Coconut Oil and Fat Loss

 How Coconut Oil Helps You Lose Fat:

1. Boosts Your Energy – Coconut Oil is a fat that is not converted to carbohydrates or stored as fats – avoiding weight gain – its medium chain fatty acids that is used directly used by cells for energy!
2. Burns Your Fat - the medium chain fatty acids also help your body burn stored fat for energy by promoting fat oxidation, therefore helping you shed those unwanted pounds!
3. Increases Your Metabolism – it improves your thyroid function, because your body produces more thyroxin (the body’s accelerator), thereby boosting energy expenditure (even while resting) and promoting weight loss!
4. Burns Calories to Generate Heat  – Coconut Oil’s thermogenic property is one of the most beneficial in a weight loss aid, burning calories to keep you warm and active!
5. Suppresses Your Appetite – when taken before meals, Coconut Oil reduces your appetite during meals so you feel fuller sooner and eat less, promoting weight loss. It even helps stave away those hunger pangs after meals – reducing those calorific evening fridge gazes!

The amount of Coconut Oil you should consume per day will depend on your body weight:

Over 75 pounds: 2 tablespoons
Over 99 pounds: 2 and a half tablespoons
Over 126 pounds: 3 tablespoons
Break it up throughout the day.  Take it about a half hour before meals.  Buy Organic Virgin Coconut Oil.
Remember that it should be part of a healthy diet. See Info…
LOW FAT DIETERS: Your body  has had to compensate for the lack of proper fat, so you will need to make a slow transition into a healthy fat diet.  If you feel nausea, start with a smaller amount of the coconut oil and slowly increase as your system can handle the coconut oil. The reaction to the coconut oil must likely is due to your body’s inability to produce enough of the fat-digesting bile needed by the longer chain fatty acids.  Your body will return to its ability to create the bile usually within a couple weeks.

Carbohydrate Restriction

It is important to reduce your carbohydrates if you are going to take the coconut oil for fat loss.  If you restrict your carbohydrates to vegetables and small portions of low sugar fruits, you will get the fat loss effects of the coconut oil.

Full Article:
Successful Mastery of Weight | Coconut Oil and fat loss | Coconut Oil and Metabolism

Annual Kauai Coconut Festival in Kapa'a!

First weekend every October >>> We Go Crazy for Coconuts! 

Immerse yourself in all things coconut!

See contestants in the Annual Coconut Recipe Contest create coconut filled appetizers and desserts,

Learn tree climbing and coconut cracking. 

Find out who wins the pie eating contest. 

13 Evidence-Based Medicinal Properties of Coconut Oil

While coconut oil has dragged itself out of the muck of vast misrepresentation over the past few years, it still rarely gets the appreciation it truly deserves.  Not just a "good" saturated fat, coconut oil is an exceptional healing agent as well, with loads of useful health applications.

Some examples of "good" saturated fat include

• Fat-burning: Ironic, isn't it? A saturated fat which can accelerate the loss of midsection fat (the most dangerous kind). Well, there are now two solid, human studies showing just two tablespoons a day (30 ml), in both men and women, is capable of reducing belly fat within 1-3 months.
• Brain-Boosting: A now famous study, published in 2006 in the journal Neurobiology of Aging, showed that the administration of medium chain triglycerides (most plentifully found in coconut oil) in 20 subjects with Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment, resulted in significant increases in ketone bodies (within only 90 minutes after treatment) associated with measurable cognitive improvement in those with less severe cognitive dysfunction.[i]
• Clearing Head Lice: When combined with anise spray, coconut oil was found to be superior to the insecticide permethrin (.43%).[ii]
• Healing Wounds: Coconut has been used for wound healing since time immemorial.  Three of the identified mechanisms behind these healing effects are its ability to accelerate re-epithelialization, improve antioxidant enzyme activity, and stimulate higher collagen cross-linking within the tissue being repaired.[iii]  Coconut oil has even been shown to work synergistically with traditional treatments, such as silver sulphadizine, to speed burn wound recovery.[iv]
• NSAID Alternative: Coconut oil has been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory, analgesic and fever-reducing properties.[v]
• Anti-Ulcer Activity: Interestingly, coconut milk (which includes coconut oil components), has been shown to be as effective as the conventional drug sucralfate as an NSAID-associated anti-ulcer agent.[vi]
• Anti-Fungal: In 2004, 52 isolates of Candida species were exposed to coconut oil. The most notorious form, Candida albicans, was found to have the highest susceptibility. Researchers remarked: "Coconut oil should be used in the treatment of fungal infections in view of emerging drug-resistant Candida species."[vii]
• Testosterone-Booster: Coconut oil was found to reduce oxidative stress in the testes of rats, resulting in significantly higher levels of testosterone.[viii]
• Reducing Swollen Prostate: Coconut oil has been found to reduce testosterone-induced benign prostate growth in rats.[ix]
• Improving Blood Lipids: Coconut oil consistently improves the LDL:HDL ratio in the blood of those who consume it.  Given this effect, coconut oil can nolonger be dismissed for being 'that saturated fat which clogs the arteries.'
• Fat-Soluble Nutrient Absorption: Coconut oil was recently found to be superior to safflower oil in enhancing tomato carotenoid absorption.[x]
• Bone Health: Coconut oil has been shown to reduce oxidative stress within the bone, which may prevent structural damage in osteoporotic bone.[xi] [Note: Osteoporosis is a Myth, as presently defined by the T-Score]

• Sunscreen: Coconut oil has been shown to block out UV rays by 30%. Keep in mind that this is good, insofar as UVA rays are damaging to the skin, whereas UVB rays are highly beneficial (when exposure is moderate).[i]  Make sure to check this list of other sun-blocking oils.

Of course, when speaking about coconut oil, we are only looking at one part of the amazing coconut palm.  Each component, including coconut hull fiber, coconut protein and coconut water has experimentally confirmed therapeutic applications.

Written By:

Sayer Ji, Founder | GreenMedInfo

How Does Coconut Oil Affect My Cholesterol?

New Study Shows Virgin Coconut Oil Improves Cholesterol Levels

A clinical study out of the University of Santo Tomas (UST), Philippines, has shown that eating virgin coconut oil (VCO) produces beneficial effects on triglyceride and cholesterol levels.

The research team led by Dr. Christina Binag of the UST Research Center for Natural and Applied Science said the double-blind study, where both researchers and subjects were not aware of who were taking VCO and the placebo, showed decreases in triglycerides and improved the cholesterol ratio, both indicators of reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

Commissioned by the Philippine Coconut Authority, the study required 110 participants to take 3 tablespoons of VCO every day for four months while 79 others took a placebo for the same period. Dr. Binag said this was the largest clinical study ever undertaken on the effects of VCO on cholesterol levels.

Results indicated that among the VCO takers decreases in triglycerides and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL)—a form of the so-called “bad” cholesterol. They also showed elevated high density lipoprotein (HDL), which is known as the “good” cholesterol. Higher levels of HDL cholesterol is known to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. No changes were seen the lipid profile of the placebo group.

Other changes were also noted by the researchers, stating, “There was an unexplained rise in creatinine but still within the normal range. Elevations in Free Thyroid 3 and Free Thyroid 4 were noted due to enhanced thyroid function. No change was noted with BMI (body mass index) and weight.”

Aside from these clinical effects, the group also reported that those who took the VCO felt stronger and healthier. They reported regular bowel movements, increase in appetite and stamina, and better sleep with regular VCO intake of 3 tablespoons a day.

Apart from keeping cholesterol levels under control, improving thyroid function, and boosting energy levels, three spoonfuls of virgin coconut oil may also enhance a person’s sex life. Some members of the group reported that they were more virile during the test phase. “It was an interesting observation that 13 percent of the VCO takers experienced becoming sexually active in the whole duration of their participation in the VCO study,” the team said.

This study provides further evidence that virgin coconut oil is not only heart healthy but may provide additional health benefits as well. ■

Reference:

Scientists Present Results of Clinical Study on VCO – Philipines. Cocommunity 1 May, 2012, Vol 42, No 4, pp7-8. The Healthy Ways Newsletter

160 Uses for Coconut Oil

posted by Hybrid Rasta Mama

Coconut Oil – An Overview

Photo Credit: Nature's Health Foods

Offering a myriad of health benefits, coconut oil is affordable, readily available and completely natural. I use it for EVERYTHING. Literally. I buy it in 5 gallon increments and keep it all over my house. I even have some in the car. So here is a little information to inspire you to check out this amazing oil!

Coconut Oil Is:

• Anti-bacterial (kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, gum diseases, and other bacterial infections)
• Anti-carcinogenic (coconut oil has antimicrobial properties so it effectively prevents the spread of cancer cells and enhances the immune system)
• Anti-fungal (kills fungi and yeast that lead to infection)
• Anti-inflammatory (appears to have a direct effect in suppressing inflammation and repairing tissue, and it may also contribute by inhibiting harmful intestinal microorganisms that cause chronic inflammation.)
• Anti-microbial/Infection Fighting (the medium-chain fatty acids and monoglycerides found in coconut oil are the same as those in human mother's milk, and they have extraordinary antimicrobial properties. By disrupting the lipid structures of microbes, they inactivate them. About half of coconut oil consists of lauric acid. Lauric acid, its metabolite monolaurin and other fatty acids in coconut oil are known to protect against infection from bacteria, viruses, yeast, fungi and parasites. While not having any negative effect on beneficial gut bacteria, coconut oil inactivates undesirable microbes.)
• An Antioxidant (protects against free-radical formation and damage)
• Anti-parasitic (fights to rid the body of tapeworms, lice and other parasites)
• Anti-protozoa (kills giardia, a common protozoan infection of the gut)
• Anti-retroviral (kills HIV and HLTV-1)
• Anti-viral (kills viruses that cause influenza, herpes, measles, hepatitis C, SARS, AIDS, and other viruses)
• Infection fighting
• Has no harmful for discomforting side effects
• Known to improve nutrient absorption (easily digestible; makes vitamins and minerals more available to the body)
• Nontoxic to humans and animals

Daily Dosage:

Here is a chart outlining the recommended daily dosage of virgin coconut oil for persons over the age of 12. Coconut oil may be consumed by children under 12 but it is advisable to check with a healthcare practitioner on the proper dosage. Any good naturopath will have the information at the ready. (Starting at 12 months of age, I gave my daughter one teaspoon per day and she weighed about 16 pounds at that time.)

Weight in pounds/kilograms	Number of tablespoons of coconut oil daily
175+/79+	4
150+ /68+	3 1/2
125+ / 57+	3
100+/ 45+	2 1/2
75+ / 34+	2
50+ / 23+	1 1/2
25+ / 11+	1

Type of Coconut Oil to use:

• Expeller pressed (refined) coconut oil can be used for anything. It does not have a coconutty smell or taste.
• Virgin (unrefined) coconut oil tastes and smells coconutty and is great for cooking and baking where you want that flavor. You can use it for anything but it will impart a coconut taste (mild) and odor (pleasant in my book)!
• Food grade should always be used.

160 Uses for Coconut Oil

Coconut Oil for Personal Hygiene/Body
1. Age Spots (also known as liver spots) – applying coconut oil directly to the age spot will help it fade.
2. After Shave – coconut oil will help heal your skin after shaving without clogging pores. Great for razor burn!
3. Baldness – apply three times a day to affected area of hair loss. Coconut oil supports cell regeneration.
4. Birth Marks – can be used after a laser removal treatment to aid in healing. Can also be applied after an apple cider vinegar treatment to help support and aid the fading process.
5. Body Scrub – mix coconut oil and sugar together and rub all over! Rinse off and your skin will be super soft! You can add in essential oils if you would like a specific smell.
6. Bruises – applied directly to the bruise, coconut oil enhances the healing process by reducing swelling and redness.
7. Bug Bites – when applied directly to a bug bite, coconut oil can stop the itching and burning sensation as well as hasten the healing process.
8. Burns – apply to burn site immediately and continue applying until healed. Will reduce the chances of permanent scarring and promotes healing.
9. Chapstick – just rub a little into lips and it not only acts as a softening agent but it also has an SPF of about 4 so you get a little protection!
10. Cradle Cap – having issues with dry skin on your baby’s scalp? Coconut oil will not only nourish your baby’s skin, it also helps eliminate cradle cap. Just rub a teaspoon onto scalp daily.
11. Dandruff – coconut oil soaks into the scalp moisturizing dry skin and relieves symptoms of dandruff. It also helps to control oil secretion from the scalp, another leading cause of dandruff.
12. Deodorant – coconut oil alone can be used as a deodorant, but even more effective in combination with cornstarch/arrowroot powder and baking soda!
13. Diaper Salve – very comforting on a rashy bum with no harsh chemicals. Also safe for cloth diapers.
14. Exfoliator – coconut oil mixed with sugar or sea salt is a very nourishing and effective exfoliator and safe to use all over the body.
15. Eye cream – apply under the eyes to reduce puffiness, bags and wrinkles. Use on the lids in the evening.
16. Face Wash/ Soap – mix equal parts coconut oil with either olive oil or castor oil and use in place of soap when washing your face. Wet face, rub oil in and leave on for two minutes, rinse and pat dry. One teaspoon should be adequate.
17. Hair conditioner/ Deep Treatment - use as a leave-in hair conditioner by applying a teaspoon of coconut oil to your ends and then running your fingers through your hair to distribute the rest! For a deeper treatment, rub in a tablespoon of coconut oil onto your dry scalp and gently work through to the ends. Put a shower cap on to prevent transfer onto bed linens and leave on overnight.
18. Hair Gel/ Defrizzer – rub a little between your palms and either scrunch into hair (for curly hair) or finger comb in through from scalp to ends (for wavy/straight hair).
19. Healing - when applied on scrapes and cuts, coconut oil forms a thin, chemical layer which protects the wound from outside dust, bacteria and virus. Coconut oil speeds up the healing process of bruises by repairing damaged tissues. Plus, it smells a heck-of-a-lot better than anything from the pharmacy.
20. Lubricant – it is an all-natural, perfectly safe personal lubricant. Not compatible with latex!
21. Makeup Remover – use a cotton swab and a dab of coconut oil and you would be amazed at how well it works!
22. Massage Oil – pretty simple; grab some and rub!
23. Moisturizer – simply scoop some out of the jar and apply all over your body, including neck and face.
24. Mole Remover – when applied after an apple cider vinegar compress for several weeks, moles have been known to “slide off” or just disappear.
25. Nipple Cream – works great to nourish cracked, sore or dry nipples. Apply to a cotton ball and leave on your nipples between feedings.
26. Oily Skin Fix – prone to oily skin or an oily T-zone? Use a pea sized amount underneath makeup or alone to reduce the appearance of oil.
27. Pre Shampoo Treatment for Hair – rub a little into scalp and hair before shampooing. This is especially useful for those with course or frizzy hair.
28. Pre-Shave – coconut oil will prep skin for the pending damage caused by shaving.
29. Skin Problems – coconut oil relieves skin problems such as psoriasis, dermatitis, and eczema.
30. Stretch Mark Cream – coconut oil is great at nourishing damaged skin. It may not be the magic stretch mark cure but it will help.
31. Sun Burn Relief – rub liberal amounts of coconut oil into the affected area.
32. Sunscreen – see my post on natural sunscreen for more detailed information.
33. Swimmers Ear – mix garlic oil and coconut oil and put a few drops in affected ear for about 10 minutes. Do this 2-3 times a day and it usually works within one or two days.
34. Tattoo Healing and Moisturizer – continued use of coconut oil on tattoos will help keep the pigment from fading. Used on new tattoos, coconut will hasten the healing process and decrease the chance of infection.
35. Toothpaste – there are numerous recipes out there but I just mix coconut oil and baking soda and dab a little of the mix on my toothbrush.
36. Wrinkle Prevention and Wrinkle Reducer – rubbing coconut oil on winkles and sagging skin helps strengthen the connective tissues to bring back that youthful look!

Coconut Oil for General Health and Wellness
37. Breastfeeding – for breastfeeding moms, consuming 3 ½ tablespoons of coconut oil daily will enrich the milk supply. 
38. Bones and Teeth – coconut oil aids in the absorption of calcium and magnesium leading to better development of bones and teeth.
39. Digestion - the saturated fats in coconut oil help control parasites and fungi that cause indigestion and other digestion related problems such as irritable bowel syndrome. The fat in coconut oil also aids in the absorption of vitamins, minerals and amino acids, making you healthier all around.
40. Energy Boost – coconut oil boosts energy and endurance making it a great supplement for athletes as well as those needed a quick pick me up.
41. Fitness - coconut oil has been proven to stimulate your metabolism, improve thyroid function, and escalate energy levels, all of which help decrease your unwanted fat while increasing muscle.
42. Improves insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose making it great for both diabetics and non-diabetic.
43. Lung Function – increases the fluidity of cell surfaces.
44. Nausea – rub some coconut oil on the inside for the wrist and forearm to calm an upset stomach.
45. Nose bleeds - coconut oil can prevent nose bleeding that is caused by sensitivity to weather such as extreme heat and extreme cold. This condition happens when the nasal passages become dry because of cold or dry air resulting to burns and cracks in the mucus membranes so bleeding happens. To prevent this just put coconut oil in you nostrils. Coat your finger with coconut oil and then lie down and coat your finger inside your nose. Doing this will strengthen and protect the capillaries in the nasal passages. A Vitamin C supplement will also help prevent nose bleeding.
46. Oil pulling with coconut oil offers a two for one health benefit!
47. Stress Relief - relieve mental fatigue by applying coconut oil to the head in a circular, massaging motion. The natural aroma of coconuts is extremely soothing thus helping to lower your stress level.
48. Vitamin and nutrient absorption
49. Weight loss - the saturated fats contribute to weight loss and controlling cravings. Also increases metabolic rate.


Coconut Oil for Health Problems (when taken internally it is known for aiding, preventing, relieving or even curing these health issues)
50. Acid reflux/indigestion aid if taken after a meal
51. Adrenal fatigue
52. Allergies (seasonal hay fever)
53. Alzheimer’s/Dementia
54. Asthma, even in children
55. Autism
56. Bowel function
57. Bronchial Infections
58. Cancer (has been shown to prevent colon and breast cancer in laboratory tests)
59. Candida Albicans
60. Cholesterol - improves HDL ('good' cholesterol) to HDL ('bad' cholesterol) ratio in people with high cholesterol
61. Chronic Fatigue
62. Crohns Disease and resulting inflammation
63. Circulation/feeling cold all the time
64. Colds and Flus
65. Constipation
66. Cystic Fibrosis
67. Depression
68. Diabetes - helps keep blood sugar levels stable and/or helps with cravings
69. Dysentery
70. Eczema – in addition to taking it internally, many have success applying it externally, but some don't
71. Edema
72. Energy boost
73. Epilepsy (known to reduce epileptic seizures)
74. Fever Support
75. Flaky, Dry Skin
76. Gallbladder disease and pain
77. Gas
78. H. pylori
79. Head Lice
80. Heart Disease (protects arteries from injury that causes atherosclerosis)

... plus 80 more uses >>>  from Hybrid Rasta Mama!

The Benefits of Coconut Oil for Alzheimer's Patients

Alzheimer's Home Care Fort Myers, FL - Comfort Keepers

By Mary T. Newport, MD, Author of Alzheimer's Disease: What If There Was a Cure?

My husband Steve, now 61-years-old, has early onset Alzheimer’s disease. In May 2008, while he was screening for clinical trials, I came across information about a potential treatment in development: AC-1202, now called Axona.

As I learned about the potential treatment, I learned that consuming medium chain triglycerides (derived from coconut oil) resulted in improved cognition in about half of the persons with Alzheimer’s or Mild Cognitive Impairment in their studies.

So, I gave my husband Steve some coconut oil. He had a dramatic response with a remarkable improvement in clock drawing and in his memory testing. Two months later, Steve continued to improve and other people confirmed that it was not my imagination.

Steve ‘s dramatic improvement began on the very day he started taking coconut oil. This was consistent with results of the first Axona study in which nearly half of the people had improved memory scores after taking just one dose of Axona.

Since we had changed nothing else in the months prior to or immediately after starting coconut oil, it ‘s reasonable that it was the cause for his improvement.

The way Steve explains the change he experienced, it was like the light bulb came back on the day he started taking coconut oil.

Why is Coconut Oil Beneficial to Alzheimer ‘s Patients?

One important feature of Alzheimer’s disease is that the brain gradually develops insulin deficiency and resistance. As a result, glucose (which is the usual fuel for brain cells) cannot enter the neurons, so the neurons malfunction before eventually dying.

But there may be a way to help alleviate that problem.

Medium chain fatty acids are converted in the liver to ketones. Those ketones can serve as an alternative to glucose, which means they may potentially help cells stay alive and function better.

Beyond Alzheimer ‘s

Increased ketones can also benefit people suffering from other diseases, such as Parkinson ‘s, ALS (Lou Gehrig ‘s), multiple sclerosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, autism, Down ‘s syndrome, and Huntington ‘s chorea. Ketones can also serve as an alternative fuel for other cells in the body that are insulin resistant or cannot transport glucose, and could potentially lessen the effects of Diabetes I or II on the brain and other organs.

So What ‘s the Problem?

Medium chain triglycerides are made in the human mammary gland. But other than that, humans do not make medium chain fatty acids–so we must acquire them from foods.

Unfortunately, most Americans consume oils that don ‘t contain any medium chain fatty acids. But the good news is that medium chain triglycerides make up 70% of the saturated fats in coconut oil.

Complete article by Mary T. Newport, M.D., University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.

2011 Coconut Festival at Kapaa Beach Park on Kauai

1st Weekend in October

Sat 9 AM to 5 PM 

Sun 10 AM to 4 PM

Join us for the Annual Kapaa Coconut Festival on Kauai!  This two day cultural festival offers Polynesian and coconut themed entertainment featuring cultural and historical exhibits and demonstrations. There will be food, crafts, games, contests, hands-on cultural activities and cooking demonstrations.