Castor Oil – A Tried And Tested Home Remedy
Castor oil provides moisture and is excellent for treating eczema, peeling skin, insect bites or dandruff.
Castor oil is known for its natural laxative effects, but this oil also has other properties that are very interesting. Castor oil has been used in naturopathy for a long time. You can find more information about using castor oil in this post .
Interesting facts about the use of castor oil
Castor oil can allegedly treat a wide variety of ailments, the best known being its good effect on constipation.
But castor oil also works against pain, to stimulate the immune system, for skin wounds and skin diseases. It also has antibacterial and antiviral properties.
This oil is obtained from the castor seeds and contains valuable fatty acids. 90 % of this is ricinoleic acid, which is responsible for the healing properties.
The castor plant is originally from India and is also known as Palma Christi because the leaves are said to resemble Christ’s hands. This is one of the reasons why the plant is believed to have many healing properties.
Castor oil was adopted from other cultures and used in many ways. It was very popular in Egypt, China, Persia, Rome, Greece, Africa, Europe and America.
Now it is widely used in industry, especially textile industry. In Russia, castor oil is used in cold temperatures as a lubricant and antifreeze.
Other non-medicinal uses are: flavor enhancer, food additive, additive for cosmetics and skin care products, production of rubber, fibers, varnishes, paints, leather treatments, etc.
It should be remembered that castor seeds can be deadly when consumed. Therefore, only the oil pressed with a certain method can be ingested.
The poison is only present in the raw seeds, so the oil can be consumed. However, in large quantities it can also be toxic.
The side effects of castor oil are: skin reactions and stomach upset (for example, irritation of the stomach walls). This oil is not suitable for colic, stomach ulcers, hemorrhoids, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome or prolapses.
It is also not recommended after a surgical operation .
Application of castor oil
Castor oil is used as a home remedy in the following areas, among others:
Allegedly alleviates colitis
To relieve the symptoms of this gastrointestinal disease, you can put an envelope on your stomach. Simply moisten a cloth with a little castor oil and let it work for about two hours.
You can also place a hot water bottle over the cloth to increase the effect. Use twice a day.
Helps with calluses on the feet
Castor oil can be used to soften the cornea. Simply apply this directly to the affected areas, then protect with a bandage and put on a sock to prevent it from slipping.
Let the oil work all night and treat the area with pumice stone the next day. The cornea will be much softer.
Treatment of moles
This home remedy is very popular. Apply a mixture of baking soda and castor oil to the mole and protect it with a plaster. Leave to work all night and then wash off with lukewarm water. Repeat this process for several days.
Treat arthritis pain
Castor oil can help with joint pain caused by arthritis.
Warm three spoons in a pan for three minutes. Then moisten a cloth with the warm oil to rub the painful areas.
First cover with a dry cloth and place a hot water bottle or blanket over it. Then let it work for at least half an hour and a maximum of 1 hour.
You shouldn’t use this method on inflamed areas.
For long eyelashes
Castor oil can be used for various beauty treatments. For example, it helps to create beautiful, long eyelashes and it could also be used for the eyebrows.
First apply to the hair with an eyelash brush and then leave it on all night. Do not wash.
Against dark circles
Simply apply a drop of castor oil under the eyes with a gentle massage. Let it work all night.
Skin care
Castor oil provides a lot of moisture and is therefore used for many creams and cosmetic products. Many people also use it as an emollient: this oil makes the skin supple in lotions, creams and soaps.
Castor oil is particularly helpful for dry skin, eczema, flaky skin, herpes, small skin injuries, burns and superficial wounds.
It can be saponified and can therefore also be used for shampoos for smooth, shiny hair.
Castor oil can also be used on barley grains, dandruff or insect bites (especially mosquito bites). It is also highly recommended against premature skin aging.
Fixed nails
If you have brittle nails, you can apply castor oil with a little cotton wool or add a few drops of the oil to the nail polish. It contains vitamin E and therefore takes excellent care of the nails.
Body massage
This versatile oil can also be used for relaxing, anti-inflammatory massages, and it is said to help relieve muscle and joint pain. It is also used very often in aromatherapy.
