Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil Review and Giveaway!

I have been singing the praises of coconut milk and coconut water on my blog for many months, but just recently I had the privilege of trying Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil. Talk about a multi-purpose product! While you can cook with it, bake with it, add it to smoothies or even take a spoonful straight, you can also use it as a versatile skincare product. It works well as a moisturizer and massage oil. I was pleasantly surprised when I went to a new massage therapist who used Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil in her practice. I had forewarned her about my chemical sensitivities and aversion to strong scents and coconut oil was her solution. As a moisturizer it absorbs nicely into the skin and it does not leave a greasy residue. It smells like fresh coconut and is the PERFECT beauty product for people who are chemically sensitive like me. I like to use it as a post leg-shaving moisturizer.

I have also added it to my smoothies and stir fries but still need to try baking with it. The following video includes a recipe for gluten-free creamy pumpkin cheesecake bars (perfect for fall!) made with coconut flour and coconut oil! Given my current pumpkin/fall obsession, I can't wait to try making this!

I am giving away one 32 oz jar of Gold Label Standard Virgin Coconut Oil as pictured below courtesy of Tropical Traditions!

To enter the giveaway, there are two steps:

First, leave me a comment below and tell me how you'd like to use the coconut oil. I will be drawing one lucky winner from a cornucopia on Monday, November 26.

Second, subscribe to Tropical Traditions Newsletter here: 

Sign Me Up!

Win 1 quart of Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil!

Tropical Traditions is America’s source for coconut oil. Their Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is hand crafted in small batches by family producers, and it is the highest quality coconut oil they offer. You can read more about how virgin coconut oil is different from other coconut oils on their website: What is Virgin Coconut Oil?

You can also watch the video they produced about Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil:

Tropical Traditions also carries other varieties of affordable high quality coconut oil. Visit their website to check on current sales, to learn about the many uses of coconut oil, and to read about all the advantages of buying coconut oil online. Since the FDA does not want us to discuss the health benefits of coconut oil on a page where it is being sold or given away, here is the best website to read about the health benefits of coconut oil.

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. 

Jello-Legs and Other Strange Sensations

One symptom I never ever experienced before POTS is jello-legs. It is quite possibly the strangest sensation in the world. I'm sure there's probably a more technical term for it, but really jello-legs sums it up accurately. When an episode strikes, my legs go weak and feel like they could give out at any second. For me, a jello-leg attack is usually a sign of low potassium. My chest gets heavy and it's hard to breathe when this happens. The other day I had worked nearly 7 hours and got so absorbed in my work that somehow I had skipped dinner. Never a good idea. I literally collapse when my potassium starts to get low. However, I have successfully avoided the emergency room these last few episodes by downing the V8 at home. It usually does the trick and I feel remarkably better in about twenty minutes.

Another strange symptom I have experienced with POTS is a little black floating speck that seems to hang out in my left eye. It is not there all the time, but often, and it is more noticeable when there is a lot of light. Lately I have been contemplating if this should warrant a visit to the eye doctor. I just hate the thought of wasting my time and money on another possibly unnecessary appointment, but part of me thinks maybe I should just to rule out the possibility of something more serious. Lately I tend to chalk everything up to POTS and ignore potentially serious symptoms. It's easier that way. Self-diagnosis almost always saves a trip to the doctor's office.

I'm not sure if it's just the natural aging process or if this is also related to POTS, but the last year or so I have suffered from dry skin, especially on my legs and arms. Of course, this malady is a minor one considering it's fixable with lotion, it's just that my skin never used to be like this. It troubles me almost as much as the handfuls of hair I seem to lose with each shower. I brought the hair loss up to my primary care doctor before and of course he takes one look at my head of thick curly hair and says that "shedding is completely normal and happens to humans periodically. It's not really a problem unless you can see scalp." But what I want to know is, how long should this shedding period last, when will it cease? Do I have to wait to be able to see scalp before it is actually considered a problem? In my book, by the time that happens it's too late to treat it.

Last on my strange symptom list: I do not have the same voracious appetite I used to. I used to be able to consume ridiculously large amounts of food compared to the diminutive size of my body. Lately though, small meals fill me up, and I don't even snack as much as I used to. This is actually quite alarming. I have had heartburn ever since I was a little kid but this is different. Like I actually don't have much room for food anymore. And I love food. It's one of life's greatest and simplest pleasures.

This week's post was kind of a downer, so I thought a song might perk it up a bit. For some reason when I think of jello-legs I think of this R&B ballad, a throwback to the early '90s. Too bad its just low potassium and not love that makes me weak in the knees...