Castor Oil For Insect Bites & Stings

Well, I guess I will finish this Castor Oil series and put it to bed, for now.  So far, we've done Castor oil for injuries, bruises or blood pooling and now insect bites.  When my son was about a year old, he got into some ants and before I knew it, his little hand looked like one of those surgical gloves that people blow up.  I rushed him to the ER (pre-natural medicine days!) and they pumped him full of Benadryl.  However, as the swelling would subside, a large area (the size of 4 quarters, sometimes more) would turn black, I guess the damaged tissue was dying off.  A few years later, after the discovery of that awesome book I mentioned in Part 1, I took three of her treatments for insect bites and combined them.  I had already been using lavender essential oil on bug bites but it did not prevent the tissue from dying.  While on vacation one year, my son got several bites on his foot.  The book recommends Castor oil, lavender and aloe, among other things, for bites.  I mixed and applied these 3 and within minutes the swelling was already going down.  Later that day, you could hardly tell where he had been bitten!  For 6 years we had watched every ant bite swell, turn black and take weeks to heal, causing much pain and irritation.  With the Castor oil/lavender/aloe we were business as usual in one day.  It was wonderful!  Now my son is no longer paranoid about getting bit by ants, though he still obviously tries to avoid them.  At least he has a quick fix should he get bitten.  Also of note is that it works even if you do not catch it immediately.  He has been bitten at times when we didn't have the needed items available or he wasn't at home, but as soon as he was able to apply it (within a day) it would begin healing and he has never again experienced the black, dying tissue.

There is no formal recipe for this.  I usually just mix it in my hand and rub it on.  If I had to give measurements I would say I use about a teaspoon of aloe gel (you could also use juice), 5 drops of lavender and 1/2 tsp of Castor oil.  Aloe is anti-inflammatory, lavender is calming, therefore quieting inflamed skin and Castor oil speeds up lymphatic flow and disperses toxins, per the book Gentle Healing for Baby and Child by Andrea Candee.  This works!  Do not hesitate to try it.  You can get all of these ingredients at Iherb.com but I actually purchase my essential oils in bulk from NewDirectionsAromatics.com.  I'm sure you can also get them at a health foods store but you will pay twice as much or more.

As promised, here is my special blend that I am never without.  I have a bottle in my purse, a bottle upstairs, a bottle downstairs and a bottle in my car.  I also hand out bottles to friends and family whenever possible and have received nothing but praise and thanks.  So here goes...I take a 2 oz bottle of Castor oil or fill a 2 oz bottle with Castor oil, add 10 drops of lavender, 10 drops of tea tree, and 5 drops of chamomile.  This will help with anything... rashes, bruises, cuts, bites, etc.  I've had friends who had wounds that just would not heal, put this on it and within a couple days the wound was healed.  I've used it on hurt chicken feet, dog bites on my cats, tick bites on my dogs and goats, goose eggs on my kids' heads and so on and so forth.  So there you go.  If you do not have any Castor oil in your house, get some!  Throw some lavender and tea tree essential oils in while your it at.  You won't be sorry!