Coconut milk & aids

[TAD]

http://www.living-foods.com/articles/coconutbenefits.html

The Health Benefits of Coconuts!

by Tom Mountford

Coconut has recently been reported to reduce the viral load of HIV. It began in September, 1996 when a PWA, Chris D. of Cloverdale, Indiana, prepaid his funeral, stopped all treatments and supplements and decided to take his last vacation in the jungles of South America. His HIV viral load was over 600,000, CD4 count was at ten and CD8 was 300. Around October 14,1996, he began eating daily a dish of cooked coconut prepared by the local Indians. By December 27, 1996, upon returning home, his viral load was at non-detectable levels and he had gained 32 pounds. and was feeling great. He then had a friend who began to eat 1/2 of a cooked coconut each day. In 4 weeks his viral load dropped from 900,000 to 350,000 and in another four weeks after adding Crixivan alone it became non-detectable. The Indians in Surinam eat cooked coconut every morning to help prevent illness.

Coconut oil contains lauric acid which is converted by the body into monolaurin. The action attributed to monolaurin is that of solubilizing the lipids, in the envelope of the virus, causing the disintegration of the virus envelope. Mary Enig, MS (Nutritional Sciences), Ph.D., has done extensive research on trans-fatty acids. She wrote that some of the pathogens inactivated by monolaurin include HIV, measles, herpes simplex virus, cytomegalovirus (CMV), influenza virus and pneumonovirus, as well as several bacteria. Lark Lands, Ph.D. reports in her upcoming book "Positively Well" that, in India, coconut oil is fed to calves to treat cryptosporidium. Mark Konlee in Positive Health News (Report No. 14) reports on coconut products and lauric acid research as well as how it has been reported to resolve neuropathy in a few instances.

Dr. Enig suggests a rich lauric acid diet would contain about 24 grams of lauric acid daily for the average adult. This is based on her calculations on the amount of lauric acid found in human mother’s milk. The daily amount (24 grams) could be found in about 3.5 tablespoons of coconut oil or 10 ounces of pure coconut milk. About 7 ounces of raw coconut daily would contain 24 grams of lauric acid.

In his report Mark Konlee gives ideas on how to use raw coconut, coconut milk or oil. If you are allergic to coconuts, you may use coconut oil . The allergy is caused by proteins in the coconut, not the oil. He also describes other uses for coconut oil such as for skin rashes, fungal infections and plantar warts. Abram Hoffer MD in "The Facts About Fats" recommends using a certified organic coconut oil such as that distributed by Jarrow Formulas. It is made by Omega Nutrition, Bellingham, Washington, and is packaged in opaque containers.

WEBMASTER NOTE:
I suggest eating RAW YOUNG COCONUTS from an ASIAN MARKET. They look like this ---------------------------->

They are VERY SWEET, and the meat is very yummy! Nothing like the OLD brown ones! They are very nutritious!

[TAD]

http://hubpages.com/hub/Health_Benefits_of_Coconut

Health Benefits of Coconut
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By len7288


Coconut is a tropical fruit that is rich in protein. The meat of the coconut is very good in destroying intestinal parasites, that we get from eating infected food. Coconut water is good for kidney and urinary bladder problems.


Matured Coconut
Matured Coconut

Nutritive Values : Per 100 gm.

* Vitamin A :
* Vitamin B : Thiamine .10 mg.;
* Riboflavin :
* Niacin :
* Vitamin C : 2 mg.
* Calcium : 21 mg.
* Iron : 2.0 mg.
* Phosphorus : 98 mg.
* Fat : 34.7 gm.
* Carbohydrates : 14 gm.
* Protein : 3.4 gm.
* Calories : 359

Other Health Benefits of Coconut :

1. Prevents simple goiter (enlarged non-toxic thyroid) because of its organic iodine content.
2. Good body builder, so it is a food recommended for building up the body muscles of thin and emaciated individuals.
3. Constipation and for any build-up of gas in the stomach and intestinal tract.
4. Coconut milk has been found to help cases of sore throat as well as relieving stomach ulcers.
5. Coconut oil has been found to heal cuts, scratches, burns and sunburns.
6. The oil has also been recommended for facial massage and is reported to be good as a wrinkle remover.
7. Coconut oil is also good for the scalp and hair and makes hair dressing unnecessary.
8. Intake of at least 2 Tbsp. of Virgin coconut oil per day can lessen your Vitamin E requirement.
9. Coconut water is good for kidney and urinary bladder problems.

[TAD]

http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/features/cocgood.html

Is Coconut Oil Bad for you? Hardly.

Coconut There is widespread misconception that coconut oil is bad for you because it is said to raise blood cholesterol and cause heart disease. The only "proof" is one four-decades old study. The study used hydrogenated coconut oil.

It is now known that the process of hydrogenation creates "trans fatty acids" (TFAs), which are toxic entities that enter cell membranes, block utilization of essential fatty acids (EFAs) and impede cell functionality. TFAs also cause a rise in blood cholesterol. These substances are not present in natural coconut oil.

In other words, a study based on hydrogenated coconut oil has no relevance to the non-hydrogenated coconut milk or coconut oil that you eat.

Widespread studies of coconut-consuming populations such as those found in Polynesia and Sri Lanka, show that "dietary coconut oil does not lead to high serum cholesterol nor to high coronary heart disease mortality or morbidity."(See endnote 1.) Other studies show no change in serum cholesterol level from coconut oil. (See endnote 2.) And if it is true that the herpes virus and cytomegalovirus have a causative role in the initial formation of atherosclerotic plaques (See endnote 3.), coconut oil may be beneficial in preventing heart disease. (See Benefits below.)

For further reading: Mary G. Enig, Coconut: In Support of Good Health in the 21st Century.
Coconut Oil as Saturated Fat

Another reason people believe coconut oil must be bad for you is misguided association: it is a saturated fat and "saturated fats are bad for you." Dietary guidelines inevitably fail to distinguish between different kinds of saturated fats and insist that saturated fats (meaning all saturated fats) are harmful.

This is not just misleading. It is bad science. Leading scientists now recognize that just as there is good cholesterol, there are also good saturated fats.

Fats are classified as short-, medium- or long-chain based on the number of carbon molecules they contain. Nearly two-thirds of the saturated fat in coconut oil consists of medium-chain fatty acids.

When we eat long-chain fatty acids, they must be emulsified by bile salts in the small intestine before they can be absorbed into our body. Short- and medium-chain fatty acids, such as those in coconut milk, are absorbed directly through the portal vein to the liver, where they are immediately available to the body.

In other words, most of the saturated fat in coconut oil is easily digestible and converted into quick energy. And these types of fatty acids are less likely to cause obesity because they are immediately used by the body and have no opportunity to be stored.
Benefits of Coconut Oil

Coconut - Sprouting Nearly 50% of the fatty acid in natural coconut oil is lauric acid, which converts to the fatty acid monolaurin in the body. Lauric acid has adverse effects on a variety of microorganisms including bacteria, yeast, fungi, and enveloped viruses. It destroys the lipid membrane of such enveloped viruses as HIV, measles, Herpes simplex virus (HSV-1), influenza and cytomegalovirus (CMV). Its usefulness in treating AIDS is currently under investigation. It is a main component of human breast milk and helps protect children from illness during infancy.

Capric acid, which comprises another 7% of coconut oil fat content, also stimulates anti-microbial activity.

In other words: not only does coconut oil not cause heart problems, it is good for you. To quote Dr. Mary Enig: "The research over four decades concerning coconut oil in the diet and heart disease is quite clear: coconut oil has been shown to be beneficial."(See endnote 4.)

Coconut oil is a "functional food," defined as a food that "provides a health benefit over and beyond the basic nutrients."(See endnote 5.) It is an immune-system enhancer.

For further reading: Mary G. Enig, Coconut: In Support of Good Health in the 21st Century. Also the Center for Research on Lauric Oils, Inc.
TFAs – The Real Cause for Concern

In fact, the real problem fats in our diets are the trans fatty acids, mentioned above as a by-product of hydrogenating fats. Here are just a few of their adverse effects: lower the "good" HDL cholesterol and raise the "bad" LDL cholesterol while raising total serum cholesterol levels; increase blood insulin levels in humans in response to glucose load, increasing risk for diabetes; affect immune response by lowering efficiency of B cell response and increasing proliferation of T cells; interfere with utilization of essential omega-3 fatty acids; and escalate adverse effects of essential fatty acid deficiency.

You get these effects, and more, every time you consume hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil, which is present in most processed food, including margarine, potato chips, baked goods, etc.

For Further Reading: Interview of Mary Enig
Why are We Misinformed?

In one word: economics. Beginning with a flawed study four decades ago, continuing through the 1950s, intensifying in the 1980s, and again in the 1990s, the misinformation about coconut oil has been promulgated by such economically motivated organizations as the American Soybean Association (ASA), the Corn Products Company (CPC International) and the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). They are aided by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), many of whose key personnel are recruited from and return to the vegetable oil industry. Previously, coconut oil was widely used in baked goods and fried goods until their publicity campaigns, based on erroneous information, totally discredited coconut oil and caused its nearly complete elimination from the American diet.

Finally, after years of denial, The FDA and CSPI are finally talking about the harmful effects of trans fatty acids, evidence of which has been accumulating since the 1950s. Nonetheless, they continue to disparage coconut oil and take no effective action to limit TFAs, which already have been banned in some European countries. TFAs will finally be listed on food labels, starting in 2006 — why has it taken them so long! TFA dangers have been known for decades and continue to cause disease! News items coming from the USDA and FDA still lump TFAs with saturated fats, which are natural and do contain nutrients vital for our bodies. The current FDA Consumer's Guide to Fats was last updated in 1999 and consistently warns against (all) saturated fats, while failing to mention any harmful effects of trans fatty acids.

How effective is this brainwashing? Many of you will not believe the facts on these pages and will continue to avoid coconut oil and coconut milk out of health concerns. Despite the proven benefits. We invite you to investigate further.

For Further reading: Mary Enig and Sally Fallon, The Oiling of America, Parts 1 and 2.
For Further Reading . . .

* Links to information on this site about coconuts
* Coconut Article Links.
* (Offsite, opens in new window) Coconut-Info.com page of research links.

Endnotes
Young Coconut

1. Kaunitz H, Dayrit CS. Coconut oil consumption and coronary heart disease. Philippine Journal of Internal Medicine 1992;30:165-171. Prior IA, Davidson F, Salmond CE, Czochanska Z. Cholesterol, coconuts, and diet on Polynesian atolls: a natural experiment: the Pukapuka and Tokelau Island studies. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1981;34:1552-1561.
2. Kurup PA, Rajmohan T. II. Consumption of coconut oil and coconut kernel and the incidence of atherosclerosis. Coconut and Coconut Oil in Human Nutrition, Proceedings. Symposium on Coconut and Coconut Oil in Human Nutrition. 27 March 1994. Coconut Development Board, Kochi, India, 1995, pp 35-59
3. New York Times, Medical Science, Tuesday, January 29, 1991. Common virus seen as having early role in arteries' clogging (byline Sandra Blakeslee).
4. Coconut: In Support of good Health in the 21st Century, by Mary G. Enig, Ph.D., F.A.C.N.
5. http://www.lauric.org/functional.html

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Disclaimer: The statements in this article have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration of any government. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or disorder.