Coconut is what I refer to as a God food, and anything that he created would have to mean; Coconuts are good for us... as long as it is in its natural state (nothing added by man).
Coconuts, particularly young green coconuts and coconut water, are an excellent source of good saturated fats. Coconuts are as high as 70% fat with 90% of that being saturated fat. Coconut oil is the most saturated of all vegetable oils, which makes it very stable and slow to go rancid. The fat in coconut is almost all in the form of health promoting, immune boosting medium chained saturated fats.
Despite the bad reputation of saturated fat, whole coconut, coconut milk and cold pressed coconut oil are good for you. Coconut in these forms has not been shown to increase cholesterol levels or heart disease but rather to lower cholesterol and raise HDL in some populations. It is only when the fats in coconut are hydrogenated and turned into trans fats that they become harmful.
In many traditional diets coconuts have been used as a nourishing and strengthening food and as a medicine with special healing powers. Thailand, where coconut is abundant in the diet, has the lowest cancer rate of the fifty countries surveyed by the National Cancer Institute.
Coconut milk is close to human breast milk in its pH, and fat and nutrient content. Coconut milk is a good source of calcium, manganese, selenium, zinc and iron. Coconut water measures the same pH as human blood.
Coconut milk and coconut oil contains lauric acid (whose only other abundant source in nature is human breast milk). Lauric acid is considered antiviral, antibacterial and antiprotozoal and is converted by the body into monolaurin, which is believed to cause the disintegration of viruses, including HIV, measles, herpes simplex virus, cytomegalovirus influenza virus, and pneumonovirus. Monolaurin, from coconut milk has been shown to inactivate H.pylori. Furthermore, H.pylori has not been able to develop resistance to monolaurin and coconuts natural antimicrobials, as it has to many antibiotic drugs. Coconut milk has also been shown to eliminate many fungi, yeast and protozoa, including several species of ringworm and to be an effective agent used against bacteria and viruses.
Even with its heavy fat content, coconut oil appears to promote weight loss. Coconut oil has not been found to increase body fat and it actually decreases white fat stores, is related to the production of fewer fat cells, increases thermogenesis by 50% and increases the body’s metabolic rate.
Research suggests that the average adult would benefit from 24 grams of lauric acid daily, which can be obtained by eating 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil, 10 ounces of pure coconut milk, or 7 ounces of raw coconut daily. Since allergies to coconut are caused by the protein, the oil is usually safe for those who are allergic – but check first. Coconut contains oxalate which some people with a history of oxalate containing kidney stones may need to avoid.
You can use coconut in many forms:
Fresh- once opened refrigerate and use within 7-10 days
Dried coconut meat - store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a month or freezer for longer; be sure to avoid the types sweetened with sugar or with added preservatives and other additives especially propylene glycol (used in antifreeze)
Creamed coconut - store in the refrigerator fresh for 7-10 days
Canned coconut milk - be sure and buy whole fat, not low fat coconut milk which has had many of the benefits of coconut’s special medium chained fat removed ; store unused portions in the refrigerator for 7-10 days
Coconut oil – choose only food grade, cold pressed oil that has not been hydrogenated ; best if used within a month after opening
You can easily incorporate coconut into your life by making curries, putting coconut milk into your protein drinks, using coconut oil to cook, and in place of butter.
Resource; Evenstar Mood & Energy Wellness Center
Yours in Health, Robin
Using exercise tubing to perform curls gives you a different resistance compared to using weights and is a good way to vary your routine. For more information on Exercise tubing see Meet Exercise Tubing or Triceps Extension with exercise tubing.
Before you start the exercise, you should make sure you stand in the middle of the exercise tubing to ensure you have equal resistance for both arms. As you perform the curls, keep your upper arms stable and hold your elbows close to your sides, without digging them into your body for support. As with all exercises, concentrate on keeping your movements slow and controlled as you lift and lower your arms.
Try to perform the full range of movement for each repetition, lifting all the way up until the tubing is taut and lowering all the way down without locking your elbows.
1. Grasp a handle of the exercise tubing in each hand.
2. Stand on the middle of the tubing with both feet. Position your feet roughly shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent.
3. Start with your arms at your sides, your elbows slightly bent and both palms facing forward. Tighten your abdominal muscles to help protect your back.
4. Keeping your elbows close to your sides, slowly bend your arms to raise your hands toward your shoulders.
5. Slowly straighten you arms to lower your hands back to the starting position.
Ask Robin...
Q. How can I work only one arm at a time?
A. Perform the exercise as described in the steps above, except alternate between lifting your left arm and your right arm.
You can also hold only one handle of the exercise tubing and perform curls while you other arm is resting at your side. When performing this last variation, you can increase the resistance for each arm by standing closer to the handle of the arm you are working, or standing farther away from the handle for less resistance.
Q. Is there a harder variation of the exercise that I can perform?
A. Yes. Perform the exercise as described in the steps above, except hold both handles of the exercise tubing in your left hand. Standing on the tubing with your feet slightly closer than shoulder width apart, slowly raise and lower your left hand to perform the exercise. After completing a set with your left arm, switch arms and then repeat the exercise with your right arm.
A. Angela, I hope you do not mind I added your last name initial, I am trying to keep my Angelas straight, there are a few of you...imagine that...smile!
Coconut is what I refer to as a God food, and anything that he created would have to mean; Coconuts are good for us... as long as it is in its natural state (nothing added by man).
Coconuts, particularly young green coconuts and coconut water, are an excellent source of good saturated fats. Coconuts are as high as 70% fat with 90% of that being saturated fat. Coconut oil is the most saturated of all vegetable oils, which makes it very stable and slow to go rancid. The fat in coconut is almost all in the form of health promoting, immune boosting medium chained saturated fats.
Despite the bad reputation of saturated fat, whole coconut, coconut milk and cold pressed coconut oil are good for you. Coconut in these forms has not been shown to increase cholesterol levels or heart disease but rather to lower cholesterol and raise HDL in some populations. It is only when the fats in coconut are hydrogenated and turned into trans fats that they become harmful.
In many traditional diets coconuts have been used as a nourishing and strengthening food and as a medicine with special healing powers. Thailand, where coconut is abundant in the diet, has the lowest cancer rate of the fifty countries surveyed by the National Cancer Institute.
Coconut milk is close to human breast milk in its pH, and fat and nutrient content. Coconut milk is a good source of calcium, manganese, selenium, zinc and iron. Coconut water measures the same pH as human blood.
Coconut milk and coconut oil contains lauric acid (whose only other abundant source in nature is human breast milk). Lauric acid is considered antiviral, antibacterial and antiprotozoal and is converted by the body into monolaurin, which is believed to cause the disintegration of viruses, including HIV, measles, herpes simplex virus, cytomegalovirus influenza virus, and pneumonovirus. Monolaurin, from coconut milk has been shown to inactivate H.pylori. Furthermore, H.pylori has not been able to develop resistance to monolaurin and coconuts natural antimicrobials, as it has to many antibiotic drugs. Coconut milk has also been shown to eliminate many fungi, yeast and protozoa, including several species of ringworm and to be an effective agent used against bacteria and viruses.
Even with its heavy fat content, coconut oil appears to promote weight loss. Coconut oil has not been found to increase body fat and it actually decreases white fat stores, is related to the production of fewer fat cells, increases thermogenesis by 50% and increases the body’s metabolic rate.
Research suggests that the average adult would benefit from 24 grams of lauric acid daily, which can be obtained by eating 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil, 10 ounces of pure coconut milk, or 7 ounces of raw coconut daily. Since allergies to coconut are caused by the protein, the oil is usually safe for those who are allergic – but check first. Coconut contains oxalate which some people with a history of oxalate containing kidney stones may need to avoid.
You can use coconut in many forms:
You can easily incorporate coconut into your life by making curries, putting coconut milk into your protein drinks, using coconut oil to cook, and in place of butter.
Resource; Evenstar Mood & Energy Wellness Center
Yours in Health, Robin