[ Although Janine has trouble relating to and getting along with many of the Crew ladies, she's formed a bond with Ann. here she's helping to apply a Castor Pack onto Ann's back of help with muscle and lung soreness from her flu. :) ]
Ricinus Communis...Say whaat?? :() The Castor Oil Plant has been revered as a super healer for centuries throughout time. This powerful plant was often referred to as Palma Christe stemming from the shape of the caster oil plant's leaves, believed to resemble the hands of Christ. Castor oil was relied heavily on by grandparents of grandparents (and so on!) for healing both internally and externally to foster healing. In Ayurvedic medicine castor oil is widely utilized for multiple conditions to this day.
[ I use both Jamaican Black Castor oil and another simple pure COLD-PRESSED castor oil for making skin and body products for our home. ]
Why is this oil deemed so potent? Because it's been effective in treating:
* Constipation
* Immune & Lymphatic Support ( one of the reasons this oil's so strong, the lymphatic system aids in removing waste, excess fluids and toxins from our body
* Healing Skin Conditions & Infections including Fungal infections & Acne
* Preventing the growth of Bacteria, Viruses, Mold and Yeast, Ringworm Sunburn & Itching
* Increasing Circulation
* Hair growth and care
* Helping the Digestive System
* Fungus of the Nails
*Asthma & Lung Issues ( Woot-Woot!!)
What gives castor oil it's 'super powers'? :) Ricinoleic Acid is rare rich and concentrated fatty acid ( it composes of 90% of this fatty acid) that's not to be found in many other places. This oil is also rich in skin conditioning properties which is why it's so heavily used in body and cosmetic products. Most cosmetic products are filled with chemicals and synthetic ingredients, so even though they may contain castor oil, the effect's are diluted. Using castor oil on it's own or mixed into your own ingredients for face and body products will allow this oil to perform at it's best because the castor will readily absorb and deliver those anti-inflammatory and other healing properties directly to fight the causes of skin disorders!! :()
Because castor oil is touted to improve our lymphatic system, lets learn more about what that is:
Castor oil's properties are known to strengthen blood flow, and lymph drainage, all which help the body to naturally detox. The best way to get this rich oil to working for our lymph systems is by way of a Castor Oil Pack made by using strips of natural fiber, cloth or towels; flannel is often used in caster oil packs but old tee shirts are just fine too, placing it (cut to the size appropriate for the area you're treating) into a bowl or container and soaking until saturated with the oil which can be lightly heated for extra long lasting warmth, [wring out if dripping] and place onto the skin.
The cloth is then covered with a sheet of plastic ( a store plastic bag will do fine) and a hot water bottle placed over the plastic which warms the pack. [a heating pad would probably work well too]. :) You can also simply place the cloth over the area and a hot water bottle on top without the plastic covering. Leave the pack on for about 30 to 60 minutes but it's best to begin with 10-15 minutes if you're new to castor oil packs, this would be a great time to rest and reset your mind and and be still in the Lord! You should probably cover the area; bed, chair etc... you're on with something like an old sheet (especially if you're treating large areas of the body, though I omit this step because the castor pack and heating pad didn't create any drippy oily messes! :() ) or some covering because it's an oil and oil as we know stains!
[ See how the little red flowers look like a hand?!! Be blessed with this oil! ]
After your treatment wash the skin area well and dry. The castor pack can be reused for up to 30 times, just store the cloths in with the oil and place into the fridge! Castor packs should be used 3 to 7 days a week if you're treating a health condition or helping the liver to detox, but what a great way to get yourself to relax! When purchasing castor oil be sure to get a high quality COLD PRESSED one, when using these elements for the body we want as pure a product as possible! Large bottles of castor oil can be found at your local health markets and even some traditional markets, and of course online. I purchased my large bottle from Amazon.com I get the Home Health Castor Oil Cold Pressed and Cold Processed for about 10-11 dollars. :)
[ What you do today can improve all your tomorrows.
~Ralph Marston ]
* For detox place your castor oil pack on the right side of your abdomen {this is the region where the liver is located}, to assist in liver detoxification.
* For Arthritic inflamed and sore joints and muscles place right onto the strained area
* For Constipation and Digestive Disorders place pack onto the abdomen
* For Menstrual pains Uterine and Ovarian Cysts place onto the lower abdomen
* Skip ALL castor oil treatments during MENSTRUAL cycle is can create heavier bleeding
( and no one wants that!) PREGNANCY and if Breastfeeding because it can indue labor. Talk with you doctor if you have any concerns.
If you'd like to incorporate castor oil into your body care regime, it can be mixed with an oil of choice like virgin coconut oil; 1/4 Cup castor oil to 3/4 cup of coconut oil and apply it to the face and body. I've always used castor in my homemade body butter:
* I simply melt 1-2 cups of pure shea butter and equal parts coconut oil over a double boiler.
* I then add 1/3 cup of castor oil 2-3 tbsp of olive or avocado oil and 3-4 vitamin E capsules (for the natural preservative).
* I place the mixture into the fridge or freezer for a quick firming up, but not solid. I just want the mixture to be slightly solid so I can whip it up with my hand mixer! :)
* I then add a small bit of essential oil for scent, however I find that it takes quite a bit of essential oil to scent shea butter, so I use only enough for a very slight vanilla-ish scent. My hubbs doesn't like body products to highly scented :() We use this in place of store bought body lotion and it keeps our skin moisturized and oh so soft! It's great for natural or dry and color treated hair too!
[ What could be more cozy and luxurious than hand made wash cloths? They're a beautiful addition to your home and their natural fabrics feel great on the skin! ]
For Mild acne, rinse the face with warm water and then apply castor oil onto the skin. Leave on overnight and rinse off the next morning. Continue this treatment until the acne has subsided. Castor oil is anti inflammatory so it serves to bring down the inflammation and helps to rid the skin of bacteria that clogs pores.
* For Sunburn, mix castor oil with preferably coconut oil as it's anti inflammatory and apply to affected areas to soothe and heal the skin.
[ Janine preps the Castor Oil Packs foe Anne who isn't feeling well. These ladies are serious about using natural means to help assist their bodies healing! ]
I plan on trying castor packs on the areas where I'm still experiencing nerve pain and itching from Shingles :/ The shingles lasted about 3 weeks but this Postherpetic Neuralgia - nerve pain aftermath in layman's terms :) has been with me for the last 3-4 months. [ also on my hubby on his abdomen for fatigue and detox ] I'm looking forward to finding out if I have any relief with this treatment. I'll keep you posted!
[ These Crew ladies enjoy a Spa Day & a relaxing soak after their Castor Oil hair treatment! ]
[ Heather has very thick wavy hair that's often very dry ]
[ London is helping Heather learn about Hot oil Treatments, in this case a Castor Oil Scalp Treatment to help get her unruly fly aways and condition and smooth her hair! London also uses Castor Oil hair treatments on her chemically relaxed and colored hair to keep it model fabulous!! ]
Hair growth and health is another factor of using castor oil. This oil is full of omega 6 and 9 fatty acids that add a richness and shine to the hair. Massaging castor oil (especially warmed as it thins it out some, it's more soothing and the heat help the oil to penetrate deeper) into the scalp (or onto the eye lashes or brows and areas of postpartum hair loss) to stimulate hair follicles, increase circulation and to aid in clearing up dandruff and scalp infections like Seborrheic Dermatitis or Psoriasis; remember this little power oil is both anti fungal and antibacterial! (mixing with coconut oil again is a boon as it has the same anti microbial antibacterial/fungal properties) The antioxidants helps to support the Keratin in our hair to keep it strong. The Ricinoleic acid is believed to help balance the PH levels on the scalp which makes it better able to make it's natural oils.
[ Regardless of what you do to your hair, feed it castor oil and it will take a lickin' and keep on tickin'!! ]
For a deep hair moisturizing treatment, mix equal parts castor oil and coconut oil in a container, feel free to add an essential oil of your choosing if you'd like. Apply onto scalp and hair and leave on for 15-30 minutes. Place a plastic shower cap over the hair to hold in moisture, and if you have the time you can sit under a dryer to create a hot house for that hair! :() Afterwards shampoo and rinse hair.
It's been stated, though not understood why and how castor oil works as a sleep aid but it's shown promising results ( keep in mind results may vary). So if you're sleep account is deficient it may be worth a try!! Simply place a small amount of the oil onto your eyelids lightly rub in and prepare to slumber! I will most definitely be trying this; sleep is a foreign word to my body with my post shingles itching and pain! :()
[ "It's my paw and I'll lick if I want to"!! ]
Our furry loved ones can also benefit from this power oil for their wounds! Most of the time canine and feline family will continuously lick and even naw at a wound and it can often make it worse. ( our lil' bully, now passed on was famous for this and creating a mess that had to be treated by our vet!!) Again, castor oil is antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory so it aids in the Minor wounds healing faster. Of course if the wound is more serious, get fido to the vet!! Castor oil isn't exactly beef flavored, LOL, so the taste could also discourage licking and digging away at the affected area.
[ Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the wise; but a foolish man spenders it up. ~James 5:14 ]
Personally, I'm excited to utilize castor oil as a natural healing aid and I'll keep this post updated with any progress that's made with it!! Who's with me...Let's get greasy! LOL
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