Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is one of the most amazing gifts of nature .  Its no ordinary oil . Its therapeutic effect on the human body is beyond imagination . Right from diseases like Weight loss , Thyroid , Alzheimer’s , Parkinson’s  to Cancer and Cardiovascular ,coconut oil has the capacity to heal the body of every disease from head to toe .

This power is owing to its unique structure and composition.

Firstly the MCT’s .Very different from others, coconut oils is made up of MCT’s , medium chain triglycerides that gets metabolised in a pretty unique way when ingested . Unlike long chain fatty acids , MCTs are easily digested by the liver and converted to energy in the form of ketones. Whereas long chain triglycerides or fatty acids that don’t get readily converted into ketones end up getting stored as fat.

Secondly Lauric acid .  Many diseases today are caused by the overgrowth of bad bacteria, fungus, viruses and parasites in the body.  To fight that , coconut oil contains lauric acid( breast milk is the only other food that contains it) as well as caprylic acid  that supports the immune system  , encourages cellular growth and repair and has antibacterial , antiviral ,  antifungal and anti-parasitic  properties . It has can over 100+ health benefits that can easily create a hostile environment for most health conditions.

Thirdly , Heat stability .  Coconut oil is very stable to cook with because it withstands high temperatures without heat damage. Hence its recommended for Indian cooking that involves high heat cooking .

Here are some head-to-toe benefits of Coconut oil :

Hair

For hair thats frizzy , dry , tangled , rough , lacks lusture , has dandruff and infested with lice ,  coconut oil is a boon !  Coconut oil improves the health of scalp and well as hair. Since its easily absorbable , a regular head massage with coconut oil can nourish and strengthen hair from its roots , ie. Follicles.

Brain :

Brain is one of the most fatty organs in the human body , so its obvious that brain loves coconut oil . In patients with Alzheimer’s  , because of  insulin resistance ( hence called as Diabetes 3 ) their brain cells do not accept glucose which is the primary fuel , hence the cell dies . But there is an alternate fuel that cells easily accept and thats Ketones.  Ketones are the end products of coconut oil metabolism that happens in the liver .  Insulin resistance doesn’t just affect people who have Alzheimer’s .  It also affects people who have Dementia , Parkinson’s  , Epilepsy and even Autism.

A magic mix of turmeric with black pepper and 1 tbsp cold pressed coconut oil is beneficial in preventing brain disorders  , improving cognition  , memory and building and repairing neutron activity and cells in the brain .

Oral health :

Mouth is considered as the mirror of the general health of human body. Thanks to its antibacterial property, coconut oil is a fantastic hack to fight Candida . Oil pulling is an ancient ayurvedic technique that involves swirling 1 tbsp of coconut oil first thing in the morning. A regular habit oil pulling goes a long way in preserving the health of pearly whites, fights Candida , tooth and gum decay , bad breath  , chapped lips , sores and removing the whitish layer that accumulates on tongue overtime due to toxins , thereby sharpening taste buds .  This is because of the saponification (detergent effect) exerted by the oil that draws toxins towards itself .

Thyroid

1-2 tbsp of Cold pressed coconut oil in a day can actually work like medicine for an underactive thyroid. There is enough evidence that proves how a regular consumption of pure coconut oil has helped patients successfully improve or even reverse hypothyroidism. It fights sluggish metabolism , boosts liver health where the actual conversion of  T4 to T3 takes place , encourages weight loss , increases basal body temperature , behaves as an antioxidant , all of which work together in stimulating  the activity and proper functioning of this important gland.

Heart 

Down south , heart diseases only started to crop up when the locals switched from their traditional coconut oil to refined oils. Coconut oil is the good kind of fat saturated fat ( btw , mother’s milk is 54% sat. fat ) that helps lower the LDL and TGL and increase HDL . Pure coconut oil is also anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant in nature, that helps maintain heart health and build up of plaque .

Digestive system

Coconut oils are not a burden for digestive system at all. The MCT’s bypass digestion and reach liver where is metabolised into ketones . Hence it’s something even people suffering from a weak gut can consume.   It repairs gut lining , kills bad bacteria ( like Candida , h.pylori ) thriving in the colon and also banishes Constipation ,  which is another root cause of many diseases today . Even for other stomach conditions like IBS ,  ulcer , colitis and indigestion, coconut oil can come to rescue .It also assists in nutrient absorption within the body. Because it boosts your digestive health, it will also in return, boost your brain health and your overall sense of well-being.

Liver

Coconut oils effect on a sluggish liver is also noteworthy . It helps support liver function by detoxifying it from toxic wastes and drug residue, so that liver can perform its primary function of metabolising fats .  Due to its anti-viral  , anti-parasitic and detoxifying effects , it also has the capacity to protect liver from infections like Hepatitis  , Jaundice and even in Malaria ,  provided its judiciously used . The abundance of MCT’s in coconut oil can also prevent alcohol-induced liver damage by suppressing excessive free-radical formation. Since MCT’s are good fats , it also helps in removing the bad cholesterol getting clogged in the liver .

Knee pains and other joints

This is for all those who complain of aching joints because of either arthritis or general wear and tear due to exercise or age .  A regular hot oil massage thats left overnight can get some relief .  It’s one oil that can penetrate deep within thereby reducing inflammation and improving its mobility .

Feet :

Cracked feet ,  Fungal infection in nails ,   Athletes foot , Calloused feet ,Heel Spurs , Excessive sweating and Stinky feet because of bacterial growth ,,,,Coconut oil is one stop solution for taking care of our feet : the most neglected part of our body .

Some more powerful benefits :

Skin

Dryness, scaly skin , psoriasis , eczema , utricaria , vitiligo , rashes , mosquito bites , stretch marks , fungal infections ,  coconut oil covers it all .  From new borns to the elderly , a regular application of coconut oil along with a nutrient dense diet helps preserves skin health and makes it supple , elastic and moisturised .  Since its anti-microbial in nature and has the ability to get easily absorbed through the skin , most skin infections can be heal just by massaging coconut oil over the affected area .  Coconut oil also makes a natural makeup remover as well as natural SPF .

Weight loss and belly fat .    

The medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) is coconut oil makes is a great help for those looking to reduce weight , fight belly fat and gain muscle .  It does so by stoking up our metabolism and creating a thermogenic effect .  A spoon of coconut oil in coffee makes a great pre-workout fuel that energizes and aids fat burn .

Another benefit of coconut oil in relation to fat loss is that it produces a feeling of satiety ( fullness factor) that enables an individual to gain better control over food portions .

Autoimmune disorders :

Coconut oil works with the human immune system and not against it . It helps seal the gut , which is of great help in healing autoimmune right from its root like Rheumatoid arthritis , thyroiditis , autoimmune induced type 1 diabetes , MS , fibromyalgia and Lupus . To a large extent it also provides great relief from the symptoms of specific autoimmune diseases like allergies , inflammation , flare ups , joint pains , skin rashes, bloating .  Since 80% immunity lies in the gut , it makes sense to use coconut oil  to detoxify the colon to boost immunity to safe guard from autoimmune disorders .

Additionally , monolaurin ( converted form of  lauric acid in the body ) is effective in treating autoimmune triggered by bacterial and viral infections .

And lastly , Cancer :

Studies after studies have proven that polyphenols and antioxidant rich  , Coconut oil not only prevents (by boosting immunity ) and heals cancer (an inflammatory disease) but also decreases the side-effects of chemotherapy. On one hand ,  coconut oil can fuel our body , but on the other hand it can also starve glucose dependent – cancer cells and inhibit its growth via apoptosis . Its benefits are very promising in case of colorectal cancer and lung cancer .  Coconut is of great help in dealing with post chemo side effects like low energy , weak digestion ,  constipation  , dry skin , hair loss and muscle wasting . Since its an energy dense food , it useful when a patient loses appetite .

Above all of this , coconut oil is local and traditional to India ,hence so easily available !