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REVIEWS THE HEALING MIRACLES OF COCONUT OIL by Bruce Fife, ND HealthWise/Piccadilly Books, USA, 2001 ISBN 0-941599-51-5 (192pp tpb) Price: A$28.00-A$34.00; £15.00; Euro25.00 inc. p&h; US$16.00 + US$3 s&h in USA/Canada, US$6.00 elsewhere Availability: Australia—Empire Publishing Service; UK—Players Press, tel 01708 749119; Europe—NEXUS Office; USA— Empire Publishing Service, tel (818) 784 8918; Piccadilly Books, website www. piccadillybooks.com Fe millions of people living in the trop- ics, the coconut is not just a staple of their diet but a preventive and curative med- icine, as it has been for millennia. As a rule this traditional diet, supplemented with fruit, carbohydrate-rich vegetables and fish, means that cancer, heart disease, arthritis, degenerative disease, diabetes, etc. are virtu- ally nonexistent in these communities. As naturopath Bruce Fife discovered, there is a wealth of literature in the scientific and medical journals attesting to the health bene- its of coconuts and coconut oil. But coconut oil—containing the medium-chain fat, lauric acid, which has similar nutritional properties to human breast milk—became the target of a smear campaign in the mid- 980s. It was orchestrated by the American Soybean Association, intent on capitalising on the public fear already stirred up by the American Heart Association that saturated at is linked to heart disease. Ironically, the soybean oil that food makers switched to is ydrogenated—and research shows that con- sumption of such oils clogs the arteries and causes heart disease and stroke. Fife's aim is to turn around this public per- ception and wake people up to the astound- ing health properties of medium-chain satu- rated tropical oil, especially coconut. It has powerful microbe-fighting and health-restor- ing abilities, so much so that it is being used successfully in the treatment of HIV, AIDS and related infections such as herpes and as a weapon against chronic fatigue syndrome, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporo- sis, cancer, skin disorders and more. This information (and Dr Enig's article in this issue) has certainly opened my eyes to the wonders of this natural product—and may well do the same for you. Fics, the coconut is not just a staple of YOU ARE BEING LIED TO and Gary Webb. (Many "rightist/conserva- their diet but a preventive and curative med- _ edited by Russ Kick tives" were invited to participate, but in the icine, as it has been for millennia. Asarule — The Disinformation Company, USA, 2001 end all of them declined.) this traditional diet, supplemented with fruit, — |SBN 0-9664100-7-6 (399pp I/f tpb) Russ Kick, whose Outposts catalogue we carbohydrate-rich vegetables and fish, Price: US$19.95 + $6.30 s&h USA/ reviewed in 3/03, also contributes to this means that cancer, heart disease, arthritis, Canada, + US$9.00 foreign; Euro25.90 well-produced, jam-packed volume that's a degenerative disease, diabetes, etc. are virtu- Availability: USA—The Disinformation must for any thinking person's coffee table. ally nonexistent in these communities. Company, tel (212) 473 1125, fax (212) As naturopath Bruce Fife discovered, there §34 4316, www.disinfo.com; Consortium is a wealth of literature in the scientific and Book Sales, tel (651) 221 9035, website medical journals attesting to the health bene- www.cbsd.com: Europe—NEXUS Office its of coconuts and coconut oil. But he concept that "Wwe are being lied to” is coconut oil—containing the medium-chain quite familiar to NEXUS readers, but fat, lauric acid, which has similar nutritional — ggmetimes it helps to remind ourselves just properties to human breast milk—became how it happens and get a sense of the broad the target of a smear campaign in the mid- expanse of territory such falsehoods can 980s. It was orchestrated by the American encompass. Russ Kick, on behalf of the Soybean Association, intent on capitalising New York-based Disinformation Company, on the public fear already stirred up by the has compiled an anthology of specially com- American Heart Association that saturated missioned, previously unpublished and pub- at is linked to heart disease. Ironically, the lished material from a wide selection of con- soybean oil that food makers switched to is tributors who wouldn't necessarily be assem- ydrogenated—and research shows that con- _ bled within the same pages. sumption of such oils clogs the arteries and Subtitled "The Disinformation Guide to causes heart disease and stroke. Media Distortion, Historical Whitewashes and Cultural Myths", this book uncovers many of the lies, untruths, half-truths, distor- tions, scams and gloss-overs perpetrated by the media, politicians, corporations, acade- mics, organised religions, the scientific establishment and more. Contributors include investigative reporters, political dis- sidents, academic whistleblowers, media watchdogs, social critics, maverick scientists and rogue scholars. Among the luminaries are well known and underground "leftist/ progressives", such as Greg Bishop, Howard Bloom, Noam Chomsky, Alex Constantine, Michael Cremo, Riane Eisler, Jim Marrs, Michael Parenti, Robin Ramsay, Douglas Rushkoff, Kenn Thomas, Jonathan Vankin and Gary Webb. (Many "rightist/conserva- tives" were invited to participate, but in the end all of them declined.) Russ Kick, whose Outposts catalogue we reviewed in 3/03, also contributes to this well-produced, jam-packed volume that's a must for any thinking person's coffee table. NEXUS + 73 FEBRUARY — MARCH 2002 www.nexusmagazine.com