Yes to Olive Oil

Olive oil- an oil obtained from the olive, a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps.

Nutrition benefits of olive oil

Evidence from epidemiological studies suggests that a higher proportion of monounsaturated fats in the diet is linked with a reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease. This is significant because olive oil is considerably rich in monounsaturated fats, most notably oleic acid.

In the United States, producers of olive oil may place the following health claim on product labels:

Limited and not conclusive scientific evidence suggests that eating about 2 tbsp. (23 g) of olive oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease due to the monounsaturated fat in olive oil. To achieve this possible benefit, olive oil is to replace a similar amount of saturated fat and not increase the total number of calories you eat in a day.Unlike saturated fats, olive oil lowers total cholesterol and LDL levels in the blood.  It is also known to lower blood sugar levels and blood pressure. 

In Calabria, the women regularly use the oil to take care of their hair and hands.

Studies on mice showed that application of olive oil immediately following exposure to UVB rays has a preventive effect on the formation of tumors and skin cancer.

Types of olive oil

• Extra-virgin olive oil comes from virgin oil production only, contains no more than 0.8% acidity, and is judged to have a superior taste. Extra Virgin olive oil accounts for less than 10% of oil in many producing countries. It is used on salads, added at the table to soups and stews and for dipping.
• Virgin olive oil comes from virgin oil production only, has an acidity less than 2%, and is judged to have a good taste.
• Pure olive oil. Oils labeled as Pure olive oil or Olive oil are usually a blend of refined and virgin production oil.
• Olive oil is a blend of virgin and refined production oil, of no more than 1.5% acidity. It commonly lacks a strong flavor.

Olive oil for your skin

In addition to the internal health benefits of olive oil, topical application is quite popular with fans of natural health remedies. Extra virgin olive oil is the preferred grade for moisturizing the skin, especially when used in the oil cleansing method (OCM). OCM is a method of cleansing and moisturizing the face with a mixture of extra virgin olive oil, castor oil (or another suitable carrier oil) and a select blend of essential oils. Olive oil is also used by some to reduce ear wax buildup.

You can use olive oil as a face moisturizer, removing make-up, shaving to get a closer shave and body oil.  Add it to your bath to soften and moisturize the skin, just add a few drops.  You can also use it as a facial scrub:  wet your face, add a few drops of olive oil to your face, add a tsp of sugar (i use dark brown sugar) to your face, massaging, then rinse off.  Also good as a lip balm to soothe lips.

Olive oil for your hair

For fly aways and frizz, just add a few drops of olive oil to your hair.  It can also be a deep conditioner, you can add a few tbsp to your normal conditioner and apply it as a deep conditioner.  Cover your hair, leave on for 25 to 30 minutes, rinse.  It can also make your hair shiny and cure dandruff. If you want to use it as a hot oil treatment:

Pour 1/2 cup of olive oil into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat it in the microwave for 20 seconds, or  place the bottle in heated water for a few minutes until it is warm 

Place a towel or cape over your shoulders to protect clothing. 

Put a small amount of olive oil in the palm of your hand and massage it into your hair. If you have a dry scalp, massage a small amount into the scalp, as well. If you have oily hair, massage it into your hair, but stay at least 1/2 inch from the scalp. Repeat the process of massaging small amounts at a time into the hair until the hair is entirely covered with olive oil. 

Place your hair loosely on your head and cover it with a plastic shower cap. 

Relax for at least 30 minutes while the olive oil is treating your hair if you have a hooded dryer you can sit under it for about 15 minutes with the shower cap on. 

Rinse with cool water then shampoo your hair with a mild shampoo. Give a light condition with your usual conditioner. Rinse it out completely and continue with your regular after wash routine. You will see that the olive oil treatment makes you hair much softer and much more manageable, as well as gives it some added shine.  This can be done 2 or three times a week.Olive oil can also be applied to hair after leave-in conditioners and moisturizers have been applied.  When applied last it will seal the moisture into your hair.  Sometimes i mix it with castor oil and apply it to my hair after spritzing it with water, it helps to keep my hair moisturized and feeling soft. Many of you may have noticed that there are lots of hair products on the market now that claim to have olive oil in them, make sure you check the ingredients to see how far down the list the olive oil is.  The first 3 or 4 ingredients listed are what the product contains the most of.  Keep this in mind when purchasing any product.  Don’t be fooled by fancy labels!  Some products may boast about containing olive oil and it may be the last ingredient on the list.

Olive oil for your nails-Recipe

To soften, condition and strengthen nails and cuticles.

•2 tbsp olive oil
•3 drops of lemon juice
•Mix ingredients in a bowl, place nails and fingers in the bowl and soak for 5 minutes.  Dry your hands and your done.  Repeat as often as needed.

In my opinion

I really like using olive oil in place of hair grease, its much lighter and doesn’t weigh my hair down.  I have mixed it with my “raw shea butter” along with coconut oil and a few other oils and moisturizers to make a great whipped mixture to use as a styling aid and moisturizer.  I prefer the extra virgin olive oil.  I’ve been using olive oil to cook with for a long time and I don’t miss the other more fatty oils that I used to use.  There are many different kinds of oils that you can cook with that will bring out flavor and aid when frying at high temperatures and are also more healthy for you.  Later I will be doing more posts on other oils that can be used for many uses other than cooking.  Overall I’d give olive oil a thumbs up for all of its benefits.  Thanks for Reading

Quick Tip:

Learn your product’s ingredients, if you don’t know what they are are what they do, look them up!  Don’t put things in your hair or on your skin without knowing a little about it first.

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Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olive_oil

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