Go loco for coconut

You can eat it, cook with it, spread it on your skin. It aids weight loss, makes your skin look younger, treats skin conditions, such as eczema and psoriasis, makes your hair silky, cures fungal infections, heals burns, scars and insect bites. What is this magical elixir? It's coconut oil.


Coconut itself is remarkable. You can drink its nutritional water, eat its delicious flesh, cream it and its husk is used in tropical countries for bowls, baskets, roofs and many other practical things, but it's the coconut oil that hails numerous health benefits earning it a reputation as a remarkable food and medicine.


Coconut oil has been described as the healthiest oil on the planet. It was once considered as unhealthy due to its high saturated fat content. Now however, it has been discovered that the oil in coconut is different from other fats with many unique health giving properties.

What makes coconut oil so different from other saturated fats?
It's all about the molecular structure. All fats are made of fatty acids which are made up of long carbon chains with hydrogen atoms attached. Different types of fats can be classified by their level of “saturation” of hydrogen. A saturated fat has no possibility to attract more hydrogen atoms and is therefore very stable. A polyunsaturated fat has many free spaces for hydrogen atoms and is therefore reactive and not a stable structure and a monounsaturated fat has only one available space for hydrogen, making it relatively stable. Flax oil is a polyunsaturated fat and too unstable to cook with, olive oil is a monounsaturated fat and can be healthily cooked at low temperatures and coconut oil is a saturated fat, which can be safely heated to high temperatures. Unlike saturated fats from animal sources, coconut oil does not raise cholesterol levels in the body or contribute to cardiovascular disease. In fact, it does the opposite. It can effectively lower LDL cholesterol and has a protective effect on the arteries.  It does this because of the size of its molecule.


Why is size so important?
The size of the fat molecule is important. Fats can be classified based on the length of the carbon chain within each fatty acid.  Some are short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) or long chain fatty acids (LCFAs). The size of the fatty acid is extremely important as the body metabolizes the fatty acids differently according to their size. Coconut oil is comprised of MCFAs, whereas the saturated fats from animal sources are mainly LCFAs. It's the long chain fatty acids that lead to weight gain, raised cholesterol levels, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease and put a strain on the liver, pancreas and digestive tract. Medium chain fatty acids on the other hand lower the risk of these conditions.


The long chain fatty acids are also known as long chain triglycerides (LCTs) and the body needs to  package them with carrier proteins requiring special enzymes to effectively metabolize them. The medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) found in coconut oil are smaller and can easily cross cell membranes without the need for the special enzymes or carrier proteins. MCTs go straight to the liver where they are converted to energy that the body can use rather than being stored as fat. The MCTs don't even need bile or pancreatic enzymes to be used by the body and are therefore perfect for those who have no gallbladder.

Mother Nature's Milk
Coconut oil, like mother's milk, is rich in lauric acid. Once inside our bodies, lauric acid gets converted to monolaurin, which has powerful anti-viral, anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties and does not harm our natural defenses, like medicines can. 


Coconut magic
Coconut oil really is a miracle food. It stabilizes blood sugar levels, helps balance hormones, stimulates thyroid function leading to increased metabolism and fat burning, reduces stress on the liver and pancreas and boosts the cellular healing processs of the body by destroying dangerous microbes and enhancing tissue repair, hence its ability to aid the healing if skin wounds, cuts, burns and bruizes.  As it is so easy to metabolize, it effectively boosts our energy levels.


Skin deep
Coconut oil is the perfect anti-aging treatment keeping the skin soft and supple and the connective tissue strong. It has an antioxidant effect which protects the skin from free radical damage and helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.


Not only does the skin benefit from the marvelous oil, but the hair and scalp too. Hair becomes soft and silky with regular use and coconut oil can effectively treat dandruff and dry scalp.


Coconut lifestyle

• Use it to cook with. Its stabilty at high temperatures makes it a healthy oil for cooking
• Take it raw off the spoon daily for its health giving properties
• Use it as a body and facial moisturizer
• Rub it into your hair and scalp for healthy, shiny hair
• Apply it to underarms as a natural deodorant
• Apply it to insect bites, stings, burns and skin irritations to aid healing
• Spread it on bread or use it in smoothies, shakes and desserts
• Eat the coconut flesh, dried flakes and drink the coconut water

I'm sitting here writing this blog from my tropical home on Koh Samui, Thailand. I have an abundance of this magical elixir readily available, this being coconut island. If you live in less tropical climes, head to your local health shop for a pot of this magic oil. There is no other natural product like it. Where else can you find an oil that has so many uses? Make coconut oil a part of your daily routine and you will shine both inside and out. I simply couldn't live without it! 




Article by Jo Rowkins DipNT MBANT, nutritionist.
www.awakeninghealth.co.uk
+66 (0)8228 13078
jorowkins@hotmail.com

Have a healthy Christmas

If Christmas for you is a time of over-indulgence, rich foods, excess alcohol and too many unhealthy nibbles at the festive parties, read on to discover some tips to help you have a happier, healthier Yuletide. You can choose to enjoy the festive season without suffering from the after effects of over-indulgence, such as weight gain, tiredness, hangovers and digestive disturbance. 

Over-indulgence usually goes hand in hand with under-nourishment. You may be eating more, but often it's not more nutritious. The party foods combined with the increased alcohol consumption can lead to Christmas misery, as our bodies' become exhausted by the time Christmas day actually arrives.

If you live in a temperate climate, the wintertime can increase your susceptibility to coughs and colds and the run up to Christmas can be a stressful experience for many families. Combine that with the possibility that you have been working hard all year, and you have a recipe for a depleted immune system, possible burn-out, or a case of the Christmas sniffles.

Healthy nibbles
Go for lots of fresh vegetable sticks and healthy dips, like guacamole and hummus. This will increase your fresh, raw vegetable intake. Avoid the crisps and refined crackers that are often placed alongside the dip bowl.

Good additions to the nibble plate are fresh fruits, raw nuts and seeds, avocados, asparagus, olives and finger food delights, such as nori seaweed rolls, roasted vegetables, celery sticks filled with almond butter, fresh sushi, seafood and other quality proteins, like bean salad. Try to eat in moderation, or avoid completely, the readymade, processed snacks that you buy from the supermarket, e.g. Sausage rolls, pork pies, dips made with salad cream or mayonnaise and rich fatty cheeses.


Tranquilising Turkey
Providing it's organic, turkey is a healthy, lean protein and a brilliant source of tryptophan, the amino acid precursor to our feel-good neurotransmitter, serotonin, making us feel even happier during the festivities. It's also a mild sedative, so may be one of the reasons why, after a big turkey dinner, you slump into the chair for a Christmas snooze.

Easy on the potatoes
Load your Christmas plate up with a colourful variety of fresh vegetables. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflower and green leafy vegetables are all loaded with beneficial plant nutrients and aid liver function. Limit your intake of potatoes and other starchy foods. Try roasting a combination of garlic, parsnips, sweet potato, beetroot, carrot, red peppers and aubergine with a glug of olive oil and rosemary.

Post lunch indigestion
If you do over-indulge and feel awful afterwards, get yourself outside for a walk to help get things moving. Take a few deep breaths to energise yourself. Just in case, have a pot of digestive enzyme supplements to hand to support your overworked digestion. Take one with the Christmas lunch and at parties.

Hangover cures

• First step is to eat healthily before you start on the drinking. It's getting drunk too quickly that burdens the liver, setting you up for a horrible morning after. Ensure you eat some good quality fats, like oily fish or avocado, alongside some protein to help slow down the absorption of alcohol.
• Alcohol is an anti-nutrient as the body uses up many nutrients to process it. B vitamins, vitamin C and magnesium are the first to go, so supplement with a quality multivitamin the day before and after to ease the body's burden and replace the lost nutrients.
• Take a B Complex vitamin and 2000mg of vitamin C before you start drinking and again when you get home. 
• Stay hydrated. Dehydration is the main reason for a hangover, as alcohol massively dehydrates the body. Drink lots of water before you start drinking and continue drinking water throughout the evening in between alcoholic drinks. The day after, drink at least 2 litres of water and some fresh lemon in water upon waking.

Choose your poison wisely
Not all alcoholic drinks are the same. Some could be considered healthier than others. Think natural, unflavoured, unsweetened drinks like vodka, gin, good red wine and champagne. Alcopops, sweet processed drinks like Malibu, and unhealthy mixers, such as tonic water and cola, will ensure a nasty hangover the next day. With your gin and vodka, go for soda and fresh lime, instead of tonic and cola. Campari with soda and fresh orange slices is a bitter aperitif that will help stimulate digestion. Good red wine has its health benefits due to its antioxidant content, and get creative with cocktails using fresh juices and herbs. Try vodka with fresh lemon, lemon peel, fresh mint and a little soda, or gin with orange slices, a dash of cinnamon, fresh ginger and fresh orange juice.

Milk thistle to the rescue
This wonderful herb is a must for the festive season. It's botanical name is Silybum marianum and the active component is silymarin, a flavanoid known to help liver function. It works wonders to cure, or prevent, a hangover. Take before drinking and most definitely after.

Christmas bling
To look your best for the parties, your skin may need a little extra support. Drink lots of water to help the kidneys and bring a healthy glow to your skin. Avoid saturated fats and sugary foods and  include lots of colourful vegetables, particularly the yellow and orange ones, berries and green tea. They are packed with antioxidants for a radiant glow. Drink nettle, dandelion and peppermint tea for their cleansing effect.

'Tis the season to be jolly
Above all enjoy yourself, have fun, be merry, but also be kind to your body. Choose to skip into the new year with a spring in your step after a healthy, balanced Christmas ready for the year ahead, instead of dragging your depleted, sluggish body into a miserable January as you try to recover from your excesses. If all the above fails, consider checking yourself into a detox spa for a thorough new year cleanse!

Article by Jo Rowkins dipNT MBANT, nutritionist
www.awakeninghealth.co.uk

Beating the bulge.

From cabbage soup diets to the high-protein mania of Atkin's diet, there are many ways to lose weight. These diets may provide a quick-fix, yet often the battle is not losing the weight in the first place, but keeping it off for good.
 
You are a complex mixture of cells, organs, emotions, experiences, desires, fears and biochemical reactions. There are many reasons why the body may store fat and often it requires the help of professional to pin point the exact areas to focus on.


Let's have a closer look
Our cells, organs and biochemistry rely on many nutrients to function effectively. Often bodily systems need a helping hand. The thyroid gland for example can easily become sluggish during periods of stress or simply because we do not give it the nutrients it needs. Even a slightly under-active thyroid gland will create a lowered metabolic rate and weight gain. Every cell in your body requires water and a quality cell membrane to be able to take in nutrients and let out toxins. If your body is too toxic or dehydrated, it will store toxins as fat. Liver, kidney and bowel function may need supporting if toxicity is an issue. 


Slave to biochemistry
If you eat processed foods, crave sugar or overeat it's probably due to an imbalance in your biochemistry. These types of foods create a biochemical craving in the body, which you literally have no control over. Sugar is extremely addictive.


Sweet misery
As your craving instructs you to reach out for a sugar fix, whether be it in the form of cake, biscuit or savoury, refined carbohydrates, like bread, pasta and crisps, your blood sugar levels rise to the  point where there is too much sugar in your bloodstream. Insulin then steps in to take drastic measures to get that excess sugar out of your bloodstream. Not only does this cause a huge blood sugar low, it creates fat storage. 


The cravings begin again...
When the blood sugar drops, your cravings kick in and the whole cycle begins again. You have become a slave to your biochemistry! Once a craving has kicked in you lose the ability to choose healthy foods and instead reach for those quick-fixes, stimulants and are likely also to overeat. 


Address the driver
Your brain chemistry also plays a role. If you feel depressed you are more likely to reach out for sugary foods to give you a better feeling. You start to rely on the sugar-high, yet come crashing down again with the sugar low. Looking at how you feel around food, why you eat the food you  do and how you are feeling about yourself, can give you clues as to whether you need to work on your emotional balance. Therapists who focus on emotional releasing may be able to help you. Focusing on foods to boost your mood will also aid the process.

It's all in the mix

• Eat every 2-3 hours to avoid cravings and increase metabolism. Eat small healthy snacks packed with nutrients, such as raw vegetable sticks, hummus, seeds and fruit.
• Eat fresh foods in their natural state.
• Avoid the sugar rush. Stay away from white products, sugar and refined foods.
• Boost your mood with quality protein, green leafy vegetables, omega 3 oils like flax and oily fish and consider addressing your emotional health.
• Eat slowly and chew well. It takes the brain 20 minutes to register that you are satisfied.
• Supplement with a high dose multivitamin and mineral for optimum health. Being overweight means something is out of balance. 
• Address your stress. Weight gain usually follows periods of stress. Take time to relax properly and get a good night's sleep.
• Exercise! Aim for 30 minutes daily. Be it just walking, gardening or doing housework. Get active!
• Lift weights. Muscle burns more calories than fat. You'll raise your metabolism as you raise those dumbells.
• See a nutritionist. This will set you off in the right direction and keep you motivated.

Enjoy the journey
Above all, be mindful of your actions, taking steps to honour yourself, prioritizing feeding your wonderful body with all the nutrients it needs to be balanced. Whatever you have been doing up until this point is OK. Everything you have ever done has lead you who you are now. Simply choose to make changes if that's what you now desire. But remember, whatever goals you set yourself, enjoy the process of getting there. Your life is a wonderful journey.


Article by Jo Rowkins DipNT MBANT, nutritionist.
www.awakeninghealth.co.uk