Fungus & Coconut Oil

Modern living conditions can increase the likelihood of contracting a systemic fungal infection, says Dr. Lawrence Wilson. He cites high-sugar diets, high antibiotic use and excessive stress levels as factors in allowing fungal organisms to become overgrown. He suggests coconut oil as an effective and natural remedy.

Fungus

The fungus family includes foods such as mushrooms and a range of yeast organisms, both nutritional and pathogenic. Although baker's yeast can enhance the vitamin content of foods, yeasts such as candida albicans can cause major problems if they become overgrown and begin to colonize in a number of areas in the body. Dr. Wilson explains that any of these disturbances can allow the opportunistic candida species to take over the intestines before causing a systemic infection. Symptoms of such systemic infections include fatigue, itching, carbohydrate cravings and poor concentration.

Coconut Oil

Oil makes up about 60 percent of the edible sections of the coconut. Researchers from the Weston A Price Foundation, a nonprofit organization that champions traditional diets, explain how this highly saturated oil contains a wealth of medium chain fatty acids that can actively kill off unwanted yeasts and fungi.

Caprylic Acid

All of the medium-chain fatty acids, so called because of the number of carbons they contain in their molecular backbone, give off an anti-microbial effect. However, as Dr. Bruce Fife notes, caprylic acid stands out as a particularly effective fungi fighter. The physician, who wrote "The Coconut Oil Miracle," notes how it diffuses into the membrane of fungal cells before dissolving, killing the organism.

Effectiveness

Coconut oil stands out as an effective antifungal agent. Nigerian scientists investigated its effects on more than 50 different strains of candida in 2007. They found that the coconut oil killed all strains tested and compared well against drugs normally prescribed for the purpose. The results appeared in the Journal of Medicinal Food.

Expert Insight

Dr. Fife says all of his patients should make use of coconut oil to help them deal with any fungal overgrowth, and to improve cardiovascular health. He suggests that you consume the oil several times per day for maximum effectiveness, either eating it raw or adding it to recipes.