The Philippine Online Chronicles

Virgin Coconut Oil or VCO is known throughout the world as one of the healthiest and versatile oils. It is used in many diverse ways from food preparations, personal products, digestion aid, weight loss, skin problems, and so on. VCO is a “miracle oil” which has many medicinal properties and health benefits which are backed by scientific study and long anecdotal accounts from the world’s biggest producers of coconuts, Philippines and Indonesia.

Health benefits and medicinal uses

Coconut oil is a saturated fat mostly composed of medium-chain fatty acids or triglycerides (MCT). The majority of the the fats we eat are either MCTs, long-chain triglycerides (LCT) and short-chain triglycerides (SCT). Scientists have long known the nutritional benefits of MCTs that it is added to infant formulas due to the similar components it has with human breast milk, and hospital formulations to feed the critically ill and people suffering from digestive problems. It is easily assimilated by the body that it hardly burdens the digestive system. By the time it mixes with the saliva, the enzymes start to break it down therefore, no need for enzymes coming from the pancreas and the liver. It also facilitates digestion and assimilation of other nutrients. In addition, it is a great skin treatment and helps alleviate psoriasis and eczema symptoms. Coconut oil protects the stomach and mouth from ulcers. It makes a good fungicide and naturally has virucidal and antibacterial properties due to its lauric adic content.

Scientific literature proves that coconut oil lowers blood cholesterol levels (LDL), reduces abdominal fat, prevents kidney and bladder stones, control blood sugar which is helpful for diabetics, reduces viral load of HIV patients, facilitates faster absorption of calcium, thyroid function support, increase metabolism and cell regeneration—hence a youthful glow--helpful in treating pancreatitis, speeds up healing of bruises, protects against disease and cancer, among many others.

Other uses of coconut oil

Aside from the usual applications of coconut oil in the typical food preparations, it has many other uses:

Body moisturizer

Sunscreen – coconut oil has SPF of 3-5

Deodorant – very effective when combined with aluminum-free baking soda and cornstarch

Pre and after shave treatment

Dandruff treatment

Odor control for athlete’s foot

Hair conditioner

Frizz control

Toothpaste

Make up remover

Lip moisturizer

Lubricant

Belly moisturizer for pregnant mothers

Nipple cream for nursing mothers

Diaper rash salve

Vegan replacement for butter, lard, vegetable shortening and other cooking oils

Nutritional supplement

Flavoring for smoothies

Seasoning pots and pans

Wood furniture polish

Oil pulling

WHAT IS OIL PULLING?

Oil pulling traces its roots in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years. It is the practice of taking one tablespoon of oil (traditionally sesame or sunflower oils but any vegetable oil will do) in the mouth and swishing, pushing, pulling the oil through the teeth for 15 to 20 minutes then the used oil is discarded and the mouth is rinsed with water. Ideally it is done early in the morning with an empty stomach but can be done up to three times per day. Oil pulling was reintroduced by Dr. F. Karach MD and further developed by Dr. Bruce Fife ND as a therapy which is complemented by pH control and nutrition.

Over the centuries, oil pulling has innumerable testimonies from people all over the world as a powerful detoxifying agent and cure to a wide-range of ailments, from as simple as teeth whitening to curing chronic and painful arthritis. Almost immediately after the first oil pull, simple cases are cured and more serious cases take a few weeks to a few months consistent oil pulling.

Dr. Bruce Fife recommends VCO for oil pulling due to its superior properties. The oil functions as a cleaning agent which is “magnetized” in the mouth when swished, pushed and pulled through the teeth. It “pulls” debris, bacteria, fungi, viruses, mucus, parasites and toxins from the mouth. The mouth is home to billions of microorganisms. Candida and Streptococcus are common mainstays in our mouths, their waste products cause gum disease, tooth decay, bad breath and contributes to the development of diseases such as arthritis and heart disease. Our immune system has the daily burden of fighting these microorganisms. Oil pulling significantly reduces their number which helps improves the overall health condition of the practitioner.

Back in 1992, an analysis of more than 1,000 practitioner testimonies reported that they were cured of the following ailments:

Allergies

Common cold

Headache

Respiratory problems (bronchitis, asthma)

Skin problems (eczema, scars, rashes, itching, pigmentation)

Constipation

Digestive system problems

Arthritis and joint pains

Heart disease

High blood pressure

PMS
Irregular menstruation

Chronic fatigue

Migraine

Oil pulling is one of the most effective and inexpensive healing methodologies or practice addressing a wide-range of health concerns in the world of preventive medicine. All it takes is one tablespoon of VCO and 15 minutes. Happy swishing!

Photo from Flickr.com. Some rights reserved.

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Fristine de Guia-Basa (now better known as Lakapati Basa) is an evolving advocate of sustainable living by supporting raw vegan and organic food; all-natural products; fair trade; buying local--whenever possible. She also describes herself as a slave to gustatory delights; a scientist in the kitchen whose main goal is to protect pig, chicken, cow rights by putting the sun in every plate. She beats stress by sharing and preparing raw food, Dancing, reading, spoiling her three cats, traveling and sending love to everyone in the world. All of which is passionately chronicled in Lakapati.