Castor Oil – It’s Not Just for Your Grandma’s Cupboard
A generation or two ago you could find a bottle of castor oil in everyone’s cupboard. It was the go to remedy for constipation and for many aches and pains. Current research is showing that castor oil may have antibacterial/antiviral/antifungal properties, be an anti-inflammatory and analgesic, and be an immune system and lymphatic stimulant. So how can that help you?
Have a fungal infection on your toe?
Clean the area. Dip a cotton ball in castor oil, place it on the affected area. Wrap a large band aid around it to hold the cotton in place. Put a sock over the area so as not to soil your sheets, and go to bed. Remove in the morning. Repeat every night until it clears.
For arthritis pain, joint pain, muscle pain, and menstrual cramps use a castor oil pack on the affected area. Use daily as needed.
To stimulate the immune and lymph systems, place a castor oil back on the whole abdominal area.
Have a colicky baby?
If your infant’s belly is tight and bloated and/or gas is being passed, pour some castor oil into your palm to warm it. Massage it gently into the whole abdominal area, adding more oil as needed.
As with everything else, you must be careful about your source of castor oil. Buy a reputable brand of organic castor oil that is cold pressed and cold processed. You may need to make your purchase at a health food store.
[Much of the oil currently sold in stores is derived from castor seeds that have been heavily sprayed with pesticides, solvent-extracted (hexane is commonly used), deodorized, or otherwise chemically processed, which damages beneficial phytonutrients and may even contaminate the oil with toxic agents.]