Live Elle: benefits

COCONUT OIL COFFEE

I've already expressed my love for coffee - what I haven't expressed is my new ingredient that I now add to my daily dose of caffeine. I've done a solid month adding a teaspoon of coconut oil in my morning brew. Gross right? that's what I used to think. Well what I didn't know is that the taste is barely there yet the effect of the coconut oil on the body is surely visible - let's just say that my body has been thanking me recently and in a number of ways. The plus side is that you cannot even tell the difference to your usual mug of coffee. Below are a few reasons why you should get on board with this new version of coffee and how it can help you in more ways than one:

1) Stabilises Insulin Levels

Let's be honest for those who are naturally an anxious and stressed out person, they usually recommend we stay away from caffeinated drinks as even a simple cup of coffee could easily increase and trigger your insulin levels. I would never have given up on my morning cup but the awesome part in all this now is that there's a remedy after all, by the magic touch of coconut oil you get to enjoy your cup of coffee which in turn won't spike up your insulin levels and will keep you calm and to enjoy it stress free!

2) Increases Metabolism and Helps with Digestion

It's amazing at regulating your bowel movement and to help you break down the food throughout the day. Healthy gut = healthy mind.

3) Good for Hair and Nails

Ever since I was young, I've been guilty of sometimes having a bad habit of biting my nails when I get super stressed. Incorporating coconut oil has played a positive effect on growing and making brittle, short nails look healthy and strong again. Also, it has been super beneficial to promote hair growth and to keep that shine and make your hair look healthier without a fuss.

4) Aids in Weight loss

Coconut oil is full of saturated fats - before you panic... it's the GOOD kind - which is perfect for keeping you fuller for longer and adding it to your morning drink just helps with keeping you on track for the day ahead. You'll find yourself snacking less as it will naturally reduce your hunger.

5) Contains MCT

Coconut oil contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), most of the fats and oils that we usually ingest are known to be long-chain triglycerides. This is what sets coconut oil aside from all other fats and oils out there. Most medicines are considered to be with Medium chain triglycerides which results that coconut could have healing properties on the body. The oil is also known to be anti- bacterial, anti-viral and anti- fungal a lot of anti's they must be doing something right!

WHAT'S THE IDEAL DOSAGE OF COCONUT OIL ONE CAN TAKE A DAY?

They say you can go up to maximum two tablespoons of coconut oil each day which can maximise the effect of seeing the benefits faster. What I recommend to each his own - it's about finding out how much your body can tolerate. At the end of the day you have to listen to your own body, some might be able to do with a higher dosage and others might not react well to the coconut oil and you can react badly. For me x1tsp in my coffee works wonders I don't feel like more is necessary, however, I would add extra here and there whilst cooking so I would say I round up to a heaped table spoon per day. Add it gradually to your diet, everything in moderation don't over do it as at the end of the day it is still considered a fat.

Disclaimer: As you can tell from where I plotted the arrow there are a bit of grease marks in my coffee - it's completely normal! It's true it might not look visually appealing but after all it's the taste that counts right?

For how to prepare your morning cup it's simple - stick to the exact same thing that you normally do. The only thing you have to do is basically once you've added your black coffee, mix in 1tsp of coconut oil and then drink up to your taste buds. Above I added a dash of Almond milk which is usually my go-to but there are many times I like my coffee black it's all about the mood I'm in. You could always froth the milk and make yourself a homemade cappuccino which used to be my obsession up to not long ago. You can check it out here - just make sure to add the coconut oil before adding the milk and you're set to drink up all the goodness that your body will thank you for by giving you that extra glow!

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, by Millie Ganado

beauty

DIY COFFEE SCRUB

Ahhh Sundays.

For me the perfect definition of a Sunday spent in style is relaxing and having a beauty session and just letting go of the manic days that we encountered. The week can be rather stressful and sometimes we don't always get chance to give ourselves some proper TLC. I for one, work most weekend so my Sunday get's created on any other day I do have off that week so if you're in the same boat as me doesn't mean you can't get to appreciate the Sunday feeling just the same. We all need a day of rest, the day we choose is up to us.

When it comes to having time off, we usually have other chores and errands that get put at the top of the list but taking care of ourselves should be a major priority as it not only helps physically but also with our mental state even if it means zoning out and giving yourself 30mn/hr to yourself. It could be anything from meditating, reading a book, taking a bath, doing a hobby that you enjoy and don't often get a chance to do. For me it's brewing fresh coffee and having a small pamper session it really helps me unwind and I feel good in the process - it's the best feeling to just relax sometimes and know that time isn't rushing you and you have nowhere to be.

I usually go to boots and buy lots of different face mask sheets, nose strips and exfoliation creams for days off and in turn it always adds up to so much £££££. Despite, the money I actually came to realise that it's not only cheaper to make your own, but even healthier as there are no unwanted nasties, and so many variations to creating your own for your specific needs. I decided to go ahead and create a coffee scrub. As I prepare fresh coffee a few times a week I always have ground coffee used and fresh on hand, so this scrub is perfect as I get to make further use of my coffee grounds. Caffeine in coffee benefits the skin immensely, and I had gone through the advantages of drinking coffee in my homemade cappuccino post that you can click and recap here. However, for those of you who don't drink or like the taste of coffee this scrub is ideal for you as you can still take in more or less the same perks (if not slightly more) by incorporating coffee into your beauty regimen other than your diet.

It's official.

Despite coffee being

good for the soul it's

also good for our skin.

This part is totally optional as it depends if you make and drink coffee. This is one of my favourites way I like to brew my coffee but you can just go ahead and skip this step and just use freshly ground coffee which anyway is an essential.

Using FRESH ground coffee is a must for this scrub as having the grain raw allows the benefits to remain intact. However, as seen in the above picture once I make a coffee anyway - I incorporate a mixture of fresh and used ground coffee for two reasons :

A) not to waste

B) by combining the two this helps the scrub to remain slightly gentle.

My skin is rather sensitive so I always stick to mild scrubs. I recommend using this scrub whilst in the shower, and fine ground coffee makes it appropriate for us to do so as it allows you to apply, mess - free and without having to clog the drain in the process so you don't have to worry. Remember it's Sunday - you're in a stress-free zone even if it doesn't last all day apply it for the minutes you do give yourself.

I have decided to keep my scrub simple - buy adding two 'C' ingredients: coffee & coconut oil. The reason why I decided to keep it this way is so that it's perfect to apply to the face as well as the body. I mention why we should use it for the face in the benefits section below.

In my opinion, you want the coconut oil to be softened but not fully melted although, it will still work but keep in mind the consistency of your paste will be more runny. I prefer to have mine thicker slightly and apply it with some water once I'm in the shower. I feel that I use less and it's easier to apply, & work as a scrub.

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HOW TO:

Simply, mix 1/2 cup of coconut oil & 1/2 cup of ground coffee together & mix well until it makes a paste. DONE. Don't you just love how things don't have to be complicated? Especially on a Sunday when our time is precious. So it's something you can probably whizz up after reading this. It's very likely you already have the two 'C''s in your kitchen cabinet.

There are various other ways you can alternate this scrub for one if you don't have coconut oil, or for any reason are allergic then olive-oil will still work well as an alternative, and will equally help at keeping the skin smooth and moisturised. For the rest, just left the coffee do the work.

I then store my mixture in a small container with a tight sealed lid to keep it fresh. This allows me to return to it more than once and to have it on hand for whenever I do need it ready and good to go however, I wouldn't keep it stored for too long it's always easy to return and make it fresh so keep it for a week max. I recommend it in the morning, after a workout sess. the smell of coffee hits the spot nicely!

Look at the beauty of a 2-in 1 - - I'm getting to enjoy my black coffee whilst pampering myself.

Granted it might not be the most appealing of colours, but considering it is a homemade scrub - the scent and texture just make up for it's appearance!

TIP: I recommend dry bushing in a circular movement before hopping into the shower and applying the scrub. This will give an added boost to the results.

I hope you guys give it a go and see how amazing your skin feels afterwards! Let me know how you get on and what your fave scrub is!

BENEFITS

ANTI- CELLULITE

I think this is the most common fact that we know caffeine is responsible for. It's a given that it helps to tighten the skin, which in turn helps to reduce the sight of cellulite. It might not be a permanent approach, you can't expect to just use this scrub and have the cellulite disappear in a flash all altogether. However, with a healthy diet and exercise involved it will help to diminish for good, in the mean time applying coffee scrub can almost help it disappear temporarily.

ANTI- INFLAMMATORY

This coffee scrub is gentle enough to be applied on the face, for this reason I only applied coconut oil with coffee. As if you apply this scrub around the eye area, it will help diminish dark circles, amazing and well needed! It is also good for Acne sufferers, as the scrub really penetrates into the skin which helps stimulate the blood and to reduce redness.

EXFOLIATION

You have no idea how silky smooth this scrub leaves your skin! Just like other exfoliators, it's good at getting rid of dead cells, increasing the blood flow. By tightening the skin it is also tightening and shrinking the vessels which reduces the appearance of varicose veins!

ANTI-OXIDANTS

Caffeine is a natural anti-oxidant just as it is good to drink a cup or two, applying it into a beauty regimen is also good for our skin. It helps to expel toxins more efficiently and to reduce age spots and wrinkles so in other words helps prevent premature ageing from occurring. It also has cancer fighting benefits, especially towards the skin as it counteracts free radicals, which damage the inner layer of our skin.