Thriving Healthy Women Documents

THE NEW YEAR IS A TIME OF RENEWAL

RENEW YOUR BODY WITH THE OIL FROM THE HEALING PALM

The fabulous health benefits of coconuts are finally reaching the mainstream – again. They have, of course been known for many thousands of years.

Here is Catherine’s story.

My name is Catherine Sipoulo. I was born in Suholo in the Solomon Islands. Last year I returned for a visit to my village with my daughter. We were amazed at the health and vigour of the people. My auntie is 63 and she looks 10 years younger. When she walks to a nearby village it takes her about 40 minutes. It took us an hour and a half, and we were exhausted. My aunt said it is because of the natural food she eats. The diet is mainly fish and vegetables, including taro and native greens, all cooked with coconut oil. As well as cooking in coconut oil, they also grate the coconut to make milk. The oil is also rubbed over the whole body to moisturise the skin. Regular rubbing in the hair slows down greying. Some of the really special uses are medicinal. Pregnant mothers have their tummy rubbed with oil, especially when they do not give birth on time. They then deliver a beautiful healthy baby soon after. Before visiting the village I had an accident at work and injured my shoulder. It was very painful, and even physio did not relieve it. My cousin in Suholo rubbed it with coconut oil mixed with the bark of a tree. After being rubbed with this for several days, I experienced tremendous relief. Thank God I re-visited my village and re-learnt the benefits of coconut oil.

COCONUT OIL DEMONISED

Catherine’s village is not unique. People in tropical climates have eaten coconuts for thousands of years, and they were fine, healthy and slim. So what happened to change our attitude to this healing fruit?

There were some experiments that concluded that coconut oil caused hypercholesterolemia. These however were unacceptable as the samples were too small, and hydrogenated coconut oil was used. The vegetable oil industry seized on one of these flawed studies to start a concentrated campaign to demonise all saturated fats, including coconut oil.

ENERGY FOR THE HEART MUSCLE

The heart gets 80 percent of its energy from fat, preferably saturated fat. If it does not get enough it will have to rely on glucose, a less efficient source. When we start adding coconut oil it is like putting a high grade gasoline into our car, according to Dr Bruce Fife.

Let’s look at Sri Lanka for some stats. Between 1970 and 1992 hospital admissions for heart attacks more than tripled, while coconut consumption had reduced from 132 nuts per person per year, to only 90. What caused this problem? Polyunsaturated fats such as flaxseed, canola, soybean, safflower and corn oils were promoted. These had their composition changed by hydrogenation.

Countries that subsist on a coconut-based diet rarely have heart disease. Indeed many studies indicate that heart patients who are fed coconut oil show great improvement as coconut oil decreases the tendency towards platelet stickiness.

COCONUT OIL LIKE MOTHERS’ MILK

Over 60 percent of the fats in coconuts are medium chain fatty acids (MCFA). One of these, lauric acid makes up 50 percent of coconut oil. It is this lauric acid that makes coconut oil so valuable to people with compromised immune systems. It is also one of the principal fats in breast milk and protects the baby from infections. In a study that we are presently undertaking, when a breast-feeding mother added coconut oil to her diet, her baby started really thriving. She is a wonderful advertisement for this healing oil.

COOK WITH COCONUT OIL

No signs of rancidity were present when coconut oil was kept at room temperature for over a year. Raymond Peat Ph.D. has theorized that coconut oil may have antioxidant properties since the oil doesn’t turn rancid and since it reduces the need for vitamin E. Unsaturated oils, on the other hand, turn rancid quickly and deplete vitamin E. This stability of coconut oil makes it ideal for cooking.

ANTI CANCER PROPERTIES OF COCONUT OIL

Many studies have demonstrated a very close association between consumption of unsaturated oils and the incidence of cancer. However, in 1987 a 50 year literature review showed coconut oil had anti cancer effects. In chemically induced cancers of the colon 32 percent of those eating corn oil got colon cancer, but only 3 percent of coconut oil eaters got the cancer.

COCONUT OIL ASSISTS HIV POSITIVE PEOPLE

Mary Enig Ph.D. reported an instance in the US in which a baby who was HIV positive became HIV negative after being fed with an infant formula with high coconut oil content. Enig explained that monolaurin helped in inactivating viruses such as HIV, measles, herpes, vesicular stomatitis and cytomegalovirus. The envelope of these viruses actually disintegrates in the presence of lauric acid. Surely a lauric acid rich diet should be recommended for those diagnosed HIV positive.

COCONUT OIL –THE DIETERS’ BEST FRIEND

You can’t fatten livestock with coconut oil. This was tried in the 1940’s. Farmers found it made the livestock lean and active. They then tried soy and corn. These unsaturated vegetable oils suppressed the thyroid so the animals got fat, without eating much food. Unsaturated oil makes you fat; coconut oil makes you lean and active. Which will you chose?

A NEW YEAR – A TIME FOR RENEWAL

If you want to renew your body, reduce the risk of heart disease, support your immune system, prevent infections and look and feel great, change to the oil from the healing palm, coconut oil. Take a dessertspoon of pure coconut oil before each meal and regain your youthful vigour. Why not start today?

I’ll conclude with a story from a village in the Philippines.

My name is Lilian Wilkie. I grew up in the Philippines. I recently met Dr Jill and John Engelmann, and in the course of conversation they were speaking about the benefits of coconut oil. And in turn I told them of my experience with coconut oil and my grandparents when I was young, visiting my grandparents on one of the islands of the province of Samar.

My grandmother lived till 89 years old. I remember she had beautiful skin and hair with the full set of teeth and good eyesight. She rubbed coconut oil into my skin and hair and always said that it is good for me each time she did it. And, all the cooking was done with coconut oil and coconut milk.

My grandfather lived till the age of 107. He also used coconut oil on his whole body. He had good skin and full set of teeth, I can’t say anything about his hair as he was bald but had perfect eyesight, could even thread a needle at his age and always walked kilometres each day. Also, he was the herbal doctor of the province, massaging coconut oil for aches, pains and sprains.

At that time I never gave any importance to the benefits of coconut oil, and now at 52, I realize the importance and benefits that coconut oil played in the lives of my grandparents and their children and us grandchildren. I’m going to start using coconut oil again, as I did when I was young.

Jill Engelmann Ph.D.

Co-author (with husband John) of Healthy Slim People EAT FAT