Castor oil, a therapeutic oil derived from the seeds of the Ricinus communis plant, has been used for thousands of years in many diverse cultures and civilizations for its powerful medicinal and cosmetic qualities. Its rich history spans millennia, with notable mentions in ancient Egyptian scrolls, the Old testament and Ayurvedic texts from India. The most common conventional usage of Castor oil is that of an oral laxative but this is actually the only use I do NOT recommend it for. I primarily recommend Castor oil for topical usage. Castor oil has been studied to:
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DIY-Matcha Mud Mask
Eating Mushrooms Lowers Risk of Cognitive Decline
New research out of the National University of Singapore is confirming exciting health information for people who love and regularly consume culinary mushrooms. According to the new study people who regularly consume over 300 grams of mushrooms per week (150 grams twice per week in 2 divided doses) had lower incidences of mild cognitive impairment than those that did not.
Dragon's Blood-The Most Powerful Antioxidant On Earth
Continuing on with Antioxidants and ORAC scores I wanted to introduce you to this tree. It's called Croton lechleri aka Sangre de Grado or Dragon's blood. That red viscous fluid that looks like blood is actually the sap from the tree. The tree is found all over South America and its sap has been used medicinally for wound healing and internally for diarrhea by local people's for centuries.
Decaf Coffee-Friend or Foe?
For many people who love the taste of coffee but are sensitive to the effects of caffeine, decaf coffee can be a healthy alternative. There are a lot of misconceptions around decaffeinated coffee these days so I wanted to clear the air. First off decaf coffee does actually have some small amounts of caffeine in it. Secondly not all the processes used to produce decaf coffee are harmful. Lastly decaf coffee if produced in the proper way can retain all of the flavor compounds and health benefits of its caffeinated brothers.