[CavySpirit]

I came across this rather succinct article today and thought I'd share it, despite the ad at the end. I've been using coconut oil heavily for about 4-5 months now and it's helped me change my life around!

I've given up coffee, sugar, alcohol, wheat, processed foods, lost going on 25 pounds so far, rid myself of a constant depression, increased my metabolism and energy levels, improved my skin and I feel great. It's been a day at a time effort, but I couldn't have done it without coconut oil. I'm a huge, huge fan. I've bought books, done a ton of research, signed up for a yahoo group, etc.

Coconut Oil
by Raymond Francis

Unjustly maligned for decades, coconut oil is reemerging as a miracle
fat that boosts energy, burns fat, is antibiotic, and helps with
thyroid problems. In the past, poorly done, misleading studies were
used to discredit the saturated fats in coconut oil in order to
displace it in our diet with soybean oil. Now that soybean oil has
caused an epidemic of health problems, healthy coconut oil is being
reintroduced.

Coconut oil has been safely used for thousands of years. Natives in
tropical climates who consume lots of coconut oil don't suffer from
the heart disease, cancer, colon problems, and other health challenges
that we do. Because it is highly saturated, coconut oil is very
stable, stores well, and is suitable for cooking. But don't let the
saturation bother you. These saturated fats are different. The
medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are easy to absorb, digest,
transport, and metabolize in the body. Unlike other saturated fats,
the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil speed up the body's
metabolism and are used by the body to produce energy rather than
being stored as fat. Coconut oil does a body good. Let's have a look
at the reasons why:

Heart Healthy
Population studies show that coconut oil lowers cholesterol, and
reduces risk of heart disease. Americans consistently have higher
cholesterol levels than coconut eating cultures.

Weight Control
Coconut oil helps you to lose, maintain, or gain weight depending on
your body's need. It contributes to weight loss by speeding metabolism
and being used as fuel rather than stored as fat. For underweight
people, coconut oil helps to gain weight, especially useful to those
suffering from AIDS or cancer.

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 such as H-pylori, Candida albicans,
and Giardia. Natives in Southeast Asia who drink filthy water, loaded
with bacteria and parasites, are nonetheless healthy, mostly due to
the protective effect of the coconut oil in their diets.

Thyroid Support
Coconut oil helps people with low thyroid function. Regular oils such
as soybean, canola, safflower and corn suppress thyroid function. The
medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil stimulate metabolism, boost
energy, and promote weight loss. While not a cure, some people have
been able to reduce and even eliminate their thyroid medications.

Cancer Protective
Coconut oil appears to protect against cancer and not to promote
cancer. Animal studies have shown that when animals are fed
carcinogens and a variety of oils, the animals that do not develop
cancer are those on coconut oil.

Anti-Inflammatory Effects
Coconut oil appears to have anti-inflammatory effects. For the past 20
years it has been known that coconut oil has been beneficial to
patients with inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease.
Coconut oil 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.

Good for the Skin
Coconut oil rejuvenates skin and wrinkles and slows the aging and
wrinkling of skin. Used as a lotion, it protects against sun
damage, and strengthens underlying tissues. It moisturizes, heals
sores and injuries, and prevents production of "liver spots,"
(oxidized oils). When liver spots occur, this same oxidative damage
is also happening in other tissues such as the brain, heart, eyes, and
blood vessels.

Among other properties, coconut oil:
• Does not require refrigeration, and is stable at room temperature
from one to five years.
• Increases lung function by increasing the fluidity of cell surfaces.
• Regulates blood sugar and prevents hypoglycemia by providing a
supply of fuel not affected by insulin.
• Boosts energy in chronic fatigue and suppresses herpes and
Epstein-Barr viruses.
• Doesn't oxidize easily, thereby protecting the body from lipid
peroxidation.

Selecting a healthy, high-quality coconut oil was no easy task.
Obtaining reliable information about production techniques and quality
was difficult. These products come from far away third-world
countries, and from small producers who may speak poor English and
have difficulty answering technical questions. I found that even some
usually reliable sources in the U.S. were not offering the best oil
because they ran up against the same problems, didn't do their
homework, and made poor choices.

The virgin coconut oil I have approved is the least processed oil on
the market. This extraordinary oil is not heated above normal air
temperature, and it is made form freshly harvested coconuts. Most oils
are made from copra (dried coconut), which can be contaminated with
mold. A therapeutic dose is three tablespoons a day.

Raymond Francis is an M.I.T.-trained scientist, a registered nutrition
consultant, author of Never Be Sick Again, Never Be Fat Again, host of
the Beyond Health Show and an internationally recognized leader in the
emerging field of optimal health maintenance. For more information
call 800-250-3063 or email info@beyondhealth. com.

Just FYI, you need to buy Virgin, Cold-Pressed, Organic Coconut Oil. I also buy the Coconut Creme for my herbal teas. I buy organic coconut milk for cooking. It makes an incredibly easy and delicious soup base. I've special ordered coconut flour from Whole Foods. I buy fresh coconuts at the Asian market or Whole Foods for the water and meat.

Also, there are a number of applications of coconut oil for guinea pigs and pets.