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Mary Newport has much reason to celebrate these days.
After helplessly watching her 58 year old husband rapidly degenerate into severe dementia only 5 years after MRI diagnosis with Alzheimer’s, Dr. Newport decided to pursue unorthodox treatment of his condition with virgin coconut oil (not refined!) instead of the expensive drug Axena which has the drawback of producing intestinal distress in some patients and wears off within just a few hours of ingestion.
Mary Newport, a neonatal pediatrician at Spring Hill Regional Hospital in Florida, learned through research that the active ingredient in Axona is MCT, also known as Medium Chain Triglycerides, a saturated fat used to treat epilepsy as well as in neonatal feeding programs.
Since Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) is loaded with MCTs, Dr. Newport began an intensive feeding program for her husband that consisted of a mixture of 2 TBL virgin coconut oil and the MCT pharmaceutical isolate with every meal. Interestingly, this regimen also assists with sensible and steady weight loss.
Within 35 days, Steve Newport’s rapid neurological decline was arrested and 18 months later he had recovered enough brain function and normal behavior to test as only a mild case of Alzheimer’s – the same tests which before starting the VCO feeding program had indicated that he was borderline severe dementia.
As a bonus, Steve Newport’s cholesterol profile has improved significantly by adding this healthy saturated fat to his diet with good cholesterol (HDL) going up and bad cholesterol (LDL) going down.
Dr. Newport now travels all over the United States relaying the remarkable story of her husband’s recovery from borderline severe dementia using VCO to essentially rebuild his brain.
She is a strong advocate for continued research into the use of MCTs as a therapy for those with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis and other debilitating neurological diseases.
Coconut Oil Provides SuperFuel to the Brain
Dr. Bruce Fife, author of Stop Alzheimer’s Now, recommends VCO instead of MCT drugs such as Axona because the drugs become ineffective over time, wear off quickly, have side effects and cause free radical damage to the cells.
When the MCTs in virgin coconut oil are converted into ketones they act as a super fuel for the brain. This super fuel provides energy to the brain as well as stimulates healing and repair.
It is the chemical structure of the MCTs in coconut oil that allows them to pass the blood-brain barrier which ordinary food or oils cannot.
How to Source Quality Virgin Coconut Oil
If someone you love is suffering from a neurodegenerative illness, help them by adding virgin coconut oil to their diet! The research is showing what Traditional Cultures such as those in the Pacific Islands have known for centuries – coconut oil helps keep you healthy!
To source, please refer to my healthy shopping list page which identifies companies that offer only the finest organic Virgin Coconut Oil from sustainable sources available in convenient coconut oil capsules too!
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Source: The Philippine Inquirer, A Cure for Alzheimer’s
The last couple of times I visited Green Pasture they are not carrying coconut oil. This makes me sad because I like the taste and smell of theirs more than any other brand. And I like that it comes in a gallon-sized plastic jar, which is much easier to work with than those buckets that require a special tool to remove the lid. Does anyone know what gives on their CO?
I think it might be backordered. Wilderness Family Naturals has excellent VCO also .. they are on my Resources page and have been vetted.
Yes, that’s what I purchased last time. By the way, can I expect pretty much the same health benefits from the expeller pressed oil as from the virgin oil? I realize it’s not the same but I read somewhere . . . anyway, I needed to keep the expense as low as possible as I am on low income, but am hoping the non-scented one will be almost as good. Would I need to increase my daily usage of it to get the benefits of virgin oil?
Thank you so much for sharing this, Sarah! Alzheimer’s runs in my family and I know my mom and her siblings have been worried about it, so I’m thrilled to be able to pass on this exciting article.
@Justyn, seems to me adding VCO to the diet would be an excellent preventative strategy if it runs in the family. It doesn’t run in my family but we still use it as it is so helpful for staying healthy in general anyway. So glad it is being finally “rediscovered” by science.
Where would we get the MCT pharmaceutical isolate? My father has Parkinson’s, and this looks like a great treatment!
The healthfood store sells bottles of MCT last I saw. I don’t have a good brand to recommend unfortunately. Use VCO first though .. that is the most important thing according to Dr. Fife.
I just received this blog post from Chris Kresser and towards the bottom of the article he mentions that folks should probably not be using so much coconut flour on these newfangled, old idea paleo diets. Check it out by reading his blog here: http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=39c86e3c527f5ef74a3555371&id=f3202d8dd7&e=608c822ba6
Wow, his information on eating nuts and the list of phytic acid containing foods is enough to make one want to take a long walk off a short pier. Is there anything left in this world we can eat and NOT cause ourselves problems? I tend to want to agree more with Elizabeth Walling (at Nourished Life) that the stress of worrying about what to eat and what not to eat is more damaging than the food, by a long shot.
The traditional cultures that ate these foods also ate a LOT of animal foods by today’s standards. My pet theory is that the animal foods are protective, particularly the fats, organs, and eggs–sound familiar? Even the Kitavans, touted as a living example of healthy high-carb eaters, are still eating fish (and possibly other meat-type foods?), and they get saturated fat from the coconuts they eat. As long as people in our culture continue to have a blind spot about the health benefits of eating critters (even a lot of Paleo/Primal people think they’re for obtaining protein and little else!), we’ll continue having to worry about the plants we eat.
Another approach is to eat foods seasonally. Eating walnuts in summertime really isn’t seasonal. But taking that approach means you’re not spending the whole year round, eating the same kind of plant food and mega-dosing on its native toxins.
Something to think about, anyway.
thanks for this post, i’d read about this previously but good to see it again. i’m always looking for new ways to incorporate the recommended amount into my daily diet. i don’t like it enough to eat straight, and don’t care for it added to hot tea. i do use it for cooking but not every day. any other, preferably low carb, suggestions from anyone?
thanks!
You could make fudge with it. Mix with cocoa, honey and mix-ins like nuts and keep in fridge/freezer.
I fry pancakes in it. Each pancake soaks up a TON of coconut oil.
This is very interesting! I keep telling everyone how good coconut oil is. It is good to eat and put on you body. So it is even helpful to people with ms? I shall recommend it to a family member or maybe I’ll give it to her for Christmas.
Someone needs to tell Glen Campbell’s family.
Oh, I just thought about another family member! Ever since they went on a fat free/low fat fake butter diet years ago, their brain hasn’t been the same.
Wish I knew this years ago. My grandfather is dying from dementia and other complications today.