Coconut oil, a staple item in the diets of many tropical residents, has figured highly in recommendations for a variety of ailments for many centuries. The coconut can help to deal with the complications that arise from type I diabetes, due to the oil's ability to support the immune system, enhance fat burning and act as an energy source in the diet.
Balanced Blood Glucose
Whenever you eat carbohydrates, they travel through the stomach into the intestines, where pancreatic enzymes complete their breakdown. These digestive processes leave a pool of simple sugars ready for absorption through the walls of the intestines, through which they reach the bloodstream. Blood sugar levels rise unless the body releases insulin to counter-balance this increase. As diabetics cannot produce insulin effectively, it is important to reduce the demands on this hormone. Adding healthy fats into the diet can slow down the movement of foods through the stomach, so that they enter the intestines at a much slower rate and have a much more gradual effect on blood sugar levels. This reduces insulin requirements and therefore complications in type I diabetics.
Reduced Carb Cravings
An understanding of the way the body regulates blood sugar levels helps to explain why doctors advise diabetics to balance their blood sugar levels and reduce the level or carbohydrates in their diet. However, doing so can result in some individuals craving carbohydrates, particularly sugars. Dr Bruce Fife, author of “The Coconut Oil Miracle,” explains how coconut oil can help to reduce these cravings because of the way it is processed. Unlike most fats, which must travel from the intestines to the lymphatic system before becoming bound with cholesterol, the medium chain fats travel directly to the liver and are oxidized immediately, just like carbohydrates. Fife explains that eating coconut oil helps to relieve cravings during low-carbohydrate diets.
Boosting Immune Function
The disruption of insulin and blood glucose levels in diabetics can often affect circulation; concerns that arise from such complications include neuropathy, impotence and infections of limbs. While coconut oil does not improve circulation, the anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal effects demonstrated by the medium chain fats found in coconut oil can strengthen the body's defenses during any initial outbreak, providing a useful boost to the innate response and reducing the chance of problematic infections, such as gangrene. Dr Fife credits lauric acid with a strong anti-viral and anti-bacterial effect and caprylic acid as the most significant fungi-fighter.
References
- "The Coconut Oil Miracle"; Dr Bruce Fife; 2004
- Weston A Price Foundation: Thailand – Land of the Coconut
