by Bruce Fife
He continues eating cooked coconut for breakfast every day, mixing it with hot cereal. He is convinced that it keeps the virus under control and allows him to enjoy good health. With a zest for life he says, “I feel great. I have more energy than ever.”
* * *
Currently some researchers recommended that HIV-infected individuals consume the equivalent of 24–28 grams of lauric acid a day in order to significantly reduce their viral load. This would amount to about 3½ tablespoons (50 grams) of coconut oil. While it is not yet known if lauric acid may one day be a cure for AIDS, it has been proven to reduce the HIV load in those individuals who are infected by the virus, allowing them to live more normal lives and greatly reducing the risk of their transmitting the virus to others. It may be equally able to protect and possibly prevent infection in the first place if a person has sufficient lauric acid in his or her daily diet and low exposure to HIV.
OTHER SERIOUS ILLNESSES
When I first started digging through the medical literature searching for information about coconut oil I was amazed at the multitude of studies that showed benefits from its use. Studies showed that coconut oil could be of benefit for those concerned about cancer, diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, prostate enlargement, and even epilepsy.
CANCER
If you are a woman, your chance of developing breast cancer is one in eight. If you are a man, your chance of getting prostate cancer is one in nine. One out of every three people alive today in the United States will eventually get some form of cancer during his or her lifetime. Cancer is second only to heart disease as the leading cause of death. Like heart disease, there is no sure cure. Often the treatment is as bad as the disease. The best defense is prevention, and most forms of cancer are preventable.
Every single one of us has cancerous cells in our bodies. The reason we don’t all develop cancer and die is because the immune system destroys these renegade cells before they can get out of hand. As long as the immune system is functioning the way it was designed to, we need not worry about cancer. There are several things you can do to improve the efficiency of your immune system and help prevent cancer, such as eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, reducing stress, getting proper rest, and such. You should also avoid those things that promote cancer, such as smoking and consuming heat-damaged vegetable oils. As noted in chapter 2, processed vegetable oils depress the immune system and create free radicals that can promote cancer. Another thing you can do to strengthen your immune system is to eat coconut oil on a regular basis. Consuming coconut oil, especially in place of most other oils, can greatly reduce your chances of developing cancer.
We are continually surrounded by troublesome germs, many of which find entrance into our bodies. The white blood cells of our immune system constantly battle invading microbes as well as clean out diseased and cancerous cells. When exposure to germs is excessive or when the immune system is under stress, the white blood cells become overworked. When the immune system is under stress, it is unable to effectively clean out cancerous cells. When this happens, cancerous cells can grow and spread without restraint.
The antimicrobial properties of the MCFAs in coconut oil aid the body in eliminating disease-causing germs, thus relieving stress on the immune system. The MCFAs take over the job of killing many of the invading microbes. With fewer germs around to cause trouble, white blood cells are free to seek out and destroy cancerous cells. In this manner, coconut oil aids the body in defending itself against germs by allowing the white blood cells to focus their attention on cleaning out toxins and cancerous cells. So a major benefit of coconut oil in the fight against cancer is to reduce stress on the immune system, which in turn allows the white blood cells to function more efficiently so that cancerous cells don’t have a chance to run amok.
Coconut oil not only assists the white blood cells but may also take an active part in fighting some forms of cancer. Dr. Robert L. Wickremasinghe, head of the serology division at the Medical Research Institute in Sri Lanka, reports that coconut oil appears to possess anti-carcinogenic properties. Researchers have shown that coconut oil inhibits the induction of carcinogenic agents that cause colon as well as mammary (breast) tumors in test animals (Reddy, 1992, and Cohen and Thompson, 1987). Many vegetable oils promote cancer because they are easily oxidized to form carcinogenic free radicals (Hopkins, 1981). MCFAs have an antioxidantlike effect that prevents free-radical reactions and appears to provide protection, at least in the case of breast and colon cancer.
DIABETES
One of the many plagues of modern society is diabetes. The incidence of diabetes has risen over the last century to make it the sixth biggest killer in America. Diabetes not only can cause death but also can lead to kidney disease, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, cataracts, nerve damage, hearing loss, and blindness. It is estimated that 45 percent of the population is at risk of developing diabetes.
Diabetes is all about sugar in our bodies, otherwise known as blood glucose. Every cell in our bodies must have a constant source of glucose in order to fuel metabolism. Our cells use glucose to power processes such as growth and repair. When we eat a meal, the digestive system converts much of our food into glucose, which is released into the bloodstream. The hormone insulin, which is secreted by the pancreas gland, moves glucose from the blood and funnels it into the cells so it can be used as fuel. If the cells are unable to get adequate amounts of glucose, as is the case in diabetes, they can literally starve to death and cause tissues and organs to degenerate.
There are two major forms of diabetes: Type I and Type II. Type I, also referred to as insulin-dependent or juvenile diabetes, usually begins in childhood and results from the inability of the pancreas to make adequate amounts of insulin. Type II diabetes is known as non-insulin-dependent or adult-onset diabetes because it usually appears in older adults. In Type II diabetes the pancreas may secrete a normal amount of insulin, but the cells are unable to absorb it. Insulin acts like a key to a lock. It goes to the cells and unlocks the door to allow glucose to enter. If the lock is made of cheap materials and breaks, the key no longer works, and the door remains locked. This is essentially what happens with Type II diabetes. In both types of diabetes the level of glucose in the blood is elevated, while cells are deprived.
In Type I the pancreas is incapable of producing enough insulin to adequately shuttle glucose to all the cells in the body. Treatment involves insulin injections one or more times a day, along with adherence to a strict low-sugar diet. About 90 percent of diabetics are of Type II, and 85 percent of them are overweight. Diet plays a key role in both the onset of the disease and its control. The types of foods we eat can either promote or protect us from diabetes.
In the Pacific Islands, diabetes is unheard-of among those people who eat traditional diets. But when they abandon their native foods and adopt Western ways, the incidence of diabetes rises. An interesting example of this has occurred on the island of Nauru in the South Pacific. Subsisting for centuries on a diet composed primarily of bananas, yams, and coconuts, the people lived totally free from diabetes. Phosphate deposits discovered on the island brought an influx of wealth and a change in lifestyle. The islanders replaced the coconut and yams they had eaten for centuries with foods made from refined flour, sugar, and processed vegetable oils. The result was the emergence of a never-before-seen disease—diabetes. According to the World Health Organization, up to half of the urbanized Nauru population age 30-64 are now diabetic.
Doctors have been able to help patients control diabetes by putting them on a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet. The diet restricts total fat intake to 30 percent or less of calories. Complex carbohydrates such as whole grains and vegetables make up 50 to 60 percent of calories. Simple carbohydrates such as refined flour and sugar are to be avoided. The reason for this is because simple carbohydrates can put undue strain on the pancreas and quickly raise blood sugar to dangerous levels. The reason for reducing fat as well as sweets is t
o promote weight loss. Since excess weight is of primary concern with diabetes, losing it is a priority. Another reason for the low-fat diet is to reduce the risk of heart disease, which is a common consequence of diabetes. Probably the best reason for keeping fat to a minimum is that some fats, particularly oxidized fats, not only promote diabetes but may actually cause it.
Researchers have discovered that the overconsumption of refined vegetable oils leads to diabetes. As far back as the 1920s, Dr. S. Sweeney produced reversible diabetes in all of his medical school students by feeding them a high-vegetable-oil diet for 48 hours. None of the students had previously been diabetic. More recently, researchers have been able to cause test animals to develop diabetes by feeding them diets high in polyunsaturated fat (Parekh, 1998). Simply restricting fat intake in diabetic animals has shown to reverse Type II diabetes. Likewise, clinical studies with humans on low-fat diets also show reversal of the disease. Many studies have shown low-fat diets to be effective in controlling diabetes.
The current recommendation is to limit all fats. Monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil, don’t seem to adversely affect diabetes and so are allowed in moderation, but because all fats, including olive oil, are high in calories, they are discouraged. Saturated fat is restricted because it is believed to increase risk of heart disease. The biggest culprit, however, seems to be polyunsaturated oil. Studies have shown that when polyunsaturated fats from the diet are incorporated into cellular structure, the cell’s ability to bind with insulin decreases, thus lowering its ability to get glucose. In other words, the “locks” on the cells that open the door for glucose to enter degrade when too much polyunsaturated oil is consumed in the diet. Insulin is then unable to open the door. Polyunsaturated oils are easily oxidized and damaged by free radicals. Fats of all types, including polyunsaturated oils, are used as building blocks for cell membranes. Oxidized polyunsaturated fats in the cell membrane can adversely affect the cell’s function, including its ability to allow hormones, glucose, and other substances to flow in and out of the cell. Therefore, a diet high in refined polyunsaturated vegetable oils promotes diabetes. A diet low in such oils helps to alleviate symptoms. Because all fats also promote weight gain, it’s best to avoid them as much as possible.
There is one fat that diabetics can eat without fear. That fat is coconut oil. Not only does it not contribute to diabetes but it helps regulate blood sugar, thus lessening the effects of the disease. MCFA can supply needed energy to cells without adversely affecting blood sugar or insulin levels. Because coconut oil can also help regulate metabolism (see chapter 5), it can help the body burn more calories, causing weight loss and helping to regulate diabetes.
As mentioned earlier in this chapter, coconut oil puts less of a demand on the enzyme production of the pancreas. This lessens the stress on the pancreas during mealtime when insulin is produced most heavily, thus allowing the organ to function more efficiently. Coconut oil also helps supply energy to cells because it is easily absorbed without the need of enzymes or insulin. It has been shown to improve insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose. Coconut oil in the diet enhances insulin action and improves binding affinity compared to other oils. The Journal of the Indian Medical Association has reported that Type II diabetes in India has increased as the people have abandoned traditional oils, like coconut oil, in favor of polyunsaturated vegetable oils, which have been promoted as “heart-friendly.” The authors comment on the link between polyunsaturated oils and diabetes and recommend increasing coconut oil consumption as a means to prevent diabetes.
LIVER DISEASE
The liver is one of the most important organs in the body. It detoxifies, builds proteins and fats, secretes hormones, stores vitamins and minerals, produces bile necessary for digestion, and performs a hundred or so other functions vital to maintaining proper health. When the liver becomes diseased, any number of health-threatening conditions can arise. Two of the most common liver problems we hear about are hepatitis and cirrhosis. Both can be fatal. A number of different conditions can produce hepatitis; among them are alcohol, drugs, viruses, and bacteria. Three types of hepatitis, designated as hepatitis A, B, and C, are caused by viral infections. Two of the liver’s most destructive enemies are viruses and free radicals—both of which can be protected against by the regular consumption of coconut oil.
Hepatitis A virus is found in feces and is transmitted by poor sanitation and hygiene. It is estimated that in the United States, about 40 percent of young adults have been exposed to the hepatitis A virus. In some parts of the world where hygiene is poor, almost everyone has been exposed. Hepatitis B and C viruses are most often passed by sexual contact or needle-sharing among drug abusers. They are both less common than hepatitis A. In parts of Africa and Asia up to 20 percent of the population is infected by hepatitis B. In the United States the rate is about 1 percent. Hepatitis C is the most severe of the three and often leads to liver cirrhosis.
Chronic hepatitis, alcohol or drug abuse, or infection may lead to cirrhosis. Liver cirrhosis is a degenerative condition characterized by massive tissue destruction and scarring. The liver damage that alcoholics and hepatitis patients experience is caused largely by the destructive action of free radicals. The destruction caused by free radicals seriously affects the liver’s ability to function and if left untreated can lead to organ failure and death.
Researchers have been finding coconut oil to be of great benefit to liver health. The MCFAs are immediately funneled from the digestive tract to the liver, where they can aid the organ in many ways. Viruses that cause hepatitis are deactivated by the MCFAs, thus aiding the immune system in fighting off dangerous infections.
MCFAs are resistant to free-radical formation and actually help prevent their formation in the liver. A study by H. Kono and others showed that MCFAs can prevent alcohol-induced liver injury by inhibiting free-radical formation. Several other studies have also shown that fatty acids, such as those found in coconut and palm kernel oils, protect the liver from alcohol-induced free-radical injury and tissue death, indicating that the use of these oils can not only prevent injury but even rejuvenate diseased tissue. Dr. A. Nanji and other researchers suggest using fatty acids (from tropical oils) as a dietary treatment for alcoholic liver disease.
PROSTATE ENLARGEMENT
If you are male, chances are you will suffer some type of prostate problem during your lifetime. The most common prostate problem is benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or prostate enlargement. Nearly half of all men between the ages of 40 and 59, and as many as 90 percent of those in their seventies and eighties have some symptoms of BPH. It has become so bad that it’s almost an invariable consequence of aging. Prostate enlargement, however, is not simply a result of aging; lifestyle and diet play an important role. This condition is only a major problem in westernized countries. Those men who live in less prosperous localities of the world where local foods are produced and consumed don’t appear to be troubled by it as much. While the exact cause of BPH is unknown, recent lipid research has revealed that coconut oil may be beneficial in prevention and treatment.
It is believed that as men age, testosterone is converted into the male hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and accumulates in the prostate gland. This hormone encourages the growth of prostate cells, which causes the prostate to enlarge and pinch off the urethra, the tube through which urine flows from the bladder. This causes frequent and impaired urination, especially at night, and is often associated with inflammation of the gland. While not normally cancerous, it sets the stage for such a condition to exist.
A logical treatment for BPH is to block the conversion of testosterone into DHT. The drug finasteride works on this principle and has been effective. Saw palmetto is a popular herbal remedy that also appears to block the toxic effect of excess DHT formation. The berries of this subtropical plant found in the southeastern part of the United States were used by native Indians of Florida and early settlers as a folk medicine to treat reproducti
ve disorders, urinary diseases, and colds. In women it has been used to increase the supply of mother’s milk and to relieve painful periods.
Studies show saw palmetto berries are very effective at reducing the effects of BPH and are remarkably safe. Compared with Proscar (a much-prescribed BPH drug), saw palmetto is more effective in reducing prostate symptoms. Numerous studies have shown saw palmetto extract to be effective in nearly 90 percent of patients, usually in a period of four to six weeks. In contrast, Proscar is effective in reducing the symptoms in less than 37 percent of patients after taking the drug for a full year. Saw palmetto has no adverse side effects. Proscar, on the other hand, may cause impotence, decreased libido, and birth defects. Saw palmetto has gained a reputation among both alternative and conventional health care professionals as an effective treatment for BPH. It is one herb that even conventional medicine recognizes as safe and effective.
Saw palmetto is a member of the palm family and a relative of the coconut, and its medicinal effects are derived primarily from fatty acids in the berries. Many of the fatty acids in saw palmetto berries are MCFAs similar to those in coconut. Dr. Jon Kabara, an expert in lipid (fat) bio-chemistry, suggests that just as the fatty acids in saw palmetto berries inhibit the formation of DHT hormone, so should the fatty acids in coconut oil.