About Castor Oil
Castor oil has a diverse range of uses. There are two types: traditional castor oil is usually a pale yellow colour; for purity, look for the lightest colour because the darker it is, the less pure it is. However, Jamaican black castor oil is a darker colour, which is due the to burnt ashes of the castor bean.
Castor oil is derived from the seeds of the Ricinus communis plants that grow wild in dense bushy areas in many tropical regions. Often, and in milder climates, it is grown as an ornamental garden plant, and now cultivated on a large scale for biodiesel manufacture. India produces around 60% of the world’s castor oil production. The castor oil plant, including the castor bean, contains a highly potent toxin ricin, but it is deactivated during the oil extraction process.
Historical Use
Globally, traditional “healers have used castor oil to treat a wide variety of health conditions for thousands of years”, says Dr. Axe. The use of castor oil goes as far back as the ancient Egyptians, who used as a powerful natural skin care remedy and to treat eye infections. Castor beans have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs dating back to 4000 b.c. In India, castor oil has been upheld for its digestive-soothing, antibacterial properties and skin-healing. It is well known for its use Ayurvedic medicine.
There have been deaths due to castor oil ingestion, but they were from force-feeding it in large quantities to political enemies and dissidents in the past. In Italy, during the regime of Mussolini, dissidents were force-fed excessively amounts of castor oil, inducing chronic diarrhoea leading to dehydration and, often, death.
“At the present time, castor oil is used internally as a laxative and externally as a castor oil pack or poultice.”, says Encyclopedia.com
The many uses of Castor Oil are seemingly endless. Here are just a few
Cautionary note: Castor oil must be food grade. Castor oil used for manufacturing purposes, research and laboratory use often contains polyethylene glycol (PEG) 40, which has been known to cause death in patients undergoing infusions in the US. Food grade “Castor oil is classified by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as generally recognised as safe and effective for use as a stimulant laxative.”, according to this research paper published by PubMed.
1. As a Castor oil pack used in liver cleanses
Use a piece of fabric you find comfortable on your skin, soak in caster oil, keep the piece of cloth on the skin for at least an hour preferably with a heat source to stimulate lymph and liver function. This can be used in a liver flush as a comforter or to relieve any uncomfortable feelings when passing liver or gall stones. Unlike some “detox” methods, this is not said to have any negative side effects and the there are many accounts of people who noticed immediate better sleep, more energy, and clearing of skin symptoms.
2. As a laxative
For adults, the usual dosage is 1-2 tablespoons; and for children, 2-12 years old, the dosage is 1 to 2 teaspoons. For children under two years of age, the dosage is less than a teaspoonful at a time. Castor oil can be mixed with coconut water or juice to help mask the taste.
The laxative action of the castor oil starts in the small intestine, unlike other laxatives that act in the colon. It takes about 2 to 5 hours to completely clean out the bowels. This is not something you can overuse as the action of bowel elimination can be quite intense if too much is taken. Those with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) need to use with caution, starting with a lower dose until the right amount needed is found.
3. As a base for essential oils
Like other food grade oils, castor oil can be used as a base for essential oils, which has the added benefit of nourishing the skin and soothing sore muscles after exercise.
4. Mixed with cayenne pepper for arthritic pain relief
Castor oil plays a large part in the decongestant action on the lymphatic system. The anti-inflammatory and analgesic compounds of ricinoleic acid are well known.
For elimination of toxins, the lymph vessels that form a wide network all over the body collect waste from the tissues and carry castor oil properties to the blood. In many autoimmune diseases like arthritis, which causes pain and inflammation in the joints, congestion in these vessels and accumulation of toxic wastes has been implicated. Castor oil gets the lymph moving freely.
For arthritic pain relief, castor oil and cayenne pepper are excellent choices for making a potent mix for topical application on the skin with the heat from the pepper soothing sore joints. The main ingredient in cayenne pepper is capsaicin, but it also contains antioxidants such as vitamins A and C and flavonoids. Consult your doctor for more advice on using cayenne pepper medicinally.
5. To prevent hair loss and stimulate hair growth
When lightly warmed and applied to the scalp, castor oil can stimulate hair growth. When massaged into the scalp at night, the difference can be seen in as little as 2-3 weeks. This is due to the warm oil stimulating circulation. https://draxe.com/hair-loss-remedies/
It can also be applied to the eyebrows to stimulate growth. Apply at night using a cotton bud.
6. Deep skin and nail anti-fungal moisturiser
Many expensive moisturisers contain castor oil. Why not apply it directly to the skin to reap the benefits? Due to its anti-fungal properties it can be used on the nails and between the toes for fungal infections. Being highly viscous, the oil stays put, and penetrates deep into the skin tissue and nourishes it with fatty acids. To get an even layer, not too thick, mix it with coconut oil and apply to the skin after a hot bath or shower. Due the properties of coconut oil, the castor oil will easily be absorbed into the skin. Castor oil is a triglyceride that is composed of fatty acids, 90 percent of which is ricinoleic acid, which can help aid in soothing skin conditions.
In an article on Castor Oil, by Dr. Mercola, David Williams, a medical researcher, states that castor oil is “[E]ffective in preventing the growth of numerous species of viruses, bacteria, yeasts and molds. It’s successful as a topical treatment for ringworm, keratoses, skin inflammation, abrasions, fungal-infected [fingers] and toenails, acne and chronic pruritus (itching).”
Aside from its primary constituent, ricinoleic acid, castor oil also contains certain beneficial salts and esters that function primarily as skin-conditioning agents.
7. Increase white blood cells and T-11 (a type of special white blood cells that act like antibodies)
In the article, ‘Castor Oil Speeds Up Healing & Improves Your Immunity‘ by Dr Josh Axe
Where can I purchase Castor Oil?
At Temple Cleansing Studio, we can make up top quality organic castor oil in the quantity requested from 100 ml and up.
References:
Dias, JM, Science Direct, ‘Biodiesel production from raw castor oil’, viewed 16 March 2018, <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544213001242>.
Bright, S, Natural Living Ideas, ’14 Reasons Why Every Home Needs A Bottle Of Castor Oil’, viewed 14 April 2018, <http://www.naturallivingideas.com/castor-oil/>.
International Journal of Toxicology, ‘Final report on the safety assessment of Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Glyceryl Ricinoleate, Glyceryl Ricinoleate SE, Ricinoleic Acid, Potassium Ricinoleate, Sodium Ricinoleate, Zinc Ricinoleate, Cetyl Ricinoleate, Ethyl Ricinoleate, Glycol Ricinoleate, Isopropyl Ricinoleate, Methyl Ricinoleate, and Octyldodecyl Ricinoleate.’ May 2007, viewed 18 March 2018, <http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10915810701663150?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%3Dpubmed&>.
Gale Encyclopaedia of Natural Medicine, ‘Castor Oil’, 2005, viewed 18 March 2018, <https://www.encyclopedia.com/science-and-technology/chemistry/organic-chemistry/castor-oil>.
Disclaimer: Always, always check with your treating physician before attempting any cleanses. This is not to be taken as medical advice. Do not try if pregnant.