With gelatin valued so highly, the more easily assimilated hydrolyzed or “predigested” collagen protein seems like more of a very good thing. Created and patented by an American pharmacist in the early 1970s, this form of collagen has become available to the general public only recently. However, doctors, clinics, and hospitals have been using it for the last few decades in weight loss programs, healing of burns and wounds, joint and connective tissue support, and as a nutritional aid for the elderly and those with degenerative diseases.
As a hot new supplement on the retail scene, collagen protein is the latest “fountain of youth” with some basis in fact. Collagen of Types I and III is the most basic building block of our bones, ligaments, joints, tendons, muscles, blood vessels, and tissues. Type II collagen sources, such as glucosamine, MSM, and chondroitin, build cartilage, which is especially weak in arthritics because they don’t produce it well. Another effective Type II source seems to be chicken cartilage soup! Recent studies with rheumatoid arthritis patients have shown a huge decrease in joint swelling and tenderness. In other research, chicken collagen helped to prevent attacks on healthy joints.3 One is reminded of Cayce’s recommendation to cook chicken well and then chew on the bones!
Besides serving as a special kind of internal cement, collagen is the primary building material of our skin, hair, and nails—all features that cosmetics have been invented to “improve.” In aging bodies, the internal collagen manufacturing plant begins to slowly break down. If a lack of healthy collagen causes our appearance to slide, as evidenced by wrinkles; thin, sagging skin; dull, brittle hair; easily broken nails, stiffening joints, poor muscle tone, and flab, then perhaps the right collagen supplement would help to keep that old gray mare kicking.
The benefits claimed for hydrolyzed collagen are so many, varied, and dramatic that it’s impossible (and inadvisable) to list them all here. However, they include the best complexion of one’s life; thicker, faster growing hair; hard, durable nails; more restful sleep, weight loss (when needed), relief of arthritis symptoms, improved muscle tone, faster healing of surgical wounds, and much more.
Some supplements include Vitamin C because its presence has been found to enhance collagen synthesis. Perhaps this would explain Cayce’s preference for consuming gelatin with fresh raw vegetables, which naturally supply this vitamin.
If simply consuming gelatin is the method of choice, there are easy, and in some cases, delicious ways to make the plain powder go down. One is to sprinkle it directly on salads, using a shaker container that can be found in health food stores. A teaspoon or two over soup, perhaps along with a little parmesan cheese, is another easy option. The obvious healthy alternative is to make one’s own fruit (or vegetable) juice gelatin concoction. Here’s the basic recipe:
To one cup of juice in a saucepan on the stove add one tablespoon or one package of plain gelatin. Allow this mixture to soften for five or ten minutes. Then heat over a low flame, stirring often, until steam begins to rise and the gelatin has dissolved. Remove from heat, pour into a bowl, and stir in another cup of juice. Chunks of fruit (avoid fresh pineapple) or raw, shredded vegetables can be added if desired. Chill until firm. To make a more exotic and dessert-like whipped version using fruit juice only, chill until the mixture starts to thicken, whip in a blender, and return to the bowl for further chilling. It’s a delightfully light finish to any meal and a welcome way to help keep us from becoming unglued at the same time!
Olive Oil for Life!
When it comes to citing the many health benefits of this versatile oil, both inside and out, the Cayce readings have plenty of company. In fact, of all the edible oils, olive oil seems to be the one that inspires the most agreement. New and time-honored uses abound in the kitchen, the massage room, and the personal care arena.
As a staple in Mediterranean diets, the venerable olive, along with the oil that is pressed from it, has a long history of use. Recently, some extremely encouraging studies linking olive oil consumption with certain health trends have emerged from that part of the world. Daily intake of this largely monounsaturated fat is now thought to play a major role in heart health by reducing both blood pressure and cholesterol.
The high value placed by the Cayce readings on olive oil is implicit in the literally thousands of times it was mentioned. Besides being the favored oil in salad dressings, it is often recommended to be taken internally as a mild elimination aid and “food” for the intestinal system. Regarded as beneficial for anyone, its purpose is to soothe and protect the intestinal wall.
Those who can tolerate, or enjoy, this oil’s distinctive flavor should know that many readings advise taking it in larger amounts as a part of systematic cleanses, such as the apple diet and castor oil packs. In the doses recommended, which range from approximately two to six tablespoons, olive oil tends to purge the gall bladder, sometimes in a rather dramatic fashion. In the process, the liver, as the source of the bile that is stored and excreted by the gall bladder, is aided in its difficult detoxifying work.
Similar uses and doses are found in the recommendations of present day health advocates. In the finely tuned protocol of Dr. Richard Schulze, for example, olive oil is part of a blended daily drink that also includes freshly pressed juice, raw garlic cloves, and ginger. In the course of a five-day cleanse, the oil is gradually increased from one tablespoon to five.4
“Food as medicine” uses for olive oil may at times go far beyond internal cleansing. For instance, some cancer researchers believe that it functions as a powerful disease preventive. Olive oil’s protective effect is linked to its antioxidant properties and unique fatty acid content.5
Cayce’s external recommendations are found in a huge variety of complexion, massage, and skin care preparations. One reading goes so far as to state that “. . . olive oil—properly prepared (hence pure olive oil should always be used)—is one of the most effective agents for stimulating muscular activity, or mucus-membrane activity, that may be applied to a body.” (440-3) In the case of a woman with weakness and toxemia, nightly massages with olive oil were advised “. . . to relax and strengthen and feed the muscular conditions, and to bring about the better locomotion from the effects of the poisons as are being eliminated from the system, and to strengthen the body throughout.” (5421-6)
Besides being recommended alone, olive oil is included in an assortment of massage formulas, such as an often-mentioned pairing with equal parts tincture of myrrh: “The myrrh, as an activative force with the oil, acts as a healing influence to the tendency of inflammation or drying of the texture or tendril effect of muscular activities of the system.” (372-8) In this case the two ingredients are combined just before use to avoid spoilage, though this is not an issue with combinations of oils. Because of its gentleness, olive oil is also a natural in hair and body wash products such as “castile” soaps and shampoos.
The emergence of new and healthful uses for the timeless olive should come as no surprise. It seems fitting that there should be such a strong similarity between the words “olive” and “alive.”
Almonds, Beauty, and Long Life
There can be no denying that the almond was Edgar Cayce’s favorite nut (unless in a joking mood), although the reasons for this preference remain incompletely understood. Cayce’s remarks on this tropical seed’s nutritional content, cosmetic properties, and uses in preventive medicine have sent countless numbers running to their health food stores and have probably been a