Coconut oil

[shell]

Some interesting info I have found:

Fat: A necessary nutrient
Your body needs fat to function properly. Besides being an energy source, fat is a nutrient used in the production of cell membranes, as well as in several hormone-like compounds called eicosanoids. These compounds help regulate blood pressure, heart rate, blood vessel constriction, blood clotting and the nervous system. In addition, dietary fat carries fat-soluble vitamins — vitamins A, D, E and K — from your food into your body. Fat also helps maintain healthy hair and skin, protects vital organs, keeps your body insulated, and provides a sense of fullness after meals.


"Coconut oil is the healthiest oil on earth" says Dr. Bruce Fife, a naturopathic doctor and the author of the book The Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil.


A fat that causes weight loss??
Another incredible fact about coconut oil is that even though it is a fat, it actually promotes weight loss!! The reason is again because of the healthy medium chain fatty acids. These fatty acids do not circulate in the bloodstream like other fats, but are sent directly to the liver where they are immediately converted into energy, just like carbohydrates. So the body uses the fat in coconut oil to produce energy, rather than be stored as body fat.

Medium chain fatty acids found in coconut oil also speed up the body's metabolism burning more calories and promoting weight loss. The weight-loss effects of coconut oil have clearly been demonstrated by many researchers. (There are a list of references in Bruce Fife's book The Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil.)


Coconut oil is full of healthy benefits. Next to mother’s milk, it is nature’s highest source of medium chain fatty acids (MTC’s), which raise the body’s metabolism, leading to weight loss. It has fatty acids such as lauric acid and monoglycerides, similar to mother’s breast milk.

When lauric acid is consumed in the body, whether through mother’s milk or coconut oil, it enhances the immune system to help the body fight infections, diseases, bad bacteria and yeast invasions. Lauric aid is known to be anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial.

Coconut oil raises the metabolism, which helps people who are trying to lose weight and people suffering from thyroid problems. Coconut stabilizes the blood sugar levels, helping with diabetes. It also protects the heart cells from damage.

Coconut oil helps relieve the symptoms of menopause, and pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS). Many women who suffer the effects of PMS have found the symptoms lessened when coconut oil was consumed often in their diet.

Coconut oil does not raise cholesterol. Studies have shown that people who use coconut oil have lower cholesterol than those who do not, even when the people consuming coconut also eat other high cholesterol foods like eggs and meat.



Lauric Acid a Key Component to Health
Lauric acid is a medium chain fatty acid which is abundant in coconut oil, and considered responsible for many of its health benefits. Coconut oil is about 50% lauric acid. The only other abundant source found in nature is in human breast milk.


So how much coconut oil should one consume? A good therapeutic dosage is 3 to 4 tablespoons a day. This provides enough lauric acid to build the immune system. Also, look for unrefined coconut oil.

[lucylou]

Hi Shell

Yes I'd discovered all of the above from a different source when i was researching treatments for my thyroid disease. I couldn't get me head around eating oil to lose weight and boost the metabolism though so i never tried it. however I do use 100% organic coconut oil on my skin, it's the only thing I use on my body and I love it. I smell like a coconut!

x

LL

[shell]

Hi Lucylou,
I had a hard time as well, but apparently if you do have some good oil/fats, the old fat goes to make way for the "new".

Will let you know as I have just started including oil in my diet, as the only fats/oil I was getting was from the minuscule amount of spray oil I was using!

I am also adding it as I am having trouble eating enough calories by eating the good foods.

Have ordered the coconut oil from the net, and am waiting for the postie!!

Shell

[louise41]

Shell and Loulou, my mother (a real health nut) has also done research on coconut oil and also uses it as her moisturising for this reason

[shell]

Well I have started to rub the Coconut oil on my stretch marks and so far I like it more than the Bio Oil- you can see it really soaking into the skin.

I will report back a few weeks down the track to let you know if it is making a difference.
Shell

[honeybuns]

Hi Shell

What sort of coconut oil do you use adn where do you get it...health food shop or just in the oil section at the supermarket...is there a particular brand that you use?

HB

[shell]

Hi HB,
I got it on the internet, it is 100% organic so I use it for cooking as well.

http://198.106.181.124/index.php?cPa...fa97cdee9219f6

I only paid $7.50 a bottle-looks like it went up.
Shell

[shell]

To update on the cocnut oil.

I like it much better than the Bio Oil and it seems to be making my stretch marks much less noticable.

I am very happy with the results I have got from using it for only a month!
I have also been using it on my heels with great results as well.
Shell

[Ellabelle]

Thanks for the info Shell!!!

How do you find it to cook with? Does it flavour your food much?

[shell]

No it is not that overpowering, it is very nice.

[Ellabelle]

Great - thank you! I'll have to look into getting some (once I finish refeed naturally hehe)

[shell]

Well an update: 2 months on from using the coconut oil.

I would highly recomend the coconut oil for use on stretch marks well over Bio Oil!

I am getting much quicker and more noticable results from the coconut oil- stretch marks under arms are far less noticable and (not sure if related) the skin is much much less "saggy"!
I use it in the morning after my shower and also at night.

PS- It is also good for your hair!!

Shell

[KitKat]

hi Shell - I read this the other day and went to health food shop yesterday and have a bottle sitting in my bathroom and one inthe kitchen for family cooking I also think this will be more economical than the bio-oil - I've used half a bottle already! The info also said it was good for hair - and I intend on trying this as well as I have a problem there too - Thanks again for the tip.
Kath

[fair rose_za]

Thanks fort he update Shell. I did buy some after your recommendation but got too lazy to use it
I regularly forget to use normal facial creams, but i will definitely restart!!

[jessy]

Bump

[Ciors]

Thanks for bumping this Jessy...I've been using coconut oil for a few month now for the 'healthy fats' and loving it, but I hadn't seen this thread before...

[Busybee9]

Love my coconut oil...I don't use anything else anymore...

[Winterboots]

Another converter here for coconut oil
WB

[jessy]

OOOH yes...the coconut oil revolution that happened 100's of years ago for some communities,and the western world is just catching up on ....I am about to order a couple of litres of it then I can make my chocolate I found a few good recipes ,one with stevia, another using rice syrup....yum yum yum....a win win situation, one way to get 4 tablespoons of coconut oil in me a day that is for sure

[Ciors]

I just checked out your recipes Jessy, amazing!