It’s natural to think of your family when it involves healthy snacks but how often do you think of yourself? In order to keep up with the busyness of your life, you must and I repeat you must focus on choosing healthy meals and healthy snacks to sustain your energy. Today we’ll focus on some of the best healthy snacks to keep handy while runny errands, running after your children or while working in front of your computer.

Instead of reaching for the chips, choose some of the following instead:

• Bite size fruit and veggies – For a mom on the go, it’s best to have foods that you can easily hold in one hand.  Slice up carrots, celery, cucumbers, bananas, strawberries, apples and pineapples. These are just a few suggestions. Any fruit or veggie that you like but is easy to handle would make a good choice. Cut these fruits and veggies ahead of time so you are not tempted to reach for the sugary or salty snacks. Place them in small containers or small storage bags for those on the go moments.

• Granola bars or bites are perfect for on the go – However, don’t pay for those cute little snack sized portions in the store, instead experiment and make your own. By making your own, you know exactly what ingredients are used and you can add some of your favorites. Need a quick recipe to spark your creativity? Check out this simple recipe -> Yummy Granola Bars

• Yogurt on the go – who says the small yogurt containers or yogurt in a tube are for kids only? These healthy snacks are great for the children but work just as well for the busy mom. If you’re not a yogurt fan, try the mini cottage cheese containers, cheese sticks, sandwich crackers, and/or assorted nuts. Again, you can create your own as well and not only save money but also save on the calories that are usually found in many of those pre-made snack packs.

• Smoothies – a great way to get all your nutrients in a glass. The best part about this yummy treat is that the entire family will enjoy it and a great way to add fruits or veggies you normally wouldn’t eat. Have you tried a green smoothie? Add some baby spinach, or kale along with an apple, pear, frozen bananas, and ice-cubes to a blender and you have a delicious green smoothie! You can read more on smoothies and get a recipe of one of my favorites here –> Yummy Smoothie.

You’ll notice that the snacks mentioned are quick and easy and perfect for the busy mom. You may also notice that many included sugar or salt. Those types of snacks may be easy to find as well as tasty, but their nutrition value is lacking. Remember that snacks can make or break a healthy eating routine. Implementing some of the tips shared here will keep you on the right track.

“The habits of the child produce the character of the man… every day, every hour, the parents are either passively or actively forming those habits in their children upon which, more than upon anything else, future character and conduct depend.” –Charlotte Mason

At the end of the day do you ever feel like you’ve spent the day nagging and telling your children over and over what to do? We’ve all had those days from time to time.

Have you been extra busy, maybe even distracted? Has your schedule gotten lost under piles of papers or is it simply hanging and neglected on the refrigerator door? And if you don’t feel scattered enough, surprise, with the holidays fast approaching you’re bound to be ready for the funny farm. Trust me I speak from experience.

Our children are not maliciously avoiding their work nor are they trying to go against what you of ask of them. Their behavior is simply a reflection of the habits that have been established.

There’s no need to stress out, condemn yourself or your children. Face the situation head on and see it for what it really is, an opportunity to grow. How do you grow past this you ask? What you want is to establish habits that support flow and ease between you and your children. Habits can be positive or negative. Because habits are so powerful, it should be every parent’s main focus to encourage the positive habits and eliminate the negative habits. Don’t let the busyness of the world around you distract you or tell you otherwise. Forming good habits in place of bad habits require dedication but, the benefits will far outweigh the sacrifice.

As parents we all want to raise children who are polite, orderly, punctual, generous and obedient. These are simply results of habits. What habits have you and your children formed?

We must perform a self-evaluation and ask if we are using our time wisely. Remember, we’re constantly modeling for children. The odds are really good that if they’re dilly-dallying you likely are too. Take inventory of yourself and you’ll know if you’re part of the problem.

Let’s get on with the habit so you and your children can start practicing habits to create the results you desire. The habit of paying close attention is established with short lessons of 15-20 minutes in length for younger children and increasing with age.

Explain to your child the workflow for his greatest achievement begins with reading, writing and math. It’s through this knowledge that empowers us to do what we really want to do in life. When a child has his assignments and a system that supports him, he is able to progress. Children who dilly-dally are bored and have no direction.

In AIE we systematize the process. Through the use of their own study book, the child uses assignment clarity and scheduling that respects him as a whole, supporting the complete family. It’s when we are learning and growing we are our happiest because it is natural to our being. Help them see the consequences of procrastination – a very bad habit in childhood that must be changed before adulthood. Here are a few examples:

1. Not unloading the dishwasher first in the morning causes dirty dishes to back up leaving them to inherit dish duty for the entire day.
2. Not picking up their dirty clothes and missing out when the laundry runs, results in running out of clean clothes to wear when it’s time to dress for going out or simply clean pajamas for the night.
3. Not completing their academics today results in additional work over the weekend when they would rather have free time.

The law of cause and effect must be learned early in life. If not life will continue to deliver opportunities to learn the lesson over and over again until the lesson is learned. Not putting gas in the car leaves you stranded on the road. Not balancing your checkbook can leave you overdrawn. Think it through and ask yourself, if this is not done, what will naturally happen as the result?

Consider their academic time as character time. Even though they’re learning their reading, writing and math there’s so much more occurring; attention, focus, critical thinking and stick-to-itiveness.

When my children are at their desks in the morning, I am too. I have my Morning Workbook out and I’m working. They’re learning it is a part of everyday living. Younger children are sitting near so we can see each other. If a child is getting distracted I look to see the cause first then talk with the child about his current responsibilities. This habit has to be practiced daily. Remember, it takes a whole month to form a habit and that’s how long you have to focus on these habits being practiced daily in order to start seeing results and create the change you wish to see. Stick to your schedule and skip going out if it’s going to interrupt your work. Habits will empower your life and afford you to live as you desire. Invest well in the beginning, practice diligently and they will pay dividends for a life time.

“Children are the world’s most valuable resource and its best hope for the future.”  –John F. Kennedy

Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without. – Buddha

Life can be truly hectic, even chaotic, if we don’t stop now and then to take a few minutes for ourselves. With the invention of computers and other technology, our work lives were supposed to get easier, but it’s gotten busier than ever before.

Now our world has become so fast paced that it’s hard to keep up. If you don’t stop the craziness of the day, you can begin to feel as if your life is spiraling into a crazy busy  jumble. Luckily, there are ways to deal with these overwhelming feelings and put some order back into your life.

Here are a few tips on how to turn your chaos around:

1.    Take a break. Give yourself a chance to take in everything going on around you. Even if your break is a nice hot bath instead of a shower, it can help. Find a little time here and there to get some peace and quiet while you reflect on the happenings of the day.

2.    Meditate. Meditation can be very helpful in bringing you peace. Meditation doesn’t mean sitting uncomfortably for a couple of hours. Instead, it’s a very comfortable and soothing way to calm your mind and bring you the balance you desire. With a little practice, anyone can meditate.

3.    Find the positive. No matter how chaotic things get, you can always try to find something good and positive in your situation. Actively look for the silver lining. It could be something as simple as a favorite song, a picture, or the smile of another person that gives you some inner peace. Look for these things and you will find them.

4.    Slow down. While we have to multitask almost constantly these days, doing so tends to wear us down even faster. Multi-tasking adds to the chaos around us. Take one thing at a time and allow yourself to focus on that task alone. While you may be able to handle three or more things at once, the quality won’t be nearly as good as if you focused on them one at a time.

5.    Don’t let anyone drag you down. Be wary when considering the opinions of others. Don’t ignore everyone, but don’t let yourself get bogged down with other people’s baggage and their issues, either.Remove your personal chaos causers, even if one of the causes is other people.

6.    Take out the drama. Eliminate the drama in your life, especially other people’s drama. It’s not your concern, so stay out of it and don’t get caught up in it. Focus on solving your concerns positively rather than enjoying pity parties. This will reduce the drama and turn your focus to something positive.

Everyone has some chaos in their life. It isn’t always a bad thing. Stress can be productive as well. In fact, without stress and responsibilities, some people would never get out of bed!

Life will always have stress and problems, but how you react to them can dictate the level of chaos in your life.

The first step is realizing that you need to make some time for yourself. If you don’t, nothing you do will really make that much of a difference. You can’t be there for everyone else if you aren’t taking care of yourself.

Use these tips every day to bring order to your life, and soon you’ll find peace and balance instead of chaos.

Picture Source: IStock Photos

When it comes to focus, there are two kinds of approaches business owners can take -

The Bird Watcher or The Hunter

But only one of these approaches will help you achieve extraordinary success in business. Care to find out which one?

Characteristics of the “Bird Watcher”

If you find yourself drawn to new and interesting things (aka, Shiny Object Syndrome), are easily distracted, and are ready to jump on anything to procrastinate just 5 minutes longer, rather than complete a task you dislike, then you are probably a bird watcher.

The bird watcher leads a fairly interesting, but less than productive life. She tends to be a Jane-of-All-Trades type, never the master of any.  She might have been called a daydreamer as a child, and she doesn’t like to stifle her natural creativity.  Bird watchers are not a bad bunch.  They can live good lives, but will never achieve the ranks of excellence, due to the fact that they are never focused long enough to fully reach their potential.  Fortunately, even the most ingrained bird watcher can change her approach if she is deeply motivated to do so.

Typical Behavior of the “Hunter”

To the bird watcher, the hunter appears to be a stuffy, rigid, boring type by comparison.  The main difference is the hunter’s ability to center her full attention where and when she needs to.  She reaps great satisfaction from a job well done, and although she can multi-task like the best of them, she understands that laser focus is the only way to be highly productive.

The hunter is great at organizing her time according to her priorities, and sets aside hours to recharge her batteries and rest her mind.  By taking time for herself, she is able to perform at her best during her scheduled work hours, and establishes firm boundaries around her days to limit the distractions that would otherwise threaten her focus.  

The hunter can be just as creative as the bird watcher, but her results are far superior.  By maintaining a disciplined mind and sharpshooter focus, she can complete even undesirable tasks in half the time, and reward herself with time off, and time to engage in the things she loves most about her work.

How to Tap Your Inner Hunter

If you have bird watcher tendencies, there is hope.  You can learn curb that flighty nature during your work hours, and get to enjoy it during your free time, if you discipline yourself to do the following:

• Limit your focus to the things that fall under your list of highest priorities during your work hours.  If it’s not on the list, then learn to say no and set healthy boundaries to prevent interruptions.

• Schedule time to take care of YOU!  If you don’t refresh and recharge your batteries, you will bend to every little distraction that comes your way because they become escape outlets.

• Get yourself organized.  Being surrounded by physical clutter makes it difficult to keep your thoughts tuned in to where they need to be.  When your environment is organized, your mind is organized.

These tips will help you begin to nurture your inner hunter if you have the desire to achieve excellence in your business.  Nothing is really worth doing in life if you aren’t willing to give it your all.  So if you are a bird watcher, decide how committed you are to making your business a booming success.

© 2012 Reece International LLC/Dr. Shannon Reece. All rights reserved.

The basement is probably one of the most neglected spaces in a home. It often ends up being a catch all for items that are not being used nor have a home in the main living area, but did you know that the basement if organized properly and efficiently can actually become a functional part of your home? Here are some helpful tips to get you started.

Sort it:

Just like with any organizing project the first step is to sort thru what you have and decide what you are keeping, what is trash and what can be donated.  This is often the most difficult and longest part of the whole organizing process. As you sort here are some things to think about.

How often do I use this item or better yet when was the last time I used it?

Am I keeping too many of one thing? Do you really need to have 10 pieces of luggage when you only use 2 or how about boxes upon boxes of Christmas decorations?

Take Inventory:

After you have sorted and purged all your items. Now is the time to take inventory of what you have and start thinking about the type of storage you will need to house the items that are left. I strongly recommend investing in clear heavy plastic totes.  Make sure to group like items together and clearly label each bin so you know what’s in them. Always place the label on the side of the bin and not on the lid. Since basements are prone to flooding never ever use cardboards boxes to store items.

Zones and Shelving:

Shelving is critical when it comes to organizing your basement, but before you run out and go hog wild buying them, make sure to do a walk through your basement and decide where you want to install them, remember  not everything needs to be stored on shelves some items can be hung up from rafters.  Also when determining where to put items, think about how often they are used and store them in such a way that you can get to them easily. To avoid a safety hazard make sure your shelving and items are not too close to the water heater, furnace and so forth. Metal shelving is the best for basements. Not only is it affordable and easy to assemble but they withstand heat and humidity better than wood. They are also less likely to get ruined if your basement floods.

Once you get it organized, in order to keep it that way don’t put items in the basement unless you know that they will be used. Avoid putting things in there to “deal” with later. Later never comes!

Image credit:

Image: domdeen / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

There is no way to sugar coat it — car crashes are the number one cause of teen deaths in the United States.  Can you believe that 31 percent of teen drivers involved in fatal crashes were drinking alcohol at the time of their death?  This information comes from the  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.   While we’ve spent many decades speaking out and advocating against teen drunk driving, it is  still a big problem.   So what can be done to help solve it?  It may take extra time and a bit of courage, but you may be saving the life of your child or someone else’s child.

Start Early — Just because your teen can’t drive doesn’t mean they don’t need to learn about drunk driving.  If you make your opinion clear to them before they start driving, it’s more likely to stick with them well into their driving years.  This will also help your younger teens make correct decisions when offered a ride by a drunk driver. 

Teach them About Consequences – Most people make it clear to their teens that driving drunk could kill them and others, but they don’t detail what could happen to them if they get caught and are alive.  Why not find out the drunk driving laws in your state and explain them to your teen.  Remind them that a drunk driving conviction cannot only land them in jail, but also prevent them from getting their liscense back, getting a quality job and in a worst case scenario it can kill. 

Keep the Door Open —   Let your teen know they can come to you with anything.    If your child calls you drunk, you’re first urge is probably to yell and scream at them for drinking.  However, if your child feels harassed when they call you for a ride, they’ll probably never do it again.  They should be punished, but let them know they made a good decision in calling you.

Encourage Involvement – Most schools have organizations that try to deter and prevent drunk driving.  There are clubs such and SADD (students against drunk driving) and TADD (teens against drunk driving) that your teen can get involved in.   These organizations and many more are designed to provide students with the best prevention tools possible to deal with the issues of underage drinking, other drug use, risky and impaired driving, and other destructive decisions.

Be an Example –  Once you’ve talked to your teen; you need to follow through by not drinking and driving yourself.  Even if you have only drank a little bit and feel you’re capable of driving, give someone else your keys.  Children tend to follow their parent’s example.

While we  can’t make all of the decisions for our teens, parents and guardians can  can help teens make good choices and decisions by talking to them early and often about not drinking and driving.   Involve your teen in making the rules and deciding on the consequences to help them feel more trusted and involved, and to increase the likelihood that they will follow the rules. I often find that putting the rules and consequences in writing and signing them helps to reinforce them.  As with everything in parenting, this only works if parents are consistent in enforcing the consequences outlined in the contract if the rules are broken.

Here’s to keeping our teens safe!

Since yesterday was Mother’s Day, I thought it was only appropriate to share some thoughts with you today. Many of these thoughts were simply that …just thoughts. However, today I wanted to go a step further and transform those thoughts into words of wisdom that I learned from my mom. These words of wisdom have actually taught me much in life and consider them actually some of the many lessons of my life. I’m sure if you think back to your childhood you’ll recall many lessons that your mom taught or spoke of that still ring true in your life today.

She was a very strong woman but not one of many words.

Her strength was one of inner strength and something that I learned from long ago. I don’t have many memories but the ones I can recall are ones that will always be engrained in my mind. Lessons of life have a funny way of sticking around and what I have noticed is that until you apply them correctly in your life, they will linger on and on until you do. One of my mom’s favorite sayings was ‘You only live once’. That was her response to many of my inquisitive moments. Why would you choose to live the life you lived? Why choose such actions, knowing the results would not be kind ones? Why stick around when you’re in pain? Her response was always the same and she always wore a smile when she said it, ‘You only live once, so live life to the fullest‘.

As a child I was one that was very observant. I could tell when someone was hurting although they tried to cover it with a smile. My mom seemed to have that same gift.

She could look at you as if she was looking into your soul and with a gentle touch and a soft smile, she could make any awful situation into a good one.

It didn’t matter the circumstance; she simply watched, listened and smiled. Oh there were many times she put on a front of a tough woman, one who could stand strong without the help of anyone around her, but we all knew it was an act. She was very kind and timid and many times she was the one to get hurt. But, no matter how much pain she endured, she always found a way to smile. 

The lessons I learned from my wise mom are ones that will remain with me forever. My only wish is that my children will learn some lessons from me that will help them in their lives. My mom taught me to be strong but not too strong. She taught me to watch and observe and not jump to conclusions.

She taught me to always find the goodness in any situation that may arise because ‘You only live once’.

She knew about my love of helping others and prayed that one day I would fulfill those dreams and aspirations. I only wish that my mom was here today so I could show her how much she meant to me. The lessons of life that she taught me will be ones I will pass on. But most importantly I  will always remember her favorite saying – ‘You only live once, so live your life to the fullest‘ and do exactly was she taught me and make her proud. I love you mom!

 What are some life lessons that your mom taught you? Are you applying those lessons to your life today? Remember you are given just one life…so why not live each and every moment to the fullest?

In many ways managing your business accounts is much like managing your personal finances. You want to hold onto your cash for as long as possible. You want to use your money to make more money. And you want to be financially prepared for any challenges or opportunities that arise. By doing so, you are creating what I call a “wealth” system. There’s a huge difference in being wealthy and being rich. Having wealth means stability and sustainability. You have the ‘ability‘ to continuously make money. You have fundamental systems in place.

What I’m about to share with you can be implemented for both personal and business.  Knowing the basics of money management and how to make it work for you, will give you the greatest financial freedom. It’s unbelievable. Applying the information shared below will set you at the starting line to wealth building. It’s then up to you to continue the race. Are you ready?

Here are a few wealth tips to manage your money wisely.

#1  Get a really firm grip on your cash flow. This means managing your payables and receivables. Make sure you’re getting paid on time every time by all of your customers and create incentives to make it happen. Couple that with paying your bills as slowly as possible without incurring fines or penalties. Know what you have in the way of cash and when you have it. Good record keeping is imperative.

#2 Anticipate expenses. Pay your taxes quarterly and set aside money to pay them so you’re not dipping into an emergency fund to pay the government. In addition to taxes, you’re likely to have a few unexpected expenses from time to time. Maybe your computer crashes or an opportunity comes up that you just can’t pass up. If you have an emergency savings account for your business, these surprise expenses are nothing more than a minor blip on your financial radar. And you can take advantage of opportunities without the stress of wondering how you’re going to afford them.

#3 Invest wisely. Speaking of saving and opportunities. Some folks have a habit of putting their cash wherever a whim takes them. Unfortunately investing on a whim is a really risky business. Evaluate your risk tendencies and then invest accordingly. If you don’t want to take any risk with your business profits, simply open a high interest checking or savings account and grow your money safely.

#4 Budget, budget, budget. Budgets are not, I repeat are not set in stone. They’re a plan for managing your money. People avoid budgets like the plague because they’re too restrictive. They’re not restrictive, they’re actually the opposite. They tell you what you can spend your money on. Budgets give you control over your finances. It’s part of being a responsible and empowered business owner.

#5 Use technology. You can use a number of financial tools to help manage your money wisely. Use online budgeting, cash flow and even investment tools to stay on top of your accounts. There are comprehensive programs like QuickBooks that offer both payables and receivables but also reporting functions. However, there are also some less expensive options as well. Do your homework and use a program that best fits your needs.

#6 Learn how to use financial reports to project your financial future. One way to really plan ahead for your financial future is to take advantage of financial reports. Learning, for example, how to use a profit and loss report to create a financial forecast will help you not only manage your money now but also invest it for your future. You can plan product launches, investments, marketing strategies and even hiring well in advance with financial forecasting skills.

Much of managing your money wisely comes down to creating systems. Systems to track and optimize income and expenses. Systems for investing and systems for reporting and planning. It’s part of being a successful and wise business owner. Sit down today, create a plan to manage your money, create systems to support that plan and start reaping the financial benefits.

Do you have systems in place? If you do, share with us some of the systems you’ve created. If not, let’s create some together. Let’s continue this conversation below in the comments section below.

And, remember…I believe in YOU!

Be Blessed,

Summer vacation is quickly approaching, which means that you will soon be hearing repeated vocalizations of “I’m bored.”

Frankly, I don’t have a problem with my kids being bored. I find that given the proper setting, it can actually spur creativity and fun.

Some of my favorite memories of my own summers growing up were not the times of running from activity to activity, but those times when we found inspiration in a pile of rocks and made something with them. Or a basket of supplies and created something fun.

So be prepared: Fill boxes with random craft supplies and various unexpected materials, and activity books and pull them out when you hear those utterances.

If you haven’t started preparing for the summer, now is the time to begin gathering your supplies. Craft and activity supplies can be expensive if you just run to the nearest supply store and grab any and everything. Taking a thoughtful, prepared approach is the best way to save some money.

Tips for preparing your Boredom-Buster supply boxes:

Check book fairs: Right now, our schools are all running book fairs. While I can often find books cheaper online, I do find good prices on occasion, and each book fair has had a bargain table. I scored six new activity books for the children for $4 last week.

Don’t be afraid of the craft store, just know what to look for: I went to a large chain craft store a few weeks back. I found many bargains on fabric scraps/remnants, yarn, beads, felt, feathers etc. Granted, it wasn’t the most attractive fabric in the store, nor are the beads the loveliest created, but when the kids get their hands on them, they will become art.
The day I was in the store, they also had their entire stock of Crayola™ products on sale, half price. With the store coupon that is in every week’s flyer, I was able to purchase a nice variety kit for much less than I’d seen it before.

Oriental Trading: I’ve always had great success ordering a variety of supplies from them. Granted, I’ve never had a need for a 50 pound bag of feathers, but you never know…

Around the Yard: Gather rocks of various sizes, dry some flowers, collect twigs. Throw in some dirt for good measure

This one has pretty much been covered above, but always check the bargain bins and tables at stores. You never know what you will find that can be added to your supplies.

Before you know it, you will have a nice stash that any kids could find inspiration in!

Some final tips and thoughts: My children are aware that I have been gathering supplies for them, some they have seen, others are surprises. Also, not everything gets pulled out at once. Not only can that be overwhelming, but sometimes limited supplies makes them think a little bit harder.

What are some of your favorite boredom-buster supplies to stock up on for the summer?

photo credit

Coconut oil has been used for many, many years to help different ailments as well as a delicious treat. However, with so much talk about coconut oil, I wanted to share some benefits with you. Coconut oil has made an appearance in our household because of all the benefits I’ve discovered but I still remember my mom telling me she would rub it on my head when I was 2 years old because I had very little hair growth. Did it stimulate hair growth? That remains a mystery but if you had asked my mother if it did she would adamantly say ‘yes’. So, as you can tell I grew up with this beautiful smelling oil in my household but it wasn’t until recently that I introduced it to my family. Why you might ask? Quite frankly, I’m not sure, but I’m determined to share the benefits in hopes that you too will give coconut oil a try in your home.

Let’s start with some of the benefits.

Coconut oil has been known to help with hair care, {yes, I was bald at the age of 2!}, skin care, stress relief, digestion, weight loss, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, dental care and bone strength. One of the main reasons coconut oil has such benefits is because of the presence of lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid. The properties these acids contain are those of antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial, antimicrobial and soothing. So as you can tell, coconut oil has some truly amazing properties and benefits.

How does lauric acid work?

Our body is a wonderful machine and it converts lauric acid into monolaurin which is claimed to help with bacteria and viruses that cause herpes, influenza and even HIV. The exact mechanisms of actions is unknown but has been used extensively in the traditional Indian medicinal system.

So let’s look at how coconut oil works:

Hair care – it is one of the best natural nutritions for hair. It aids in growth of hair, conditions and helps re-growth of damaged hair and it provides the essential proteins needed for damaged hair. It helps with dandruff, lice and lice eggs. Coconut oil is normally applied topically and regular massages of the scalp with this oil will help with all the above mentioned.

Weight loss – since coconut oil contains short and medium chained fatty acids it aids in weight loss. It aids with the thyroid because it is easily digestible and increases the body’s metabolism by removing the stress on the pancreas. 

Digestion – as mentioned previously coconut oil helps in improving the digestive system which in turn helps to prevent digestive issues such as irritable bowel syndrome. The saturated fats present in coconut oil have anti microbial properties and help in dealing with various bacteria, fungi, parasites, etc., that cause indigestion. Coconut oil also helps in the absorption of other nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and amino acids.

Heart disease – many don’t believe that coconut oil is beneficial to heart disease because it contains large quantities of saturated fats. However, coconut oil contains about 50% lauric acid, which has been shown to help in the prevention of various heart problems such as increased cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. The saturated fats found in coconut oil are not the same as those found in vegetable oil and does not lead to increased levels of LDL. This oil reduces the incidence of injury in arteries which in turn helps to prevent atherosclerosis.

As you can tell, coconut oil has many benefits and some may still like the taste but that should not keep you away from this nutritious and helpful oil. Instead consider cooking with it or adding it to smoothies. Many are turning to this wonderful and oil because of the benefits it provides. Instead of using canola or vegetable oil, consider reaching for coconut oil instead. Don’t suffer from stress or dry irritated skin, reach for this wonderful oil instead. Try it, you will be truly amazed. 

My lesson from this research? My mother knew best after all…was there ever a doubt?