Coconut Oil is back in the news as a brain miracle worker. This time, medical doctor Mrs. Mary Newport says it is curing her husband’s Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive death of brain cells which causes memory loss and disables other important mental functions. A few years ago, American film maker Joe Loveth whose vision was almost crippled by glaucoma-causing blindness bounced back to 2020 vision, he says, on a coconut oil food supplement and went on to write three books to drive home his point. A report of his experiences was published in this column on September 21, 2023, as a reprint of the first publication about two years earlier. Both publications were titled: Does Coconut Oil Offer Promise of Glaucoma Cure? and posted in Facebook at John Olufemi Kusa.
Hitherto, coconut oil had been winning acclaims for brain cancer cures and for arresting opportunistic intestinal diseases in HIV conditions.
Joe Loveth’s recovery from glaucoma had the hallmarks of a paradigm shift in opthalmology. Hitherto, it was assumed that increases in occular tension cause damage to the optic nerve and may cause glaucoma-related blindness. Joe Loveth says, however, that the reverse is the case, that glaucoma begins with damage to brain cells which control the optic nerve and that optic nerve manifestations of the disease are merely imprints from damaged brain cells. His hypothesis is that these brain cells were damaged and dying because the brain did not produce enough neurotrophic factors to feed and to protect them. The brain can be rescued from this problem, he argues, with the consumption of coconut oil in the daily diet.
Dr. Mary Newport links Alzheimer’s to the same scenario, but pegs the disease on brain starvation of glucose, and not neurotrophic factors as does Joe Loveth. She and Joe Loveth appear to be walking on the same side of a road, nevertheless. Joe Loveth had said his research of the subject suggested to him that glaucoma patients were likely to later develop Alzheimer’s and dementia, and that Alzheimer’s and dementia-challenged persons were also likely to develop glaucoma. Thus, it would seem the three diseases are interconnected and, as Dr. Newport is suggesting, a “diabetes of the brain” is the string which holds them together. Incidentally, her husband, who suffered from Alzheimer’s, also suffered from vision challenges. Does this validate Joe Loveth’s hypothesis? Dr Mary Newport’s hypothesis is that certain conditions make it difficult, if not impossible, for brain cells to take up blood sugar for their living processes. Yet, glucose is the main food of the brain. It, therefore, sounds logical that hungry and dying brain cells would not be able to maintain acuity in whichever part of the body they control or whatever functions they perform in the body. However, as Dr Newport says, when a person challenged with “diabetes of the brain” consumes coconut oil in the diet, the triglycerides in the oil are converted by the liver to Ketones which the brain cells can easily absorb and use for fuel in place of blood sugar, thereby keeping at Bay glaucoma, Alzheimer’s and dementia. The trouble with that, though, is that ketone fuel, like fuel from other fats, is not clean fuel like glucose fuel. It leaves behind many toxic wastes which must be constantly removed with anti oxidants, lest the sludges and their toxins create new problems.
What Dr. Mary Newport is saying is suggesting to me that chromium picolinate may be included in the nutritional therapy of glaucoma, Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. Many persons who suffer from type II diabetes have been found to be deficient not only in minerals such as magnesium and zinc but especially, also, in chromium picolinate. Many of them may have subsisted on chromium-deficient diet for many years. Chromium is what nature placed in carbohydrate foods to make the sugar in them after digestion to easily cross from the blood stream into the cells of every tissue and organ, in the company of Insulin. Insulin on its own cannot get blood sugar into the cell. Insulin can get blood sugar into the cell when Chromium accompanies both of them. When chromium is not present in the company of insulin and blood sugar, the cells are said to develop insulin resistance. This means they shut their doors and windows, literally speaking, against insulin and with this action, insulin and blood sugar stay behind in the blood stream, causing type II diabetes. However, in its clever by half attitude in everything given to him on a platter of gold in the Creation Diet by Nature, mankind through food technology has removed chromium from several carbohydrate foods, thereby predisposing the consumer to blood sugar problems. White rice has lost between 96 to 98 per cent of its chromium content. It is doubtful if white flour foods such as bread, pasta, meat pies, doughnuts, puff puff, buns etc have any chromium left in them. When eating over many years, it may not be surprising if these foods are among the culprits behind diabetes. If their consumption is behind inability of brain cells to absorb blood sugar, because they are resisting insulin and blood sugar in the absence of chromium in their company, only future studies may be able to confirm. Already, however, Dr Mary Newport is suggesting that that is what is happening.
The story of Dr Mary Newport and her husband is making the rounds all over the world to encourage the consumption of coconut oil in the diet by persons challenged by Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. I received the information from Mr Oluwayemisi John who received it from Mrs Grace Adu. Both are naturalists and live in Abeokuta. Mr John retired as safety manager for Total Oil in Nigeria. Mrs Adu, widow of Mr Jab Adu, of the television series called Village Headmaster used to make Plantain Root Juice (PRT) for prostate gland problems. I can confirm that she also used to make the finest grade of soya bean milk I have ever tasted. The story of Dr Mary Newport and her husband, as forwarded in social media, appears below…
The Steve Newport’s story
In the United States, an estimated 5.4 million people have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. This figure is growing rapidly with the aging population. One of them was Steve Newport. His wife, Mary Newport, was a doctor. Dr. Mary learned that her husband had severe Alzheimer’s disease. When the doctor examined her husband at the hospital, he asked Steve to paint a clock. Instead, he drew a few circles and then drew a few figures without any logic. It was not like a clock at all!. The doctor pulled her aside and said: ‘’Your husband is already on the verge of severe Alzheimer’s disease!”
It turned out that it was a test of whether a person had Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Mary was very upset at that time, but as a doctor, she would not just give up. She began to study the disease. She found out Alzheimers disease was associated with glucose deficiency to the brain.
Her research says: “The dementia of the elderly is like having diabetes in the head! Before one has the symptoms of diabetes or Alzheimer’s disease, the body has already had problems for 10 to 20 years.”
According to the study of Dr. Mary Newport, Alzheimer’s disease is very similar to Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. The cause is also insulin imbalance.
It suggests that, because insulin has a problem, it prevents the brain cells from absorbing glucose. Glucose is the nutrition of brain cells. Without glucose, brain cells die.
As it turns out, these high-quality proteins are the cells that feed our body.But nutrition for our brain cell is glucose. As long as we have mastered the source of these two kinds of food, we are the masters of our own health!
The next question is, where to find glucose? It can not be the ready-made glucose that we buy from the store. It is not from fruits such as grapes. She started looking for alternatives.
The alternative nutrients for brain cells are ketones. Ketones are necessary in brain cells. Ketones can not be found in vitamins. Coconut oil contains triglicerides. After the triglycerides in coconut oil are consumed, it is metabolised into ketones in the liver. This is the alternative nutrient for brain cells!
After this scientific verification, Dr. Mary added coconut oil to her husband’s food. After only two weeks, when he went to the hospital again to do painting and clock tests, the progress was amazing.
Dr. Mary said: “At that time, I thought, has God heard my prayers? Wouldn’t it be coconut oil that worked? But there is no other way. Anyway, it’s better to continue taking the coconut oil.
Dr. Mary was now part of the traditional medical practice base. She clearly knew the capabilities of traditional medicine.
Three weeks later, the third time she took him to do a smart clock test, the performance was better than the last time. This progress was not only intellectual but also emotional and physical.
Dr. Mary said: “He could not do his running, but now he can run. He could not read for a year and a half, but he can read again now after taking coconut oil for three months.”
Her husband’s actions had already begun to change. He did not speak in the mornings. Now she noticed a lot of changes: “Now after he gets up, he is spirited, talking and laughing. He drinks water himself and takes utensils for himself on his own.”
On the surface, these are very simple daily tasks, but only those who have come to the clinic or have demented relatives at home can experience the joy: It is not easy to see such progress!
After frying the greens & onions in coconut oil, making cakes with coconut, after taking 3 to 4 tablespoons of coconut oil per meal, 2-3 months later, the eyes too can now focus normally.
Her studies proved that coconut oil can really improve the problem of dementia in the elderly.
Apply coconut oil to bread. When coconut cream is used, the taste is unexpectedly good. Young people can also use it for maintenance of health and prevention and can improve if they have symptoms of dementia.
Dementia is caused because nutrients can not be transported to brain cells, and nutrients must be passed from the body to the brain by insulin. “Especially for diabetic patients, it’s not easy to get insulin secretion. Nutrition can not get to the brain. When brain cells are starved to death, they are deprived of intelligence.”Coconut oil contains medium-chain triglyceride, which can supply nutrients to the brain without using insulin.
So, it can improve Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease
Ketones
The stories of Joe Loveth and Mary Newport may trigger interest in coconut oil for dietary therapies of brain challenges such as glaucoma, Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, raise demand and spur price hikes. Unfortunately, Nigeria’s coconut plants are old and, with no notable coconut plantations, Ghana has been providing a substantial stock of Nigeria’s coconut and coconut oil supplies.
Coconut oil faddists may wish to learn a few things about Ketones, what they do in the body and possible problems, an excess of them may cause. Cleaveland clinic in www.mycleavelandclinic.org informs us…
“What are ketones?
Ketones, or ketone bodies, are acids your body makes when it’s using fat instead of glucose for energy. Your body gets most of its energy from glucose, a sugar that mainly comes from carbohydrates in your diet. If you don’t get enough energy from glucose, your body breaks down fats for energy instead. The breakdown releases ketones that travel through your bloodstream. The ketones fuel your body’s tissues and eventually exit in your urine (pee).
It’s normal (and safe) to have some ketones in your blood because it’s normal for your body to use its backup energy source — fats — when there’s not enough usable glucose.
But too many ketones can make your blood acidic and toxic. This is called ketoacidosis. If you have diabetes, too many ketones can cause diabetes-related ketoacidosis (DKA). DKA is life-threatening without treatment.
“What do ketones do in your body?
Ketones fuel your brain and body in the absence of glucose, your body’s primary energy source. Think of ketones as your backup energy reserve when the main source is depleted, low or unusable.
Typically, your body breaks down food into glucose. A hormone called insulin helps your cells use glucose as an energy source or store it for when you need it later.
Your body will switch to ketosis if you’re not getting enough carbohydrates. During ketosis, your body breaks down fats for energy, releasing ketones. The ketones energise cells and tissue so your body can keep working. Ketosis is a normal process. For example, your body can go into ketosis (and make more ketones) when:
You’re asleep.
You’re fasting.
You’re exercising.
It causes major changes to your body and isn’t for everyone. Also, the keto diet is very restrictive, so it can be difficult to stick to for extended periods of time.
Anatomy
Where are ketones located?
Ketosis occurs in your liver. Your liver releases the ketones into your bloodstream, where they travel throughout your body, providing energy. Once they’ve done their job, you pee them out.
Conditions and disorders
What are the common conditions and disorders associated with ketones?
Understanding what ketones do and keeping track of ketone levels is especially important if you have diabetes — Type 1 diabetes, in particular. Type 1 diabetes is a condition that prevents your body from making insulin. Insulin is the hormone that helps your body use glucose for energy.
“Problems with insulin cause your blood sugar levels to rise (hyperglycemia) and can cause too many ketones to build up in your blood. This can lead to diabetes-related ketoacidosis (DKA). DKA is more common in people with Type 1 diabetes but can happen with Type 2 diabetes, too
“What are the symptoms of high ketones?
Without treatment, DKA can progress fast (within 24 hours or even less). Symptoms include:
Nausea and vomiting.
Fatigue (feeling tired and weak even with rest).
Stomach pain.
Shortness of breath.
Confusion.
Fruity-smelling breath (sometimes called “keto breath”).”
Conclusion
Joe Loveth tells us dietary coconut oil helped his brain to produce more neurotrophic factors (NTFs) than he did when he did not take coconut oil and he developed glaucoma in both eyes. NTFs are families of some protein molecules which help the development, growth and survival of neurons in the brain. A neuron is a fundamental unit of brain cells or the nervous system in the brain. Joe Loveth says neurons in a special area of the brain controls the optic nerve which brings light impressions from the eye to the brain. He believes that when the neurons do not have enough NTFs to support their growth, development and protection, and begin to wilt or to die, their travails are reflected throughout the optic nerve and appear as the symptoms called glaucoma.
Dr. Mary Newport comes from another pathway. She says Alzheimer’s and dementia occur when nutrients, especially blood glucose, cannot be transported into brain cells because of insulin resistance or insulin deficiency, features of both types of diabetes. That is why she termed those conditions “diabetes of the brain”. She says the ketones generated by the liver from coconut oil provided the brain cells with an alternative fuel to blood glucose, and, perhaps, other nutrients.
The frontiers of medicine, like other frontiers of knowledge are ever expanding.
So, it should not be out of place to assume that, in the future, opthalmologists and neurologists will recognise these conceptions, properly scrutinise them and probably make out something good from them to the benefit of everyone troubled by mental health problems, including depression.
Once again, thank you Joe Loveth and grateful thanks, also, to Mary Newport. What I found intriguing about her is that, in her clinical practice, she may have definitively told some of her patients that their health troubles were irreversible. However, when her husband came down, she threw away the rigidity of orthodox medicine and went to mother nature for a cure which she found. We are probably being taught a lesson here that there is no disease without a solution, that if a solution to a disease is still elusive, it must mean that physicians still do not have a full grasp of it to be able to overcome it.
