Five powerful ways coconut oil boosts brain function and protects against disease

Five powerful ways coconut oil boosts brain function and protects against disease

(NaturalNews) For thousands of years, the human race has benefited
significantly from the consumption of fresh coconut and its many
derivatives. Coconut water, coconut flesh, and coconut oil all possess
unique nutritional profiles that make them superior healing foods. And
coconut oil in particular has gained considerable attention in recent
years due to its amazing ability to promote fat loss, boost energy
levels, protect against disease, and even cure debilitating brain
conditions, among many other important functions.

The health benefits of coconut oil truly are numerous, and there is not a single valid reason not
to incorporate this amazing "superfood" into your routine diet. If you
are still not convinced, here are five specific ways that coconut oil
helps boost brain function and protect against disease:

1) Energy, weight loss in the form of ketones.
Coconut oil contains a unique type of fat known as medium chain
triglycerides (MCTs) that the body processes differently from most other
types of fat. Rather than have to be mixed with bile from the
gallbladder in order to digest and assimilate, MCTs are absorbed
directly by the liver, which converts them into a substance known as
ketones, or ketoacids, that feed the brain and protect against brain
atrophy.

Besides helping to boost energy levels naturally, these
same ketones are also believed to promote fat loss. And the only time
the body produces ketones is when you fast or consume MCTs, which is why
coconut oil
is uniquely suited to help you naturally achieve your weight loss goals
while simultaneously boosting energy levels. It is a win-win situation
for those who are overweight or obese, and few foods besides coconut oil
provide this dual benefit.

2) Saturated fat for healthy brain function.
As it turns out, these same saturated fats are also necessary for
proper brain function. Contrary to popular belief, saturated fats from
coconut and other sources are not unhealthy, but are in fact needed by
the body to prevent and treat neurodegenerative diseases such as
Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Pediatrician and caregiver Dr. Mary
Newport, M.D., knows first-hand how important saturated fats are for
healthy brain function, having published a study in 2008 documenting her
successes in treating her husband's brain degeneration with coconut oil.

"Our
cells can use ketone bodies as an alternative fuel when glucose is not
available," explains Dr. Newport in her groundbreaking paper. "Brain
cells, specifically neurons, are very limited, more limited than other
cells, in what kinds of fuel they can use to function and to stay alive.
Normally, they require glucose (sugar), but they can also use ketone
bodies."

"It is urgent that funding become available to move
forward for the sake of the millions who currently suffer, and will in
the future suffer, from Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease,
Huntington's chorea, multiple sclerosis, ALS, Type I and Type II
diabetes, as well as any number of other conditions that involve a
defect in transport of glucose into neurons and other cells." (http://www.coconutketones.com/whatifcure.pdf)

3) Protection against high cholesterol, heart disease.
Another unique characteristic of coconut oil is the way it tends to
increase HDL cholesterol levels, also commonly known as "good"
cholesterol, while lowering LDL cholesterol levels, or "bad"
cholesterol. In general, high consumption of coconut oil is linked to
healthy cholesterol levels and lower rates of heart disease, which is
the leading cause of early death in America today. (http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/article10132.htm)

4) Antioxidants for protection against cancer. A 2006 study published in the journal Food Chemistry
found that regular consumption of virgin coconut oil can significantly
increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes inside the body. This study
and others have identified polyphenol compounds present in coconut oil
as the likely active ingredient responsible for this action, which
renders coconut oil as a powerful anti-cancer food.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814605006412)

"It
is well established that dietary coconut oil reduces our need for
vitamin E, but I think its antioxidant role is more general than that,
and that it has both direct and indirect antioxidant activities," says
Dr. Ray Peat, a biochemist with extensive knowledge on the antioxidant
benefits of coconut oil.

5) Defense against bacterial, viral infections.
The only other natural source of lauric acid besides breast milk,
coconut oil possesses a unique ability to treat all sorts of infections
stemming from bacterial, viral, and even fungal sources. Coconut oil is
also a powerful immune booster, aiding the body in natural regeneration
and healing from a variety of ailments without the need for drugs or
surgery.

"Coconut oil contains lauric acid, which is converted
into monolaurin for treating Candida albicans, fungal infections,
athlete's food and also bacterial infections such as measles, influenza
and hepatitis C," explains a recent article published in The Poughkeepsie Journal.
"[C]oconut oil protects against cancer and HIV, kills bacteria and
parasites such as tapeworm, eases acid reflux, aids in regular bowel
function, lowers the risk of hemorrhoid episodes, heals and relieves
intestinal symptoms, soothes earaches, and protects against liver
degeneration."

Source:-
http://www.naturalnews.com/039417_coconut_oil_brain_function_disease_prevention.html