Superfood : Coconut Benefits

Benefits

The following benefits may be derived from coconut products such as fresh young coconut flesh, coconut cream, and coconut oil. 

1. They improve digestions and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and amino acids.

2. They are valuable to the immune system as they contain healthy antiviral , antifungal , and antimicrobial saturated fatty acids, helping to naturally fight off viruses,  bacteria, and fungal overgrowth.

3. They improve the utilization of blood sugar and can lessen the symptoms of hypoglycemia. 

4. They improve the absorption of the right kinds of calcium and magnesium ions. 

5. to 15. (to be continue ... another day..I'll be back) 


Amazing Coconut Benefits
Superfoods 101: 9 Amazing Coconut Benefits.  

Coconut benefits are quite extensive.  

But first, a little bit about coconuts. Coconut palms are plants distantly related to grasses.  Because of their origins, they are extremely tolerant to salt and grow very close to the oceans. They are known to absorb nearly every mineral useful to our nutrition. Coconut translates in Sanskrit as “the tree that supplies all that is needed to live”.

The coconut is one of Mother Nature’s most perfect water filters. Within nine months, each liter of water in the shell is filtered as the water rises up through its fibers that purify the water. 

Here are some coconut benefits:

1) Anti-aging and Beautifying Properties.
 Young coconuts in particular contain a soft-meat that has high amounts of a pure saturated fat. This fat has the ability to repair and rejuvenate age-related tissue damage from oxidation. Coconuts are helpful in supporting and regulating a healthy anti-aging hormone production. Coconuts contain pregnenolone. Pregnenolone is an anti-aging hormone compound famous for its beautifying qualities. It improves circulation of the skin, gives faces a lift, aids in restoring sagging skin and reduces bags under the eyes as it promotes muscle like cells to contract. The ancient medicine of india, Aryurveda, as well as the medicinal systems of Polynesia have a long history of using coconut’s therapeutic and cosmetic properties.

When applied to the skin, coconut oil and cream can prevent skin eruptions and rashes.



2) Improved Nervous System Function.
 The saturated fats in coconuts are vital for the health of growing nervous systems, particularly those of children. Its pregnenolone helps protect the nerves from stress, enhances memory and even has anti-anxiety and anti-fatigue properties.



3) Increased Breast Milk Production.
 The young meat in coconuts is immediately transformed into breast milk. Besides this valuable benefit, coconut products in general can be very valuable for pregnancy, post-pregnancy and breast-feeding.



4) Improved Metabolism.
 Unlike long-chain, saturated animal fats from meat and diary products, coconut products contain medium-chain fatty acids that the body can metabolize easily and transform into energy quickly. They also contain compounds in charge of growth. Coconuts help the body by improving muscle size and overall physical growth in children. Regularly consuming coconut products help restore thyroid function and increase metabolic rate that is crucial to weight loss.



5) Improved Cholesterol Levels and Cardiovascular Health.
 People in tropical regions have lower cholesterol levels than those in the U.S. This is probably related to the fact that coconut oil helps normalize cholesterol levels.



6) Improved Immune System.
 Coconuts contain antiviral, antifungal and antimicrobial saturated fatty acids that are crucial allies in fighting off viruses, bacteria and fungal overgrowth. MCFAs support immune system function and their raw saturated fats and oils contain powerful antioxidants.



7) Improved Absorption of Omega 3s and Omega 6s.
 Coconuts help digestion and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and amino acids. Coconut oil is higher in lauric acid than any other plant source. Lauric acid is a powerful antiviral substance that helps the body use the essential fatty acids more efficiently. In fact, coconut oil and omega-3 fatty acids have shown to be twice as effective when consumed together.



8) Weight-loss and Detoxifying Properties. Contrary to popular belief, coconuts in fact help accelerate our metabolism because they can’t be stored in the body as fat. This contributes to firing our excess fat-burning metabolism quickly. The presence of medium-chain saturated fatty acids helps increase our metabolism and contributes to weight loss. They also help displace hydrogenated trans-fatty acids that are known to be toxic to us.



9) Effective Against Kidney Stones. Coconut water helps fight calcifications  and nanobacteria in the kidneys.


Coconuts can be a fantastic source of nutrition for your everyday life. Do you use coconuts regularly?  So feel free to post your comments below.

Women's Healthy - Breast Cancer Prevention

In the face of epidemics, scientific research has often empowered people to defend themselves --- choosing to give up smoking to reduce the risk of getting cancer and other heart and lungs diseases, and lowering blood pressure to ward off strokes. 
Although women have felt powerless to prevent breast cancer in the past, extensive research in recent decades, 1990s- 2015, has armed them with important information and useful tools for protection. Through these widespread studies, nutrition is emerging as a key component of preventing  breast cancer. 
Nutrition might even be the most powerful measure the majority of women can take against breast cancer.
(Genetic predisposition is another question but nutritional intervention can still play an important role.)
Researchers at the Simone Protective Cancer Institute of New Jersey point out that 90 percent of all cancers could be traced back to smoking and dietary, or nutritional, factors. 
Diets rich in nutritional chemopreventive substances -- nutrients and phytochemicals that delay , forestall , or even reverse the growth cycle of cancerous cells -- are an important avenue to cancer prevention. 

So- while age and family history are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, much research suggests that women are NOT HELPLESS in the face of this disease. They can take charge through nutritional programs designed to prevent the cancer from ever occurring. 

PHYTOCHEMICAL : A large, general class of compounds that includes vitamins, minerals, and other naturally occurring nutrients and non-nutritive substances in plants. 

Some of the latest research concerning breast cancer prevention underscores the importance of diets rich in various superfoods and nutrients. The recommendations include olive oil, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and other cruciferous vegetables ( for their indole-3-carbinol), carrots ( for their carotenoids) , fish oil ( for its docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid) , green tea ( for its polyphenols and catechins), foods high in folic acid and the  B-vitamins, raw fruits and vegetables containing beta-carotene and glucaric acid, and foods low in saturated fats. 
One of the newer foods to hit this list of chemopreventive substance is the pomegranate, a rich source of ellagic acid and related compounds. 

 Ellagic Acid is a natural nutrient found in many potent anti-cancer fruits and nuts. By itself it is not a cancer treatment, but it is important to understand the importance of this nutrient when putting together your cancer treatment and especially your “cancer diet.”

How It Works

Ellagic acid is a naturally occurring polyphenolic constituent found in 46 different fruits and nuts such as grapes, pomegranate, red raspberry, strawberry, blueberry and walnuts. “[Ellagic acid] prevents the binding of carcinogens to DNA and strengthens connective tissue, which may keep cancer cells from spreading.” Ellagic Acid has the ability to inhibit mutations within a cell’s DNA. Furthermore, it is considered to be a cancer inhibitor which has the ability to cause apoptosis or normal cell death in cancer cells.

And today I want to share a little bit with you on acidity in the body. Now here's a little chemistry for you. When you are neutral you are at pH seven. Anything that's above seven is considered alkaline. Anything that's below seven is considered acidic. Now we are neutral at pH of seven as human beings. And anytime we get below seven we're considered to be in an acidic state. And most of the chronic diseases that we face today are attributed to having a highly acidic diet. Now you might be asking yourself what is considered acidic. Anything that has full fat dairy, soda, sugary drinks, most meats unless they're lean. And cheeses. So those are just a few of the things that can actually put your body into more of an acidic state. 
Now what are alkaline things. Produce, fresh produce for the most part will help to correct that acidity in your body. You can also add lemon which you might be thinking well lemon is acidic. But it's actually a form of acid that helps to normalize your pH. Another thing that's really helpful is apple cider vinegar. You can add a teaspoon to about five to six ounces of water. And that can help balance your acidity as well. So if you are thinking "am I acidic or not"? The answer is probably yes because most of us are. There is so much refined processed food in our diet. So make it a point to get fresh fruits and vegetables in every single day. Add apple cider vinegar to your water. And maybe throw in a little bit of lemon. And enjoy some fresh juice and you'll be well on your way to helping to normalize your pH and be healthy.