked my butt for a full 24 hours.


Anyways, I promised I wouldn't get into that story again. Why do you guys let me do this?

So, I wanted to put this information about biotin at higher doses possibly being helpful for candida issues out there for my fellow sufferers. Whether it's your gut that's being tormented by candida albicans or your genitals or elsewhere, I think biotin could be something to keep in mind.

That also brings me to the fact that last month I was dealing with one of those pesky female yeast infections myself! It was one of the worst I've ever suffered from, and kind of came out of nowhere. I of course used the natural, home remedy to take care of it (the same ones I've published here and elsewhere), but how awesome it is to know that using this biotin supplement may provide some added help in that area.

Keep in mind, it's been said that people with kidney problems should not use biotin supplements. I have no idea why that is or if there's anything to it, but I thought I might should point that out since I know at least one of my heavy readers do suffer with kidney issues.

In the image above, you can see the individually wrapped chews.

 

Why I Adore Neocell:
"NeoCell has been developing and manufacturing all natural, premium anti-aging formulas for over 20 years and is the leading Collagen brand in the world. Our products are naturally based, not synthetic, and are designed to promote youthful health, beauty and total body wellness. We manufacture our own products using carefully sourced food-grade raw materials and our facility exceeds all GMP standards. We strive to continuously bring the best to our customers– products that we and our own families are proud to use, made with Nutrients You Can Trust®."

As you can see on the packaging of the Biotin Bursts, Neocell products do not contain Soy, GMO's Palm oil or gluten! Let's hear it for all healthy ingredients!

Results of taking Biotin Bursts:

Since I'm only about a week into taking the 30-day supply of these Biotin chews from NeoCell, I can't attest entirely to the results. I'd like to give the product enough time to really do its job (30 days), so I will update periodically as I see results, including after the 30 days. I almost waited to even do a review until 30 days had passed with me taking the supplement, but I was too excited to hurry and get the exciting word out about them, so I hope you'll check back for any results I end up seeing while using them!

At the moment, my nails are somewhat brittle, with vertical lines galore! They're easily bent, not thick. After 30 days of using the Biotin Bursts, I'll take a look and see if they have changed, which would be really exciting to see!

So far though, my hair very possibly could be showing signs of becoming shinier! Hopefully, I see a big change within my skin, too. I have had the best skin I've seen in years this week, which is overly exciting considering I've only been taking the Biotin Bursts this week! My skin literally looks great to me, and that's something I haven't felt in ages. In fact, before the past week, I hated what was going on with my skin. It looked awful with breakouts and dry flakes no matter what I done to fix them. I've actually had very little reason to even put on moisturizer the last few days! So, if this sudden clearing of my skin problems is in fact due to the Biotin Bursts, you can bet your sweet behind I will continue using them for the long term! 

Check back to see my progress!

Disclaimer: I am not a specialist, expert, professional or doctor of any kind. Content on this blog is not intended to be taken as medical advice, diagnosis, treatment or advice of any sort. I'm simply sharing information about my own experiences and results from use of a product or activity in hopes of providing useful information to readers, not to be taken as a patient/medical adviser relationship. I am not responsible for what readers choose to do after viewing the content here. Furthermore, I do not hold an "exceptional" or other special relationship with any company mentioned on this site. I'm simply a consumer who worked with the company on a review that is in compliance with FTC's guidelines. That means, everything you read here is my own words, not anything of the company's. I was not provided with monetary compensation for my review. All information posted has been done so with complete honesty. No action should be taken based solely on the content of this publication ( I'm not responsible.) Readers who rely on the information in this blog to replace the advise of an appropriate health care provider assume all risks of such behavior.

Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil A Natural Remedy for IBS & More

  I have finally got to try Virgin Coconut Oil! I know it may not sound too amazing, but after I'd heard all the health benefits and weight loss, I really wanted to try it.

   I haven't been using the Virgin Coconut Oil for very long, but I do think it's doing me a lot of good! I have been using it for about a week now.

   If you don't know how Virgin Coconut Oil works, don't worry I'm going to let you know and I promise, no boring stuff!

   Right now, I can only say what I've seen happen with the Coconut oil, but I've heard others claim it helped them lose weight. I am unsure if that is one of the intentions of the Coconut Oil or not though.

   Virgin Coconut Oil has different health benefits. I've heard SO many people say that they used Virgin Coconut Oil and had their Irritable Bowel Syndrome completely reversed! They had no symptoms of it again. We'll see how that one plays out. I'm hoping it is that good. Remember, Tropical Traditions does not make these health claims, these are simply the things that people have told me they'd experienced. I will tell you what I've experienced and as I continue the Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil journey, I'll update you on the benefits I get.

   First, I can't wait any longer on this one. I'm so happy to say that I've been using the Virgin Coconut Oil from Tropical Traditions for about a week now and I was really becoming stressed as my "curse of the month" came closer. Due to the endometriosis as I've mentioned, I have one hell of a time usually every month and it can get miserable. To be honest, last month I wanted to actually die because the pain I had was so intense. I was taking wheatgrass and under the impression it was helping these issues, but I have had to stop because each time I took a certain brand, I'd end up even worse sick for days!

   So my hopes are in the hands of Tropical Traditions and need I say, they have not let me down so far! I have so far made it through a week with only 2 days of cramps! That is the very first time in years that I've made it through without excruciating pain at least once. The 2 days that I experienced cramps, they only lasted for a short while and they didn't get me too down. I was able to fully function.

   I do think this was due to the Virgin Coconut Oil. I will see how the rest of this week goes and we'll definitely know then. I'm very excited!

   You can use the Virgin Coconut Oil as a cooking oil. I've heard people say it's great for cooking eggs! I haven't tried that and probably won't, but it seems to be a popular way to use it. You can also simply eat it from a spoon like I've been doing. Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil is really delicious. Before I tried it, a family member told me they had used a brand several years ago and couldn't put it to their lips without gagging. Tropical Traditions was nothing like that. It's easy to use and you can use it in so many ways.

   It's an oil so it does have that texture, but I really liked the taste of the coconut! I absolutely love coconut. I do have a hard time eating it from a spoon when it's liquid-y for some reason. When it is liquidy, I simply put the spoon in and make sure the roof of my mouth doesn't touch the coconut oil on my tongue, I swallow it quickly and take a drink of Dr. Pepper and I never even know it was there. Never even taste it!

   To liquify the Virgin Coconut oil, you can place the conatiner of the oil in a pan of warm water. Believe me, it doesn't take much to liquify this stuff! With room temp. it was hot enough today to liquify it. You cannot microwave it. If you want it liquid-y, just place the container in the hot water.

   You can add a spoonful of Tropical Tradition's Coconut Oil to tea, coffee, foods. I haven't tried it in a drink, but I doubt that it would be bad. I actually like it a lot when it's solid. It's got a bit of a waxy texture. I also tried quite a bit of it on saltine crackers and liked it. I dipped dried cranberries in the Virgin Coconut Oil and loved that!

   Like I said, you can substitute your cooking oil with the Virgin Coconut Oil. I haven't cooked with it as I'm not much of a cooker, but I've heard great things about using it to cook with. I doubt that you would even taste the Coconut Oil.

   From what I understand, it seems you can use this Coconut Oil on just about any food/drink.

   If you aren't fond of the texture or taste, you can simply mix a small amount into cereal or oatmeal and never taste it. I've been dying to try it on a biscuit for some reason!

   When I was told that cats love the Virgin Coconut Oil, I was not buying it! I put some on my finger and stuck it in front of Patsie's (the pickiest cat I have) nose and she fell in love! That cat won't touch any food unless it's perfect. She thinks she's princess Patsie and she never eats off your hand, but she was begging for more of the Coconut Oil! I couldn't believe it. She'll hardly eat turkey! Fuzz and Pookie (cat and dog) also love the Coconut Oil and it's good for them so I've added it to their diet too and they're loving me for it!

   The Virgin Coconut Oil makes the pets hair healthy and shiny as well as humans.

   You can also use this wonderful stuff on your skin! I really was worried about the Coconut Oil leaving my skin so greasy, but it makes a perfect moisturizer! You can also use it on your hair and leave it overnight (with a scarf on to protect pillows) or wash it out immediately. I unfortunately forgot to use it on my hair! I can't wait to try it though. I've seen a big difference in Patsie's coat so I'm sure mine will be thick and shiny too! She was losing her fur due to some stress and it's growing back beautifully!

   And so far, the best thing about the Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil for me, is that my stomach and "female" issues have seemed to be drastically settled! I was so shocked. I've not had any of the usual daily pains and discomforts, no night panics or flare ups at all! I can usually count on having to take a few minutes to lay down each month around 6PM because it tends to flare up and bother me, but I've not had a single growl, rumble, pain except for slight cramps 2 days! I usually have some daily problems with my issues, but I've not had anything. I couldn't be happier and I really can't wait to see how much better things get after I've used it for a few more weeks! I hope that the I.B.S. reversal stories I've heard are true. It would seriously be life changing if the Virgin Coconut Oil can give me relief.

   I'm even thinking I may be able to stop the pain/anxiety meds that I was given after surgery. I have to take them daily. The anxiety meds really are hard because they make me well, to be honest, they make me high. Very high. It's not fun. It's an awful feeling. I take them before bed and if I get woke up before 4 hours have passed, I'll be confused and wander around and then finally pass out and wake up not having a clue what I'd done. I've really had times where I've had company or my sister stop by during the high time and I won't even remember it.

   There is no focusing for those 4 hours and sometimes, I just won't wake up no matter how loud someone is or how hard they poke me. I will be so amazed if the Virgin Coconut Oil will provide enough relief to where I don't need the meds. I will probably cry! Honestly.

   As for now, all I can say is with the relief I have had in only one weeks usage, I'm more than happy and I see better things happening every day. I'm trying to get the BF and parents to try it. My mom has cholestorol and my dad has some serious blood pressure issues lately, so they're warming up to the Virgin Coconut Oil. Although, I'll probably have to give them a little more info. I wouldn't be surprised if I found my dad cooking spam in Coconut Oil! It's supposed to help cholesterol so, we'll test it on my parents and see how much better it all gets which I've no doubt it'll make a big change.

 ALSO I'LL BE DOING A TROPICAL TRADITIONS GIVEAWAY! CHECK BACK TOMORROW TO ENTER!

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.


• Note for Canadian bloggers: Tropical Traditions is not responsible for customs or duties that Canada may charge if you decide to participate in this Tropical Traditions sponsored blog giveaway.