Use Olive Oil to Help with Scalp Psoriasis

Posted on March 23, 2012 by julie

Anyone who suffers from scalp psoriasis knows that it can be both physically as well as emotionally painful. Those dry, flaky scales and red patches are uncomfortable and they are extremely embarrassing. They can occur all over the scalp, but most often they tend to congregate around the front of the hairline- the exact place where they can’t be hidden. No matter how great an outfit you have on or how fabulous your makeup looks, when you have red scales surrounding your face and white flakes dropping off on your clothing, it doesn’t look or feel good. Going to the office with a gnarly scalp and flakes all over your clothes can actually lead to discrimination, even if people don’t realize that they’re doing it.

One of the most frustrating parts of scalp psoriasis is that most of us who suffer from it don’t really know what brings it on. I’ve tried experimenting and for a while I thought that maybe it was a dairy problem. But even after I cut out dairy, I found that it came back. I do feel like it comes and goes throughout the month, so it may be related to hormone changes. Whatever it is, it’s very frustrating not to know what it causing it because then I can’t do anything to try to avoid it. I even asked my dermatologist and got the very unsatisfying answer that doctors don’t know what causes it, and they don’t have a cure. Well thanks for that- really helpful. That send me on a quest to try to find something that would help. One thing that I do think really helps is strong sunlight. This is great during the warmer months where I can get outside and hike or run and cure my scalp psoriasis at the same time. But I live in a very foggy place several months out of the year, so during this time it’s really not possible to get enough sunlight on my scalp to have any sort of impact. That’s when I turned to experimenting with natural remedies to see what could work.

Olive Oil- a natural remedy for scalp psoriasis

Being already involved with skin care and natural remedies, it was natural for me to turn to the many wonderful oils available. It just seemed to make sense that moisturizing the scalp and providing it with the many fatty acids and polyphenols found in oils would be a good idea. First I tried some of the more exotic oils like tamanu oil and sea buckthorn oil I really expected the tamanu oil to work, but found that it just moisturized my scalp and didn’t help cure or prevent the psoriasis. Then I tried the sea buckthorn oil and I thought that worked better. It didn’t get rid of the psoriasis, but it did seem to improve it. I still had some red areas and flaking but it was better. The downside is that sea buckthorn oil is a dark red color. I find that when I put it on my face it will wipe off and not stain, but it was staining my scalp. It didn’t really help to have a stained red scalp- that was only slightly better than the psoriasis itself! So I decided that I should carry on with my experiment and try some different oils.

I had already been using a blend of oils on my body that was 1/3 olive oil, 1/3 sesame oil and 1/3 grapeseed oil, so I figured I’d give that one a go. I started putting it on my scalp and found that it was actually doing a better job than the sea buckthorn, and without the red staining. All three oils (olive, sesame and grapeseed) are clear so there is no issue with discoloration. This blend was working pretty well. Again, the psoriasis wasn’t completely gone but I did notice a marked improvement (and when you’re suffering with this ANY improvement is terrific!). So I carried on using the blend for about a week.

Then I ran out of the blend and was left with just olive oil in my house, so I decided to give it a try. It worked the best! I’m truly not sure what about the olive oil works so well, I just know that it does, and that I love it! As of right now I don’t have any redness or any scales at all. I’m going to try it for the month and see how it goes. I should also note that it’s been raining like crazy where I live so I don’t have the added benefit of sunlight to help me out. If the olive oil can keep the psoriasis at bay this month without sunlight, then I’ll be sold.

How to apply the olive oil to your scalp

So what do you do? I read some blogs about warming the olive oil and wrapping your head in a towel- let me just say that I don’t do that. I don’t think it’s necessary. I put the olive oil in a small travel sized shampoo bottle so that it’s easy to get out. Then I just squeeze a little onto my finger and apply to my scalp right around the hairline where I really get the redness and scales. I do this twice a day: once in the morning after a shower and once at night before I go to bed. For the application before I go to bed I really pile it on. Yes, it will make your hair look oily, but since I’m going to sleep anyways, who cares? Actually olive oil is very good for your hair too, so if your hair is dry you can put it all over your scalp and hair and sleep with it (maybe put a towel down on your pillow though). The nighttime application is the one to really try to soak your scale with the oil and let it seep in. Then after my shower in the morning I will do a very light application around the scalp, being careful not to let too much get onto my hair because I don’t want it to look oily. I’ve actually found that just a touch of olive oil works like a styling product in my hair and oddly gives the front some volume, so I like it. But if too much gets on the hair then it does look a little oily (which isn’t ideal). If you have a really bad case of scalp psoriasis you may want to bring a little bottle with you to work and lightly reapply some olive oil during the course of the day.

I’m going to try some other oils to see if they work as well and I’ll post my findings. I wish that dermatologists and chemists would actually investigate these natural remedies further sot hat we could see what about them really works. Olive oil is very high in oleic acid- not sure if that’s what helping it or if it’s the polyphenols or just something else entirely. There’s definitely a moisturizing effect, but I don’t think that’s the only thing as I found certain oils work better than others. I have to believe that there’s something specific in the olive oil that’s helping and since oleic acid is the primary fatty acid in it that would be my guess at this point (but again, I’m not a scientist). I’m just thrilled that I’ve found something that’s working, so I’m sharing it here. It’s cheap, it’s natural, there are no side effects, and it’s effective- what more could you ask for? One tip- look for organic virgin olive oil that is cold pressed to get the good stuff. And let me know if it works for you!

New study shows that in some cases the body can rid itself of breast cancer

Posted on November 3, 2011 by julie

Breast cancer is an insidious disease that affects not only the woman diagnosed, but the whole family. Breast cancer accounts for almost 23% of all cancers on a global basis but the survival rate has gone through a dramatic shift and now is around 85%, although it does depend on which type of breast cancer it is. People often make the mistake of thinking that breast cancer only occurs in women. That is a falsehood as men can get breast cancer too, however it is around 100 times more common in women. It can be a devastating diagnosis for men as they often can feel stigmatized by the disease. Unfortunately they usually wait longer to get diagnosed, and this leads to a worse prognosis.

There have been a lot of different approaches to dealing with breast cancer over the years with the main treatment having been a breast mastectomy. These surgeries got progressively more and more radical until at one point the radical mastectomy included removing parts of the collarbone and ribs. Luckily as there were advances in medicine, these barbaric practices were stopped. Chemotherapy was the next step in treatment and led to improvements in survival rates and remission. The most recent scientific breakthrough dealt with genes- both in the detection and prevention of the disease as well as the treatment of it. Certain genes were identified as being related to breast cancer and women with these markers often decide to have preemptory mastectomies. There are also gene treatments for women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, and these treatments are fortunately not toxic like chemotherapy is.

But the latest news to come out on breast cancer is perhaps the most amazing of all. A study published in the Lancet Oncology reveals that there are breast tumors that actually just disappear on their own. The study involved 650,000 Swedish women who were screened for breast cancer between the years 1986 to 1990. The study showed that some tumors found through the screenings just started to shrink and disappear when left alone. This is the first time that a study actually left tumors alone once they were detected. Usually any form of tumor found in a breast is immediately removed surgically and sometimes also treated with chemotherapy. This has been done with a woman’s health in mind to rid her body of the cancer, but it means that very little analysis has been done on the natural progression of a breast tumor.

Clearly more studies are needed, but it does seem to indicate that given a chance that the body can sometimes heal itself. Some experts are concerned that this study will lead women to forgo mammography and breast exams and fear that this will lead to an increased death rate for women of breast cancer. It is known that if a cancer is going to metastasize, then the best chance at beating it is early detection and early removal. Mammography is already a touchy subject within the medical community with some experts feeling that it is a life saving necessary procedure and others thinking it is possibly detrimental. Those who oppose mammography argue that increased radiation can actually cause cancer and that mammography has too many false positives and false negatives to be a reliable tool. The verdict is not in yet, but this study does provide an interesting look into how the body can heal itself.

Turmeric is found to help with the pain of arthritis

Posted on October 28, 2011 by julie

We are all looking for natural ways to help us out in order to get rid of some of the medications in our medicine cabinets. No matter what the pharmaceutical companies say, there are always side effects from using medication, and some of them unfortunately aren’t discovered until years after people have been taking them. A new study has found that turmeric is just as effective (if not more so) at controlling the pain of arthritis as ibuprofen. This is great news as the side effects from ibuprofen range from vomiting to bloody stools to fainting. Turmeric is an all natural solution with a plethora of health benefits.

Arthritis is a serious disease that afflicts more than 25 million Americans. A sad statistic is that about one in two people will develop osteoarthritis over the course of their life which means that this disease will affect about half of the U.S. adult population. Arthritis is a degenerative disease which wears away the cartilage of your joints. The cartilage acts as a cushion between bones so that bone isn’t rubbing on bone, and when it gets worn away, it is very painful for an individual. People with arthritis have trouble moving their joints and this can lead to difficulty with walking and general movement. There’s no way to re-grow the cartilage, so people with arthritis try to manage their pain with medication. But chronic use of the pain medications can lead to terrible side effects like liver and kidney damage, heart problems and gastrointestinal issues.

This new study with turmeric gives hope to the millions of arthritis suffers that a natural solution for pain management is a real possibility. In this study, patients were receiving either turmeric or ibuprofen over the course of 6 weeks. Their pain levels were tracked and measured, and it turned out that taking the turmeric was just as effective as taking the ibuprofen. Doctors believe that the turmeric worked because of the curcumin in turmeric. Curcurmin is what gives turmeric its beautiful rich golden orange coloring. It has powerful anti-inflammatory properties that can influence both genes and enzymes. And curcumin doesn’t just help arthritis, it also helps a myriad of other diseases such as psoriasis, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, cystic fibrosis, and diabetes.

The good news is that turmeric is inexpensive and there are a lot of ways you can take it. The first thing to do is to start cooking with it. It’s delicious and can be incorporated into dishes ranging from curries to meats to vegetables. You can also take it in a supplement form in capsules, but make sure that your supplement contains 100% organic ingredients. And if you’re cooking with turmeric, don’t be afraid to throw in other spices like ginger and cumin which also have great anti-inflammatory effects.

So many of us are either affected by arthritis of have loved ones who suffer from the disease. It’s wonderful to discover natural herbs and spices that can truly help with the pain and management of arthritis without all of the negative side effects of manufactured medications. Perhaps we can put more money toward researching these natural remedies as opposed to creating new chemical concoctions.

Dogs Can Detect Cancer with a High Degree of Accuracy

Posted on October 27, 2011 by julie

How amazing are dogs? Not only are they man’s best friend providing steadfast companionship and guarding our homes and families, but now we know that they can also detect cancer. A recent study in the European Respiratory Journal found that dogs were able to detect lung cancer in humans by smelling their breath. They were accurate over 70% of the time. Researchers believe that there was a specific chemical compound that the dogs smelled in order to detect the cancer. Researchers believe that cancer cells give off different metabolic waste products than normal cells and that these have a different odor. These dogs were even able to discern the difference between people with lung cancer and people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Dogs can also detect other types of cancer through scent. One dog named Marine has been trained to detect colon cancer and can do so with 97% accuracy. She even beats the normal blood tests for cancer by a full 25%. Another test used dogs to detect bladder cancer and achieved over 40% accuracy. Researchers at the Pine Street Foundation in California trained five dogs to smell both breast cancer and lung cancer on a patient’s breath. The dogs had an accuracy rate between 88-99% and even navigated around odors like smoke.

And dogs can do more than just sniff for cancer. There are dogs that are trained to detect hypoglycemia in insulin-dependent diabetics. These dogs live with their owners as companions, but they are also there for medical purposed. Hypoglycemia can be a deadly situation for a diabetic and these dogs can alert their owners when their blood sugar levels are getting low, long before a crisis situation.

A dog’s ability to smell is one of its strongest features and is about 1,000 to 10,000 times stronger than a human’s sense of smell. On average humans have 5 million scent receptors, whereas dogs have hundreds of millions of them. When dogs smell something, they sniff and collect the air in a special chamber in their nose. Dogs are able to exhale while keeping this air in the chamber which allows the scent molecules to accumulate until there are enough of them for the dog to identify what it is. And dogs have another organ in their nasal cavity which helps them smell and taste. It’s called Jacobson’s organ and it means that they can not only smell the air, they can taste it too. If you’ve ever seen a dog almost grinning and holding his mouth in a somewhat open position, you may be witnessing the dog using his Jacobson’s organ. This pose is called a Flehman Reaction and is most often used when smelling the urine or sexual markers of other dogs.

And not only can dogs detect scents at a phenomenal rate, they can also remember them at an incredible rate. Their olfactory memories are fantastic and they can recall smells long after being exposed to them. They also gather information from the odors such as the health of an animal, sex, age and even what they ate for their last meal.

So what can we do with this new information? There are two ways to proceed. One, we can do more to train dogs to detect cancer. It’s a low cost, low invasive solution that can help with preliminary cancer screening. Second, researchers need to do more to figure out exactly how the dogs are doing it so that they can apply this knowledge to create machines and screening tests. But once again, nature in her wisdom has provided a natural solution to one of the greatest health issues facing people today.

The health benefits of green tea extend to your skin

Posted on October 26, 2011 by julie

Good news tea drinkers: there are even more benefits to drinking tea than previously thought! Tea has been drunk throughout the ages for the nice, calming effect it has on people, but recently the focus on tea has changed. Doctors and researchers are now touting the health benefits of tea and are urging people to drink up to five or six glasses of it a day. The British don’t need any convincing. They are the biggest tea drinkers in the world consuming over 165 million cups of it a day! But other nations are hopping on board the tea lover train and it is estimated that next to water, tea is the next most commonly consumed beverage in the world.

Research has shown for some time that green tea has great health benefits for helping to boost our immune system, but the latest reports say that the benefits of green tea go even further. The great news is that green tea also has excellent rejuvenating effects on our skin. In a study published in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, it found that chemicals found in green tea can actually have an effect on dying skin cells. These chemicals reactivate and energize the dying cells, and the hope is that this technology can be applied to skin care products. The chemicals found in green tea are called polyphenols which are a type of catechin. These phytochemicals work at a cellular level positively affecting our bodies.

Green tea and skin cancer

There is evidence that the topical application of creams with green tea extract can help reduce sun damage and the risk of skin cancer. But it’s not that the green tea offers UV protection. What the green tea actually does to protect skin is to reduce inflammation and scavenge free radicals. Researchers are looking at using green tea extract in sunscreens in combination with UV blocking ingredients to create a synergistic effect. And since it’s the antioxidants in green tea that seem to help our skin fight sun damage, the good news is that you also get the benefits of these antioxidants through drinking tea, which means that you can also protect your skin from the inside out.

Green tea and skin aging

But the skin benefits of green tea don’t stop there. There is also evidence that green tea can help slow down the aging process. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) are the enzymes that contribute to aging and degradation of the skin. Studies have shown that green tea is able to inhibit MMPs which is good news for people who want to keep their skin looking fresh and young. There are other studies which have shown that the topical application of green tea can also help with the elastic content of skin, and this may be related to the MMP enzyme effect.

So the great news is that there are two different ways to reap the skin benefits of green tea: you can drink it and you can put it on your skin. So take your pick and enjoy green tea in as many ways as you can.

Can cardio exercise be good for your skin?

Posted on October 22, 2011 by julie

We all know that we should exercise. We hear from our doctors and the medical community about how critical it is for weight loss and health that we get our bodies moving and stay active. But did you know that there is another benefit to cardio exercise? It can actually improve the look and feel of your skin! It’s not a benefit that people normally associate with exercise, but it’s a great one. Women in particular spend millions of dollars a year on anti aging products trying to get rid of wrinkles, but instead, they should just strap on a pair of running shoes and go for a walk or a jog.

It’s important to remember that our body functions as a whole system, so what is good for one system is likely beneficial to the others. That’s why eating the right foods can also help your skin but providing the body with the correct nutrition and immune function. But what specifically about exercise helps our skin?

Improved Circulation

Doing exercise, particularly cardio, literally gets your blood pumping and moving around your body. This helps to deliver nutrients to the skin such as fatty acids and antioxidants. The skin uses these nutrients to stay supple and smooth, so more of these little goodies will help you stay looking younger. The increased blood flow also stimulates cell renewal. This is important because as we age, our cells don’t renew as quickly as they used to in our youth. The result is older, drier, more wrinkled looking skin. Look at the hand of a twenty year old woman next to the hand of a fifty year old and you’ll see the effects of slower cell renewal. By speed up this process, you can take years off your skin!

Detoxification

Another great benefit of exercise is that it stimulates detoxification. This is the body’s opportunity to get rid of the toxins floating around and to sweat them out. As the skin is one of the major organs involved in eliminating toxins, there is a tight connection to skin health and toxins. If the body cannot eliminate the toxins, they are going to sit in our systems causing damage, including damage to the skin. But in order for the skin to function effectively, the pores cannot be blocked. This means that it’s better not to exercise with makeup on. Makeup often clogs pores and prevents proper sweating or elimination. Also, after you work out, it’s a good idea to wash your face and body to get rid of the oil, sweat and toxins you’ve produced during your work out. There’s no point in doing all the work to get rid of the toxins just to let this sit on top of your skin for hours.

Stress Relief

The last benefit exercise gives to our skin is through stress relief. It is proven that exercise helps lower stress hormones and helps us relax and lower our stress levels. So how does our emotional state affect our skin? Quite directly. Have you even seen pictures of the U.S. presidents when they first come into office and when they leave after four years? The pictures are quite dramatic and including both graying of the hair and a significant increase in wrinkles. We wear our stress in the wrinkles on our faces. And by exercising and reducing our stress we literally can prevent wrinkles from forming.

So now we have another reason to exercise- get moving and get rid of wrinkles!

Home remedy to treat eczema (part II)

Posted on October 1, 2011 by julie

Today we continue our discussion about natural home remedies for eczema and we will focus on herbs and oils. It’s worth restating that there is no known cause of eczema and no known cure as of today. So at this point, the best we can do is try to help the body relieve the symptoms of eczema.

Herbs and Oils to Treat Eczema

Gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA) to treat Eczema

Nature is a vast storehouse of treatments and cures just waiting for us to discover it. But while we search for a cure for eczema, we can at least use natural products to help us deal with the uncomfortable symptoms. One very promising ingredient is called gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). It may sound synthetic, but it’s a naturally occurring essential fatty acid. GLA is an Omega-6 fatty acid has been found to help with epidermal proliferation, which is basically an overproduction of skin cells. This is what happens in a person with eczema. The scaly patches are a buildup of an overproduction of skin cells. GLA has been found to help halt this process. Borage seed oil and evening primrose oil are both high in GLA and clinical trials have shown that they can both aid people with eczema.

Essential Oils & Exotic Oils to help with Eczema

eczema home remedy There are numerous essential oils which can help with the symptoms of eczema. Essential oils have numerous fatty acids, phytosterols and polyphenos which can help with the symptoms of eczema. Some of the ones which may be helpful include:

Borage seed oil- as discussed, borage seed oil is high in GLA which has been shown to help eczema suffers with controlling epidermal proliferation. But it also has stearic acid which can help with moisture retention and oleic acid which can soften our skin and help with cell regeneration. It also contains ferulic acid which is a powerful antioxidant and can help with reducing itching and inflammation.
Evening primrose oil- also high in GLA. Evening primrose oil is very high in linoleic acid which means that is can reduce inflammation and the itch of eczema. It also helps to soothe dry skin and restore a healthy barrier function to skin.
Rosehip seed oil- is rich in linoleic acid and linolenic acid and can help to increase wound healing and reduce scarring, which can be an issue for longtime suffers of eczema. The one warning is that if you suffer from acne, you may want to avoid rosehip seed oil as it can make acne worse. Otherwise it is a wonderful oil to help regenerate new skin, heal wounds and diminish scars.
Sea buckthorn oil- this has recently gained some press as being a wonderful and exotic oil. Sea buckthorn berries grow in harsh environments and have developed some amazing chemicals to help its growth. It is high in palmitoleic acid and palmitic acid which are building blocks of healthy skin. It is also exceedingly high in phytosterols and has some of the highest vitamin e levels known in plants. It’s rich orange color also signals us that is very high in beta carotene. It is very soothing to red, inflamed skin and is known for its healing and regenerative capabilities.
Pomegranate seed oil- contains almost 75% punicic acid which is a rare and wonderful fatty acid known as an Omega 5 fatty acid. It helps to regenerate skin and has anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties. It is also rich in gallic acid and ellagic acid which can help with collagen production and are also anti-inflammatory. The phytosterols in pomegranate seed oil also help with reducing inflammation and redness, two things which are of great help in fighting eczema.

Carrier Oils to help with Eczema

Meadowfoam seed oil- is very high in gadoleic acid and euricic acid which help to provide a protective layer for skin. It is very moisturizing and can help heal dry, cracked skin. It’s properties help it adhere to and stay on skin.
Macadamia nut oil- is particularly rich in oleic acid which is great for moisturizing, regenerating skin and as an anti-inflammatory. It is also high in palimitoleic acid (like sea buckthorn) which is a building block of healthy skin. Macadamia nut oil has catechins which are antioxidants and also have anti-bacterial properties, and it contains squalene which helps cracked and chapped skin.

Home remedies for eczema (part I)

Posted on September 30, 2011 by julie

What is eczema?

The word eczema comes from the Greek word ekzema and means to boil over. It is a fit description since people with eczema literally have a problem with an overproduction of epidermal cells resulting in red, itchy, scaling skin. Eczema can be an acute problem or a chronic problem although those with a short term problem are generally diagnosed as having dermatitis. Actually eczema is known by many names including: atopic eczema, dermatitis, contact dermatitis, xerotic eczema and seborrhetic dermatitis. While these are all forms of skin rashes, they are all considered under the family of eczema.

What causes eczema?

Skin health is a combination of internal factors and external factors. There is a lot of debate in the medical community regarding what causes eczema and the real answer is that we don’t know. Some believe that an over clean environment is the cause and that a lack of exposure to bacteria growing up has caused people to have asthma and allergies. Others believe that eczema is an allergic reaction to the feces of dust mites. There is also evidence that eczema could be related to food allergies, such as the consumption of dairy products. If the body is unable to handle certain foods, it stands to reason that the skin could become inflamed and irritated in the body’s attempt to deal with the offending substances.

What is the treatment for eczema?

Unfortunately since we do not really know the cause of eczema, we also do not really have a cure for eczema. That means that most treatments aim to reduce the symptoms of eczema, namely the redness, itching and scaling that occurs. Some doctors prescribe corticosteroids to control the symptoms, but there are negative side effects associated with long term use. These include a thinning of the skin and eventual atrophy. For most, this is not a good solution.

Sunlight Therapy

So many people have started looking toward nature for home remedies to treat eczema. One of the easiest remedies is sun exposure. UV radiation seems to help many people with the severity of their outbreaks. So if you live in a sunny area, spending some time outside in the sun might be a good idea. You would not want to put sunscreen on the areas affected by eczema since the point is to allow the UV radiation to hit these patches. You should however put sunscreen on any areas that do not have eczema.
eczema

Diet

Try experimenting with your diet to remove certain foods for two weeks and see what effect that has on your eczema. You should try eliminating one type of food every two weeks so that you can isolate the problem. Common foods which can cause food allergies include: dairy products, eggs, nuts, wheat, coffee and soy products.

Salt water

Some people have found that bathing in salt water can help their eczema. Some people even travel to the Dead Sea in Israel to treat their skin ailments because of the supposed healing properties of the water and clay. One thing to keep in mind is that it may be painful to wash sores in salt water, so be prepared for some possible pain.

Polyphenols and Phytochemcials in Skin Care

Posted on September 29, 2011 by julie

Have you ever stopped to appreciate what amazing things plants are? They must feed themselves, reproduce, protect themselves from the elements and fend off animals, insects and microbes, all without being able to move. They have no muscles, bones and brains to get any of this done. So how do they survive? They are chemical manufacturing plants, quite literally. They produce phytochemicals which are chemical compounds that perform a myriad of functions. It should be no surprise then that many of these phytochemicals and polyphenols are very good for us. They do everything from fighting cancer to fighting UV radiation from the sun to fighting bacteria, fungus and viruses. Let’s take a look at some of plants most amazing polyphenols.

Benzoic Acid

Benzoic acid is found in many plants and animals but is highly concentrated in gum benzoin and berries such as raspberries, strawberries, cranberries and pomegranates. It has strong antifungal properties and is used in ointments combating athlete’s foot and ringworm (known as tinea). It is also used as a food preservative because it helps to prevent the growth of yeast, mold and bacteria.

Phenolic Acids

Gallic Acid

polyphenols Gallic acid can occur either as part of a tannin molecule or as a free molecule. It is found in almost all plants, but is found in high concentrations in grapes, witch hazel, tea, evening primrose oil, pomegranate seed oil, and mango butter. Gallic acid has anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties and it acts as an antioxidant to protect our cells from free radicals. Studies have shown that gallic acid can cause cancer cells to self-destruct while not causing any damage to normal cells. It is an excellent wound healer and may have use in the treatment of psoriasis and hemorrhoids.

Ellagic Acid

Ellagic acid, also known as benzoaric acid, is produced by plants in order to protect themselves against pests and microbial infection. It is found in berries and red fruits including pomegranates, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries and some nuts such as walnuts and pecans. Ellagic acid is a potent antioxidant protecting cells from oxidative damage, but its real strength has been found in its anti-cancer properties. Research has shown that ellagic acid can interrupt the cycle of cancer cell development by binding with them and making them inactive. It has been shown to have anti-cancer effects on a wide range of cancers including: skin, prostate, pancreas, colon, breast and esophageal. There is also some evidence that ellagic acid offers protection against some chemically induced cancers.

Rosmarinic Acid

Rosmarini acid is found in large quantities in rosemary, lemon balm, sage, oregano, thyme and peppermint. Rosmarinic acid has antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. Its antioxidant activity is considered to be even stronger than that of vitamin e. As an anti-inflammatory it helps to reduce the appearance of find lines and wrinkles and behaves like an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA).

Hydroxycinnamic Acids

Cinnamic Acid

Cinnamic acid is found in cinnamon oil and shea butter and has a honey-like odor. It is another powerful antioxidant and also has UV protective properties. It can also behave like an alpha hydroxy acid by penetrating the skin and assisting with cell regeneration.

Ferulic Acid

Ferulic acid is found in the seeds of plants such as in rice, soybean, sesame, wheat, and oats, as well as in borage oil, coconut oil, and acai. It is a powerful antioxidant and protects our cells from free radical damage. It also would be a good addition to sunscreens as ferulic acid not only protects our cells from UV light damage, but ultraviolet light actually increases the potency of ferulic acid. Ferulic acid also has shown anticancer promise and may lead cancer cells to self destruct. Topical application of ferulic acid may reduce oxidative stress in skin.

Caffeic Acid

Caffeic acid is found in all plants because it is a key component of the formation of lignin, an integral part of plant cell wall structure. It is one of the strongest antioxidants known to man and therefore does a great job of protecting cells against free radical damage. It has been shown to have anti-cancer properties including shrinking tumors. Plants that are particularly high in caffeic acid include coconut oil, soybeans, and mango butter. Tests have shown that caffeic acid protects cells against both UVC and UVB ultraviolet radiation. It has also shown promise as an anti-fungal remedy.

Coumarin

Coumarins are found in many plants including tonka beans, coconuts, cinnamon, lavender, and sweet clover. It is quite fragrant and smells like vanilla or freshly cut hay. It appears to work as a pesticide in the plants that produce it and also has appetite suppressing effects. It is believed that this is to reduce the destructive impact of foraging animals. The quicker they fill up, the quicker they move on and stop grazing. Coumarin is interesting in that it’s both toxic and has medicinal uses. It is moderately toxic to humans when ingested in large amounts, but very toxic to rats. Benefits of coumarin range from anti-cancer to anti-fungicidal to anti-inflammatory to antioxidant properties. But it thins the blood and should not be used by people on anticoagulants. Coumarins are a positive addition to sunscreens as they are able to block out short wave UV rays while allowing the long wave UV rays in. These long wave rays are the ones that give us a beautiful tan.

Flavonoids

Quercetin

Quercetin is a flavonoid found widely throughout nature. Foods rich in quercetin include: tomatoes, green tea, red onions, olive oil, grapeseed oil, berries, sea buckthorn, apples, mango butter, and broccoli to name a few. Preliminary research has shown anticancer, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory benefits.

Rutin

Rutin is a flavonoid that is similar to quercetin. It is also found widely throughout nature although the richest source is buckwheat. Other sources of rutin include citrus fruits and berries. It is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant and also offers UVA protection.

Ricinoleic acid and Skin

Posted on September 28, 2011 by julie

What is Ricinoleic Acid?

Ricinoleic acid is a polyunsaturated fatty acid with the lipid number C18:1. It is an Omega-9 fatty acid, along with Erucic and Nervonic acid. It’s a hydroxyl acid and is soluble in alcohol, but not in oil or water. When we talk about ricinoleic acid, we are generally talking about castor oil since it is the main source of ricinoleic acid. Castor oil is obtained from the castor bean of the castor plant. It is an inexpensive vegetable oil with a very mild odor and taste.

How does Ricinoleic Acid Help Our Skin?

Ricinoleic acid is a humectant, which means that it helps to pull moisture out of the atmosphere and into our skin. It has analgesic, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties. Castor oil is used in foot care products because of its antifungal properties. Castor oil is a very thick oil, but it still penetrates the skin easily and can actually help thicken skin. This is helpful as skin tends to thin as we age. In fact castor oil is so thick that it has a viscosity rating of 293, as opposed to olive oil with a viscosity rating of 47. It blends well with beeswax and is used in cosmetics such as deodorants, lip balms and lipsticks. It can go on feeling somewhat greasy and sticky, which is good for lipstick, but maybe not for a body lotion. In traditional medicine castor oil has been used to treat skin disorders, abrasions, burns, sunburns, and a variety of skin problems.

What Oils are High in Ricinoleic Acid?

The castor plant is most commonly associated with ricinoleic acid and over 80% of the fatty acids in castor oil are ricinoleic acid (it will variety depending on where the plant was raised and how it was raised).

Some of the oils high in Ricinoleic acid include:

Castor oil (85%) Has a shelf life of about 1 year