A spoonfull of sugar? or Castor Oil?
Yes, your grandmother was right, castor oil is good for you, and in fact it’s very good for you. Its a bit of a blast from the past and isn’t as fashionable as retro phones – which make unusual gifts, but it should be part of our modern lives. Alright, it takes like sucking on a slug, its awful. Its one of those things you remember running screaming from as a kid.
But what is Castor Oil exactly? The Castor Plant of India supplies the beans, and the oil is crushed from the beans and gathered to create the oil?
Their Oil is a pale odourless liquid and the remarkable thing about it is that it contains a single molecule of glycerol and three different fatty acids, palmitic acid, oleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid. Having all of these fatty acids present means that Castor Oil contains twice as much energy as carbohydrates and proteins making Castor oil play an important role in human metabolism.
In traditional folk medicine it was used for all sorts of things from skin problems and burns to headaches and muscle pains.
Many doctors still advise on what is called a castor oil pack, which is made by soaking a piece of flannel in castor oil, then putting it on the area of complaint and placing a heat source, such as hot water bottles, on top of that. From Constipation to Liver and kidney disorders, A Castor Oil pack is said to benefit them all. It works in the same way as acupuncture by helping to improve the blood flow.
The wonderful thing about the oil is it’s magical ability to repair the immune system. It does this by creating lymphocytes in the body, making the body able to fight off illness.
A holistic treatment, a Castor oil pack would be applied to the stomach around 3 times a week, and could have improved blood flow, because Castor Oil’s molecular weight is so low that it is easily absorbed deep into the skin.
How to make a Castor oil pack:
3 layers of wool or cotton that covers the entire area
* Castor oil
* Plastic wrap cut 1-2″ larger than the flannel (can be cut from a plastic bag)
a container
* Old clothes and sheets. Castor oil will stain clothing and bedding.
So there you are, Castor oil one of natures wonder medicines, and if you fancy taking half a spoonful a day, you can add a little honey and lemon to make it taste better.
