Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn's Disease, Diverticulosis, Twisted and Redundant Colon, Proctitis, Stomach Ulcers and Duodenal Ulcers are all diseases and health issues associated with poor intestinal health.
Since intestinal health is central to overall health, it's important to provide a brief overview of the properties of a healthy gut. The intestines are populated by many different organisms, all of which interact with each other and with the gut wall. Like all living things, these microorganisms need to consume and to excrete. When the bowel system shifts toward disease, pathogenic bacteria and fungi multiply, while the amount of undigested food stuff increases. The functions of nerves in the intestinal walls become abnormal, deteriorating in absorption of nutrients. Various digestive disorders can then occur depending on the severity of the damage to the gut wall.
Coconut Oil for Digestive Disorders and Intestinal Health
Quick disclaimer – I am required to clearly state that I am not a licensed medical professional nor do I pretend to be one on this site. Take what I write as a launching off point to do your own research. My advice, experience, and suggestions are not to be considered medical advice.
Coconut oil is largely made up of Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) like lauric acid. These are comparable to MCTs established in breast milk, as stated by Dr. Bruce Fife, in a piece of writing at the Coconut Research Center website. Fife emphasized the advantages of MCTs in helping digestion and reinforcing the immune system to combat bacteria, parasitic and fungal infectivity.
Fife also clarified that average chain triglycerides convert into antimicrobial means within your digestive tract. When consumed, coconut oil's anti-microbial properties become activated after triglycerides are converted into monoglycerides and free fatty acids in the digestive tract. Monolaurin, the monoglyceride of lauric acid has the greatest overall anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal effect. All of them work together synergistically to provide the strongest germ-killing effect. They are enclosed in a lipid (fat) membrane and lipid coated viruses & bacteria are absorbed into the organisms outer membrane. These fats have a destabilizing effect which weakens the membrane to the point that it disintegrates and falls apart, killing the microorganisms. This process is so effective it can kill even the supergerms that have become resistant to antibiotics.
Coconut oil basically goes in and eradicates harmful bad bacteria in our digestive tract. That leaves the digestive/intestinal track in excellent health. By continuing to consume coconut oil the digestive tract will resume stability and support colon well-being.
Studies have shown that coconut oil also plays a key role in healing and soothing inflamed tissues along the digestive tract. If you are battling painful conditions like colitis, Crohn's, or ulcers, coconut oil will aid to some degree in soothing the pain and discomfort you might be experiencing.
Advanced medicine has finally started using coconut oil for its medicinal features, even though additional scientific studies are required to back up assertions of its helpfulness for aiding in intentional disorders. Despite the need for assertions, it still pays to use coconut oil for both prevention and treatment of intestinal and digestive issues.
Want to learn more about Coconut Oil? Check out 333 Uses for Coconut Oil, a comprehensive look at this amazing oil and all of its health benefits.
Great information to pass along to a couple friends. I clicked back to 160 uses… and noticed the bit about yeast. Fabulous news for me. We cook and bake with coconut oil but I think I will likely still increase how much we use it.
Anyway, my near 2 yo. has a yeast infection that we have been treating with the help of a ND for quite sometime now. We have been using probiotics and recently oil of oregano (it only shows up as a bald patch on his tongue) but the progress has been sloooow. Do you think supplementing his diet with a tbps of coconut oil daily would help too?
Also, do you have any resources for purchasing coconut oil that are inexpensive? It’s certainly tight on the budget, esp if we are going to increase our consumption. I have a friend who gets around 32 oz for $5.99 at Walmart! I never buy Walmart stuff (sorry if that sounds snotty to anyone I just don’t trust them), so I’m not really sure about this product. I know it is food grade. Are there any quality differences in brands or levels of refinement?
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@AcaciaM Hi Acacia! Glad that you found my 160 Uses post and that you are interested in trying it for yeast in your son. Yes – absolutely add more coconut oil to his diet. It will take a week or so to start working but you will notice an impact rather quickly, especially beause he is so young.
I purchase my coconut oil online in bulk and get a great deal. Here is the link to the expellar pressed coconut oil. http://tinyurl.com/3uspaap
It the least expensive of the three oils sold but still VERY healthy. Gold Lable would be the highest quality but is can get pricey. However, they offer monthly free shipping specials and that is when I stock up!
You do not want to use a heavily refined oil, which basically has all the healthy benefits stripped right out. Cheap is not better in this case. So yes – stay well away from Walmart.
Let me know if you have any additional questions once you check out the product site. If you are looking for a brand of CO that is sold in stores, I would suggest Barleans. They do less refining than others.
Wow. My hubby does have digestive system issues. So how could I go about… sneaking some coconut oil into him? What are some good ways to go about that?
I only cook 1 meal a day (breakfast) usually, at least as far as what he eats.
@Momma Jorje Coconut Oil can be used in place of any other oil. You can use it for baking, for sauteing, for oil in salad dressing. You can add it to smoothies or into your warm tea or coffee. You can use it like butter and add it to rice, oatmeal or pasta. Add it to just about any sauce. Melt it and add it into a marinade. Really – you can put it into anything! If you only cook breakfast just use as much as you can then. I love making scrambled eggs with it and it is great in oatmeal.
Can you put the oil into capsules and take it that way? I have ulcerative colitis and hate having to take all the medication and still have nausea and some pain.
You can however, it would literally take hundreds of capsules to get the right amount in. Try cooking with it! You can get a lot in that way!
I love the smell of coconut oil and use it in most of my cooking.
I gag on coconut oil. I have difficulty swallowing it. The smell doesn’t
stink, but even smelling it makes me want to gag. Why? I want to be
healthier. It seems I can only use it for hair & skin & mixed in
oatmeal, or beans & rice.
Butter with coco makes a good taste. I add coco to a hot milk w/turmeric and egg. From the reading it appears that coco does its good whether in the form of oil, flour or shreds. One other source to check is MCT oil- almost all coco constituents. (Dr Mary Newport uses this w/coco for her husbands Alzheimer’s- a 4/3 ratio.) This is lighter, stays liquid below 76 F. and is basically tasteless. Swansons is a good source. Others have it 4 the same price or less but Swansons shipping makes it the most economical source. Wishing you well.
I would like to know how to go about getting this much into myself and my husband. Do we just take it by the tablespoon full?
Hello. I have started adding a tablespoon to my coffee. If you have a mixer with a whisk attachment, I recommend whisking for about 30 seconds to get it good and mixed. I have yet to try it in my tea. And, I’m excited to try it in some hot cocoa this winter… I hope this helps.