Lose weight with virgin coconut oil

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Hypothyroidism and Virgin Coconut Oil

 

 

There are many side effects of a sluggish thyroid gland and the resulting

slower metabolism. First of all it effects your energy level greatly, and with

a slower metabolism and subsequent reduction in activity (and energy) there is

often unwanted weight gain. Unfortunately, a person's health is effected, as

well. Coconut oil can help with a lot of these problems. Several health

problems such as obesity, heart disease, and osteoporosis are more prevalent in

those people who have slow metabolism. Any health condition is made worse if

the metabolic rate is slower than normal, because the cells can't heal and

repair themselves as quickly. People with hypothyroidism desperately want to

live normal, energetic lives and it is quite possible adding coconut oil to your

diet will be part of your answer.

 

Increase your Metabolism and Energy Level

 

Coconut oil or some form of it is used in many hospital formulas to help the

very old, the very young, and the very ill to regain their strength and

vitality. The medium chain fatty acids in coconut oil are much different that

the long chain fatty acids found in the seed oils. This difference effects how

the body utilizes this oil, how it is digested and metabolized, and how it aids

the body.

 

The medium chain fatty acids in coconut oil are easily absorbed and put to use

nourishing the body. Unlike other fats, they put little strain on the digestive

system and provide a quick source of energy. On the other hand, long chain

fatty acids are usually digested with digestive enzymes from the liver and take

a long time to breakdown. Less enzymes and less energy are required for coconut

oil digestion. You see, the medium chain fatty acids in coconut oil are

digested and absorbed quickly and with minimal effort. Because of this there is

less strain on the pancreas, liver and the digestive system. This is important

for persons who suffer from metabolic problems.

 

Once digested long chain fatty acids go on to be stored in adipose tissue to be

used later. However, coconut oil, because it contains shorter fatty acid

chains, is absorbed into the blood stream and used by the body for energy.

Many people describe the " burning " of coconut oil as being similar to the

" burning " of carbohydrates for fuel. The long chain fatty acids, which are

digested by the body, must be linked up with carrier proteins (they are called

lipoproteins) and carried though out the body. They can be used by the cells or

organs for energy or stored in adipose tissue or dropped off on the sides of

arteries, etc. The fats which do this are cholesterol, long chain saturated

fats, monounsaturated fat, and polyunsaturated fat. The medium chain fatty

acids, however, are not packaged into lipoproteins, but travel to the liver

where they are converted into energy. Ordinarily they are not stored to any

significant degree as body fat. Medium chain fatty acids produce energy. Other

dietary fats produce fat.

 

For energy, if the body uses carbohydrates, insulin, produced by the pancreas,

is required for the glucose molecules to be able to enter into the cell. Many,

many people develop a resistance to insulin as they get older and it becomes

increasingly more difficult for the body to get these molecule into the cells.

Any extra glucose which can or does not get used by the body for energy is

turned into triglycerides and then carried by carriers all over the body. You

can have high triglycerides in your blood and not eat an ounce of fat. Even

total vegitarians can have high triglycerides from eating a high carbohydrate

diet. Triglycerides and the lipoproteins, in the same manner as glucose, travel

across the cell membrane to be used as energy, and they too require carriers

(enzymes) in order to permeate both membranes of the cell's mitrochondria where

their energy is released. Since the longer chain fatty acids demand special

enzymes to pull them through the double membrane, the energy production process

is much slower and taxing on the enzyme reserves. Medium chain fatty acids are

unique in that they can easily permeate both membranes of the mitrochondria

without the need of enzymes and thus provide the cell with a quick and efficient

source of energy. This is great news if you are feeling fatigued.

 

Eating foods containing medium chain fatty acids is like putting high octane

fuel into your car. The car will run smoother and get better gas mileage.

Likewise, with medium chain fatty acids, your body will perform better because

it has more energy and greater endurance. Because MCFA are funneled directly to

the liver and converted into energy, the body gets a boost of energy. And

because MCFA are easily absorbed by the energy-producing organelles of the

cells, metabolism increases. This burst of energy has a stimulating effect on

the entire body. Many people, those with relatively good health, those with

significant health problems, and those who are overweight notice a speeding up

of their heart rate, their metabolism and their body temperature when they add

coconut oil to their diet.

 

It is important to realize that insulin is not involved in any of the process of

getting these medium chain fatty acids into the cells and so you will not see a

" sugar high " (or peak in your sugar level) and a " sugar low " where you want to

go to sleep.

 

The fact that MCFA digest immediately to produce energy and stimulate metabolism

has led athletes to use them as a means to enhance exercise performance. There

are several studies showing this to be true. For example, in one study,

investigators tested the physical endurance of mice who were given MCFA in their

daily diet against those that weren't. The study extended over a six week

period. The mice were subjected to a swimming endurance test every other day.

They were placed in a pool of water with a constant current flow like that found

in a river. The total swimming time until exhaustion was measured. While at

first there was little difference between the groups of mice, those fed MCFA

quickly began to out-perform the others and continued to improve throughout the

testing period.1

 

To be fair, there are studies which have concluded that MCFA do not have an

effect on energy levels and endurance. These studies have drawn this conclusion

based on one time dosages of MCFA. The studies which are cited that show a

definite benefit from the MCFA are those where the oil was given on a daily

basis for a period of time. Therefore, it appears that for the best benefit a

person should consume these medium chain fatty acids on a daily basis.

 

Besides increasing your energy level, there are other very important benefits

that results from boosting your metabolic rate: it helps protect you from

illness and speeds healing. When metabolism is increased, cells function at a

higher rate of efficiency. They heal injuries quicker, old and diseased cells

are replaced faster. Young, new cells are generated at an increased rate to

replace the worn-out ones. Even the immune system functions better.

 

Eat Fat, Lose Weight

 

In the United States 55% of the population is overweight. One in 4 adults is

considered obese. Being overweight increases risk for gall bladder, disease,

osteo-arthritis, diabetes, heart disease and early death.

 

You can reduce you food intake, reduce your fat intake, and you can be hungry

all the time, feel miserable, depressed and not lose many (if any) pounds. Most

people eventually give up with no lasting or significant weight loss. Each time

you lower your calorie intake your body lowers it basal metabolism and you

require less calories to go through a day, which will result in more weight gain

once you give up your diet. It is a vicious cycle. Young people require more

calories than older people. Physically active people use more calories than

less active ones. People who are fasting, starving, or even dieting use less

calories than people who are not. And over weight people use fewer calories

than lean or muscular people. Overweight people who are dieting have even lower

metabolism. And then if your thyroid gland is not working well, you may feel

quite desperate. Interestingly enough, many people find, that by changing the

fats they have in their diet from the unsaturated long chain fatty acids (found

in seed oils) to the medium chain fatty acids (found in coconut oil), they

gradually over the the weeks and months lose weight effortlessly. It has also

been well documented in numerous dietary studies using both animals and humans

that replacing long chain fatty acids with medium chain fatty acids results in a

decrease in body weight gain and a reduction in fat deposition. 2-8

 

The reasons seem to be two fold. Since carbohydrates are usually used for

energy, if they are not in excess they will not be turned into triglycerides and

go into fat stores. Proteins are rarely used for energy. They make up the

building blocks of much of our cells and systems and are usually used in that

function. But fats, if in long chains, will almost always go into fat stores

unless the calorie intake is low and they are needed for energy. However, the

medium chain fatty acids will not do that. They will help in the digestion of

the fat soluable vitamin, and they will fight bacteria and viruses (lauric acid

is known for dissolving the lipid envelope that protects many pathogenic viruses

and bacteria) and in the end rather than adding to fat stores these fatty acid

chains will be used up for energy by the body. And since coconut oil will speed

up metabolism, your body will actually be burning more calories in a day and you

will have more energy. You may even become more active. This will only help to

accelerate weight loss and renew your health. It is very interesting to see

studies that show the unsaturated fats as having an effect on the body of

causing hypothyroidism and a lower metabolic rate and the coconut oil speeding

up metabolism and increasing thyroid activity.