coconut | Johnny La Pasta

It’s summer and that means the sun stays in the sky longer and the temperature in the air grows warmer. All this extra light and heat gives us more time to spend outside and in the ocean or the pool having fun, but it also means that our bodies will be needing greater amounts of hydration.

Our bodies recognize that we are in summer because of the seasonal shifts that happen around us, and to compensate for the greater exposure to light and heat our bodies release more water in the form of sweat to keep us cool. You might recognize yourself sweating more when you are exercising or merely outside walking; but what you probably don’t notice is that you are also probably subtly sweating more in your sleep and throughout the day in general. This is natural and this is good; your body is doing its job in making sure you do not become over heated. However, it needs your conscious support to keep it hydrated.

Staying hydrated comes with a whole bunch of benefits. Some of those benefits are:

Weight Loss & Weight Regulation
Higher Amounts of Energy
Memory Loss Prevention
Fresh & Glowing Skin
Stronger Hair & Nails
Healthy Digestion
Healthy Function of Kidneys
Aid of Natural Detoxification Process
Good Joint Health

All good things right?! So you see why staying hydrated is so important to your overall health.

Now, here are some good tips to making sure you stay hydrated throughout your day:

Drink a large glass or bottle of water in the morning to replenish your system after the extended period of time in which you aren’t hydrating because of sleep.
Drink an 8 ounce or more glass or bottle of water within a 2 hour period, every 2 hours.
Drink coconut water when feeling extra dehydrated to also replenish electrolytes. Great for post-workouts!
Get hydration from your food!
- Straight water is not the only way your body can receive the hydration it needs.
- Your digestive system will extract water from the food you eat, so eat more of the following water rich foods throughout the summer:
  - Watermelon
  - Peaches
  - Grapes
  - Berries
  - Tomatoes
  - Cucumber
  - Carrots
  - Celery
  - Lettuce and Greens
  - Zucchini & Yellow Squash
- So as you can see, staying hydrated can taste great too!

Now we all know how important hydration is, how great it can be for us, and how we can all be mindful is staying hydrated. So drink your water and eat your water rich foods and go forth, soak up the sun, work up a sweat, and have fun!

New Remedy for Cooking Burns? I think Yes.

So the other night, I placed some cooked quinoa that I prepped earlier in the week into a glass bowl to reheat in the oven. After all the components of my meal were done cooking or reheating, I pulled everything out of the oven and began to plate. During the plating process, I absent mindedly grabbed the glass bowl that I reheated the quinoa in without remembering that it had just been in a 400 degree oven and BURNT THE CAPITAL F out of my thumb on my left hand which had the most contact with the bowl.

I immediately ran my hand under cold water for a good minute, as you are supposed to do, but the burn was already bubbling and blistering. As soon as I pulled my hand out from under the cold water, I experienced agonizing pain as air hit the burn; I think the only way to describe what it felt like would be HELLFIRE.

I couldn’t believe how stupid I had been; I knew that the bowl had just been in the oven, how could I forget and pick it up like that!? I cursed myself as I felt like I had just ruined the upcoming weekend ahead; I’ve had burns like this in the past and they can be all consuming for days on end, depriving you of sleep and stripping you of enjoyment of anything as you are solely focused on the pain.

HOWEVER, there are home remedies to help with cooking burns that can help to minimize the aftermath, and I sought to combine two of them; and I think I’ve discovered something. I proceeded to fill a large bowl with cold water and then mix a cup of Extra Virgin Coconut Oil into the water; I then soaked my hand in this concoction for the next two and a half hours. Here is what happened:

The cold water soothed the burn and allowed my skin to prune which counterbalanced the stretching of the skin that happens on burn blisters. The coconut oil, seemed to seep into my skin, into the burn, and further sooth and also start the healing process.

Coconut Oil, in my opinion, is a magical substance. When it comes to skin, coconut oil is rich in Vitamin E which has skin healing properties. I use coconut oil on sunburns and it prevents discomfort, itching, and peeling. With this more severe burn, my thumb seemed to become super saturated with the water-coconut oil mix and kick the healing process into high gear! I couldn’t believe how much relief I was experiencing at such a quick pace!

By bedtime, I could barely feel the burn anymore. I lathered it with more coconut oil and wrapped it in a damp wash cloth, and that is how I slept. When I woke up, the burn was much more mild and the pain minimal. Once I wrapped it in gauze for the day, it never bothered me in the slightest. Today, it is still wrapped in gauze, but it seems like it is almost completely healed.

And so, I am thinking that if you can super saturate a cooking burn with a mix of water and coconut oil, it will act as a remedy to provide relief and quicken the healing the process! I felt compelled to share this because cooking burns are terrible and when they happen we all need ways to cope, maybe this one will work for you! So next time you are unfortunate enough to obtain a burn, give this a shot and let me know how it goes!

What are your home remedies for burns? Tell me in the comments!

Disclaimer: I am not a medical or health professional. My comments are based on my speculations and experiences.