COCONUT OIL, according to nutritionist Dr. Bruce Fife, can emerge as a safe treatment for HIV/AIDS.
Dr. Fife, a U.S. researcher and nutritionist who presented a lecture in Jamaica recently, said that unlike drugs used to treat HIV by attacking the virus' genetic material, the medium-chain fatty acids found in coconut oil break the virus apart, setting up a formidable attack against even the genetically drug-resistant superviruses.
In his book, 'The Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil' Dr. Fife claims that in the 1980s, researchers discovered that the medium-chain fatty acids lauric and capric acids were found to be effective in killing HIV in lab cultures. He indicates that persons infected with HIV have reported a decrease in their viral loads and overall health after eating coconut or drinking coconut milk.
Dr. Fife refers to a study by Cornrado Dayrit M.D. emeritus professor of pharmacology, University of the Philippines, on the effectiveness of coconut oil to treat HIV patients; nine of the 14 patients in this study had decreased viral load count and 11 regained weight and appeared to be improving in health.
In some cultures, for example, among indigenous cultures in the Pacific Ocean, India and Southeast Asia, coconut oil is regarded not only as food but as medicine. Dr. Fife indicates that besides HIV/AIDS many other difficult-to-treat illnesses such as herpes and hepatitis C can be combated by adding coconut oil to the diet. The exceptional healing power to coconut oil, according to the Dr. Fife, lies in its chemical fat makeup of medium-chain fatty acids. He indicates that it is the presence of these types of fatty acids in breast milk that offers to newborns, with very fragile immune systems, protection against diseases in the first few months of life.
Coconut oil, Dr. Fife indicates, contains 20 times as much fatty acids as is found in milk and researchers are currently exploring the manufacturing of pills containing coconut oil's active ingredients as treatment for diseases such as hepatitis C and HIV.
OSTEOPOROSIS
Coconut oil, Dr. Fife indicates, also enhances the absorption and retention of calcium and magnesium, important minerals for healthy bones. The fat-like substance, sterols, found in virgin coconut oil and fresh coconut, he says, have similar structure to pregnenolone, an important substance in the production of some hormones linked to bone health especially in women. He states further that populations whose diets are biased toward coconut, rarely suffer osteoporosis.
Dr. Fife also produces evidence indicating the power of coconut oil in treating gallbladder disease, diabetes, liver disease, Crohn's disease, prostate enlargement, cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome and in weight control.
DAILY DOSE OF COCONUT OIL
Dr. Fife recommend taking a tablespoonful of coconut oil daily as a dietary supplement. For adults, daily dosage is 3.5 tablespoons but persons can still benefit from only taking one or two tablespoons daily.
If you can't handle the oil straight from the spoon use it in various recipes. It can be mixed into hot cereal for example, like oatmeal. Also, 10 ounces of coconut milk supplies about 3.5 tablespoons
of the oil.
- EULALEE THOMPSON
