Can we really get nuts over coconuts? In recent studies, coconut oil— a medium chain fatty acid—has been proven to improve thyroid function. For the many women and men who have hypothyroidism, the use of coconut oil in the diet can help to restore the function of their thermostat for metabolism.

According to the experts, about 50% of women who complain about weight problems go undiagnosed with thyroid problems. Most women have never had their thyroid checked. With the onset of menopause, a thyroid problem typically worsens.

The thyroid, the thermostat for metabolism, lies across the throat like a butterfly. When the thermostat is set and running along, you feel and look great. However, if the setting is low or slow, you can feel tired and sluggish, and your weight can start to climb. Other signs you might notice are: flaky or dry skin, headaches, depression or mood swings, constipation, insomnia, hair loss, high cholesterol, difficulty with concentration or memory and difficulty staying warm. You should consult your physician about blood tests that test your T3 and T4 levels, but some tests are inconclusive or fail to catch the condition altogether.

Research has found that taking three tablespoons of coconut oil a day can increase your calorie-burning power by up to 50%. Even if you don’t have thyroid problems, taking coconut oil is worth trying since it is a food and not a drug and is free of side effects. Other studies have shown that by substituting coconut oil for other plant-based oils, some people have lost up to 36 pounds per year without dieting.

You can find coconut oil in health food stores. For suggested reading, go to www.coconut-info.com or look for the books Eat Fat, Look Thin and The Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil by Bruce Fife, N.D. on http://www.amazon.com/

O.K. We’ve all probably heard all of the wonderful things about coconut oil right? Sounds like the next wonder come true. Well, I’m not too sure about this one. The jury is still out on coconut oil for me. Not that I’m discounting it, I just don’t know for myself.

I know that coconut oil is great for the skin; I’ve used it in massage for the reduction of cellulite and massage. It was great for the rejuvenation of the skin. However, as far as internal intake it may not be great for everyone.

Most of us have heard of “Eating right for your blood type”. I personally stick fairly close to this diet, but if you look at the “oils to avoid”, across the board, coconut oil is on that list for As, Bs and Os. If this is true, coconut oil should be avoided by everyone.

I need to do more research on this subject before I make a final judgment. This subject is like many others…everyone seems to have a different opinion. Until then I’ll stick to good-old favorites-olive, flax, hemp and grapeseed.

If you have any information on this subject, please share!

Today, there are many autoimmune disorders. “Autoimmune” basically means that the immune system is attacking healthy tissue. This is because the body’s immune system cannot distinguish good cells from bad cells. The way in which these immune cells can communicate with other cells is by the use of glycoforms.

These glycoforms, in appearance, resemble hair growing on the surface of the cells. Through the use of these glycoforms, cells transfer information from one cell to another creating communication throughout the body. Without these glycoforms, the immune cells don’t know if a cell is damaging to the body, and must be destroyed, or if it’s just a good cell that needs repairing. Glycoforms not only protect the cells from bacteria, viruses and free radicals, they also aid in cell replication, tissue rejuvenation, cellular growth and structural stability.

The problem is that our food is no longer “vine ripened”. Todays’, fruits and vegetables are cut “green” to accommodate the food companies’ growth. If they were to wait till their crops were vine ripened, the fruits and vegetables would be rotten by the time they reach the market. Since the transferal of glyconutrients occur during the last 2 to 3 weeks of maturing on the vine, there is obviously a conflict here.

The absence of glycoforms has given rise to autoimmune diseases like lupus and arthritis, not to mention issues like cancer, tumors and AIDS. This is because our food supply hasn’t contained glyconutrients since the late 50s to early 60s and can’t help our bodies defend itself adequately.

One of the biggest discoveries in the last 100 years when it comes to the immune system is the discovery of glyconutrients. Glyconutrients are micro monosacharides that are found in vine ripened fruits and vegetables. Over the last 50 years these sugars have disappeared from our food. These glyconutrients have been lost from our food chain mainly because of the conglomeration of food companies.

These glyconutrients help our immune system function at peak levels. Cancer and autoimmune diseases hardly existed until after the 1960s when these sugars began to slowly disappear from our diet. Now, it seems that people believe that cancer and disease are an imminent part of life! This is brain washing at its best!

People seem to have forgotten this fact. Returning ones immune system to peak performance doesn't have to be difficult. There are sources for glyconutrients and by taking these nutrients on a regular basis can provide a strong immune system warding off almost any immune problem.

Visit my website for more info on nutritional products: http://www.american-bioenergetics.com/