So while many people embrace yoga for various reasons, it is also important to maintain a clean diet. Clean diet can include veggies, fruits and "good fats". A common staple growing up for me was the use of coconut oil. Coconut oil was the oil of choice for every food prepared or cooked, it was like how people use "butter" in the Western part of the world. The irony of this was mostly all of my relatives consumed a healthy amount of food with dietary staples like (Sambar, Dahl, Vegetable Thorin, Rice etc) all made with a coconut oil, and everyone of my relatives and neighbors were slim and healthy. It was not until Western Scientists deemed that Coconut oil contributed to high levels of Cholestorol, that many Indians made a switch to Sunflower or Olive Oil.
The switch altered the taste of the food, and I noticed how my relatives and neighbors were changing their body structure. Coconut oil and coconut water has many medicinal values for the human body. When taken internally it is a healthy fat which our body needs for cellular function. It also provides Vitamin E and K, and high amounts or minerals and high amounts of Iron. While it is an oil that has been extensively used in Ayurveda, it is especially a wonderful oil for those in the Ayurveda Dosha type of Pitta, as it has wonderful cooling properties. This "medium chain triglyceride fat assimilates well in the body. According to research antibacterial, anti fungal, anti microbial, and anti oxidant properties are rich in Coconut Oil which is attributed to the high amounts of lauric acid, and capric acid.
The Ayurveda research concludes that Coconut oil when applied topically sinks into the subcutaneous levels of the skin to break apart fat particles and give a smooth glowing appearance. Coconut oil was also used in our hair, basically in most every Indian girls hair to provide nourishment to the scalp and hair follicles, and perhaps the reasons for strong, shinny, healthy hair. It can be used like conditioner or a leave in treatment.
If you are worried about consuming coconut oil and it's high caloric count, well Mirranda Kerr (Victoria Secrets Supermodel) consumes 4 tbs a day, and she is, ummmm, well she is pretty slender. If anything, try it out, and consult your doctor to discover your cholesterol level before making any switch. The reality is, if you add coconut oil to your diet and you are still consuming McDonalds or various other popular weaponized foods, you may want to blame other dietary sources for your cholesterol levels or weight loss hurdles. Find the foods that give you optimal energy, optimal taste, optimal beauty, and optimal longevity for a healthy life.
