According to the mainstream science, there is no way to prevent or treat Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Different chemical and natural substances have already been studied – ginkgo, vitamin E and non – steroidal anti – inflammatories – but they showed no positive results. Now, it’s time to check coconut oil, and put to the test anecdotal evidence that suggest it cures Alzheimer’s. It all began when Dr. Mary Newport’s husband at the age of 51 was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. He quickly deteriorated to the point where he couldn’t read a book, tie his shoes or hold a conversation. He was rapidly going downhill and his existing medication weren’t working. Dr. Newport, being a researcher, started looking into the changes that occur in the demented brain and the physiology of the brain. She came up with a new possibility: coconut oil. She started giving her husband 4 teaspoons every day, and soon noticed some amazing results. Not only did Steve Newport stop deteriorating, he was able to read again, interact, he also became more cognitively agile and he could walk around without help. Mary was very happy and after a long period, she felt she got her husband back.
Because Dr. Newport wanted to quantify her findings, she started applying for funding that would enable her to do research on coconut oil in relation to treating Alzheimer’s. She was finally given green light, after a lot of convincing. The USF Health Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute is supporting the first clinical trial of its kind, and the results are expected within a year. 65 individuals with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s are included in the study, which will look at the effects of a placebo versus coconut oil.
Our brain needs glucose and fat, in order to function normally. This is the brain’s fuel. Recent research has shown that a diet low in fats or a low – carbohydrate diet (especially essential fatty acids) can lower the mood and can be crucial to the function of our brain. Stephen Cunnane, who studies brain metabolism at Université de Sherbrooke in Quebec, Canada, explains that when the brain starts starving, it quickly goes into Alzheimer’s disease.
Alzheimer’s disease has been dubbed type 3 diabetes. It involves brain cells and insulin impairments to start having difficulty metabolizing glucose. The brain needs an alternative fuel to be provided to it. This is where coconut oil steps in. Coconut oil is rich in ketones. When there is a shortage of glucose, these molecules can be used by the brain as energy. We talk of ‘ketonic effect’, which can also be achieved by eating a high – fat diet. Demonizing high – fat diets is becoming a thing of the past, and the benefits of coconut oil are now being hailed.
