By | Published On: February 28, 2012 |

Photo by Robina Weermeijer on Unsplash

This is the title of an amazing book by Dr Mary Newport. A Dr in the U.S. and a neonatal specialist, her husband was diagnosed with Alzheimers in 2008. He deteriorated slowly as many people do and she watched his speech, faculties and his gait change over time. He smiled a lot less and found basic tasks a problem as she observed when she came home and wondered why he’d lost weight. Turned out he’d been forgetting to eat! She began to look in to clinical trials and they tried for acceptance to one, at which time he completed a series of tests that determined the state of his mental health. He was asked to draw a clock face and drew several small circles interspersed with a few non-descript lines and maybe 2 digits. He was not accepted for the trial even so and in her disappointment she began to study the properties of oils and their health benefits.

She came across organic coconut oil, something that many of us know to be useful in its cosmetic benefit for hair and face products. However, its properties are different to olive oil or palm oil in that it contains medium chain triglycerides or MCT’s in sufficient quantities that when ingested the body uses it as fuel for the cells. Alzheimers and other mental illnesses such as Parkinson’s and Dementia result in changes to the cells which prevents glucose from getting in to the cell. Without sufficient sustenance the cells die hence the damage conditions like Alzheimers do because the brain shrinks as a result and the faculties alter as further damage is done.

The MCT’s do not have this problem and can get in to the cell, potentially fuelling the remaining cells thereby preventing further changes and even possibly re-connecting cells in order to repair the damage. It’s quite astonishing to see the changes in her husband who one year on could run if he wanted and draw a full clock face with every line and digit in exactly the right place! The article Dr Newport first wrote went viral in the States soon after it was first posted yet I only stumbled across it because a friend of mine, Tyler Descenza told me about it. I shall forever be in his debt and my dad has been taking 2 to 3 tablespoons of organic coconut oil every day since. It’s only been 5 days which isn’t long and to be fair to my parents they’re afraid that if he doesn’t take the medicines prescribed by the Doctor for his condition then he may fare less well. It will be difficult to therefore determine which one makes the most difference to him but he’s laughing with my mother and joking; feeling better, and thinking about going off shopping. If shopping becomes a task he’s actually glad to do, then things have to be looking up!

Check out this link for the You Tube videos that tell her story: www.youtube.com/watch?v=iScs0uzQZFk