The Passionate Olive (16 page)

I was not delivered at home, but my lifelong passion with olive oil began quite early, when I was a baby, although I wasn’t consciously aware of it at the time. As was the custom when I was born, my dear mother nursed me—and my two sisters. I didn’t realize until I was much older and heard her speaking with her close friends that she had a special secret “solution” to take care of herself while she
nursed us. She mixed olive oil and water to make an emulsion, which she put on her breasts to soothe the tender tissue that was sore from the feeding process. For years, she shared with her friends the secret of this very soothing emulsion.

While this breast-soothing practice is not common here in the United States, it is one of the first uses that comes to mind when Italian women are asked how they use olive oil, other than for cooking. “Put it on the breasts, when nursing,” they quickly exclaim. What follows are just a few special uses for mommy and baby. Check the health and beauty chapters of this book for additional ideas.

For Mommy

68)
ALLEVIATE AND LESSEN THE APPEARANCE OF STRETCH MARKS

A young mother has much to look forward to with the birth of her new baby. Along with many good things come a few things that are not so positive—I am thinking here of stretch marks. Many women the world over suffer from this problem during their pregnancy. In fact, over 90 percent of all pregnant women will get stretch marks.

The good news is that for most women these unwanted marks will fade after pregnancy. How prone one is to getting stretch marks has a great deal to do with both individual skin type and genetics. While preventing them is difficult, here is an anti-stretch mark formula that will not only soothe a new mother’s ever expanding skin, but, according
to some women, lessen their appearance, when applied daily.

Anti-Stretch Mark Formula

• Apply a mixture of equal parts warm extra virgin olive oil and pure cocoa butter on the stomach, buttocks, and breast areas
  

Another tip to try in the battle to lessen the appearance of stretch marks is mixing a small amount of extra virgin olive oil with a small amount of self-tanning lotion. Apply this mixture directly to the stretch marks, and they will be less noticeable.

69)
SOOTHE NIPPLES WHEN BREAST-FEEDING

And now, back to the time-honored formula to take care of cracked, sore, and chafed nipples. Prior to nursing, always moisten your nipples with water. Then immediately after nursing, apply the following formula.

Formula for Soothing Nipples

• Whip equal amounts of extra virgin olive and water to make an emulsion
  
• Gently apply to breasts to soothe and treat cracked nipples immediately after nursing your baby
  

If rose water is available, you can substitute rose water for the plain water and mix it with equal amounts of extra virgin olive oil. I suggest extra virgin olive oil because you want mommy and baby to have the very best in terms of quality and taste.

For Baby

70)
SOOTHE BABY’S DIAPER RASH

Every new mother has faced the pesky problem of diaper rash. What to do to ease this very painful problem? Olive oil, of course! Extra virgin olive oil is good for cracked and chafed skin, including a baby’s diaper rash. This old family remedy is a truly magical ointment, and it’s very easy to prepare. Of course, always ask your pediatrician prior to using any formula on your baby.

Diaper Rash Remedy

• Mix 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil with 1 teaspoon of water
  
• Whip the water and olive oil together until you create an emulsion
  
• Spread it on the baby’s bottom
  

An alternative remedy, which is a bit more complex, is to add calendula flowers to olive oil.

Diaper Rash Remedy with Calendula

• Put 1 cup extra virgin olive oil and a handful of calendula flowers into a heavy glass jar and shake
  
• Place the jar in a hot water bath
  
• Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 to 2 hours
  
• Strain the calendula out of the oil using a strainer lined with cheesecloth
  
• Apply the strained oil directly to the baby’s bottom
  

NOTE:
Put a pan of water on top of the stove, and bring the water to a slow boil
.

71)
ALLEVIATE BABY’S CRADLE CAP

Cradle cap is a form of
Seborrheic dermatitis
(a type of dandruff), often seen in newborn infants. Your baby may just have a mild case of dry, flaky skin (that looks like dandruff), or he may have a more severe case marked by thick, oily, yellow patches. Throughout the years, there have been many home remedies for cradle cap.

One of the most noted of home remedies for alleviating a baby’s cradle cap is massaging olive oil directly onto the affected scalp area.

Cradle Cap Remedy

• Gently massage your baby’s scalp with extra virgin olive oil (with your fingers, a soft baby brush, or a soft washcloth)
  
• Leave it on for at least 10 minutes
  
• Then wash and rinse the baby’s entire head with warm water
  
• Take special care with the “soft spot”
  

72)
MAKE YOUR OWN NATURALLY SAFE BABY WIPES

For the past twenty-five years, baby wipes have become a mainstay on each and every changing table. A mother can actually make her very own, natural baby wipes, which will be very gentle for a baby’s tender skin. They are also excellent for anyone with extremely sensitive skin.

Baby Wipe Formula

• Mix the following:
  

2 cups warm water

2 tablespoons baby shampoo, and

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• Soak heavy, soft, white paper towels in the solution
  
• Squeeze out extra moisture and fold moistened towels
  
• Store in an empty baby wipe container or plastic bag
  

73)
GIVE YOUR BABY A HEALTHY, INVIGORATING MASSAGE WITH OLIVE OIL

If you have never given your new baby a massage, you have missed a really great treat. Human touch not only
helps an infant to bond with a parent, but also builds trust between mother, father, and baby. Both you and the new baby will benefit from the time spent in this wonderful pursuit. Just watch your baby giggle and coo with enjoyment when you give him a little massage.

Baby Massage Tips

• Rub the extra virgin olive oil into your hands to reduce the friction on the baby’s skin
  
• Make sure that the room is warm, since your baby will be wearing only a diaper
  
• Use gliding strokes or circular motions and press ever so gently
  
• Don’t forget the baby’s fingers and toes, and take special care if you massage the baby’s head (you may wish to avoid that “soft spot”)
  

Infant massage is best performed with the use of gentle, extra virgin olive oil. It will lubricate your hands as well as soothe your baby’s skin. In fact, in “Oil Versus No Oil Massage,” a study done by Touch Research Institute and published in
Perinatology
, infants showed fewer stress behaviors (e.g., grimacing and clenched fists) and lower cortisol levels (stress hormones) following massage with oil versus massage without oil. Of course, natural oils—like extra virgin olive oil!—are preferred over mineral-based oils.

Further studies conducted at the Touch Research Institute
found that babies who receive regular massages are more alert and even cry less than those who do not receive massages. So massage away!

74)
MOISTURIZE BABY’S NOSTRILS

Here’s another problem that can be treated easily. During the dry winter months, or when traveling by air, everyone’s nostrils can become a little bit dry, and a baby’s extrasensitive nostrils can become especially dry. To alleviate this problem, just put a small amount of extra virgin olive oil on the end of a cotton swab and carefully swab the baby’s nostrils.

Now that we’ve covered the care of both mother and baby through the use of olive oil, it’s time to turn our attention to the other “babies” who may share your home—dear pets. Dogs, cats, and other furry friends are important members of today’s homes. These loving creatures look to us for their care, and pet owners go to great lengths to provide for the health and happiness of their pets. Many of my friends have generously shared their olive oil feeding, health maintenance, and grooming care tips with me. In the next chapter I will share that useful information with you.

CHAPTER EIGHT
The Care and Feeding of Your Pets with Olive Oil

ALL OF MY
animal-lover friends have shared with me stories of how they use olive oil in the care and feeding of their pets. Just like their human companions, pets can also reap the health benefits of olive oil. It is good for their heart, reduces bad cholesterol, and keeps their skin and coat glossy! A friend gives her basset hounds 1 tablespoon of olive oil, once a day, drizzled on their food. The oil works to prevent dry skin—from the inside out. Also, this daily application of olive oil dramatically improves the shine of their coats, and it apparently even makes their food taste better—just ask Watson, one of my favorite dogs, who is CBO (chief basset officer) of his own company, Watson’s Marketplace (
www.watsonsmarketplace.com
). He has his own special dinner and liver-cookie recipes that include olive oil! (See
this page
).

Rosie, my cousin’s border collie, had a terrible problem with fleas, and she scratched herself until her skin
was raw. My cousin was at her wit’s end trying to help her beloved dog. Someone suggested that using a bit of olive oil to soothe the area might just bring some relief to Rosie’s suffering. Rosie herself seemed quite happy with the suggestion. She not only got relief from the itchy fleabites, but she really loved the flavor of the olive oil. Rosie was a great taste tester for this remedy, and it proved to be the solution to her problem. My cousin was thrilled! I also told my cousin (and Rosie) that ticks, those surface-dwelling parasites that attach their mouths to a part of the skin and will not move, can actually be smothered by using olive oil.

Getting back to Watson, his human companion, Ellen, is involved with Basset Rescue—a nationwide service to help place abandoned basset hounds. Her rescued bassets often come to her with bruises and scrapes, evidence of past mistreatment or neglect. She uses a variety of oils on their skin and coats to cure many of their ailments, and olive oil is one of them, because it is natural and nontoxic and we know dogs will lick almost anything off their coats. Ellen even oils her dogs’ collars with olive oil so that they will remain supple and not chafe canine necks.