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• Castor oil has been
  lauded as a miracle cure for cysts, tumours and more, but how true are
  these claims?
• The craze can be linked
  back to a video created by disgraced wellness coach Barbara O’Neill.
• O’Neill was banned from
  practising after sharing potentially fatal information with her clients.
• Speaking to
  News24, gynaecologist and endoscopic surgeon, Dr Natalia Novikova,
  says the claims around castor oil are not true.

Everyone and their mother have
been singing the praises of castor oil lately.

The oil has been lauded as a
miracle potion for period pain, cysts, fibroids, and even tumours.

As someone with endometriosis, I’m open
to suggestions when it comes to easing the symptoms that come along with this
chronic condition.

So, I watched the video that
started this castor oil craze (i.e. the reason you probably can’t find castor
oil in stores these days).

In a resurfaced clip,
disgraced wellness coach Barbara O’Neill talks about the purported benefits of castor
oil.

“Castor oil penetrates
deeper than any other oil, so it can be used externally … wherever castor oil
penetrates, it breaks up lumps, bumps, congestions, adhesions, it can even
break up a bone spur. It can break up tumours,” she says.

The claims seem too good to be
true.

O’Neill then tells the story of
women who allegedly used castor oil to break down cysts in their breasts and
even cancerous tumours.

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Careless coach

A quick search of O’Neill will
lead you to dozens of articles about the disgraced wellness coach.

According to a 2019 article by
The Guardian, she was banned from practising as a wellness coach after giving
potentially fatal health advice to her clients.

The Australian reportedly pushed
the debunked theory that cancer could be cured with bicarbonate soda and has
given other misleading advice online, too.

The New South Wales Healthcare
Complaints Commission found O’Neill was not an accredited health professional
and failed to obtain any health-related degree or diploma. 

“Mrs O’Neill does not
recognise that she is misleading vulnerable people, including mothers and
cancer sufferers, by providing very selective information,” the
commission’s decision found, according to The Guardian.

“The misinformation has
huge potential to have a detrimental effect on the health of individuals as Mrs
O’Neill discourages mainstream treatment for cancer, antibiotics and
vaccination.” 

While it’s not clear when the
video circulating on social media was filmed, it does not seem to be a recent
clip, but rather something that has resurfaced.

In the video, O’Neill tells
viewers castor oil should be applied to a pantyliner and placed on the affected
area.

Speaking to News24,
Cape Town-based gynaecologist and endoscopic surgeon Dr Natalia Novikova says
the claims around castor oil are not true.  

“No, castor oil cannot
break cysts and fibroids. It’s not advisable to use for this purpose as it
would delay the treatment that is actually effective, safe and scientifically
proven,” adds Novikova.  

As for claims the oil can assist
with urinary tract infections or period pain, she says: “According to the
current scientific knowledge, castor oil has no effect on period pains and
UTIs. It has a very unpleasant taste.

“It can be used to treat
constipation, but there are alternatives that are more suitable for this
purpose.” 

READ MORE | ‘Don’t do it’: Botched star
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Bogus medical practitioners and
a vulnerable audience

Social media has given many
bogus doctors or wellness coaches a platform to spread misinformation.

Take a look at South Africa’s
“Dr Matthew Lani”, for example.

Lani posed as a doctor online,
handing out medical advice and even selling unregistered supplements.

Add to that a vulnerable
audience, and you’ve got yourself a dangerous concoction.

When I first heard the claims
about castor oil, I was intrigued.

If you suffer from chronic pain,
you’re willing to try any remedy that promises to bring some relief, which is
most likely why so many women keep sharing the video by O’Neill.

It’s important, though, that you
don’t accept information at face value, especially when it concerns your
health.

Do your research and speak to a doctor before
trying home remedies for any medical condition.