Nature's Magic Potion - Benefits Of Coconut Oil And Candida

Candidiasis, which is caused by over-population of the Candida albicans, manifests itself in the form of infection in the genitals and also in other parts of the body. Itching, swelling, burning and reddening of genitals accompanied by cottage-cheese-like discharge are the common symptoms. Chronic consequences of Candida yeast infection include leaky gut syndrome, bloating, acne, painful urination and pain during sexual intercourse. While artificial anti-fungal agents bring temporary relief, they are known to cause severe side-effects. Besides, they trigger the fungus to develop genetic resistance to the chemical agents. These agents also kill the beneficial microbes in our body.

Using natural anti-fungal and anti-microbial agents which work naturally with the body can prevent these conditions. Coconut oil is one such natural remedy for Candida.

How does coconut oil work?

Coconut oil contains a medium-chain fatty acid known as Caprylic Acid, which is highly effective as an anti-microbial agent. In fact it is so powerful, that it has been extracted from coconut oil to be retailed as natural anti-fungal agent. This fatty acid is naturally aligned not to work against natural probiotics in the body.

Another medium-chain fatty acid is the Capric acid. All the three strains of Candida are known to be neutralized fastest in the presence this component. It breaks the cell membrane of the Candida, while the cytoplasm and other contents of the cell are left shrunken and in chaos, causing the cells of the Candida to die. This fatty acid also doesn’t affect the useful bacteria in any way.

Lauric acid is the third component. It is a saturated fatty acid. It has been reported to be the most effective in disrupting Candida cells at lower concentrations. Lauric acid is secreted by the mammary glands and not by the liver. The only two sources of Lauric acid in the diet are ample amounts of coconut oil and/or slight doses of butter fat.

What kind of coconut oil should you use?

Coconut oil may be obtained from the copra or it may be obtained by cold press of the fresh coconut meat. The latter is what you should opt for. In other words, what you should choose is the Virgin or the Extra-virgin coconut oil. Manufacturers of such oil extract the milk of coconut by grating fresh coconuts. Then they let this milk stay stagnant in a covered bucket. After about 1 to 1.5 days, the oil automatically separates from the milky solution producing crystal clear coconut oil. How would you know that it’s fresh and virgin? - It would retain the full scent and taste of original coconuts.

Remember that hydrogenated oils are stripped of their benefits and are high in trans-fat content. Trans-fat strongly favours over-population of Candida.

Incorporating coconut oil in your diet

3 to 5 tablespoons of pure non-hydrogenated coconut oil can be incorporated in your daily diet to eliminate Candida. You can start off with about 1 tablespoon. Coconut oil can also be used in the form of cooking oil as it can withstand high temperatures.

The fatty acids present in coconut oil are medium-chained, and hence, they are more easily converted to energy as opposed to being stored as fat. Thus, you don’t have to worry about gaining weight while consuming coconut oil. Even a slight increase in weight would be well compensated by a number of excellent benefits, as discussed. Consumption of coconut oil is also known to cause chills, fatigue and headache in some people. However these can be easily alleviated.

It may be noted, that apart from dietary consumption of coconut oil, it can also be gently massaged in the affected areas (external only), for obtaining relief.