An Ode to Oil
Oily (adj.); (of a person or their behaviour) unpleasantly smooth and ingratiating. Synonyms include; bland, slick, cajoling, coaxing, compliant, hypocritical, ingratiating, and obsequious.
From this dictionary meaning of the word "oily", is it any wonder that growing up I had a negative opinion of oil. To top it off, oily food was the apex of the food pyramid, thus revealing itself as a "least wanted" food for those who wished to embrace a healthy lifestyle. Oil was bad.
As I developed my eating disorder, my relationship with oil worsened. I would say I rarely consumed any oil in my diet; food was steamed, dry and raw. Toast, crackers, potatoes and salads were eaten as they were. Without oil. Becoming a vegetarian, I even excluded myself from the naturally occurring oil in animal products.
And I wasn’t alone. It seemed society at large was anti-oil. I had taken this aversion to an extreme.
Contrast this with human interactions with oil in the past. Throughout ancient history, oil was recognised for its importance, revered and respected; oil was sacred. The Babylonians – modern day Iraqis – used oil to waterproof their boats and as mortar in building construction. The Egyptians also used oil in the preparation of mummies to help preserve corpses; almond, myrrh and frankincense oils were used for religious rituals and as a natural odour deterrent. Olive oil in particular, is found even in the earliest writings in Greece, Linear B tablets, which describe the uses of olive oil in Mycenaean Greece (c. 1,600 to 1,100 B.C.E.). Throughout ancient Greek history, olive and other types of oil performed a variety of functions. It was perfumed and worn on special occasions and was used in cooking or consumed as a part of a meal. A Roman-period author and traveller named Pausanias (8.42.11) described the use of oil in the practices of religion and it was also used as a source of fuel for lamps. Finally, oil had a prominent place in ancient Greek funerary rituals, as it was used to anoint bodies before they were buried. Oil was openly adored, not an evil enemy, that was consumed secretly and with all the guilt of a sin, as it is today.
Before expanding on my journey with oils, and explaining the various uses of oils inside and outside the body, let us first ask, what is oil?
Both oil and fats are macronutrients, along with carbohydrates (fruit and veg) and protein; this means, we need oils and fats to survive. Both are made up of Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen. The main difference between fats and oils is that fats are composed of high amounts of saturated fatty acids which will take a solid form at room temperature whereas oils are composed of mainly unsaturated fatty acids which will take a liquid form at room temperature. Depending on whether the final molecule on this chain of fatty acids is Carbon, Hydrogen or Oxygen, determines whether the oil or fat is saturated or unsaturated. This article is not concerned with explaining the difference between the types of oils/fats, but in case you don’t know, saturated fats are generally the "bad" fats and mainly animals based, versus unsaturated fats are generally the "good" fats and mainly plant based.
As I explained, I hated oil. And now, 10 years later, I love it!
How did I fall in love with this demonised devil?
Backstory; 1 year ago, I was suffering from chronic constipation; other complaints at the time were dry eye, osteoporosis, lack of menstruation, poor circulation. A dinner with a friend, who I found out later was studying Ayurveda, an ancient Indian Medicine. Sharing with her my issues, she made one overarching observation about me; I was super dry, lacking oil, in Ayurvedic terms, I was in excess of Vata (the air and ether element). "How can you help me poop though!?!" I inquired, "I’ve been eating all the fibrous foods and drinking tonnes of water". She explained, "Just like a desert experiences flash floods and doesn't absorb the water after torrential rain, so happens to a dry body, a body lacking oils and fats. Even though you are drinking a lot, the water isn’t being absorbed, you need oil and salt to help the water absorption ".
The triad of hydration is it called, with probiotics being the final vertex of the triangle; oil, salt and probiotics help to keep us hydrated by aiding absorption of water.
Why oil? Oil and fat at play role in stimulating motility – or forward motion – in the colon, which in turn promotes more regular bowel movements. Foods that contain oil stimulate the gastrocolic communication reflex, essentially informing the colon that a significant amount of food has just entered the system and in response the colon ramps up its motility to make some room for what's headed its way.
Why salt? To ensure that the water you drink actually enters your cells, you need an electrical charge in the form of electrolytes, or otherwise known as minerals. Some essential minerals to consume are sodium, potassium and magnesium; all trace minerals occurring naturally in sea salts.
Why probiotics? These microorganisms in the gut reduce intestinal permeability and improve nutrient status by making more nutrients such as minerals available to absorb from food.
To sum up, it is not enough to simply drink water, we must be able to absorb it, and salt, oil and probiotics aid this absorption.
To add, my lack of menstruation, or Hypothalamic Amenorrhea, was a consequence of my low body fat percentage and the fact that my reproductive hormones needed fat in order for the hormones to be transported around my body. Not to mention, my osteoporosis was a knock-on effect of my Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (I was not making estragon; thus, my bones were degenerating), and because my body didn’t have enough body fat, it was digging into my calcium reserves in my bones instead of my body. I was literally so deprived, so dry, that my body was turning on itself in order to survive.
I was convinced. I needed to lubricate myself from the outside in. Oil me up, and the engine may ignite.
Inside my body
Using Ayurveda as a guide, I began with the foods I ate. Ghee is a staple of the Ayurvedic diet and a nightly mug of warm milk and ghee, is a common constipation reliever. Ghee is clarified butter, butter which has the water and milk solids removed. I added ghee to my porridge, to my toasts, onto my vegetables and a dollop into my soups and curries. And I discovered that ghee is delicious!
Drizzling olive oil (extra virgin or cold pressed) on pastas, salad leaves and vegetables, I embraced the culture of the Mediterranean. I learned that an oily taste can be beautiful and not bad.
Each oil has a smoke point, a point at which it begins to smoke and burn-this means the oil has broken down into harmful compounds called aldehydes which can be detrimental to the human body over time. So, you should be conscious of the smoking point of the oil you use and the temperature you cook it at. Both ghee and olive oil are good options, which the former having a smoking point of 200-240C (465F) (refined) and 160-190 C (375F) (unrefined), and the latter of 250C (485F) (refined)and 232C (450F) (unrefined).
I became more conscious of adding fat based foods to my diet such as nuts, seeds, avocados, eggs, dairy, meat and oily fish. After initial guilt, fat become a beautiful and basic element of each of my meals.
Outside my body
Abhyanga is the ancient Ayurvedic ritual of oil massage to the body, performed by the self to the self. The various benefits of this massage include; toning muscles and tissues of body, firming limbs, lubricating joints, increasing circulation, stimulating internal body organs, assisting in elimination of toxins, moving lymph, increasing stamina, calming nerves and improving sleep; these effects all help to oil the entire body, outside in, thus making the process of elimination smooth. We sometimes forget but the skin in the bodies largest organ and can absorb externally anything we put on the outside, allowing it to travel to the inside. Experiment with various oils but sesame, almond, sunflower and coconut are best. Warm the oil and massage from feet to heart, hands to heart, and in circular motions, especially over joints.
A weekly oil salt scrub is the perfect combination; the salt will help exfoliate and eliminate any dead, dry skin cells, and the oil will hydrate and moisturise the new skin cells. Again, the skin absorbs the oil and can transport this oil to organs, such as the digestive organs, creating a well-oiled machine, able to eliminate excess.
Another great use of oil is for hair; our hair follicles produce oils naturally but as we age these oil glands weaken, so applying oil to hair before or after washing, provides much needed moisture and hydration to the scalp.
Our nails and cuticles are another body part which can benefit from a nightly oil massage.
The Ayurvedic Petchoti Method is the belief that you can absorb oils via your belly button. As a foetus in the womb, you absorbed nutrients from the mother through the umbilical cord, so the theory goes that the bellybutton performs the same role, after you leave the womb. This practice is said to rebalance the body, relieving suffering such as constipation.
My dry eyes improved through my uptake of oil. Now, I did not go squirting oil into my eyes, but I did find that my well-oiled diet and my well-oiled body, poured their effects into my eye health, as my burning and sensitive eyes upon waking disappeared. Ayurveda actually offers a specific treatment for dry eyes which I have yet to try called Netra Tarpana or a Ghee Eye Bath. First, a dough or an eye cup is placed on the eyes so the liquid will not pour over the face. Then, lying down, the warmed ghee is poured into the eyes while they stay open.
Nasya is another oil-based Ayurveda practice where medicated oil is dropped and sniffed into the nasal cavity, alleviating respiratory tract infections and allergies.
Kaval, or oil pulling, is an Ayurvedic practice, in which you swish oil around your mouth for several minutes, spit it out and then rinse. This helps remove bacteria from your mouth, prevent bad breath, tooth decay and gum problems.
An oil practice, which specifically targets the condition of constipation in the Ayurvedic tradition, is an oil Bhasti, or enema. Oil and other herbal substances are entered into the rectum. This ensures that the colon receives that oil so as to form soft faeces, and stimulates the gastrocolic communication reflex so as to produce a bowel movement. An oil-based enema provides nourishment, as well as elimination.
In my opinion, the Queen of all oil based Ayurvedvc practices is Shirodhara, or oil dropping. During Shirodhara, the person has to lie down on the Shirodhara table and keep their eyes closed and covered. Then a stream of warm herbal oil is poured on the person’s forehead. The slow dripping of the oil helps create vibrations and helps the oil penetrate deep down into the nervous system. It helps improve blood circulation to the brain. I experienced this treatment myself, and indeed found it extremely relaxing, both during and after the session. However, I cannot pinpoint any specific long lasting after effects of the Shirodhara.
So where am I now? Is “oils” well that ends well?
Don’t get me wrong, there are times when I feel guilty, indulgent and fat, as I plop a spoon of ghee into my soup, or question whether I really need that second spoon of yummy peanut butter on my oats. However, I breathe and I reflect; why should this particular food group be ostracised?
Now that I understand why we need fat, how fat works in our bodies, how I have been self-creating my constipation, my osteoporosis, my Hypothalamic Amenorrhea by minimising my oil and fat intake, I can learn to love this unctuous underdog, this lubricating liquid. And I am learning.
Not only am I witnessing the physical benefits, but I am noticing a more relaxed nervous system and a sensual sensation, an erotic encounter with my body.
Say yes to oil. Say yes to anointing yourself with this sacred staple. Always oil.
