Coconuts and Papaya:

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Coconut & Papaya

Coconut

Papaya

Papaya is considered as he world's healthiest food. Coconuts are one of the wonder foods on earth that amply provides for all human needs? They can even save your life! Few people (even fewer doctors) understand how important the coconut is to stabilizing blood sugar; lowering cholesterol; healing; hydration; and even replacing blood plasma in an emergency.

 Referred to as kalpa vriksha (Sanskrit for "the tree that supplies all that is needed to live") in ancient India, the coconut palm has been recognized as a top immune booster, antifungal, antibiotic, antiviral and antibacterial remedy for thousands of years all over the world. Yet, it has only been recently that modern researchers have begun to fully discover the massive health benefits this amazing fruit seed offers. To give just one example of coconuts' live-saving properties, they were used extensively in the Pacific during World War II. Since blood plasma supplies were scarce, it was very common for medics to siphon pure coconut water from young coconuts to be used as emergency plasma transfusions for soldiers who were injured. Since coconut water is nearly identical to human blood, it was suitable for people of all blood types.

Because of its strong antioxidant properties, the coconut can be used to:

1.      Lower cholesterol

2.      Improve digestion.

3.      Ward off wrinkles.

4.      Stabilize glucose levels.

5.      Fight off viruses.

6.      Build cells.

7.      Regulate hormones.

8.      Increase thyroid production.

9.      Lose weight.

10.  Increase metabolism.

11.  Fight infections.

12.  Stave off memory loss.

13.  Kill bacteria.

14.  And more!

 Coconut water is the nutrient and mineral rich sap that is found within a coconut. The water is protected by the tough outer shell of the nut and is kept sterile and free from fungus, parasites and bacteria. In a 2005 study, 71 percent of participants who consumed coconut water for two weeks had a 24 point drop in systolic pressure and a 15 point drop in diastolic pressure. Click here to know more.
Considered one of the most treasured foods of all time, coconut products -- including coconut flesh, coconut water, coconut oil, and coconut cream -- each deliver superb health benefits. Coconut oil, for instance, is considered the best and safest oil to use for cooking -- even superior to extra virgin olive oil when it comes to giving the body what it needs for optimum health. Unlike other fats and oils that we typically use for cooking and baking, coconut oil does not form polymerized oils or dangerous Trans fatty acids in our bodies, which can raise our cholesterol levels; clog our arteries and even make our skin sag and wrinkle. Plus, this ultra-safe oil can give your body important antioxidants that can help build stronger cells and improve your overall health and well being. Here are a few ways that you can use coconut products to stave off disease and to recapture the look and feeling of youth:

 Coconut Water: The coconut is a natural water filter. It takes almost 9 months for a coconut to filter every quart of water stored within its shell. This makes the resulting coconut water completely pure and sterile, which is one reason why it can be used for blood transfusions. Another benefit of coconut water is the fact that it has the highest concentration of electrolytes than anything else found in nature. This makes it an excellent source of hydration.

 Coconut Oil - In addition to being superior for cooking and baking, coconut oil also makes superb topical oil that can help to naturally rid the skin of dangerous toxins. It also gives the skin the perfect mix of hydration and antioxidants that it needs to stay healthy, smooth and younger-looking longer. Another great benefit of coconut oil is in protecting your teeth from the bacteria that can cause cavities and disease. Simply rubbing a little fresh coconut oil on your gums and teeth can keep them stronger and healthier than virtually any other dental treatment. Most people don't realize that coconut oil can actually help you lose weight! Yes, simply changing your cooking oil from the unsaturated fat variety to coconut oil can help you lose those extra pounds. Here's why: Unsaturated fats found in canola, corn and other vegetables oils, as well as margarine suppress the metabolism, which makes it harder to lose weight -- and easier to gain it. Over time, this metabolism suppression may result in 20-30 pounds of excess weight that your body cannot get rid of. Coconut oil, on the other hand, helps to increase thyroid function and boost your metabolism; 2 important components to shedding unwanted pounds.

 Coconut Cream - The best skin treatment product one can use to achieve flawless skin may quite possibly be coconut cream. Unlike traditional skin creams which can actually introduce fats and oils to the skin that will break it down over time, making it look older, creams derived from the coconut can actually replenish the skin, giving it a more youthful and healthy glow than most other skin care products on the market.

When it comes to buying coconut products, coconuts are not all created equal. Wild coconuts are always best, but can be hard to obtain if you don't live in a tropical country. Whether you are using this wonder food to boost your immune system; increase your metabolism or fight wrinkles, using products from young coconuts will help you reap the most benefit.

Young coconuts contain the purest unsaturated fat, compared to the fat found in the more mature varieties. This is why they offer the most rejuvenation properties for the body's tissues. But how can you tell how old a coconut is? Young coconuts are usually green in color and oddly shaped. The brown hairy ones are mature coconuts, and while they offer a lot of healthy benefits, they aren't nearly as good for you as younger varieties.

 The best place to find young fresh coconuts is, of course, in the markets of the tropics, so be sure to seek them out if you travel to those areas. Coconut-producing regions export coconuts all over the world, however, so it's relatively easy to find coconuts at your local health food store.

Papaya - The world's healthiest food: Papaya was the only studied food found to halt breast cancer.

        Scientists studied 14 plant foods commonly consumed in Mexico to determine their ability to halt breast cancer cell growth. These included avocado, black sapote (Tropical American tree having wood like mahogany and sweet edible egg-shaped fruit; in some classifications placed in the genus Calocarpum), guava, mango, prickly pear cactus (nopal), pineapple, grapes, tomato, and papaya. They also evaluated beta-carotene, total plant phenolic, and garlic acid contents and antioxidant capacity. They found that only papaya had a significant effect on stopping breast cancer cell growth. (International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition, May)

Papaya is a store-house of cancer fighting leucopenia.

         The intense orangey-pink color of papaya means it is chock full of cancer fighting carotenoid (Any of a class of highly unsaturated yellow to red pigments occurring in plants and animals). Not only beta carotene, but leucopenia is found in abundance. The construction of leucopenia makes it highly reactive toward oxygen and free radicals.

        Scientists at the University of Illinois think this anti-oxidant activity contributes to its effectiveness as a cancer fighting agent. Epidemiologic al studies have indicated an inverse relationship between leucopenia intake and prostate cancer risk. They showed that oral leucopenia is highly bioavailable, accumulates in prostate tissue, and is localized in the nucleus of prostate epithelial cells.

        In addition to antioxidant activity, other experiments have indicated that leucopenia induces cancer cell death, anti-metastatic activity, and the up-regulation of protective enzymes. Phase I and II studies have established the safety of leucopoenia supplementation. (Cancer Letter, October 8, 2008)

        Prostate cancer was the subject of a study in Australia that looked at 130 prostate cancer patients and 274 hospitalized controls.

        The scientists found that men who consumed the most leucopenia-rich fruits and vegetables such as papaya were 82% less likely to have prostate cancer. In this study, green tea also exerted a powerful anti-cancer effect. When leucopenia-rich foods were consumed with green tea, the combination was even more effective, an outcome the researchers credited to their synergy. (Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2007)

        Isothiocyanates found in papaya restore the cell cycle to eliminate cancer.

        Organo-sulfur compounds called isothiocyanates are found in papaya. In animal experiments, isothiocyanates protected against cancers of the breast, lung, colon pancreas, and prostate, as well as leukemia, and they have the potential to prevent cancer in humans. Isothiocyanates have shown themselves capable of inhibiting both the formation and development of cancer cells through multiple pathways and mechanisms. (International Journal of Oncology), October, 2008).

        Researchers in Japan clarified the mechanisms of action in a type of isothiocyanate found in papaya known as BITC, which underlies the relationship between cell cycle regulation and appropriate cell death. When cancerous cells die on schedule, they are no longer a problem. The researchers established that BITC exerted cancer cell killing effects that were greater in the proliferating cells than in the quiescent cells. Cancer cells that are proliferating are much more dangerous than cancer cells that are in a state of dormancy. (Forum of Nutrition, 2009)

        Enzymes from papaya digest proteins including those that protect tumors.

        The fruit and other parts of the papaya tree, also known as the paw tree, contain papain and chymopapain, powerful proteolytic enzymes that facilitate chemical reactions in the body. They promote digestion by helping to break down proteins from food into amino acids that can be recombined to produce protein useable by humans. Proteolytic enzymes protect the body from inflammation and help heal burns. They do a good job of digesting unwanted scar tissue both on the skin and under its surface.

        Research has shown that the physical and mental health of people is highly dependent on their ability to produce proteins they can use effectively. However, as people age, they produce less of the enzymes needed to effectively digest proteins from food and free needed amino acids. They are left with excessive amounts of undigested protein which can lead to overgrowth of unwanted bacteria in the intestinal tract, and a lack of available amino acids.

        Eating papaya after a meal promotes digestion, and helps prevent bloating, gas production, and indigestion.

        It is quite helpful after antibiotic use to replenish friendly intestinal bacteria that were the casualties in the war against the unwanted bacteria. When the intestinal tract is well populated with friendly bacteria, the immune system is strengthened, and can better protect against flu and cancer.

        Being a proteolytic enzyme, papain is able to destroy intestinal parasites, which are composed mostly of protein. To rid the body of intestinal parasites, half a cup of papaya juice can be alternated each hour for twelve consecutive hours with the same amount of cucumber or green bean juice.

        Papaya contains fibrin, another useful compound not readily found in the plant kingdom. Fibrin reduces the risk of blood clots and improves the quality of blood cells, optimizing the ability of blood to flow through the circulatory system. Fibrin is also important in preventing stokes. Proteolytic enzymes containing fibrin are a good idea for long plane rides to minimize the potential of blood clots in the legs. People who sit at a desk all day might want to use proteolytic enzymes too.

Proteolytic enzymes are able to digest and destroy the defense shields of viruses, tumors, allergens, yeasts, and various forms of fungus. Once the shield is destroyed, tumors and invading organisms are extremely vulnerable and easily taken care of by the immune system. Undigested proteins can penetrate the gut and wind up in the bloodstream where they are treated by the immune system as invaders. If too many undigested proteins are floating around, the immune system becomes overburdened and unable to attend to the other tasks it was meant to do. Proteolytic enzymes can digest these rogue proteins, freeing up the immune system.