The Tree Of Life
Monday, December 20, 2010 at 12:58PM Coconut is an unusual fruit, however, it is an amazing fruit with astounding natural healing qualities.
How coconuts came to be, no one really knows. Like so many other superfoods, its origin is shrouded in mystery, although some botanists suspect an origin in the Malayan archipelago. For those traditional people who live where coconuts are plentiful - and that includes many coastal island locations around the world - the coconut tree is recognized as the "Tree of Life." This well-entrenched belief is due to the fact that the coconut tree can produce more than one hundred useful products. Bowls for food, jewelry, fibers for bedding...then there are the nutritional benefits of the fruit. The water inside the coconut has the same level of electrolyte balance as human blood and is so pure and clean it has been used an IV fluid to save lives in some South Sea islands. The water is in fact quite similar to the blood plasma that makes up about 55% of our blood. As a food, it is a blood purifyer, rich in minerals and vitamin C.
The products made from the meat of the coconut have supported health of traditional peoples in many obvious ways. Healthy hearts, regulated metabolism, smooth and silky skin tone, strong and pliable muscle tone, and healthy teeth and gums are just a few of the benefits derived from coconut milk and coconut oil.
It is almost impossible to heap too much praise upon coconut oil. It is often considered a functional food - a food that provides health benefits over and beyond basic nutrients. In other words, it has many energetic properties. Here is a list of a few of these benefits:
- The oil is easily absorbed into tissue and cells, making it very good for cellular repair. Unlike polyunsaturated fats, which drive cholesterol into the cells, making them rigid and inflexible (while giving the false impression of lowering cholesterol in a healthy way), the coconut oil is mostly saturated fat and causes no damage to cells or tissue. Its medium-chain fatty acids are easily absorbed into cells making them strong and flexible.
- It is the perfect fat for regulating metabolism while nourishing the body and increasing strength.
- It contains medium-chain fatty acids in the form of lauric and capric acid. Lauric acid forms into monolaurin in the body. Research has shown that yeast problems, ringworm and giardia (a common parasite) have been inactivated or killed by monolaurin. It has been recognized for its anitviral properties, which occur through its ability to disrupt the lipid membranes of viruses, including the HIV virus and herpes. It is also antibacterial and antimicrobial. Monolaurin is not found in the human body and must be supplied by diet. Capric acid, which forms into monocaprin in the body, is another medium-chain fatty acid with additional supporting benefits.
We can learn about additional energetic properties of coconut by observing some of the tree's unique characteristics. The coco palm is a tree that can grow from sixty to one hundred feet tall over a period of nine months. Is is a natural water filter that filters water by drawing it up through a complex network of fibers to the coconut, where it is stored in a completely sterile state. Nine months is of course a prominent human cycle of conception to birth; this correspondence underscores the fact that this unique food is supportive to pregnant and nursing mothers.
The coconut tree prefers light sandy soil and has shallow, widely spread roots that allow for a much needed air supply. It tolerates and filters salty water. These functions closely mimic the functions of human kidneys, making foods from coconuts supportive to kidney and adrenal functions. Coconuts (water, milk, kernel) can help with the regulation of minerals and sodium levels, assist in the maintenance of urinary tract health by helping to reduct infections, and enhance sexual functions by helping to increase sperm quantity and vaginal lubrications.
The coco fruit takes from eleven to fifteen months to reach maturity; while one coconut is on its way to maturation, another may be just beginning to sprout. All stages of fruit are bearing life at all times on the coconut tree, from the youngest to oldest. The whole process is truly a family affair and makes the "Tree of Life" one of the most fascinating and nutritionally supportive food crops of the world. So, get some.
Take care.
Reader Comments (2)
This is really intersting...I had no idea that coconut was so good for you! I love coconut...but I've tried those coconut waters that are so popular now and I just can't drink them. The taste is really off-putting to me. I"m definitely going to add coconut oil to my repertoire, though!
Good to hear, you'll love it, and so will your body. Coconut water is an acquired taste for some. I'm really not sure if I like it or not, I just drink it because I want it's qualities within me. I guess that makes it taste better in the end. The coconut has walked beside humans since time immemorial; it knows us well.