Yulia Berry asked:


The healthiest oils are made of olives, flax seeds, walnuts and cedar nuts. Peanut oil and corn oil may provoke an allergic reaction in some people. Nevertheless, all vegetable oils can treat many disorders.

Vegetable oils have the ability to increase the HDL (good) cholesterol that your body needs and this will help to cleanse the blood vessels from the deposits. Also, vegetable oils will lower the LDL (bad) cholesterol. It will prevent atherosclerosis.

Rapeseed oil, wheat seed oil, flaxseed and walnut oil are very rich in alpha-linoleic acid (ALA or Omega 3), a polyunsaturated fatty acid, which is very important for the biochemical processes in your nervous system. Lack of alpha-linoleic acid will lead to a decreased ability to learn, nerve signal’s deflection, an increased risk of thrombosis and it will decrease your body’s ability to resist alcohol. You can get your daily dose of alpha-linoleic acid, if you take 1 table spoon of rapeseed oil or eat 4-6 walnuts a day.

Sunflower oil, corn oil and soybean oil are rich in linoleic acid (LA or Omega 6), another polyunsaturated acid. Lack of it will slow your growth and will lead to transformations in your skin cells, endocrine gland, mucous membrane and *** organs. You can cover your need for linoleic acid, if you take 1 table spoon of the oils.

Olive oil, grapeseed oil, ground nut oil, peanut oil, flaxseed oil, sesame oil, canola oil and corn oil are rich in oleic acid, monounsaturated fatty acid, which is very important for the formation of brain cells and the right function of your nervous system. Olive oil is great in lowering ‘bad’ cholesterol and prevents and treats atherosclerosis.

All vegetable oils, except peanut oil, are recommended if you have high blood pressure, diabetes and small stones in your bile duct.

Your daily dose of vegetable oil should be 3-4 table spoons. Use it in salads or vegetable sides. Do not eat just one kind of oil or substitute all fat in your diet for only vegetable oils because your body needs different fats. But if you want to feel healthy and happy, vegetable oils should still predominate.

Before using it, make sure your vegetable oil did not turn rancid because it will lose all its healthy benefits and promote bad cholesterol. Keep the oil in your refrigerator or in a dark place because healthy substances and vitamins can be destroyed by light.

Try these great home remedies:

If you have a cold or cough, mix 1 table spoon of vegetable oil, 1 table spoon of honey and 1 table spoon of cognac or vodka. Heat the mix in a steam bath, then drink it and go to bed right away.

If you are constipated, mix 1 glass of yogurt with 2-4 tea spoons of vegetable oil and drink slowly before you go to bed.

If you are concerned about cellulite, mix any vegetable oil with ginger powder and rub the mix into your problem zone. This will improve blood circulation and your metabolism. Do not forget to wash your hands after the massage.



CORTEZ

JW asked:


After I finish my protein conditioner I am Thinking of using Olive Oil as a hot oil treatment before I shampoo my hair, I heard it strengthens the hair. I am also thinking of using a mixture of Aloe Vera gel, glycerine, and olive oil as my homemade leave in conditioner. What do you think?

I hope in a couple of months the only commercial products I use will be my shampoo, and heat protectant.

CLEVELAND

SigGirl asked:


I only drive my 2001 Toyota Solara on the weekends (I travel for work 100%, so get a ride to the airport, leaving my car at home).

On the weekends, it is primarily ‘in town’ driving, not highway. I was looking at my ‘next oil change’ sticker, and realized that while it was coming up on 3 months, I had driven less than 1000 miles.

So by what measure should I change the oil?

BILLIE

ParleysDiesel asked:

http://www.parleysdieselperformance.com/ The Guys at Parley’s Diesel Performance teamed up with Graydon Blair of Utah Biodiesel Supply to put a lot of common biodiesel and diesel performance questions to rest. For more info on biodiesel visit http://www.utahbiodieselsupply.com/ . Thanks again Graydon!

COLIN

John H asked:


I have a VW Jetta.

I was pretty much out of oil, so I started filling it up. Then I realized the dipstick wasn’t really marked, and checked the manual.

Long story short, I put almost twice too much oil in it than what is supposed to be in there. I plan on making an appointment tomorrow and then going to get my oil changed and such.

My question is, will having that much oil in my car be a severe issue driving less than a mile to the place?

GREGG

Alex Sotir asked:


Bush is proposing lifting the ban for digging in alaska and the coasts.How efficient would that be.How much oil is there?

ERWIN

Marilyn Reid asked:


Aromatherapy usually involves a massage, however, it can be induced in a bath or filling the room with an aroma. Even though the essential oils used in aromatherapy are from plant extracts, these oils are very concentrated and should not be applied directly internally or externally.

Extracting essential oils is a lengthy process, and it means spending a lot for a small quantity of oil. Purchasing essential oils is also costly; however, you can get the therapeutic benefits of essential oils and aromatic oils quite inexpensively at home.

Step 1: Carrier Oils

In view of the fact that essential oils are very strong, they should be mixed in a different oil, also known as the carrier, before using it as a massage oil or perfume. You have various options for the carrier oil. Sweet Almond oil is the most favorable choice as it is absorbent and lightweight still it has the right fragrance of essential oils. Coconut, aloe-vera and avocado oils are natural moisturizers and therefore the best for dryer skin, whereas grape seed is best for oily skins since it is very light. If you are not sure about using the oils, buy extra virgin olive oil from the local grocery store. Even though we know this oil is best for cooking, it makes an exceptional carrier. Extra virgin is the premium type of olive oil. Besides, if it is good for ingestion, than it is definitely good for your skin!

Step 2: Essential Oils

You can find wide range essential oils at any health or natural food store. At these stores you are sure to find a range of various essential oils. If you cannot find them at these stores, there are websites that sell these essential oils. Try to find the ones in blue or dark brown jars; compared to clear glass as these colors keeps the oils much better. You can try only one or mixture of various essential oils for producing a particular effect.

• Relaxation: ylang-ylang, lavender, sandalwood, chamomile and vanilla

• Energy: spearmint, peppermint, lemongrass and eucalyptus

• Meditation: sandalwood, ylang-ylang, frankincense and myrhh.

These are only some suggestions; there are various essential oils with medicinal properties. An important aspect you should keep in mind about essential oils is that the smaller the amount you use, the more beneficial it is for you! Essential oils are very strong, so you need not to use more to create an effective, strong fragrance.

Step 3: Mix and Use

Wherever you get hold of essential oils, you must find small dark colored glass bottles. Ensure that you check how many fluid ounces every bottle holds. Put 10 to 12 drops of essential oil for every ounce of carrier oil, and use just 15 drops of essential oil for every ounce of the carrier. Consequently, if you are making an ounce of relaxing massage oil, put five drops of chamomile and five drops of lavender. After a day or so add more drops if you want a stronger fragrance.



GABRIEL

Janet Ashby asked:


Essential oils are used in perfumes, in aromatherapy, in creams and lotions and for many other purposes where pleasant aromas are needed. Several methods are used to extract essential oils from flowers and other plant material. Essential oil makes up only a very small percentage of the plant or flower so a large amount of plant material is needed to produce a small amount of oil. More than a hundred pounds may be needed to produce an ounce of oil. Some flowers are also too delicate to use the easier methods and more time consuming and expensive methods must used. Essential oils can be expensive but they are very concentrated. Most recipes only require a few drops so a small bottle will last for a long time.

Steam Distillation

Steam distillation is used for the majority of essential oil production. Pressurised steam is passed through flowers or other plant material spread on screens inside a still. The oils are absorbed by the steam which is then passed into another chamber and cooled. On condensing the oil floats on the top of the water and is skimmed off. The water remaining is not wasted as it contains small amounts of the oil and can be used for toners and ****** mists. As it is not as concentrated as the essential oils floral water can be used by people who are sensitive to essential oils.

Solvent Extraction

For flowers or plants too delicate to use steam extraction solvent extraction is often used. A solvent, usually hexane, is repeatedly passed over the plant material on mesh trays. The oils, along with other soluble substances, are absorbed by the solvent which is then filtered and the resulting solution distilled under low pressure to remove the solvent. The material left, called a concrete, is a waxy solid containing the essential oils and waxes and pigments from the plants. Further processing is then carried out to extract the oils and waxes from the concrete. The concrete itself can also be used as a perfume and the waxes are used in lotions, creams and in candle making.

Enfleurage

For flowers or plants that have very low levels of essential oils, jasmine for instance, a different method must be used. Flowers are placed into odourless vegetable oil and left for a few days before being replaced by fresh material. Fresh flowers are repeatedly placed in the vegetable oil until it is saturated with the oil from the flowers. Alcohol is then used to extract the essential oil from the vegetable oil. When the alcohol is evaporated the pure essential oil is left. This process takes a long time and a large amount of plant material and the resulting oil is very expensive.

Cold Pressing

For citrus oils, where the oil is extracted from the fruit rather than the flowers cold pressing is used. This entails rolling the fruit between spiked projections which pierce the peel and then squeezing the fruit to extract the juices which contain the oil. The resulting juice is then centrifuged to separate the oil.

Carbon Dioxide Extraction

In this method carbon dioxide is used to extract the oil. A high pressure is achieved by pumping the gas into a chamber containing the plant material. As the pressure increases the gas liquifies and acts as a solvent. The essential oils are extracted into the liquified carbon dioxide which is then passed into another chamber where the pressure is released. The carbon dioxide vapourises leaving behind the essential oil.

No residues are left behind and the extract is very pure with a clean and fresh aroma. As the temperature used is much lower than that used for steam distillation, oil can be extracted from delicate flowers that are destroyed by steam distillation.

Steam Diffusion Extraction

This method is similar to steam extraction but the steam is introduced into a chamber with the plant material at atmospheric pressure rather than at high pressure. It is a gentler method and can be used for more delicate flowers and plants.



BLAKE

Dana asked:


My dad just ate Jalapeno peppers a few hours ago, and now the oil from his hands is making his eyes and skin burn. He tried washing his hands with warm water and soap about one million times, but the Jalapeno oil is still causing him to burn. How can we get it off?

DEE

AlJazeeraEnglish asked:

Cambodia has struck oil, but it may not necessarily be good news. Hamish MacDonald, reporting for Al Jazeera from Cambodia, asks how well-suited the country is to absorbing its new windfall.

AHMED