Coconut Oil and Candida - How to Beat Candida Naturally With Coconut

Coconut oil can be an effective natural remedy for Candida. But why is it so effective? And how do you take it? Continue reading to find the answers to these important questions about coconut oil.

But first, before we touch on the benefits of coconut oil, let's remind ourselves what causes Candida symptoms...

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Underlying Causes of Candida

Coconut Oil and Candida - How to Beat Candida Naturally With Coconut

The major culprit for the symptoms you get with Candida (yeast infection) is a yeast-like fungus called Candida albicans. There are others that can cause the symptoms, but this one accounts for by far the most incidences.

Fortunately, your body's good bacteria -- bless 'em -- normally keep the fungus under strict control so that it cannot cause infections. But, unfortunately, under certain conditions the fungus can overcome them and feed and grow to such an extent that Candida infections are caused.

The major underlying causes of this are; antibiotics, a lowered immune system, some drug therapy, too much sugar in the blood, and hormonal fluctuations. Which is why it isn't enough to just treat the local symptoms -- as most drug-based treatments do -- but the underlying causes as well.

This is a key reason why women with Candida are increasingly using natural remedies to cure their infection. One of which is coconut oil...

Coconut Oil and Candida

An interesting observation is that women in the far East, in such places as the Philippines, and other places in the world where coconuts are part of their staple diet, rarely get Candida. And several research projects have shown that the medium chain fatty acids in coconut oil can kill the Candida albicans fungus. So the case has been made for the use of coconut oil for Candida.

How to Take Coconut Oil for Candida

The first thing to look out for is that it is better to use virgin or extra virgin coconut oil for best results. Next, work your way up steadily to 3 to 4 tablespoons in your diet per day.

It's better to work up to this as too fast an intake can cause Candida 'die off' which makes your symptoms worse for a while. Or you can end up with other symptoms altogether. Maybe start off with just 1 teaspoon per day and add another teaspoon each day until you reach the maximum.

Now, whilst the coconut oil is fighting the fungus, you need to address other important issues, such as replenishing your gut's good bacteria. So take good probiotics. Many women consume sugar-free, fruit-free natural yogurt everyday.

In addition, you need to lower your blood sugar levels so avoid sugar and simple carbohydrates in your diet. And again, work up to this, don't crash-diet, as this could cause Candida die off symptoms.

If you follow the above coconut oil diet you should have success...

But there's a whole host of natural remedies and dietary advice out there, ready and waiting for you to get the full benefits. And thousands of women around the world have managed to cure their Candida and prevent its return using these kinds of natural cures.

Coconut Oil and Candida - How to Beat Candida Naturally With Coconut

So next, to discover what these women know, that you don't, about beating Candida permanently without expensive drugs with their horrible side effects -- some in as little as 12 hours -- go now to http://how-to-get-rid-of-a-yeast-infection.blogspot.com and get the facts.

Disadvantages of Coconut Oil

No, this is not about coconut oil being a bad saturated fat. On the contrary, the saturated fat in it has been proven to be beneficial to our health.

If you're unaware that there are actually many types of saturated fat of which not all are harmful, no wonder you have been misled by the propaganda created by those with vested interest in other cooking oil businesses to discredit coconut oil.

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But I'm not talking about its benefits here. For all its healing miracles, this super food does contain some disadvantages though.

Disadvantages of Coconut Oil

Disadvantage #1 - No Effect on the Common Cold

The medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) in it can kill many types of viruses, including the influenza virus that causes the flu. But they're helpless against the virus (rhinovirus) that triggers the common cold. In fact, no medications or herbal remedies are capable of fighting rhinovirus, except your body immune system. MCFAs effectively deal with the infection by producing specific antibodies, which disarm the virus-infected cells.

Of course, any infection could leave your immune system vulnerable to invasion by more bacteria, germs and viruses. That's where MCFAs come into play.

MCFAs help you kill those harmful microorganisms and ease the burden off your immune system so that it can focus on fighting the cold virus effectively. So it's still important to eat coconut oil when you're down with common cold.

Disadvantage #2 - Excessive May Harm

Just because I said coconut oil is healthy doesn't mean you start scoffing a ton of it. You could end up running diarrhea-like symptoms if your body is not used to such sudden change.

Go slow with 1 to 2 teaspoons each time and gradually increase to 3 or 4 tablespoons a day.

The traditional Pacific islanders are taking as much as 10 tablespoons of the "liquid crystal" in their daily diet, I don't see why we can't be like them. The key difference is they've long been used to that amount while we're not, so you have to moderately add the dosage to condition your body into adapting to it eventually.

Disadvantage #3 - Flavor Sucks!

Most people love its aromatic flavor. However, like durian, some people may not like it.

So, if the original smell or taste of this liquid crystal just doesn't appeal to you, fret not, you still have 2 options.

1. If you can't eat by the spoonful on its own, mix it into the food or beverage you're having.

2. You can use it in cooking. Just replace your usual cooking oil with it and you're absorbing healthful MCFAs without excess fat intake. It's that simple.

Coconut oil possesses many wonderful health benefits which can more than offset the 3 disadvantages listed above but sadly, it has yet to be appreciated by many. Even some doctors, scientists and nutritionists believe it is as bad as animal fat.

That's how ingrained the bad impression of this super food is.

On the contrary, the MCFAs protect and treat your body against a wide range of diseases - heart disease, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, cancers, Crohn's disease, kidney failure etc, just to name a few. They're easy to digest and help you to lose weight too.

Yes, you heard me correctly - it's also able to burn off those stubborn excess body fats that cause your weight gain. All this can be achieved in a natural, healthy way.

Disadvantages of Coconut Oil

Laura Ng invites you to discover more disadvantages of coconut oil at iOneHealth.com, where you'll learn how to avoid the disadvantages so that you can continue to improve your health, lose your excess body fat, remove your acnes, and smoothen your skin when you add coconut oil in your diet. Uncover other natural health remedies at iOneHealth.com now, and take your health to the next level.

Coconut Water Versus Kidney Stones

It is beneficial to drink coconut water because of its amazing components. When one drinks the juice, it will impart the vitamins and minerals to the body. It is also reported that the juice helps fight the formation of kidney stones, also known as renal calculus. Among the types of kidney stones, one has a component made of calcium which is very hard to remove. Thus, it is not recommended to have daily intake of calcium, especially in adults. It is because some studies have suggested that people who take calcium supplements are at higher risk in getting gall bladder stones. However, high intake of dietary calcium such as milk and cheese do not pose any risk of getting kidney stones, however, people are still encouraged to drink lots of water. Higher intakes of dietary oxalates and low fluid intake can develop kidney stones as well. Calcium containing stones comprise 80% of all cases of kidney stones.

There are other types of kidney stones, the Struvite stones, Uric acid stones and there are others that are acquired during birth. They are known as inborn errors of metabolism. Though coconut water is said to help in most illnesses, one of which is the kidney stone problem, it is advised to take medicines prescribed by the doctor and supplement it with coconut water. Coconut water helps push the stones out. It is as essential as the prescribed medicines. This suggests that you can break up kidney stones by drinking coconut water and proper medication.

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Coconut Water Contains Vitamins and Minerals

Coconut Water Versus Kidney Stones

The benefits of coconut water are not new to us but there are still people skeptical about it. Though, they do not dismiss the idea that it contains tons of vitamins and minerals, they always argue that it does not prove to be effective in curing diseases such as kidney problems and stones. On the flip side, the benefits are tremendously appreciated by people who believe in its natural capacity to nourish the body and prevent diseases. It was never pointed out as a solution and only cure for illness, but as a preventative measure.

In fact, experts believe that prescribed medicines help in the recovery and total cure of most sicknesses. But, it has long been our campaign to go natural, especially for those things that you intake because anything natural does not harm the body as long as it is properly regulated - too much of something is always bad for one's health. We are informed to balance our diet all the time.

The saying "prevention is better than cure" is what experts from the medical field promote. Coconut water facts prove this to be true. It is better that we take extra measures. There's nothing wrong if you drink it regularly, just like water.

Coconut Water Versus Kidney Stones

John Y Puno is the author of FruitLush.com, a website providing nutrition information about fruits. It is also a website that shares health news, tips and fun fruit facts.

Coconut Promises Remarkable Health Benefits

Coconut bears healthful properties in its entirety, particularly its cream and oil. Let me bring you in to see how these coconut cream and coconut oil can give your skin a natural dazzling glow, and most importantly, help you burn your excess fats away and boost your health tremendously.

Health Benefits of Coconut Cream / Milk

Coconut

Coconut cream adds a savory flavor to curries, desserts and cakes. That's because it enhances the aroma and taste of the dishes.

Coconut Promises Remarkable Health Benefits

You can obtain it easily and cheaply. It bears a thick, paste-like consistency. When diluted, it becomes coconut milk.

However, people avoid coconut cream due to the false claim made on its high saturated fat content, particularly those overweight people who are trying to slim down.

But do you know that it is actually good saturated fat which your body can easily metabolize and convert into energy fast? That means, it won't transform into bad cholesterol which clogs up your arteries.

Now, I'm not suggesting you to indulge in coconut cream, but rather than avoiding it altogether, it's alright to consume in moderation. The principle fatty acid in coconut milk is lauric acid, which is the same fat found in abundance in mother's milk.

After it turns into monolaurin, it strengthens your immune system and protects you against various illnesses like hepatitis C, herpes and even HIV! It also protects your brain and bones. On top of that, it holds important anti-carcinogenic and anti-pathogenic properties which helps to prevent cancer.

Attention! Coconut cream doesn't cause weight gain as easily as polyunsaturated oil. You'll learn that soon when we walk into the health benefits of coconut oil. The inside fat-burning mechanism of coconut cream works exactly the same as that in coconut oil due to their saturated fat content.

Canned or packaged coconut cream is available in supermarkets. It must be refrigerated once opened and does not last more than a week. Also, do not freeze coconut milk as this causes it to curdle when you next use it in cooking.

Try different brands of canned coconut milk to find the one to your liking. Good brands which have not been artificially homogenized, will have thick cream floating on top of the can while the milk at the bottom is much more watery.

Health Benefits of Virgin Coconut Oil

Extracted from fresh coconut milk and meat, virgin coconut oil has such a fragrant and appetizing taste that it is used in whipping up delicious meals.

Just like coconut cream, coconut oil reduces bad cholesterol, unlike polyunsaturated vegetable oils such as canola, sunflower and safflower oils.

Though it contains primarily saturated fat, it's been found to have relatively lower calorie count (only 6.8 calories per gram) comparing to other oils (9 calories per gram) of the same type.

Hey ladies, here's a great news for you! Guess what - coconut oil actually increases metabolism and facilitates weight loss! Thanks to its medium-chain fatty acids which generate a thermogenic effect that helps to burn fat.

People of traditional cultures, such as the South Pacific Islands and the Philippines where coconut and palm oils are plentiful, suffer lower rates of obesity and health problems.

Look at our society today - we pile high on our plates food equally high in carbohydrates and polyunsaturated oils which increase our risk of heart diseases and diabetes. Yet we complain about our weight and poor health. What a shame!

However, coconut oil is different from other animal-based oils. Studies find that it helps lower blood pressure and regulate thyroid dysfunction.

Unlike refined oils, it does not turn rancid easily and become toxic to our bodies.

If you have damaged hair, try using coconut oil on your hair and scalp. It's been proven to be a more effective treatment for damaged hair than mineral oil and sunflower oil. That's because coconut oil is the only oil among the three which effectively reduces protein loss in hair.

Looking for a cheap yet useful facial care product? Virgin coconut oil is your choice. Here are some benefits:

1. It penetrates and moisturizes your skin.

2. It minimizes your skin damage from sun exposure that causes sagging, wrinkling and blemishes.

3. It removes dead skin cells, producing an even texture and glow.

4. It heals damaged or diseased skin.

Sometimes, wonderful home remedies can be within your reach and in abundance, only if you look hard enough.

In this case, it is the Coconut.

Coconut Promises Remarkable Health Benefits

How to maximize the health benefits of coconut? Laura Ng invites you to discover more coconut cream health benefits and reap the full health benefits of coconut oil to enhance your health, improve your skin, and burn more fat naturally without sweating buckets to lose weight. Take your health to the next level, visit iOneHealth.com now!

Coconut Oil - A Miraculous Skin Treatment

Coconut oil is a common product in Asian countries, where it is used not only as a cooking ingredient but also as a beauty product. Often in Thailand, The Philippines, or other Asian countries where coconuts are popular, you can see women slathering pure coconut oil into their skin and on their hair, where it's miraculous soothing properties work wonders. Hair is thick and black and lustrous, while beautiful skin shines with health and softness, and rarely do you see cases of chronic acne.

There is some evidence to suggest that not only can coconut oil prevent spots, but that it can also treat skin problems. For a lot of people the idea of applying oil to their face when it is already greasy and problematic may not seem like a good idea. They might recoil at the idea of applying a slick and greasy substance, and instead believe that the road to treatment lies with cleaning the skin, cleansing it regularly, and stripping it of all the oil. However, the oil (or sebum) is there for a reason, and your skin naturally produces it to protect the upper-most layer and function correctly. Sebum not only helps to moisturize and lubricate your skin, but it also protects and heals it. Therefore oil is an essential component in healthy, clear skin.

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The great thing about coconut oil is that it is very similar in its chemistry to sebum, and if you chose a cold-pressed, virgin oil, it cannot harm your skin in any way. Numerous studies have shown that using coconut oil as a moisturizer creates no adverse reactions, but instead can restore damaged skin, prevent free radicals from forming, and can help to ease acne, liver spots, or other blemishes.

Coconut Oil - A Miraculous Skin Treatment

So rather than strip the skin with harsh chemicals and cleansers in an effort to achieve beautiful, radiant skin, try applying pure coconut oil, just before you go to bed. Here's how to do it:

Before bed, take a shower. Don't dry off completely, but leave the skin a little damp. Then take a small amount of the coconut oil in your hands - you don't need too much, as it goes a long way. A couple of full teaspoons of oil will cover your whole body.

Rub it into your palms to warm it up, then in slow gentle strokes, rub it into your skin.
Concentrate on any problematic areas, especially if you find patches of dry or rough skin or spots. Really try and work it into the skin, rather than just leaving it sitting on the surface, and overnight it will soak in and work its miracles.

While you might not see immediate results, with continued use, your skin is sure to look youthful, fresh and beautifully smooth.

Coconut Oil - A Miraculous Skin Treatment

Lucy Lee is a dietitian and skin-care specialist with an interest in naturopathy and non-invasive methods of healing. Visit her website at http://www.perfectlyclearskin.com for more advice and information on skin care, home remedies and cures for problematic skin or to download her free ebook.

About Coconut Oil - Uses and Coconut Oil Benefits

Organic coconut oil is truly a miraculous gift from nature, especially in its purest extra virgin form. I am not aware of a more versatile oil. Produced from fresh coconut meat (non-copra), without the use of chemicals or high heat, it retains high levels of antioxidants and health-giving properties. A delicate coconut scent and taste is characteristic of the virgin oil.

Do not compare organic coconut oil to the commercial grade oils made from copra. These oils are typically refined, bleached and deodorized. But there are some reputable companies that produce expeller pressed refined coconut oil the "old" way with mechanical extraction. That means they do not use solvent extracts. The oils they produce are not hydrogenated and do not contain trans fatty acids. Since they are deodorized (with physical refining) the taste tends to be bland.

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It is best to buy from a reputable company since there are not many industry standards in the processing of the oils.

About Coconut Oil - Uses and Coconut Oil Benefits

The many benefits of using coconut oil include:

  • Excellent for cooking & baking
  • Reduces inflammation
  • Supports heart health
  • Balances cholesterol
  • Improves thyroid function
  • Supports weight loss
  • Increases energy and stamina
  • Improves digestion
  • Supports immune function
  • Antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiviral
  • Kills candida, parasites and other microorganisms
  • Aid in preventing gingivitis and periodontal disease
  • Skin conditions (dandruff, dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema, fungal infections, burns)
  • Skin care
  • Hair care
Coconut oil was widely used prior to the 1950's. Due to its high saturated fat content it fell out of favor because it was believed to increase the risk of heart disease. The opposite is now known to be true. Containing medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs), this oil has numerous health benefits especially for the heart and thyroid. Regulating the thyroid and balancing cholesterol levels are just a couple of its amazing benefits. Increased energy and stamina have been widely reported as well as weight loss due to increased metabolism. Unlike trans fats which cause inflammation in the body, coconut oil soothes and reduces inflammation.

Contrary to what we have been led to believe, studies have demonstrated it is actually inflammation and not cholesterol that leads to heart disease. I recommend coconut oil to clients who have arthritis or heart disease because inflammation is a contributing factor to these conditions. Always consult your doctor before starting any natural supplement protocol.

Coconut oil has also been used successfully for periodontal disease which is another contributing factor to heart disease. Aside from being an anti inflammatory, this oil is also antibacterial, antimicrobial and antiviral. Having these properties explains why it is beneficial against bacteria that cause gum disease.

Due to caprylic acid, a medium chain fatty acid derived from the oil, it has been shown to be beneficial in the treatment of candida (yeast overgrowth) and other fungal related health conditions. You rarely see women with candida infections in cultures that eat a coconut based diet.

The uses and benefits in skin care are numerous. Apply the oil as a face cream, body lotion, makeup remover, scalp treatment and to treat a variety of skin infections and skin disorders. Burns and irritated skin are quickly soothed. Try it out for natural chemical free sunscreen protection.

While it is not a panacea for everyone, it is certainly an easy and delicious way to combat many illnesses and diseases. I often wonder how many illnesses it prevents.

Cooking and baking with extra virgin or expeller pressed coconut oil brings a wonderful delicate flavor to foods. It is an outstanding replacement for vegetable oils, margarine and butter in all your favorite recipes. Unlike some other oils, it is stable at all temperatures, keeps for years and does not become toxic when used for frying. You can continue to fry and saute your favorite foods knowing you are getting a dose of good health. The oil changes from from solid to liquid depending on temperature.

Either extra virgin or expeller pressed oil can replace butter in most cooking and baking recipes. The extra virgin oil has more of a coconut flavor and the expeller pressed is quite bland.

It is advisable to incorporate this oil slowly into the diet. Due to its antibacterial, antimicrobial and antiviral benefits, uncomfortable detox symptoms can occur as microorganisms are dying off.

I recommend starting with one teaspoon and slowly working up to a maximum of 2 or 3 tablespoons a day. If you ingest more than that your liver might not be able to comfortably keep up with the detox. Listen to your body. Everything in moderation.

Personally, I use about one or two tablespoons a day of the extra virgin oil. I scramble eggs in the oil, add it to rice, quinoa, cooked cereal, cooked yams and potatoes. It's a great alternative to butter on whole grain breads and wonderful for stirfry. Try adding it to your smoothies for a light coconut flavor.

Whichever type oil you are purchasing read the label to assure it has not been processed using high heat or chemical solvents. Look for "mechanically pressed" when purchasing expeller pressed and "centrifuge extracted" or "traditional" methods for extra virgin.

When I first began using coconut oil it was very hard to find. Now it is sold everywhere. You can find it in supermarkets, health food stores and online.

About Coconut Oil - Uses and Coconut Oil Benefits

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The Ultimate Raw Diet Food - Coconut

Back in 1555, the coconut first appeared in English literature. The Spanish and Portuguese named the coconut from the word "coco" which means "monkey face." The three round indents on the coconut were thought to mirror a monkey's face. Whole coconuts were used as a currency until the start of the 20th century on the Nicobar Islands. Coconuts are the largest known seeds, unlike their name implies, they are not nuts.

The liquid part of the coconut is called coconut water. Many have been aware of the nutritional benefits of coconuts and the opaque, slightly sweet liquid it contains, but it is only in recent years that coconut water has gained popularity as a natural sport's drink.

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The water of the coconut is rich in electrolytes that replenish the body after exercise and can keep it cool by maintaining proper body temperature. In fact, coconut water can raise metabolism, boost the immune system, fight viruses, cleanse the digestive tract, promote weight loss, treat kidney stones, control diabetes and improve circulation in the blood.

The Ultimate Raw Diet Food - Coconut

Many popular beverage companies are in development with coconut water products that will soon hit the market. Its naturally sweet, light flavor needs no doctoring or additives. Be certain when considering products to avoid ones that contain unnecessary additives. There are products available, such as Zico, that do not contain anything but the pure product.

The coconut as a whole is a versatile food. It is low in fat, sugars and carbs. The water and meat of the coconut are used to create a myriad of products. Even the husk of the coconut is a popular material that can be used to create mats, brushes, fishnet and rope. In ancient times, island natives would burn them to use them as fuel.

In the 1970s and 1980s, coconut oil was deemed an unhealthy saturated fat by the federal government. However, current science shows that the saturated fat contained in coconut oil is different from the saturated fats found in animal products. It is plant-derived and has now been found to be a heart healthy oil.

Back in the 1940s, coconut water was administered to injured soldiers in the form of emergency plasma transfusions. It has been used as an IV solution for years in third world countries. The potent, nutritious properties of coconut water has saved many lives.

The coconut's benefits to good health are vast. The water of the coconut has been found more nutritious than orange juice or whole milk. It contains a substance that is present in mother's breast milk, lauric acid, that is better for a baby than formula. Compared to commercial sports drinks, coconut water contains more potassium, less sodium, high levels of chloride and is lower in natural sugars.

Versatile, delicious, healthful and full of nutrients - the coconut, as a raw diet food, deserves the recognition it beginning to receive.

The Ultimate Raw Diet Food - Coconut

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009, I completely changed my lifestyle, dropped almost 50 pounds and began a regimen of complementary treatments to support my immune system and get my body healthy again. It is one year later and I am feeling great. Please visit my website. There you will find lots of total cleanse information and health tips.

The Benefits of Coconut Water, Milk and Oil

What are the benefits of coconut water and other products derived from coconut? Not that long ago, unless you lived in the tropics, you probably seldom thought about coconut. Perhaps you had a coconut flavored drink every so often (more likely than not, one containing alcohol!) - but you never considered coconut to be one of the healthiest foods on the planet. Now, however, it seems that every other product that's for sale in a natural foods store has coconut in it!

Yes, we're hearing about the benefits of coconut water, coconut milk and coconut oil all the time. Coconut oil is not only good for cooking, but it's used in all kinds of skin care products. Coconut water is now becoming popular as an alternative sports drink. Coconut milk, meanwhile, is starting to become a leading milk substitute, especially as soy based products are becoming suspect in many ways. So let's take a closer look at this coconut craze and see what benefits can be derived from this wonderful fruit from the tropics!

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Coconut Water

The Benefits of Coconut Water, Milk and Oil

Coconut water is the clear liquid you find when you open a young coconut. It's naturally sweet, yet low in calories and it's fat and cholesterol free. For this reason, it makes an excellent sports drink. It's the ideal compromise between people who find plain water too boring but who don't want to load up on sugar and empty calories that are found in commercial sports drinks.

Coconut Milk

Coconut milk is the thicker, creamier white liquid that's prepared from meat of the coconut. In other words, you can't crack open a coconut and get coconut milk - you only get coconut water this way. Coconut milk has to be made.

Coconut milk is sweeter and richer than coconut water, making it a good substitute for regular milk or soy milk. While coconut milk is considered by many to be very healthy, these claims are sometimes disputed because it's high in saturated fat (the same is true for coconut oil, as we'll shortly see). However, many nutritionists are rethinking the whole "saturated fats are bad" philosophy.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is enjoying a real renaissance in the health food community, probably even more so than coconut water or milk. Suddenly, we're hearing that this oil, though high in saturated fat, is ideal for cooking as well as for skin care.

It seems that previous research that supposedly proved that coconut oil caused a rise in cholesterol was based on using hydrogenated coconut oil. As many people are now aware, this is a process that produces the "bad fats" or trans fats that are the cause of so many health problems. Trans fats in anything raise the LDL or bad cholesterol to go up. Pure coconut oil, however, has no such effects - just the opposite.

One of the major benefits of coconut oil is that it contains lauric acid, which is a natural enemy of many harmful microorganisms and possibly even cancer cells. Lauric acid helps protect the body against bacteria, fungi and viruses, so it has many healthy qualities.

Coconut Products and Weight Loss

If you're trying to lose weight, which coconut products should you consume? The short answer is, "all of them!" This doesn't mean, however, that you have to go overboard and drink or eat coconut products from dawn till dusk. Even though coconut milk and oil both contain healthy fats, if you're trying to cut back on calories you obviously don't want to overdo it with any kind of fat.

You can use all of the products in moderation and gain the benefits. This is true for everyone, whether you want to lose weight, gain weight or maintain your current weight. You can drink coconut water as a sports drink, or just when you want a refreshing cold drink. Don't drink it in place of regular water, though. Pure H20 should still be your primary beverage of choice!

Coconut milk is probably the best milk substitute if you're vegan or lactose intolerant. Even if you do eat dairy, there's no reason not to add coconut milk to your diet. You can find many healthy recipes that use coconut milk, or you can just drink it as a refreshing beverage that's a bit more substantial than coconut water.

Coconut oil is ideal for cooking. This is one big edge it has over the other super healthy oil - olive oil. I'd never suggest giving up olive oil, as this is not only delicious but it's one of the healthiest "good fat" foods you can consume. However, olive oil is not good for cooking, as it loses its benefits and actually becomes toxic. So, if you want a simple formula, consume olive oil raw and coconut oil for cooking (though coconut oil is also fine uncooked).

Coconut oil also has many other benefits, and it can be used as a moisturizer and even in your hair. You can find many products on the market that contain coconut oil, but very often it's safer to just use it straight up. Many products, even those sold in health food stores and online from health and nutrition companies contain all kinds of suspect ingredients.

Do your research - the Dr. Mercola website has a lot of good information on the dangers of many supposedly healthy and natural skin care products, shampoos and so forth. With plain coconut oil, you don't have any such worries! You can't really use pure coconut oil as a shampoo, but you can use it in your hair as a conditioner and then wash it out with a gentle and preferably organic shampoo.

In conclusion, more benefits of coconut-derived products are being discovered all the time. Of course, the native peoples of regions where coconuts grow - many tropical regions from Africa to the South Pacific- have long known how healthy, as well as delicious this fruit is. Now, however, modern civilization is finally catching up. So, coconut water, coconut milk, coconut oil - and just plain coconuts of course- are all foods you can eat with pleasure and without guilt!

The Benefits of Coconut Water, Milk and Oil

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A Detox Fasting Paradise - Pristine Private Island - Coconut, the Tree of Life and Organic Raw Food

Dedicated to my wonderful island coconut trees, the trees of life.

I am often asked, "What encouraged you to follow your inner child guides to a pristine private island paradise to live the rest of your life surrounded by coconut, the tree of life?" Here is my story.

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At age 36, after traveling the globe extensively, I had a strong vision to settle down in my own pristine Shangri-la with many coconut trees. I was then on a 16 year world sojourn, traveling together with my English partner Mark. Our adventures had taken us to some of the world's most pristine, rugged, serene, remote tropical wilderness and animal reserves, plus canyons, rivers, lakes and island paradises fringed with coconut trees. Though shy and uncomfortable with people since a little girl, I was totally relaxed in Mother Nature, particularly in the tropics near a cleansing sea and eating organic tropical food from the wild.

A Detox Fasting Paradise - Pristine Private Island - Coconut, the Tree of Life and Organic Raw Food

During my adventures, short-term travelers would often ask questions about my long unusual journeys. Amazed myself that many of my wild dreams came true, I would tell them I was blessed to have among others, Peter Pan and TinkerBell as my mystical spiritual friends. I came to believe it and live by my mystical tropical island dream.

My 'vision to settle' was not your typical 'Buy a house in the country and settle down'! My dream was a pristine paradise somewhere in the tropics far away from people. It was private and had a lush tropical jungle backdrop. I could see an island surrounded by blue crystal clear water and a nearby coral reef, teaming with fish, with a long white-sand beach fringed with coconut, my trees of life.

Amazingly, I could still see mountain peaks, caves and grottos in the picture, too. I could see myself growing my organic garden, learning how to eat coconut in many varied ways, sprouting my organic seeds in my own kitchen, eating cleansing raw food and having pets to nurture and love, but I was still unsure if I would live on a pristine island beside a tropical turquoise blue sea or on some mystical mountain.

Most people would say this was an irrational fairytale fantasy; to me it was real. I knew it was out there and I had to search. And with the help of Peter Pan and TinkerBell as my mystical guides, find my pristine paradise and my coconut trees, I did!. Like a coconut washed to a far distant shore, I started from an organic tropical coconut seed on my tropical soil, and then I grew my tropical island roots. Later I would grow my sturdy trunk, my huge green leaves and fruits to share, growing strong with the trees of life surrounding me.

Finding the Soil to Plant the Coconut Seed

Mark had airline tickets back to Australia, suggesting we look for a place in tropical Cape Tribulation, Northern Queensland, another paradise we both loved. However living in the West did not fit my mystical journey and my way of life. I could feel my need of a paradise in the East, far away from what most call 'normal' civilization. Still Mark was my partner; we had traveled together for more than 14 years, sharing much love, joy and experience. He would often suggest I wake up to reality and I would struggle with questions like: Why did I, at 36 years of age, still believe such a fantasy fairytale about an exotic paradise with a white-sand beach and coconut trees existed? Would I be searching my whole life for an unobtainable mystical island dream? Could there really be gods, goddesses, fairies and spiritual guides and a remote island paradise I could live on?

While traveling through Malaysia on our way back to Australia, I was sharing my far-fetched private island dream with a Swiss couple while sitting at a small street-side restaurant in Penang. Immediately both said that my vision sounded like the pristine area they had just left, the spectacular bay, cliffs and white-sand beaches of El Nido Palawan, Philippines.

Immediately I heard bells in my head and felt Peter Pan beside me again saying the words "what are we waiting for?" l looked at Mark, who, though amazed with my mystical adventures, agreed to add yet another detour into our plans to get back to Australia. Weeks later after trekking off the beaten track through rice paddies and waiting days in a crocodile infested riverside village for a weekly market boat, we found our way to the unforgettable shores of Bacuit Bay, home of 21 pristine islands, with coconut fringed beaches and the main town of El Nido.

After just two weeks here, surprising even me, I was adamant that I would find my island dream in one of these exotic gems. Mark had not the heart to share my dream, yet I heard myself tell him, "I will manage it alone from here and find my pristine coconut fringed island." We said goodbye, he thinking I would come to my senses with time and experience. I knew I was here for life. Four months later, together with Peter, I was shown the unforgettable shores of my destiny. As if my friendly spiritual guides had waved their magic wands, almost all of my wishes were in front of me on this tiny magical island of Malapacao. It was my exotic, mystical place here in Asia. It was a gem surrounded by other gems, a pearl in a pristine place. It was a tropical island surrounded by blue crystal clear water, a nearby coral reef..teaming with fish... It had a long white-sand beach fringed with my beloved tress of life.It had a lush tropical jungle backdrop... It had many rugged mountain peaks, a cave and a grotto for meditation... Turtles visited the shore often to lay their eggs and exotic tropical birds shared space with colorful butterflies, dragonflies, lacewings and my trees of life.

If all of this was not enough, it had a carved small pool just on the shore that I could use as my wishing well for future diva dreams. I was ecstatic and in love. Finding my vision had taken all of three months. Now making it my tropical paradise home and becoming self sufficient on coconut and organic food was going to be the dedicated work of my life, a challenge like moving a mountain!

It was September 1987, over 23 years ago, when I was washed to these shores with Peter Pan and TinkerBell, arriving with almost no savings left. Few westerners lived in our area, few locals had met a foreigner and fewer spoke English. Even though I was well traveled, living among people from such a simple culture was like stepping back in time 50 years or more. I was ever-so green!! I had not even thought it through, how I would survive eating my beloved coconut, what I would do for funds. My family (though not close) believed like Mark did, that one day I would return to my senses and come back to Australia; there was no way I was going to ask them for any financial help.

Growing my Delicate Coconut Roots

Home for me was here, with these coconut trees, there would never be another in this lifetime. I had made the forever, life commitment. I had to trust Peter Pan and TinkerBell as well as my new island gods, goddesses and fairies to show me the way I needed to follow. There was nothing in my head saying "NO"; that it might not or would not work. I had been born a Leo, in the year of the Rabbit, and luck was my middle name. I would mesh with the local islanders and balance this most important shift in my life. I would grow like the coconut tree and learn new skills to live closely with nature. I learnt to make young coconut jelly, coconut brittle, coconut biscuits, crunches, coconut oils, coconut cheeses, coconut champagne and coconut honey. I would adapt to this tropical island lifestyle, as I believed the answers were here with the trees, and as long as I asked, all would be revealed. Looking back, I see this as my saving grace.

Thinking rationally rarely allows someone to start a tropical island adventure such as I did! Yet in hindsight, I can not help but be surprised by just how irrational I was 23 years ago! Like others starting their 'Robinson Crusoe lifestyle', I planted more coconut trees in my garden for my millionaire's salad, grew my sprouts and explored the lush natural vegetation. I found lot of ways to add coconuts to wild vines, green leaves and shoots for my cleansing raw food organic diet. I started a farm to grow and then sell things so I could survive here.

On several of my trips to Manila (a 30 hour or longer cargo boat ride) I brought back 6 imported breeding sows, 2 boars, 80 egg laying pullets and 200 just born chicks, 100 Muscovy ducklings and 100 baby Australian Silver quail. Over time the pigs bred an average of 80 piglets every six months. I would sleep with the sows at their birth; clip their umbilical cords from their mothers and their eye teeth to prevent them from hurting mums teats. My island helpers even taught me how to castrate the young male piglets.

The chickens would lay approximately 60 eggs a day creating a small income and to this menagerie I acquired a few pairs of Campbell Road Runner ducks and a pair of Bengala guinea fowl. With the help of a homemade kerosene incubator, I multiplied my animals and my eggs one hundred fold.

To add to more excitement I bought 2 mother goats with 4 baby kids and 1 Billy goat. Life was full....lots of experiences......lots of daily happenings. I fed coconut in various forms to all my animals and at one point I had over 1000 of them to care for. I made salted, century eggs and balut from my ducks, sold quail eggs and created other interesting local delicacies. To provide better health for my young animals, I raised thousands of earthworms for their Vitamin B12 vermiculture. That is another story all on its own and to this day I am grateful to my humble earthworms in my organic garden supporting my cleansing raw food meals.

I sold young healthy pigs and if ever any got sick, their new owners would return them to me to doctor. I would feed them coconut, charcoal and green leaves; let them wander along the beach and under the coconut trees, until they got their energy again. I would even sleep with them; wrapping them in woolen scarves at night so they could feel warm and secure and I would massage and shampoo them with cleansing coconut oil. As is my way, I prefer not ask a person to do anything I would not do myself! Eventually I could not bring myself to kill my animals and slowly I become a spiritual vegan. It was a wonderful learning process and another step in my organic island way of life.

During that time a few other foreigners came into the area, but they seldom stayed long, finding life too challenging. I would rarely meet them, finding little common ground with people, more at home hugging the trees and rocks, dancing with the wind, snorkeling with the fish and eating coconuts and organic food. Using local folklore tales Peter Pan would help me weave fantasies of the island shapes, acknowledging the fairy guides. Inabuyatan Island in front of me, became The Princess who had cried herself to sleep hundreds of years ago, distressed with the world for allowing the Goddesses to be destroyed. Now with the help of her seven sisters, she had woken, aware that these strong women were on the scene again. A Mammoth Elephant leaning up against her as a symbol of Yin and Yang.

I, myself became a bit of a legend too - it was not hard to do here! Alone, celibate and a mystical spiritual diva who enjoyed strange dances on the beach (often nude) and with an odd cleansing diet, loving my life in nature. Foreigners and locals alike called me 'The Crazy Coconut Lady of Malapacao.' To those who knew me it was said in kind fun. However, most believed that in time, I would get lonely enough and give up my organic island lifestyle. Though several visitors asked me this question, my answer was always the same, "No, never!!"

In the early days life was about survival, with huge challenges. It was not a bed of roses that is for sure! Days and dramas were real and not for the weak minded. Living here can be like being in the Wild West and I had my hands full just trying to understand a culture that is so different from our world. There were days I admit I hit some mighty bumps and did buckle and bend just like the coconut tree does - it happens to all of us! But these obstacles were heaven-sent to make me a stronger diva. I believe one makes the most of what we have....I had what most people only dream of, it was a precious magical gift...how could I NOT put my heart and soul into it?

Still after four years of trying to survive, I failed to earn enough for basic needs with my farming venture. In 1992, with few facilities, I opened my doors to regular tourism, offering stretcher beds on the beach and visitors had to help me prepare meals and hot drinks on a wood fire. I had no towels, bed linens and knew nothing about bokashi composting toilet in those days. It was a rustic beginning with lots of coconut drinks and meals on my exotic menu and budget travelers loved it. Offering a tiny haven for passing yachties, I sold the coconut fruit, coconut oil, coconut champagne and veggies, other fresh fruits, green leaves and water, as well as offering refueling, laundry and garbage disposal services.

This led to an article in the Hong Kong magazine called 'Fragrant Harbor' and during the months of March and April before the Hong Kong changeover of 1997, groups of eight or sometimes twelve yachts would anchor in my spectacular bay. Their owners would shout from their boats, "Leeann, is it OK to come ashore for dinner? We are 14 of us, have you got some raw organic food for us, we are tired of tinned junk." "What about some coconut champagne too" Slowly, with better income, I created more cottages under the coconut trees, adding facilities, increasing my rates, services and sharing the benefits of cleansing raw food.

In 1996 my island view was chosen as the gem of all the 7001 Philippine islands by the author of the Lonely Planet Guide Book. Our Beautiful 'Princess' (Inabuyatan Island) also fringed with coconuts was on his front cover. Popularity brought more visitors and in those short-lived years, I was able to pay off many of the islanders who owned or claimed to own my part of the island.

Often I would accommodate thirty or more guests staying in-house daily. Supported by the help of the local islanders, we offered basic friendly services, raw and semi-raw food meals and unforgettable island adventure. The downside of more visitors was the difficult challenge of sharing my pristine environment with people who enjoyed things that I considered toxic and definitely not meant to be here in my mystical private island with my island guides.

To keep my delicate spiritual balance, the first to go off my island services was meat, followed by cigarettes, then alcohol and coffee and sugar. Having acquired an even deeper interest in the health benefits of coconut, making virgin oil as well as coconut flower honey and many other organic and herbal raw food, I would cringe at the amount of over cooked food I served on my table, including breads, buns and tarts, with not a hope in paradise to incorporate the benefits of food combining or not drinking with meals, plus what I had learned.

Like any business, one is obliged to serve what a customer wants or pay the price and lose business. In the face of much advice to the contrary, I chose the latter, adamantly believing money was not my driving force, love of my island and quality of life was! and I had to find a way.

Growing my Sturdy Tall Coconut Trunk

At this time I was completely cut off from the outside world in so many ways. No news, no radio, no newspaper, no TV, no Internet, no computer, it was just too much of a challenge to find the power. Magazines didn't exist here unless someone brought them in, and there was no music. And none of that mattered to me. YES!! even music!

When you are a child of nature, eating a mostly cleansing raw diet, you are content with the whisperings of wonderful elementals and divas. The many and varied sounds of the sea, the swishing of the fronds of my enormous trees above was, is and always will be my musical pleasure. These trees asked me to hug them, the heavens guided me to build sundecks to embrace the light; the sea beckoned me to swim in it daily. For me the wind offered fine vibrations within the coconut trees that I adored. I was and still am content with simplicity and the song 'All The Sounds Of The Earth Are Like Music' is so true for me. Along the way I was blessed to have visitors share their Gentle Arts. I learnt to practice yoga, tai chi, sword dancing, and do tarot and angel card readings too.

Sometime in mid 1997, an English couple, listening to me voice my current island dreams, suggested I was outlining a detox cleansing spa. All I knew then of Spas were hot water pools in Germany. Fortunate enough to be managing a detox fasting center in Puerto Rico, these two people had my full attention. Another important spiritual serendipity was in the making. A little later, a kind Austrian offered to create my first website for me; an Internet Cafe worker in Puerto Princesa agreed to check emails and send them up in printed state. I replied in longhand. So many rustic beginnings! Imagine notes traveling via a difficult local bus/truck ride over 400 kilometers of steep mountains up to El Nido, then waiting for a rare island boat trip. It was the same process to get the answer back down to Puerto Princesa. Some email replies would have been 10-15 days old before the sender would receive it! I can laugh at the journey, so different from now!

Some of my guests wonder at my patience with the continual computer challenges we have here day by day now, but I know its all relative and I take nothing for granted. Though my library was minimal then, one book called "Touch For Health", written by John Thie, stood out prominently. I had carried this book on many of my travels, even to the base camp of Everest. Once here, I had placed it in a corner, forgetting it, having no partner to learn with or practice it. On a whim I wrote to John Thie's Foundation, hoping the 20 year old address might still exist and that my letter might reach them. My request to entice a 'Touch For Health' instructor to the island to teach me Kinesiology went off with a passing visitor. It was like sending a message in a bottle asking TinkerBell to deliver it. I never used the postal system.

I quickly learnt about mud/clay bakes, coconut body scrubs, seaweed wraps and various massage treatments. A Reiki Master sailing in a yacht anchored in my bay and I managed to convince her to stay longer, teaching me Reiki 1 and 2. Later I was blessed to learn about efficiency micro-organisms (EM) (AEM) and bokashi and started my organic garden under the coconut trees with these wonderful gifts of Mother Nature. I even belatedly learnt about the bokashi composting toilet, something still on my list of things to create.

My diva buds were expanding, spring was in the air and important groundwork was in progress. With the help of a few loyal visitors, I began building several rustic, comfy cottages with garden bathrooms, dreaming of my new 'Adventure Wellness' programs. In 1998, nature threw additional spice into my challenges. First global warming came, bringing ten months of drought with ancient tropical trees crashing down. Sea temperatures, generally only 26 -28 degrees centigrade rose to over 32, killing all the soft corals and much of our hard corals, all under my eyes with nothing I could do. It was a sad unforgettable time for our earth.

To cap off the year of 1998, on December 12th, with most of the construction of my new cottages almost completed, one of the strongest typhoons in 60 years ripped into us head-on. It was called 'Norming' and we were in the 'Eye' and in its wake as it went first one way, then the other it destroyed one third of my retreat, burying my beautiful white-sand beach under heaps of rubble, not to mention many small sea creatures. Almost all of my tall coconut trees were damaged, for one full year I would have no coconut fruits from my island trees. Where to continue, what to rebuild first...where were the funds to do it? I had 0 only in the bank, just enough to keep a US dollar account open. It had to go and more had to be found. Many visitors were booked to share my island paradise between Xmas/New Year, and would be deeply disappointed otherwise.

This was a huge challenge on its own; however on the heels of this, I had to ride out the aftermath of two political dramas during 1999 and 2000. These issues stopped tourism in its tracks for several years. My Adventure Wellness dreams went on the back burner. I had to survive with my coconuts...but how! Most Westerners involved in any commercial venture returned to their country to take on part-time work to maintain their Philippine lifestyle. I had nowhere to go and no money even if I wanted to leave, which I did not. I prayed to Peter Pan and TinkerBell for the answer, asking for change, asking for balance. My wonderful island spirits again heard my prayers and I managed to turn every difficult corner as I came to it.

Stretching my Limbs and Dancing my Huge Coconut Leaves

In 2002 a connection was made with the owner of Dharma Healing, Hillary Hitt. She graciously shared much information on fasting, detox, cleansing and self healing. I linked my web pages with those of Hillary's, but nothing moved. I clearly saw detox fasting programs as my future and prayed to know where and how to begin, but though 52 years old, I had never fasted a day in my life and had only the vaguest idea what detox fasting meant.

True to the rhythms of my mystical life, less than ten months later, a full of life 73 year old Norwegian man, Frank Jenson arrived, loved my coconut paradise and wanted to stay for 2 months or more. I asked what he did for a living. Frank replied that the was a "Touch For Health" (kinesiology) instructor.

So here was the person I had asked Peter Pan to send me five years before, sent off in note in a bottle! Frank also owned 'Monhos Velhos', a detox fasting retreat in the Argyle, Portugal and serendipity was knocking again. Frank got an almost FREE stay; a great trade off, and I was over the moon! You might call this luck; I called it as usual, my destiny. Like so much in life, our paths are mapped out.

Learning Kinesiology was fun, but what I appreciated the most was Frank sitting beside me in my office for a two full months, (mostly nude!), rebuilding his detox fasting website. I was his willing pupil. I learnt about fasting and detox and I learnt of life-changing journeys. We were using cleansing products Frank had brought from Portugal and without even looking into where or how I would get similar items, I started my detox fasting retreat adding more coconut products to them, converting my website totally to detox and transformation and my life simultaneously too.

It was a huge financial risk to convert from simple tourism to offering detox, fasting, cleansing programs at higher prices in this remote area, but slowly with the help of TinkerBell and her magic wand, everything came slowly together. I was and still am blessed to have had the opportunity with my guides, to find and then create one of the most beautiful paradises on earth for cleansing detox, fasting and self healing. I could think of no better way to support myself in this lifetime than to share my paradise with caring visitors, mostly women, seeking a quiet sanctuary like mine for their own cleansing self healing work and to find their own balance. Plus the thrill that people could be sharing their holistic alternative health knowledge with families and loved ones, and contributing just that little bit more to the healing of our world is an added bonus.

Like many of us that move into the alternative health care detox field, I too came with my own personal baggage of health challenges. Up until that time, I had buried many of these in the spirit of 'Just get on with it!' Peter Pan had told me to be strong, to even play a very masculine role in order to set the groundwork. Now was my own time for spiritual growth and healing, to explore my feminine energy; to nurture and transform ME. To share with love and ever growing understanding, I had to first listen to my deepest inner child awareness. These are the beautiful gifts of my island, my island guides and much serendipity. There is so much more than we will ever know about our spiritual destiny, we must just trust and walk our inner child path.

Appreciating and Sharing My Flowers and Fruits

As diva life has a way of evolving so gracefully, I was destined to meet my next mentor, Farida Sharan, the owner/founder of The School of Natural Medicine, Boulder Colorado. After years of personal study, practical experience and commitment in the field of alternative natural health detox and fasting, I earned my Diploma in Naturopathy and forged ahead on my tiny coconut island. Offering colon irrigation services long before many people in my part of the world had ever heard of it, added to the legend of Leeann 'The Crazy Coconut Lady of Malapacao'. When I began my fasting, self healing programs the flowers and fruits came into my life. As I speak they are in full strong blossom, blooming slowly more each year. Visitors now come to my pristine island from all walks of life and from every corner of the globe for guided full body detox parasite cleansing, colonics, organic raw food, coconut ology teacher training, as well as for Naturopathy, Alternative Health Care Practicum's.

Many on my visitors become open to detox cleansing usually after they have become burnt out from stress and an unhealthy diet. Many know what to do, but forget to listen to their bodies. Sadly many get sick and take toxic medications, especially for depression, or seriously ill with cancer. Many have had no luck with regular doctors and don't know what to do. Almost all have parasites and bacteria issues, many have sticky blood and acid pH.

Part of the process of becoming healthy is learning to love ourselves and listen to our spiritual inner child and our hearts; to learn to see our body as our temple. I feel so blessed to have my strong coconut trees and magical divas here with me every day. Ideally we should detox regularly and eat colorful living vibrant unadulterated organic food with lots of coconut, be mindful when and where we eat; spend time in nature and talk to the trees, love as many people around us as we can and enjoy and share the flowers and fruits of our labor. With this, appreciating our winding path of truth and growing inner child spirituality, becomes easier. This is my gift to the universe, to share my spectacular island with its beautiful white-sand beach with people seeking to love themselves more, to change, transform and to self heal, to find a way back to balance from a very toxic world through mother nature.

Created in love, living life in love, surrounded by love, encouraging love

Leeann

A Detox Fasting Paradise - Pristine Private Island - Coconut, the Tree of Life and Organic Raw Food

Leeann is a 58 years young, vibrantly alive Raw Foodist, living on a pristine private island she found with her spiritual guides Peter Pan and TinkerBell. Blessed to have her mystical paradise, she offers her wonderful home for affordable detox cleansing, fasting adventures and self healing transformation.

She suggests you escape the rat race, hectic schedules and bad habits. Transform, rejuvenate and balance your life with gifts from the coconut, raw food, and learn to heal naturally, holistically by connecting with your inner child guides, as nature intended.

Malapacao Private Island Retreat in the El Nido Marine Reserve, Bacuit Bay, Palawan, Philippines is a remote, exclusive, unforgettable, private island paradise. Personalized detox cleansing with high colonics, organic raw food programs; pampering daily therapies like massages of all kinds, clay bakes, coconut body scrubs, herbal soaks and many other tropical delights.

Together with island exploring, snorkeling, swimming, hiking, kayaking, jungle adventures, Malapacao Private Island Retreat with its white-sand beach, offers an great venue for self healing detox fasting. Overcome serious health challenges with powerful one on one Dr. Schultz treatments like "Hyperthermia Cold Sheet" acupuncture, moxa treatments and lots more.

El Nido, Palawan is an 80 minute flight from Manila with 3 flights daily most days. Malapacao is a 40 minute boat ride from El Nido.

The retreat offers a personal guide from the moment one lands in Manila, till they arrive on the island with the additional option to pass through a professionally run Medical Clinic for Live blood Analysis, urine and other blood tests.

Website: http://www.malapacao.com/detox
Email: privateisland4@gmail.com

You'll find hundreds of pics on these pages http://www.malapacao.com/pages/picture-gallery.htm

Coconut - A Miracle Tree

Coconut, scientifically known as Cocus nucifera, was referred to as the 'Miracle Tree' by ancient Sri Lankans for a very good reason: every part of the tree is of immense benefit to man. Starting from the sprout, leaves and flowers to the trunk and the roots, ancient Sri Lankans knew how to reap gold from the Coconut tree. It is widely used in culinary, medicine and carpentry as well as in decorations. It is even used in traditional Hindu rituals as a symbol of prosperity.

Coconut trees thrive on sandy beaches across South East Asia and the Mediterranean; all the way across the beaches of Central Africa. It shows optimum growth in warm and humid countries like the Philippines, Indonesia, Brazil, India and Sri Lanka. Coconut trees require a lot of sunlight and therefore do not tolerate much overhead canopy. There resistance to salty conditions and strong roots make them excellent survivors on the shore, where the sandy soil and high salinity give little chance to most other plants.

Coconut

A botanist would refer to a Coconut fruit as a 'brute', as it is not a real 'nut'. It consists of a single seed covered in a hard shell composed of fibre. This is enveloped by two layers of husk. This fibrous outer shell of a coconut is known as the coir. When a coconut naturally falls, its coir will be dry and soft and can be processed to make Coco peat. Coco peat is available in various densities and granulations and is used for agricultural and horticultural purposes as it is a rich source of soil additive.

Coconut - A Miracle Tree

The white and meaty flesh inside the seed is the edible part of the fruit. The Coconut meat is fatty and rich in protein and minerals like iron, phosphorus and zinc. The meat in younger coconuts is very soft and is sometimes referred to as Coconut jelly. It is a great delicacy. The hollow inside the fruit is filled with Coconut water: a highly nutritious food source. Did you know that, during the World War II, Coconut water was used as an emergency transfusion liquid for patients who had lost a lot of blood? When Coconut meat is processed with warm water you produce a white liquid known as Coconut milk. It is used to make virgin Coconut oil and also in cooking.

Coconut trunks make excellent wood for carpentry because of its strength, straightness and resistance to wet and salty conditions. Other by products of Coconuts includes coconut flowers which are used as decorations throughout South Asia. Their nectar is used to make palm wine, 'toddy', as well as syrups and candy. Coconut leaves are used to roof houses, as fuel and to make various household items like brooms and baskets. The hard coconut shells are used to make numerous items ranging from spoons and cups to buttons and musical instruments. Coconut roots are known for its medicinal properties.

I am sure you will agree with the ancient Sri Lankans that Coconut is indeed a Miracle Tree. So next time you see one make sure to take a second look at it and appreciate it for all its worth.

Coconut - A Miracle Tree

Coconuts have numerous useful byproducts like leaves, Coco Peat and other coconut related products.

Anti Aging Moisturizer - Use Virgin Coconut Oil As the Natural Anti Aging Moisturizer For Your Skin

People are willing to spend thousands of dollars on treatments and anti-aging products to look young and stay young. Many skin care companies claim they have found perfect solution for the skin aging problem. It is quite difficult for regular consumers to determine which one actually gives the best results.

Many anti-aging products by brand name companies contain ingredients or chemicals that can be harmful to your skin in the long run and might also produce side effects. This is one of the many reasons good quality natural anti-aging products are becoming more popular. A particular natural anti-aging products which has gotten the attention of many people is Virgin Coconut Oil.

Coconut

Applying virgin coconut oil on your skin helps to remove the outer layer of dead skin cells and makes your skin smooth and soft. It also helps to treat premature aging, wrinkling of the skin, prevent skin cancer, degenerative diseases, heart diseases, arthritis, cancer and diabetes. It is also a powerful healing agent because of its anti-inflammatory, anti-neuralgic, antibiotic and antioxidant properties. No wonder this oil is regarded by many as a wonderful healing agent on the skin and other diseases also.

Anti Aging Moisturizer - Use Virgin Coconut Oil As the Natural Anti Aging Moisturizer For Your Skin

Virgin Coconut Oil has high level of antioxidants, which penetrates deep into the skin and fights free radicals and formation of wrinkles. When the skin loses its elasticity, the signs of aging appear in the form of wrinkles. Virgin Coconut Oil helps the skin to maintain its elasticity, which is vital for skin to remain young and firm. It is considered one of the best natural oil for skin lotions. When applied on the skin it penetrates deep into the cell structure of the connective tissues. It keeps the connective tissues tough and flexible thus slow down the skin aging process. It is one of the nature's most natural and effective anti-aging product.

It is also a very effective skin moisturizer. It keeps the skin hydrated and well nourished by maintaining the moisture, giving your skin a youthful appearance.

When shopping for coconut oil, make sure to choose organic unrefined virgin coconut oil. Many commercial grade coconut oils are made from copra, the dried meat of the coconut. Using the Copra method allows the company to create more oil. However, since most of the copra is dried under the sun in the open air, they are exposed to moulds and insects. As a result, companies have to refine, bleach, and deodorize them with high heat and chemical before they can sell the final products. The healing powers and the natural smell of coconut oil are removed in the refine process. This oil is also often hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated. Studies have shown hydrogenated oils can increase serum cholesterol levels, which contribute to heart disease.

Therefore, it is very important to make sure to look for unrefined virgin coconut oil when you are shopping for one. Best of all, they should be organically grown without using any pesticide. Organic virgin coconut oil is higher quality and tends to be a little more expensive. However, it is worth the extra money to get the most benefits for your skin.

Anti Aging Moisturizer - Use Virgin Coconut Oil As the Natural Anti Aging Moisturizer For Your Skin

Click to find a wide variety of organic skin care products made with virgin coconut oil and tamanu oil. All of our organic skin care products incorporate the time tested, proven anti-aging and healing properties of these natural wonders that makes your skin young and beautiful.

Christmas Cookies - Coconut Cookies

Coconut is one of those ingredients that seems to get little attention until the holidays roll around. Here are some recipes that you will want to keep handy all year.

Coconut Macaroons You can whip these favorites up in minutes so keep the ingredients on hand in your pantry for a quick, freshly baked treat any time.

Coconut

You will need:

Christmas Cookies - Coconut Cookies

2 1/2 cups flaked coconut

1/3 cup flour (all-purpose)

1/8 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine the coconut, flour and salt. Add the milk and vanilla. Mixture will be a little stiff. Drop by tablespoonfuls 1 inch apart on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 15 - 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. Now, wasn't that easy? Yield about 36 cookies.

Try Cherry Snowballs, a classic Christmas treat. You will need:

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup quick cooking oats
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 36 maraschino cherries, well drained.

For the coating you will need

  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 2/4 to 1/3 cup milk
  • 2 cups flaked coconut, finely chopped

To make the cookie, cream the butter, sugar, water and vanilla. Combine the flour, oats and salt and gradually add to the creamed mixture.

Shape about a tablespoon full of dough around a cherry, forming a ball. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F. for about 18-20 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

While cookies cool, make the coating by combining the sugar, and milk to achieve a smooth dipping consistency. Dip cookies and roll in the chopped coconut. Let set and finish cooling. Makes about 36 cookies.

Prefer a little chocolate with your coconut? Here are Chocolate Coconut Neapolitans that you are sure to love. To make these cookies you will need:

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 4 drops of red food coloring
  • 1/2 cup flaked coconut, finely chopped
  • 4 1/2 teaspoons chocolate syrup
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons shortening

Line a 9 by 5 by 3 inch loaf pan with waxed paper and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and gradually add to the creamed mixture, mixing well.

Divide the dough into thirds. Add almond extract and red food color to one portion, spread evenly into the prepared pan.

Add coconut to the second portion and spread evenly over the third layer.

Add the chocolate syrup to the third portion and spread over the second layer.

Cover with foil and freeze for 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. You will also need ungreased cookie sheets or sheets lined with parchment paper.

Unwrap the loaf and cut in half lengthwise. Cut each portion across the width into 1/4 inch slices. Place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet and bake for 12 - 14 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening. Stir until blended and smooth. Dip one end of each cooled cookie into chocolate and place on wire racks set over wax paper(to catch drips).

Recipe makes about 5 dozen cookies. Store in a single layer between sheets of wax paper in an air-tight container.

For all you caramel lovers, here is one for you. Caramel Coconut Heavenly Cookies are easy to make and impressive on the Christmas cookie platter. Great cookie to make with kids and be careful, they are addictive.

You will need:

  • 12 graham crackers (4 3/4 by 2 1/2 inches)
  • 2 cups miniature marshmallows
  • 3/4 cup butter
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup sliced almonds
  • 1 cup flaked coconut

To make these cookie bars live a 15 by 10 inch baking pan with foil. Let the kids place graham crackers in the bottom and cover with the marshmallows. Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium ht cook and stir the butter, sugar and cinnamon until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Spoon this heated mixture over the marshmallows. The children can then sprinkle the almonds and coconut over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 14 - 16 minutes or until browned. Cool completely and then cut into 2 inch squares. Cut each square in half to form triangles. Makes about 6 dozen. You could also drizzle a ribbon of melted chocolate chips over the top. Try this with butterscotch chips. Yummy.

Here is one more that you surely will want to include the Christmas. They are called Jeweled Coconut Crisps and they will add yet one more layer to your festive table, that is if you can keep them around long enough.

You will need:

  • 1 cup butter,softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped red and green candied cherries
  • 3/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 cup flaked coconut

To make the cookies cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. Bear in the milk and vanilla. Stir in the flour, cherries and pecans.

Shape into two 8 inch logs. Sprinkle coconut onto wax paper, placing each log on the wax paper roll it in the coconut. Wrap each log and refrigerate several hours or until firm.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut the cookies from the logs making 1/4 inch slices. Place on ungreased or parchment paper lined baking sheets and bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.

Cool on wire racks. You may wish to sprinkle warm cookies with a dusting of confectioners' sugar, but this is optional. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

With these few simple recipes and a few common ingredients you have just baked 22 dozen cookies that will delight your family and thrill your friends when you show up at the cookie exchange. Set out some of each at your next gathering for an instant holiday cookie platter. Hide some in air tight containers for later, and don't forget how delicious and easy these are when you are suddenly in the mood for a sweet treat any time of the year. Enjoy.

Christmas Cookies - Coconut Cookies

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