Castor Oil
I'd heard the term "Castor Oil" here and there over the years, but I'd never had any occasion to have to find out what it was. As we get older, though, we start
to realize that things don't just flow the way they used to, and sometimes we need some help getting things totally through the digestive system and out of our body.
I've tried many different products to help stay regulated, with little regular success. Growing up, Exlax was the
product everyone talked about as a laxative, but sometimes it didn't work for
me, and other times it gave me serious stomach cramps. I also tried Metamucil, which works okay if
you're not having any problems whatsoever, but if you're having serious constipation issues, it just doesn't get the job done.
My wife came up with the suggestion for castor oil, and, before I took it, I knew I needed to research it first. I learned that it's primary purpose is as a laxative,
but it's also used to induce regurgitation (ugh), as an aid to help women induce labor, and as a skin softener, of all things. It has many more uses also, too numerous
to get into.
So, I took the stuff, and was immediately stunned by how thick it is. I couldn't just swallow it; I had to swirl it around in my mouth until it was thin enough for me
to swallow. She laughed lustily at that. You don't taste anything, which was good to notice. It's just like putting oil in your mouth, which of course probably is
where it gets its name from, as it's actually a natural plant oil obtained from the castor plant, which was originally from east Africa.
To say it worked is an understatement. It worked wonders,… a little too good initially, as it seemed to cleanse out my entire system. It was then that I read the
directions, which tells you that you should drink lots of water with it; I'd only had enough to drink to get that oily feeling out of my mouth. You can cramp, and it
can be powerful stuff. I took a full tablespoon of it the first time; since that time, I only take a teaspoon, and it still works well.
I don't know why this stuff gets such a bad rap, because when I used to hear about it, castor oil was never talked about in a positive fashion. But it works,
and it's not all that unpleasant (make sure you have water, then drink a few glasses).
